Friday, December 17, 2010

Friends,

This morning I read an interesting but sad story in the newspaper (online.) If are curious, you can find it here – Mark Madoff story.

The story was about Bernie Madoff’s oldest child, Mark. You’ll remember that Bernie was a crook, the organizer of a Ponzi scheme, and it is estimated that he schemed away about $68 billion of other people’s money. Bernie is in prison here in NC and will be for 150 more years.

But the story I saw was about Bernie’s son, Mark, and the choice he made to take his own life last week. Here’s part of the story as it appeared in the online edition of the paper:


Last Friday, the publisher of a promising real estate newsletter called Sonar Report rose before dawn, scoured the news to gather items for that day’s edition and, at 9:04 a.m., sent it out to his e-mail subscribers.


Less than 24 hours after sending his e-mail, he hanged himself in his downtown Manhattan apartment, leaving behind a life of burdens and blessings.


The blessings appeared to be sustaining him, even on that final day, according to those closest to him. They recall a man who was patiently building a new business, talking regularly with close friends, spending time with his wife and four children and, even in the last hours of his life, walking his dog, an affectionate Labradoodle.


But behind that screen, the burdens of life as Bernie Madoff’s son — the continuing suspicion from the public, the harsh accusations in numerous lawsuits, and his exile from the world of Wall Street — were steadily becoming unsustainable.


This is so very sad. Mark took his life on the second anniversary of his father’s arrest. Many of his friends had worried about him but thought he was doing so much better. In this Bernie Madoff saga, how many victims are there? Mark left a wife and four children, all victims. Ruth, Bernie’s wife of 50 years and Mark’s mother, has been called the ‘loneliest woman in New York City.’ She has been ostracized by the public, shunned by her friends and wounded by rumors of Bernie’s extra marital affairs. Even though she’s become a very wealthy woman over the years, I’d say she’s a victim, too. Four of his relatives who have reaped benefits from Bernie’s business dealings have been named in legal suits thus far. These suits will drag on for years and years in court. And, let’s not forget, Bernie Madoff lost $68 billion of other people’s money - maybe thousands of people. Certainly they are victims.

This makes me wonder, How much bad can one person do? But, on second thought, I don’t think I really want to know.

This afternoon I hope to complete a message about the Good News of Christmas as I focus specifically on Simeon and Anna’s faithfulness. With the article from the newspaper in one hand and the witness of Scripture in the other, a flipside to my previous question has emerged…How much good can one person do?

Perhaps a better way to ask this question is, How much good can God accomplish in the life of one willing person?

You know, some of us probably know people like Mark Madoff and his family. We know people burdened with sins of their own. And these sins are upon them like a heavy dead weight. We also know people dealing with the consequences of someone else’s sins. Sometimes this even seems worse. We know people who right now look at their circumstances and can’t see a way ahead.

Let me remind you, God wants to use you to bless these people today. God wants you to encourage them and remind them that there is hope. God wants you to live lives of faith and dependence on him. God wants you to keep your promises and tell the truth. God wants you to embrace his Good News. And God plans to use your faithfulness to help accomplish his purposes. This is a promise of Scripture and a mission of the church.

On Christmas Eve we’ll hear these words in worship and they will remind us of God’s faithfulness and love. They also testify to the willingness of those who received God’s gifts and were called to follow despite their fears:


In the quiet of the night

A woman gives birth:

A personal act of faith;

Accepting God’s charge upon her.


In the quiet of the night

A husband becomes a father:

A personal act of faith;

Accepting God’s charge upon him.


In the quiet of the night

A baby breathes the air:

A personal act of sacrifice;

God steps out of the divine into the mundane

For us.


Will you look for God’s work in the world? Will you listen to the lives of your neighbors? Will you step out in faith and follow God in faithfulness? This is the life of a disciple.

Blessings,

Ande Myers


Comments? Email me at ande.myers@gmail.com

Friday, December 10, 2010

Hope in the Lord

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

~ Psalm 146.5

Friends,

During this Advent Season I, as you pastor, am supposed to tell you not to be distracted by the commercialization of Christmas and the hubbub it brings. I accept this as part of my job. Not too long ago I was in a local store and saw the decorations and the lights and heard the carols and I thought what you probably have thought, as well: Thanksgiving can’t be too far away! (ba-dum-bum)

Early this morning at the coffee shop I finished a unique memoir written by a woman who had, in a way, lost her husband. He had been struck by a car and had suffered severe head trauma and in order for his life to be saved, part of his brain had to be removed. As a result of his injuries and his treatment, he no longer had a way of remembering the past or looking forward to the future. All he had was today, or, more specifically, this very moment.

As his wife coped and tried to meet his needs, she found herself really only living for today and in the moment, as well. No longer was the past comforting to her and tomorrow for her was the great unknown. Over and over again I was struck wondering, Where is her hope?

Thus far in Advent we have lit the Candle of Hope and the Candle of Peace and as we light them it is important to remember that we don’t just passively observe these things (Hope, Peace, Joy and Love). As we light these candles we make commitments and we make promises. Do you realize that one of the ways God plans to bring hope into this world is for his people – you and me – to act hopeful? And really the only way we can do this is to place our hope in Jesus Christ. And certainly God calls you and me to bring his Peace, to point to him and to work for the things that will bring Peace. We also must embrace the One who brings us peace.

Sunday we’ll focus a bit on the Candle of Joy and one of the joyous things we’ll do is sing the Cantata. As a member of the choir I am excited about singing these songs. As a member of the church I look forward to the music and to worship. As a father I look forward to bringing my children. As a son I look forward to my parents being here. And as your pastor I hope to see you in worship on Sunday.

Blessings,

AndeMyers

Comments - email me at ande.myers@gmail.com

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thoughts on Friendship

Friends,

This morning I am just reflecting on this past weekend at church. On Saturday we distributed 50 Thanksgiving meals to our neighbors; on Sunday we worshiped together and shared in a Thanksgiving Meal at church that evening; and on Monday we served about 400 meals at Angel Food. Whew.

I have two thoughts I want to share with you about this. One, thank you, thank you, thank you for your help and involvement in these ministries, in worship, and in all aspects of the weekend. After we got home from the meal and from the community service in town I said to Michelle, This was a good day at church. Would you agree? Thought two: I thoroughly enjoyed serving, worshiping, eating, and fellowship alongside you. You are fun to hang around with, serve with, and you never cease to be a blessing to me.

A couple of Sunday mornings ago we were on vacation and preparing to worship with a friend in Lenoir. I bought the Observer and was able to read it on Sunday, something I rarely am able to do on Sunday. (This is not a complaint, just an observation.) One story that caught my eye was ‘The Best of Friends,’ written by our former president, George W. Bush. (Has enough time passed that I can mention him without it being political?)

When he said he would step out of the fray, he obviously meant it. And one of the only we have heard from him in the past year, apart from some interviews about his book, was this short article. And, you know what it was about? Friendship. Interesting.

His words: Harry Truman, one of my predecessors, is often quoted as saying, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.” But while the 33rd president and I are said to have much in common, we diverge on this topic. Now that I’m retired, people ask me for advice, and I tell everyone: Make friends, keep them, and learn from them your entire life… He went on to say, My friends have truly been one of the greatest gifts of my life. It’s been said you can judge a person by the friends he keeps—and if that’s true, then I’m a fortunate man indeed.

I say these are fine words. Make friends, keep them, and learn from them your entire life.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Blessings,

Ande Myers


Comments? Email me at ande.myers@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A Prayer Experiement

Friends,

I hope you are having a great week and enjoying this rain. Don’t we need it?

On Sunday in the first sermon in a series of three, What Christians Do, we focused on the fact that We Pray.

Remember that I asked you specifically to pray for three different people each day this week. Here’s a story that was told:

A mother had two sons, one a gardener and the other a potter. Said the gardener, ‘O mother, pray to God for rain to water my plants.’ Said the potter, ‘O mother, pray to God for sunshine to dry my pots.’ Now the mother loved them equally well. Shall she pray for rain or sun? She decided that she would pray for both her sons and leave their requests in the hands of God.

(adapted from Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, written in 1915)

Well, it is Wednesday – how are you doing in this prayer experiment? If you’ve lifted up three people each day in prayer, great, keep going. If you have forgotten – it is only Wednesday, start now. And, if you weren’t here to accept the challenge, won’t you begin today.

On Sunday we’ll focus on part II, What Christians Do: We Think.

I hope to see you tonight as we listen to one of Paul’s sermons.

Blessings,

Ande

Comments? Send an email to ande.myers@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The World in the Palm of the Hand

Last week on vacation I began an interesting book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Now, I don’t practice Zen, nor do I ride motorcycles, and I know virtually nothing about how either works. Nevertheless, isn’t reading the thing that can take you places you’ve never gone? An escape?

This book was a runaway hit in the early 70’s and has been on my list for a while. It is also pretty easy reading and on one level is the story about a father, his eleven year-old son and two other friends who ride out West on the back of motorcycles. This part of the storyline is simple.

But, like with many good books, there is a deeper story, also. You see, this father is trying to figure out his life. He is on a journey – and I’m a sucker for journeys – and is trying to understand what it is that he’s lost in life. He must first comprehend the past to understand who he is now and who he can be tomorrow. When read on this level, it is a book of Philosophy.

One thought that has captured my imagination occurs as the father is trying to understand the difference between himself and one of his riding partners. He observes that we glean our picture of the world as we notice a myriad of events in our lives and select them and sort them and process them. The author’s exact quotes was, We take a handful of sand form the endless landscape of awareness around us and call that handful of sand the world.

My wheels have really been turning on this. I’ve known people whose world was simply as big as their living room and what they could see from it. One said, Did you know that 17 school buses pass our house each morning on the way to school? That’s 3 more than last year!

I’ve also known people whose world was grand. I knew one lady who was basically confined to her very small home in rural Virginia because of physical limitations, yet her world was large and full of ideas that she wanted to discuss with me. She was involved with many people and lived life to the fullest with her mind through books and conversation and worship.

I wonder what sand I am holding in my hand and how it shapes my understanding of the world. I fear I often hold tight to the wrong things. I worry and am anxious. I can be selfish. My world gets too small. I rely too much on myself.

A wise person once said, One must look at the world with the Bible in one hand and the New York Times in the other. (Feel free to substitute your newspaper of choice.) I would add, When in doubt, focus on the Bible and the Good News therein, for it is here that we find our grounding.

Late one afternoon on the beach last week I stood with my feet in the sand; the coolish waves were lapping over my ankles. As I looked up I saw the moon clearly in the darkening blue sky. I think I began to understand being ‘wed to heaven yet rooted on earth.’

What do you hold in your hand that shapes your understanding of the world? My prayer is that you hold tight to what is Hopeful and Best and learn to turn loose of everything else. Jesus said it this way, But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mt 6.33)

Blessings,

Ande


Do you have comments? I'd love to hear: ande.myers@gmail.com

Friday, July 30, 2010

Vacation

This afternoon I want to talk with you about when things don’t go as you had planned. Maybe you can relate.

Our family is fresh off our vacation for the summer and rested and ready for what comes next, I suppose. Now, I’ve always loved the beach, not so much the sand but the sounds and the wind and the waves and the food and the schedule or lack thereof. In preparation for our trip to the beach I pulled out a novel, a book of sermons by Gardner C. Taylor, and a memoir to take with me. I had started all three before we went, which proves critical for me to be motivated to read on vacation. (In the past Michelle and I have always worked to carve out time for one another to be able to read and just think while at the beach.) I also was preparing to pray about certain areas in my life where discernment is needed at this time.

Well, lo and behold, two days before we were to leave, Michelle was called to KY to care for her parents and I went on to the beach with our three kids in tow to meet my sister, her family and my parents.

I did little reading at the beach. Also, instead of much quiet time spent in prayer for discernment, my prayers were simple, short, and simply asking for strength and wisdom. This was not my intention, for I had planned to pray about very specific topics and issues; instead I could only pray in broad strokes. God, please give me strength for today. I was so very tired and this was all I could do.

Maybe Anne Morrow Lindbergh was right when she said, The beach is not the place to work; to read, write or think. I rested and laughed and jogged and prayed and was as quiet as I could be. (Incidentally, the Lindbergh quote was from the first line of her wonderful book, Gift from the Sea. The first line was about as far as I got on vacation in this profound memoir.)

I realize the strength God has given me was in the form of rest. Discernment will have to come in time. I wonder, where do you need God’s strength today? Are you even aware of where it is needed in your life? If not, perhaps God will show you…

Blessings,

Ande

Friday, July 9, 2010

What time is it?

Recently in our Sunday School Class we have been focusing on the life of Joseph. You’ll remember he was a bright and confident young man with a promising future before him. Until … he was despised and sold into slavery by his brothers.

End of story, right? No! In Egypt he rose through the ranks and served Potiphar and was loyal to him – even at great cost. Joseph ended up in prison, so, end of story, right?

No! There, even in prison, he was faithful and true and used the gifts God had given him. He was almost forgotten in prison until he was recognized to be wise and given great responsibility by Pharaoh himself.

This responsibility brought him full circle and face to face with his brothers again. And through all of this God brought reconciliation.

The verse that sums up Joseph’s plight is found in Genesis 50.20:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (NLT)

Basically, the story of Joseph is a reminder that God is above all, in all and can work through all. As David once said, Where can I flee from your presence?

I was reminded of a couple of questions asked by William C. Martin in The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections. I will quote Martin:

There are two questions that need to be answered in order to move along the path toward God. One could spend a lifetime just considering these two questions and answers.

The first question is, What time is it?

The second question is, Where are you?

The only correct answer to the first question is, Now!

The only correct answer to the second is, Here!

So, I wonder, What time is it in your life? Where are you? Remember, God is at work in your life and has big plans for you whether you can see his hand at the moment or not.

Blessings,

Ande

If you have comments, I'd like to hear them: ande.myers@gmail.com.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Light of the World




It is great to be back from our mission trip to Paducah, KY. You know that the ministry of Carpenters for Christ has been so meaningful and instrumental in our church’s life.


One of the traditions at Carpenters is that after each meal during the trip someone shares a devotional thought. On Saturday a week ago, I was asked to and would like to share with you some of what was said.


This week is my sixth Carpenters for Christ trip and that is hard for me to believe. Each trip has been a unique blessing in my life. Throughout the years I’ve enjoyed the devotions that different ones of you have shared and as I reflect on these and as I’ve listened to you and as I’ve shared myself, I am struck by how similar our stories really are. We’ve shared stories of joy and of pain; we’ve shared of loneliness, brokenness, and family challenges. One thing we’ve also all shared is this – testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

The Scripture I want to share with you this morning is found in the third chapter of Revelation. It is Jesus’ word to one of the churches, a church that had not really made a decision for Christ. This church was neither hot nor cold.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Notice this invitation from the Lord – I want to come in to sup with you. Jesus does not want to linger on the stoop; he doesn’t want to sit in the foyer. He wants to be at the table, at the heart of the home.

Once some friends of Michelle’s invited us to supper. When we arrived they weren’t ready, so they invited us into the kitchen and involved us in the preparation. Dawn said, You do the salad. And, Ande, can you put together the casserole?

As we worked together in the kitchen and as we eventually shared that meal together we had a great time. On the way back home I said, I didn’t really know them before, but now I really feel like I know their family. This is what sharing a meal can do.

And Jesus’ invitation to us is this: I stand at the door and knock. Can I please come in and sup with you?

Gardner Taylor has shared about this picture, The Light of the World – By Holman Hunt.

Hunt presented it to one of the colleges at Oxford and at the reception, one friend pulled him aside and said, Holman, I’m afraid you’ve made a terrible mistake.

What is it?

The door at which Jesus stands has no knob on it.

Holman replied to his friend, There is no mistake. That door must be opened from the inside.

And Jesus says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Today will be filled with invitations from Christ. Will you open the door.

Blessings,

Ande


If you have comments, please write to me: ande.myers@gmail.com.

Friday, June 4, 2010

When I gaze into the night sky...

Wednesday night in prayer meeting we considered Psalm 8. Surely the psalmist penned this after gazing into a night sky.

Here are some of the verses from the New King James translation of the Bible:

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens! …When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?


When have you last taken the time to ‘consider’ the Lord and his excellence? Our lives can be so busy; we run to a fro from this to that. And reflection takes time, as does ‘consideration.’ They take planning and commitment. They take prioritizing and effort.

One has said, If you have but three minutes to give to Bible reading in the morning, give one minute to reading and two to thinking about what you’ve read. These are wise words, indeed.


A few weeks ago my parents went to Florida to watch Atlantis’ last flight. She’s taken 32 trips and flow 120 million miles in the last 25 years. One of her sisters also launched the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990. (The space images here are provided by Hubble. Launch shot taken by Dad.)

Atlantis reminds us that we’ll go to great lengths to observe the heavens, which brings me back to the psalmist. His wonder, his attention, his focus, his gaze went from the night sky to the Creator of it all.

And there, to the praise of the Lord God, did he return:

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!

In the days to come will you focus your gaze on God’s wonderful creation? Take the time to notice the smile of a loved one or the face of your child or the beauty of nature or by a gaze into the night sky (in short, simply pay attention to God's wonderful Creation). My hope is that this focus will cause a praise to God on High to well up inside of you to the point of overflowing.

Blessings,

Ande


If you have thoughts you'd like to share, please email me at: ande.myers@gmail.com

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Looking into the Sky

On Sunday I was to be away on vacation, but, really at the last minute, we weren't able to go away for the week. So, on Monday, I began looking at Acts 1 and this sermon came to be. It was a pleasant surprise to me and I want to share a bit of it with you...



On Tuesday of this past week I had lunch with two pastors in town. As we chatted I asked, What big plans do you have this summer?

One said, Well, as you know, in July we are expecting our second little girl. (Their first is three years old.) The other pastor replied, Well now, that should be easy, you already have the girl thing down, right?

His reply was – I’m not sure any of us ever have that parenting thing down. (Can I get an, Amen?!)

When we were expecting Daniel we read, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, The Guide to Your Baby’s First Year, The Father’s Guide for the Baby’s First Year, etc… We went to childbirth classes, nursing classes and caring for your baby classes. We paid attention in the hospital and allowed the nurses to show us everything we were supposed to do.

But, when they said, It’s time to go home!, we thought, You aren’t going to let us take this baby home are you? We just aren’t ready!

Well, we were…but we weren’t. We are…but we aren’t. But, by the Grace of God, here we are. I remember my cousin saying, after his son, Will, was born, there is never a moment – 24 hours a day – where either the washer or dryer is going and lights are on somewhere in the house. Often all three are going on at the same time.

When should I call? I said. His response – Anytime, we are always up now.

You know, there are some things in life you only learn by experience. Some journeys are such that you must learn as you go. Step by step. Steps of faith.


The book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke. And here, in the first verses of Acts we pick up where the last verses of Luke have taken us – with some repetition.

Jesus has risen from the dead and he’s come back to the earth for forty days and during this time he has revealed himself to the disciples, he has given them instructions and commands and he has tried to prepare them for his departure.

Notice that he’s given them the instructions, Stay here in Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit to come to you. This is what the Father has promised.

Of course, as I look at the disciples and try to sympathize with what they are going through, I realize, if they are anything like I am, they want to go back to Galilee, back home, back where things are easier.

Notice here – this is not what discipleship is about. At least not as far as Jesus is concerned. It is as if Jesus says to them, I am not calling you to a place where you will be most at ease…I am calling you to a place where you will be most effective witnesses for me. (Thanks to the comments of Alexander Maclaren)

Notice Jesus is never sentimental or nostalgic. Jesus always calls us to press forward from where we are now not to a place we have been before but to a place where he is calling us and a place that he is preparing for us.

This instance in Scripture has been called the Ascension, for Jesus ascends into Heaven where he will rule forever. And Luke records that he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

As Jesus ascended, they must have tarried. They looked intently into the sky. They reflected upon Jesus’ life and ministry. They were focused. They marveled at what they were seeing. They noticed what had happened and they studied what it meant in those moments.

The brief portion of the text I want us to focus upon is verse eleven, and it is so very telling. Spoken by, I assume, the angels:

"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?”

Why do you stand here looking into the sky? What did this mean? What does it mean for you and me?

Jesus’ call is into a life of deep conviction, strong compassion, endless grace and eternal mercy. Jesus’ call is to follow with our lives. Remember Jesus’ instructions in the Sermon on the Mount. They were not theoretical but practical. He advised his followers on anger and murder, on contempt and lust, on family and marriage, on bullying and living with enemies.

You and I live in a specific place and we’ve been given a specific life that involves certain family members and neighbors. You have specific talents and gifts, so do I. You have been given opportunities to serve the Lord today. They may not be there tomorrow.

As Eleanor Roosevelt so aptly said: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that’s why they call it the present.

And, you know, this present is created by God wrapped up by Jesus Christ himself and delivered to you by the Holy Spirit.

And the angels are saying to you right now, can you hear them? …Why do you stand here looking into the sky?

I believe – I have been convicted lately - that one of the greatest things the church need is more theologians. What do I mean by that? Well, I believe we don’t give our faith enough thought. We don’t marvel enough at God.

In seminary my favorite professor, David Garland, said, My problem with students is that they spend too much time out there (pointing to the world) and not enough time in there (pointing to the library.)

Well, what does serious reflection do for a person? What will daily prayer and contemplation with the Lord accomplish? What will a commitment to studying the Scriptures in whole and specifically the Gospels and the life of Christ do for you?

You will be prepared to return the life you’ve been given to God. You will be able to present your lives as a living Sacrifices to God – this is what God wants from you. This is our job.

How we walk away from this place is of central importance to God. God wants your whole life – or as Eugene Peterson says in the Message translation of the Bible – God wants … your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – He wants the whole thing as an offering. This is the best thing you can do for God.

So – what does this all mean? Well, step one is this. You have to decide and only you can decide. You must commit to following Jesus Christ wherever he leads. This may mean there are some behaviors in your life that will have to change – absolutely. This may mean some priorities and what you do with your time and your money and your giftedness will have to be refocused.

This will mean that you will do your tasks; you will live your life and follow through with your responsibilities – you will do this – no longer for yourself. You will live starting right now for God. If you have never made this commitment or if you need to re-focus or re-commit to this commitment again, then use this time…right now. I will be here to receive you if you come. The Lord – right now – is listening to your prayers.

Or – as the angels ask – will you stand there and look at the sky? Amen.


If you have feedback or comments about this blog, please email me at ande.myers@gmail.com.


Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Filled with The Power of the Spirit

Sunday was Pentecost Sunday and a great day to celebrate in church. Here are some excerpts from my message:


One of the fun things about going away to college was visiting other churches. I went to college in Birmingham, AL, and finding baptist churches there is like finding sand at the beach.

One weekend a friend in the dorm asked me to go to church with him. He’d seen that a former Hell’s Angel was giving his testimony. Well, we loaded up and went to hear him one Sunday night and his testimony was extraordinary; it was astonishing; it was spectacular - everything you would imagine from a former Hell’s Angel turned Evangelist.

That next week a few of us were talking about what we’d seen and heard and I remember thinking, I’m not so sure I should ever tell my testimony…compared to what I had heard, I sounded about as adventurous as Lawrence Welk or Al Gore!

Let’s consider Jesus’ first recorded public statements in the Gospel of Luke. Now, he’d been ministering and healing throughout the land, but he has come home to Nazareth to worship.


Unrolling it, Jesus found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the LORD is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Luke 4.14 -21


News of Jesus’ ministry had spread, so when he got up to read Scripture in worship, people paid close attention. As Jesus read this Scripture everyone related, as they considered the oppression and lack of freedom they experienced under the strong hand of Rome.

And Jesus said, Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Today, right in front of you, God has come into the world. Today, God is delivering.

As Jesus quoted from Isaiah…we are reminded that Jesus had come bringing the Good News that God so loved the world. And Jesus had come to share this good news with the poor. And I believe he meant to share not just with people who had few material possessions or little means, I believe he came to the poor, the person who’d sold herself to her own will and had made her own desires and whims and inclinations her chief aim in life. As she chased her desires and put her wants over everything else, she had been left bankrupt and impoverished. Jesus came to deliver Good News to the poor.

This week I talked with a minister who’d spent ten years as a prison chaplain. One interesting thing he said as he reflected upon that ministry was this: When a person is in prison, he is not the only one in prison. His wife is in prison; his children are in prison; his extended family is in prison, too.

I believe Jesus was not just talking to the prisoner. He was speaking to the person who’d been held captive by his own sin or the sin of a loved one. The solution for sin, the way to break the shackles of sin, is and always will be a vibrant and active faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus has come for imprisoned of all sorts.

Jesus also came for the blind. And here lack of vision is not just limited to the physically impaired. Jesus came for the people who’d lost sight of what life was to be about. God has a plan for your life. God knows you. God loves you. God calls you to participate with him in this world.

Some were blind because they focused on the wrong things. Take the Pharisees, for example. They knew their Bible better than we do. They fasted. They prayed every day. They followed God’s law in their life even when it was inconvenient. Yet, they missed Jesus Christ right in front of them – at least many of them did.

Some, like Judas, were blinded by their greed or blinded by their expectations of a Messiah who’d free them from Rome. As they looked for a Messiah, they looked for a political solution to life’s problems. Instead, Jesus offered a life greater than the freedom of citizenship of any nation could ever offer. (The poor, blind, and prisoner ideas inspired by Alexander Maclaren.)

In the synagogue that day they heard Jesus’ words, yet they didn’t hear his message. And a few verses later, they drove him out of town. Matthew and Mark record similar occurrences in the Synagogue. Mark says, He could not do any miracles there because of their unbelief…And Jesus was astonished at their lack of faith. (Chapter 6)

Let’s consider two things: The first one is this, Is it possible that our doubts and suspicions and unbelief effect the ability of God to work in our lives or in the lives of our family or in our neighbor’s lives? Jesus could do no miracles there because of their lack of faith. Mark said so.

Pentecost should remind us that God does great things when his people faithfully gather in prayer together. Where two or three are gathered, there I shall be, Jesus says. There should be no such thing as an ordinary or average Sunday. My prayer is that we will learn to come into this place with great expectations anticipating the wonderful things God is doing and will do!

The second issue involves a question. What does it mean, what will it look like, what will be the result when the Spirit of the Lord is upon you (and me?) (Thank you to Walter Shurden’s May 2010 Preaching Journal for this question.)

Some would say, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because I am excited to be here. Some would say, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because I ‘feel’ something powerful. Some would say that the Spirit of the Lord is upon us because we draw big crowds and our people are excited. Is the Spirit of the Lord upon me because my testimony is spectacular? No. Some would say, The Spirit of the Lord is upon us because we jump up and down and shout and sing and dance.

But, what did Jesus say?

The Spirit of the LORD is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor."

Jesus’ call is into a life of deep conviction, strong compassion, endless grace and eternal mercy.

We are to be his witnesses. Now, ask any judge, do they want witnesses to be fancy or creative, embellishing the story for the sake of courtroom drama? No, the judge wants someone to simply tell ‘the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.’

Jesus said, You are to be my witnesses. And my Spirit is in your midst. You are not alone. Go. Tell. Be my disciples. The world needs you to tell them about me. Amen.

Do you have comments? I’d like to hear: ande.myers@gmail.com

Friday, April 23, 2010

Who You Are

This past week someone reminded me of an old friend named Jack McEwen. When I was in high school, Dr. McEwen was the interim pastor at my home church. He was this very interesting guy who’d been an English professor and pastor for many years. He was wise and articulate and I really admired him. This is one of the things I remember him saying:

“Want what you have, do what you can, be who you are.”

Let’s think about this.

Two weeks ago Michelle and I went to see a Garrison Keillor performance at the North Charleston, SC, Performing Arts Center. Dear friends had given us tickets and we’d been looking forward to the trip since Christmas time.

For those of you who aren’t aware, Garrison Keillor hosts a weekly radio program on National Public Radio called, A Prairie Home Companion. It is an old-style radio variety show with skits and stories and live music. I love the portion of the show called the ‘News from Lake Wobegon,’ a fictitious small town way out there on the prairie in Minnesota, Keillor’s home state.

Each week Keillor tells stories about the apparently ordinary happenings and goings on in Lake Wobegon during his artful monologue. But, if you pay close attention to the events of the weeks and the comings and goings of the residents, there is often a deeper message woven carefully into the tapestry. This message is always funny, sometimes profound and often redemptive. Michelle and I found this to be the case in Charleston, as well, where Keillor appeared onstage with a single stool and a mike and talked about his life and growing up in Lake Wobegon. He told stories for two hours, each building on the one before with common threads running throughout.

His last story was about majoring in journalism, finishing college and moving to New York City. There, after time beating the streets for stories, he had an epiphany. He realized that his calling was to home, a place he knew, telling stories about what he knew best. That summed up his life in Lake Wobegon. As we left the theatre that evening we wondered, How much of his fictional Lake Wobegon is autobiographical? I assume much.

You know, there is something to appreciating what you have and enjoying what you’ve been given. There is joy in doing all you can and being who you are. I would call this gratitude. Or thanksgiving. Or stewardship.

I hope your life is filled to the brim with each of these today.

Blessings,

Ande


Do you have comments? Write to me at: ande.myers@gmail.com

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Passing by...

This week I re-read and old article I had saved from the newspaper…

What do you think would happen, hypothetically, if one of the world’s greatest violinists performed incognito before an audience of over 1000 people? What if he performed on a violin hand crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1713? What if he performed the greatest pieces of music written for violin, masterpieces, for nearly an hour? What if he performed the pieces flawlessly? And, what if he did this in a very busy place in the middle of rush-hour? What might happen?
Well, the Washington Post wondered this very thing and enlisted Joshua Bell, possibly the world’s greatest living violinist, to don a baseball cap, a t-shirt and jeans and to play his 3.5 million dollar (yes, 3.5$ million) violin in a subway station in Washington, DC. Bell opened his case and began playing the violin.

At the end of an hour he’d made $32.17. Twenty-seven people had passed by and put money in his case; one person recognized him; a few people, less than 10, actually paused to listen to the music. But – here was the shocking thing – 1070 people hurried by like he wasn’t even there. 1070 people missed the greatest violinist in the world playing on the greatest instrument, a Stradivarius, playing masterpieces. 1070! Can you believe it?

As I re-read this article I felt so very sad. I also wondered if I would’ve been one of the ones who passed by. There are videos of this on the internet, for this experiment was filmed. There are also interviews with people who passed by and missed it.

You can guess the responses people gave for passing by: it was Friday and I was in a hurry. I couldn’t hear – my ipod was in. I didn’t have time. I didn’t recognize the music.

I noticed one interesting thing in the excerpts from the video of this experiment…when the violinist was playing, men and women passed right by nearly every single time. Caucasians passed by, as did African Americans. Indians passed by, so did Asians. But all the children who walked by noticed the music and wanted to stop and listen. And every single one of them was hurried along by his or her parents.

This experiment raises bigger questions: Do we have time for beauty in everyday life? How often do we miss the moment? When is the last time you rushed by never noticing a beautiful thing? (The article was: ‘Pearls Before Breakfast,’ by Gene Weingarten, The Washington Post, 04.08.07)

Blessings,

Ande

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Holy Week

On yesterday it was my privilege to deliver the message at our community’s Holy Week Service at the Waldensian Presbyterian Church. I did not have this manuscript with me, but here is the gist of what I tried to say. As I share this with you I hope it will help your preparation for the celebration of Easter.

Then one of the criminals said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

~ Luke 23

Jesus was there on the Cross – living the last moments of life. One thing I have noticed as a pastor – and it is one of the great privileges of local church ministry - is that when a loved one is dying people pay attention. This can be a stressful and tense time, but also God can use this time to heal deep tensions and strong divisions in families. We want to be there for one another – especially at the time of death. And when someone shares his/her last words they aren’t often mundane or ordinary. These verses highlight some of Jesus’ last words.

It has often been said that Jesus wasn’t crucified on an altar between two candles but on Golgotha between two criminals. One of the criminals realized the significance of the moment – two criminals and the Messiah being crucified – side by side – together. One criminal recognized that this was not the case and said,

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom…

Jesus, my life has not added up to much – please remember me.

Jesus, I wish I had another chance, please remember me.

If I had it to do all over again, I’d be a different man, please remember me.

Jesus, I am full of regret and shame, please remember me.

Jesus, for a long time I’ve been forgotten and estranged and alienated. I am lonely, please remember me.

Jesus, I imagine, looked him in the eye and said, Today you shall be with me in Paradise.

And in that moment, when the hatred of the world was focused at one point, on Jesus, he spoke words of reconciliation. At the moment when there seemed to be no way to move forward – not for the criminal – when it was hopeless and they were approaching the dead end, Jesus Christ made a way. And this way was true for the criminal and can be ultimately true for us all.

In the moment of hopelessness, Jesus forgave the sinner and made a promise he intends to keep, Today you shall be with me in Paradise. Have you heard those words before?

This week during our noonday services the theme is ‘Those Who Stood in His Shadow.’ I hope your next step – as you reflect upon Peter and Pilate and Mary and Judas and this Criminal today – is to ask: What am I to do with this? What does this mean in my life? What does this mean for the world? How am I to respond?

There are a number of ways we could go from here – I want to head in one specific direction. Many years ago a Quaker theologian named Douglas Steere wrote a small and profound book called, On Listening to Another. In it he said one of the greatest things one person can do for another, one of the most profound ministries we each can do, is to listen to one another. To look a person in the eye, hear her words and say, I hear you. To communicate, What you are saying is important to me.

Each of us has touched by Jesus in our loneliness or our grief. Some of us have been alienated. Others of us are filled with grief or regret. No matter where we’ve been Jesus, the Messiah, can forgive us. He can embrace us. He will remember us.

Once you have received this kind of forgiveness, once you have been restored and given eternal hope – your job…my job…our job – is to do this with others. We are to be his agents of reconciliation.

I recently heard a minister tell of his experience in a Sunday School classroom of Jr. High boys…

Of course their conversation went in and out and around Scripture, football, basketball and pro wrestling. At the conclusion of the class he asked the boys if anyone could define God’s grace and forgiveness. This one boy with a kind of sheepish smile who’d been quite most of the hour said, “Well, if a cop waves you over to the side of the road for speeding and comes over and gives you a ticket because you were speeding that’s justice. If he comes over and gives you a warning and lets you go, that’s mercy. But after he waves you over to the side of the road for speeding, comes over to the side of the road and gives you a Krispy Kreme Donut, that’s grace!” (adapted from Tony Campolo’s, ‘Models on Forgiveness,’ 03.14.2010, www.30goodminutes.org)

We’ve been forgiven…we know Jesus’ reconciliation…we know his mercy…and his grace…Jesus has made us promises he intends to keep…now, go and do likewise.

Blessings,

Ande