Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church

New Sermon Series Exlores Jesus’ Last Day

Jon — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:52:33 +0000

The day began with a simple command. Jesus told some of his disciples to “go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him…” And with those words, Marks gospel begins its account of Jesus’ last day on earth. During the season of Lent, Light of the Canyon will be exploring Jesus’ last day in the sermon series “24 Hours That Changed the World.” The series and small group study is based on Pastor Adam Hamilton’s book of the same name. Come and explore what Jesus’ last day was really like. Come and discover how 24 hours really can change the world.

“The Last Supper”

Jon — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:25:51 +0000

In today’s scripture lesson, we begin the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life as told in Mark’s gospel. There are three things that are present in the story that are important to remember for our experience of the season of Lent. There is preparation. As the disciples made ready fo the Passover feast, so to must we make ready for Easter. There is bad news. And there is good news. The last 24 hours of Jesus’ life were very dramatic, and did indeed change the world.

Mark 14:12-25

1. One of the joys of being a minister – weddings. One piece of advice that I always give – prepare for everything, but be ready for anything.

a. Something always happens – either large or small – that throws a wrench into the special day. The effect that it has has much to do with how prepared we are.

b. An outdoor wedding – the wind kept blowing out the unity candle.

c. Used it as a symbol of what is really important – “it is the flame that burns in our hearts for one another that we must protect.”

d. The point is – we can, and should, plan for special days. But, most of the time, we need to be ready for surprises.

2. Today is the first Sunday of the season of Lent. Lent is the season in the church year where we prepare our hearts and minds for Easter.

a. In the early church – baptism on Easter and Lent was the time of final preparation.

b. Popular notion – Lent begins the day after Mardi Gras. Some people think it is the “bad time” after the “good time.”

c. Give something up for Lent – often times, we don’t know why we do this, we just do it.

d. But, whatever we remember about Lent – it is a time of preparation for Easter.

e. This is important because Easter is the most important holy day in the church – without Easter, there would be no church.

3. But, before there was Easter, there was the last 24 hours of Jesus’ earthly life – and it was indeed 24 hours that changed the world.

a. In Mark’s gospel, the passage that was read for you marks the beginning of the last 24 hours of Jesus life.

b. There are three very important movements in this episode that parallel our experience during Lent.

c. First – preparation. Read Mark 14:12-16.

d. Passover celebrated deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Significant – the last day of Jesus life was the celebration of a great day of liberation for the Jewish people.

e. Thursday morning Lenten study, we talked about the difference in preparation for a family gathering. Thanksgiving v. coffee with friends.

f. Love is just as deep, but the preparations are different. The preparations do much to…

i. Establish the context of the gathering – what is happening here?

ii. Signal to everyone expectations – formal or informal.

e. Preparations are important to any occasion. Easter is no different. It is important that we make the most of this time of preparation.

4. Second movement is one that, all too often, we try to sweep under the rug.

a. Read Mark 14:17-21.

b. Jesus is predicting the betrayal of Judas. That is kind of a downer.

c. The problem is that if we skip over the bad news we miss something very important.

d. Can there be anything so painful as the betrayal of one whom we love and trust.

e. This past week – Tiger Woods public apology. Why was it necessary? He did not break any laws. It was necessary because he broke more than laws – he betrayed a sacred trust.

5. Judas was sitting next to Jesus as they ate that final meal together – and yet he was the one that would ultimately betray Jesus.

a. This is an ugly, brutal episode. Many of us think this is a story about Jesus. And is saddens us to see how Judas treats Jesus. We are rightly upset at Judas’ betrayal.

b. But, here is the thing, Jesus shared that he would be betrayed – not to prove how smart and all-knowing he was.

c. His declaration was a signal for those of us who hear Jesus’ story what part we would play in the story.

d. We all would like to identify with Jesus. But, the truth is, in large ways and in small, we are closer to Judas.

e. And until we understand that, acknowledge, and indeed repent of that, than we cannot find our way to the good news.

6. The good news. There is good news in this story. Read Mark 14: 22-25. In a simple gesture, Jesus took a meal, and completely redefined it.

a. Suddenly, Passover not only a celebration of a past reality. It is an indicator of a future hope.

b. Suddenly, Passover not only the sign of a covenant with just one people. It is a sign of a “new” covenant for all the world.

c. Suddenly, God’s grace has come to define the terms of this new covenant. Jesus said “my blood” and “My body” to tell us that this new life is possible not because of what we have done, but through what he has done on our behalf.

d. Suddenly, Jesus has made all things new. That is very good news.

6. My friends, all of the disciples knew what to expect at Passover. The meal – the celebration – was all part of Jewish tradition.

a. They had made this pilgrimage, shared in this celebration, for their whole lives.

b. Indeed, every element of the Passover meal is meant to tell a part of the story of the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.

c. Every element of the celebration was carefully developed to recount the story.

d. There should have been no surprises.

e. But, on this last day of his life, Jesus changed everything. And nobody even saw it coming.

f. Like all of those wedding celebrations that I have officiated, we can plan and prepare, but ultimately whatever is going to happen will happen. God, is beyond our control.

7. Do you think that you know what is going to happen this Easter?

a. Maybe you have a routine. Maybe you have a plan. Maybe you think you know what to expect.

b. But, in the midst of everything that we have planned, let’s leave room in our hearts and in our lives for the mystery of the resurrection to move us in ways that we might not have expected.

c. Let us take this time during the season of Lent to prepare ourselves for what the resurrection of Jesus Christ will mean to us.

d. Let us be faithful in our preparations – pray, study, worship, service, etc. Attend the “means of grace.”

e. Let us be truthful about our own sin – we give things up for Lent to strip away our false reliance on self and remind us to rely on Christ.

f. And let us be ready ourselves to receive the good news of Jesus’ resurrection – not so that we might define it, but that we might truly be open to its mystery, and to the full impact it can have on us.

8. Today is the first Sunday in the season of Lent. Today we begin to prepare ourselves for the greatest story ever told.

a. Christ has come. Christ will die. And Christ will be risen.

b. 24 hours will change the world.

c. Are you ready?

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – February 21, 2010.

“Bound Together in Love”

Jon — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:24:21 +0000

When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians, he encouraged them to “clothe yourselves in love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” The word for bind, “sundesmos,” also means “ligament.” Love is the very thing that binds the bodt of Christ together, just as the ligaments in our body connect bones to other bones to form joints. Love is the ultimate Christian value. And without it, nothing else in the body of Christ works properly.

Colossians 3:11-17

1. When I was in second grade, I experienced the first of many sports-related injuries.

a. Playing football. Tackled from the backside, thus stretching and tearing, according to the doctor, ligaments in my knee.

b. Great pain. But, what I remember most of all is how the kneecap became dislocated. The ligaments were torn or weakened so much that they did not hold it in place. Had to “pop” it back in place. And then it did not always stay until ligament had healed.

c. Ligaments connect bones to other bones to form a joint. They do not connect muscles to bones; that is the function of tendons. (show diagram)

d. Proper functioning of ligaments – when the body is “knit together” properly – enables the body to function the way it should.

2. Thanks Pastor Jon for the introduction to anatomy. What’s the point? Good question.

a. Paul’s letter to the Colossians – Paul did not found the church in Corinth. But, he had a great love for them.

b. Issue – “rival teaching,” denies the adequacy of Christ for salvation. Teaching grounded in astrology.

c. Paul is teaching about some basics of the faith. Get this right. This is important.

d. He gives some basic advice – Read Colossians 2:12-13.

e. Then he gets to the heart of the matter. “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

f. Paul chose his words carefully. Greek word for “binds” = “sundesmos” which means ligament (Ah, finally we get to the point).

g. Paul is saying that “love” is the ultimate virtue. But, more than that. Love is the value that makes all of the other values possible.

h. Love functions just as a ligament in our body – without it, nothing else works.

3. Today, we are concluding our sermon series, “Where is God in a Recession?”

a. We have spoken about the sin of greed. We have talked about establishing priorities that are consistent with our principles (what is enough?). We have talked about financial responsibility.

b. Today, we are talking about the “ligament” that holds it all together.

c. Love. Love. Love. This is where we must begin the journey. This is what makes it all possible.

d. Love is the guiding force. That means it applies to our personal lives, our marriages, our families, our jobs, and the way we respond to money.

e. Love is the thing that ties our lives together. And it is the thing that binds us to one another.

4. We had a wonderful workshop at the church yesterday. Dealt with issues of how to deal with the economic crisis.

a. Two speakers – both expressed, in the midst of their discussion, an essential truth. We cannot talk about how we deal with money without talking about the ultimate values that guide us.

b. Even in the midst of a recession – in fact, most especially in the midst of a recession – it is important to know who we are and where we stand.

c. And, for Paul, the value that we must live by first and foremost is love.

d. Remember – love = “agape”. Sacrificial, self-giving love that is not dependent upon the circumstances or even upon other people’s response.

e. It is love that simply pours itself out because that is what we are called to do.

5. Paul uses another word in his letter to the Colossians that I love.

a. Verse 15 – “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

b. Rule = “brabeus” = to umpire, to arbitrate.

c. Umpire (spring training is coming soon) – calls balls/strikes, safe/out.

d. Watch a game on TV, they can show you in super slo-mo in high-def, etc. They can show you what really happened.

e. But, the umpire determines what is. You see, it doesn’t matter what the replay shows. What matters is what the umpire says. For that determines what happens in the game.

f. Love is to be the umpire in our lives. Love makes the call – not just in good times, but in all times.

6. I want you to think for a moment. Who are the people that our society considers successful? Who are the role models?

a. Money – Donald Trump.

b. Industry – Bill Gates.

c. Religion – Rick Warren.

d. Why are these folks our “model” of success? Because we can look at the fruit of their labor and “measure” them. Lots of money, lots of computer systems, lots of people in the seats = success.

e. But, Paul, in his infinite wisdom gives us all something far more lasting and eternal than money to focus our energy on – love.

f. And he says that without this, everything else is just so much noise.

7. Success, as it is defined in the bible, rarely resembles what we consider success today.

a. Not a lot of buildings with our name on them – that was the illusion of the rich fool.

b. Not great wealth or power – those were the temptations that Jesus specifically resisted.

c. Not wisdom so great that your book becomes an international bestseller – even Solomon was wise, but he considered is “chasing after wind.”

d. These things are not wrong in and of themselves. But, they are not how we measure success.

e. Biblical measure = Christ hanging out with the “least of these,” not once in a while, but as a way of life.

f. Biblical measure = Christ on a cross.

g. Biblical measure = Paul, traveling from city to city to share the good news, suffering for its sake.

8. Nothing wrong with being Donald Trump (other than that hairdo), Bill Gates or Rick Warren.

a. But, it is important when we take stock of our own lives, that we do not fall into the trap of measuring success by their accomplishments.

b. Because, success in the eyes of God, rarely looks like success in the eyes of our culture.

c. Paul challenges us to think of success in very specific terms – by our willingness and ability to love others.

d. So important, Paul considers love to be the ligament that holds the body of Christ together.

9. Where is God in a recession? Most conspicuously, in the outpourings of love that we see demonstrated on a daily basis, but often fail to celebrate.

a. Family members caring for one another. Friends offering support to one another. The church offering assistance and support.

b. Let us not miss the opportunity that the recession provides to critically evaluate our priorities.

c. Let us not become lost in our pursuit of wealth, security, stuff.

d. Instead, let us, “clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

e. That is the only measure that matters. That is how God defines success. That is what life is really about. Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – February 14, 2010.

“Contentment”

Jon — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:47:31 +0000

St. Augustine once prayed to God that “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.” We have become a society of restless hearts. We have come to pursue the wrong things, more stuff, more money, more of everything. And we have forgotten patience. We have become like the writer of Ecclesiastes. The recession has made all to clear, however, that this is “chasing after wind.” The time has come to learn contentment, not as the world gives, but as only God can give.

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

1. A couple years ago – sleep study. Hoag sleep center. Plugged up to all of these machines.

a. Follow-up visit, diagnosed with restless Legs Syndrome, an urge or need to move the legs to stop unpleasant sensations.

b. Lots of information. Even lrs.org.

c. RLS disturbs sleep. Your legs cannot get settled. They cannot remain still.

d. You are not resting – you are literally “exercising” while you sleep – that’s not good.

2. As it is true in sleep, it is true in life – sometimes resting is good. Sometimes, it is o.k. to be content with where you are at.

a. We think contentment is a bad word. We think that sitting still – even if only for a season – is a bad thing.

b. And it is getting worse. Driving Corran to baseball practice recently…it was “too quiet.”

c. He was in the back seat playing his DSI and he had the volume turned down so I would not know.

d. We are raising a generation of children that cannot “sit still.” Everywhere they are, we feel that we must entertain them.

e. But, what we are really doing is raising a generation of restless people – people that might not even be able to find their rest in God.

3. Restlessness – lack of contentment – in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. The problem is, that much of our “stirring of the spirit,” much of our lack of contentment, is nothing more than spiritual restless legs syndrome.

a. It is futile and fruitless. It does not lead us to a deeper understanding of God.

b. It is, to quote the writer of Ecclesiastes, “vanity and chasing after wind.”

c. The book of Ecclesiastes attributed to King Solomon. It is a wisdom book, but it is an advanced text. Not pithy quotes about how to live a righteous life (Proverbs).

d. Deals with deeper, more existential issues.

e. It is a book for the times we are living in. Many of us might connect with Solomon’s lament that was read for us this morning.

4. I love the Contemporary English Version. Read Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 from CEV.

a. “I said to myself, ‘Have fun and enjoy yourself’…I did some great things. I built houses and planted vineyards…foreign rulers brought me silver, gold, and precious treasures…I was the most famous person who had ever lived in Jerusalem.”

b. Most people would say he had it made. He expressed the desires of most of the people in our society.

c. But, what does Solomon say about all of his accomplishments. Read verse 11.

d. “It was simply chasing the wind. Nothing on earth is worth the trouble.”

e. This is not the hopeless ramblings of a depressed king. This is the honest reflection of a man known the world over for the depth of his wisdom.

f. Solomon is not a crybaby. He is reflecting on the ultimate futility of human striving – of human restlessness.

5. United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton, in his book, writes about the spiritual version of Restless Leg Syndrome. He calls is Restless Heart Syndrome (RHS).

a. He describes is this way. Tell me if this sounds familiar to any of us.

b. He says that the primary symptom of RHS is discontentment. “We find that we are never satisfied with anything. The moment we acquire something, we scarcely take time to enjoy it before we want something else. We are perpetually discontent.”

c. I know – many people consider this a virtue. It encourages “achievement.”

d. However, if unchecked, RHS eventually becomes “chasing the wind.”

6. We cannot have an honest discussion about “where is God in a recession” if we do not address the issue of human striving.

a. Greed that created the crises in our economy (and in our souls). And it is time to consider another way.

b. Hamilton – learn to cultivate contentment – true, spiritual contentment.

i. First – Remember four important words. “It could be worse.” A dear friend that owned his own company. In good times, he lived very well. But, in good and bad times, he always celebrated what was most important to him – family and friends.

ii. Second – ask ourselves an important question, especially with bigger purchases. “How long will this make me happy?” When we make a purchase, have a chemical reaction in our brain that causes a temporary joy. But, it doesn’t last.

iii. Develop a grateful heart. Learn to say thank you for “everything.” Don’t assume entitlement. See things for the gift that they are.

iv. If you want to work on this one, try this exercise, consider this, if you make $50,000 a year here in the United States, you are part of an elite class of the world’s wealthiest 1 percent. Surprised? Try a quick exercise. Go to www.globalrichlist.com, enter your income, and see how you compare when it comes to the distribution of the world’s wealth. Then, consider all that we have to be grateful for.

v. Finally, honestly ask yourself, “Where does my soul find true satisfaction?”

c. This is the question that Solomon was asking, and his answer was contrary to the values of our culture.

7. My friends, we have been talking about “where is God in a recession?”

a. This question implies that God is hiding from us, when the truth is that this recession has come upon us because we have hidden ourselves from God.

b. We have chosen the values of greed and instant gratification over the values of grace and love, and living for eternity.

c. But, all that the values that we have chosen have done for us is to leave us restless. And now, as our economy struggles, the deeper spiritual truth that many of our selfish pursuits are merely “chasing after wind.”

d. Solomon offers a glimpse of the life that we are called to in the second chapter of Ecclesiastes.

e. “If we please God, he will make us wise, understanding, and happy. But, if we sin, God will make us struggle for a living…”

f. The time has come to stop “chasing after wind,” for that is not pleasing to God.

8. The time has come to cultivate contentment of our spirits, not the contentment from having many things – but contentment that is grounded in pursuing the things of God.

a. There is an opportunity here that we must not miss.

b. Question the values of a culture that encourages us to get it all and get it now, and then to show everyone else how well we are doing.

c. Question the values of the restless heart syndrome.

d. We have an opportunity to live out the words of the famous prayer of St. Augustine who prayed to God, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”

e. His words are much more than a prayer, they are a deep and abiding truth.

f. Our hearts will always be restless, until they find their rest – their contentment – in the things of God. Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – February 7, 2010.

“The American Dream”

Jon — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:47:07 +0000

We hear the phrase “The American Dream” all of the time. It is conjured up as some bucolic image of hearth, home and community. But, lately, the image of the American Dream has changed. In the past decade, the image has shifted to one of (over) consumption. The American Dream has come to mean, I have a right to have whatever I want to have whenever I want to have it. This has led to some serious financial problems for a lot of people. What do we do when our American Dream becomes, to quote Pastor Adam Hamilton, “an American nightmare”?

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Matthew 4:1-10

1. Recently, I have been doing something that I promised myself I would never do.

a. Saying things to Corran like, “there are children in Haiti that are starving.”

b. If he does not demonstrate the appropriate amount of gratitude or appreciation for what he has…the words just come out of my mouth.

c. My goal – Corran always puts the things that he has and the life that he enjoys in context. We are the exception, living in Orange County, Ca. We live better than most of the world.

d. What we consider to be “needs” (e.g. batteries for DSI, a new laptop, etc.), most of the world considers luxuries.

e. So, I am get up on my daddy’s high horse and instruct my son in the “realities of the world.”

2. And then after saying that to Corran, I go somewhere and see something that I want (no, something I need). And all sense of priority goes out the window.

a. At a friends house – 50” flat-screen TV.

b. Dedicated media room.

c. Or worse, I am walking through South Coast Plaza (to get a gift for someone) and I happen upon the Paradise Pen store. “I will just go in and look.”

d. Then I see it – Montblanc, limited edition Charles Dickens fountain pen with a Rhodium-plated 18-karat gold nib (only $750).

e. “I NEED one of those!

f. And thus, a debtor is made.

3. Temptation is a real challenge in our lives, especially when it involves getting cool stuff. Even Jesus faced temptation.

a. He was just baptized, ready to begin his public ministry. But, he was led by the spirit into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days.

b. We are meant, as we hear this to remember back to the 40 years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness, to remember how many times they succumbed to the very temptations that Jesus was about to face.

c. Three temptations that Jesus faces can be categorized in this way.

i. Hunger

ii. Assurance of God’s care.

iii. Idolatry.

d. The temptations appealed to that art of Jesus’ that might want to be in charge of this whole enterprise, that part of him that thought, I can do this messiah thing better than God can.

4. But, Jesus, despite his weakened state, was able to resist temptation. And he was ready to begin his ministry.

a. Something we need to know about temptation.

b. William Barclay – “Now, here is the great and uplifting truth. What we call temptation is not meant to make us sin; it is to enable us to conquer sin. It is not meant to make us bad; it is meant to make us good.”

c. And that is important to recognize. We think of temptation in terms of something that we want to satisfy (“I really want that pen, then I will be happy”).

d. But the truth is, that the happiness that God has in store for us, a happiness that truly is outside of our control (or understanding), is won not by succumbing to temptation, but by – with God’s help – overcoming it.

5. How do we resist the temptation when it comes, especially the temptation to keep up with the Jones?

a. Like Jesus we have to be focused and ready when it comes.

b. Today, “Where is God in a Recession?” There is a great temptation that we all face everyday of our lives. It is called “The American Dream.”

c. We talk about this dream in magical terms, but at its core it is the ability and the right to have stuff. I grew up knowing in the core of my being, that owning a house was the American dream.

d. Growing up – home ownership was a virtue that called for prudence, patience, and responsibility.

e. But, lately, to quote Pastor Adam Hamilton, our American dream has become a nightmare.

f. People owing more for homes than the homes are worth, etc.

g. And how did this happen? We succumbed to the temptation that was presented to us. Have more, get more, buy more, and you can be more.

h. And now our American dream has become a nightmare.

6. And you know what, the church is partly to blame. That’s right. Resisting temptation is our business. It’s kind of our bread and butter. But, when it comes to financial matters, we don’t like to talk about it.

a. But, if we are not talking about it, and empowering people with the tools they need, than we are simply setting people up to succumb to temptation when it arrives.

b. As we consider the question, “where is God in a recession,” we certainly need to talk honestly about money and the place it has in our lives, or else we are just navel-gazing.

c. In the Methodist tradition, John Wesley spoke often about money and how Christians should deal with it.

d. He even wrote entire sermons dedicated to this subject. One such sermon, appropriately entitled “The Use of Money,” Wesley chides the church for not talking about how financial matters and spiritual ones are connected.

e. He writes, “An excellent branch of Christian wisdom is here inculcated by our Lord on all his followers, namely, the right use of money — a subject largely spoken of, after their manner, by men of the world; but not sufficiently considered by those whom God hath chosen out of the world. These, generally, do not consider, as the importance of the subject requires, the use of this excellent talent. Neither do they understand how to employ it to the greatest advantage; the introduction of which into the world is one admirable instance of the wise and gracious providence of God.”

f. Basically, he is saying that “people of the world” pay attention to money, and if we in the church are truly going to be stewards of resources that God has provided, than so should we.

g. He goes on to lie out a plan that is very simple. “Gain all you can, without hurting either yourself or your neighbor…save all you can, by cutting off every expense which serves only to indulge foolish desire… and then, give all you can, or, in other words, give all you have to God.

7. Gain all you can, save all you can, give all you can. That’s it. In his book, Enough, which we will be hearing about later in the year, Adam Hamilton adapts Wesley’s principles this way.

a. First, pay your tithe or offering to the church. This establishes for you and your family a clear sense of priorities.

b. Second, create a budget and track your expenses. We cannot change our spending habits unless we know what they are.

c. Third, simplify your life style. That one is a hard one, isn’t it? What we consider “necessities” are really luxuries. 6th grade teacher – “wants” and “needs.”

d. Establish an emergency fund – thus relieving the need to go into debt when unexpected expenses arise.

e. Pay of credit cards. They are a killer. And the hope that they offer is illusory.

f. Save. Save. Save.

8. I know that many of you are thinking; I want to do better. I want to have more control, and I want God to be a part of how I manage my finances. But, what can I do?

a. Let me share with you something really exciting that I believe will make a difference in all of our lives and will give us that roadmap to living lives “rich toward God”.

b. On Feb 13, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, in this very room, LOTC will be hosting a workshop entitled “Your Money or Your Life.” Two great speakers that will provide practical wisdom.

c. This is not the final answer to all of our financial questions, but it is a nuts-and-bolts, hands-on approach. And I promise that you will leave there with more wisdom than when you came in.

9. My friends, temptation is real and it is a monster. And the only way to resist temptation is to be prepared for it, and to know that God is with you, and to be able to ground ourselves in that truth.

a. This sermon series, this workshop coming up, all that we are doing to try and respond redemptively to the recession our nation is in…

b. It cannot help you if you do not participate.

c. The question before us is this. Will we respond to the temptations that we face like the Israelites in the wilderness (going after every whim that gives us temporary comfort)…

d. Or will we take our example from Jesus, and prepare our hearts and minds for the times ahead, by utilizing the tools that God has provided us through the church.

e. Because one thing I know for sure. Temptation will continue to come. How will we respond? Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – January 31, 2010.

“Enough”

Jon — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:56:46 +0000

Today, we begin asking the question, “Where is God in a recession?” This is a question that weighs on many of our hearts because everyone is affected when the economy is down. But, if we are truly going to seek God in the midst of our current financial crisis, then perhaps the first place that we should look is ourselves. What behavior and attitudes in us have brought us to this place. What can we learn about ourselves, (and possibly change) from the recession? Sometimes, it all comes down to one question. How much is enough?

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Luke 12:13-25

1. In the movie “Up in the Air,” George Clooney play Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing specialist whose job it is to travel the country and fire people. He is on the road upwards to 300 days of the year.

a. Ironically, also a side business as a motivational speaker – “What’s in your backpack?” He talks about all of the things we have in life and how they weigh us down.

b. What motivates him? A simple goal – 10,000,000 miles on frequent flyer card. He can go into the executive lounge for the rest of his life. He gets a special card that only seven other people in the world have. He gets his name on the side of a plane.

c. He thinks, when he hits 10,000,000 miles, he will be able to say, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

d. Falls in love…helps his sister at her wedding…gets his hearts broken…on the flight home, he makes the 10,000,000 mile mark (the youngest person ever).

e. Speaking to the pilot, he realizes the emptiness of his achievement. He understands to a certain degree, Jesus words, “So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.”

2. Today, new sermon series, “Where is God in a recession?” In the next few weeks, we will be exploring what it means to proclaim our faith in a loving God in the midst of the current economic downturn. (nice euphemism)

a. Is there a “Christian” response to financial crisis? What is it?

b. Not a specific economic program – in the bible everything from socialism to capitalism.

c. The Christian response to the recession has more to do with how we respond than it does what God did.

d. First principle – evaluate.

e. One of the places where we need to truly evaluate is in our priorities. What is most important.

f. And when it comes to money – what is enough?

3. The lesson this morning. The parable of the rich fool as it is known in church tradition.

a. Many of us might have learned this parable, but most of us forget that Jesus preached this parable in response to a real situation.

b. Read Luke 12:13-15.

c. Conflict between brothers and their inheritance. Jesus responds with a warning – “be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

d. And then he tells a parable. The parable of the rich fool. Many of us might look at this – he is just saving away for retirement, what’s wrong with that?”

e. But, look closely. It is about more than that – the rich man’s problem was not his wealth, it was that his priorities were out of whack.

4. Four things…

a. Preoccupation with possessions. Greed, accumulation of stuff. “He who dies with the most toys wins.” Not in the kingdom of God.

b. Security in self-sufficiency – it runs counter to the American ethos, but, God calls us to a life of interconnectedness. Not just in sharing our stuff with others, but in relying on one another for our own well being.

c. One thing to offer help. We still have power. It is another thing entirely to invest ourselves in the life of the community.

d. Futility of self-indulgence – permeates our culture.

e. Something the NIB calls “practical atheism.” Regardless of what we say, living as if there is no God.

f. If he were just being frugal, Jesus would not have cared. But, the man was consumed with self, over and above everything else.

5. Jim Wallis, pastor, author, and founder of Sojourners, in his book on how Christians might respond to the recession Rediscovering Values – ask the right questions. “not, when will the crisis end? But, how will the crisis change us?”

a. How will this crisis change us? When we ask the question, “where is God in a recession,” how will this crisis change us is at the heart of our response.

b. Recession has highlighted some glaring human shortcomings that we must recognize and deal with – at the core is the obsession with self.

c. In author Robert Frank’s book Richistan, recounts the story of one yacht owner with a 100-foot yacht.

d. But soon, a 100-foot yacht wasn’t impressive anymore, as neighboring yachts reached 130 feet, then 197 feet, and beyond. One of those large boats described as a “floating palace that tops 450 feet and has more than 80 rooms on five stories.

e. “I used to think I had a good-sized boat,” said the man with the 100 foot yacht. “Now it’s like a dinghy compared to these others.”

6. We look at stories like this one and say, they are the exception to the rule. Maybe.

a. But, we live in a culture that worships at the altar of the satisfaction of self. And we all buy into it to one degree or another.

b. When I was a kid – a second mortgage was only when there was a financial emergency.

c. Prior to the recession – ads inviting us to “use the money in our house” to go on vacation, but that boat, essentially to satisfy our desire to live like the rich and famous.

d. We bought into it, hook, line, and sinker. It is as if we all said to ourselves, “yea, I have this money in my house. I am going to use it to eat, drink, and be merry.

e. And now we are all paying the price.

7. My friends, this recession is serious business. And like all of you, I hope that it ends sooner rather than later.

a. But, what a waste this experience will be if we do not learn something from it.

b. That is why – first principle of where is God in a recession is honestly evaluating what are the values that got us in this mess, and how have we personally bought into those values.

c. This crisis – economic and spiritual. We cannot ignore the spiritual, lest we become too much like the rich fool.

d. Jesus says it rather clearly. “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

e. Jesus, instead, calls us to live lives that are “rich towards God.” Lives that demonstrate the values of love, selflessness, spiritual discipline, and community.

f. That is the life that Jesus is calling us to, not the life consumed with self.

8. The recession is an opportunity to “choose whom we will serve.”

a. By what measure will we establish our priorities?

b. Ryan Bingham – what’s good for me is what’s good.

c. The rich fool – eat, drink, be merry, satisfy my own appetites.

d. Or by the life of Jesus Christ, whom we call Savior and Lord – “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.”

e. Because I can’t explain – market forces that have caused recession.

f. But, I do know how God calls us to respond. He calls us to richness, to wealth, to abundance, but not in the things of this world.

g. We are to be rich towards God. Therein lies our only hope. Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – January 24, 2010.

Haiti Relief

Jon — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:39:20 +0000

The earthquake in Haiti was devastating. Some estimate that the death toll be above 200,00 people. Thousands upon thousands are homeless and without food or the basic necessities of life. Please keep the people of Haiti and those providing relief in your prayers. It is time for the church to respond by sharing God’s love with those that have suffered so much. Follow this link if you would to donate to the relief effort in Haiti.

“Thank You for Being a Friend”

Jon — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:14:54 +0000

In the story of the man who was healed by Jesus when his friends lowered him through the roof on a stretcher, we often focus on the miraculous healing. But, Jesus himself says that it is the faith of the man’s friends that made him well. What kind of friend are we? Are we someone that will go out of our way to share the love of God with others? Or do we “hide it under a bushel.” The world is in need of healing. And Christians should be about seeking solutions, not lamenting our limitations.

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Mark 2:1-5

1. To this day, one of the most poignant expressions of friendship I have scene comes at the end of the 1990 movie Dances With Wolves.

a. Kevin Costner as Lt. John Dunbar. Assigned to a wilderness outpost in South Dakota, Dunbar encounters Lakota Sioux Indians. They make several attempts to steal his horse.

b. “I am Wind In His Hair. Do you see that I am not afraid of you? Do you see?” (Dunbar faints)

c. As the movie goes on, Dunbar and Wind in His Hair become friends – fight together, etc.

d. At the end of the film. “Do you see that I am your friend? Can you see that you will always be my friend?”

e. It is a stirring and dramatic example of what many of us hope friendship can be.

2. In the gospel lesson that was read for us this morning, we have an equally stirring and dramatic example of friendship.

a. Jesus just beginning his public ministry. He is in Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee – hometown of Peter and Andrew.

b. A lot of people are coming to see Jesus. Some are hopeful. Some expectant of the messiah. Some curious, some skeptical.

c. There were people that wanted Jesus to heal them of any kind of infirmities.

d. There was a degree of chaos involved in this gathering.

e. Suddenly, pieces of mud and mat branches from roof fall in on the people. Soon, there is a whole. A paralyzed man is lowered on a mat.

f. How impressive.

3. Now, we might read this and think that this is just another story of Jesus healing someone. If we do, we might miss something very important.

a. Hear these important words from verse five. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’.”

b. Paralyzed man – injury associated with sin. Jesus knows this; that is why he includes forgiveness in the healing story.

c. But, notice whose faith led to the man’s healing – the faith of his friends. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’.”

d. It was the faith of the man’s friends that led to his healing. That is why his friends are heroes of the faith.

e. Again, people in Jesus’ day erroneously believed that disability was the result of someone’s sin.

f. But, the man’s friends did not care about that. They saw only his need for healing. This is important. Because they will go to great lengths to help their friend experience healing. How many opportunities did they have to give up on their friend?

g. Take him to the house…get to the house, there is no way in…they take the outdoor staircase to the roof…begin to chip away at the mud and sticks until they have made a hole.

h. That is heroic love! That is heroic friendship! That is heroic faith!

4. The man’s friends are an example to all Christians. Their love for their friend challenge all of us to be more bold in how we love others.

a. Are we timid with our love for people? Do we hide it under a bushel?

b. Or, will we take loving risks, to insure that people experience the redemptive, healing love of Jesus Christ.

c. How will people know of Christ’s love in this world? When Christian begin behaving towards others the way that the paralyzed man’s friends behaved towards him.

d. They did not see sin – they saw need. And they knew that Jesus was the answer to that need, so they got the man to Jesus.

5. What do we see when we look out into the world beyond the comfort of our lives?

a. This past week, a disaster of biblical proportions hit the Caribbean nation of Haiti.

b. I have lived with the reality of Haiti my whole life – parents were involved with International Child Care.

c. The disaster was heartbreaking enough. But, then as if to add insult to injury, Pat Robertson goes on TV and tells millions of people that Haiti is being punished because, in its liberation from the French in 1801, leaders made a “pact with the devil.”

d. Not only bad historian, but bad theologian. Mr. Robertson more interested in telling us what is why people of Haiti deserved this calamity (which they did not), rather than demonstrating how Christ’s love might be revealed in response to this disaster.

e. Imagine if he were the friends of the paralyzed man – you deserve your disability.

f. Why am I even addressing his comments? Because, people hear him and thy think he speaks for Christians.

g. He does not speak for me, or for the God that I worship.

6. The God I worship calls us to go to whatever lengths we must go to in order to demonstrate to the world how much God loves us.

a. God I worship…calls us to act in dramatic and bold fashion to reach others for Christ.

b. God I worship…calls us to be less concerned with the obstacles and more concerned with the possibilities.

c. God I worship…not a God of fear, but a God of love.

d. God I worship…defines love by its willingness to act sacrificially and courageously to help others – not judgmentally and arrogantly to condemn them.

e. The God I worship…at work, even in the midst of tragedy, redeeming the world.

7. Last year, Pastor Tom told a few people at dinner a wonderful story about an African boy who was just learning about what it means to be a Christian when his teacher explained to his class the meaning of Christmas.

a. Christians give gifts to one another on Christmas Day as a way of expressing their joy over the gift of Jesus and as a token of their friendship with one another.

b. So, after class, he took off on a long walk to a particular bay which was many miles from his village. When he got there, he searched and searched for the most beautiful seashell he could find. Gave it to his teacher on Christmas Day.

c. She was very touched —not only by the beauty of the shell, but by knowing that it could only have come from the beach many miles away. She told the boy how beautiful the gift was and how much she appreciated it. Then she said, “But you shouldn’t have walked all the way to the bay to get it for me. That’s just too much.”

d. “I needed to do that,” he said. “The long walk is a part of the gift!”

8. My friends, the world is in a world of hurt. The people of Haiti represent a challenge to the church. How will we visibly demonstrate the compassion of Christ?

a. But, the people of Haiti are not the only ones in need. People all over need to know God’s love and grace.

b. Our challenge is not to love others when it is easy, when solutions readily present themselves. We are called to make the “long walk” of love, because that it part of the gift.

c. Our challenge…find a way to bring Christ’s love and healing to others, even when there appear to be obstacles in the way.

d. Our challenge…to demonstrate to others that God’s love is real.

e. Will you join me in this challenge? Will you boldly seek – with God’s help – to do all that you can (not everything) in order to bear witness to Christ in this world?

f. Will you be the kind of friend that leads others to Christ?

g. Will you be a hero of the faith? Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – January 17, 2010.

“Come and See”

Jon — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:06:11 +0000

Today, we heard about how Philip invited Nathanael to “come and see” Jesus. He did not answer all of Nathanael’s questions, or et involved in a debate, he simply extended an invitation. That is the heart of Christian evangelism. We are called to invite others to “come and see” what God is doing in our midst.

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

John 1:43-46

1. Today, we are continuing “Heroes,” our exploration of some of the lesson known people in the bible.

a. Philip – definitely one of the lesser know disciples. His name is mentioned on 14 times in the gospels.

b. Not much is known about Philip from the biblical accounts. He is from Bethsaida on the Sea of Galiliee.

c. So, why am I counting him among the heroes of the bible?

d. An ordinary man who does an ordinary thing that has extraordinary consequences.

e. He meets Jesus, and determines him to be the one “about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote.”

f. And what does he do? What is the first thing that he does? He goes and tells someone else He invites his friend Nathanael to “come and see.”

2. One of my goals for 2010 as LOTC – create a culture of invitation. What does that mean?

a. Create an environment where we are all inviting people to “come and see” what is happening at LOTC.

b. I know this is frightening. It is supposed to be. But, I want you to realize something.

c. Philip was not a great theologian. He was not a great speaker. He was not ordained. The only thing going for Philip was that he understood that Jesus was Savior.

d. And he was going to tell people about it.

e. He was not going to stand on a street corner, nor was he going to go to seminary and get an advanced degree. He was merely going to share his faith. Period.

f. And, for that, Philip is a hero of our faith.

3. Would you like to be a hero of the faith like Philip? It is not as hard as you might expect. A few simple things to remember.

a. Pick someone out that you will invite to LOTC. Pray for that person. Pray that God might present you with opportunities to invite them.

b. Pay attention to what is happening at LOTC (sermon series, special events, etc.). When the time is right, tell them to “come and see.” No fuss, no muss – three simple words.

c. Come and see…sermon, worship, Easter Egg Hunt, personal finance workshop, etc.

d. It is the job of the church to develop worship and programs that are meaningful and relevant.

e. But, it is your job to invite…come and see.

f. Remember the 85% rule – 85% of people that come to church and stay do so at the invitation of someone else.

4. Come and see. It is not that hard. Come and see. You may hear “no” a hundred times before you hear a “yes.”

a. But, don’t let that stop you. Come and see.

b. The heroic calling of all Christians is summed up in those three little words – come and see.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – January 10, 2010.

“Help”

Jon — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:13:13 +0000

Today, we are beginning a new sermon series entitled “Heroes.” Why is a man who cries out to Jesus, “help my unbelief” a hero of our faith? Because he did not run away from Christ in shame when he felt that his faith was not enough. He ran to Christ in hope, proclaiming his desire and need for Christ’s help. Sometimes, that is enough.

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Mark 9:14-29

1. Years ago, I counseled a woman that had left the church and did not have any intention of going back.

a. Her story broke my heart. 25 years of marriage to a physically and emotionally abusive man.

b. Pastor – “stay together”. That was it.

c. As her children hit their teens, they began to act out, get in trouble (minor – truancy, etc.).

d. Confronted her husband – he was not willing to change. Talked to her pastor – “stay together.”

e. Ultimately, it got so bad that she took her teenage kids, and left – both her husband and the church.

f. She is now making a new life.

g. I told her that all churches do not respond to domestic violence with the same apathy that her church did.

h. But, her comment to me about her experience revealed the depth of pain that she had suffered…“the church did not care about me or my children’s well-being. They did nothing.”

2. I would submit that that woman did not leave the church as much as the church drove her away. It declared with its actions (or inaction) that she did not matter.

a. I think that that church and that pastor have more to answer to than that woman.

b. The church let her down. They were unable or unwilling to deal with the question that this woman’s life posed to them – “where is God in the midst of the abuse that I am suffering?”

c. It is not just this woman, however, that poses a challenge to the church today. Every life that we encounter poses a similar question to those of us in the church.

d. “If your God is real, where is he in the midst of my life?”

e. And we had better come up with better answers than the ones we have been giving. Otherwise, we are going to be in a world of hurt.

3. The gospel lesson that was read for you this morning tells of a very unique encounter that Jesus had with a man whose son was possessed.

a. We hear this story and our hearts go out to the man and his son. It is painful to watch those that we love suffer.

b. Not only painful, it can do things to our faith. It chips away at our resolve.

c. The man had brought his son to the disciples and they were unable to heal the boy. How disheartening! Here, the disciples are preaching the power of God, but when the chips are down, they are not able to exhibit any.

d. The man had to be on the verge of giving up. Into the scene comes Jesus. He has just experienced the glory of the transfiguration.

e. Perhaps, he still had “glow.” Mark says, “When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.”

f. And the man cries out to Jesus for help.

4. Today, we are beginning a new sermon series entitled “Heroes.” What can we learn from some of the “lesser-known” characters in the bible?

a. Why would I characterize this man as a hero of the faith?

b. One reason – he brought whatever vestige of faith was left in his life to Jesus.

c. When he proclaims to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief!” he is saying, “I know my faith is not perfect, or complete, but let it be enough…I cannot believe on my own. I cannot do this alone.”

d. John Wesley – “although my faith is so small that it might rather be termed unbelief, yet help me!”

e. This man is a hero of the faith because he looks a lot like you or like me – broken and bruised by life – and yet he brings what little faith he has to Christ.

f. He is a hero because he demonstrates that we cannot do this alone. We need each other. And we need to be there for one another. Because, if we do not, how will we help one another, especially at times when our faith seems shaken?

5. Wonderful television commercial advertising college gear. It talks about how trust is difficult, but sometimes, we need to step out in faith – relying on one another.

a. One scene – a girl in an Ohio State Buckeyes t-shirt about to do a trust fall off of a picnic table.

b. All of the “catchers” have University of Michigan gear. She thinks twice about it.

c. By the end of the commercial, she trusts, she falls, and they do catch her.

d. Her actions posed a question to the group – will you be worthy of the trust I am giving you?

e. That girl = every unchurched person, every person in need, in this community. You Christians talk a good game about God’s love, but do you really mean it when it counts?

6. My friends, this is the first Sunday of a new year, a new decade.

a. There is a lot going on in the world, a lot going on in our lives. But, we have an opportunity for a new beginning, of sorts.

b. 2010 holds whatever promise – whatever possibilities – we want it to hold.

c. It can be an exciting, transforming year, or it can be business as usual.

d. God is good, and will be faithful as he has always been.

e. But, we must be willing to move forward together. To make real God’s promises together. No one of us can do it on our own.

f. We need help. We need one another. We need Christ.

7. God will be faithful to us, just as Jesus was faithful to the father in today’s gospel.

a. God will take whatever shred of faith that we can present to him and do great things with it.

b. But, God’s faithfulness poses a question to us – a challenge. What will you do with it?

c. Play it safe – do nothing. We are no better than the church that drove that woman away. Because, our fear has forced us to hide the light of God’s love and grace away.

d. Risk – we will be like the father. In spite of our brokenness, we will trust in Christ.

e. We will reach out…We will share ourselves…We will invite others to church…We will work with Christ and with one another to advance God’s kingdom.

8. My friends, God does not need you to have super-human faith. And neither do I. We need you to bring whatever faith you have…

a. I know you have fears. I know there are times when you lack faith. I know that sometimes, you don’t want to say “amen” as much as you want to cry out, “help my unbelief.”

b. That is o.k. That is human. But, if you are willing to submit that kernel of faith to God’s purpose, God will do great things with it.

c. Are you up for the challenge? Are you ready to live a life that means something? Are you ready to be transformed and to transform others?

d. Will you join me in 2010 in moving forward in ministry to this congregation, to this community, and to the world?

e. Will this be the year that you get off of that seat you are in and become a part of a great adventure?

f. People need to know of God’s love. Will you help them know? Will you help? Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – January 3, 2010.

Who Am I

mwaugust — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:05:38 +0000

When Jon asked if I would preach for him today, I was excited and scared and nervous, but mostly excited…at first. Then when it really sank in, I thought to myself, “But it’s just me. Who am I that I should get up in front of you to bring you God’s message? What message would I bring? Where do I start?”

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Exodus 3:7-14

Good morning. When Jon asked if I would preach for him today, I was excited and scared and nervous, but mostly excited…at first. Then when it really sank in, I thought to myself, “But it’s just me. Who am I that I should get up in front of you to bring you God’s message? What message would I bring? Where do I start?”

I thought more about that in this Christmas season and realized that’s probably what Mary and Joseph thought…Who am I to be chosen for this? What about Noah…and Moses…and Daniel…and Esther and all the other Bible characters that we see as extraordinary people…Who were they that God chose them?

The song I sang this morning is my favorite praise song. It’s by Casting Crowns called “Who Am I?” It says:

Who am I?

That the Lord of all the earth,

Would care to know my name,

Would care to feel my hurt.

Who am I?

That the bright and morning star,

Would choose to light the way,

For my ever wandering heart.

Bridge:

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you’ve done.

Not because of what I’ve done,

But because of who you are.

Chorus:

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I’m calling,

Lord, you catch me when I’m falling,

And you’ve told me who I am.

I am yours.

In verses 11 and 12 Mike read for you today, “Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ and God said, ‘I will be with you…I am who I am.’” God didn’t say, “C’mon! Are you kidding me?! You’re MOSES!!! You’re a great and powerful leader with a great sense of style and SO popular with everyone!!!” God didn’t acknowledge who Moses was at all… He only acknowledged Who HE is. God said, “I will be with you…I am who I am.”

Mary and Esther were just young girls. Nothing special about them. Moses, Noah, Daniel, and Joseph were just ordinary men. What made them special? It was the special touch of God’s hand. It’s like musical instruments. They are made out of wood, metal and other raw materials. There isn’t anything special about them until someone with a special touch can make fine music with them. When I watch Brent or Lisa play on the piano, I am in awe of them. Whether it’s this baby grand on the stage, or the upright in the Fellowship Hall or even an electronic keyboard, they are able to “tickle the ivories” in such a beautiful way. They just have a special touch when it comes to music. I, on the other hand, don’t. When I was about 9 years old, we loved looking through the JC Penny catalog. Right in the center of the catalog was all of the toys and everything that we wanted. There was one thing that I ALWAYS asked for and that was a violin from the JC Penny catalog. Well, Christmas 1986, I got my wish. I remember opening it and I was SO excited! I dragged the bow across the strings and made the most awful sound that resembled a cat being tortured. My mom let me play for a few more moments, and then offered another present to open. With the hustle and bustle that comes with Christmas morning and all the gifts and having 6 siblings for our Christmas dinner, it wasn’t until a few days later that I asked, “Mom, where is my violin?” She returned it. I obviously didn’t have that “special touch”.

There’s a beautiful poem and song about a violin called “The Touch of the Master’s Hand”

Well it was battered and scared and the auctioneer felt it was hardly worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin but he held it up with a smile.

“Well it sure ain’t much but it’s all we got left. I guess we aught to sell it too.  Oh, now who’ll start the bid on this old violin? Just one more and well be through.”

And then he cried, “One, give me one dollar.  Who’ll make it two? Only two dollars, who’ll make it three?  Three dollars twice. That’s a good price.  Now who’s gonna bid for me?  Raise up your hand now. Don’t wait any longer. The auction’s about to end. Who’s got four? Just one dollar more to bid on this old violin?”

Well the air was hot and the people stood around as the sun was setting low.

From the back of the crowd a gray haired man came forward and picked up the bow.

He wiped the dust from the old violin and he tightened up the strings. Then he played out a melody pure and sweet - sweeter than the angels sing.

And then the music stopped and the auctioneer with a voice that was quiet and low said, “Now what am I bid for this old violin?” as he held it up with the bow. And then he cried out, “One, give me one thousand.  Who’ll make it two? Only two thousand. Who’ll make it three?  Three thousand twice. You know that’s a good price. Now who’s gonna to bid for me?”  And the people cried out, “What made the change?! We don’t understand!” Then the auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile, ”It was the touch of the Masters hand.”

You know there’s many a man with his life out of tune - battered and scared with sin. He’s auctioned cheap to a thankless world much like that old violin.  Oh, but then the Master comes and that old foolish crowd they never understand; the worth of a soul and the changed that is wrought just by one touch of the Master’s hand.

That’s how Mary and Joseph did it. That’s how Moses and Noah and Esther and Daniel and all the other Bible characters fulfilled what God sent them to do. That’s how Jon gets up here each week to bring you God’s message. That’s how the Sunday School teachers have the energy and strength they need to bring God’s message to the children upstairs each week. That’s how each of you are able to go through life shining His light to the world in the little things you do to brighten someone’s day. It’s not because of who we are or what we’ve done, but because of who God is and what He has done. It’s because of the touch of our Master’s hand.

At one point or another in our lives, we all may ask, “Who am I?” and God will remind us that it doesn’t really matter who we when He simply responds, “I will be with you…I am who I am.”

Emine J. August

Light of the Canyon

United Methodist Church

December 27, 2009

Exodus 3:7-14

“Who Am I?” song by Casting Crowns

Exodus 3:11-12a

“Touch of the Master’s Hand” song by Wayne Watson

Children Shine at Family Worship

Jon — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:00:33 +0000

Christmas Eve is always a special night for children. And that is appropriate since the central figure if this holy day is a child. That is why it was wonderful to have the kids take the lead in our family worship. Follow this link and you can see some of the pictures that were posted on the Orange County Register web site.

“Love All”

Jon — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:31:42 +0000

The final principle of the Advent Conspiracy is the most beautiful one of all - love all. Love is what everything that we have been talking to is really about. Love is the true “reason for the season.” For God so loved the world…” When we love all (all being a very important word - not just the people closest to us, but all, everyone, the whole world), we are doing what God did with the birth of Christ; we are giving flesh and blood reality to God’s love and grace. Love all.

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Luke 4:16-21

1. This week, I read an article in Time Magazine that filled me both with pride and dread.

a. Dread – talked about how many evangelical Christians have begun a “war on Christmas”.

b. Their attempt is to get people to say “merry Christmas” instead of “happy holidays”. To have stores play Christmas carols, etc.

c. One holiday-décor company, the article says, is marketing the CHRIST-mas Tree, a bushy artificial tree with a giant cross where the trunk should be.

d. This filled me with dread because the theology behind this is one of fear, not faith.

e. It is not about the incarnation of love and grace, it is about the exercise of power and authority.

2. However, my heart filled with pride as I continued to read the article because it went onto describe another response to Christmas – the Advent Conspiracy.

a. Interviewed Rick Mckinley, one of the pastors that wrote the Advent Conspiracy.

b. He correctly pointed out that the focus on what retailers do at Christmas misses the true meaning of Christmas entirely.

c. He described what a growing number of churches – LOTC being one of them – are doing by participating in the Advent Conspiracy.

d. We are not trying to change retailers. We are trying to change ourselves. We are trying to really focus ourselves and our congregation on the true meaning of Christmas.

e. I was proud not only to hear a person articulate the principles of my faith in a loving coherent manner, but I was also proud that my church is on the front edge of this movement.

3. Today, we are concluding our sermon series “The Advent Conspiracy.

a. Four simple principles designed to help us keep Christmas in a meaningful way…

b. Worship fully – God in a manner

c. Spend less – don’t “buy into” consumerism

d. Give more – of ourselves

e. Fourth principle – love all. This is the one that all of the others have been building towards.

f. Love all.

4. In the gospel lesson this morning, Luke records the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. And he starts in his hometown.

a. These words are important because it is not someone else speaking for Jesus. This is Jesus, talking about himself – setting the stage for everything that comes later.

b. Read Luke 4:17-19.

c. Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1-2. In Isaiah, the passage is referring to the promised “new Jerusalem,” the future hope of the Jewish people.

d. Jesus is telling the people, “it is here…and I will show you what it looks like.”

e. It is here. Watch me, and learn. And the scripture that Jesus fulfills is an important one.

f. It does not say, the spirit of Lord is upon me…to decorate the shopping malls with pretty lights, to convince the clerk at Nordstroms to say “merry Christmas” instead of “happy holidays”…

g. To help me afford to buy a new Nintendo DSI, Legos action set, and WII games for my child…

5. How will the people know when the messiah has come? Jesus says we will know the messiah has come when the good news is preached to the poor.

a. We will know the messiah has come when the captives are released, and the blind are made to see.

b. We will know the messiah has come when the oppressed are set free from their oppression.

c. We will know the messiah has come when the year of Jubilee is declared.

d. Jubilee – when debts are forgiven and servants are set free. Jubilee, according to OT scholar Walter Breuggemann, is about “bringing things back to where they ought to be.”

e. How will we know when the messiah has come? When the people that claim to follow him live into his call to love all.

6. In his wonderful book Just Courage, Gary Haugen (IJM founder and CEO), writes about a general sense of malaise that grips many Christians today.

a. He calls this feeling “divine restlessness” and “sacred despair.”

b. The cause – not acting out God’s love for all people. We have confined ourselves to the safe and comfortable world of upper-middle class American life.

c. And we have allowed our lives to be dictated – not by the call of God in Christ – but by the banality of the “American dream” – nice house, cars, kids, etc.

d. But, ultimately, we have found these things unsatisfying.

e. Haugen writes, “I believe people are yearning to walk a pathway to courage. They yearn for liberation from small and trivial things, and to experience the passion and power of God on the more jagged edges of faith.”

f. I think we experience that divine restlessness during the season of Advent when we are confronted with trivial responses to a heavenly reality.

7. The current economic crisis has brought with it one hidden blessing – the radical reappraisal of the things that are important in this world.

a. People are honestly reflecting on what is important, especially at Christmas time.

b. They are reflecting on it because many people cannot afford the Christmas they have had in the past. Hopefully, their reflection helps them to better understand what is truly important.

c. Here is what is important – during Advent, Christmas, all year long, now and forever.

d. Love all. Everything leads to this. Love all.

e. Don’t ask questions; don’t think about it. Do it. As God showed his love in the most tangible way possible by becoming one of us, so to are we called to make real God’s promises in the way that we love all.

8. Love all. And how will you know when you are doing it. I don’t know. But, I do have a clue.

a. Loving all leaves scars - heavenly scars. That’s right. It is not always easy, and it is often times risky.

b. And it does not always work out the way we intended.

c. But we are not called to worry about that. We are called to love all.

d. We need to ask ourselves a very important question as we approach the birth of Christ. When was the last time that we felt fear or anxiety because we were reaching out to someone in love?

e. When have we been driven to our knees in prayer because we were so nervous about reaching out in love?

f. If it has been a while, than we are probably not being faithful to the principle of loving all…and we are definitely not being faithful to the vision that Jesus shared about the kingdom of God.

9. Jesus showed us what the kingdom looks like. It looks like the poor hearing good news, the captives being set free, the blind seeing, and debts and slavery abolished.

a. That is the gospel. That is God’s love incarnate. That is what was fulfilled in the birth, the ministry, the death and the resurrection of Jesus.

b. And that is the truth that we are called to live into. Love all.

c. Love all. Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – December 20, 2009

“Give More”

Jon — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:34:57 +0000

The third principle of the Advent Conspiracy is “give more.” At first glance, this might seem contradictory to spending less. However, give more does not mean spend more. It means give gifts that have a deeper meaning for the person receiving the gift. Give gifts that take thought, maybe even a little prayer. Give gifts that reveal to the person that is receiving the gift how much they are loved. Give more.

Matthew 2:1-12

1. Today, we continue our sermon series “The Advent Conspiracy.”

a. Last week – simple and straightforward. Spend less. Don’t buy into the notion that Christmas is what the shopping malls try to make it.

b. Spend less – and remember that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

c. Well, the third principle of the Advent Conspiracy might on the face of it seem contradictory to the second.

d. Give more. What?!? Give more? How can I spend less, but give more?

e. Good question.

2. Several years ago, arrived at my parent’s house prior to the rest of my brothers. My sister could not wait for me to arrive.

a. I have a gift. I want you to open it before everyone gets here.

b. It was a handkerchief box of my grandmother’s. My brother-in-law restored it.

c. My sister smiled at me…”open it.”

d. Inside was a pair of mittens that my grandmother had knit for me when I was a boy.

e. I cried like a baby. One of the most meaningful gifts that I have ever received – not because of how much it cost, but because of what it meant.

3. In the gospel lesson this morning, we heard the famous story about the magi coming and leaving their gifts for Jesus. Every detail about this story is meaningful.

a. Magi – Persian astronomers. They used the stars to understand truth about God. Demonstrates that God was doing something dramatically different in the life if the child Jesus.

b. The magi were not from Israel – God is already reaching out to the whole world through Jesus. The shepherds announced to the people of Israel. The magi will announce to the world.

c. Very compelling story. The magi are the seekers of spiritual wisdom. You have Herod – the evil king who will stop at nothing to protect his throne.

d. In the midst of all of the chaos that was going on around them, I wonder how Mary and Joseph were taking everything in.

e. Who were these strange men that want to pay homage to my son?

4. Then the magi did something that no one saw coming. They presented gifts to Jesus.

a. Presenting of gifts is symbolic of Jesus’ role as king. But, even the gifts that were given have a deeper meaning to the story.

b. Gold – royalty

c. Frankincense – Christ as priest (it was a holy perfume used in the synagogue)

d. Myrrh – anointing oil pointing towards Christ’s death.

e. The gifts – any of which would have been a special gift on their own – take on a whole new meaning in light of whom they were being presented to.

f. If God gave the first Christmas present to the world in the birth of his son, then the magi presented the second Christmas presents to Jesus.

5. What do both of those gifts have in common? Both the gift of Jesus and the gifts given to Jesus reflect on the part of the giver an understanding of who the gift was for.

a. God – God had tried everything. He made a covenant; he raised up a people; he sent the prophets. And yet nothing seemed to be moving history towards the kingdom that God had envisioned…

b. A kingdom of love, kindness, mercy, and justice.

c. So, what did God do? He gave the ultimate thing – the gift of himself. In order to save us, in order to transform us, God became one of us.

d. Not for God – but, for us. It was all for us.

e. The magi gave gifts to Jesus. They have been remembered throughout the centuries not because of their monetary value – but, because of what they meant to the child that was receiving them.

f. They were not for the magi; they were for Jesus. And they were about Jesus.

6. I have been sharing with you how we tend to get some twisted messages about Christmas from the commercials that we see on TV.

a. With Andy Williams singing “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” in the background, kids rushing to the tree in their pajamas.

b. Narration – “This year my kids got the toys that they wanted the most of all.”

c. At one point, a child embraces his mom affectionately. Narration – “It looks like we all got what we wanted.” Again, message received. Give the right gift; receive the right reward.

d. Give good stuff; receive love and affection. Giving gifts, in this scenario is more about what is means for the giver.

7. And that is why the third principle of the Advent Conspiracy – give more – is so important.

a. Give more does not mean buy more expensive things. That would be contrary to spending less.

b. Give more means that we give gifts that have meaning for the receiver of the gift regardless of what we receive in return.

c. God gave Jesus – not so that the world might give God one big, cosmic “aaahhhh” in return. He gave Jesus to the world because the world needed to be saved, and we had shown ourselves completely incapable of doing it on our own.

d. The magi gave Jesus gold, frankincense, and myhrr – not because Mary and Joseph registered for those things at Babys R’ Us – but, because those gifts revealed to the world Jesus’ role as king, as holy one, and as Savior.

8. In the Advent Conspiracy study, Pastor Greg Holder tells the story about a gift that his wife received. Leather bound journal with thoughts, wishes, prayers and pictures from friends and relatives.

a. One of the most special gifts his wife ever received. Why?

b. Because it was a gift that was meaningful, especially to her. It was a gift that represented something unique about her. And it all also revealed to her how much she was loved.

c. Ultimately, giving more is about giving gifts this Christmas that truly are in the spirit of the first Christmas gifts given…

d. Gifts that are specifically for the receiver of the gift, and gifts that reflect a higher love and grace.

9. Look at the gifts that are displayed on our altar this morning. They are meaningful not because they cost a lot of money, although some may have.

a. They are memorable not because they maxed out the credit card…although some may have.

b. They are meaningful and memorable because of what they revealed to us about who we are and about how we are loved.

c. What does it actually look like to “give more?”

d. Rather than run out and buy something, make something. One year, I was broke – I gave poems to everyone.

e. If you don’t want to make something – pray about that person before buying a gift.

f. Make the giving of gifts a celebration of love, not wealth.

g. A gift can be a special experience that is specifically for the other person. I have rarely seen a youth beam with love as they talk about the new video game they received. But, I have seen the beam with love as they described a special experience with a parent – e.g. “my dad took me to the “Nutcracker Ballet.”

10. Give more this Christmas. Don’t spend more. Give more.

a. Give more this Christmas. Give more of yourself. Give more of your love. Give more of the Christ that is within you.

b. Give more this Christmas. Reveal the love of God to someone in a special way.

c. Give more this Christmas. As God did for us, and as the magi did for Jesus. Give more. Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – December 13, 2009

“Spend Less”

Jon — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:56:44 +0000

The second principle of the Advent Conspiracy is a simple one - spend less. Why would we celebrate the birth of our savior by going into debt? Does that honor the gift that God gave to us? Spend less. Because, as Jesus reminds us, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Where is your treasure at Christmas?

For a video or audio recording of this sermon, follow this link.

Matthew 6:19-21

1. Have you ever seen that show “Deal of No Deal?” When it first came out, I used to love it. I would watch it with Cindy and Corran.

a. But, after a while, I couldn’t watch anymore. Typical story – I need “x” amount of dollars to pay off my student loans, pay off my house, travel with my wife, pay for a surgery.

b. All very legitimate. Something would happen. As the banker would offer more and more money, people would become more and more greedy.

c. Long since covered whatever expense. But, they kept playing, kept betting. And the audience would egg them on.

d. The people would completely lose perspective. They would forget why they were there. And eventually, often times, they would walk away with very little.

2. What is it about people that causes us to do that – to lose all sense of priority – for some fantasy of a better life?

a. During the holiday season, we all get a little crazy, don’t we? We spend more than we should.

b. We tell ourselves, “It’s only once a year.” They are going to love this remote controlled, battery-operated, ergonomically designed toe warmer. In fact, how did they ever live without one?”

c. I can’t wait to see their face.

d. We buy into the notion that it is important that we celebrate the birth of our savior by spending obscene amounts of money. We tell ourselves that that is how we demonstrate our love for others.

e. We men are challenged every year at this time to clearly demonstrate our love for our spouses with diamonds. And when we see her jaw drop, that’s when she will know we will love her forever.

f. Commercial – new-born’s first Christmas. Mom gets a new ring. Husband, “do you think she will remember this Christmas?” Wife, “I know I will.”

g. Message received loud and clear. Love is not enough. A thoughtful gift is not enough. Enough is never enough.

h. And that is how we honor Christ’s birth.

3. Today, we continue our sermon series on the “Advent Conspiracy.”

a. A subversive notion in our society that says that Christmas should be about celebrating the birth of Christ.

b. Last week, we talked about “worshipping God fully.” The rest of this series will really be about practical ways to live that out.

c. The principle this week very simple. “Spend less.”

d. In today’s gospel lesson, Jesus offers some challenging words. Read Matthew 6:19-21.

e. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

4. I want to paint a picture for you. A family – a large family – sits around a Christmas tree on December 25.

a. The tree is littered with presents. It is almost impossible to walk in the room. Now, this is a big family, so a lot of presents isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

b. From youngest to oldest – opening gifts. One at a time. With a quick break for lunch, this process can take hours.

c. By the time the gift opening is done, everyone is exhausted. It is time to go home.

d. That is how my family shares Christmas. And on the drive home, I am always haunted by one thought. What was that all about? I feel empty.

e. Contrast that with any birthday party for any member of my family. There are fewer gifts. We eat, we play, we talk, we have fellowship. It is wonderful. The opening of the gifts is almost an afterthought.

f. And usually, when we drive home from those events, Cindy and Corran and I are talking about what fin we had, or who we talked to, etc.

g. Do you see the difference in those experiences?

5. On Christmas – the day we celebrate the birth of Christ – our whole focus is around the Christmas tree and presents.

a. The “treasure” of the day is obvious. And, “where your treasure is,” Jesus reminds us, “there your heart will be also.”

b. I talked to my family about this recently. I shared that it seems strange that on one of our own birthdays, the focus is on fellowship and loving on another. Our “treasure” is each other.

c. But on Christmas, we celebrate Jesus’ birth by spending all of our time sitting around and enjoying all of our stuff.

d. And I worry. What are we teaching our children about the birth of Christ?

e. To their credit, my family seems to have gotten on board with the Advent Conspiracy, and we are going to do things a little differently this year.

6. Spend less. Spend less. It is a radical concept. It goes against everything that we are taught in our society.

a. Spend less. Why is this an important principle? Because, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

b. Spend less money on stuff and more time on one another this Christmas. Simple. Direct.

c. Do you want to hear that again? Spend less money on stuff and more time on one another this Christmas.

d. And, in so doing, you will give flesh and blood reality to God’s love for all people.

e. Jesus’ words this morning are not simply pleasant platitudes, they are a radical challenge to re-orient our lives.

f. And Jesus does not mince words. His challenge goes right between the eyes. ²¹”Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

g. Where will our treasure be this Christmas?

7. One of the ways that I have helping to keep myself focused during this season of Advent is a little project I started this week called the “Christmas Commercial Watch.”

a. On my blog, I recount different commercials that I have seen this season that tell us to spend more in order to have a good Christmas.

b. I am doing this as a spiritual discipline to remind myself where my treasure should be this Christmas.

c. I can’t say it any more plain than this. The notion that we must spend more, get the perfect gift, etc., in order to have a good Christmas is a lie. It is a lie.

8. Here is the truth that we must remember in order to have a meaningful Christmas. “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust^* consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

a. My friends, I challenge you this year. Spend less. Don’t think about it. Don’t pray about it. Do it. Spend less.

b. Don’t make “stuff” the focus of this holiday season.

c. This is the time of year where we give thanks to God for the greatest treasure ever given – Jesus Christ.

d. We cannot celebrate that treasure by surrounding ourselves with an over-abundance of stuff.

e. I am not saying do not buy gifts. I am not saying “spend nothing.” I am saying “spend less”.

f. As a spiritual discipline. Spend less.

g. And what will you do with that extra money you save? That’s a great question. We will talk about that on the fourth Sunday of Advent.

h. But, for now. Remember that, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Spend less. Amen.

Sermon delivered at Light of the Canyon United Methodist Church Anaheim Hills – December 6, 2009