Sunday Pastoral Prayer (Jan. 27) Athens First UMC

[The picture above is Hallie Bowie, daughter of Lorraine Myers, a church member who recently moved to the northeast Ohio area. Hallie and Lorraine were in town this weekend and worshipped with us. Several years ago, Hallie had a big role in helping us to get our current large cross above the altar. This cross helps to remind us of God’s sacrificial love for us made known through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Since Hallie was in worship with us, it seemed appropriate to get a picture of her near the cross in our newly remodeled sanctuary. For the sermon from this past Sunday, click here.]

Living Word, thank you for your presence made known to us through the words of scripture. Thank you for words that comfort us, encourage us, challenge us, motivate us, convict us, bless us, and that even confound us at times.

Living Word, thank you for scripture readers, preachers, Sunday School teachers, bible study leaders, confirmation mentors, bible podcasts, seminary professors, and so many other people who have been entrusted with the holy calling of reading and expounding on your Holy Word.

Living Word, thank you for speaking a word to us just when we need it the most – like at the beginning of the day to calm our anxious thoughts, at the end of the day when we need closure for all we left undone, at the doctor’s office when we are awaiting test results, when we are facing a big decision, when we are beginning to doubt ourselves. Living Word, help us to have a Learning Faith.

Your Living Word is what prompts us to pray for the needs of our community and world. And so we pray for this local community; for our schools and university, for places of worship, and for organizations like Good Works, Habitat for Humanity, and the Athens Food Bank as they provide resources and support for people in need.

And we pray for the our global community; for our nation so torn over political ideologies, for the people of Sebring, Florida impacted by the recent shooting at their local bank; for refugees in search of safety.

Living Word, you also call us to pray for the church and it’s leaders and so we lift up to you our Bishop and our District Superintendent. We especially pray for the Foothills District Leadership Training Day that we will be hosting two weeks from now. We pray that the speakers at this event will help to equip our churches to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our community and world.

We pray all of this in the name of our Living Word, Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sermon (Jan. 27) by Rev. Robert McDowell “A Whole New Meaning”

    My best friend growing up used to play a trick on his dad for his birthday.  One year, he and his mother gave him a birthday card.  He very quickly glanced at the front of it, opened it, and set it aside not even reading the entire message.

     So my friend and his mom decided to be a little sneaky.  Noticing that he didn’t really pay any attention to the nice card they gave him, they grabbed the card while he wasn’t looking and tucked it away for safe keeping.

     The next year for his birthday, they gave him this exact same birthday card.  They even put it back in the same envelope.  And guess what?  He did the same thing as the previous year.  He quickly opened it, pretended that he read every word, and set it aside never realizing that it was the exact same card they had given him a year ago.

     They did this for several years and I’m not sure if he ever recognized that he was opening the same birthday card.  Just think how much money they saved on not having to buy birthday cards! 

     Maybe you might want to try this on somebody who isn’t here today. Give them the exact same birthday card each year and see if they notice.

     You know, I think we’re all kind of like my friend’s dad to some degree.  We see something but we really don’t see it.

     I read about a pastor who preaches a sermon series every year called “Summer Reruns.”  Every summer, when the attendance goes down, he preaches his most popular sermons from the previous year.  He figures that the congregation probably didn’t listen the first time so he might as well preach them again.

     I think that this is one of the biggest dangers for those of us who have been part of the church for any length of time.  We have heard these stories from the Bible so many times that we forget to hear them in new and fresh ways.  We can develop a “Been There, Done That” attitude and it can keep us from growing in a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.

     This is why I am so impressed with the people of Israel from our Nehemiah scripture reading this morning.  They didn’t have a “Been There, Done That” attitude.  To help us understand this scripture reading, it’s important to know that the Jewish people had just returned from being in exile.  They are now living in Jerusalem.  They have come home.  But they are a little rusty in what it means to be God’s people in their new setting because they have been in exile.

     We are told in our scripture reading that Ezra who was a scribe and a Priest of Israel found the Book of the Law which was probably what we know today as the Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament.  The people who had been without the scriptures for many years gathered at the city square and asked Ezra to read God’s Word to them.  And so Ezra stood on a wooden platform which was really probably a tower and he read God’s Word to them for several hours.

     There was such an excitement to hear these words of scripture, that we are told that the ears of all the people were attentive.  I like that word.  Attentive.  They were attentive to what was being read to them.  It was like they were hearing these words for the very first time.

     And I like it that Ezra didn’t do all of this by himself.  Ezra was very wise.  He had scholars and priests on hand to explain what was being read.  I’m glad that we’re not the only ones who need a helping hand in reading the bible.  Even God’s people who were living during biblical times needed support in understanding the meaning of the scriptures.

     Here’s a way to confirm how important it is to have other people help you understand the bible.  Go to a bible study or a Sunday School class and listen to some other perspectives.  I guarantee you that there will be some new insight that will help you to see that passage in a new way.  The reason for this is because we all have our unique experiences and personal stories and this shapes the way we hear and understand the scriptures.

     In our own Methodist tradition, we have what is called the quadrilateral approach to the study and understanding of scripture.  The bible itself is the first part of the quadrilateral. The second part of the quadrilateral is tradition where we explore how the church has interpreted the scriptures for the past two thousand years.  

     We can see how church councils, theologians, and bible scholars have approached various issues from a biblical perspective. Even though the church hasn’t always agreed on how to interpret various passages of scripture, it is to our detriment to not be aware of this incredible resource of tradition.

     The third part of the quadrilateral is reason where we are called to use our minds in thinking through what a scripture passage is trying to tell us.  By using reason we know that when we read a verse like Matthew 5:30 where Jesus says, “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away” we know that it doesn’t literally mean that we are to perform an amputation.  

     Jesus was using the literary form of hyperbole to make an important point that living a life of holiness is extremely important.  When we read the bible, we need to be aware of the many different kinds of literary devises that the biblical authors use such as parables, proverbs, letters, stories, and poems. That can make all the difference in the world in how you interpret the scripture passage we are reading.

     And the fourth part of the quadrilateral is experience.  How you have personally experienced God at work in your life and in the world is incredibly valuable in our approach to scripture. Here’s an example of how experience helped someone to understand familiar scriptures in a deeper way.  

     A member of a church I was serving went on a mission trip to Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world.  When she got back from her ten day trip in which she cared for the dying and saw people eating out of the garbage just to have something to eat, it gave her a totally new perspective on the scriptures, especially the prophetic books of the Old Testament that talk so much about not forgetting the poor and those who are in need. 

     Every time she read those scriptures, those images from Haiti came to her mind.  That mission trip experience was transformative.  I remember when she called me on the phone after returning from Haiti.  There were deep sobs on the other end of the phone as I listened to her tell me how her trip to Haiti gave her a totally new perspective in what it means to live out her faith.

     This is why bibles studies and small groups are so important.  Not only do we get to hear other people’s experiences, we can also share our unique perspectives and together we can have a more well rounded view of the scriptures.

     By applying the quadrilateral, the scriptures become alive for us because there’s always new insights even if we have heard these same stories over and over again.  This is what helps us to not have a “Been There, Done That Attitude.”

     This focus on the time when Ezra read the scriptures to the people after they had returned from Exile gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we can become more rooted in the scriptures.  

     There are many ways to do this including attending worship where the scriptures are read and proclaimed, attending a bible study which we offer here from time to time, and through a personal reading of the Bible each day.

     A lot more could be said about all of that, but even more importantly, I want to offer some thoughts about the Bible that I have found extremely helpful in my own faith journey.

     And the first thing I want to say and I can not emphasize this enough is to realize that each one of us is biased when we read and interpret the Bible.

     Just think about it. The Bible was written a really, really long time ago, like I mean a really long time ago. 

     Most bible scholars say that the last books of the Bible that we have today were not written down in their final form until the end of the 1st century AD. That’s almost 2,000 years ago. To put that into perspective, imagine being transported back in time even just 200 years ago. That would be the year 1819. 

     So all of the sudden, you are living in 1819. James Monroe is your President. Thomas Jefferson founds the University of Virginia, Spain cedes Florida to the United States. Alabama becomes a state. And the famous American naval captain Oliver Hazard Perry who defeated the British on Lake Erie six years earlier dies.

     Like, I can’t imagine how I would function in a world that would be that radically different than the world I am living in today. It would be unbelievable. 

     Now, just think about being transported back in time not just 200 years ago, but 1,900 years around the time when the Bible was finally completed.

     One of the things that I always try to remember when reading the Bible for my morning personal devotional time, or when I prepare a sermon or a bible study is to remember that…

     …the Bible was not written to us, but it was written for us. Whenever you read the Bible, remember that you are reading someone else’s mail. Each book of the Bible was originally written for a particular group of people who were living during a particular time of history facing particular circumstances.

     The good news is that there are some really awesome bible study resources that we can use to help us understand the historical context of when a bible passage was written. I highly recommend that if you don’t already have a study bible that you consider getting one.

     Keep in mind that not every study bible is worth buying. I would recommend the Interpreter’s Study bible because it offers some of the very best and most recent research and scholarship for each book and passage of the Bible. The Wesley study bible is another good one.

     All of this background helps us to understand what the Bible first meant to the people for which it was originally written. So remember that the Bible was not written to us.

     But, it was written for us which means that once we understand what a passage of scripture meant to the original audience, we can then be in a position to think about what that scripture means for us today and the particular historical setting and situation in which we are living.

     So, keep this all in mind whenever you read the Bible. It was not written to us but it was written for us.

     Notice what happened after Ezra read the scriptures and Nehemiah, the governor, along with the Levites explained the meaning of the scriptures with the people.  It says that the people wept like the church member who went to Haiti wept as she shared her experience with me over the phone.  The people wept and they worshipped the Lord.

     But then it says that Ezra gave this benediction and sending forth to the people, “Now go, and celebrate because this day is holy to our Lord and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

     Whenever we spend time in the scriptures at home, in a bible study, in a Sunday School class, or right here in worship, God speaks to us through his Word and we are reminded that the joy of the Lord is our strength.

     Each year, the 600 clergy of our Conference gather in the spring for our annual meeting. One of the things that we do at this meeting is recognize the twenty or so clergy who are retiring that year.  At one of these sessions one year, they asked each retired clergy to go to the one of the microphones and they took turns reading a bible verse that has helped them in their ministry career.

     “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13” one pastor said.

     Without hesitating, another pastor shared his verse at a different microphone,“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. – Romans 8:17”

     Another said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, Believe in God, believe also in me. – John 14:1”

     This next one brought some laughter from the rest of the clergy.“If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. – Galatians 5:15” He obviously had served in some tough church appointments.

     One by one, we heard these experienced pastors share the scriptures that have sustained them over their many years of ministry.  Many of those scriptures, I knew quite well.  But on that day, they took on a whole new meaning for me.

     But here’s the important thing I want to leave with you this morning in thinking about this scripture reading from the Book of Nehemiah. Notice how our Old Testament reading ends after Ezra read the scriptures to them. He said, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

     When we read and study the scriptures together on a consistent basis, that is true for us as well. May the joy of the Lord be your strength.

A Whole New Meaning

Sermon Discussion Questions

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

January 27, 2019

Our Nehemiah scripture reading describes when the people of Israel were gathered together to hear the reading of the scripture which at that time was most likely referring to the Book of Leviticus. The people of Israel had recently returned home from being exiles for the past several decades in Babylonia. They were in need of being reminded of who God was, who they were as God’s people, and how God was calling them to live out their faith.

What helps you to remember who God is, who you are as a child of God, and how God is calling you to live out your faith? 

In the sermon, Pastor Robert shared how the “quadrilateral” approach to understanding the Bible can be a very helpful way to help you grow in your faith. The quadrilateral refers to 1) scripture - there are many different bible translations available 2) tradition - how people over the centuries have interpreted the Bible 3) reason - using our minds to understand the types of literary genres used by the biblical authors 4) experience - how our personal life’s experiences as well as the experiences of others shape how we interpret the Bible.

Why do you think this “quadrilateral” approach to reading and understanding the scriptures is better than simply reading the Bible without using tradition, reason, and experience?

The Bible was written over the course of several centuries and by a variety of authors who were facing particular historical circumstances facing them at the time. All of this means that it is so important to have a good study bible and helpful bible commentaries in understanding the scriptures or we might go away with a meaning not intended by the passage we are reading. In our Nehemiah scripture reading, Ezra had scribes and scholars present to help explain the meaning of the scripture to the people. Our church offers a pastor’s bible study twice a year. We just recently began an Intro to the New Testament bible study. The ending of our Nehemiah scripture passage says that the “joy of the Lord is our strength.” This is true when we open ourselves to hearing and incorporating the Bible in our daily walk with God.

What are specific ways that you can incorporate the Bible more in your life?

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (Jan. 20) Athens First UMC

Loving God, there’s still more than three weeks to go before Valentine’s Day and you are already telling us how much you love us. You have spoken to us this morning from the prophet Isaiah just so that we won’t forget that you delight in us, you care about us, and you truly love us.

You love us unconditionally. You love us for who we are. I guess that makes sense because after all, you are the one who created us. You are the one who breathed life into us. Why wouldn’t you love your creation? Like an artist who prizes her masterpiece, so you prize and cherish us. 

You have given each one of us unique gifts and talents and passions and you always seem to see our fullest potential far better than we can see it in ourselves. So keep reminding us. Keep reminding us of just how much you love us because we often forget for some reason. You already know this but we tend to get down on ourselves. We often put way too much pressure on ourselves to fit in or to be someone we’re not. 

And so thank you for sending us Isaiah today who just wanted to make sure that we knew on this cold winter day how much you love us. And you know that by tomorrow, we’ll probably need to be reminded again. Maybe it will be a teacher at school, the director of a choir, a Sunday School teacher, a pastor, a friend who will be like Isaiah and remind us that we are loved by you. 

And in turn, we pray that we would share your love with those around us, especially to our confirmands who begin their journey to membership tomorrow evening. We also want to share your love with the ones who need to hear it the most like the growing number of children needing foster care because of the Opioid crisis, the many people who are impacted by the government shut-down, teenagers struggling with anxiety and depression, college students as they are away from home, and anyone who may be feeling discouraged and in need of some hope.

We pray this in the name of the One who demonstrated your love for us by dying on the cross, Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sermon (Jan. 20) by Rev. Robert McDowell “A Marriage Made In Heaven”

     This June, Penny and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.  We were two very naïve people as we stood in front of the altar and offered our wedding vows to each other. 

     We had no idea of how hard it would be to move from our families and try to make it on our own.  When we left Pennsylvania to come to Ohio all we had in our pockets was honeymoon money and a little bit of savings in the bank.  That was it.  I had no job lined up when we came to Ohio.  And here we were, trying to stuff as much as we could into our little Ford Escort.

     The honeymoon money and the savings lasted us about two months and I still didn’t have a job.  So I started working at a gas station in Dayton, making some money, just to get by.

     We lived in a tiny two room apartment for the first three months.  By the grace of God, I found out about a student pastor position that was opening up in Lima, Ohio.  The pay was $5,000 a year, but it came with an old house located in a rough section of Lima.  Actually, even though it was a two story house, the church board told us that we would only be allowed to live on the second floor because the United Methodist Women sometimes held their meetings on the first floor where the kitchen was located.  That was kind of weird for a newlywed couple.

     The other big drawback of this house was that it had an enormous sign attached to the front of it that said in very large lettering, “Fellowship House.”  The sign might as well read, “Anyone who needs money, or gas for your car, just go ahead and knock on the door at all hours of the night.”  

     We budged $25 a week for groceries which didn’t go very far. This was basically our life together during our first year of marriage.

     And do you know why our marriage made it through those lean years?  We love each other.  Without love, our marriage would never have made it.

     I’ve been thinking about our early years of marriage because of our scripture reading from Isaiah this morning.  The prophet Isaiah is telling the people of Israel that God loves them like the love of a bride and a groom.  This image of God’s love for his people being like the love of a bride and a groom is a powerful image for us in thinking about our relationship with God.

     And I love the word that Isaiah uses in describing God’s relationship with Israel.  He uses the word, “delight.” What a great word! “The Lord delights in you” Isaiah says.  The last verse of our scripture reading says, “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

     I have the privilege of officiating at weddings throughout the year.  During the wedding ceremony you can just see the delight that the bride and groom have for each other.  Granted, the groom is very nervous, but when the bride walks down that center aisle, it’s fun just to watch his response as he first makes eye contact with her.  

     They’re not thinking about the little bit of money in their checking accounts or moving into a tiny apartment.  Or about making ends meet.  Or anything else in that moment.  It’s all about rejoicing over each other.

     Isaiah is saying that God does the same thing with us.  God delights in us.  God rejoices over us.  God loves us. 

     In other words, our relationship with God is not to be an impersonal, detached, business like contract between two parties – ourselves and God.  Instead, our relationship with God is more like the delight and love of a bride and groom.

     So it’s no wonder that Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding celebration where he turned water into wine.  Jesus delighted in these kinds of celebrations and why wouldn’t he if Isaiah is telling us that God delights in us as a couple delights in each other?

     Now, if you’re a little embarrassed about thinking of our relationship with God in these terms, the love between a bride and a groom, that’s probably a good thing, because Isaiah is trying to make a point of just how much God really loves us.

     Sometimes, we get so busy in our day to day living that we forget this very basic message that God delights in us and loves us.

     This hit home with me one day in particular when I caught myself giving my standard parting words to someone as I was leaving the church one day.  I said“God bless” to someone as I walked out the door.  Now, there’s certainly nothing wrong with saying “God bless you” to someone, but people do not always take notice when those words are offered.

     So I thought to myself, “What if I would say, ‘God loves you’ instead of the standard, ‘God bless you.’  Maybe that will have a bigger impact.”

     So, I’m in the hospital visiting with a church member.  A nurse comes in and I’m about ready to leave.  I say to the church member who’s a patient, “God loves you.”  And then I turn to the nurse and startle her by saying, “God loves you too, Karen.”  

     I took her by surprise and she didn’t know exactly know what to say back to me.  But that’s OK because God wanted Karen to know in that moment that the creator of the universe loved her. 

     A remember a friend telling me several years ago that he read a study that said how everybody needs five hugs a day.  Five hugs a day.  “But that’s not all,” he said.  “People also need to be told that they are loved at least three times a day.”

     I’ve been thinking about what my friend told me, because there are a lot of people who don’t even get one hug a week, let alone three hugs a day.  And I know that there are people who very rarely hear the words, “I love you.”

     Now it’s true that some people don’t want to be hugged and we need to respect that. So maybe a simple tap on the shoulder or a handshake will do.

     On popular talk show several years ago, someone was offering free hugs to people over a two year period.   Nothing improper about these hugs – they’re just hugs to remind people that they are loved.  

     Studies also show that the two groups of people who are the least hugged in our society are senior citizens and teenagers.  That’s important for us to remember.

     Five hugs a day and three “I love yous.”  

     One of the most basic human needs is to know that we are loved so why wouldn’t God want to go to great lengths to hug us, to delight in us, to rejoice over us, and to say, “I love you.”

     A Puerto Rican woman who knew very little English went to her pastor and asked him to help her find a ministry through the church.

     The pastor couldn’t think of anything for her to do at first but then he said, “I’ll get you on one of our church buses so that you can ride with the children and just love them.  Then the next week, I want you to get on a different bus, and you can show love to those children.”

     So every week, this woman who knew very little English, would ride a different bus each week – each week showing love to the children.  She would find the loneliest looking kid on the bus, put him on her lap, and whisper over and over the only words she had learned in English: “I love you.  Jesus loves you.”

     After several months, she became attached to one little boy in particular.  “I don’t want to change buses anymore.  I would rather stay on this one bus,” she told her pastor.

     This boy never said a word.  He came to Sunday School every week with his sister and sat on the woman’s lap, but he never made a sound.  Each week she would tell him all the way to Sunday School and all the way home, “I love you and Jesus loves you.”

     One day, to her amazement, the little boy turned around and stammered, “I – I love you, too.”  Then he put his arms around her and gave her a big hug.

     That was 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon.  At 6:30 that night, the boy had died unexpectantly. It was devastating. 

     “I love you.  Jesus loves you” were some of the last words this little boy heard in his short life – from the lips of a woman who could barely speak English.

     I don’t know if I would be in the church today if it wouldn’t have been for Sunday School teachers, youth volunteers, and people in the church, who consistently told me that they loved me, who hugged me, and who reminded me again and again and again, that Jesus loves me.

     Sometimes I so easily forget of just how many people outside the church as well as inside the church, need to hear those words.  How can we let others know that God delights in them?  That God rejoices over them?  That God loves them?

     Maybe it begins with us hearing scriptures like this.  Scriptures which make us blush.

     The God of the universe is saying to you and to me…

     “I love you.”  “I love you.”  “I love you.”  

A Marriage Made In Heaven

Sermon Discussion Questions

Isaiah 62:1-5 & John 2:1-11

January 20, 2019

Our scripture readings from this Sunday both focused on marriage. The prophet Isaiah speaks of our relationship with God as the love between a bride and groom. In our Gospel reading, Jesus’ first miracle was when he turned water into wine at a wedding. The Bible frequently uses the image of marriage as a way to describe the unconditional love that God has for us.

What helps you to remember that God loves and delights in you? Why do you think we so often forget this basic truth and good news of our faith?

A study indicates that most people are not told and shown on a regular basis that they are loved unconditionally. It suggests that each person hear the words, “I love you” at least three times a day and receive at the minimum 5 hugs a day. The heartbreaking part of this study is that teenagers and senior citizens receive the least amount of “I love yous” and personal touch than any other age group.

In what ways can we share the good news of God’s love with the people around us?

Our church is known for encouraging us to share “thin place moments” with others. Thin place moments are those times when we experience God’s love in a very real way. 

Share a recent thin place moment when you experienced God’s love in your everyday life. How did it have a positive impact on your day?

Virtual Worship Service (Jan. 20) Athens First UMC (Also Known as LEVEL 3 Church Canceled Sunday)

Gathering Time

(Pretend you are drinking hazlenut coffee, eating a pastry, and talking to a group of people in our Welcome Center. You then spot someone you haven’t met, and welcome them by warmly introducing yourself but not shaking hands because they’re sticky from the pastry. You then hear the organist begin playing the prelude music, and you quickly find your way to your favorite seat which is right in front of the pulpit.)

Call to Worship

L: God’s love shines on us like the dawn.

P: We are God’s delight!

L: God’s salvation burns in our hearts like a torch.

P: We are God’s delight!

L: God rejoices over us, as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

P: We are God’s delight!

Prayer In Unison

Spirit of God, your name is revered from mountaintop to the sea; your glory is praised in the east and in the west, in the north and in the south. Delight in us once more, Holy One, that the joy of your salvation may spill over into our lives and make us one with you and with one another. Guide our hearts and minds in the fullness of your grace, that we may truly be your people.  In the name of Christ, we pray.  Amen.

Isaiah 62:1-5

62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
    and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
    and her salvation like a burning torch.
2 The nations shall see your vindication,
    and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the Lord will give.
3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
    and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
    and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
    and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
    and your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a young woman,
    so shall your builder marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
    so shall your God rejoice over you.

John 2:1-11

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Sermon

     This June, Penny and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.  We were two very naïve people as we stood in front of the altar and offered our wedding vows to each other. 

     We had no idea of how hard it would be to move from our families and try to make it on our own.  When we left Pennsylvania to come to Ohio all we had in our pockets was honeymoon money and a little bit of savings in the bank.  That was it.  I had no job lined up when we came to Ohio.  And here we were, trying to stuff as much as we could into our little Ford Escort.

     The honeymoon money and the savings lasted us about two months and I still didn’t have a job.  So I started working at a gas station in Dayton, making some money, just to get by.

     We lived in a tiny two room apartment for the first three months.  By the grace of God, I found out about a student pastor position that was opening up in Lima, Ohio.  The pay was $5,000 a year, but it came with an old house located in a rough section of Lima.  Actually, even though it was a two story house, the church board told us that we would only be allowed to live on the second floor because the United Methodist Women sometimes held their meetings on the first floor where the kitchen was located.  That was kind of weird for a newlywed couple.

     The other big drawback of this house was that it had an enormous sign attached to the front of it that said in very large lettering, “Fellowship House.”  The sign might as well read, “Anyone who needs money, or gas for your car, just go ahead and knock on the door at all hours of the night.”  

     We budged $25 a week for groceries which didn’t go very far. This was basically our life together during our first year of marriage.

     And do you know why our marriage made it through those lean years?  We love each other.  Without love, our marriage would never have made it.

     I’ve been thinking about our early years of marriage because of our scripture reading from Isaiah this morning.  The prophet Isaiah is telling the people of Israel that God loves them like the love of a bride and a groom.  This image of God’s love for his people being like the love of a bride and a groom is a powerful image for us in thinking about our relationship with God.

     And I love the word that Isaiah uses in describing God’s relationship with Israel.  He uses the word, “delight.” What a great word! “The Lord delights in you” Isaiah says.  The last verse of our scripture reading says, “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

     I have the privilege of officiating at weddings throughout the year.  During the wedding ceremony you can just see the delight that the bride and groom have for each other.  Granted, the groom is very nervous, but when the bride walks down that center aisle, it’s fun just to watch his response as he first makes eye contact with her.  

     They’re not thinking about the little bit of money in their checking accounts or moving into a tiny apartment.  Or about making ends meet.  Or anything else in that moment.  It’s all about rejoicing over each other.

     Isaiah is saying that God does the same thing with us.  God delights in us.  God rejoices over us.  God loves us. 

     In other words, our relationship with God is not to be an impersonal, detached, business like contract between two parties – ourselves and God.  Instead, our relationship with God is more like the delight and love of a bride and groom.

     So it’s no wonder that Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding celebration where he turned water into wine.  Jesus delighted in these kinds of celebrations and why wouldn’t he if Isaiah is telling us that God delights in us as a couple delights in each other?

     Now, if you’re a little embarrassed about thinking of our relationship with God in these terms, the love between a bride and a groom, that’s probably a good thing, because Isaiah is trying to make a point of just how much God really loves us.

     Sometimes, we get so busy in our day to day living that we forget this very basic message that God delights in us and loves us.

     This hit home with me one day in particular when I caught myself giving my standard parting words to someone as I was leaving the church one day.  I said“God bless” to someone as I walked out the door.  Now, there’s certainly nothing wrong with saying “God bless you” to someone, but people do not always take notice when those words are offered.

     So I thought to myself, “What if I would say, ‘God loves you’ instead of the standard, ‘God bless you.’  Maybe that will have a bigger impact.”

     So, I’m in the hospital visiting with a church member.  A nurse comes in and I’m about ready to leave.  I say to the church member who’s a patient, “God loves you.”  And then I turn to the nurse and startle her by saying, “God loves you too, Karen.”  

     I took her by surprise and she didn’t know exactly know what to say back to me.  But that’s OK because God wanted Karen to know in that moment that the creator of the universe loved her. 

     A remember a friend telling me several years ago that he read a study that said how everybody needs five hugs a day.  Five hugs a day.  “But that’s not all,” he said.  “People also need to be told that they are loved at least three times a day.”

     I’ve been thinking about what my friend told me, because there are a lot of people who don’t even get one hug a week, let alone three hugs a day.  And I know that there are people who very rarely hear the words, “I love you.”

     Now it’s true that some people don’t want to be hugged and we need to respect that. So maybe a simple tap on the shoulder or a handshake will do.

     On popular talk show several years ago, someone was offering free hugs to people over a two year period.   Nothing improper about these hugs – they’re just hugs to remind people that they are loved.  

     Studies also show that the two groups of people who are the least hugged in our society are senior citizens and teenagers.  That’s important for us to remember.

     Five hugs a day and three “I love yous.”  

     One of the most basic human needs is to know that we are loved so why wouldn’t God want to go to great lengths to hug us, to delight in us, to rejoice over us, and to say, “I love you.”

     A Puerto Rican woman who knew very little English went to her pastor and asked him to help her find a ministry through the church.

     The pastor couldn’t think of anything for her to do at first but then he said, “I’ll get you on one of our church buses so that you can ride with the children and just love them.  Then the next week, I want you to get on a different bus, and you can show love to those children.”

     So every week, this woman who knew very little English, would ride a different bus each week – each week showing love to the children.  She would find the loneliest looking kid on the bus, put him on her lap, and whisper over and over the only words she had learned in English: “I love you.  Jesus loves you.”

     After several months, she became attached to one little boy in particular.  “I don’t want to change buses anymore.  I would rather stay on this one bus,” she told her pastor.

     This boy never said a word.  He came to Sunday School every week with his sister and sat on the woman’s lap, but he never made a sound.  Each week she would tell him all the way to Sunday School and all the way home, “I love you and Jesus loves you.”

     One day, to her amazement, the little boy turned around and stammered, “I – I love you, too.”  Then he put his arms around her and gave her a big hug.

     That was 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon.  At 6:30 that night, the boy had died unexpectantly. It was devastating. 

     “I love you.  Jesus loves you” were some of the last words this little boy heard in his short life – from the lips of a woman who could barely speak English.

     I don’t know if I would be in the church today if it wouldn’t have been for Sunday School teachers, youth volunteers, and people in the church, who consistently told me that they loved me, who hugged me, and who reminded me again and again and again, that Jesus loves me.

     Sometimes I so easily forget of just how many people outside the church as well as inside the church, need to hear those words.  How can we let others know that God delights in them?  That God rejoices over them?  That God loves them?

     Maybe it begins with us hearing scriptures like this.  Scriptures which make us blush.

     The God of the universe is saying to you and to me…

     “I love you.”  “I love you.”  “I love you.”  

Sermon Discussion Questions

[FYI: The sermon & discussion questions are always posted online each week. These can be used individually, in a small group setting, or with your cat on snow days like this.]

Our scripture readings from this Sunday both focused on marriage. The prophet Isaiah speaks of our relationship with God as the love between a bride and groom. In our Gospel reading, Jesus’ first miracle was when he turned water into wine at a wedding. The Bible frequently uses the image of marriage as a way to describe the unconditional love that God has for us.

What helps you to remember that God loves and delights in you? Why do you think we so often forget this basic truth and good news of our faith?

A study indicates that most people are not told and shown on a regular basis that they are loved unconditionally. It suggests that each person hear the words, “I love you” at least three times a day and receive at the minimum 5 hugs a day. The heartbreaking part of this study is that teenagers and senior citizens receive the least amount of “I love yous” and personal touch than any other age group.

In what ways can we share the good news of God’s love with the people around us?

Our church is known for encouraging us to share “thin place moments” with others. Thin place moments are those times when we experience God’s love in a very real way. 

Share a recent thin place moment when you experienced God’s love in your everyday life. How did it have a positive impact on your day?

Pastoral Prayer

Loving God, there’s still more than three weeks to go before Valentine’s Day and you are already telling us how much you love us. You have spoken to us this morning from the prophet Isaiah just so that we won’t forget that you delight in us, you care about us, and you truly love us.

You love us unconditionally. You love us for who we are. I guess that makes sense because after all, you are the one who created us. You are the one who breathed life into us. Why wouldn’t you love your creation? Like an artist who prizes her masterpiece, so you prize and cherish us. 

You have given each one of us unique gifts and talents and passions and you always seem to see our fullest potential far better than we can see it in ourselves. So keep reminding us. Keep reminding us of just how much you love us because we often forget for some reason. You already know this but we tend to get down on ourselves. We often put way too much pressure on ourselves to fit in or to be someone we’re not. 

And so thank you for sending us Isaiah today who just wanted to make sure that we knew on this cold winter day how much you love us. And you know that by tomorrow, we’ll probably need to be reminded again. Maybe it will be a teacher at school, the director of a choir, a Sunday School teacher, a pastor, a friend who will be like Isaiah and remind us that we are loved by you. 

And in turn, we pray that we would share your love with those around us, especially to our confirmands who begin their journey to membership tomorrow evening. We also want to share your love with the ones who need to hear it the most like the growing number of children needing foster care because of the Opioid crisis, the many people who are impacted by the government shut-down, teenagers struggling with anxiety and depression, college students as they are away from home, and anyone who may be feeling discouraged and in need of some hope.

We pray this in the name of the One who demonstrated your love for us by dying on the cross, Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Church News

1. Thank you for joining us for our virtual worship service this morning! I hope you feel part of our church family today even though we aren’t able to be together in our beautiful church.

2. The pastor’s 6-week Monday evening bible study on the “Introduction to the New Testament begins tomorrow evening, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the 3rd floor lounge. Books will be provided. No reservations needed.

3. Pray for our youth confirmands and their mentors as they begin their journey toward church membership tomorrow evening.

4. I now invite our ushers forward as we receive our offering this morning which goes to support our many ministries like paying the snow plow guy. And did I mention that we offer an online giving option through our church website?

Benediction

Go forth in peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Sunday Worship Prayer (Jan. 13/Baptism of the Lord Sunday) Athens First UMC

[We observed “Baptism of the Lord Sunday” by celebrating a baptism and participating in a baptism renewal. It was a time to renew our faith by coming forward to the baptism font to touch the water and take a smooth stone from the bowl as a reminder of God’s renewing presence in our lives. See picture above. The video below is a group of people in our church singing, “A Wonderful Time Up There” which was one of the top songs in 1957 when our church building was dedicated. Even though Athens County was under a Level 2 snow emergency and we needed to have one combined 10:30 worship service, the presence of the Lord was in this place. For the sermon, click here.]

O God, we have gathered at the river even on this cold and snowy winter morning. Thank you for meeting us here by the river and for our baptism font that is a symbol of new life in Christ, the presence of your Holy Spirit in our lives, the cleansing water of baptism, and the forgiveness of sins.

Thank you for Vicky’s baptism and for her renewed journey of faith. We have gathered with her here at the river and have offered to you our aching hearts, our questions, and our expectations. We have gathered here at the river to be renewed in our faith, and to remember our baptisms.

Thank you for your Holy Spirit which always hovers over the waters of baptism offering to us new life, new possibilities, and new joys. We are so blessed to be part of your family here at Athens First.

You have claimed us as your own and you have given us the name, “beloved.” Thank you for reminding us of who we are and whose we are on this special Sunday of the year when we remember Jesus’ baptism and the beginning of his ministry.

And as your baptized community of faith, lead us to serve in his name. Lead us to be the people you have called us to be. Lead us to have a loving faith, a learning faith, and a living faith.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who taught us to pray together saying…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sermon (Jan. 13) by Rev. Robert McDowell “A River & a Beach”

     What motivated you to make all the effort to wake up on a cold January Sunday morning and come to church today?  We’re in this post-holiday winter month and yet, here we are.  We’re in church.  What was it that prompted you to be here today?

     Something jumped out at me when I first read our Gospel reading.  Maybe you noticed it too.  Luke tells us that the people who came to see John the Baptist were filled with expectation.  I wonder if this partially explains why we make our way to this place on Sunday mornings.  

     I read somewhere that people are more open to attending church when they’re facing some kind of challenge or change in their lives.  It could be a death of a loved one, a loss of a job, a move into a new community, a health issue – We tend to be more open to finding a church and exploring our faith when we are facing transitions in life.

     I’m always interested in what brings people to church.  Sometimes people come through these doors because deep down, they know that there’s got to be something more in life.  There just might be something that will help them to know that there is a positive and powerful presence beyond ourselves.

     Luke tells us that the people came with their questions.  They probably had a lot of questions.  Who is this man standing by the River Jordan calling out for the people to turn their lives around and repent?  Why is he immersing them with water?  Is he the one who will lead us to freedom from Roman rule?  Is this the time we’ve all been waiting for all these years?  

     The River Jordan is symbolic for that place that we all long for, that place where just maybe, just maybe, we can experience wholeness and newness of life.  And we bring our questions, our doubts, our longings, and our expectations.

     Maybe this church is your Jordan River.  I hope this is a place where we feel that we can bring our questions and our expectations and know that there is a community of people who accept us as we are.  

     It’s OK to come to this place and say, “I honestly don’t know how to handle what I’m facing in my life right now.  I have more questions than answers and that’s why I’m here.”  If this sounds like you, I hope you know that this is a church where many of us have similar questions and we’re so glad you’re here.  We recognize that we are all on a journey and together we can be there for each other.

    A church member was telling me about a conversation he had with a friend who doesn’t attend any church.  And this friend of his was sharing about a huge problem that he was facing in his life.  As he talked about this problem, he kept ruling out possible solutions. 

     After patiently listening to this person share his problems and his questions, this church member introduced him to something that he had never thought of doing.  He said to him, “Here is what I have found.  When you don’t know what to do, pray.”  And right there where they had been having their conversation, he prayed for his friend.  He didn’t solve his problems but he did point him to the One who can make all things new.

     Notice that when the people brought their expectations and questions to John the Baptist, he didn’t try to provide easy answers and quick solutions.  Instead, he pointed them to the One who can make all things new.  He pointed them to Jesus Christ.  

     Our church is a place where we can bring all of our questions and expectations and encounter the presence of Christ.  We might not have all the answers, but like John the Baptist, we can point each other to Christ who promises to be with us always.

     This kind of reminds me of a pastor who was leading a children’s sermon.  He told them that he had something very exciting to share with them that day.  The children’s eyes lit up and they couldn’t wait to hear what it was.  

     The pastor asked them, “What is small and furry, has a big tail that often goes straight up and runs around the yard gathering nuts?”  One very attentive little boy timidly raised his hand.  “OK, Jimmy.  What do you think it is?”

     And this little boy said, “Well…I know the answer is Jesus, but it sure sounds a lot like a squirrel.”

     What a great answer!  This little boy had learned that Jesus is at the center of all of our questions and longings.  Jesus is at the center of all our deepest needs.  Jesus is at the center of all our hopes and dreams.  

     And all that John the Baptist needed to do was to point people to Jesus.  He knew that if they found Jesus, that they would receive more than what he had to offer.  The church member who was listening to his friend could have offered his personal opinions and advice, but instead, he pointed him to Jesus and invited him to pray.

     It’s not our advice that makes us the church.  It’s the One to whom we point that makes us the church.  I’m not that clever of a person.  I don’t have a whole lot of wisdom that can help people experience hope and transformation.  But I do know the One who has made me whole.  I do know the One who has freed me from my brokenness and sin.  I do know the One who is more powerful than all of us combined.  That’s him over there, the one with a dove descending upon him, the One who has heard a voice from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

     The water of baptism reminds us of the river where we encounter the One who makes all things new.  It’s through our baptism, that God claims us and calls us by name.  It’s through our baptism that we are reminded that we are never alone.  God is with us.

     The water of baptism reminds us of the river where John the Baptist stood so long ago.  But it also reminds me of the ocean and the beach…Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to be exact.  This is where Penny and I spent our vacation one summer.  Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  It’s just south of Atlantic City, New Jersey and it’s just north of Ocean City, Maryland.  

     Penny and I were sitting on the beach, 78 degrees, blue skies, listening to the waves, reading, and relaxing, when I turned to her and asked, “Why haven’t we been going to the beach every summer?  What is wrong with us?”  

     Do you know why we finally went to the beach that summer?  It’s because of all of those summer vacation beach pictures that people post on facebook every single summer.  I couldn’t take it anymore! I said, “This year, we’re going to the beach!”

     During one of our days at the beach, we got some ice cream and we sat down on a bench there on the boardwalk.  And I noticed an historical marker directly across from us.  I like history, so I went over to read about the history of Rehoboth Beach.  

     Now, I was fully aware that Methodists have started over 100 colleges and universities.  And I’m also aware that Methodists have over 70 hospitals and clinics throughout the country and many more around the world.  But I didn’t know that the place where I was standing as I was reading that historical marker was started by the Methodist Church!

     So here is a summary of this historical marker: 

     In 1872, the Methodist preacher, Robert W. Todd of St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware was feeling very tired and feeble from weeks of conducting several camp meeting services.  

     He decided to spend time at a beach on the Jersey Shore.  He returned to his church greatly restored in health and spirit. He shared of his experience in a sermon using as his text the words, “And the sea hath spoken.”

     This holy personal renewal led this Methodist clergyman to establish The Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church on January 27, 1873.  His desire was to provide a place where people could come to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and to experience the beauty of God’s creation along the Atlantic Ocean.  This Methodist preacher who had experienced God’s renewing love on his recent trip to the beach wanted others to experience this transformation as well.

     When I read that sign, I felt God’s presence in a very real way.  Just two weeks earlier, I had experienced a death in my family and this vacation couldn’t have come at a better time for Penny and me.  Being at the beach was truly a spiritual renewal for us.

     And then as if that wasn’t enough, I remembered that this was the same beach where my church youth group would go for a weekend spiritual retreat each year.  During one of those summer youth retreats, I experienced God’s love for me in a very real way.  After I returned  home from that retreat, I knew that Jesus was in my heart.  I knew that God would always be with me.  

     All of these emotions came rushing over me as I stood in front of that Rehoboth Beach historical marker.  I said a quick prayer of thanks to God for this feeling of renewal and hope.  God really does work in mysterious ways.

     For the people in our Gospel reading, it was a river.  For me that summer, I experienced Christ at a beach.

     Whether it’s a river or a beach, Christ invites us to bring our aching hearts, our questions and our expectations. And trust me, trust me, he will meet you there by the water.

A River & a Beach

Sermon Discussion Questions

Acts 8:14-17 & Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

January 13, 2019

This Sunday on the church calendar is known as “Baptism of the Lord Sunday” when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. This Sunday gives us the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of baptism. Basically, there are five theological meanings associated with baptism. It signifies 1) Our response to God’s grace 2) Renewal 3) New Birth 4) Inclusion into the community of faith 5) Forgiveness/Cleansing

Which of these five meanings is most meaningful for you? Why?

In our Gospel reading, Luke tells us that the people came to John the Baptist out of curiosity. They had questions and expectations for something meaningful. In this way, the Jordan River where people were baptized is a symbol of where our hopes and curiosity lead us to Christ and newness of life. 

What are some questions and expectations you have at this point in your faith journey?

A story was shared in the sermon how two people were having a conversation and the person was sharing about a very difficult problem that he was facing. After sharing for a few minutes without any obvious solutions, the other person said how prayer helps him whenever he feels like there are no clear answers. Instead of offering advice, he simply invited to pray for his friend.

When has prayer helped you through a difficult situation you were facing?

Pastor Robert shared that Rehoboth Beach, Delaware was started by a Methodist preacher back in 1873 to be a place for renewal. He did this because this beautiful and relaxing setting along the Atlantic Ocean helped him to find spiritual renewal  in his life. It was known as the Rehobeth Beach Camp Meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Yes, Methodists have founded beaches as well as churches, hospitals and colleges!

Do you have a sacred space where you can go to receive renewal in your faith journey?