“Christmas Joy” | December 13, 2020
(Minister – Rev. Caesar J. David | Union Park United Methodist Church)

Scripture Lessons: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

This week in the Advent season is known as Guadete (Latin word meaning ‘rejoice’) Sunday, or the Sunday of joy.

There is a strong reason for joy. The Hebrew text promises that the people’s fortune and future have been changed from judgment to hope, from destruction to restoration, from oppression to liberation and from dread to praise (Zeph. 3:1420). Of course, this comes after a period of repentance, but the focus is on joy. (In the gospel text, John the Baptizer opens the curtains before the human drama to introduce the coming of the One who will bring a new chapter of salvation, (Lk. 3:718). That again is cause for joy.)

In our Scripture lesson for today from 1st Thessalonians, there are 3 groups of instructions given to us.
• The first grouping of instructions is about rejoicing, praying and giving thanks.
• The second group is about allowing the Work of the Spirit.
• The third group is about being wise and discerning.

1. Let’s look at the first group. From this group I’d like to point us to the
importance of being Proactive vs Reactive.

This first group of instructions are:
A. Rejoice always
B. Pray without ceasing
C. Give thanks in all circumstances

Professor James Denney of Scotland called these three commands “the standing orders of the gospel.” They are “standing orders” because they always apply to every Christian in every situation.

Rejoice, Pray and Give are easy enough to understand as people of God. The problem is how we are to do it with the conditions attached (or, lack of conditions depending on how you look at it). The difficulty is because of the words “always”, “without ceasing” and “in all circumstances”. It would have been easy to understand and easy enough to do without those conditions (or lack of).

This is where I want to highlight the difference between being reactive and being proactive. Reactive action or behavior is a ‘reaction’ in response to something. It comes as a result of something that happens. If we only rejoice when certain conditions in our circumstances are fulfilled, then our rejoicing is in response to, as a result of and as a reaction to those conditions. The problem in such conditioned responses is that when those conditions are not fulfilled it doesn’t evoke the response of rejoicing. For example, if my rejoicing is dependent on my getting something that I’ve wanted, I can easily rejoice when I get it. But what about when I don’t?

Proactive behavior is seen independent of the conditions in the circumstances, and that is what we’re being called to have. We’re called to get to a point where our rejoicing and praying and giving thanks is regardless of the circumstances. That’s tough because, as humans we’re sensitive to various kinds of stimuli. But that is why we’re to understand this ‘rejoicing’ and ‘praying’ and ‘giving thanks’ that we’re called to do, not just as emotional states or physical acts, but expression of our spirituality and faith.

It is only when we think of it like this and become proactive that we can rejoice ALWAYS, pray WITHOUT CEASING and Give thanks IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES because our joy and prayers and thanks are not dependent on our outside circumstances. They come from within. They are proffered in recognition and grateful acknowledgement of what Christ has already done for us, and in faith of seeing God do what He knows is best for us.

2. The second group is about allowing the Work of the Holy Spirit. Let’s understand this in terms of ‘allowing the Spirit to move’ vs ‘quenching the Spirit’.
The Holy Spirit is a person. The Bible tells us about the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. He teaches, He intercedes for us, He groans on our behalf. He is with us as a constant companion, advocate and comforter. But the Bible also clearly tells us that it is possible to “grieve the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30). It’s a sad thought that we can do something so atrocious that the Holy Spirit is grieved! In this passage we’re clearly told that we shouldn’t “Quench the Spirit”. It means we shouldn’t do something that puts out the Fire of the Holy Spirit. It is possible to do things that stifles His Work in our midst, or to hinder Him or to limit Him. Do we intentionally or unintentionally hinder His Work or Limit His Work? Could it be that we may be trying to do good but end up “quenching” the Holy Spirit with

• Man (human) -made rules and concepts
• presuming to know the mind of God and setting up barriers to His Grace,
• our disunity
• our contempt and unforgiveness
• our disregard for the least and the lost
• structural violence (active or passive support of) • our silence (at injustice, for instance) • and so on.

Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to Work and not quench the Spirit. During Christmas as we’re looking at the various characters in the Christmas story, if you look at Herod, you’ll find the original Grinch. He wasn’t happy that another ‘king’ was born. He didn’t like the idea of anyone else in authority except him? What about us? We’re not like Herod, are we?

• Are we happy that Jesus was born?
• Are we happy to let everyone know that Jesus, the Christ, is come in to the world?
• Are we happy to let everyone hear the Good news of salvation in Jesus?
• Are we happy to let everyone approach His throne of Grace and receive eternal life?
• Are we happy to allow the Spirit to move where He will and how He will?

Let’s not hinder the Work of the Holy Spirit by our sin or distrust or unwilling mind. Let’s rejoice as the fire of the Spirit spreads and blesses everyone. Like the Angels proclaimed, this is Good News for ALL.

3. The third group of instructions teaches us to be wise and discerning about what is good and what is evil. We’re told to test everything. We have to hold everything to one ultimate standard of God’s Love. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to discern between what is good and what is evil, what is pleasing in God’s sight and what isn’t. We can get wisdom to discern as we pray and meditate on God’s Word and as we seek to grow in our faith and understanding.

This Christmas we’re having a different experience. We have the time and opportunity to be more reflective and introspective. Let this Christmas be a special time to discover with a new joy the wonderful privileges we have as God’s people and also the responsibility as recipients of His Grace.

God bless us with the real Joy that we have because of Christmas: The Joy of Salvation, the Joy of Salvation FOR ALL, The Joy at the Work of the Holy Spirit, And the Joy of God’s eternal presence with us and ever-present help which makes it possible to rejoice ALWAYS, Pray WITHOUT CEASING and Give Thanks IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

PRAYER________________________

Gracious God,

We thank you for the Joy of Christmas. Teach us to do and be all that you need us to do and be so that we may be more in tune with Your Word. This Christmas help us to echo the Good News that the Angels pronounced for all people.

Amen.

“Opportunity to serve” November 22, 2020
( Guest Minister – Rev. Caesar J. David, Union Park United Methodist Church, Des Moines, Iowa)
Scripture Lesson:

Matthew 25:31–46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

“Opportunity to Serve”

“For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I
was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and
you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me” (vv. 35-36).
These words aren’t easy to understand in our context where we’re trying to understand
our roles and responsibilities. It raises many questions and issues:
 Am I being called to be responsible for people around me in society?
 What if they are different from me?
 Am I allowed to set up a qualifier to sift the deserving from the undeserving?
 Am I the person called to give, or the person that needs to receive, or both?
 Etc.
Let’s dig right into the Biblical insights we have from this important passage that links
our spirituality with social responsibility, the opportunities we have to see and serve
Christ. As we go through some of these insights some of our questions will be answered
and we’ll have some clarity, for others we must continue to explore and wrestle with
even as God speaks to us and puts His conviction in our hearts.
First of all we should regard these six deeds of mercy as illustrative rather than
exhaustive:
1) Food
2) Drink
3) Hospitality
4) Clothing
5) Nursing care, and
6) Visitation.
Here are a few insights that we get from this passage we’re meditating on. It’s to get us
started thinking in the direction of expressing our faith in the social context we are in.
1. Each of the mentioned deeds meets a specific need of a particular needy person.
But there are other needs too and addressing those is as much service to people and to God as the ones mentioned here. For example, simple things such as a
kind word or a listening ear can help a person in despair. The possibilities for mercy are boundless, just as human needs are boundless. That means the
possibilities to serve as endless too.

2. Note the surprise of the mercy-givers. When the king tells them that they have
extended these mercies to him, they cannot imagine when that could have been.
While extending mercies to “the least of these” they had no idea that they would
be rewarded for their kindness. There was no calculation in their generosity.
They gave because they were moved by human need—not by the potential for
reward.
3. Jesus gives a clear answer to the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
(Genesis 4:9). The short answer is “Yes”! The questions we’re also being asked
today are “Did you obey the Great Commandment?” “Did you love God and
neighbor?” (Matthew 22:34-40). Our horizontal (with each other / other people)
relationships are important just as our vertical (with God) relationship is. Matthew
5:23-24 even says don’t try to please me / don’t worship me if you have
something against your brother. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the
altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against
you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them;
then come and offer your gift.” The important thing is that we need to obey the
Great Commandment not out of obligation or feeling trapped or forced, but out of
a feeling of privilege like a benevolent child of the King would feel when able to.
Our action must also be motivated by the ethic of the Golden Rule (Matthew
7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this
is the Law and the Prophets.): that we would treat others the ways we want to be
treated. If we were without food, wouldn’t we welcome a hot meal? If we were
without housing, wouldn’t we welcome shelter?
4. There is a time when we fed, clothed, visited, cared for one of the least of these,
and another time when we drove past, looked away, or pretended not to see the
man or woman holding a sign asking for food, work, or some other help. And we
have our reasons for what we did and what we didn’t. We must remember that
Jesus is not teaching a system in which our works make us righteous or blessed.
No one is always able to be responsive to the needs of others. And no one is so
hard-hearted as to never care about others. The point is that God, the ultimate
judge, does notice what we do and don’t do. One of the ways in which we can
serve God is by taking care of the needs of other people.
5. We are to focus on the sufferings of people and not their identity. For the Christ￾follower there is no room for discrimination, no room for hatred, no room for
holding grudges, no room for judgment. We must be concerned about what
people are going through, that’s all.
6. When we focus on the sufferings of people we will find several approaches to
alleviating the suffering. Our efforts can range from direct charity to advocacy
and lobbying for systemic changes. All these are important. Our debates will
continue. The systems thinker say “If you give a man a fish he will eat that day,
but if you teach him how to fish he’ll eat everyday”. The person that believes in direct charity says “If you don’t give him fish today, he won’t survive tomorrow to
need any fish ever again”. They’re both right. Fortunately, if both of them do what
they think is right, the man they’re seeking to help will eat a fish today AND learn
to fish so he can eat tomorrow too.
7. We’re called to see Christ in needy people. The trouble can be at several points:
a. We don’t see people because we’re too wrapped up in ourselves and we
have no connection with anyone outside of myself and my immediate
circle.
b. We don’t see the needs of people because we don’t understand their
situation or maybe because we don’t want to see their need.
c. We don’t see the spiritual connection. We don’t see Christ in these needy
people. We may prefer to confine our spirituality to personal prayers and
personal meditation.
I think from these insights we have enough material to think about –
 The kind of spirituality we practice
 The kind of expression we give to our Christian discipleship, and
 The opportunities we have to honor and serve Christ our Lord.
May God bless us to be His eyes of compassion, His heart of love, His Hands of mercy,
healing and help.

P R A Y E R
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the opportunities we have to honor you and serve you. Open our eyes to
see you in the least of our brothers and sisters. As we affirm your Reign on earth as
Christ our King, we pray that we would be used to build your Kingdom of Love and Peace.

Amen

“Looking out for each other” | September 27, 2020

( Guest Minister – Rev. Caesar J. David | Union Park United Methodist Church)Scripture Lesson:Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16;
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
² I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
³ things that we have heard and known,
that our ancestors have told us.
⁴ We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
In the sight of their ancestors he worked marvels
in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
¹³ He divided the sea and let them pass through it,
and made the waters stand like a heap.
¹⁴ In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
and all night long with a fiery light.
¹⁵ He split rocks open in the wilderness,
and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
¹⁶ He made streams come out of the rock,
and caused waters to flow down like rivers.Philippians 2:1-13

2 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

“Looking out for each other”Let’s begin with a story. (This is from the Panchatantra – a collection of Ancient Indian fables).One hot afternoon, a lion was fast asleep in his den. A mouse entered the lion’s den and jumped all around the lion, and thus woke him up. The lion caught him and was about to kill him. But the little mouse pleaded with the lion to let him go.“I will help you in return some day”. The lion was rather amused to hear this, thinking, “What good can he do me. . .” but he let him go.A few days later, the lion was trapped in a net that was cast by some hunters. He struggled hard to set himself free but, he soon realized he was trapped. He roared with anger.The little mouse heard the lion’s roar, and seeing the lion caught in the net, he started gnawing away at the net at once. The mouse had sharp teeth and he soon freed the lion.Here’s another (this one’s attributed to Rabbi Haim of Romshishok).[Please note that these are NOT stories from the Holy Bible. This is imagination told in the form of a story to illustrate a point.]A man was having a conversation with God one day and said, ‘God , I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.’ God led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles, that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. God said, ‘You have seen Hell.’
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and happy, laughing and talking.
The man said, ‘I don’t understand. How is that possible? They have the same conditions. What makes the difference?’
‘It is simple,’ said God. ‘You see they have learned to feed each other!’
Against the background of those two stories, let me read one key verse from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)This Scripture requires us to look beyond ourselves. We seem hard-wired to not do that. Self-preservation is an instinct, and sometimes in order to do that we do quite the opposite of what’s in the interest of others. As Christians, however, we have been seeing that Godly principles to which we must subscribe as His children and saved people, and our values run contrary to what seems to be the ‘proper way’ according to the principles learned and taught in the world.The highest call in a relationship is to give of ourselves to the other, even if there is a cost. It’s in this way that we follow the pattern of Jesus. The United Methodist Church is committed to looking after the interests of others locally as well as globally. In fact, as United Methodists, you are all part of global outreach and service through our apportionments. Our Church also sends its share as apportioned to us, to the United Methodist Church through which it gets sent for many ministries covering outreach, education, disaster relief, rehabilitation, revitalizing congregations, community development, youth ministries, ecumenism, discipleship and many others. Through the apportionment, you are part of global solutions. Our dollar goes where we perhaps cannot go, and makes a difference.The United Methodist Church is called a connectional church because it shares its resources across all levels of the denomination to improve the lives of many through mission and justice work. So, we undertake responsibility not only for maintaining our church and taking care of local community needs in our neighborhood, but we also help alleviate hunger, create jobs and contribute towards helping transform the world to look more like God’s kingdom here on earth.ConclusionApart from being a Christian principle that we are committed to as disciples of Christ, we must also note that it’s becoming even clearer now that the only way we’re going to survive and be blessed is by looking after each other. That is what networking is all about, that’s what collaboration and synergy is all about. But we’re looking at it not from the perspective of material profit, but a spiritual profit of sharing the joy of being human, being the family of God in which we give some, we receive some and either way, keep winning all the time as we’re part of God’s plan used according to His purposes to accomplish His Will. God blesses us when we seek to do His Will.Let’s recommit ourselves to being the arms of Jesus to love and bless others, and let’s receive the joy of being a channel of blessing.Let us pray.Here’s this famous prayer of Francis of Assisi. Let’s pray together -Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.Amen.

“Managing differences,

September 13, 2020

(Minister – Rev, Caesar J. David | Union Park United Methodist Church)

Scripture Lesson:

Psalm 122;

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

2 Our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem—built as a city

that is bound firmly together.

4 To it the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord,

as was decreed for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up,

the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls,

and security within your towers.”

8 For the sake of my relatives and friends

I will say, “Peace be within you.”

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your good.

Romans 14:1-12

Welcome those who are weak in faith,[a] but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2 Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3 Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord[b] is able to make them stand.

5 Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6 Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.

7 We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?[d] For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall give praise to God.”

12 So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Managing Differences

We all have our differences. Our meditation today leads us in the direction of understanding that differences should not be feared or avoided but accepted and handled with love.

In the early church also, sometimes Christians disagreed with each other and created problems for one another. In Romans 14:1—15:13, Paul addresses this issue. First, he deals with differences of opinion regarding rules about food and days (14:1-12). He then asks Christians not to cause one another to stumble (14:13-23). He then tells them to focus on pleasing the other person instead of themselves (15:1-6). Finally, he makes it clear that the Gospel is for Jews and Gentiles alike (15:7-13).

Paul is more concerned about the manner in which we deal with differences than about the fact that we have differences. That is very significant especially as we know that we are not expected to agree on every issue, but we are called to love one another.

Paul begins by saying that we are to welcome the ‘weak in faith’. Paul is talking about the person whose faith in Christ requires additions—observance of dietary restrictions or other rules.

There are basically two reasons why we may be considered 4weak in faith’.

• We have not yet discovered the meaning of Christian freedom; we are at heart still legalists, and see Christianity as a thing of rules and regulations. Paul addresses this in Gal 5:1-6 –

• For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You w/io want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.

• We may believe that we can gain God’s favour by doing certain things and abstaining from others. Basically we may still be trying to earn a right relationship with God, and have not yet accepted the way of grace.

Of course, that is not to say that we can use our freedom wrongly.

See Gal 5:13a For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence…

Does that mean that we shouldn’t care about how we live and what we do? Certainly not. Ifs just that the good things we try to do should actually be a response to His Grace and Gift of Salvation rather than a way to earn it.

That was to get a clearer understanding about Paul s perspective on the differences he saw in people then which stemmed from this basic understanding. Today, some issues have changed in form, other have been added to the list that cause differences in us.

As I see, basically our responses to these differences are on this scale (this is just my way of scaling it, there may be others, but this gives us a general idea of the variety of responses and how we position ourselves):

• Intolerance: The dictionary defines it as “unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or behavior that differ from one’s own.” This is obviously an actively negative response of intolerance that leads to more problems than solve any. We have an important pointer to why we should be tolerant (cut slack for people or be more lenient) as we look at the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18:21-35. It talks about the King having pity and forgiving his slave his dues because he couldn*t pay. The forgiven slave however did not forgive the dues owed to him by a fellow slave. When the king came to know of this what happened? Read from Matthew 18:32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you? And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.

The expectation is to pass on that mercy and grace and love and forgiveness and all that we ve received and benefited from (even though we were unworthy) to others. It’s so important that it s part of the crux (and one of the basic tenets) of Christianity: Love God and Love people which is the greatest commandment.

• Indifference: Moving up the scale, we have a response of indifference where we actively or passively try to dissociate from the person and situation of potential disagreement.

• Tolerance: Moving further up the scale we have a step of positive response that is tolerance where we are passively accepting of another view and we open the possibilities for coexisting. Ifs better than intolerance and indifference, but we*re still not there yet as God’s people.

• Love: Moving even further we have a response that is actively positive. That is love. It is in having this kind of attitude and response of love and acceptance that we are actively trying to seek to understand another point of view, extending ourselves in love and acceptance that clearly shows a focus on the other person. This can include dialog, communication, studying together, creating safe spaces, collaboration and so on. That is where Paul wants to take us in our understanding as mature, fruit-bearing Christians that bring honor to God.

There is another parameter that we must have as we are learning to deal with the differences we come up against. We need to understand the difference we have can be put in categories of what is essential and what is not essential.

In his book “Don’t sweat the small stuff’, Dr. Richard Carlson’s premise is that: Often we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that, upon closer examination, aren’t really that big a deal. We focus on little problems and concerns and blow them way out of proportion… So many people spend so much of their life energy “sweating the small stuff” that they completely lose touch with the magic and beauty of life.

The same thing can happen in our Christian walk too. We may miss the joy of God’s presence, fellowship with others, growth and even opportunities to honor God when we sometimes expend So, our energies in non-essential confrontations and in pursuing something that may not be so fruitful after all.

Making that differentiation between the essential and the non-essential can also help us to know that a different response is needed for different cases. “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity!” (This quote is often attributed to Augustine from the fourth century, or it may be from the writings of German Lutheran theologian, Rupertus Meldenius, of the early seventeenth century.) It sums up how we need to process the differences we’re faced with.

• The essentials are doctrines and convictions. And the heart of the gospel: Salvation by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the exclusivity of the Gospel, All-sufficiency of the Work of Christ for salvation, love and forgiveness, and so on. We must be united on these essential things.

• The non-essentials are all other things: Opinions on food and drink and special days; views on schooling our children: home school, public school, Christian school; The type of car or house we own; How to find a spouse: Should we date or court? What about arranged marriages? Ways and practices of worship: cover the head while praying or not, raise hands or not, etc.

There are matters of practice, culture, local awareness and sensibilities, or even indigenous theologies and so on that would be in this category. We should have an attitude of liberty, freedom and mutual respect.

• And then in all things, essentials and non-essentials, we should have charity. We should Love. If we have love, then we won t condemn or criticize. On the contrary, we would welcome and accept one another, seeking to understand and love.

“ln essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity!”

This is easier said than done. Sometimes we are faced with very difficult questions, differences, and divisive issues. We have to keep trying to do what honors God and brings glory to His name. The bottom line is: We need to be guided always by Love and Grace.

There s a beautiful hymn that we’ll be singing today. It says:

Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us…

God bless us with wisdom and love to respond always with grace and humility. Amen.

＂Communicating Community“

September 6,2020

（Minister-Rev.Caesar J.David|Union Park United Methodist Church)

Psalm 149

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.

Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches. Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron, to execute on them the judgment decreed.

This is glory for all his faithful ones.

Praise the Lord!

Matthew 18:15-20

“If another member of the church[a] sins against you,[b] go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.[c] But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

＂Communicating Community”

Our passage for meditation from the Gospel according to Matthew reads like the classic steps in a conflict resolution manual, but of course,we can take some of the principles it talks about and use it as a general directive for all times.

Before we begin,we have to acknowledge that this passage presents some difficulties. For example, the instructions and tone do not seem to be congruent with the ministry of Jesus that leans even more towards tenderness and forgiveness. But we must also bear in mind that Jesus did expel the merchants and the money changers from the Temple (as they sought to make it a place of business and material profit), and that did not mean that he hated them. He just hated what they were doing. Some scholars also feel that this passage sounds much more like the regulations of an ecclesiastical committee.

Talking of this, the words “Ecclesia”is translated as “Church” (NRSV), but the organized Church with a system of ecclesiastical discipline and a formal body as we have now, did not exist then, so it must refer to the Church in its functional sense of ‘assembly’, ‘gathering’ or’ community’ rather than an institutional sense.

In any case,we want to move beyond an exegesis of the passage to understand and learn some vital principles that come through very strongly in this instructive passage. It is especially good instruction today as many of us will partake of the Holy Communion, or at least join in faith and in spirit to be in communion with Jesus and with each other as we all make up the Body of Christ. The passage has definite pointers for us as a communicating community.

This reads a little like your typical Logical Framework Analysis (LFA) and can be broken down into Objective, Strategy, Method, Indicators, Outcome, Impact and so on. (In case that kind of thing appeals to you, you can read it like that).

Anyway, let’s simplify it to the essentials.

1. The recommended method of resolving matters is communication.

Notice that the instructions are to first go and talk directly to the person who has wronged us. We are to do that privately so that it’s between the person who has done wrong and the one who feels has been wronged. What usually happens is that we talk about the person instead of to the person, and that can blow the issue out of proportion and out of our hands so that we may not be able to manage or contain it.

We’ve all had this experience when we run a whole scene in our own minds imagining responses and counter – responses. Sometimes we get agitated simply imagining a negative response and we haven’t even talked to the person yet!

The story is told about a man driving along at night and his car had a flat tire. He had a spare but no jack. He saw a light burning in a nearby house and started walking towards it. While walking toward the house he imagined asking to borrow a jack. Seeing it was night, this man imagined the house owner to be irritated at being disturbed. This was all

This was all playing out in his imagination: The man would ask him why he didn’t have a jack and scold him for being careless and disturbing other people for his mistake. By this time as the man had pressed the doorbell, he was convinced that the man inside is going to be rude, nasty and mean. That’s why, as soon as the door opened, even before the man inside could say anything, our man shouted at him” don’t want it! You can keep your jack!” and walked away.

We also do that sometimes. We start imagining things that may be far removed from reality and that can sometimes cause problems.

There are many things that can be said about communication. With our advances in communication technology it is possible to communicate in a wide variety of ways. While they offer many conveniences of speed and ease, there is no substitute for personal face-to-face communication in each others’ presence because of our capacity to communicate with more than our language and words. Our tone, eyes, touch, all of these are important for communication. There are times when we don’t say what we really mean and at other times we don’t mean what we say.

The way to keep honest but loving too brings us to the other point about this communication.

2. The Objective is reconciliation and build, not criticize and tear down.

If we’re motivated by love and the desire to reconcile knowing that we’re a community, we will be careful of not tearing down or hurting the other person. So,our objective is to reconcile and build and strengthen the community, not to criticize,tear down or destroy.

3. The Outcome is true Communion when Jesus is present with us.

When we seek to communicate in love, we make space for a dialog and we create an opportunity for mutual understanding. We create a loving environment that communicates love and shows that we all care for each other and want the community whose members are loving, mutually accountable, responsible -for – each- other, and which is a disciplined body.

The last two verses in our passage say that ‘where two or three are gathered, there l will be’. It talks about unity, about reconciliation, about harmony because it is in that kind of ‘coming together’ and ‘being in agreement with each other’, that we’ll have the kind of environment that honors Christ and welcomes Him.

Let’s be thankful for the Church-for the community, for each other where we can openly communicate and have communion as a family of God.

God bless you.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the opportunities to be a community to edify and protect each other.Teach us to communicate in such a way that we can experience the communion that you meant for us to have as your family and with you present.

Amen.

Guest Minister

Michelle lot from Cross Tracks Church, Liberty Hill, Texas

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=281329113174901&id=1094105270644397&sfnsn=mo&d=n&vh=e

Guest Minister: Rev. Caesar J. David of Union Park United Methodist Church, Des Moines, Iowa

Guest Minister-Rev.Caesar J.David|Union Park UMC, Des Moines, Iowa

Scripture Lessons:

Psalm 119:105-112

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances.

107 I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word.

108 Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your ordinances.

109 I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts.

111 Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.

112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears listen!”

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.[a] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

“Light For My Path“

Our Gospel reading is Jesus’ Parable of the Sower.The Parable of the sower is an ‘allegory’ about the Kingdom of God. The seed is used as a metaphor for the Word of God.And the parable goes on to describe the various kinds of soils that the Word of God can be received in, and depending on which,the result will be a crop being produced or not.

Our lectionary reading from Psalm 119 also tells about the Word of God.One of the conclusions we draw from Psalm 119 is that the Bible is more than “just another religious book”. It is not an academic textbook for learning about religion or even life.The Bible is a dynamic book.It is living. It speaks words that have power.

In v.105,the lamp and light is used as a metaphor for the Word of God. Other metaphors used for the Word of God are: sword, mirror, milk, hammer, fire, etc. Psalm 119:105 says,”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”.

Today’s message is a simple reminder about the Word of God as it lights up our path.

The first thing that the Word of God, as Light, does for us is:

1.It clearly shows us where we stand.

It clearly shows us if we’re standing in the danger spot of our own sin, bitterness, arrogance, stubbornness, unforgiveness, injustice, hard-heartedness, and idolatry.

We may be good, virtuous, righteous in our own sight, but the Word of God reveals us as sinners and as people prone to sin.We may look good in our own eyes,or even in the eyes of people around us,but the Word of God shines its light in the darkest corners of our hearts.

When we walk in ignorance, we may continue making mistakes,sometimes even being unaware of them, God’s Word lights up our path so that we can be sure that we’re walking in the right direction.

2.It is the absolute standard so that we need never doubt. We sometimes measure our steps and direction, right or wrong, according to our own ideas and framework of knowledge. At other times, we measure our steps and evaluate ourselves based on what people say, what society says.That can sometimes leave us feeling inadequate and deficient. The only sure way to know is The Word of God which is the absolute standard of Truth and makes everything clear.

3.The Word of God,as light, directs our steps and keeps us headed in the right direction. It enables us to see mot only dangers,but also the opportunities ahead of us Without the Word of God to enlighten us of the kind of obstacles that are in our way, we would trip and fall. Without the Word of God shining on our path to tell us which is the right path to take and which is the one to avoid, we may end up going the way of complete destruction. It is the Word of God that lights up our way and keeps us on the path of blessing,the path of peace, protection and prosperity.

If we have been neglecting to read the Word of God, let’s begin today. Open your Bible and start reading. The Word of God is dynamic. The Bible is alive and active. It will speak to you and your particular situation. You will discover for yourself how it will be like a lamp directing your steps and illuminating your path so that you will find yourself in alignment with God’s plan for your life. There are blessings to be discovered.

“The Bible: banned, bumed, beloved. More widely read, more frequently attacked than any other book in history. Generations of intellectuals have attempted to discredit it; dictators of every age have outlawed it and executed those who read it. Yet soldiers carry it into battle believing it more powerful than their weapons. Fragments of it smuggled into solitary prison cells have transformed ruthless killers into gentle saints.” -Charles Colson

That power of the Word of God is available to you and me today.

Let the Word of God light your path, and light up your life. God bless you.

Guest Minister – Rev, Caesar J. David, Union Park United Methodist Church, Des Moines, Iowa

Scripture Lessons:

Psalm 45:10-17
Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:

Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

“Be yoked”

As we celebrate Independence day (USA). It’s the day when we thank God for having the freedom as a country and also as individuals. What’s the difference? We must realize that there are countries in the world that are independent, but that does not automatically translate to freedom for its people.

If we think about our freedom and privileges against the backdrop of what’s happening in other countries around the world, maybe we will realize how precious this freedom is. We may have been taking it for granted or even feeling entitled. It is indeed our privilege; we’re just blessed to have it. We must ponder over a few things as we think about our freedom. For example, we must ask if our exercise of freedom is getting in the way of other people s experience of freedom that they’re also entitled to. Do I care? May be not. But what happens when someone else’s idea of freedom gets in my face? I hope we’re grappling with those kind of questions as we think of our freedom on this occasion of Independence day.

• Am I abusing the freedom I have?

• Am I misusing the freedom I have?

• Am I under-using the freedom I have?

There may not be clear-cut answers, but we do have certain directions that we can think in. And that direction comes from the Word of God which alone is the path of blessing.

So, we cherish our freedom. God made us free. God gives freedom and our national constitution ensures it. With the kind of fierce independence that is our very soul, it might be hard to read a passage such as in Matthew 11:25-30 which talks about a Yoke. First of all, what’s a yoke? The dictionary says: a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.

Lets talk about this yoke and what it may mean for as especially as we re thinking about this great land of America, freedom and the current context.

1. Yoke signifies partnership.

First of all there is the concept of partnership. It s a move away from being alone. The concept of partnership is strongly recommended in the Bible. Right from creating man and woman as a couple, to the pairs of animals in Noah’s ark, to Jesus sending out the apostles two by two, and later the promise of the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide and accompany us, we know that God wants us to have help and not struggle in our own strength.

So, being yoked would also mean having Jesus as a partner, He’s there to help and lighten your burden. His yoke, His way, is the lighter load to bear in this world in which there are forces that work to destroy us. Praise God for Jesus is with us. He struggles with us. He shares our burden and makes it light. He takes upon Himself the biggest burden which is the burden of sin and its resultant punishment. And that is why we’re free – from the burden of sin and eternal death.

Take my yoke upon you.,. and you will find rest for your souls’. Yoke signifies control.

The idea of ‘being controlled’ can be repulsive at first blush. But let s think a little deeper about the whole idea of control. Is all control bad? Is it helpful in some way?

For example, is it helpful in the sense of having a direction, purpose and becoming a blessing. The yoke is part of the instrument and process that is used to plough the land, to make it fertile and productive. Taking that yoke means giving a degree of control to God for us to be used as a blessing in that land. President Kennedy spoke these famous words “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country”. And I’m sure that we all find that inspiring and we seek to do everything in our power to make our country great.

This Independence day, let’s think about the ways in which I am a blessing to this land.

Being yoked also removes the focus from ourselves and we know that ifs not all about me Freedom and Responsibility are just two sides of the same coin. Sometimes we take more seriously our freedom and not seriously enough our responsibility and what we owe. When we are able to look beyond ourselves well know that it s also about the land that I belong to, the people of this land; it’s about us all.

When we re yoked with Christ, our lives are in tandem with the values of Christ. These values and principles include 一

• love and forgiveness,

• unity, peace and justice,

• serving and being the least

• putting ourselves last

• forbearance and kindness

• equality

• etc.

May God bless us to understand His Word and to accept His offer of Salvation, His offer of unburdening ourselves and becoming an instrument of blessing to people and the land that we co-habit.

-Prayer –

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for blessing us to have the privileges of this land and its people. Forgive our arrogance, ignorance and negligence. Teach us to be sensitive, grateful and eager to be a blessing. Help us find rest within so that we will have peace around us.

Amen.