30 Apr 1999
08:17:24

I love Peter's demand that we always be prepared to talk about what gives us hope. I will be talking about a conspiracy of hope. Maybe I'll use this story of a mother-to-be:<P> The Nazis had ordered Christians to acknowledge Hitler’s supremacy in Norway on Easter Sunday. The Bishop declared this unacceptable and closed all churches on Easter morning. Closed them all rather than cowtow to Hitler. The Nazis were outraged at the Christians for defying the Führer’s command. But then on Easter afternoon the people of one community gathered in the town square and determined to march to the church to protest the Nazi action. As they walked, they also sang, drawing on the rich heritage of their faith. As they neared the church, they began singing Martin Luther’s great hymn: ‘A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our helper he amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe; Just as they reached the church steps, an S.S. man waved his submachine gun at them and ordered the Christians to stop. He pointed his gun directly at an impoverished pregnant woman at the front. ‘Make one more sound and she will be the first to die.’ Silence fell across the crowd. The pastor looked down; the church elders dropped their gaze to the dirt. Then suddenly a lone voice began to sing: Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right one on our side, the one of God’s own choosing. By then the whole crowd was singing and the Nazi had stepped back as they walked on Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he. But who, you may ask, dared to sing and endanger the life of this woman? Of course, who else but the woman herself.


05 May 1999
12:47:05

Hi all.

Confession time. I have always hated Mother's Day, and such holidays. Days invented to cash in on people's insecurity and sentimentality. I have always stuck with the lectionary for my preaching. Sure, I have mentioned mothers, as well as those who are not, or cannot be mothers, in the prayers. But I have wanted to preaching Christ and him crucified, not sentimental slush!

I must confess, however, that this reading ties into a vision that some in our congregation are plugging in to. We Lutherans have not always seen our children as a "mission field." We baptize them early, and (in the popular misconception, anyway!) that's that!

I am not calling into question our baptismal theology; God's grace must be demonstrated in concrete ways, sacramentally *and* in non-liturgical ways.

But I am calling into question our practice of Sunday School, because *it* has been the place where we have traditionally understood Christian formation takes place.

I'm going to suggest what I heard at a conference a couple weeks ago. The *home* is the *primary* place for Christian faith to be fed. One of the speakers, Dick Hardel, said, "I remember when I first heard the voice of God. It sounded a lot like my mother's voice!"

I pray that the people who hear this message don't hear a mushy, "Today we glorify our mothers who were so perfect" message! But we need to restore the home as a centre for Christian learning and formation.

My text? "Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you [especially our children!]; yet do it with gentleness and reverence."

Rick in Canada, eh?


05 May 1999
17:17:46

Thanks, Rick, for one good phrase about God's voice. I, too, try to steer clear of "Mother's Day" sermons. However, my own mom asked if I was preaching one, and was quite disappointed when I said not. It is a challenge--I had cometo the conclusion that I needed to say something about our faith being learned on our mothers' laps. It certainly is true for me at least. The difficulty I have is when I look out and see those I know who were abused by moms, etc. I'm still working on this, but God's voice sounding alot like Mom struck a chord. Pam in San Bernardino


05 May 1999
17:40:12

From one Rick to another...

Amen and Amen, my brother in Canada.

Rick in Va


06 May 1999
15:30:29

As wonderful as my Christian mother was, all she could do was wash behind my ears. It took the death and shed blood of Jesus the Christ to wash my soul. I am reminded of a song I first heard in a Jack Jones tape (an evangelist from Hays,KS) Cast your cares upon my Jesus, Cast your cares upon my Lord. Cast your cares upon my Jesus, For he cares, he careth for you. Take no thought about tomorrow, Take no thought about what you might eat or drink. Take no thought what you may wear for he cares He careth for you. Jesus saved my soul TODAY! And he washed all my sins away! Jesus saved my soul TODAY! I think I'll love him forever, I think I'll love him forevermore. I think I'll love him forever, For he cares, he careth for me. Brother Dale - Kansas


07 May 1999
10:57:37

Mothers Day always presents a problem in our churches, with so many who have suffered. The week is late on, but I am thinking seriously of including a healing service liturgy during our response to the Word. So many relationships with parents need healing, even the good ones.

bruce


07 May 1999
11:14:36

bruce,

I can't help but think that broken relationships that need healing are the consequence of a broken relationship with God. Is there something wrong with that theology?

What ought to be stressed each Sunday is how we need to reconcile with God, and that reconciliation will lessen the chance that we will participate in broken relationships with others.

A healing service that emphasizes the wholeness that comes from reconciling with God is a healing service that will do so much more in how it is we relate to others. It is also foundational in departing from a mindset of victimhood that is so prevalent today. It is this mindset that in many ways is a barrier to forgiveness, the key to healing broken relationships.

Rick in Va


07 May 1999
17:11:48

The result of suffering, the result of giving a good account of our faith, the result of our profession of faith is this - our baptism, which is not the ritual cleansing of the old Mosaic law, but the baptism with which Jesus was baptized. So through our baptism, we hear, as Jesus did, "This is my beloved son (daughter), in whom I am well pleased. Surely God could offer us no more powerful words to give us a good conscienced. Ken in WV


08 May 1999
17:15:11

The Southern Rick :-) said...

"I can't help but think that broken relationships that need healing are the consequence of a broken relationship with God. Is there something wrong with that theology? What ought to be stressed each Sunday is how we need to reconcile with God, and that reconciliation will lessen the chance that we will participate in broken relationships with others."

To your first point, I respond "No, there's nothing wrong with your theology." That is exactly the point. Our broken human relationships are a direct result (i.e a very clear symptom) of our human brokenness.

I also agree that the stress on Sunday needs to be on how God has come / comes to be reconciled to us through Jesus (which includes, in my theology, the spoken word, the sacraments, the fellowship of believers, etc., all very concrete ways).

However (you *knew* that was coming! :-) ), I'm a little hesitant to say that we will be less likely to "participate in broken relationships with others." Not to split hairs *too* finely, but every relationship I have ever known, ever been a part of, has been stained / tainted / submerged in sin.

What changes for me is that, because Christ has forgiven me and established this wild, unpredictable relationship with me, I am now freed to begin (and begin again!) to reach out and try to establish new relationships with others, *regardless* of how stained / tained / submerged they, or their relationships, are. Might I suggest we remember the promise, "Whoever receives you, receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

I guess that's why I have never understood certain people's reluctance to become involved with certain "other people," simply because they see "them" as "sinful." WWJD???? Let's also ask, WHJD (What HAS Jesus done?).

Rick in Canada, eh?


08 May 1999
18:16:26

Just a note about preaching on Mother's Day -- it is, at least in my denomination, the traditional celebration of the family, not just Mothers. I am using two scripture readings outside the lectionary -- John 19:25-27 and Mark 3:31-34. In John, as Jesus is dying, he looks down from his cross and sees his beloved disciple and his mother, greiving. He tells them to embrace eachother as family from then on. In Mark, Jesus asks who is true family is. Great tools for this Sunday!

Janel, a guest preacher this week!