Pentecost - refreshing the stale church

May 27, 2012

John 16: 7-11

Link to NIV John 16:7*11

Everyone has experienced going to the cupboard or counter and finding an old stale role. It is crusty and dry and usually a bit more hollow then it started. It is tasteless and sometimes no amount of toasting and covering it with honey makes it any better.

Well that is exactly what Jesus is talking about here. Jesus is talking about the Jewish church, but it could just as easily be our church right now. Jesus is talking about how the people have been trapped in their own traditions, thoughts and practices. The people have been trapped by their own ideas. He came in order to break that down, and now he is promising “the Advocate” the one to help us through this transition. The trap that we have run into is thinking that it was simply the transition from Judaism to Christianity. Sometimes we don't realize that it is the same thing that we are facing right now.

Do you ever feel that your spiritual life is in a rut? You do the same things each week? You go to church, you may do a Bible study once a week either by yourself or others and you pray. You try to live by the rules set out in the Bible, and be a good person. You know exactly what you are going to do, and how God talks to you and that is what you expect.

The Jewish people knew that. Jesus says he is sending the Advocate to help us. That the advocate will prove the world wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment. When we see that we always think the outside world. The other, everyone else will be proven wrong. We are set aside so of course we are right. Go ahead Advocate prove that stubborn self centered world wrong.

But here Jesus is referring to the Jewish church, and could just as easily be referring to our church as I said before. Last week Pastor Dale talked about the scoffers. Those who can't see the good, who think they know what they need to know and feel it their duty to tell the other idiots in the world why they are idiots. This is what Jesus is talking about with the Advocate proving the world wrong with sin. Jesus tells us that the Advocate will prove the world wrong for not believing in me. That is his definition of sin. That is the most basic definition I have heard and yet, if you asked any of us before listening to it you would have a very detailed list of examples and where they came from and why. The scoffers were the ones not believing in Jesus. The scoffers are choosing to believe in what they think is right. They choose to know what is a sin, and separation from God. Scoffers think they have this down, but Jesus is reminding us that it is our belief in him that will open our eyes to sin. We can never assume we know what others are doing or how separated from God they are. For that is sin being separated from God, doubting God. I think if you are honest with yourself every person here has had sin as Jesus describes it here.

Then Jesus goes on to tell us about righteousness. That the Advocate will help us to prove the world or the church wrong with the idea of righteousness “because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer,”. Righteousness is a difficult word to define, but the most basic definition I have had my seminary professors give me is being right with God. So what is Jesus speaking to here. People thought they knew him. The Pharisees get a bad rap in the Bible, but if we look at them they are men who devoted their entire lives to studying the Bible and following the rules every rule. They found the rules, categorized the rules and attempted to live perfectly for God. They were not bad guys, but they trapped themselves in their own thinking. They thought they could make themselves righteous. Self righteous. If they could only follow the rules, and then all would be well, and then comes this young upstart saying no,"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27. Do we do this? Are we more like the Pharisees? Do we settle into our way of doing things and our expectations on how things are done? Do we get upset when things aren't going the way we expect them? If someone decides not to do something in the traditional way? Do we get so used to doing the same things every year that the thought of stopping, re-evaluating and may be changing projects is as foreign as another language. Are we trapped in our expectations – trying our hardest to be holy, but missing the Advocate entirely because it is not in our normal mode of operation?

Ahh and finally the Advocate will come to prove the world wrong in regards to judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. The world, both Jewish and Roman condemned Jesus to death. They put themselves in the seat of judgment. How many of us do that now? How many churches do that now? Jesus walks with us today. He has told us that we feed, cloth, or help the least we are helping him. How do people react to the poor, the homeless, those with drug addictions, alcoholism, mental illness, the elderly, the orphaned, the “punks” and “thugs”, the “Goth” teens, the single parents, the teen age moms, the disabled. How do we respond as a church?

We may see ourselves in this passage, but we need to also see our hope. Jesus sent the Advocate. It was not a one time deal. That Holy Spirit sent 2000 years ago is here in this room, present for us right here and now. Jesus promised the Advocate, Wonderful Councilor, Holy Spirit to come and be with us and during Pentecost with tongues of fire and a wind like no other the Holy Spirit swept through a room of 123 people and converted 500 more from the streets. That amazing, hard working Holy Spirit is calling us, is with us, surrounding us and helping to open our eyes to the ways we have become trapped by our own culture, our own thinking, our own expectations if we are simply open to that movement. Listen. Hear! Do something different!

Thank you God for your Advocate. Move through us now, kindle our hearts with your tongues of flame and help us to do your work in our world. Amen.

Boxing God

Acts. 10:44-48

Bible Passage of Acts 10:44-48

Sometimes in life God throws us a curve ball. Well, usually in life God throws us a curve ball. We have all had the experience. We were going along thinking we were doing what God wanted and expecting the results. Then someone comes out of nowhere and throws your game. Where do they get off doing X, Y and Z?

The scripture this week hits even a little bit closer to home. Peter a devout Jew had been taught to not associate with anyone who was not Jewish. They were unclean and, well, just not right. He was taught by his society, by his culture, and by the norms of the day. These were not just little ways of not associating, but both sides clearly knew the rules and expectations. They knew their places. Not only did they know their places, but they also knew the places of the other.

We have groups like that today, don't we? Groups that we believe we know what they are, and what their place is. Groups that we can put in a box or category so that we can deal with them. We have the conservatives, and the liberals especially in congress. They seem to know their sides and have expectations and they play each other like a fine orchestra in order to put on a show. What about the rich and the poor, the business owners and the unemployed, wall street and the 99%. Let's not forget the social issues, the heterosexuals and homosexuals, the Christians and the Atheist, the extremist and the moderates in every faith. What about physical groups? Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Asians, Russians, Germans, French, Brazilian, Disabled, able bodied, female, male. We all have expectations. Not one person here could listen to that list and not have several moments of free associations. You either smiled or cringed. You had a thought good or bad just because of the labels you heard and many of you may have planted your foot a little deeper in that camp. You confirmed for yourself the type of people you put in that box and what they look like, sound like and how you think they act.

But here is the kicker, what you think you know about any of those things may not be how it actually is. If you got to know that gay Latino from Wall Street you may just be surprised that she didn't fit into any of your boxes. Once you start putting boxes of expectation around things you leave little room to actually get to understand them. We do the same thing with God. Once you put that box of expectation around God you are limiting your understanding of the working and movement of the Holy Spirit. When you box in God you tend to loose what the Holy Spirit is doing. The Holy Spirit is in charge and can do amazing things.

God had been working on Peter, showing him that maybe it wasn't quite so clear cut. God had let him experience Cornelius, the faithful Guard whose entire family converted. God showed Peter to start expecting the unexpected. Despite what his followers thought they knew about non Jews, Peter was preaching to them. He was stepping outside the social boxes that both the Jews and the Pagans had established. Peter stopped looking at the situation of life between Jews and non Jews in only one way and made room for the Holy Spirit. He realized that God can work outside of his expectations and was willing to do something completely opposite of what his culture told them.

And Boy did the Holy Spirit blow in like the wind before Peter could even finish his sermon. Did he continue with his sermon – because the people were expecting it? NO! He acknowledged the Holy Spirit and called it like it was. The Holy Spirit is in this place with these people and who could deny them baptism?

Think about who you have been denying? I don't care what good reasons you have, but think about that list about those you have been denying. Those you don't want to talk to or about or with. Ask yourself a truthful why? Pray for those groups and for your own understanding. It is about time we stop limiting God's work and start looking at the world with renewed vision given to us by Jesus Christ. It is about time we stopped boxing God into our own human categories and started appreciating the fact that God can do what ever God wants. If we but listen, we can see the Glory of the Lord all around us. It is time to stop judging people and start loving them. You don't have to go up and hug anybody now, just treat them with human decency, respect and an open mind. Perhaps if more people did this we could actually truly be living out the gospel of Christ.

Our Awesome God

I have been struggling since the 3rd trying to figure out what God is calling me to do.  I have been praying and asking for direction, clarity, confirmation, anything!

God answers.

I had an amazing experiencing planning a service with my colleagues at CRCD for the seniors.  It was such fun to plan with a group of people who were excited to serve.  I had lots of help with music and readings and amazing friends to help light candles, decorate and un-decorate rooms, serve food, just being there for each other.  We are all Methodists and are all struggling with the outcomes at General Conference.

Then, of course I was thinking that it was just great people.

I was finishing up the last bits of clean up from the altar and communion and met an amazing woman from HOPE Lodge. This is the building next to the campus that houses those who are going through treatment with cancer or illnesses in the redone dormitories on campus.  The building is beautiful, the people are friendly and I have been to a few dinners over there sponsored by campus groups.

The amazing lady I met came in with someone who was following her to write a story from RIT.  She wanted to show him the carving in the front of the altar of the last supper - which is truly beautiful. I offered her communion and she was so thankful.  That is true communion - coming to the table so thankful for Christ.  It was amazing. I felt God moving in that space.  We prayed together and we were both nearly in tears by the time she left.  She didn't realize that Hope Lodge residents could attend the church services.  She was so excited by that.  I had never thought they didn't know.

As I walked back marveling over God's work and how God uses people to help each other I couldn't help but to say a prayer of thanks.  She did not realize it, but I needed her witness to Christ as much as she may have needed the communion.

I then had a conversation with the District Superintendent from Genesee Valley.  He had attended conference.  I needed to hear from some one who was there if he felt heard.  If there was room in this church for people like me and for change.  He was amazing. Ted answered my questions honestly and could understand my frustration and disappointment, but he gave me hope.  Betsy who works with him found articles for me and they gave me hope once more.

Then in truly God fashion (at least in my life), I ran into Katrina who is the person organizing services next year.  We chatted about HOPE house and the needs for altar decorations and items for services.  We had some great ideas for next semester and outreach to HOPE house.  I left feeling love.  I felt energized, and a clear confirmation in my call and where I am right now in the United Methodist Church.

I am still disappointed, but change can not happen unless it starts from the ground up.  By the sheer joy in my interactions with others, I felt God's love surround me and encourage me forward.   I do not know what is next, or where I will go, but I do know with all of my being that God is working in it and that I am right where God wants me to be right now!  That is all that I need.

General Conference Pain

I have been thinking about the General Conference for the United Methodist church a lot.  To be honest I never thought I would.  It seemed so obsolete.  There is a big group of people who get together to alter the Book of Discipline.  The first time I experienced General Conference I was not even aware it was happening.  This year I definitely was.  I got updates from friends.  I checked out the website.  I even watched some video clips.  I found myself so intimately involved in what was going on that some of their pain was mine.  I also found that their decisions were going to affect me and my ministry for a very long time.

They voted to do away with guaranteed appointments, but we are still itinerant.  I understand the itinerantcy (asking us to move when needed), but if we are not guaranteed to have an income to provide for our families how can we be itinerant?  We need to be able to live someplace where we can get another job and for some pastors another house if we find ourselves church less.  I have faith that God will see me through this, but it just doesn't feel like they were thinking about the pastors. It felt like a large business making executive decisions.  It was not even voted on on the floor to the best of my understanding.   Now we may not feel the ramifications here in this conference, but there are some pastors I know that definitely feel betrayed and hurt by this decision.

Then we move onto restructuring. It was voted upon and so many people were confused and upset about the new structure and we found out it was unconstitutional. Now there is a feeling of unsettledness.

Then we get to the idea of our Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered, and Bisexual brothers and sisters and where they stand in the the church. There was so much pain in those conversations. Finally the vote to remove some offensive phrasing about LGBT embers being against the will of God from our Discipline was voted down. I then read a response from some upper New York delegates who were delighted with the results. For the first time since I have felt called I did not feel wanted by the United Methodist Church. Mind you I am as straight as they come and very firm in my gender identity but I felt hurt and unwanted. Rev. Van Dussen made it clear that “we” had to be firm and scriptural, and there was no room for this in the church. You see I have prayerfully considered this question for a long time and received a different revelation. Does that mean there is no room for me in this church? He then came across very clear as there is no room for change on this matter and that it was prayerfully the work of God.

I have to ask – was it? I read a great deal of research in high school on brain chemistry and fundamental differences in brains and genes. Did God not make us? Did God not call us all good? Check out Genesis if you need a recap. Then when I read some passages in the Bible that sounded anti homosexual to a modern reader I was upset, but was willing to listen to the Lord. For two years I prayed about it. For two years I talked about it in a group where the majority did not believe that Homosexual activities were okay by “God” yet they were willing to have the conversations. I found the answer in my heart with a revelation when I was reading scripture and I knew what the answer was. God made all things and called them all Good! Including my LBGT brothers and Sisters. Later on I learned that when reading the scriptures at the time periods what they were refering to. None of them, not one that that has been presented to me as anti gay was written regarding loving monogamous relationships with partners. Not one of them referred to a relationship, but rather either aggressive acts of dominance or pagan worship rituals. This is not what I have witnessed in gay couples I have met.

Then I read about Jesus's radical social justice movements. I am pretty sure he was fighting a religious consensus on what was right, what was okay, and what was accepted. So to be told by Mr. Van Dussen that this was a done topic and that we upheld the right beliefs and there is no room in the UMC for this or for the compassion that was shown these people made me so angry. How can anyone say that compassion is wrong. Understanding and reaching out to one in pain is wrong. Have you ever seen an alcoholic go through withdrawal? Would you sit there even if you thought it was due to their own “sin” and let them suffer without compassion? If you are any type of Christian I hope you answer that No. Then how can you let a person whom society and the church has hurt sit in their pain without compassion. How can you be so self righteous.

This is why my generation has checked out of the church. When you can't treat people who are wonderful gracious, God fearing people with dignity why should I bother to try and be fed by your “spirituality”? I know I am screwed up and sinful and messed up on more levels than one so I am in no position to judge. I also do not need to be judged by anyone else. My conscience does a pretty bang up job of it regularly, thank you very much.

So I am left wondering – God is there room for me here? You have shown me that I am to help, love, and respect my LGBT brothers and sisters, and yet I am not sure how to do that in an environment that does not see any room for your divine revelation. What am I to do now? What are those hurt by this church to do now? 


The article link is here: http://www.unyumc.org/news/detail/1154