1st Sunday in Advent

“But about that day and hour no one knows…”

“One will be taken and one will be left…”

“Keep Awake!”

            As a kid every year during the first Sunday in Advent I would hear scripture like today’s Gospel—focused on the second coming of Christ—read aloud in church, and every year it scared me.  Images of darkening skies and an angry Judge Jesus would enter my mind. I would imagine a rapture taking place, and books and movies from popular culture about the end times just added to my fear. Perhaps you have experienced some similar questions or anxieties on this topic. It never made sense to me as a kid that we would talk about the second coming of Christ as we prepared to celebrate a sweet little baby to be born in a manger a few weeks later. To me these texts were unnerving, but I see now that these texts were also meant, ultimately, to be a message of hope.

            It is indeed right that we begin the first Sunday in Advent talking about the second coming of Christ. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas in the coming weeks, we remember Christ’s first radical in-breaking into the world as a tiny baby, Jesus Christ, the Word Become Flesh. Jesus was born into this world and lived in it doing ministry among people, and then he was crucified and rose again. When Christ resurrected from the dead everything changed. Through Christ it became possible for us to be reconciled to God. We were—and still are— living in a new age where Sin and Death no longer has the same power over us that it once did. But Christ told his disciples that his work was not yet done. He will one day come back and he will restore the world to wholeness once and for all, and in the meantime, we are to wait and be ready for his return.

            But what does this mean for us exactly? Our Gospel today is a challenging one, and one that often causes misunderstandings and anxiety, so I want to take some time to unpack this text a little more. Most Biblical scholars agree that the Gospel of Matthew was written toward the end of the 1st century, probably around 70-80 AD. That means this Gospel was written 70 years or more after the resurrection of Jesus. The first Christians, however, had been living with a sense of urgency because they believed that Jesus would be coming back soon, possibly at any moment. And yet they had been waiting 70+ years and nothing had happened. Some of them were losing hope that Jesus would come again, and so the author of Matthew writes his Gospel—including today’s text—to reassure the first Christians of Christ’s promises, including his promise of the second coming.  The author tells his audience that no one knows the day or the hour—it could be soon but it might not be—but keep awake! Stick with your faith for we will indeed see Jesus again!  This text today was meant to be a message of hope and of encouragement for the first Christians to keep living into their new identity in Christ, trusting in God’s promises.

            We are meant to hear the same message of hope and encouragement, but it can be difficult to hear that message when Jesus talks about floods, and one being taken and another left behind? These can be scary images that deserve to be understood. When Matthew’s author speaks of Noah’s flood, he is speaking about the unexpectedness of the event. The people of the world in Noah’s time were living their lives doing normal things. They were eating and drinking, marrying and having families. They were doing everyday things, but they had forgotten about God, and so they were unprepared when out of nowhere came the flood. This was a greatly unexpected event that changed everything. The second coming of Christ will also be unexpected, which is why the author of Matthew encourages his readers to “Keep Awake” and not to forget about God in their everyday living.

            Jesus similarly continues with the theme of unexpectedness as he gives striking metaphors about men and women doing their everyday work when the Lord shall appear.  Two men are in a field—one unexpectedly taken and the other will be left. The same happens to the two women grinding meal. Popular culture has imagined this to be a description of the rapture—the idea that the good people will be zapped up to heaven while the rest are left behind. Scripture itself, however, doesn’t say much about a rapture, but rather emphasizes that the second coming will be unexpected. Like the days of Noah, we will be going about our normal lives when Jesus returns, but in the moment of Christ’s coming all earthly things and our everyday activities will be set aside, so Jesus tells us to keep awake, to have our faith and hearts relying on God above all else. Our world as we know it will not be here forever but Christ will be, and Christ will restore all things according to God’s plan. This passage is less about the judgment or punishment that end-times theology imagines, and more about God’s restorative work coming to completion. We do not know what the end times will be like or what exactly will happen, but we do know that God is good and God is faithful, so we can rely on God and God’s promises.

            So keep awake, stick with your faith and don’t lose hope! This is the message Matthew’s original audience heard, and it is the same message that we receive today. Jesus lived, died and resurrected making all things new, and through Christ we live in a new reality. Though there is still brokenness and trials, God’s Kingdom is breaking forth into the world and Christ promises to return and complete the work that has begun. Through Christ we are people of hope, beloved children of God, and while we wait for Christ to return we set aside what separates us from God, and instead participate in God’s ongoing work in the world.

            And what a blessing it is that we get to participate in God’s work while we wait for Christ’s return! Each day we wake up to a new day full of opportunities to do good things and further God’s kingdom just a little bit more. In our daily lives as Christians we seek to live in a way that reflects God’s love to those around us. We worship and we pray and we show kindness to others. We reach out to the neighbor and welcome the stranger. We walk alongside those who are hurting and we tell others about God’s love for all people. We seek justice and we work to restore the marginalized to community so that all may belong in God’s Beloved Community. We live, work, and play each day trusting in God’s promises and living into Christ’s hope. So as we enter into the season of Advent may we watch for God’s presence in the world, wait for Christ’s return with hope, and live in wonder and awe of God’s promises through Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Thanksgiving Eve Sermon

             A couple of years ago I served as a chaplain in a hospital as part of my seminary education. It was both a stressful and sacred experience for me. It was stressful because I was walking into hospital rooms and into the lives of patients and their families during some of the hardest moments in their lives, but it was a sacred experience for the exact same reason. During my time as a chaplain I sat with families after the death of a loved one, with patients who had just received a diagnosis, and with patients undergoing difficult recoveries such as learning to walk again after a stroke.

            Each patient had a unique story and I learned something from many of my patients, but I remember one patient in particular whose story touched me. That day as I was finishing up lunch in the chaplain’s office the phone rang and a nurse told me about a patient on the 6th floor who was requesting a chaplain. Pulling up the patient’s chart on my computer, I learned that she was 24 years old and had just been diagnosed with cancer. It struck me right away—this poor girl, right about my age—diagnosed with cancer. This was certainly a life-changing moment for her and she wanted the chaplain—me—to go in and accompany her in this moment. What if she asked me why this was happening to her? What could I possibly do or say?

            Saying a quick prayer to myself, I gathered my chaplaincy book and Bible and headed to the 6th floor. Entering into the patient’s room I introduced myself to the patient—she was a beautiful and charismatic young lady, and I could tell right away that she was the kind of person other people noticed and admired. Getting to know this young lady, I learned that she came from a supportive family and was recently engaged to her longtime boyfriend. She was dreaming of a long and happy life full of possibilities, and now out of nowhere she was facing cancer.

            If I was her I would have been absolutely devastated, and yet, she wasn’t. There were some tears but she also was determined. As I spoke with her she talked about hope, and faith, and she surprised me with just how gosh darn thankful she was. Yes, she was facing this huge event in her life and she didn’t know the outcome, but she felt God’s presence with her and God was going to walk with her all the way. She was counting all of her blessings—her family, her fiancé, the doctors, and even me, the chaplain sitting in her hospital room and listening to her story. We talked for awhile, we read scripture together and we prayed, and then it was time for me to go.

            I walked out of her hospital room feeling humbled at the depth of this young lady’s faith. I certainly learned what thankfulness looked like that day. I learned that thankfulness is not based on our circumstances, and it is more than the warm fuzzy feeling we get after we eat turkey with family. Instead, thankfulness is grounded in what God has already done, and found in the confidence of God’s everlasting promises.

            Paul in the Bible speaks about this same kind of thankfulness. Our reading for today comes from the book of Philippians. The book is a letter written by Paul and as he writes this letter he is sitting in prison and nearing death. Paul himself is in a pretty devastating place, and yet we hear the hope and assurance in Paul’s words as he writes to the church in Philippi. Multiple times in the letter he speaks about thanksgiving, joy in God and perseverance in the Gospel. Paul’s thankfulness is not based on his circumstances, but rather his reassurance in the Risen Christ. In fact, throughout the New Testament we witness Paul’s conviction and determination in thanksgiving of the Gospel. He is imprisoned, run out of town, almost stoned—he really does suffer for the sake of the Gospel—and yet he does not give up. He gives thanks for what God has done and keeps moving forward living into those promises and sharing them with others.

            As Christians we can have the same confidence in God’s promises. Scripture reassures that each one of us is a beloved Child of God, created in God’s image and blessed with unique gifts. We are not promised easy or pain-free lives, but God does promise to be with us in all that we face. If you are facing something difficult in your life today or struggling to feel thankful, be reassured that these promises are for you too. Christ lived, died and resurrected so that we can be forgiven and reconciled to God forever, so there is nothing and no one that can separate us from God’s love. We can never go too far from God’s grace. Our ending has been secured and in this life we are free to live to be a blessing to others.

            Let us rejoice in the Lord always and live into this hope. May we trust in God, praying boldly and knowing that we are heard. May our actions reflect God’s love for all people, and may we be joyful heralds of this awesome message. Let us give thanks and praise to God, for God is good. Amen.

Christ is King!

November 20, 2022 Pastor Pamela Stalheim Lane

Did you know that Christ the King Sunday has been around for a little less than a hundred years? Pope Pius the 11th began the tradition in 1925. Extreme Nationalism was on the rise. Kings and would be kings and emperors were becoming more authoritarian and making greater claims of power for themselves. And, people were following them and believing the hatred – even though it divided them. Christian leaders agreed with Pope Pius the 11th. It was a good time to remind Christians: Christ is King – above all others. Almost a hundred years later, with extreme Nationalism and Populism on the rise, we could stand to be reminded: Christ is King – and all others are not.

Although it’s a relatively new celebration on the church’s calendar, proclaiming Christ as King is not new. Our lesson from Colossians quotes an early church hymn which reaches back to the beginning of time calling Christ the first born of all creation and the one in and through whom all things were made. We proclaim God in Christ as powerful and mighty with dominion – authority – over the whole world.

And yet it is this very powerful, mighty cosmic God who was willing to “reconcile himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven by making peace through the blood of his cross.”

That is where we find Jesus in today’s Gospel – on the cross.

Sometimes I think we forget how radical this really is. To have a King whom we proclaim as Lord of all and possessing all power and might – submit to being brutally killed by being nailed to a cross to reconcile the world to God goes beyond our understanding.

The leaders of the crowd didn’t understand and so they mocked Jesus, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” Even one of the criminals chimed in – Save yourself and us! Their image of a king was one who would fight for himself and for the people with great force and big armies. A king would certainly use his power to save himself. Wouldn’t he?

Our culture is no different. The super heroes in Marvel Movies use their special powers to fight the bad guys, and rescue themselves and their friends and forcibly restore order to the land.

But this is not the way of Jesus. Remember, when he was tempted by Satan to use his power in this way, Jesus refused. And when urged by his own disciples to fight in Garden of Gethsemane rather than let himself be arrested, Jesus said, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:53 But this is not how Jesus chose to use his power. This is not the kind of King and Savior that Jesus came to earth to be. Jesus refused to save himself – because he came to save us instead.

Throughout his ministry Jesus used his power to feed people, to heal the sick and restore people to wholeness. Jesus used his power to bring joy to a wedding and restore life to a little girl and Lazarus. He taught with authority, told stories to help people understand and proclaimed the coming of God’s kingdom.

God’s kingdom comes - but not with force or power or might. God’s kingdom comes through the gift of love. This is the way of Jesus. Jesus chose to use the power of love instead of the power of might. Love is not necessarily easier. In fact, it is often much harder – but Love is much stronger. Love endures.

Anthony Ray Hinton discovered that the hard way. Growing up poor and black in Alabama in the late 70s, life was not easy for him or his mother. But even though he was poor, made some mistakes and experienced some hard times, he would have said that his life was good. He loved Jesus, his girlfriend, his mother, and church barbeques. His life seemed to be going the right way -- until someone identified him out of a police lineup as a murderer. He was innocent. He even had an alibi. But… because of that misidentification, having too little money to hire a good attorney and, frankly, racism, Hinton ended up on death row. He gave up on God who he thought had abandoned him. He found it hard to believe in a Savior who would let him be treated so horribly and unfairly. He threw his bible under his bed in his cell and refused to talk with God – or anyone other than his mother and best friend who visited him faithfully every week.

But then one night, one of the men in a cell near him began to pray a loud lament: “O God. Help me, God.” His cries were so loud it was impossible to sleep. Finally, Ray broke down and asked him what was wrong. The man just found out that his mother had died. Ray said, “I wasn’t expecting to have my heart break that night…. But he realized “I was born with the same gift from God we are all born with – the impulse to reach out and lesson the suffering of another human being. It was a gift, and we each had a choice of whether to use this gift or not.” That is when Ray realized, “Everything is a choice.” He decided that night that he was going to choose to live a life of love and not of hate. He was going to choose the way his mother had taught him – and that was the way of Jesus…even on death row. 1(p148)

His life changed. He was still on death row. But he got his Bible out from under his bed and he talked with Jesus and he talked with his neighbors – his cell mates and with the guards. He decided to live with love and hope instead of with hate and anger. He made friends with his cell neighbor Henry. He had decided he no longer cared who they were or what they had done. But when Ray found out that his friend Henry was Henry Hays – a member of the KKK who was on death row after lynching Michael Donald, a 19 year old black man – just a teenager. 1 (p170) he couldn’t just let it go. He said to Henry, “I figured out who you are.” In response Henry told Ray, “Everything my mom and dad taught me was a lie, Ray…. father only taught me hate.” Ray replied, “I guess I was just lucky that my mom taught me to love people, no matter what.” This is what Jesus calls us to do. 1 (p 171)

Hinton discovered and decided he could live a rich life – even behind bars -- if he chose each day to live with love. It wasn’t always easy. But Hinton said, “I forgive because that’s how my mother raised me. I forgive because I have a God who forgives.1(p.304)

Living a life of love. This is the way that Jesus, the King of love, models for us. As he is hanging on the cross, before anyone even asks, Jesus prays: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus prays this prayer for his executioners, for the crowd who are acting like a mob, for the man hanging next to him. And, Jesus prays this prayer for us – for all of the foolish things that we do and we say. Jesus prays: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Jesus prays for us and Jesus listens to our prayers, to your prayers listens to our prayers. He listened to the prayer of the criminal hanging next to him who said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” This was a prayer of confession and of acknowledging his need of a Savior. And Jesus not only hears his prayer but responds, “ Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Not every prayer is answered so quickly. It took thirty years, countless hearings, including a unanimous decision by the Unite States Supreme Court before Anthony Ray Hinton, an innocent man was freed. The sin of racism and the fear of being caught in their lies and in their prejudice kept the judge and the elected attorneys and leaders of Alabama from overturning the conviction for thirty years.

I don’t understand and cannot explain to you God’s ways or why some prayers are answered immediately and others take a long time or maybe aren’t answered in the way that we had hoped and prayed. But I do know this: Jesus, the one who is the first born of creation and the first born of the dead, is the King of Love, the King above all others who hears your prayers, loves you and even saves you. Thanks be to God. Amen.

1The Sun Does Rise by Anthony Ray Hinton. St. Martin’s Press 2018. Page numbers referenced.

Stay With It! November 13, 2022

Picture this: A teenage girl stands silently in the corner of the mat, the backs

of her feet firmly planted right inside the line, her pony tail tight, and her face

completely composed. And then the music begins and she becomes alive,

executing flips and twists and jumps that wow the audience and the Olympic

judges too.

It’s fascinating to watch the way Olympic athletes compose themselves

before they begin. They have mastered all the skills and techniques. They no

longer have to think about their routine – it is all muscle memory. But they

also know that the last hurdle is their own psyche. If they don’t stay in that

mindset, in that groove, then they will step out of the line, they will miss their

flip, they won’t dare to do the next step and they will not stick the landing.

One of the challenges is distraction. How many would-be gymnasts decide

they would rather play flute or basketball or just be an ordinary teen? Those

are all good things too. But for a gymnast intent on the Olympics, they

become distractions.

In the Gospel lesson, Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem and people – probably

the disciples too -- were oohing and aahing over the Temple. And

understandably so! From all accounts the Temple in Jerusalem was breath-

takingly beautiful with gold dripping from every corner and every wall that

wasn’t covered with tapestries and all of the finest artwork from around the

world. And it was huge and took years to build. Herod spared no expense in

building this Temple.

I’m sure that it was beautiful – and there is nothing wrong with that! Beauty

that comes from art is a wonderful gift that can glorify God When I visited

the Cathedral at Santiago last month, all the silver and gold and statuary in

the Cathedral had been recently repaired and polished. It just shone.

But, while beautiful art and architecture are wonderful gifts that can glorify

God, they are not the best thing in and of themselves. And, even though the

temple was built to last – Jesus tells his disciples not to put their trust in a

temple made of stone because soon every stone would end up as a piece of

rubble.

The first readers of Luke’s Gospel would very likely have known that this

prophecy had come true, since the temple fell in 70 AD, before most scholars

believe that Luke wrote his Gospel. Those readers may have wondered: is

this a sign of the end times? They knew the prophecies: Nations fighting

against nations. Earthquakes. Fire. Famine. Wars and uprisings.

We know those signs too. If we hadn’t just read the Gospel, you might think I

was reading headlines from the news. Russian blasting Ukraine with bombs –

that sounds like nations fighting against nations. There are earthquakes in

Alaska, California and Indonesia and many more that we don’t hear about.

Catastrophic fires are raging on the west coast. Famine continues to plague

East Africa, killing one person every thirty six seconds. It is no wonder that

some people, look at these events and proclaim: “the end is near!”

But this is nothing new. And as Jesus tells his disciples, so I say to you:

“Don’t fall for doomsday deceivers.” Then and now they prey upon our fears

and anxieties and try to get us to follow them. But Jesus warns, “beware that

you are not led astray.” For these “doomsday deceivers” distract us and keep

us from being focused on what is most important.

Like a coach does for an Olympic gymnast, Jesus challenges his disciples and

all Christians – including you and me – to stay the course, stay with it to the

end, regardless of how challenging the journey can become. But a coach can

only give the gymnast the dream of gold at the Olympics. It’s an inspiring

goal, a worthy goal. But it lasts only for a moment. Three minutes and the

routine is over – good or bad. The gymnast could be headed for the podium

or not. But either way… the glory is just for a moment.

Jesus offers us so much more, because Jesus is with you. Jesus is with you

when you are afraid – whether from wars or earthquakes or some other

disaster whether it is natural or human-caused. And Jesus is with you when

others take sides against you. It doesn’t mean it is going to be easy. But Jesus

promises to be with you… always. . . and you will never be alone. And that’s

a promise. Jesus promises them and each one of us that He’s got you – he’s

got all of you – even every hair of your head.

And this is why, like the disciples, and like the people in the early church we

can dare to respond to the challenges we face. Jesus tells his disciples, You

will be “called to testify.” Or as it says in another translation, “You will have

the opportunity to witness.”

Most of us won’t be called to a witness stand in a courtroom to testify to your

faith. But each of us is called to be a witness by the way that we live our

lives. And, as the world around us becomes more secular, you may be called

upon to tell a colleague, a classmate, a grandchild or a friend, why you are a

Christian and what does it mean to you.

They may be asking because you don’t fit the “mold” of what they think a

Christian is. Or, they may be asking, at least in part, because they do not

know. This s a new day in our life of faith. Our neighbors do not know that

Jesus that we know. And so we can share the Good News first of who God is

– that God is a loving God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

And that because of God’s great love, God sent Jesus into the world to be our

Savior. And finally, that God is a God who welcomes everyone… both you

and everyone that you may call “them”.

Finally, we can take encouragement from the letter to the Thessalonians: “So,

friends, take a firm stand, feet on the ground and head high. Keep a tight grip

on what you were taught, whether in personal conversation or by our letter.

May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and

surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in

you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.” As Jesus says, “Stay with

it!” With God’s help, we can be a witness of God’s love and grace to our

neighbors and to one another.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

All Saints Sunday! November 6, 2022

Prior to starting seminary school to become a pastor, I spent 6 years as a preschool teacher. I genuinely loved working with the kids, reading stories, singing songs and watching their imaginations come alive as they played and learned. Kids can surely be a lot of fun—but they can also be a handful (Even these little Saints can sometimes make less than Saintly choices!).

            Often times when I told someone that I was a preschool teacher one of the first responses I would get was “You must have the qualities of a Saint—I could never have the patience!” And it’s true, it does take a lot of patience and understanding to work with kids, and some days were better for me in the patience department than others. I’ll just say that trying to dress twenty to thirty three year olds in their snow clothes can test even the most saintly of folks.

            It is not uncommon in popular culture that we hear phrases like “He/She is such a saint!”, but I sometimes wonder what it is that makes someone “qualify” as a saint. Do they have to do something really important? Do they have to be perfect? According to the dictionary, a saint is a person who is acknowledged as being holy and virtuous. Said in another way, a saint is someone who is kind or reflects some of the qualities that others often admire and strive to replicate in their own lives.                 

            In the Church, we often imagine that Saints are the people who are or were particularly holy, those who did something remarkable with their lives or lived and died for the sake of the Church. Examples of these kinds of saints could include the early Christian martyrs, great theologians, or religious people who dedicated every moment of their lives to serving the poor. These Saints are important and certainly people we can learn from, but chances are few of us personally know of many Christian martyrs or deeply dedicated theologians. It is more likely, I think, that the Saints we personally think of tend to be the ordinary, imperfect, people who we have known and loved, those who in their own ways left an impact on our lives.

            This week as I have reflected on the Saints, I have had many people come to my mind, some of whom are still living and some who have since passed. For example, I think of my childhood pastor, Pastor Terry, who had a kindness and nurturing spirit that reflected God’s love and made each child in the church feel special. I think of my friend Kim in Tennessee who has a genuine faith and a passion for the Bible. I think of my 4th grade teacher, Mrs.Reznicek who helped me discover my love of writing and taught me the importance of kindness to all people. But mostly this week as I reflected on the saints, the person who came to my mind the most was my grandpa, Lyle.

            My Grandpa Lyle was born into a farming family in rural Nebraska in 1928. Growing up in a family of 10 children during the Great Depression, the family was poor and struggled to scrape by. School was difficult for my grandfather, and at the age of 16 he dropped out of school and began working full time as an apprentice at a carpet cleaning business. He worked hard at that job for 25 years while raising a family with his wife Sylvia, and eventually he was able to support his family by opening a small carpet cleaning business of his own. After retiring he and Sylvia enjoyed camping, square-dancing, and my grandfather was well known among friends and family for his woodcarving. During his lifetime he raised three children, 5 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. He passed away two years ago this week at the age of 92.

            There is nothing about my grandfather’s life that stands out as particularly remarkable—in fact his life story is probably similar in many ways to other rural midwestern folks—but nonetheless he is one of the most influential Saints in my life. What makes him a saint in my life has more to do with who he was than what he did. He was one of the most gentle men I have ever met, and he had a genuine kindness and patience about him. He was a weekly attender of his local church, but I can’t remember a time where he and I really had a conversation about faith and God. Yet I knew his faith was influential in his life because he couldn’t help but reflect God’s love simply in the way he interacted with his friends, family and community.

            Perhaps the story of my grandpa reminds you of a friend or relative of your own, someone who you learned from simply by watching them live their lives. It is often in these precious relationships that the Saints touch our lives, even after they are gone.

As much as I adored my grandpa, though, I know he wasn’t a perfect man—and chances are the Saints in your life weren’t perfect either. We all sin, and we all make mistakes. We all have moments when we fail or fall short of expectations, and we all have moments when we may doubt our faith, but thankfully that isn’t what defines us.

            What defines the Saints—and all of us—is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, Word Became Flesh, came to earth and lived among people as an example of a new way to live. Jesus faced many of the temptations and challenges that we face, and Christ had compassion on the poor and the marginalized. Jesus saw the brokenness and sin in the world, and he was determined to do something about it. He allowed himself to be crucified on the Cross to reflect the depth of God’s love, and did so in order to overcome the power that sin and death held over us. Because of Christ our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God and no one and no thing can snatch us away. While we live on this earth we will continue to sin and fall short, but through grace Jesus Christ has saved us and claimed us as saints. As ELCA pastor Nadia Bolz Weber puts it—the saints are just sinners who have been forgiven, and that is all of us.

This is good news, but also news meant to challenge us. How are we going to live this good news?

            We are the living saints—imperfect as we may be, and as saints we are tasked to love, to serve, to praise and point the way back to God.

            In our Ephesians reading today Paul is writing to the gentiles in Ephesus. They have accepted faith and have received the inheritance of God’s promises. They have been transformed and now Paul is encouraging them and praying for them as they grow in wisdom, grow in the Lord, and seek to reflect God’s love. They were being called to be loyal to Christ and to love and serve in the example of Jesus, and we, as the Body of Christ, have that same calling today.

            And how is it that this community lives out this calling? There are many ways. We are the Body of Christ, the Communion of Saints, in this time and place, and in this community. We worship together, pray together, learn together, and encourage one another in faith. We create life long friendships and connections through this church, and we walk alongside and lift up those who are hurting. We work together to do mission. We work to feed the hungry, tie blankets for Camp Noah and help provide for children and families during the holidays. We support global missions including ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Response. We live out our calling as simultaneous sinners and saints by living our lives each day and touching the lives of people around us.

            Our Gospel reading today, however, reminds us of the challenges in this life. Being a Saint and a follower of Christ does not guarantee an easy life, for there will be moments of challenge, suffering and even mistreatment. In this text Jesus is speaking to the disciples and to a large crowd gathered around, and the people in the crowd are likely the poor and the oppressed in that society. He has compassion for these people, and he wants to reassure them that they too are seen and known by God. Yet these are some striking words that Jesus is using, and I want to be careful how we reflect on them this morning. I want to be clear in saying that when Jesus is blessing those who are suffering, Jesus is not glorifying suffering, because suffering does not make one more holy or dignified. As Christians when we see suffering, poverty and other brokenness in the world we are called to try and do something to help, or at least to enter in and stand alongside those who are hurting so they know they are not alone. And when we are the ones experiencing suffering, we remember that we are seen, and that our suffering is not the end of the story.

            Similarly, when Jesus is talking about being abused and mistreated, Jesus is not condoning this behavior. We are all God’s beloved children and no one deserves this kind of treatment. I want you to hear these words—if you experience mistreatment or abuse in your life, it is okay to step back from the situation, to get help or to set boundaries. It does not make you a bad Christian to set boundaries or move away from a bad situation, because you are a beloved Child of God and you too deserve to be cared for and respected. But at the same time, Jesus in this text tells us to pray for those who persecute us, to put those people in God’s hands, and not to seek revenge. As living saints we treat others the way we want to be treated, and we love the best we can as Christ first loved us.

            What I hope you also hear in our Gospel today, though, is that God keeps God’s promises. Jesus reassures us that no matter what this life may bring—good or bad—we can rely on God because God keep’s God’s promises. Through Jesus Christ, God promised us a new life, and an ending when all will be restored. God promises us that we are loved, we are forgiven, and we are meant to be free to love and serve in the world. So we do our best day after day to reflect God’s love, and when we fail we try again with God’s help. That is what is means for us to be living Saints, living in faith in our daily lives and in hope of God’s promises.

            And then, finally, each one of us will reach a day when we will be called home to God and to the Saints in heaven. But be reassured, for when that time comes and you breathe your last breath, Christ will be there. Jesus will take your hand, and smiling at you he will say, “Beautiful Saint, my Beloved, welcome home.”

This is good news, and until that day, may God be with us and guide us. May we live in the example of Jesus and in the example of all of the Saints and all of those who have lived and inspire us to keep moving forward in faith. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Vocation – Called by God to Serve and Love

When you think of Martin Luther do you think of:

A)   An African American civil rights leader?  

B)    A German monk pounding 95 Thesis on the church door?

The answer is B! The African American civil rights advocate, Martin Luther King Jr and his father, Martin Luther King Sr. changed their names after Martin Luther King Sr on a visit to Germany was inspired by Martin Luther, the German Reformation leader.  And yes, Martin Luther did post 95 Theses on the church door – which served as a local posterboard.

Here’s your next question:

A)  In his Theses – or statements- Luther argued that heaven cannot be bought or earned by what we do but that it is by God’s grace through faith that we are saved.

B)   Luther was arguing for indulgences and loved the catchy phrase "as soon as the coin in the coffers ring, the soul from purgatory springs." 

The answer is A. Martin Luther hated that phrase – used by Johann Tetzel to make people feel guilty so that they would spend money that they did not have to buy their relatives out of purgatory. Luther’s 95 theses were arguments against the sale of these indulgences because Luther said, you can’t buy your way into heaven. We are saved by God’s grace through our faith. Luther’s arguments, then printed by Guttenberg and spread like wildfire throughout the region because he wrote what people really believed to be true – but had previously not dared to say.

Here's another one – this one is tricky:

A)   Luther argued that it was what we did – and not what we bought that got us into heaven.

B)   Luther insisted that salvation was by God’s grace alone, through faith

Well… maybe it is not so tricky. The answer is: B. It’s written right in the passage from Galatians above - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

Final question:

A)  Martin Luther believed that vocation was the holy calling of priests, monks and nuns. 

B)   Luther argued for the priesthood of all believers and expanded the understanding of vocation to include any work conducted in faith that honored God and served one’s neighbor.

The answer is B! Luther redefined vocation to include ordinary work – whether it is paid or not – by ordinary people. He gives these examples: “a mother provides food, clothing, and a well-kept home for her closest neighbors—her children and husband. The cobbler provides quality footwear to his customers and a reasonable living to anyone he might employ. The farmer supplies food for the greater community.”1

Luther’s understanding of vocation came from his deep study of scripture, like the passage from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. The last sentence of this passage says, “For we are what he-God- has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

Based on this reading in Galatians – and others - Luther stressed that our good works were not going to get us to heaven. We couldn’t --no matter how had we tried – earn or buy our way into heaven. This was a big question in Luther’s day. How do I get to heaven? How does my family get to heaven?  Based on scripture, Luther was able to proclaim then and I can proclaim to you now: Salvation is the free gift of God given to you by Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.

This is Good News – and in Luther’s day, this was a new message. Ordinary people had been so bullied by indulgence sellers threatening hell and damnation if they didn’t pay the dues that this word of God’s grace and mercy and the promise of salvation came as a surprise. For those who have grown up in the church, this is not new news. However,

the question for people then and now is: What does God’s gift of grace mean for the way that you live your life?  How do we respond to this gift?

Luther answers that question by looking to scripture and we can too. As it says in Galatians, “For we are what he -God- has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

This “way of life” is what Luther understood as our “vocation, our calling.”  Before Luther redefined the term, a vocation or calling only referred to the religious callings of priests, monks and nuns. But Luther understood vocation and callings to refer to every opportunity that a Christian has to reflect God’s love and serve our neighbor.

And so vocations includes every job – paid or not – that a Christian could do honorably such as a cobbler, a farmer, a baker or a mother or father and every opportunity to do something that reflects the love of God and serves the neighbor. For God has equipped you with skills, talents and a passion to use these gifts in your life. 

Educator, theologian and writer Frederick Buechner once said, “Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world's greatest need.” In other words, your vocation is using your God-given gifts that bring you joy and serve your neighbor . Not everyone finds this in their work life. However, wherever we are, and whatever situation we find ourselves in, we can use the gifts that God has given us in ways that both give us joy  and serves our neighbor.

However, sometimes we don’t recognize the gifts that we have and share or what an impact that our actions have. For example, one of our members has used her gift of creativity to make beautiful birthday cards that we mail out every week. I hear from recipients of these cards that they mean a lot to them.

Showing hospitality and listening to others is also a gift. Taking the time to have a cup of coffee and asking “How are you doing” – and actually listening or the answer – can make a huge difference in someone’s day.  Today, some of you have worked hard to create a brunch for all of us after worship. These tasks which you take on maybe without thinking about them as sharing a gift of your time and talents actually do make a difference for someone else who is hungry for fellowship, a good conversation and a feeling of welcome. This is the “way of life” to which God has called us. This is our vocation.

One of the needs of our neighborhood is hunger. There are many in our neighborhood and in our schools who struggle with what we call “food insecurity.” We have families who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. But many of you volunteer with Near Foodshelf or deliver food to Every Meal or drive for Dinner at Your Door or who give donations to provide the food to Near, Every Meal, Dinner at Your Door or ELCA World hunger. You serve – you do good works – and that serves our neighbors near and far. This is the “way of life” to which God has called us. This is our vocation.

As a congregation, we have been a teaching congregation for many years. Joanna is our 14th consecutive intern – and there were more in your past. Working with interns gives me – and us as a congregation great joy. This is the “way of life” to which God has called us. This is our vocation.

Finally, we worship together as a congregation whether it is online, in your home, in our parking lot or in the sanctuary. This is the “way of life” to which God has called us. This is our vocation. And this is why we support the ministries of Faith-Lilac Way. This is where God has called us to love and serve our neighbor.  Thanks be to God. Amen.

Responding to Jesus' Call

What do we know about Zacchaeus? Many of you may remember – from the song – that  Zacchaeus was a “wee little man.”  He was short. I’ve just come back from a trip and I was reminded that the best time to be short is on an airplane. But when there is a crowd, it is hard for those of us who are shorter to see.  

Zacchaeus was also a rich tax collector. The job of tax collectors was to gather the tax from their neighbors and give it to the Roman occupiers of their country. Not surprisingly, many of the tax collectors charged an outrageous “surcharge” for themselves which made them quite wealthy. Since Zacchaeus was rich and a tax collector everyone assumed that he was rich because he was a cheat, a traitor and a sinner – and wanted nothing to do with him.

Luke’s Gospel has several stories about rich people interacting with Jesus.  Just a few verses prior to this lesson, a rich man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. In that culture –like the Prosperity Gospel proponents of today -  many assumed that the rich were the ones who were blessed and who were favored by God. But instead of telling the rich man what he could do or buy, Jesus told him that all he needed to do was give away his possessions and come and follow him. Saddened, the rich man left. In response, Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”   

That sounds impossible, causing some of Jesus’ followers to wonder, “Then who can be saved?” But Jesus told them, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.”

And this is what happens in our Gospel today. For just a little way down the road we meet Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector who is short – both in height and estimation of his neighbors, climbing a tree in order to see Jesus. This wasn’t something that reputable people did in those days. And yet, unlike the rich ruler, Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus so much that he was willing to look absolutely ridiculous– in order to even catch a glimpse of Jesus.

And, not only did Zacchaeus see Jesus, but Jesus saw Zacchaeus. Jesus saw Zacchaeus and called him by name. Jesus even invited himself to dinner – a sign of restoration to the community --- despite the grumbling of the neighbors. 

In response, Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus gladly, and out of his joy, he responded with generosity to others. Zacchaeus declared that he is giving ½ of his possessions to the poor and that if he had cheated anyone – he would repay it fourfold.

Jesus declares that salvation had come –not only to the rich tax collector Zacchaeus, but to his whole household. Zacchaeus was not only restored to the community, but he and his whole household were claimed by God as an inheritor of eternal life. In answer to the disciples’ earlier question, “Who can be saved? Jesus said, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.”

Zacchaeus and the ruler were both wealthy. But unlike the rich ruler who clung to his wealth as his security, Zacchaeus realized that there is more joy in sharing with the poor the money that had been entrusted to him than there is in holding onto his gold and silver. There is more righteousness in pursuing justice for those who he may have wronged – intentionally or not – than there is in exploiting loopholes to amass more funds for himself. Zacchaeus realized that there is more security in trusting in a relationship with Jesus than there is in trusting in his own wealth and power.

When Jesus called Zacchaeus by name and invited himself to dinner, he was welcoming Zacchaeus into a relationship with himself and the community. Zacchaeus had been on the outside because people assumed that he was a cheat and a traitor and, therefore, a sinner – that is, a person who falls short of being the person that God has made them to be. 

Jesus also calls you and me by name and claims us as his own. Like Zacchaeus, we too are sinners, we too fall short of being the person that God has made us to be. And yet Jesus claims us as a fellow child of God – and invites us into community with one another and with God.

The question is – how will we respond? 

The rich ruler turned away. But we are invited to respond like Zacchaeus – even if it makes us look a little foolish. Like Zacchaeus, we can respond generously and joyfully. And this is especially important when the world around us seems grim. 

A few years ago, a woman who was depressed by the senseless killing of a young woman in Charlottesville during a protest against antisemitism found herself in a coffee shop. She said, “I just had that heavy weight on my chest. I just felt bummed out and sad about our situation, about humanity in general.” And then… without even thinking about it, she bought a gift card and gave it to the cashier and told her, “ I want you to use this for everybody who comes in after me, until it’s gone. I want you to treat everybody to a cup of coffee,” she said.

“All of a sudden, her depression about Charlottesville lifted. ‘My mood completely changed,’ she said. ‘It was that excitement, of being able to share with other people.’” It was, as she said, “the joy of giving.”

She wanted others to experience that joy too. So she gave her church a stack of $100 bills and asked them to give it to people in their church – to give to others.

The pastor of the church said that congregants confided they thought long and hard about how to use their $100, perhaps even more than they would have had they been handing out their own funds. The pastor said, “That to me is good theology anyway. It’s a good way to think about your life, that you’ve been entrusted with great gifts. And how do you turn around and use them?”

This is the question for us. How do we joyfully use what God has first entrusted to us? How do you experience the joy of giving the money, time, and skills that God has entrusted to you?

Today we will be witnesses as God through the Holy Spirit calls Soren Arthur by name and claims him as a child of God. His parents Nina and Rory and his sponsors and this congregation will be asked to pray for Soren and support him in his life with Christ. And we will all joyfully say “Yes!”

We will rejoice with Soren as a brother in Christ Jesus and together, we will seek to joyfully use the gifts that God has entrusted to each of us.

By our example, we will try to show Soren that we just as joyfully give money, time and talents to support the ministries of this church, our community and our world so that he and others may know God’s love. We won’t be perfect at it – we are still sinners who fall short.

But like Zacchaeus, we can trust that Jesus wants a relationship with each one of us. Regardless of who you are or where you are in your life, Jesus’ invitation still stands – even for the rich ruler who walked away – for the Holy Spirit is abundantly patient and continues to call us into community.

And so, as we rejoice with Soren and all of the Joygaards today, let us respond with joy and generosity, knowing that God is with us, calling us into community with God and with one another. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Pamela Stalheim Lane

Sunday Sermon

Key Verse:  “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

                                                                             - Colossians 3:17

 We’ve all seen it—you’re at Target or the grocery store and you see a parent there with a child. The child is holding a toy or a candy bar in their hands and they are looking at mom or dad, saying, “Please! Please can I have this? Please?” There were many times growing up that I was this child. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes I wasn’t, but I always had to try…and I could be very persistent.

 I remember one time when I was 7 or 8 and I saw a set of toy horses that I knew I needed to have. I picked up the box and asked my mom with my puppy dog eyes all ready. She said no. Please, Mom? I really like it. Not today. I knew my chances wouldn’t be good if I frustrated her, so I quietly held onto the box and followed my mom as she continued her shopping.

We go to the cleaning aisle to get some supplies, and I am quick to help my mom grab whatever she wants because maybe if I’m helpful she’ll buy the horses. Hey Mom, will you buy the horses if I promise to clean my room when we get home? She tells me that is my responsibility anyway.

In the next aisle a woman drops something on the floor. I quickly (and sneakily) put the toy horses into our cart and I rush forward to pick up the object from the floor to give back to the lady. She says thank you and tells me I am very kind. I make eye contact with my mom to make sure she heard. I go back to my mom and put my hand on the box of horses still sitting in the cart. Hey Mom, I bet that lady would want me to have the horses. My mom rolls her eyes.

Our shopping trip continues and I ask a few more times. She is still saying no but I can see I am wearing her down. Finally at the checkout—victory! We bought the toy horses. Persistence won the day.

Persistence comes in all shapes and forms. There is the persistence of flowing water which has the power to cut rock and form the land around it. The Grand Canyon, for example, took five or six million years to form, but the rivers flowing through it have made something pretty remarkable.

Think of the persistence of an artist or a craftsman who spends hours upon hours on their work, pouring all of their passion into it. Then there is the persistence of an inventor like Thomas Edison—he failed hundreds and hundreds of times but he finally got that lightbulb to work. I am also reminded of the persistence of my cat who meows each morning to let me know when it is time to wake up—and trust me, she can’t be ignored for long! Her meowing can be quite persuasive. And then—and possibly most importantly—there is the kind of persistence that demands justice and change, and it is this kind of persistence that we find in our Gospel reading today.

In our Gospel today Jesus tells the story of a persistent widow who comes to a judge day after day demanding action for injustice she has experienced. At first the judge ignores her—he could care less about her and her problems—but over time the widow wears him down and finally he gives her what she wants. In the society in which this widow lives, she is in a vulnerable and marginalized position. As a widow she has little power and little rights, and yet she insists that the judge hear her voice. She isn’t backing down because she believes in what she is doing, and she is rooted in faith that she will receive justice if she keeps working at it.

This kind of persistence is powerful and it can bring about great change. Take a look at history and you will find people in all times and places who stand up in persistence for justice. Think of the ancient prophets who cried out for justice in the Old Testament. Jesus reached out to the marginalized and brought them into community. Martin Luther pointed out injustices he saw in the church of his time. Centuries later, Martin Luther King Jr. persisted in his quest for civil rights. Mahatma Gandhi persisted for justice and independence in India. Malala persists for the education for women. Greta Thunberg calls out for environmental justice. The list goes on.

What these people all have in common is that this kind of persistence—the kind of persistence toward justice that serves all people—is sacred. All of these people are putting their faith, their passions, their hopes and dreams for the world—their whole selves—into their persistent drive toward justice in its many forms. These people may or may not be religious in their own ways, but when I look at the drive and passion with which they work to bring justice, I see God at work. Whether they recognize it or not the Holy Spirit is at work in them and in all that they do.s

As Christians who believe in the power of God’s work in the world, we each have this same driving Spirit within each of us. Scripture tells us that each one of us is created in the Image of God and given gifts that equips up for ministry and life in the world. And then through our baptism each one of us is gifted with the Holy Spirit and we are called to use our gifts and passions to partner with God in ministry. This is such a unique and powerful gift! With these gifts I think what God is saying is, “I love you SO MUCH, and I believe in your value SO MUCH, that I want YOU to be able to play your part in the world. Go forth and be the best blessing you can be.” How can we pass up an opportunity like that?

Take a moment to think about how God has called you. What gifts do you have—and trust me, you do have some! What are your passions? If you are passionate about the environment, how can you use your gifts to help others care for the earth? If you are passionate about caring for children, what are you doing to nurture the next generation? If you are passionate about music, how do you use music to connect people together? I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

Or, think the other way. What injustices do you see in the world? What breaks your heart the most? If it bothers you that your workplace doesn’t recycle, what can you do to help change that? If a local law is unjust, are you going to speak up? For me, for example, it breaks my heart when I think about people who struggle with mental illness and feel alone. I don’t think anyone should feel alone, so I am going to do what I can to do something about it. That is one way I feel God is calling me.

Whatever it is, big or small, find something you care about and do something about it. Chances are there is a community of people who care about it too. Faith Lilac Way is an example of this. FLW saw hunger in the community, so we do our part to support local food shelves and pack meals for students and their families. Faith Lilac Way saw that there were children being exploited in our community, so we became involved with Cherish All Children. We see people around the world suffering from natural disasters so we work with the ELCA Disaster Response, and we tie blankets for kids at Camp Noah who are recovering from disasters. All of this work is sacred because it is the Holy Spirit driving us in our passions and in our efforts. And if you have an idea or a passion that you aren’t sure how to use, let’s talk about it! I want to hear it. Let’s dream of the possibilities and let’s open the door to see how God might move!

Now, if you’ve reached this part of the sermon and you are thinking, “This is too much to do, I can’t fix the world!”—then I want you to hear this next part. Being created and equipped by God does not mean that we are perfect or can do it all. We will have times when we make mistakes and doubt ourselves, and there will be times when we fail. There will be moments when we are discouraged or wonder if our effort really makes a difference. Imagine how the widow in our Gospel must have felt going to the judge day after day. Yet she didn’t give up, she got up the next morning and tried again. It is important to remember that the fate of the world does not rest on our shoulders—it is God who has already secured the ending. We don’t have to do it all and we don’t have to do it perfectly, but in the meantime God has created and equipped each of us to be a part of this world.

Every day you are given the chance to use your time, gifts, talents and resources to touch the people around you and help make your community a better place. In your work place, in your family, in the retirement community—wherever you find yourself—you have the chance to use your gifts, passions and resources to the glory of God. Be persistent in kindness, persistent in faith, persistent in prayer, and whatever you do, do it to the glory of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

- Vicar Joanna Kathol

Faith Enough

“Increase our faith!” The disciples pleaded with Jesus. Now on the face of it, that sounds like a good request. After all, shouldn’t we all want to have more faith?

But what today’s Gospel doesn’t say is what prompted this request. Jesus had just finished warning the disciples:

“Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.  It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves. [And as if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, Jesus also told them:]

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.  Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 

I can just hear the disciples complaining, “Come on. That’s not even possible. Seven times they repent and I have to forgive them?” No wonder they asked for more faith.

Jesus has high standards and expectations for his followers – and that includes you and me. We are to watch out for the vulnerable - whether they be children or others who are easily taken advantage of, hurt, or abused. Jesus is pretty blunt – “better to have a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” And on top of that, as followers of Jesus, we are expected to forgive someone even if they sin against us seven time in one day and say “sorry.”

The disciples respond out of their anxiety and out of their fear of not measuring up to these standards, they asked for more faith. Jesus’ way is not the easy way. So I can kinda understand the disciples request: How about a little more faith Jesus?

But Jesus sounds exasperated when he tells them that they don’t need a mountain’s worth but only faith as big as a mustard seed to throw a whole mulberry tree – a tree with extensive roots that spread out and hold on tight – into the sea. Please note that Jesus is not saying you ought to do that. Or that you want to do that. And he is not urging you to try and show off your faith by trying it. What Jesus is saying is:  Faith is that powerful.

But it still doesn’t mean that faith is easy -- then – or now.

A pastor who lives in a State a bit south of us wrote in her blog that someone in her town recently put up a Confederate flag. It happened to be on the route of the new mail carrier -- who was black. Coincidence? A group of neighbors gathered. They didn’t like the flag or what it stood for. But none of them wanted to confront the neighbor who put up the flag. No one knew who lived there. And yet, they didn’t want the Confederate flag to be the only or even primary message that the mail carrier or other people saw in their town. So, they decided to order 100 posters that said, “Hate has no place here” and then distribute them to everyone who would put them up.

It's a good message. But it also meant lines were being drawn. Communication was happening – but it was happening through signs vs. a flag. Divisions were made deeper.

But one day, a retired Baptist pastor knocked on the door of the Confederate flag house. He went in. He talked with the person who hung the flag. No one knows what they talked about. But this Baptist pastor had faith enough – even if was just a mustard seed worth – to speak to the one who offended at least a hundred people in the town. Maybe the pastor talked to the person about why the flag was there? Maybe he asked this person to take the flag down. Or maybe they prayed. No one knows. But he had faith enough to talk with the neighbor. And the flag came down. 1

This is the kind of faith that we are learning about in Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices. And the first thing that we learned was that Faith takes practice.

After all… How did Tom Brady learn how to throw a football?  How did Willie Mays, Babe Ruth or Aaron Judge learn how to swing a bat? How did Jean- Pierre Rampal learn to play the flute? How did Ann Marie learn how to play the piano and the organ and direct the choir? Practice.

That is what we, as Christians are called to do. Practice. Practice our faith so that if and when we face a problem in our neighborhood, we are empowered to knock on that door knowing that Christ is with us.  But that’s really hard to do. So your Faith Practices, Neighboring Practices team and the council have been learning, practicing – how to talk with neighbors, how to listen without judgment and how to humbly share Christ’s love by having asking questions that create meaningful conversations. It’s been a great experience --- especially since we are all a bit rusty after the pandemic -- and it’s not just for extroverts or pastors. One good way for us all to “practice” is by having friendly conversations with friendly looking strangers – like those you can see at the treats and talk time right after worship.

And, in order to have the courage to talk with other people in meaningful ways – whether they are people bearing Confederate flags or just coffee cups – it helps to have some other faith practices to ground you in your faith and to give you courage.

When walking around a college campus this past year, I noticed that no matter how many official sidewalks there were, the students always seemed to make their own paths, finding the most efficient and fast way from one point to another. In his devotional book, We Make the Road by Walking, pastor and writer Brian McClaren writes that “Christian faith is still “in the making”. And so, the practices that we keep and the habits we choose to do each day – like a scripture devotion, or a prayer or something else, helps our Christian faith grow, evolve, learn, change, emerge, and mature”2

Faith practices can be as simple as a prayer before bed or at mealtime. Or you can pray while you do ordinary tasks. For example, one day, instead of counting the scoops of coffee I put in my coffee maker each morning, I pray for a person or group by name. For those who are techie, you can subscribe to a devotion online. I like God Pause. And if you would rather read, we have the devotion booklet, The Word in Season on the table outside. Feel free to pick one up. Or maybe you are a person who enjoys journaling – or coloring a Bible verse.  Any of these can be good faith practices. The point is, if what you have been doing for a long time still works, great! But if not, I encourage you to try something new.

There is one thing that I urge you not to do. Don’t try everything at once!  That is my tendency – to try everything! … but that is a recipe for failure. It’s simply too much.

May you practice your faith in ways that strengthen you, encourage you and give you peace and courage. And may your faith be as great as a mustard seed. Because, having faith the size of a mustard seed - is more than enough.

Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church + October 2, 2022  + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

1 The Rev. Judith Hunt, https://dancingwiththeword.com/on-mustard-seeds-and-mulberry-trees/

2  Brian McLaren https://brianmclaren.net/books-by-brian-mclaren/#wmr

Whoever is Faithful in a Very Little

Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel reminded me of a scene from the movie Moonstruck. Loretta, played by Cher, is a young widow who is anticipating an evening out with a man with whom she has just fallen in love. She begins doing her ordinary tasks of the day which include going to the family business to pick up the deposit on the way to the bank. But on the way… she gets distracted. She stops to get her hair done… and then does her nails, goes shopping and basically spends the whole day getting ready for this evening.

The next morning, her aunt and uncle, the owners of the family business show up at breakfast looking as if their best friend has died. Loretta asked them about it and then they said we went to the bank….

Suddenly… it clicks. A look of horror crosses her face as Loretta races to her coat pocket and says, “The deposit! I forgot to go to the bank with the deposit           ! As she pulls it from her coat pocket, they all breathe a sigh of relief. It’s still there.”

Crisis averted.  But still her aunt and uncle then felt a need to affirm that of course they trusted her – they had always trusted her but they had been worried for her and they couldn’t imagine what they would do without that money, their retirement money… For them it was a crisis of both financial hardship and of relationship. For if Loretta had used the money from the store to pay for her new hairdo and spa treatment and the new clothes that she bought it would also have either created a rift between the families or with her. Either way, her reputation would have been destroyed. 

It was just an errand to the bank. But, that little errand – was a big deal.1

Whoever is faithful with very little is also faithful with much.” Luke 16:10

Last week we had some workmen come into our house to replace our cracked kitchen counter. When they were done, I noticed a dime sitting precariously on the window sill. I thought it was odd --- but then I remembered what my boss told me when I worked as a house cleaner on a summer job years ago. She said, “if you ever find money on the floor or on the couch or anywhere, even if it is just a penny, be sure to put it in an obvious spot on the table or counter close by where you found it. Never ever ever ever put it in your pocket. You might forget it. And then your reputation and mine will be ruined.”  Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.

In this Gospel teaching, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and scribes. They are the ones who have been entrusted with money and power in their community. And they like it. But Jesus challenges them -- who do they love? Who do they serve?  Is it God or money?

It’s the same challenge that we read about in the lesson from Amos. There the rich people were eager for the Sabbath and the new moon festival to be over so that their market could open again and they could make more money by dishonest means. They clearly had put their thumb on the scales. They were not faithful or trustworthy. They were being dishonest and as a result, they were getting richer… and the poor were getting poorer. Amos warned them - the Lord sees what you are doing… and would remember. Later, Amos reports, it doesn’t turn out very well for them.

God cares about how we use the money we call our own– because our relationship with money affects our relationships with God and with one another.  As Jesus says, “You can’t serve God and money.”

But unless we enter a monastery, we can’t live without money – and even there, someone is paying the light bill.

So what does this mean for how we use money and how we treat it?  We all need it. And yet…money can so easily become the thing that we put first in our life. And that’s when money becomes a problem.

It is a bit ironic that the words “In God we trust” are written right on US coins and bills. I wondered why?  So I looked it up.

Apparently, “In God we trust” was first added to U.S. coins in 1864 when religious sentiment was on the rise and Americans wanted to know what their country stood for. Roosevelt felt it was “vulgar”, so he tried to take it off – but a backlash ensued and instead of getting rid of it, in 1957, the slogan was added to paper money. According to a Times article, “Today even ardent separationists seem to agree with retired Supreme Court Justice William Brennan, who wrote in 1983 that slogans such as ‘In God We Trust’ have ‘lost any true religious significance.'”2

That slogan may not pack a punch anymore in the country at large – it’s like the back of the cereal box. You’ve seen it so many times you don’t read it anymore.

However, rather than depend on our government’s slogan, I believe that the key to how we are to treat money is found in our opening verse, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” I also like the NRSV translation that is on the cover of the bulletin: Whoever is faithful in a very little, is faithful also in much.” Faithful. Trustworthy. Jesus is calling us to be faithful and trustworthy in all things – including or maybe even especially with the money and resources that God has entrusted to us.

Money has so much power in our world and this is why Jesus spends a good deal of time talking about money – and how we use it. Jesus calls the Pharisees, the scribes, his disciples, and all his listeners and followers including us -- to be faithful, to be trustworthy with the money and resources that God has entrusted to us.

We are to be faithful and trustworthy – because everything we have, all that I claim as “mine” and everything that you claim as “yours” --  belongs to God. As the saying goes – “You can’t take it with you.” Theologian NT Wright puts it this way: “Money is not a possession, it’s a trust. God entrusts property to people and expects it to be used to his glory and the welfare of his children, not for private glory or glamour.”

God expects us to be good caretakers, to be trustworthy. This is why God got mad at the rich people cheating the poor in Amos day and that is why Jesus says, “You can’t serve God and money.”

God knows our hearts. And, while when we’ve been working hard, and the financial numbers are good, it is tempting for us to trust in our selves and to think of it as “my” work and in “my” money, “my” bank account – regardless of the resource -- it all belongs to God. Everything we lay claim to is a trust from God. God not only entrusted to us resources – but the skill and talents and educational abilities in order to do what we do. And so, it would good if we trusted not in the money that we receive, but rather, took to heart, in the words written on our money – “In God We Trust.”

Brothers, sisters, siblings in Christ, God entrusts to us so much – time, talents and yes treasures too. In response, let us seek to be faithful in all things – both great and small– and to put our trust in God. Amen.

-         Pamela Stalheim Lane      

1. Moonstruck Written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Norman Jewison. 1987.

2. N.T. Wright, Luke for Everyone, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Great Britain, 2001 p.196

3. Sarah Begley, January 13, 2016. Time Magazine, Online Version

Rejoice!

Today I’m thinking about the sheep that was lost. She wasn’t doing anything wrong.  She was simply doing what sheep do - following her nose and blissfully eating one tender blade of grass after another. Then she saw another blade of grass – over there. She didn’t bother to look up – she was content and enjoying the grass.  But eventually… she felt the cold wind as the sun dipped beneath a cloud at the horizon. Sensing it was time to huddle up with her fellow sheep, she finally looked up and discovered - she was all alone. The rest of the herd had also followed their noses… a different way. Suddenly she was a little anxious. She bleated, hoping to hear the answering baa of her mother. But she heard nothing. She was alone… and that is a very dangerous place for a little lamb to be. 1

This would have been an all too familiar occurrence in Jesus’ day… sheep were constantly wandering off, following their noses to anticipated green pasture without thinking about how much they need the community. That’s why sheep need a shepherd.  The shepherd watches over the sheep – and if it one is missing – the shepherd goes and looks for it. The sheep in today’s story wasn’t a bad sheep. It belonged. It simply had gotten lost. So the shepherd hunts for her and brings her home and invites everyone to celebrate!

Jesus tells this parable as a description of what God does for us – each one of us -- all of God’s children. For there are times in our lives when each one of us may feel lost - things are not right, and we get separated from the love and support of our community. It is at times like these that God seeks us, hunts for us in the corners and crags of our world and of our lives to bring us back into community. Because… just like sheep, we need community.

I had several friends and relatives who lost loved ones during the pandemic. Maybe you did too. One of the challenges of the pandemic is that all of the traditional ways that we as a community of Christ have learned to address illness, death and despair were upended. We couldn’t gather together. We couldn’t eat together. We couldn’t sing. We couldn’t hug or even touch one another. No one wanted to risk infecting someone else. It’s no wonder that so many – maybe you would include yourself in that number – have felt lost, alone, isolated and depressed.

Others have felt lost because, too often, we are plagued by old tapes running in our heads that tell us that we are not worthwhile, that we are too slow or too fat or too skinny or that we are simply not good enough. Somehow, we have gotten the message that we don’t measure up -- and that if and when we are lost – no one would care enough to go and look for us.

Kate Braestrup, in her memoir, Here If you Need Me, shares some of her experiences as a chaplain with the Maine game wardens. One day she is waiting with a young man whose sister had gotten lost and likely had overdosed in the woods. As the wardens search, the young man tells Kate that his sister had been suffering from depression for a long time and that recently she had gone to church and been told that the one thing God never, ever forgave – was suicide. So he asks Kate, “would the church do a funeral for a suicide?”

Kate replies, “The game wardens have been walking in the rain all day, walking through the woods in the freezing rain trying to find your sister. They would have walked all day tomorrow [and] the rest of the week, searching for Betsy, so they could bring her home to you…And if there is one thing I am sure of…it is that God is not less kind, less committed, or less merciful than a Maine game warden.” She then said, despite what that pastor may have said, “there is no doubt in my mind… God is holding your sister close to His tender heart. Betsy is safe, she is forgiven, she is free at last from all her pain.” And then she gave him the number of some other pastors who would proclaim God’s mercy and love rather than shame at Betsy’s funeral.

There are old tapes – lies --  out there that paint God as a vengeful God who is more interested in vengeance and punishment than mercy and love.  These old tapes claim that God expects us to look and act perfect and put on our happy face…even when we are crying on the inside.

Those old tapes belong to the Pharisees. They are the ones who said to Jesus, “Why are you hanging around with tax collectors and sinners?” Why do you eat with those people?

In response, Jesus asks the Pharisees and scribes and us …. which of you would not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go in search of the lost sheep. This sounds like a rhetorical question.

But it’s a real question for the Pharisees - would they?  Would they leave 99 sheep in the dangerous wilderness in search of one little lamb that might already have been found by a hawk or a coyote or a bandit… all of whom liked to eat lamb. Would they risk the 99? Would we? Is that even good management of resources? Or would that lost sheep be considered “collateral damage” – a business loss, a tax deduction?

But God does. God goes after the one who is lost – even at great risk.

In another story, Jesus talks about the hired hands versus the Good shepherd. The hired hands wouldn’t look for a stray sheep. But the Good Shepherd is constantly on the lookout because to the Good shepherd, it’s not just another sheep. It’s his sheep – who he knows and loves. 

This is how Jesus describes God. Jesus says that God is like a shepherd who seeks, and hunts and looks and doesn’t stop until He finds the one who is lost.  And so know this… if you are ever plagued by questions of whether you are good enough, whether anyone would ever care, whether anyone would bother to look for you if you didn’t show up… Jesus says that God is seeking you. God is seeking you because you are worth looking for, searching for and going after. God not only wants to find you but God wants to restore you to community.

Jesus was spreading a message of God’s expansive kingdom and the tax collectors and those who were designated as “sinners” were listening. But the Pharisees were grumbling: "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." Clearly, those designated as “sinners” were those people.

But rather than address the negative grumblings – Jesus tells a story to help the Pharisees and scribes, the tax collectors and his disciples and all those who have ever sinned (which includes all of us) to know that God is a God of love and mercy. God knows each person by name and when someone is in trouble, is disconnected from community, is involved in unhealthy behavior or is making damaging choices… God goes and looks for “them,” for those people.

Who are “those people” for you? The Pharisees called them “sinners.” Who are those people who you don’t agree with, don’t understand and don’t frankly even like? God is seeking those people too to restore them – and you and me --into community…together. For no matter who you are or what you have done or not done, where you were born or who you love or what is the color of your skin or your political party– God seeks and invites you all to live into the community of God where there is no designation of “us” and “them.”

And then God throws a party. For God wants to rejoice with you’all. Like the shepherd who finds the lost sheep and the woman who finds the lost coin, when God finds God’s lost child, God calls everyone to rejoice! For there is great joy in heaven when the lost are found and the found are restored.

Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, we are all God’s children, so let us rejoice with God and all the angels and the whole company of heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

-         Pastor Pamela Stalheim Lane

“What are the Costs of Discipleship?”

Texts:

• Deuteronomy 30:15-20—Moses delivers a speech to the Israelites before they enter the Promise Land, encouraging them to choose life by following God over idolatry and suffering.

• Psalm 1:1-3—Blessed are those who follow the ways of the Lord, for they are like trees planted by streams of water and bearing ripe fruit.

• Luke 14:25-28—Jesus warns a crowd of followers that true discipleship comes at a great cost and requires full commitment.  

Good morning, and grace and peace to you from our Loving God and Father in heaven! Amen.

My name is Joanna Kathol and I am excited to be Faith Lilac Way’s new vicar for this next year! My welcome into this community has been warm and I look forward to doing ministry together. Yet before we can dive into ministry together it is helpful to get to know each other, so I would like to take a brief moment to introduce myself.

To tell you a little about myself, I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska with my mother and my older sister. I grew up in a wonderful ELCA congregation that encouraged its youth from a young age to participate in worship, and I felt a call to ministry for the first time when I was 10 years old. You might find it fun to know that Faith Lilac Way’s first intern, Paula Lawhead, is now the pastor at that church where I grew up, so it seems like God’s hand was at work to bring me to this congregation as well. I am blessed to be here with Faith Lilac Way over the next year and I look forward to meeting more of you and building relationships together. God is good and I know God has some good things in store for us during our time together.

Now I have to be honest, I didn’t expect my first sermon at my internship site to be over a difficult text such as this one. The words which Luke writes this morning are jarring and even disturbing. What could Jesus mean when he speaks such harsh words about hatred for life and family? These words do not seem to mesh well with the Jesus we hear about in other Bible stories, the Jesus who heals people and preaches about justice and loving the neighbor.

Well, when I am confronted with a jarring text such as this one it helps me to think about the context in which Jesus would have spoken these words. So what is going on here in this text? First, it is helpful to know that for the last few chapters of Luke, Jesus has begun his journey to Jerusalem and toward the Cross, and along his journey Jesus has continued to teach sermons and conduct miraculous healings. He teaches radical things about “a New and Coming Kingdom”, a new social order that is just, and new life. These are hopeful messages for the Jewish people who have been under the oppression of Rome. Jesus is gaining attention and the people are thinking,’ This might really be the one we have been waiting for!’ The Jewish people have been longing for someone to save them from Roman oppression, and in the midst of this longing, here comes Jesus doing miracles and teaching about a new Kingdom.

For many people in the crowds surrounding Jesus, Jesus is the answer to their prayers—their hero—and they believe that if they follow Jesus they too can witness and experience the power and glory they imagine Jesus is going to have. Now Jesus is indeed the answer to their prayers, but not in the way they think. While the people are thinking about earthly kingdoms and political power, Jesus is thinking about God’s kingdom. He knows his mission is to do something much greater than defeating the Romans, but in order to do his work he must first go to the Cross.

So while the people think Jesus is headed toward glory, Jesus knows that he is instead on his way to suffering on the Cross for the sake of the world.

Jesus also knows that the people who follow him may also likely suffer the pain in which he will suffer, so as Jesus turns to speak to the crowd gathered around he is being quite blunt with them. Basically he is telling them ‘If you want to follow me, be prepared to lose everything. If you truly want to be my disciple you will have to be fully committed, even above family and comfort and all the other things you hold dear. So before you decide to really follow me, reflect and weigh the costs. If you aren’t ready to follow me even to the cross then you are not yet ready to be my disciple.’

But is Jesus really saying that discipleship requires one to hate or reject their family and even life itself? I can assure you that is not the intended message, but Jesus did intend for his message to turn heads. In the culture of Jesus’s day it was not uncommon for speakers to use stark words when they were trying to drive home a point. We even see an example of this in our first reading this morning as Moses warns the Israelites to follow God and choose life rather than go astray and choose death. In our Old Testament reading Moses was reminding the Israelites that following God required whole-hearted commitment—it was not a passive decision but one that entailed deep trust and daily action.

This was what Moses told the Israelites then and it is the same message that Jesus was delivering hundreds of years later to this crowd. Jesus was not telling the people to hate life and family, but rather emphasizing the full-hearted commitment that true discipleship would take. To follow Jesus to the cross would require a willingness to face the costs of discipleship, a commitment to put their faith first and central in their lives. These disciples could be far away from their homes and families, they risked being mocked by their peers, and they could even face imprisonment or death themselves. This is some pretty serious stuff Jesus is talking about here and he is giving them the opportunity to reflect and decide: Were they going to be half-hearted followers, or would they be all in?

Even two thousand years later I think Jesus in this passage asks us the same question. In our own modern day and culture being a Christian and walking the path of discipleship can come at a cost. There are times when our faith may likely be at odds with our culture and those around us. It can be a cost to us when our faith calls us to step outside of our comfort zone, or to speak and act in a difficult situation. It is a cost to at times set aside our own needs for the sake of the neighbor. Even taking on the label of “Christian” can be a cost. In larger society there are many who believe that Christians are judgmental or closed minded, and this can certainly be a cost to us when others apply these stereotypes simply because we use the word “Christian” to identify our faith. And yes, there are still places in the world today where following God can even cost a disciple their life.

This is serious stuff we are talking about, and in the midst of it here is Jesus, asking us if we too are ready to be “all in” in discipleship.

Are we ready to rely on God above all else and keep Christ central in our lives?

Are we ready to follow the example of Jesus when it is difficult or goes against the status quo?

Are we ready to stand up for the oppressed and welcome the marginalized?

Are we ready to step outside the comfort and safety of our church doors to go out into a world and to people who desperately need to hear the hope and good news of God’s love?

Are we ready for a journey to the cross and to allow ourselves to be transformed and made new?

These are big questions and they are decisions that change and frame the way we live our lives and approach the world. These are questions that reach deeply into our hearts as we ponder this morning what it means for us to be disciples.

But here is the good news: the Jesus who asks us these questions is the same Jesus that walks with us each step of the way. To say yes to these questions and to accept the risks and the costs of discipleship does not mean we go forward alone. Instead when we say yes we are stepping into relationship with God, into a relationship that is life changing and life-fulfilling in the best ways possible. Being a disciple of Christ does not mean that life will be glorious or easy, but in saying yes we open ourselves and our world to so many new and wonderful opportunities. God is good and God is faithful, so may God bless us, strengthen us and guide us as we say yes to the journey of discipleship. Amen.

-         Vicar Joanna Kathol