Sermon (January 29) by Rev. Robert McDowell

   

    OK, help me out here. I love the Psalms, but today’s Psalm reading has me really concerned. The Psalmist seems to be suggesting that only perfect people are permitted in God’s house. I know, I know, this has been my struggle in preparing today’s sermon.

     You’ve heard me say many times how everybody is welcome in the church, Everybody! Nobody is left out. But here in Psalm 15, the psalmist seems to be suggesting that we need to get a moral security guard at our church entrance to only allow in those who are blameless. 

     Listen to these opening lines: “O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?” You’d think he would then say something like, “everyone is welcome here,” but instead we get these restrictions.

     “Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors.” These are the ones who may come into God’s house of worship.

     Alright, since these are the worship rules, we’ll all have to go home now. Let’s just close the church because honestly, is there anybody that can say they are blameless? We would see a sudden massive drop in our worship attendance. 

    Whenever the president of my seminary would lead a worship service for the students and faculty he always opened up worship by greeting us with these words; “Welcome sinners!” But then, he would also say, “Welcome saints!”

     That opening greeting was always jarring to me, but it always reminded us of who we are and who God is calling us to be. We are all sinners but we are also God’s saints. Sinners and saints!

     So, after a lot of soul searching about this Psalm and what it might mean for us today, here are some of my thoughts:

     My first thought is that it’s always good to have high standards. Yes, we welcome everyone to any of the ministries and activities of the church including worship, and yes, we seek to be as inclusive as possible, but it’s also important to remember who we are seeking to meet here in this place whenever we gather. 

      We come into this place to meet the One who has created us and the one who wants us to be the people we have been created to be. We are to come to this place with the very real possibility that we might not be the same person when we leave from here. We might experience spiritual transformation because we have been in the presence of God.

     And the reason for this is because at the very heart of our faith is the belief and the hope that God wants to form us in the image of God. And the image of God is outlined by these three very important words by the Psalmist.

     We are to walk blameless, do what is right, and speak truth from our hearts. In short, we are to walk, do, and speak in ways that reflect the God who has created us. Walk, do, and speak. That’s more than a cosmetic change. That is more like a extreme makeover from the inside out.

     So maybe, the Psalmist is assuming that this is what our goal in coming to this place is; that we want to be here not just to say hi to some friends and enjoy some awesome hazelnut coffee, but to actually allow God to transform us and help us to be the best versions of ourselves we can possibly be, that God created us to be!

     I think it’s more of that rather than setting up a barricade for only the morally perfect people to enter here. And maybe this is why the Psalmist doesn’t say that we need morality police to be stationed at each entrance of the church. The Psalmist is putting that responsibility upon each one of us. 

     Maybe we’re the ones God is calling to examine our own hearts so that when we enter this place, we do so with a willingness, a humility, and and openness to be shaped and formed into God’s people. It’s an honor’s system when we come to worship on Sunday mornings. 

     The tricky thing is when people believe that God has called them to say who should enter and who should not enter the church for worship. We know ourselves better than anyone else. 

     And actually, our worship rituals bear this out. So when someone wants to join the church or receive baptism, before they become part of the church, this question is always asked of them, 

     “On behalf of the whole Church, do you reject all that is evil, repent of your sin, and accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?”

     And if that’s true, the person is invited to respond with, “I do.”

     And by the way, wouldn’t this be a great question to ask ourselves every single day before we begin our day? 

     “Will I reject all that is evil, repent of my sin, and accept the freedom and power God gives me to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?”

         Hopefully, by answering this question with a resounding “yes,” this will then lead us to say “no” in participating in a conversation that demeans a group of people, or look the other way when someone is being mistreated, or contributing to any unjust social system that promotes inequality, discrimination, racist attitudes, and unfair labor practices.

     No wonder that our appointed Old Testament reading for today from the Prophet, Micah is paired with our Psalm 15 reading. We have this often quoted verse and rightly so, where it says, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” 

     And in our appointed Gospel reading for today, Jesus continues this theme of doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God where he says, 

     “Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Blessed are you when people reviled you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

      The psalmist, the prophet, and Jesus are all pointing us to live a life of integrity. Synonyms for integrity include words like soundness, honesty, unity, and oneness. 

     From its root word, we get terms like integral which means “essential and complete.” We also get the word, “integer” which refers to a whole number and the word, “integration,”which refers to various parts that are joined together into a united whole.

     When we live with integrity, we are exhibiting a constancy of heart, soul, mind, and strength. The opposite of living with integrity is hypocrisy where our outward appearance doesn’t match our inward being and who we really are inside.

[Queen Mary Ship]

     In 1936, the Queen Mary set sail as one of the largest cruise ships of the time. She survived four decades at sea including service during World War II. Following decommissioning, the Queen Mary docked at Long Beach, California as a floating museum and hotel. 

     During the conversion, cranes removed the three large smokestacks. Weakened by rust, sections of the funnels crumbled on the dock. The outward appearance of strength and nobility no longer could hide what was now on the inside, a very fragile and broken vessel. 

     We all have some of Queen Mary in all of us where our outward appearance doesn’t always line up with what is truly in our hearts. This is why the Psalmist reminds us to think about what we are doing on Sunday mornings before entering these doors. Am I aware of my own brokenness, my own shortcomings, and my own need for God’s grace to make me whole again? 

     John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, referred to those early Methodists who were intentionally seeking to help each other move toward Christian perfection in this life as “a holy band.” A holy band is when we are committed to helping each other to live a life of integrity, to seek justice, to be kind, and to resist evil. 

     These holy bands were actually small groups that would meet each week in between Sunday worship services, where they would pray for one another, encourage one another, confess their sins to one another, and help each other become more like Jesus. We are both sinners and saints.

     The Psalmist begins his psalm by asking the question, “O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?” He knows the answer to his own question, “Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right.”

     If this is even remotely who we hope to be and hope to become, then it sounds like we are in just the right place. 

A Holy Band

Sermon Discussion Question

Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; & Matthew 5:1-12

January 29, 2023

What would your initial reaction be to someone in the church who believes that the church should only allow people who live by high morals to enter for worship?

Today’s Psalmist (Psalm 15) seems to be like that hypothetical church person because he/she asks, “O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill (a reference to worship in the Jerusalem Temple)?” The psalmist then answers his own question with, “Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do not evil to their friends,….those who do these things hall never be moved.”

Would you want this psalmist to be one of our hospitality greeters on Sunday morning? Why or why not?

Pastor Robert offered the thought that maybe this high standard for morality before entering for worship is something that only the individual should decide. We know what is in our hearts better than anybody else. 

If it’s important for us to attend worship with the right intentions and a willingness to confess our shortcomings and sins, what are some ways that we can prepare our hearts for Sunday worship? 

Psalm 15 isn’t alone for advocating that we enter worship with integrity and a willingness to seek justice. Our Micah reading reminds us that God requires us to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God. In our Gospel reading, Jesus says something similar when he offers several blessings upon those who have humble and justice seeking hearts. 

Since nobody is perfect, how can when we know the difference between being a hypocrite and being a sinner who is seeking to be more like God?

John Wesley, the 18th century founder of Methodism was known for how he encouraged people in the Anglican Church to meet weekly in small groups that he called “holy bands.” The purpose of these “holy bands” was to help people grow in becoming more like Jesus in their everyday lives. This is at the heart of the purpose of our church’s small group ministry, to help one  another to become more like Jesus in our daily living.”

How does your small group or other Christians in your life help you to live out what the Psalmist is saying, “to walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from the heart…”

Offer this prayer from this past Sunday’s worship service:

O God, you are holy and we want to be more like you. We confess that we are overwhelmed by the struggles of life. We hunger and thirst for righteousness, but find ourselves feeling empty. We grieve in seasons of loss, feeling hopeless and lost. We want to show mercy, but we hold on to old resentments. We want to make peace, but we don’t even know where to begin. Forgive us and help us to be the loving, gracious, peace-making, forgiving, servant-like, and generous people you call us to be. In other words, help us to be more like you! Amen. 

Online Worship (January 29) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our 

January 29

online worship service!

Athens First UMC

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]

Holy Hump Day (January 25) with Pastor Robert

Today’s Focus: 

👏 Happy 25th Anniversary, Monday Lunch! 👏 

Sermon (January 22) by Rev. Robert McDowell

 

    Today, we have what is probably thee most clear-cut invitation in all of the Bible. It’s where Jesus calls on some fisherman to “follow me.” And guess what? We are told that these two fishermen did, right there on the spot! Matthew tells us that they left their nets and followed Jesus.

     Wow, maybe I have overcomplicated our process for people to become members of the church. When we have a new member class, we go over our church’s mission and discipleship strategy. Then we talk about who United Methodists are, the history of our denomination, and we also cover the history of this church. And then we talk about the many ministries and programs of our church, how to get involved, and what the expectations are for membership.

     We go over all of these things for two hours, and here Jesus simply tells these fishermen, “Follow me!” C’mon, Jesus. No powerpoint presentation? No handouts? You don’t even provide a lunch?

     Instead of a two hour new member session, maybe I should cut it down to just two minutes where we simply invite people to follow Jesus. 

     But here’s the thing, what does it mean for us to follow Jesus today? And herein lies the difference. When we have new member classes, it would be great if Jesus would show up physically at these meetings that we hold in our 1^st floor lounge and simply say to those persons interested in joining the church, “Follow me” and then off they go.

     But we aren’t living then. We are living today when Jesus is still present with us, maybe not physically, but he is present with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus has created this wonderful community called the church where we can help each grow in what it means to respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow him. 

     That’s the difference. This is why we still need powerpoint presentations, a time to ask questions about the church, and sharing the many different ministries and programs in the church that can help grow in being followers of Jesus. 

     This is also why our 6^th to 9^th graders just began their several confirmation classes. They are preparing themselves to follow Jesus and become members of the church later this year.

     In one of the churches I was serving as pastor, a person who was new to the church heard about our membership classes and he asked me a really important question, probably one of the best questions anyone has ever asked me. “If I’m already a follower of Jesus, why would I need to join a church?”

     And my response to him was, “That’s a great question!  You don’t need to join a church to be a follower of Jesus, BUT, I believe the best way to be followers of Jesus is by living out our faith through a local church community. Yes, we are followers of Jesus, but it’s through our commitment and participation in a church family that we can best grow in what it means to be followers of Jesus.”

     So, here at Athens First, we are always encouraging people to grow in becoming Jesus’ followers by having a Loving Faith, a Learning Faith, and Living Faith.  We offer ministries that include each of those important areas that will help us to be followers of Jesus. 

     Loving Faith ministries help us to love God and each other with our hearts. 

     Learning Faith ministries help us to learn more about Jesus with our minds. 

     And Living Faith ministries help us to serve others with our hands. We respond to Jesus’ invitation to come and follow him by growing in our faith with our hearts, minds, and hands.

     Sometimes, we get those out of balance where we only focus on Loving Faith ministries like attending Sunday worship but then neglecting to learn more about our faith through bible studies and Sunday School as well as serving others through our many volunteer opportunities. We can also find ourselves focusing so much on serving others and volunteering, that we forget about the importance of weekly worship, caring for each other, and learning about our faith. 

     All three of these; a Loving Faith, a Learning Faith, and a Living Faith are vitally important in what it means to be followers of Jesus.

     So sure, when Jesus invited those fishermen to follow him, that’s all that he really needed to do because he was physically there with them. And for us, he is still present with us through the power of the Holy Spirit and through the gathered community of faith as we help one another to follow him. It’s a wonderful thing to see all of the ways that we are helping one another to follow Jesus. That’s really the mission of the church, to help each other follow Jesus.

     A pastor who serves as church in our district was telling me about his journey in becoming a follower of Jesus. He said that he grew up here in Ohio and his family attended church off and on but they never really got involved in the church. 

     He said that in his adult life, he and his wife moved down to El Paso, Texas and while they were down there, his wife died suddenly. They were only in their mid 40’s when she died. It upended his life.

     He said that he was in the waiting room of the hospital following his wife’s death when a man came up to him. He worked at the same bank as his wife. He offered to help in any way he could, since they didn’t have a lot of connections there in Texas and her passing was so unexpected.

     He said that this man attended a United Methodist Church and the people in that congregation ended up providing meals for him. He started attending worship there and someone then invited him to join a bible study. He said that he only had a King James Version which was difficult for him to read, so they helped him to get a more modern and easier to read bible translation like the ones we have in our church pews. 

     He started reading his bible and participating in the life of that church. Someone then invited him to attend a weekend spiritual retreat and he said that’s when he had a “God Moment” where he felt God’s presence in a very real way.

     He then got transferred back to Ohio where he met some other United Methodists and that’s when he started sensing a call to become a pastor. And now, in his 70s he is serving two small rural United Methodist Churches here in our Foothills District.

     He said that his main focus as a pastor of these churches is to encourage the people to just love Jesus. Love Jesus.

     I’ve often wondered how those fishermen in our Gospel reading just dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus, but maybe like this pastor’s story, Jesus caught them at the right time. They were open and ready to begin this new journey of faith.  

[David Pendleton Oakerhater]

     Maybe you have heard the story of David Pendleton Oakerhater who also dropped what he was doing and started following Jesus. During the late 1800s, David was an warrior and leader of the Cheyenne Indians of Oklahoma.

     He led a corps of fighters against the United States government in a dispute over Indian land rights. In 1875, he and 27 other military leaders were taken prisoner by the US Army and sent to a military post in Florida. 

     There, thanks to the efforts of a concerned Army captain, they learned English, were encouraged to earn money by giving art and archery lessons, and they also encountered the Christian faith.

      David and three others were moved to become followers of Jesus and then ended up going north to study for the ministry. David was baptized in Syracuse, New York and in 1878, he was ordained. 

     He returned to Oklahoma and there, founded schools and missions and continued to work among his people until his death in 1931.

     When he first returned to Oklahoma in 1881, here is what he told his people: 

     “You all know me. You remember when I led you out to war that I went first, and what I told you was true. Now I have been away to the East and I have learned about another captain, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is my leader. He goes first, and all He tells me is true. I come back to my people to tell you to go with me now in this new road, a war that makes for peace.”

     In a church that I served, a young man started attending Sunday worship every week. I would have brief conversations with him following worship but never really got to know him.

     One Sunday after worship, I made a point to get to know him a little bit more. And so, I asked him what drew him to our church. 

     He said that he only lives a couple blocks from our church and it was his routine to sit out on his screened porch, have some coffee, and read the Sunday morning newspaper. And he said that he would always hear our church bells start ringing around 9:30 in the morning. 

     He said, “one Sunday morning, as he was listening to those church bells, he wondered if maybe that was God way of calling him to start attending our church. So that Sunday morning, I got dressed, came to church, and I really liked it.” 

     He said how several of the people welcomed him and invited him to some of the other ministries of the church as well. “I’m single, live alone, and I really am glad to call this my church family.”

     Maybe we do overcomplicate this simple invitation where Jesus says to each one of us, “follow me.”

     We hear those words. We listen to those same old church bells. Someone says to us out of the blue, “Why don’t you come with me to our bible study?” We put down the Sunday paper, lay down our fishing nets, and before we know it, we are following Jesus. 

Called to Follow!

Sermon Discussion Question

Isaiah 9:1-4 & Matthew 4:12-23

January 22, 2023

Our Gospel reading describes how Jesus invited some fishermen to follow him and surprisingly, they dropped their nets on the spot and to follow him!

Share a time when you made a split-second decision to do something without putting a lot of thought into it. Did you regret it or did it end up being the right thing to do?

Pastor Robert made the distinction that perhaps these fishermen were more likely to follow Jesus on the spot because Jesus was there physically for them to follow him. Today, Jesus still invites us to follow but he is not present in a physical sense. The Holy Spirit is how Jesus invites us to follow him today. Jesus also has given us the church so that we can help one another grow as disciples of Jesus.

Do you think it was easier for the disciples to follow Jesus since he was physically present with them or for us today without his physical presence? Why or why not?

One of the ways we help one another in the church to grow in being disciples of Jesus is by engaging in Loving Faith, Learning Faith, and Living Faith ministries. Loving Faith ministries help us to love God and care for each other with our hearts. Learning Faith ministries help us to learn about God and our faith with our minds. And Living Faith ministries help us to serve and bless others with our hands.

Why is it important to have a Loving Faith, a Learning Faith, and a Living Faith? Share a ministry that has helped you grow in being a disciple of Jesus.

Pastor Robert shared three examples of people who responded to Jesus by following him. The first one is a United Methodist pastor who serves two small rural churches in our Foothills District. Before he became a pastor, he was a businessman in Texas. His wife died suddenly while they were in Texas and a coworker of his wife who attended a United Methodist Church offered the support of the church by offering prayers, helping with funeral arrangements, and providing meals for him. He also invited him to attend worship with him and then signed up for a bible study class. He became a disciple of Jesus thanks to that kind man and his church family. The 2nd story is about a Native American warrior, David Pendleton Oakerhater who lived toward the end of the 19th century. David became a follower of Jesus thanks to a compassionate US army officer. David was baptized and responded to a calling to become an Episcopal priest! The 3rd story is about a man who started attending his neighborhood church because every Sunday morning, he heard the church bells and one morning he realized that those bells were meant for him! He started attending that church and became a follower of Jesus.

How are these three stories of becoming a disciple of Jesus similar? How are they different? In what ways have you seen Jesus calling people to follow him? In what ways is Jesus calling you to follow him? Pray this week for our confirmands who are meeting January through May to prepare for church membership and to grow in what it means to be followers of Jesus. 

Closing by offering this prayer from Sunday’s worship service:

Merciful God, as we seek to follow you, we allow the fear of the unknown to keep us from responding to your call in our lives. Forgive us when we hesitate to allow you to lead us. Forgive us when we place our personal agendas over your calling in our lives. Forgive us for not taking that next step in having a Loving Faith, a Learning Faith, and a Living Faith. Open our hearts, our minds, and our hands and lead us to be the disciples of Jesus you call us to be. Amen.

Online Worship (January 22) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our 

January 22

online worship service!

Athens First UMC

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]

Holy Hump Day (January 18) with Pastor Robert

Today’s Focus:

The Pastors of Athens First UMC

Sermon (January 15) by Rev. Robert McDowell

     In today’s Old Testament reading, the Prophet Isaiah is telling the people of Israel who were living during a very dark time of exile, away from their homes, fearful of an uncertain future, “I will give you as a light to the nations.”

     I wonder how the people who first heard this reacted. My first thought probably would have been, “Wait, we’re the ones who are in darkness. How can we be a light for others when our own light has been snuffed out?”

     Fair enough question. You’ve probably wondered the same thing if you have been on this journey of faith for any length of time. We all go through times of darkness where we can’t see ahead. We believe in God. We pray. We go to church. But sometimes, we face these seasons of darkness.

     You would think that God would have said to Isaiah, “My people are in darkness. Share my light of hope with them.” Instead, God is saying, “Tell them to be a light to the nations and remind them that they are called to be the light.”

     Called to be the light? Maybe if I had some light to give! Can’t give what I don’t have myself!

     This is the question we are left with today. How can we be the light when we’re in darkness ourselves?

     I usually don’t give the answer up front during the sermon because I need to fill out these fifteen minutes, but I think the answer is found in the very beginning of our scripture reading in verse 1: “The Lord called me before I was born while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’”

     “The Lord called me before I was born.” Maybe the light that we are supposed to be sharing with others is in us whether we realize it or not. Maybe it’s all part of being born in the image of God. 

     Several years ago, I conducted a wedding at a venue in Columbus. During the reception, a couple came up to me and told me that they were members of a church that I had previously served.

     Honestly, I didn’t remember them right away, but as they continued to reintroduce themselves to me, I began to vaguely remember them. They told me that when I was their pastor, they were going through a difficult time in their lives, and that I had shared something during a sermon that offered them the hope they needed to overcome that challenge they were facing.

     They said that they had always meant to share this with me but they never were given the opportunity until now at this chance meeting at this wedding. I could tell by the look in their eyes, that they were very appreciative of how God spoke to them through me.

     For the life of me, I couldn’t remember what sermon that would have been, but it didn’t matter. That conversation reminded me that we can be the light for others whether or not we are aware that God’s light is shining through us.

     I know of many pastors who have shared similar stories of how they had no clue what an impact they had in someone’s life. And this is true for all of us where we may never know how God shines through us to bring a little light to someone’s darkness. God called us before we were born to shine God’s light in our own unique ways.

     I wouldn’t be a pastor today if it wasn’t for a Mennonite preacher, Dr. Myron Augsburger. He was my shining light when I was in a time of darkness. He had delivered a message at a county wide youth rally that I attended when I was around the 6^th or 7^th grade. I don’t know how our family ended up having a recorded cassette tape of that message in our house, but we did.

     Years later when I was a sophomore in college and really struggling to know what my purpose was in life, I stumbled upon that old cassette tape now covered in dust. I played that tape which had the message he gave many years ago at that youth rally I had attended. It was a message in which he was challenging us to put Christ first in our lives.

     That cassette tape ended up changing my life because that message led me to make a recommitment of my life to Jesus Christ. I immediately felt a large weight lifted from my shoulders and even though I still wasn’t sure of my purpose and direction, I knew that God was going to lead me one step at a time. I knew I wasn’t alone anymore.

     About a year after my recommitment to Christ and when I was still in college, I heard that Dr. Augsburger was going to speak at a university ethics event near where I lived on the topic of world peace and the danger of nuclear weapons and arms proliferation. Since his sermon at that youth rally several years ago had made such a dramatic impact on my life, I wanted to go and hear him speak and then go up to him after his presentation to thank him for helping me during a very dark time of my life.

     So I go to this college event and after his message, I went up to him to let him know about that youth rally message that he had given when I was in 7^th or 8^thgrade and how I had recently ended up listening to it on a cassette tape and then how that led me to make a recommitment of my life to Jesus Christ.

     I don’t know what I was expecting him to do after telling him this story. Maybe jump up and down. Maybe give me a big hug. Maybe show some emotion. But to my surprise, he simply looked at me, and without any emotion simply said, “Oh, good.”

     “Oh, good? That’s your response?” Your message literally changed the course of my life! Maybe I caught him off guard. And to be fair, I don’t think he was aware in that moment of what a difference his message from years ago really did have on my life. Maybe it was a lot for him to take in especially after he had just given this long lecture at this college.

     But now as I reflect on it, maybe his more subdued reaction is to remind me that we can’t possibly know just how much of a difference we make in people’s lives simply when we shine a little of God’s light. The truth is, I probably wouldn’t be here telling you this story if he hadn’t given that message which was then recorded on a cassette tape for me to hear years later.

     If you think about it, this kind of stuff happens all the time where God’s light shines through us without us even being aware of it, maybe because of something we said or did, or even just through our presence at just the right time. And because of that light, someone’s day becomes a little brighter.

     Even when we feel like we may be in the darkness like the people of Israel who were facing exile, God continues to call us to be the light. 

     I think it’s interesting that during the darkest time of the year when a lot of us may be growing tired of the shorter days, our appointed scripture readings and worship services talk the most about God’s light. Think about it. On Christmas Eve, we lifted our candles in our darkened sanctuary as we sang “Silent Night.” 

     Twelve days later on Epiphany, we join the Wise Men in following the light of the star to greet the Christ Child in Bethlehem. 

     Today, we have this scripture reading from Isaiah where we are reminded that God has called us to be the light.

     Five weeks from now on Transfiguration Sunday, we will hear the story of when Jesus took some of his disciple up a mountain where he was transfigured before them and there was this dazzling light from heaven surrounding him.

     During the darkest time of the year, we get all of these scriptures about God’s light that shines upon us which we are in turn to shine upon those around us. We are called to be the light especially during this long time of year with less daylight and more darkness.

         A stand-up comic poked fun at weathermen who tend to state the obvious. Pretending to be a weatherman, the comic says, “Weather forecast for tonight: Dark. And it will continue to be dark overnight, with widely scattered light by morning.”

      Another comedian has said, “A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.”

     God calls us to scatter a little sunshine on those who are going through a time of darkness. 

     One night, I was driving to a church meeting and it seemed like it was extra dark that night. And then as I was driving back from the meeting, I could still sense that it was really dark out that night. I could hardly see the way in front of me.

     I also noticed that a car had been following close behind me for a while. When I made a turn, I noticed that this car made the same turn. “Strange,” I thought to myself. “Why is this guy following so close behind me?”

     I then pulled into a parking lot and believe it or not, so did that car behind me. I was now getting a little concerned. Then this person flashes his headlights at me and so I stop my car in that parking lot. I put my window down, and this really nice guy comes up to my window and says to me, “Did you know that your headlights aren’t on? I just wanted to let you know for your safety.”

     You know, sometimes I wonder if there are times in our lives when we don’t realize that we are driving through a time of darkness in our lives. We think we have enough light but we really don’t. And then somebody takes notice and reminds us that we already have the light, we just need to let it shine.

     I think that’s what God is reminding us to do from our scripture reading today. The Lord has called us to be the light for each other in this world of darkness. 

     I know it’s the middle of January, but keep lifting your Christmas Eve candle high for all to see. Somebody just might thank you someday for shining that light just when they needed it the most. And that’s when you can look at them and without any emotion, simply respond with… “Oh, good.”

     Shine your light!

Called to Be the Light

Sermon Discussion Question

Isaiah 49:1-7 & John 1:29-42

January 15, 2023

During this darkest time of year, several of our Sunday appointed scripture readings emphasize light. On Christmas Eve, we lifted our lighted candles in darkened sanctuary and sang, “Silent Night.” Six days later, we observed Epiphany where the Wise Men followed a bright star to the Christ Child. Five weeks from now on Transfiguration Sunday, we will hear the story of when Jesus was transfigured and a bright light shone upon him. In our Isaiah reading for this week, the prophet offers these words to the people of Israel, “I will give you as a light to the nations.”

Why do you think light is an important theme in the scriptures especially during this time of year?

Isaiah told the people of Israel who were living in exile and away from their homes that they are to be a light to the nations. 

What would your reaction be if someone told you to be the light for others during a time when you were in darkness yourself?

Isaiah says in verse 1 of our scripture reading:  “The Lord called me before I was born while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’” Pastor Robert shared in the sermon that perhaps Isaiah is reminding the people of Israel that even though they were living during a time of darkness that God’s light was still in them to shine for others.

Who helps to remind you that you still have God’s light within you, especially when you are going through a time of darkness?

Sometimes, we forget that it only takes a little bit of light to shine and make a difference in someone’s life. 

Share a time when someone who was going through a time of darkness in their lives was able to see more clearly thanks to some light that you shared with them.

Close your time by saying this prayer from Sunday’s worship service: 

Great and mighty God, show us how wondrously and mysteriously you have created us. We yearn to shine as brightly for you as you shine for us. We long to see ourselves as the amazing creations you call us to be. Inspire us with your mercy and grace, that we might know how deeply enriched we are in your love. You have given us everything we need to answer your call and live out our faith. Forgive our reluctance to shine your light of love, goodness, peace, justice, and reconciliation in this world you love so much. Amen.

Online Worship (January 15) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our 

January 15

online worship service!

Athens First UMC

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]

Holy Hump Day (January 11) with Pastor Robert

Today’s Focus:

Winter Ordinary Time 

& Steady Spiritual Growth

Sermon (January 8/Baptism of the Lord Sunday) by Rev. Robert McDowell

    I’m sorry, but for the sermon today, I feel the need to address something that is very controversial which is why we don’t talk about it very much. Since I’m now in my 8^th year with you as pastor, I feel that I can bring up sensitive topics like this from time to time. 

     And we’re probably going to have a lot of different opinions on this but please, let’s all be respectful especially toward others who may disagree with you and it might even be someone sitting next to you. Now with that said, here is what I want to know. [Deep breath.]

     What is your favorite color?

     Now, hear me out. This is a safe space to share our opinions on this. I want to know what is your favorite color.

     And we’re not even going to do this by secret ballot. In a little bit, I’m going to ask you to stand and cast your vote.

     Here are your color choices so you can look them over. In a moment, I’m going to say these colors out loud and when I get to your personal favorite color, please stand. And I’m going to need you to help me to see which colors are the most popular here in church: Are you ready? I want you to stand when your favorite color is named. Here we go!

     Pink – Red – Violet – Green – Yellow - Periwinkle Black – Blue – Brown - Magenta – Turquoise – Beige – [And please stand if your favorite color wasn’t on this list.]

     Based on this survey, the most popular color is __________.

     Crayola Crayon has conducted surveys on people’s favorite colors and here are our favorite colors in order of popularity out of all the ones on this list: 

     Blue was #1. Then in order of popularity, we have the colors Red, Violet, Green, Pink, Black, Turquoise-Blue, Blue-Green, Periwinkle, and Magenta.

     Brown, Yellow, and Beige did not make the top 10.

     The reason I bring up this very controversial topic is because when we think of the meaning of baptism which we are doing on this Baptism of the Lord Sunday, we might first think of the color, blue. Blue is a color associated with water. That makes sense.

     But based on our Acts scripture reading, I wonder if green is the better choice for us today. Green is a color that is closely associated with a traffic light. Green means “Go!”

     I love it when the traffic light stays green and you can keep on going. Red, not so much. And for some people, they seem to think that red also means go. I think they’re getting their colors mixed up!

     When we think of a traffic light, green means go. And when we think of baptism, think of the color green as well. And here’s why…

     In our Acts scripture reading we have the Apostle Peter preaching a sermon in the home of a non-Jewish family. This was a place where Peter would never have visited because of the strict religious purity laws of his day. 

     According to Peter’s long-held beliefs, this should have been a red light moment for him because faithful Jews should never enter into the home of a Gentile family. They would be considered ritually unclean. 

     But the only reason that he violated his own religious rules was because earlier, God sent Peter a powerful vision that he was to go and share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection with this Gentile family. It would be like someone telling you or me that the red color in a traffic light means to go and the color green means to stop. That would not be easy for us to make that transition. 

     And by the way, please don’t. I’m just using this as an illustration of how difficult this would have been for Peter to know that he now had the green light to go to places beyond the religious boundaries of his day. 

     And the reason why God was giving Peter the green light to do something that would have been counter to how he was raised in his faith was all because of the good news of Jesus’ resurrection.  Jesus’ resurrection changed everything! 

     It not only defied the laws of nature when Jesus was resurrected from the dead, it also broke down previous well-established religious boundaries that had become so entrenched in Peter’s day. And one of those religious boundaries was to not enter the house of someone who was non-Jewish. 

     To think of doing such a thing was a red light for Peter. But now, in light of Jesus’ resurrection, Peter was discovering that God was dismantling those boundaries. 

     The Book of Acts also has the name, “The Acts of the Apostles” because it offers us these stories of the apostles being given the green light to go and share the good news of Jesus with everyone, and not just with those who were Jewish. This new green light faith in widening God’s circle to include all people meant that those apostles needed to rethink their faith.

     And the other thing that we learn about when reading the Book of Acts was that it was the Holy Spirit that was constantly nudging, and indeed pushing those first disciples of Jesus out of their comfort zones. That’s the whole reason why just before Jesus ascended into heaven following his resurrection, he told his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to come. 

     Jesus told them to wait because they would need the Holy Spirit to push them out of their nests in order to learn to fly so to speak. They were to wait for the Holy Spirit because they needed to rethink everything about their faith and see their faith in light of Jesus’ resurrection.

     Peter wouldn’t have gone to that non-Jewish house without the Holy Spirit and the dream that God had given to him earlier in chapter 10 of our Acts scripture reading where a sheet was lowered down to earth from heaven. And on that sheet were all of these ritually unclean animals that faithful Jews would never even  consider eating. Peter immediately thought, “Red light! No! Can’t do that!”

     But then a voice from heaven said to him, “They are not ritually unclean anymore. The good news of Jesus has changed everything. You now have a green light to go and share this good news with all people, even those who you have considered to be outside of God’s grace and love.”

     Reluctantly and still processing all of this new way of looking at his faith, Peter obeyed that vision from God and traveled to that ritually unclean house, well, not considered ritually unclean anymore, and proclaimed the good news of Jesus with them. The Book of Acts is really about rethinking our faith not so much as a red light faith but as a green light faith where all people are included in God’s circle of love.

     If Peter and those first apostles needed to rethink their faith, we need to as well in our own day and age. This is a never ending process and one that needs to continue throughout our lives.

     Dave Tomlinson is an Anglican Priest who has a podcast ministry that offers thoughts on what it means to be a Christian who is constantly rethinking what it means to be a people of faith. This can be a scary thing for many of us to do since we tend to gravitate toward our past assumptions and beliefs about who we are and what God is calling us to become.

     In one of his podcast interviews, he offers this helpful way of rethinking our faith. He says,

     “Picture three boxes. The first is order, the second is disorder, the third is reorder. We’re all raised in the first box of order. We were given our explanation of what reality means and what God means. It gives us so much comfort that most people want to stay in the first box forever.

     But what has to happen between your 30s and 50s, is the glib certitudes of the first box have to fall apart. Who’s right, who’s wrong, who’s holy and who’s a sinner – I know these beliefs gave your ego great comfort – but if you stay inside the first box, it creates angry people, rigid people and unhappy people. When you leave the first box, it feels like dying. When I had to leave my early Christian faith certitudes it felt like a loss of faith.

     But that wonderful early Christian faith understanding holds you strong enough to endure the second box and not throw the baby out with the bath water. In the second box you realize ‘it wasn’t as simplistic as I was told, but it’s not all wrong either.’ If you can let God lead you through the second box while hanging onto order, God can lead you to the third box, reorder.”

     Tomlinson goes on to say, “People want the first box at all costs but it doesn’t make them love Jesus. The crucified one who identifies with the poor and tells the outsider ‘never have I found such faith inside Israel’ – you see why they killed Jesus! He was so comfortable with disorder inside of his own highly ordered religion. Be Jesus never throws it out – Jesus still respects the Temple. But he doesn’t waste much time there.” 

     And then Tomlinson concludes with this thought: “This is the position we’re in. I live with that same tension – figuring out what was good about the tradition I was given and what was accidental and arbitrary.”

     This three box illustration helps me to know that it’s not only OK to live within the tension of what I believe to be certain and unchanging, but also to be willing to live in the discomfort of being pushed out of the nest so that I can be open to new perspectives, new experiences and new ways of widening God’s circle.

     It seems to me that Peter was willing to move into the next box through the leading of the Holy Spirit, to rethink his faith, and to be willing to go to places he had been unwilling to travel, like to a ritually unclean city and share God’s love with a ritually unclean family.

     This image of the three boxes of order, disorder, and reorder is what helps me to keep evolving in my faith.

     It is what helps me to accept and not ignore the complexities that we find in the scriptures. It is what helps me to appreciate the historical context of when the scriptures were written. It is what helps me to see the Bible from other people’s unique perspectives that will often challenge my own long-held beliefs. It is what has helped me to have a more inclusive faith for people and groups who have often felt excluded and judged by the church. 

     On this baptism of the Lord Sunday, as we think of the color green and how God is calling us to go to new places, meet new people, and encounter new experiences where God’s love is being extended beyond the boundaries as we have known them, let’s renew our baptismal covenant with God. Let’s invite God to push us out of our nests as uncomfortable as that may be. 

     May green be our favorite color at least for today, and may we remember that we have been baptized to go and include even more people in God’s wide embrace.

Baptized to Go!

Sermon Discussion Question

Acts 10:34-43 & Matthew 3:13-17

January 8, 2023

For our worship focus this week, we begin by asking a very controversial question…

What is your favorite color? 😁 Choose from [Pink – Red – Violet – Green – Yellow - Black – Blue – Brown - Magenta – Turquoise – Beige]

Based on Crayola Crayon polls, they have discovered that these are people’s favorite colors: 1. Blue 2. Red 3. Violet 4. Green 5. Pink 6. Black 7. Turquoise 8. Blue-Green 9. Periwinkle 10. Magenta. 

Which of these colors do you most associate with baptism?

Pastor Robert suggests that even though blue is a color associated with baptism because of water, green might be the better choice. Green symbolizes “to go.” In our Acts 10 scripture reading, Peter responded to God’s calling to go (green!) to a ritually unclean city and to a ritually unclean gentile house in order to share the good news of Jesus and baptize the whole family! Peter had taught been taught that as a faithful Jew, he shouldn’t do this but God’s calling prompted him to rethink his former beliefs and be open to the new thing that God was doing.

Share a time when you sensed that God was calling you to rethink your faith and be open to a new biblical/theological understanding. What was that experience like for you? Difficult? Easy?

Dave Tomlinson, an Anglican Priest offers the illustration of 3 boxes to help us be open to those times when God is calling us to go (green) even though it might be going against our current biblical/theological understandings. These 3 boxes are 1) order 2) disorder 3) reorder. When God calls us to go, sometimes that might mean that we first need to move from the box of order and move into the 2nd box of disorder, so that we can eventually be faithful to God. Tomlinson emphasizes that the process of moving from the box of order toward the box of reorder does not mean that we throw everything away from the 1st box of order. It just means that we are willing to have open minds and hearts in the new direction God is calling us to go.  

Why do you think we sometimes want to remain in our box of order rather than move to the other boxes of disorder and reorder in how we approach our faith? 

Pray this prayer from Sunday’s worship service that invites us to be like Peter who was willing to be obedient go and baptize a gentile family even though it meant that he needed to rethink his faith:

Gentle Spirit, Holy Dove, reclaim us through the waters of our baptism. We confess our reluctance to live as your beloved children and to go and share your message of love to those around us. As we long to be more than we have become, remake us through the power of your spirit. In our yearning to taste the fullness of life, restore us through the wonder of your grace. Spirit of the Living God, lead us to be a light to the nations and a source of hope to those who sit in darkness. Amen.