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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Marriage Made In Heaven

Sermon Discussion Questions

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

January 20, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gathering Time

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

Call to Worship

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

P: We are God’s delight!

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

P: We are God’s delight!

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

P: We are God’s delight!

Prayer In Unison

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

Isaiah 62:1-5

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

John 2:1-11

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

Sermon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sermon Discussion Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pastoral Prayer

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Church News

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

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

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

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

Benediction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     So here is a summary of this historical marker: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A River & a Beach

Sermon Discussion Questions

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

January 13, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (Jan. 6/Epiphany) Athens First UMC

[Sunday was Epiphany on the church calendar which represents the 12th Day of Christmas and the day that the Wise Men brought their gifts to the Christ Child. It’s also known as the day when we invite the congregation to take down the Christmas decorations after each worship service which is what is happening in the photo above. The video below the prayer is our choir singing “We Three Kings” during the 10:30 worship service. For the sermon, click here. Happy Epiphany, everyone!]

O God, thank you for giving us great reasons to joyfully skip into this New Year. On this twelfth Day of Christmas, we join the Wise Men in joyfully offering our gifts to the Christ Child. We don’t have gold or frankincense or myrrh, but we do offer to you our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. 

We skip into this New Year because you sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world. We skip into this New Year because you offer forgiveness and abundant life. We skip into this New Year because you have created us to have a loving faith, a learning faith, and a living faith. We skip into this New Year because you have given us each other for encouragement and support. We skip into this New Year because no matter how dark the world may seem, you can always overcome the darkness because you are the light of the world. We skip into this New Year because you promise to meet us in a very real way every time we receive the bread and the cup. 

On this Epiphany Sunday, this day when your light shines brightly, we pray for those who are experiencing darkness; the darkness of loneliness, the darkness of depression, the darkness of grief, the darkness of disappointment, the darkness of emotional, relational, and physical pain, the darkness of poverty, the darkness of missed opportunities, the darkness of sin.

O God, shine your light brightly for all of those who are facing darkness. We name them silently in our hearts and lift them to you in this very moment.

(Moments if Silence)

O God, like our prayer hymn says, “We want to walk as a child of the light. We want to follow Jesus. In him there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in our hearts, Lord Jesus.”

Shine in our hearts, Lord Jesus as we pray the words you taught us to say together… 

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sermon (Jan. 6/Epiphany) by Rev. Robert McDowell “Skipping Into the New Year”

     I grew up on a farm in southeastern, Pennsylvania.  I dreaded it whenever it was late at night and dad would ask me to go to the barn and check on something.  Off I went, just hoping that I would make it back safe and sound!

     After I accomplished whatever chore needed to get done, and believe me, I did it very quickly I would run as fast as I could back to the house.  It’s amazing how fast you can run when you’re afraid!

     We live in a world that is filled with fear.  Some people like to use fear to get you to think like they think or to do what they want you to do because they know that fear is an effective tool.  This is why bullying is a huge problem in our schools.  Ironically, people choose to be bullies because they are the ones who are afraid.  They’re afraid of people who are different from them and so they act out of their fear.

     Bullying isn’t confined to young people.  There are adults who are bullies.  There are adults who use verbal threats and shouting matches to get their way because they are afraid of losing control and power.

     Often times, we don’t know how afraid we are until we are put into crisis situations.  They reveal what’s inside of us.  

     A little over seven years ago, you may remember being stricken and saddened over the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut.  During one of the news shows, they interviewed the adult daughter of the Principal of the school, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung who was killed while trying to stop the shooter.

     The daughter said that it didn’t surprise her that her mom put her life in danger to protect her school. Here is what she said:

     “She faced every single problem that she ever had in her life head on.  My cousin referred to her as a bull yesterday. There’s no stopping Dawn when she has a mission.  She gets it done, and she gives it everything she has.”

     This daughter than shared this note that her mom had written for her which she shared during the interview.  The note read:

     “My dearest Erica, you are and forever will be my sweet baby girl.  You possess a piece of my heart and soul, and I will never be complete without you.  Remember this in your darkest times…you are never alone. Your Mom.”

     “Remember this in your darkest times...you are never alone.” 

     I remember watching a news story about a burglar who broke into a home.  A young child was the only one in the house at the time and he calmly called 911.  He didn’t let fear overcome him and he was able to stay focused.

     It’s not easy to stay calm in a world that is filled with fear.  As we enter into a new year, we might be experiencing some anxiety and fear.  We don’t know what the future holds.  We wonder if we’ll be able to handle the challenges that will come our way this year.

     Today is Epiphany Sunday, the 12th day of Christmas.  Epiphany is a very hope-filled day on our church calendar because it focuses on Jesus who is the light of the world.  It was a shining star that led the wise men from afar to find the Christ Child.

     The gospel writer, John begins his gospel by referring to the light that has come into the world.  “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”  The reason I was scared for my life every time I went out to the barn late at night was because of the darkness.

     If you walk through the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, you enter through a very narrow, short corridor where the park ranger will have you stand still and then all of the lights are shut off.  It is so dark in that moment that you can’t see your hands even if they are right in front of your eyes.

     The ranger will then flick on a very powerful flashlight.  The light from that beam literally overcomes the darkness.  This is the image that the gospel writer is using in introducing Jesus Christ to us.  It’s like John is saying, “Look, I know the darkness of life is very real.  I know that the world can be a scary place.  I know that there are times when it seems like there is nothing but darkness in front of us.  But here’s the good news. There is a light that can overcome any darkness that might come your way.  And that light is Jesus Christ.

     John is using Genesis and creation of the world language to emphasize that Jesus is the light of the world.  Just as God created light at the beginning of creation, God has sent Jesus to be the light of the world.  What a powerful image for us to keep in mind as we begin this New Year together.

     Jesus is the light of the world.  And the reason that Jesus is the light of the world is because John tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  In other words, in the person of Jesus Christ, God has moved next door to us.  God is that close to us.  This is the good news of Christmas.  This is the good news of Epiphany.  “The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

     Many times, I am reminded of this good news of our faith during pastoral visits. I’ll never forget a particular visit. I went to see a church member who was in the hospital.  He was in the room all alone, lying flat on his back.  During my visit with him, he became teary eyed as he shared, “You don’t know how much it means to me that different people from the church have been stopping by to offer a scripture verse and to prayer for me.  It reminds me that I’m not alone.”  

     I remember another visit with a church member who recently moved into a nursing home.  It hadn’t been that long ago that I officiated at her husband’s funeral. They had been married seventy-three years! As I was visiting with her, I couldn’t help but to think about all of the major changes that were going on in her life.  

     It was just her living in this room toward the very end of one of the nursing home wings.  She said that it’s quiet back in that corner of the building and she has a lot of time to think and pray.  

     During my hour long visit, she said something that has stuck with me.  And she said it at least three different times during our conversation.  After she said how she misses her husband and the home where they had lived for so many years, an unexpected smile came to her face and she said, “But I know that I’m not alone.  God is with me.”

     Those words stayed with me the rest of the day and I often think of them whenever I am facing fear and uncertainty.  “But I know that I’m not alone.  God is with me.”  Would you repeat that with me?  “But I know that I’m not alone.  God is with me.”

     “The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

     A few years ago, a pastor was visiting a church on the first Sunday of the New Year.  They were celebrating Holy Communion that Sunday, like we are today.  This pastor and his wife were sitting in one of the front pews that Sunday morning which meant that they were one of the first to receive the Sacrament.

     After they received the bread and the cup, they returned to their pew.  This pastor was sitting there listening to the beautiful music and reflecting on the meaning of the Sacrament and God’s love when he noticed a young family that was just kneeling at the chancel railing.  

     The two little girls, probably around five and seven years old, enthusiastically received the Sacrament in such a joyful way that this scene made him smile with delight.  After this family received communion, they stood up and began to walk back the center aisle to their seats. The girls walked on either side of the father while holding his hand.  

     The five year old on the dad’s left broke into a huge smile and she started skipping back to the pew.  The joy of being in worship and receiving the Sacrament overwhelmed her and she responded by skipping.  As this pastor watched this scene, he said a little prayer for himself and everyone in that sanctuary to have that same kind of joy in their faith as this little five year old girl.

     I think this pastor’s experience can become a symbol for our faith.  Like the little girl that day, let’s skip into this New Year.  Let’s receive the bread and the cup with joy.  Let’s take the hand of Jesus and skip with great delight.  Let’s skip into the darkness, knowing that Jesus is the light of the world.  Let’s skip into the unknown, knowing that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

     Let’s skip into the New Year, knowing that we are not alone.  God is with us.  Let’s skip into the New Year, because Jesus will overcome any darkness we may face.  Let’s skip into the New Year because the light that led the Wise Men to Bethlehem is the same light that leads us to Christ.

     Let’s skip into the New Year because with Christ, there is nothing to fear.

Skipping Into the New Year

Sermon Discussion Questions

Isaiah 60:1-6 & John 1:10-18

January 6, 2019

Whenever we begin a new year, it can be both exciting and a little frightening because we don’t know what awaits us.

What are some of the fears you are facing or have faced in your life? How do you try to overcome those fears?

Epiphany, the 12th Day of Christmas which always falls on January 6, is a very special day because it reminds us of how the bright star in the sky led the Wise Men to Jesus where they offered him gifts. The Gospel writer, John begins his Gospel by referring to Jesus as the light that has come into the world and the darkness did not overcome it.

Share a time when the light of God helped you to overcome a fear.

Pastor Robert concluded his sermon by sharing a story about a little girl who went up to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion with her dad one Sunday and she ended up skipping back to their pew because she was so happy after receiving the bread and the juice.

What are some of your thoughts/feelings when you receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion? Does it give you more joy in your life knowing that Jesus Christ is the light of the world?

In addition to the Sacrament of Holy Communion which we celebrate and receive each month in church, there are other means of grace to help us skip with joy throughout the new year. These include participating in the loving faith, learning faith, and living faith ministries of our church. 

What new loving faith, learning faith, and living faith ministry is God calling you to consider in this new year? These ministries are meant to help us know that we are not alone. God is with us! Jesus is the light of the world and the darkness has not overcome it!