Holy Hump Day (June 29) with Pastor Robert

Today’s Focus:

Reflections on 2nd Anniversary

Of Holy Hump Day

Sermon (June 26) by Rev. Robert McDowell

    People who have served in the military know this phrase all too well, “Hurry up and wait!” That phrase is often used because when it’s time to report to duty, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be leaving right away. You probably end up waiting for an extended period of time to complete final details before the actual deployment.

     Here in our Gospel reading, there is no “Hurry up and Wait” with Jesus. It’s more like, “Hurry up, We’re Leaving Right Now.”

     In Luke 9:51, we are told that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” That’s an ancient semitic phrase that implies not only the direction someone is headed but also the sheer determination of the person who is about to leave on a trip. 

     Direction and determination is what we have here in Luke, chapter 9. And it will be ten chapters later in chapter 19 when Jesus will finally arrive in Jerusalem. And from there, it will lead him to the cross where he will offer his life for the sake of the world and then rise again. 

     Jesus made it to Jerusalem only because of this critical moment here in Luke chapter 9 where we are told that he “set his face” to begin that long journey. Another phrase that we might use is that Jesus was “all in” in his commitment to fulfill the purpose for which God had sent him in bringing salvation to the world.

     All in. We don’t often use language like that because we like to keep our options open. “All In” doesn’t sound like there’s a plan B. It’s just plan A. We’re either going to do this or we’re not.

     And this is why as soon as Luke tells us that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem, we have these three examples of why there will be many who will say they want to follow Jesus, but are not really “all in” like they think they are.

     Jesus tells the first person who says to him that they will follow him wherever he goes to not expect to stop at any fancy hotels along the way because the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.

     The next person says, “I’ll follow you Jesus, but I need to first bury my father.” And Jesus, not offering a lot of TLC here, responds with, “Let the dead bury their dead. If you’re going to proclaim the Kingdom of God with me, you need to leave now.”

     And then the third person agreed to go with Jesus, but first wanted to say goodbye to his family. And once again, Jesus is not willing to budge on this. You’re either going now, or not at all.

     All three of these examples show us Jesus’ “all In” determination to leave immediately.

     As I’ve been reflecting on this scripture reading, I keep thinking about something a very wise church consultant said to me years ago and I still find it to be extremely helpful today. When you’re looking for new ministries to start in the church, go with who’s ready and what’s ready.

     Find out people’s passions and see how those passions might lead to vital and impactful ministries. Every church is unique. What might work in one church may not work in another church.  Go with who’s ready and what’s ready.

     That’s why Jesus’ face was set to go to Jerusalem. That’s why Jesus was “all In” and was ready to go to Jerusalem. He was passionate about fulfilling the purpose for which God sent him, to bring salvation to the world.

     During a Leadership Board meeting this past winter we were brainstorming possible new ministries to help our church reach more people for Christ. Somebody mentioned that it would be good if we could start a monthly ministry in welcoming new residents to our community.     

     Now, keep in mind, that was just one of many different ministry brainstorming ideas that we had shared during that meeting. A lot of people at that meeting thought, “That’s a great idea. I wonder who would want to help with that new ministry?” The purpose of that meeting wasn’t to plan out all of the ministry ideas, but to list them and come back to them at our next meeting.

     Before we even had our next meeting which was only a month later, someone had shared that idea with some other people in the church, and it was already getting off the ground. They even had a name for it. They gave this new ministry the name, “Loaves and Fishes” where they now take homemade bread to new residents in our area. That quickly, this new idea became one of our regular activities for our monthly Athens First Saturday Blessing of the Community.

     We didn’t expect that idea to take off so quickly but when you have some folks who have that kind of passion for welcoming people outside the church, you’re going to have people who are “all In” and ready to go with Jesus now. 

     Who’s ready and what’s ready?

     Here’s a personal “all In” story that surprised me. Around May of 2020, just a couple of months into the pandemic, I was trying to think of a way to connect with our church since our in-person ministries were very minimal especially during those first few months.

     I prayed about it and it occurred to me that maybe I could start offering a mid-week video recording with church updates. I had a smart-phone that could record videos. 

     And then I thought, Wednesdays are known as “Hump Day.” Hey, what if it would be called, “Holy Hump Day?” I would later discover that a Catholic nun already thought of that fun title for her mid-week videos. 

     My first Holy Hump Day video was just a little over two years ago. It was out on the front steps of our church because just a day earlier, there was a peaceful protest march that had gone by our church building so I was highlighting the importance of social justice.

     Over these two years, I’ve covered all sorts of topics from how to choose a bible translation, to highlighting an upcoming church event, to talking about the seasons of the church year and their meaning for us, and I’ve even done a stand-up comedy routine for one of the weeks.

     For the first several weeks of those videos, I was only using my smart phone. And then I realized I should probably invest in a quality microphone to improve the sound, and that led to buying a tripod for better camera angles. I also learned how to do some basic video editing where I could insert graphics, sound effects and videos. 

     Preparing those videos does take some time, but it has been a fun new ministry for me. I hope it’s been meaningful to those who’ve been watching these and is a way to stay connected with me and with the life of the church in between Sundays. 

     This Wednesday will be my 105th Holy Hump Day video so for this week’s focus, I’ll be celebrating this big milestone!

     I say all of that because that’s just a personal example of where I didn’t even know I had a passion for making these kinds of videos. And once I realized that I enjoyed this new ministry, I was “all In.”

     One of our members, Jan Slattery makes prayer shawls for our church to give to people who are going through a difficult time just to remind them of our love and prayers for them. Jan loves making these and she is “all In” when it comes to making these prayer shawls.

     Some of you love to make meals for people who have lost a loved one or who just got home from the hospital. There are others who absolutely love to just check on our church building from time to time to do little projects to help out our Maintenance Director. We also have people who are passionate about arranging and delivering flowers and making blankets for people in our community.

     You are “all In” with these ministries that bless others. Why? Because deep down, all of us want to do something we love in order to bless others.

     When Jesus invited those three people to follow him to Jerusalem, I wonder if they just didn’t realize the magnitude of what Jesus was about to do. I mean, in all fairness to them, I’m not really sure that they realized what that moment meant for Jesus to “set his face” to go to Jerusalem. 

     The unanswered question in this story is what happened to these three people? Did they ever go “all In?” We’ll never know. This scripture reading invites us to wonder about such things. 

     In the mid 90’s I was appointed to be the pastor of a church in Toledo. An elderly saint in the church who was in his late 80s but had the youthful spirit of someone in their teens, was at the church trimming an overgrown tree one day. I had only been there for a couple of weeks and I was still getting to meet the people of that church.

     Glen, an elderly man who only had one arm from a childhood farming accident, was up on the top step of a step ladder trying to saw off a large branch in the front yard of the church. When I saw him doing this, I said, “Glen, you shouldn’t be up there. Someone else can do this. I don’t want you to fall down and die!”

     And with sweat just dripping down from his forehead because it was a very hot summer day, I’ll never forget what he said to me, his new pastor. He looked down at me from the top of that ladder and with a mischievous grin said, “Oh, don’t worry about me, Pastor. Let the dead bury the dead.” 

     I laughed at his comment but I still made him get down from that ladder. And throughout my time at that church, I came to discover that nothing, nothing, nothing was going to stop this elderly saint from following Jesus and being All In for the kingdom.

     An old commercial once used the tagline, “Be a traveler, not a tourist.” 

     In other words, don’t be a mere observer of life from a safe distance; no, live it, dive into it, and go “All In.”

     I like that! Jesus is inviting us to be travelers, not tourists in this journey of discipleship. He invites us to follow him. Find your passion and use that passion to be a blessing to others in the name of Jesus.

     See ya in Jerusalem.

All In!

Sermon Discussion Questions

Luke 9:51-62

June 26, 2022

In our Gospel reading, Luke tells us, “When the days drew near for him (Jesus) to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” The phrase “set his face” is an ancient Semitic phrase that means a person is determined and “all in” to accomplish a purpose and mission. Jesus made up his mind that it was time to face opposition in Jerusalem and offer his life for the sake of the world.

Share an experience where you made up your mind to “set your face” and be “all in” to accomplish something important. What led you to be “all in” in that moment?

Our Gospel reading also includes three people who wanted to follow Jesus to Jerusalem but offered excuses why they needed to wait before leaving. These excuses included a desire to know where they would be lodging during the trip, wanting to attend a funeral of a family member, and a request to say farewell to loved ones before leaving. Jesus wasn’t willing to accept those excuses for not being able to leave immediately.

Do you think Jesus was too demanding of these three people who seem to have valid reasons in not wanting to leave immediately with Jesus? Why or why not?

Pastor Robert shared words of advice from a church consultant that was shared with him years ago. “Go with who’s ready and what’s ready.”

What do you think is meant by the advice, to plan ministry around “who’s ready and what’s ready.” How can we know “who’s ready and what’s ready?”

There is an old commercial that used the tag line, “be a traveler, not a tourist.”

What do you think is the difference between a traveler and a tourist?

The interesting thing about our Gospel reading is that we never find out what happened to the three people who wanted to follow Jesus but also had excuses why they didn’t want to leave with him right away. This is typical of so many stories in the Bible. We are left wondering how the story ended with them. Perhaps this is a creative way that invites us to reflect on the important question, “Are we all in and ready to follow Jesus?”

In thinking about the answer to that question, offer this prayer that was used this past Sunday during worship:

O God, you are an awesome God! You reign from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. You are an awesome God! If you are so awesome, why do we often find ourselves holding back when you call us to follow you? If you are so awesome, why do we come up with excuses that now is not a good time? Will it ever be the right time? Forgive our procrastination. May this be a day we go all in and follow in your footsteps. Amen.

Online Worship (June 26) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our 

June 26

online worship service!

Athens First UMC

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]

What is a “Christian Stance” on Abortion?

This past winter, I co-led an online bible study on the topic, “The Bible & Social Issues” which included the United Methodist Church’s stance on the topic of abortion. Our main resource for this study was the Bible along with the “Book of Resolutions” of the UMC.  Along with the topic of abortion, we also focused on Economic Injustice, Racism, Gender Identity & Human Sexuality, and Church & State. One of our discoveries during this study was in how these five issues overlap in various ways. 

The purpose of the Bible study was not only help participants to be aware of our denomination’s stances on various issues, but to also explore the complexities when discussing these important topics. We also agreed to be respectful with each other during our discussion times and to see these stances as an important resource in formulating our own opinions. That winter bible study on social issues was very timely especially with the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Below are the notes from my winter bible study’s focus on the topic of abortion. What is most interesting to note about that study was in how there is a wide range of stances regarding abortion among the major Christian denominations. The reason for this is because like the other social issues we covered in the study, there are many complexities in how we approach these topics from a faith perspective. 

Winter, 2022 The Bible & Social Issues Notes: Abortion

The United Methodist Church affirms the sanctity of life in these two statements in the Social Principles:

Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.

These statements, and others, place the United Methodist position on abortion firmly on the spectrum of life-based ethics rather than choice-based ethics. 

Life-based ethics place life at the center of guidance regarding situations where there may be conflicts. Life-based ethics call for as much life as possible to be honored and preserved in such situations. Choice-based ethics place the sovereignty of a person's right to choose at the center of such arguments.  

United Methodists affirm the sanctity of unborn human life. We similarly understand that the pregnant woman is also a life of sacred worth, and that there are circumstances in which there may be "tragic conflicts of life versus life."  In these difficult situations, abortion may offer the better way to preserve as much life as possible. 

Critical to preserving life is ready access to proper medical care. This includes access to medical care when abortion may be indicated to preserve the most life possible. That is why the Social Principles affirm that "in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures by certified medical providers.” 

Additional official statements of The United Methodist Church express the denomination's life-centered ethics:

 

• The United Methodist Church does NOT affirm abortion as a means of birth control. 

• We also “unconditionally reject” abortion as a means of gender selection or eugenics.

• And we reject late-term abortions except where the mother's life is in danger, or in cases of severe fetal abnormalities incompatible with life

All Christians faced with such decisions are called to enter them with prayer, searching the Scriptures, and all other means of seeking God’s will, guidance, and wisdom. We also strongly encourage such persons to seek the counsel of parents, other family members, clergy, and professionals in both medicine and counseling.

When faced with an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, “We particularly encourage… the option of adoption.” When a woman selects adoption as the outcome of her pregnancy for which she feels best, the Social Principles encourage churches to assist her with appropriate resources and support.

While we understand the need for women to have access to safe, legal abortions, we also “mourn and are committed to promoting the diminishment of high abortion rates.” We encourage ministries that reduce unintended pregnancies, such as sex education, access to voluntary family planning, contraception, and “initiatives that enhance the quality of life for all women and girls around the globe.”

Finally, United Methodists are committed to ministering with those who have had an abortion, providing support and encouragement. Whatever situation led to a decision to abort, there is always much loss, and much need for healing. 

The various religious stances on abortion which includes the major Christian denominations reveal the wide spectrum that exists.

United Methodist Pastor, Rev. Robert Vaughn, Jr., has direct experience counseling women about terminating a pregnancy. He said his experience has convinced him of the wisdom of the United Methodist approach. 

“In one of my churches, I had a young woman who would term herself ‘pro-life,’” he said. “However, she was a young adult with a mental health condition that was managed with medication. The medication meant that she could function well, but it also meant that if she became pregnant, she couldn’t carry the pregnancy to term.”

Vaughn said the young woman did become pregnant and chose abortion, knowing the fetus wouldn’t be viable because of her own health condition.

“I remember walking with her as she and her family went through that situation,” he recalled. “She had to run the gantlet of people screaming at her before she reached a protected zone (that restricted demonstrations outside the clinic). It was good to be part of a denomination that respected her as an independent moral decision-maker, that gave her the right to choose.”

Vaughn was adamant that access to reproductive health care, including abortion, forms a key part of United Methodists’ “reluctant pro-choice” stance.

“To drive hundreds of miles for health care, including reproductive care, is just not appropriate,” he said. “In some places you have to go a long way for health care. Closing clinics and not providing training for full health care is a challenge. There’s a lack of health care in rural places. Some women don’t have the economic resources to travel, plus they’d need to take off work. It’s problematic that some states have put in delaying tactics such as requiring a first and a second appointment before a procedure.”

[The story above regarding Rev. Robert Vaughn, Jr. was included in “United Methodist Insight” by reporter, Cynthia Castle.] 

Holy Hump Day (June 22) with Pastor Robert

Today’s Focus:

Upcoming Summer 

Worship Series!!!!

Sermon (June 19) by Rev. Robert McDowell

     As I’ve been reflecting on the story of the prophet, Elijah from our Old Testament reading for today, I can’t help but wonder how he would have fared as a candidate for pastoral ministry. One of the committees that I have served for most of my pastoral ministry is the District Committee on Ministry.

     In our Foothills District, which consists of 160 churches there are about 20 of us who serve on this committee. Our main purpose is to interview candidates for ordained or local pastor ministry. 

     We meet in the fall to interview those candidates who are seeking to be ordained later in our West Ohio Conference. If we approve them at the district level, we send them to the conference committee on ministry to continue their process toward ordination.

     Our district committee on ministry also meets every year during a week in February and we break into several interview teams and we end up interviewing about 40 people who are local licensed pastors serving churches in our district. Ever year, these 40 local pastors need their pastoral licenses renewed. 

     Each of these interviews last for about an hour and we end up asking each pastor all kinds of questions about pastoral ministry. 

     Some of these questions include, “How is ministry going in the church you’re serving?” “Share your understanding of God’s grace?” “What does Holy Communion mean to you?” “How would you handle a certain situation in your church?”  

     I always consider these interviews a very sacred duty because we want to make sure that each local pastor who serves a church in our district is sufficiently qualified for that vital role they are providing as part of being a pastoral leader in the United Methodist Church.

     I’m just trying to picture Elijah serving as pastor in one of our churches and meeting with one of our Foothills interview teams. I’m going to use a lot of creative license here in telling a little of the story of Elijah but with some of my own pastoral experiences in learning to spend more time in the quiet presence of God. 

     “Elijah, it says here in our notes from last year’s interview that you were dealing with a lot of conflict with a married couple in your community named Ahab and Jezebel. Says here how you got back at them by taking matters into your own hands and causing there to be a severe drought upon their land. We asked you if you had first checked with God about doing this or at least consulted with your Leadership Board and you indicated that you didn’t see any reason to do so. If you remember, and by your own admission, you can be a little impulsive and hot-headed. Have you been working on these issues since we last met?”

     “Oh, yes. I have changed a lot in this area. I really learned from that experience. Not too long after my interview with you last year, I was thinking about what you said. And so I went into the wilderness, sat down under this broom tree wondering if I should really even continue in ministry. I actually fell asleep under that tree when an angel from God said to me, ‘Get up and eat and go to where I send you.’ So I got up, ate the food that was prepared for me and set off to a mountain where I found a cave.”

     It was there that God said to me, ‘I know that you’re very zealous in serving me, but the problem is you’re trying to do everything on your own power and strength. Walk outside of this cave, and I’ll show you what I mean.’

     So no sooner had I walked outside of that cave, there was this strong wind that appeared out of nowhere and I wondered if that was a sign of God’s presence, but to my surprise, it wasn’t. 

     And after that massive wind, there was an earthquake, and I thought for sure this was a sign from God, but God wasn’t in the earthquake either.

     Well, then there was a fire, and still no sign of God. I thought to myself, how can God not be present in these powerful forces of nature; the wind, the earthquake and the fire? 

     Just as soon as that fire went out, there was nothing left but sheer silence. At first I thought that was really strange because God is usually revealed through these loud and dramatic signs in nature. And that’s when I finally realized what you all were trying to tell me last year.  Sometimes we just need to find God in those quiet moments, instead of always trying to rely on our own strength.” 

     “And how is that working for you after you made that discovery?”

     I’m still learning. You know, slowing down and listening for God in the silence is not easy for me to do. I’m just not wired that way. I like to be active and to be able to see results right away. But I’ve found that when I trust in my own strength and do things impulsively without spending time in prayer and reflection, that’s when I start feeling burned out and I lose my sense of joy in ministry and life in general.”

      “Can you share any specific ways that you’re listening more to God’s still, small voice?

     “Well yeah, like there was a church meeting a few months ago that I knew was going to be really stressful. We were dealing with a very contentious issue and that whole day I had knots in my stomach because I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. 

     I was worrying so much about it that I couldn’t even focus on other things I needed to get done that day. As I drove into the church parking lot that night for the meeting, all of the sudden, it dawned on me that I never took time to slow down and pray about it. And so, when I parked my car, I just sat there for a few minutes to find that quiet presence of God.

     And as soon as I walked through the front door of the church, I felt this amazing sense of peace that everything was going to be OK.”

     “Well, don’t leave us in suspense! How did your meeting go that night?”

     “I couldn’t believe it. It ended up being one of our best meetings we ever had. We didn’t all agree on what we should do, but we could all tell that God was leading us and we ended up making a decision that was better than what I had been thinking we should do. Note to self, when you’re starting to feel stressed out and anxious about something, first go and spend some quiet time with God.”

     “That’s a great example, Elijah. What else are you doing differently to listen for God’s voice?”

     “Well, one morning, I just wasn’t quite myself for some reason. I noticed that I was feeling a little sad, but I didn’t know why. It was a sunny day with blue skies, and I didn’t know why I was feeling so down that morning. Something was bothering me but I just couldn’t name it. 

     As I was driving down the road to go to the church, I remember thinking that maybe listening to some music would help. After a minute or two of listening to one of my favorite songs, I noticed that I wasn’t really listening to the music anymore. It just sounded like noise to me.

     It was at that point that I decided to do something that was out of character for me. I pulled into the next available parking lot to spend some time to find some quiet and just think. And that’s when it dawned on me. It was my father’s death anniversary that day. That was why I was feeling so down and I didn’t know it until I spent that time in silence. 

     God met me in that quiet moment. And that’s all I needed. Got back on the road and I was able to feel God’s peace for that rest of that day. 

     I have one more example to share with you if we have time.” 

     “Sure. Go ahead.”

     “Well, one day after that whole encounter with God on the mountain experience where God was in the silence instead of the wind, the earthquake and the fire, I decided that I needed a place like that. And I thought that if I was able to encounter God by a cave on that mountain, I might as well have my own man cave. 

     My man cave is a room in my house where I can have some quiet and spend time with God. It’s a great way to begin my day. I think about my day ahead and invite God to give me guidance and strength for the day ahead. 

     A lot of times, that time of prayer is a way for me to listen for God’s voice and remind me to depend on God for that new day. I don’t know, it just makes a difference when I have that routine in that man cave of my house. Plus, it reminds me of that cave on the mountain where God met me in the silence.

     “I like that! A spiritual reason to have a man cave!”

     “Well, our time is up, Elijah. Sounds to us like you’ve learned a lot over this past year about listening for God’s voice instead of trying to do ministry on your own strength.”

     So, this is how I would imagine a district committee on ministry meeting going with the Prophet Elijah. These are the type of conversations we have with pastors throughout that week of interviews. Those meetings have a way of reminding me of my own need to depend on God as I live out my faith.

     Often times, we read how Jesus would go off to pray. He did this on several occasions. I’m sure that Jesus could have healed more people, spoken to more crowds, and spent more time with the disciples, but he also knew when he needed to withdraw and find that quiet presence with God.

     Now, if Jesus knew to do this often, why would we ever think that we can live out our faith without that quiet presence? Maybe this is why today’s Psalmist begins his psalm by praying to God, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”

     May we all thirst for those flowing streams where we can find a quiet presence, because as Elijah reminds us, it’s often in the silence when God speaks the loudest.

A Quiet Presence

Sermon Discussion Questions

I Kings 19:1-15a & Psalm 42

June 19, 2022

The prophet Isaiah is the focus of our Old Testament reading from I Kings, chapter 19. This describes a time when Elijah was despondent and fearing for his life. The task of being a prophet was taking a huge emotional and physical toll on him. Just when he is at his lowest, the Lord intervenes by encouraging Elijah to eat something and go to Mount Horeb.

Share a time when you were feeling emotionally low and empty. How did the Lord strengthen and encourage you? 

Even though Elijah was known to be a faithful prophet, he was also known to be impulsive at times where he relied on his own strength instead of God’s strength and guidance. An example is when without consulting God, Elijah took matters into his own hands and caused there to be a drought on the land because of what King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel did to him. 

Why do you think we sometimes become impulsive and forget to turn to God for strength and guidance in a situation?

The center piece of our Old Testament story is when Elijah finally makes it to Mount Horeb and is in a cave. While there, he experiences a strong blowing wind, a loud earthquake, and a fire, but surprisingly, the Lord was not present in any of these dramatic events. Instead, the presence of the Lord came when there was sheer silence. 

What are some ways that you spend time in silence to be in God’s presence?

Our appointed Psalm reading from Psalm 42 says, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my souls longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God for the living God.” This psalm is paired with our story from Elijah because of our need to draw our strength and guidance from God. 

Offer this prayer from Sunday’s worship service that invites us to enter into a quiet presence with the Lord:

We long for you, O God. We confess that we get discouraged when our efforts seem futile. We are afraid of what the future might bring. We confess that when we pray, we don’t always feel that you hear us. Be present with us. Heal our places of doubt, despair, and alienation. Cast out all that seeks to distract us from hearing your still, small voice. Teach us to sit in silence. We long for you, O God and our souls thirst for you! Amen.

Online Worship (June 19) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our 

June 19

online worship service!

Athens First UMC

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]

Holy Hump Day (June 15) with Pastor Robert

Today’s Focus:

More Thoughts on the

Gospel of Luke

Sermon (June 12/Trinity Sunday) by Rev. Robert McDowell

 

     Several hundred years ago when I was in elementary school, teachers would tell us to put our thinking caps on. You knew you were going to have to think really hard when they used that phrase.

     Trinity Sunday is a thinking cap kind of Sunday because it invites us to think really hard about a very complex and difficult to understand doctrine known as the Trinity. 

     This is vitally important because the doctrine of the Trinity is trying to help us comprehend how God who is one can also be 3 distinct beings. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God known in three persons. So to make a long sermon short, here’s the short answer. The doctrine of the Trinity is and always will be a mystery to us.

     But since most of you know me pretty well, you probably are already aware that you’re going to get the long answer as well. Hey, I got to fill up my fifteen minutes somehow!

     How can God who is one God also be known in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Great theological minds have looked at this over the centuries and I’ll offer a very brief summary of how they have tried to explain it.

     First of all, I should say that the word, “Trinity” is never mentioned in the Bible. The word, “Trinity” was simply a name that theologians use in understanding who God is.

     Our appointed scripture readings from Romans chapter 5 and John chapter 16 mention all three members of the Trinity.

     In our Romans reading, the Apostle Paul refers to God, the general name for God, also known as Father, and then he refers to Jesus through whom we have access to God’s grace. And then he says how God’s love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

     In our Gospel reading, Jesus is telling the disciples that the Spirit will come and guide them in all truth. Jesus also refers to God, the Father and that all that the Father has belongs to Jesus as well. 

     Throughout the New Testament, we hear how all three persons of the Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are worthy of our worship. And since we are to only worship one God, then this means that all three persons of the Trinity are part of who God is. “God in three persons, blessed Trinity” as the hymn puts it.

      So how have theologians sought to explain the mystery of the Trinity? Here’s where we all need to put on our thinking caps! Let’s strap them on! By the way, these imaginary thinking caps never really made that much of a difference for me, but it is kind of fun.

     Here we go:

     The challenge in understanding the Trinity is holding on to the biblical belief that there is only one true God and at the same time holding on to the biblical belief that God, the Father, and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are also God. 

     Even when we turn to analogies in nature to try to explain this, they eventually fall short. They only take us so far. So for example, some people talk about how water can appear in three different modes as liquid, ice and steam but yet it’s still water. 

     The problem with this analogy is that unlike dividing water into liquid, steam, and ice, you can’t divide God in three different ways because God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time, all the time. In the water analogy, water is sometimes liquid, sometimes ice, and sometimes steam, but never all three at the same time. 

     For example, at Jesus’ baptism, we have all three persons of the Trinity present at the same time. At Jesus’ baptism, God, the Father is speaking words of assurance to Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is descending upon Jesus.

     The other problem with the water analogy is that liquid, steam, and ice do not love each other. I guess they don’t dislike each other but they do not interact with each other in a loving and caring way. They don’t have a personal relationship with each other. 

     On the other hand, there is a love relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the scripture, God is not revealed as a thing or as a what but as a who. God is the Father eternally loving His Son in the Spirit which is something you don’t get in the water analogy.

     Other nature analogies are also used to explain the mystery of the Trinity. In addition to the liquid, ice, steam analogy; we also have the egg analogy; the 3-headed man analogy; the pie with 3 slices analogy; sun, heat, and light analogy; the shamrock analogy; the apple analogy of the apple skin, core, and fruit.

    All these analogies fall short because of the uniqueness of the biblical perspective in describing who God is. 

    The doctrine of the Trinity was formed into a creed thanks to early Christian theologians who relied heavily on the Greco/Roman philosophies of their day. Of course, even philosophies cannot fully unravel the mystery of the Trinity either, but at least they include biblical references to get us closer to the heart of who God is as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

     We can thank the early Christian theologian, Tertullian who lived near the turn of the 3^rd century as the first person who used the word, “Trinity” which is derived from a Latin word. Like other theologians who would follow after him, they were attempting to use the philosophical categories of their day to explain how God can be one God but at the same time be known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

     It would be another century or so later that other theologians would end up developing what has become known as the Nicene Creed in describing the Trinity in philosophical language. We said that creed together earlier in the service. This creed is what helped the church to have a common language in formulating their understanding of who God is, especially during a time when there were other views being shared that were contradictory to the biblical witness.

     I appreciate this Sunday on the church calendar each year, because it gives us an opportunity to really think about our faith. Sometimes, we can easily go through the motions of our faith and never really stop to think about what we’re saying or hearing during worship.

    Our discipleship strategy here at Athens First is to help each person to have a Loving Faith, a Learning Faith, and a Living Faith. 

     By this, we mean that we offer ministries that help us to have a loving faith where we use our hearts in loving God and each other. We offer also offer ministries that help us to have a learning faith where we use our minds in understanding our faith in a deeper way. And we offer ministries that help us to have a Living Faith where we use our hands in living out our faith in serving others.

     Trinity Sunday invites us to grow in what it means to have a Loving Faith and a Learning Faith as we reflect on the mystery of the Trinity and what it means when we refer to God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; one God, but known in three persons. 

     We grow in having a Learning Faith because we seek to understand who God is. And we grow in having a Loving Faith, because the more we know who God is, the more we are drawn into a loving relationship with God through worship.

     One of my favorite parts of being a pastor is when people are eager to learn more about their faith. Like this story that happened at one of the churches I served.

    With only a few bible studies left before our summer break, someone in our study group approached me at the end of our weekly time together with a request.  "Sometime, I'd like you to explain the Trinity at one of our bible studies,”she said with a determined look on her face.

     This was not an unusual request.  She would often come up to me following a bible study to ask me a question, offer one more thought from our discussion, or share something that she found really insightful from our time together.  

     For the three years she attended our bible study, it was very obvious to me that she was a life-long learner, a true student of the bible and someone who wanted to know how it connects with our daily living.  In short, a pastor's dream.  

 

     In many ways, she reminded me of my mother who would have been about the same age as this woman and who also enjoyed reading and studying the bible.
      

     In response to her request, I replied, "Trinity Sunday is only a couple of weeks away, so for our last Bible study before we break for the summer, I'll offer as much as I know about the doctrine of the Trinity.  It's not easy to explain, but I'll give it my best shot." 

     A great big smile came to her face and she said, "Oh, that would be great. Thank you!"

     At our final bible study gathering, I came prepared.  I listed the many scripture passages in which all three persons of the Trinity have divine attributes that are only associated with God.  I also referred to Jesus' baptism and his transfiguration as examples in which all three persons of the Trinity were present at the same time.  I went on to share pretty much what we have been focusing on today.

     For example, when Jesus (the Son) was baptized, a dove (the Holy Spirit) descended upon him, and a voice came from heaven (the Father) stating that this is my son with whom I am well pleased.  

     I also shared that while the word, "Trinity" is not used in the bible, it's the best word to explain how God is known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, especially when we read a verse like Matthew 28:19 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

     After offering my best effort to explain the Trinity, I then told the bible study group that it's still a mystery.  How can God be one and yet be known as three persons?  The scriptures point us to the doctrine of the Trinity, but they don't remove the mystery that is behind it. "We accept the doctrine of the Trinity by faith," I said to them as we concluded our final session with a prayer.

     As I was packing up my bible and notes, she was one of the last to leave and I knew that she wanted to speak with me.  "Thank you for helping me to understand the Trinity.  That really helped.  And I really like it that you admitted that it's still a mystery to you."

     I left from that bible study feeling like I accomplished something.  Her kind words following that bible study lifted my spirit.

     Just a couple of weeks after Trinity Sunday, this wonderful saint in our church passed away unexpectedly.  I met her son and daughter at the church that week as we began to plan their mother's funeral service.  

     I told them what a wonderful mother they had and I also told them this more recent story of how their mother wanted to know more about the doctrine of the Trinity.

     As I told them this story about their mother and how she wanted to know more about the Trinity, that’s when it dawned on me.

     And now, she knows.

Thinking Cap Sunday

Sermon Discussion Questions

Romans 5:1-5 & John 16:12-15

June 12, 2022

Trinity Sunday is a day on the church calendar that we need to wear our “thinking caps.” 

Did your teachers ever ask you to put on your “thinking cap” when they were about to teach you something that was especially difficult and complex?

The doctrine of the Trinity is trying to help us comprehend how God who is one can also be 3 distinct beings. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God known in three persons.

What questions do you have about the doctrine of the Trinity?

The Bible never uses the word, “Trinity.” It only refers to God, the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and how they relate to one another and all have divine attributes. Our Romans and Gospel of John scripture readings all refer to the three persons of the Trinity. 

Why do you think the Bible doesn’t provide simple answers to questions like “how can God be one and yet three persons” or “how can an all loving, all knowing, and all powerful God allow evil in the world?”

Some Christians have used analogies from nature to explain the doctrine of the Trinity and while they all provide some helpful ways of understanding it, they also fall short. Some of these analogies include how water can be liquid, steam, or ice; a three-headed man; sun, heat, and light; a shamrock, an apple being apple skin, a core, and fruit. One of the ways these analogies fall short is in how these items are never all three at the same time like we find with the doctrine of the Trinity. Also missing is a loving and personal relationship between these items like we find with God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Have you heard of any other analogies to explain the Trinity?

Pastor Robert shared the story of a church member who attended a bible study and wanted to know more about the Trinity. After looking at all of the analogies and several scripture passages, they all concluded that it will always be a mystery. Only a few weeks after that bible study, she died expectantly. When Pastor Robert was preparing for her funeral service, that’s when he realized that now she knows!

 What other unanswered questions do you have about your faith? In what ways have you been learning and growing in your understanding of who God is?

Online Worship (June 12/Trinity Sunday) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our 

June 12

(Trinity Sunday)

online worship service!

Athens First UMC

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]

Holy Hump Day (June 8) with Pastor Robert

Today’s Focus:

Ordinary Time & The Gospel of Luke

Sermon (June 5/Pentecost) by Rev. Robert McDowell

    I always find it ironic that on the Sunday that we read how the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in different languages, that our worship reader has some of the most difficult words to pronounce!

     If you are a Sunday worship reader, you want to pick any Sunday but this one to read scripture. I refer to verses 9 and 10 of our Acts reading for today as the holy gauntlet for worship readers. There are other readings which are almost as challenging to read in public especially those genealogy scripture passages, but today’s reading is right up there in terms of degree of difficulty. 

     I think this Sunday on the church calendar should become known as Worship Reader Appreciation Sunday. By the way, let’s thank all of our worship readers who help with our worship services. We appreciate you!

     When I’m preaching, there are some difficult to pronounce words, at least for me that will often trip me up when I’m trying to say them out loud. I was attending a worship service when the preacher was meaning to refer to “Lebanese Christians” and instead she said “Lesbian Christians” which did change the meaning of the point she was trying to make.

     When she made that mistake, the people in the congregation turned to each other wondering if they heard the same thing. They ended up adding that to this preacher’s blooper highlight reel. 

     I can’t tell you how many times I pray for the people who will be leading the upcoming Sunday worship service. I start planning for a particular Sunday, four months in advance and the week leading up to that Sunday, I pray daily for all of the people who will be contributing, as well as for myself in preaching and leading worship.

     My prayer goes something like this: “O God, be with all who will be helping to lead in worship this Sunday. Empower us with your Holy Spirit that we would help to draw people closer to You and with one another. Amen.”

     I didn’t realize until I started working on this sermon for today, how the disciples were doing the same thing as they were waiting upon the Holy Spirit. I mean, they must have been praying and praying and praying in the days leading up to that first Pentecost Sunday.

     Just before this scripture reading that tells us about the Day of Pentecost, we are told that the disciples had been constantly devoting themselves to prayer after the Risen Christ had ascended into heaven. If you add that up, that was ten days of constant praying.

     And then we have this incredible Pentecost story which takes the disciples by surprise. They knew to pray for the Holy Spirit to come but they didn’t know when that might happen. It ended up being on one of the major Jewish festivals known as Pentecost.

      On that day, there would have been many people visiting the city of Jerusalem. Pentecost was a spring harvest festival so the city would have been very crowded with people from all over the surrounding regions and would have included people who spoke a number of different languages.

     And this is why we have so many challenging names of regions to pronounce in this scripture passage. Actually, I think it’s perfectly fine if some of these words get mispronounced because that just goes to show the incredible diversity that would have been present in one place that day.

     The miracle of this story is that these uneducated disciples are suddenly able to share the good news of Jesus in the native languages of the people who were there that day. This leads to someone in the crowd to say about those disciples, “Are not all of these who are speaking in these different languages, Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?”

     If you are wondering a little of what it must have sounded like when the disciples were sharing the good news of Christ in several different languages at the same time, this video might help. We invited three people to read this Acts scripture reading at the same time in different languages. These three people include IJ who is from Nigeria, Taeil Kim from our own Korean Congregation, and Vickie Seiter who is fluent in German. 

     Let’s listen to them read this scripture at the same time to give us a feel for what the people would have heard on that first Pentecost. 

     Thanks to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, these uneducated disciples became Good News Interpreters of the saving and healing love of Jesus Christ for the world. The Holy Spirit empowered those disciples to break down the national, cultural and language barriers so that all could hear the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

     Or think of it this way. Even if those disciples of Jesus had been highly educated and fluent in several languages, without the Holy Spirit, they probably would not have shared the good news of their faith outside of their own circle. It was the Holy Spirit that pushed them forward.

     And really, this is the theme of the entire Book of Acts. Pentecost here in Acts, chapter two is just the beginning of how the Holy Spirit empowered the early church to go beyond their own little bubbles to share the gospel to the greater world.

     Without the Holy Spirit empowering and leading them, we would not have the story later in the Book of Acts where Phillip ends up baptizing an Ethiopian Eunuch. 

     Without the Holy Spirit empowering and leading them, we would not have the story of Peter rethinking his faith to the point where he was willing to share the gospel to a Roman centurion and baptize his whole family. 

     Without the Holy Spirit empower and leading them, we would not have the story of those early church leaders welcoming Gentiles into the Christian faith. 

     The story of Pentecost is more than a story about the birthday celebration of the church. It is really a story about the Holy Spirit pushing the church forward to share the good news of Christ with all people.

     Pentecost Day reminds us each year that we are all Good News Interpreters even if we only know one language. It’s amazing how God can use us to offer God’s healing and saving love for the world.

     Our denomination, the United Methodist Church supports 350 missionaries who are sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in over 60 countries. A portion of our church’s conference connectional giving each year helps to support these missionaries. 

     David and Kristin Markay are two of our United Methodist missionaries who now are serving in England. Before their current assignment, they were pastors of the Italian Waldensian/Methodist Church, a multi-cultural church representing many different languages located in Milan, Italy. 

     Here is a statement about their church of many languages:

     "The Italian Waldensian/Methodist Church has set as one of its missional goals the hospitality to the stranger. The church seeks to embody the inclusive love of Jesus by offering a spiritual home to persons from places far from their homelands. Intentionally, the Waldensians and Methodists in Italy are striving to be the church together. Therefore, persons with all faith backgrounds, cultural heritage, and church experience are seen as gifts to the community. The Methodist Church of Milan has members from all over the world: Italy, Sierra Leone, the Philippines, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Canada, the United States, Great Britain, and elsewhere."

     This is just one of many examples of where the Holy Spirit is bringing people together to be the church together. But even beyond knowing other languages, there are other ways that the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome language barriers. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit!

     Here’s a personal example. During college, I studied German, Spanish, and Modern Greek, but I never became fluent in these languages.  I have remembered a few phrases here and there but if I would go to any of these countries based on what I know right now about those languages, I would be a lost soul. I would probably not even be able to ask for directions.

     But sometimes the miracle of the Holy Spirit can help us overcome those limitations and empower us to be Good News Interpreters.

     And sometimes, we don’t even need to rely on words to share our faith. One of our members here shared during a bible study that they felt welcomed here at Athens First through the hospitality she received during their first Sunday. She said that it’s not always our words, but it’s also our actions in how we graciously welcome others.

     And I might add, that there are other times when all we really need is some bread and grape juice like we will be sharing together in our service today when we receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

     May the Holy Spirit empower us to be Good News Interpreters so that all people will know the healing and saving love of Jesus.

Good News Interpreters

Sermon Discussion Questions

Acts 2:1-21

June 5, 2022

On Pentecost, we have one of the more difficult scripture passages to read out-loud from Acts, chapter 2. There are several hard to pronounce words in this  scripture because it lists several regions from where the people had traveled to be there in Jerusalem for that Jewish festival. These difficult to pronounce regions remind us of the miracle that took place that day when the disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit were able to share the good news of Jesus in several different languages so that everybody was able to understand.

Share a time when you found it difficult to communicate with someone who spoke a different language. What was that experience like?

Even when we speak the same language, we might find it difficult to share our faith with others. 

If you were out in public and a stranger came up to you and asked for you to share your faith with them in 3 minutes or less, what would you say?

Sometimes we forget that before the miracle of Pentecost, the disciples had been praying for ten days prior to this even when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Prayer often leads to opportunities where we can share our faith with others.

What are some ways that you offer prayers during the week? Why do you think that prayer is closely associated with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit?

Pastor Robert shared that the major theme of the Book of Acts is how the Holy Spirit pushed the disciples out of their small bubble of Jerusalem to go and share their faith throughout the world. They were led to share their faith with the Ethiopian Eunuch, a Roman Centurion, and many more people who were thought to be outside of the Jewish faith.

What helps you to step out of your comfort zone to share your faith with people outside the church?

One of our newer members commented during a Bible Study that the reason she joined the church was not only because of the hope-filled words we share during worship but it was also because of the warm welcome she and her family received the first Sunday they attended. She said that both our words and our kind gestures of welcome are important. 

Share a time when you felt welcomed by someone in the church. What did that person do to help you feel valued and included?

Pray this prayer from this past Sunday’s Pentecost worship service that invites the Holy Spirit to help us be Good News Interpreters:

O Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Enable us to hear the good news of our faith in a language we can understand. Empower us to share the good news of our faith with people throughout the world. Lead us to celebrate the good news of our faith with your church universal. On this Day of Pentecost, grant us a Learning Faith that would open us to embrace the diverse faith perspectives and experiences of others. O Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Amen.