"Heart Health" - May 22, 2011 Sermon

Scripture: John 14: 1-14

The Sermon:
If you are concerned about having heart trouble later in life…then you need to hear this. Mayo Clinic researchers have determined that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. This 20 year study tracked the breakfast habits of 2,100 people, beginning in adolescence. The goal was to determine the positive or negative effects of having or skipping breakfast.

What they discovered is somewhat frightening. Those who had a habit of skipping breakfast showed significantly higher levels of heart wrenching health statistics. Their waistlines were larger, their cholesterol was higher and their insulin levels were out of balance. Bottom line: their hearts were sick!

The Mayo Clinic is not the only one who is concerned about heart trouble…So is Jesus. In today’s Gospel text, Jesus gives us a clear command: "Let not your hearts be troubled." Of course, Jesus was not talking about cholesterol or insulin levels…He was talking about a different kind of heart trouble. He is talking about worry, fear, anxiety and stress. The kind of heart trouble that gives rise to a loss of hope, a lack of faith. Fear of uncertainty and panic attacks. I’m certain that most of us, if not all of us, has experienced a lack of peace at certain points in our lives. And it is clear that heart trouble, whether physical, emotional or spiritual is a major threat to our well-being as followers of Christ.

Thanks to the Mayo Clinic, we know that a bowl of cheerios will help our arteries. But what about our hearts of Faith, our worries and anxieties? Those gnawing fears that cause us to gnaw our fingernails. I ask you, honestly, is it even possible, as a follower of Christ, in this messed up world, to heed His command and have an untroubled heart?

According to Jesus, having an untroubled heart comes down to what we are FEEDING our heart. Just as what we feed our physical bodies affects our hearts, so too, what we feed on Spiritually affects our heart of Faith. Jesus gives us the key: Listen to vs. 1 again: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." He is telling us that the key to "heart health" is to believe in and feast on Him. What our hearts need to stay healthy is regular nourishment from Christ and an active life of following Christ.

At first glance, it seems too simple, but it’s true. Far too many people have spiritual heart problems because their lives do not involve regular consumption of Christ and no real exercise of their faith in Christ. As a result, they are unable to withstand the anxieties of life that arrive on a daily basis. People are starving for a sense of direction that comes only from Christ and His Word.

We too often skip the Spiritual meal in favor of an earthly meal for our solutions. So what do we need to do? We need to be connected to His Word and His promises that are found in Scripture. We need to believe in the power of His presence. In vs. 18, Christ makes a promise: "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." We need to believe that whole-heartedly!

Once your heart of Faith is fed regularly with Christ, you need to make sure that it is also exercised regularly, stretched and put to the test in a lifestyle of seeking Christ. In vs. 12, Christ says, "whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these he will do."

According to the Center for Disease Control, 785,000 people suffer their first heart attack each year. Heart disease is the number one health issue…it’s the number one killer…better start your day with a nice breakfast. If the Mayo Clinic (and Mom) was right about breakfast… surely Christ is right about this. Start feeding your spiritual heart!

Amen.

"Test Drive" - May 15, 2011 Sermon

Scripture: Psalm 23

The Sermon:
I have been researching new and almost new cars recently. In the process of that adventure, I came across some of the ways in which cars are tested by the manufacturer. I was somewhat surprised that a lot of testing goes on in Death Valley, CA. The cars are put to extreme tests, more extreme than they will probably ever be driven in by a consumer. The hottest recorded temperature in the U.S., 134 degrees, was in Death Valley. Parts of Death Valley are 212 feet below sea level.

In August of last year, engineers from the automaker, Kia, put 3 of their models through a series of grueling tests. They started and stopped the car frequently…they let it sit, idling for long periods of time…they had the cars tow a 7,000 lb. load up and down some steep hills around Death Valley… they would park the car, roll up the windows and let it sit in direct sun for a long period of time, then they would time how long it took for the air conditioner to cool the interior of the car. There were many other tests done, and even though the cars will most likely never be driven in similar conditions, the car maker deliberately overtaxed them to ensure that their customers won’t have problems in normal conditions of driving. It is their way of taking the "scary or fear " out of driving in difficult weather conditions.

Psalm 23 also talks about going through a valley of Death. It is one of the best known passages of Scripture in the Bible. While it is appropriately used at funerals, if we only think of it as a funeral text, we may miss the fact that it is really about LIVING!

In the ancient world, shepherds were herders and tenders of sheep, much the same as today. However, back then "shepherd" was also a metaphor for King, and the role that Kings were to play in tending to their subjects: caring for their needs, providing for them and protecting them. So, for someone in that culture to say, "The Lord is my shepherd" it meant that the Lord is my King…and my King takes care of me. The person was saying, "I will live under God’s rule", and the rest of the Psalm describes the good things that come to that person who claims God as their King.

So, because the Lord is a good shepherd and I am a member of His flock, I shall not be in want…of anything. I will have what I need. Lying down in green pastures, being led beside still waters, and fearing no evil are poetic ways of saying the Shepherd/King provides what I need to stay alive.

While most of us remember vs. 4 as, say it with me, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death…". the actual Hebrew may also mean simply, …"a place of deep darkness." The NRSV translates it as, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley." I really like that understanding because then the Psalm becomes a statement of God shepherding us in the difficult and troubled times we go through in life.

The Psalm concludes with, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my LIFE." Why? Because the Lord is my Shepherd!

This can be described as a Psalm of Confidence, because that is the way Faith functions for us. We have nothing in the way of empirical proof that God will be with us in the dark places of life. What we do have is the testimony of Scripture and of those who have gone before us, that God has been there before and knows the way through the dark places. Now, the depth of the darkness may sometimes shake our confidence, our Faith tells us that God does not leave us alone in those dark valleys.

The Book of Psalms, in general, is about confidence that God is with us…no matter what. Most of the Psalms recount all sorts of human troubles, fears and despair…but guess what, at the end, they keep returning to our confidence in God, just like a needle on a compass always returns to point north.

I urge you to read Psalm 139. It provides evidence that God has TEST-DRIVEN the darkest valleys ahead of us. Here is an excerpt: ( Read vss. 7-12) That is a testimony of someone who has been in a dark valley and that person invites us to believe that our experience in the valley will be similar…if we trust in God. Let me be clear, confidence in God does not change the facts about the world or our life, but it does guide us to different conclusions about those facts. Here is an example of what I mean. Two people can look at the same facts and come to two different conclusions. One might look at the "dark valleys" in life and conclude, "There is no God. If there were He would never let us go through such troubles." Another person who looks at those dark valleys and conclude, "It is so comforting that God has gone through them first, so I can trust Him to shepherd me through them. Same facts, but different interpretation. You give some people lemons and they have a sour mouth, others make lemonade!

Kia car makers have plenty of photographic and video evidence of their Test Drive in Death Valley. We, however, have no photos of God with us in the dark valleys. We have only the testimony of others who have been there before us. Psalm 23 is one such testimony: Say this with me, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

AMEN.

"Walk to Emmaus" - May 8, 2011 Sermon

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Scripture: Luke 24: 13-35

The Sermon:
Most of us are familiar with the Emmaus Road story in Luke. Two disciples of Jesus are walking the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, talking about all the things that happened over the last few days. That is something we do, isn’t it? When something really shocking happens, we want to talk with someone about it… we try to process all the "who-what-where-why and how" questions that arise in our minds. If I were not a preacher, I would bet that everyone in this sanctuary who was at least 16yrs old in November of 1963 (Nov. 22nd to be exact) knows where they were and what they were doing on that day.

Cleopas and another unnamed disciple were doing just that… talking about all the shocking things that took place that week. I’m sure it was a heart-breaking experience for them…The Master they had revered, loved and followed suffered a cruel death by crucifixion … their hopes were dashed, their dream was over. Even the reports that Jesus’ tomb was empty did not make them feel any better, it only confused them. Their entire world had come a part. Their thoughts and feelings were summed up in vs.21, "…but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel." By using the past tense…"we HAD hoped…", they were saying that ,"We don’t expect it now, but once we did. We had this thing called hope, but now it’s gone."

Have you ever lost "HOPE"? Once hope is lost, it is very difficult to recover. Some people don’t even want to hope for fear of being let down again. (Personal story by Pastor Jack about his dad and the promise of a new bike)

As they made their way along the road, a stranger began to walk beside them. Now we know that this is going to be the greatest walk they have ever been on, but they were …"kept from recognizing Him." What was Jesus’ purpose in not letting them see who He was? Perhaps it was so that they would be in the same position as we are today…2 thousand years later.

Visual appearances of Jesus ceased at His Ascension. And, like the two on the Road, we have to make do with other people’s testimony that Jesus has indeed risen from the grave. Just like those disciples, we don’t know quite what to make of it. Did it really happen? How did it happen? Somewhere on our "Emmaus" journey, we have to make up our minds as to what we believe!

When Jesus asks them what they are discussing, they begin to pour out their sad story. Jesus, being a loving and compassionate Lord, did not embarrass them by reminding them of what he had already told them about …"unless a seed dies, it abides alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Jesus knew the frailty of strained nerves and confused minds and so he did not suddenly reveal himself and overwhelm them. He slowly and gently revealed himself through Scripture.

The way He dealt with the situation is a good lesson for all of us who are in a position to help those who have lost hope. The 1st thing they need is companionship. Just being present. They need a good listening ear not a stream of advice ! The last thing they need is a "pep" talk and being told to "snap out of it." Remember, they have just gone through a heart-breaking experience.

I am sure we have all heard exciting testimonies of what Jesus has done in the past, but what about the present? The past is history. Here is my question: Is Jesus a present reality in your life? Do we always recognize Jesus when he is beside us? There are a lot of distractions in our lives: work, routine, being tired, ill health, family, etc. These things can grind us down so that we begin to do things mechanically, without real feeling or desire or joy. The world seems hazy from the dust of the earthly road we travel. We lose sight of the glory and strength of His presence with us. However, He is still there! The "unseen" stranger walking with us, listening to us and, if we listen carefully, revealing himself to us just as he did those two disciples. He began with Moses and the prophets he explained what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

That must have been the greatest Old Testament class lesson, ever ! The problem, however, for the disciples was how to make sense of the Cross. Jesus helped them by showing them that the Cross was a creative act of God…using it to reconcile the world to Himself. Turning the Cross of shame and suffering into the Cross of Redemption for all who would repent and have Faith.

When Jesus intrudes into our lives it is for the purpose of blessing us. The problem we have is our response, because sometimes the things he reveals in us are uncomfortable, especially when He invades the private areas of our lives and encroaches in our conscience!

That 2 hour journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus must have seemed like five minutes. They were so wrapped up in the conversation with Jesus, even though they still did not recognize him. As they approached the village, Jesus acted as if he were going to continue on further, but they urged him to stay with them…they wanted to hear more. Jesus is like that…he did not try to force them to let him stay, he waited for an invitation to come in. He is still that way with us… he wants to be invited to be in your life.

You know, God gave to all the world the greatest and yet most perilous gift in the world…that is, the gift of free will. We can use it to invite Christ into our hearts or to let him keep on going. Remember in Revelation 3:19-20 Jesus says, "Here I am, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

In the Emmaus story, we are told that Jesus acted as if he was going on farther. It was a test to see if the disciples had more appetite for the things of God. They did! They urged Jesus strongly to stay with us. That is precisely the sort of invitation Jess cannot resist. He went in to stay with them and in the breaking of the bread, "Their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Immediately they went to tell the others what had happened… it is true, He is risen indeed.

AMEN

"Faith-Quake" - May 1, 2011 Sermon

 

Scripture: Acts 2:14, 22-32 and John 20: 19-31

The Sermon:
There is a story about a Presbyterian minister who explained that he was a Presbyterian "by earthquake." His Grandparents, who were Baptists, moved from Iowa to California many years ago. When they had settled into their home, a Presbyterian pastor came by to visit them and invited them to come to the Presbyterian Church. "I’m a Baptist," replied my grandmother, "it will take an act of God to get me to change." About that time an earthquake shook the home. It lasted for about 30 seconds. Pictures fell from the walls, books and other things fell from the shelves. Being from Iowa, Grandma wasn’t sure what it was, but when it was all over, she told the pastor, "I’ll join!"

Wouldn’t it be great if faith were that easy today? Did you ever wish that God would give you some unmistakable sign… not necessarily an earthquake… but something that would indicate He is interested in your life? Some comedian once said, "God, just give me some sign that you exist. Nothing spectacular, perhaps a million dollars in a Swiss bank account would be a nice gesture."

Actually, that probably would not even work. God would have to do something very dramatic before we would believe it was a miracle! As human beings, we have become very good at explaining EVERYTHING! And when we can’t find a rational reason for something… then we call it an accident; a chance happening.

FAITH IS NOT EASY! I don’t think God ever meant for it to be. It is part of the struggle we go through in order to fit our souls for Heaven!

It had been a tough couple of weeks for the disciples. Everything had happened so fast… too fast! Once moment the crowds were welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem, then only a few days later He was arrested! Shortly after His arrest, he died on a cross! It was understandable that the disciples were in shock. They did not know what to do next. They were afraid because they thought that what happened to Jesus might also happen to them.

Then, early that Sunday morning, Mary found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Peter and another disciple ran to the tomb and discovered that Jesus’ body was not there. Even more dramatically, Mary told them that she had seen and spoken to the risen Christ! HE IS ALIVE!

That evening the disciples were meeting behind closed and locked doors. They had no idea of what all this meant or what was going to happen next. Then, right in the midst of all their confusion, Jesus came and stood among them.

His first words to his disciples were, "Peace be with you." They were afraid at first, but he showed them his hands and side and they rejoiced. Mary had told them the truth, JESUS WAS ALIVE! They could see him with their own eyes. How wonderful it must have been for them! Then Jesus gave them a commission! He said, "AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, SO I SEND YOU!" The disciples now became Apostles. No longer were they simply learning what Jesus taught, now they had the responsibility to carry the message of salvation all over the world. They were to become His voice, his hands and his legs… as they continued the ministry of Jesus.

Then Jesus did a very significant thing. He breathed upon them and said, "RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!" It is important because John, the writer of the Gospel, wanted his readers to know that Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into the disciples, in the same way God breathed life into Adam, the first human.

For some reason, Thomas was not there that first Easter evening. He had not seen the risen Lord as the others had. They said, "THOMAS WE HAVE SEEN THE RISEN LORD!" Thomas, however, was not convinced. Their story just seemed to good to be true. He wanted proof! He said, "Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands, and put my fingers in the nail marks, and my hands in his side, I will not believe."

I guess you could say that Thomas was a realist. He had been hurt and disappointed. He had expected so much from Jesus, and to watch him die on a cross like a common thief… well that was just too much for Thomas to bear. He had his hopes about Jesus shattered once, and now he was going to be careful… He didn’t want to set himself up for another letdown.

How about us? Have you ever had moments of doubt, like Thomas? If you haven’t, you are very exceptional! Do you remember the name Dave Dravecky? Several years ago he was a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. His career was cut short when he lost his arm to cancer. It was a tough time for him and his family. During that time he received many letters from fans and most were very encouraging. He had already publicly professed his faith in God. One day he got a letter that said, "If there is a God who loves you, why did He allow you to lose your arm? I have lived for 41 years and I have yet to see any piece of evidence that there is anything real about any religious belief. Religion is nothing but a crutch used by weaklings who can’t face reality and the church is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites who care nothing for one another, and whose faith is nothing more than a bunch of empty phrases they spout off to impress others."

Well, that is a pretty strong indictment! How would you respond to such a letter? You know, there are a lot of people who have experienced tragedy in their lives and think God has deserted them. Dave Draveky faced many of the same doubts, but his faith made all the difference. HE SHARES HIS FAITH WITH OTHERS! He says, "Anytime we come to God it is an act of faith." When we knock on heaven’s door, no matter how hard or how long, how angrily or how stubbornly, we are saying by our very presence at the door, that WE BELIEVE GOD IS THERE!! We believe that God has an influence on what goes on down here.

People have always struggled with their doubts. The early Christians had just as much trouble believing as we do. Sometimes the periods of doubt lead us to a greater understanding of Faith.

So, about a week after Jesus had appeared to the Apostles, He came to them again, and this time Thomas was with them. Jesus said to him, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out and put your hand in my side." DO NOT DOUBT BUT BELIEVE! Then Thomas made one of the greatest confessions recorded in the Bible. He said, "MY LORD AND MY GOD!" From that day on, Thomas would be risking his life proclaiming the Gospel he once doubted.

JESUS TOLD THE APOSTLES, HOWEVER, THAT THERE IS A BETTER WAY OF COMING TO FAITH. IT IS HEARING AND BELIEVING!

He is saying that, from now on, faith would not be transmitted through earthquakes or bank deposits nor even by a personal visit from the resurrected Christ! FAITH WOULD COME BY ONE PERSON SHARING WITH ANOTHER WHAT THE GOSPEL HAS MEANT IN HIS OR HER LIFE!!!

"Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have faith." From that moment on people would depend on the witness of the previous generation and the personal testimony of those whose lives have been transformed by the power of the indwelling Spirit. Jesus’ words were spoken not only for the disciples but also for us. We are invited to hear the Gospel message and believe.

AMEN.