Bucking Bronco - Genesis 16:1-13

Genesis 16:1-13

NOTE: this is the relatively unabridged version of the sermon.  We actually did something else in the service than just me preaching. The congregation was divided up into four sections and each section was assigned one of the four roles in the narrative: Hagar, Sarai, Abram, and the Angel of the Lord.  The groups discussed the passage from their perspective and then shared/defended their perspective to the rest of the group, with David Anderson helping with the verdict.   This probably could/should have been the whole sermon portion, but I felt obligated to also deliver parts of "sermonette #2 and #3 below, which touch on being part of the household of abraham and domestic violence...WOW, try to squeeze all that in one sermon :). 

We begin a fall study of the old testament.
When’s the last time you picked up the bible and said, I’m going to read a little OT? 
And not just going to the Psalms or Proverbs.

A friend recently told me she doesn’t usually turn to scripture for guidance because when she did this in her past she ran into some OT passage that it just didn’t speak to her, or worse, left her confused or made her feel worse.  

There’s a reason Ben Franklin and many of us become selective about our bible canon,
but Harry and I and the group that meets for bible study on Tuesdays at noon thought it would be a fun fall challenge to check out the Hebrew Scriptures.
So they picked out some passages...
including this one...

So here we go into the Fantastic, Fearful, Far Out world of the Hebrew Bible!

Hop on the Agabus - Acts 11:19-30

Acts 11:19-30

In this sermon, I suggest that we as a community of believers begin to look for more guidance from the Holy Spirit, even more so than scripture...

How come no one names their boys Agabus? 
I searched babynames.com 
And there were two boy names that began A.G.A. -  Agamemnon, and Agapito...no Agabus...

Agabus...I don't know that I'd really ever heard the name Agabus ‘til this past week reading the scripture we’re looking at this morning. 
I've even done the whole bible in a year thing.
I guess, the name Agabus had never really stood out...
nor his role in the formation of the early Christian community.
But it did this week:

Back when the church was not a building....
there was Agabus the prophet.

Let's see what he's up to...SCRIPTURE

The early community of Jesus followers,
as we've seen in this summer series on Acts, has been in the process of discovering who they are:
- A people with a particular calling - following Jesus and sharing his message,
- led by the Holy Spirit they find they are being pushed beyond the bounds of what they thought this mission was about. 

I wonder why this theme of pushing the disciples out beyond their comfort zones happens over and over again in Acts? 

In Out - Acts 11:1-18

Acts 11:1-18

This morning's sermon topic is about who’s in and who’s out... and who decides..

How do we determine who is “in” and who is “out”?

What are some of the lines we draw?

Or what are the ways we find ourselves confined by the determinations of others?

Who is in and who is out - and who decides?

What kinds of lines are drawn or distinctions are made about who’s in and who’s out?

Ask?

A few examples I thought about this past week.

I’m the new head coach of JV soccer at Santa Fe high..I prefer that you call me, Coach Topple from now on :).

Who’s on varsity and who’s on JV?

What else happened this past week that centered around the question who’s in and who’s out?

- Tens of thousands of young undocumented immigrants waited in mile-long lines across the country on Wednesday to take advantage of a new federal policy that may grant them legal status to temporarily remain and work in the United States.

To Hell With Your Money - Acts 8:9-24

Acts 8:9-24

Note: Were I to do this text again, I would focus more on the temptation to sell out and lift up the disciples as an example of not selling out.  Love the illustrations of T. Campolo about some of his former students. 
Intro:(From B Gaventa, Acts, p 137-39:)
“Having briefly depicted the gospel’s powerful arrival among the crowds of Samaria, the evangelist Luke turns to an individual whose response to the gospel is far more complicated.” Simon the magician is impressed by Philip, and by his teachings.  But it seems Luke does not have a positive impression of Simon.
By calling him a magician, he suggests he’s a charlatan.  Jews are strictly prohibited from any involvement in magical practices. (Duet 18:9-14), not just because it is deceptive but because it is associated with idolatry and with the demonic.
Making things worse, Simon has been preaching about himself and his own abilities, which is what the devil suggested Jesus do when he was tempted.

The Samaritans had been fascinated by Simon the Great Magician.
But when Philip comes on the scene they quickly change their allegiance. 
Simon is no longer the one who amazes; but, interestingly, he himself is amazed by Philip’s teachings as well; he believes and was baptized.

When Peter and John come to witness the profound movement of the gospel among the Samaritans; they lay hands on many people who receive the Holy Spirit. 

That does it for Simon. 
He reaches right for his wallet. 

How do the Apostles respond? 

What We See - Acts 3:1-10

Acts 3:1-10
Look ahead,
Look behind.
Look to your left and to your right.
Look all around,

What do you see?
Do you see friends?
Do you see people who care about you
and care for you?

It’s cool to look, to really look and see...
Even for someone who is blind or visually impaired, there is a power in what the mind’s eye can see and imagine. 

What we see is how we experience life.

What did you see on your way to the church this morning? 
What did you see in your home before you left? 
What do we see happening in the world?

What do we see when we see when a person asks us for help...maybe for money?

What about when someone has a physical or mental handicap what do we see?
What do we see?

This summer, at the wonderful suggestion of Harry Eberts, who's in his sixth month being pastor of First Pres, and becoming a fast friend and great colleague, we're going to be looking at the first 12 chapters of the book of Acts. 
Both churches are looking at the early church.
What was the church like back then?
How does that inform how God may be calling us to be church 2000 years later. 

Fasting and Jeremiah 31

Title is link to sermon.  The training exercise was for everyone to fast a meal, give what they think they would have spent on the meal to a Hunger Fund, and pray, when they had a desire to eat, for those who are starving.

Advent4 - Mary

How - Advent3

title is a link

Luke 14:1-15 - “Backscratchin’ Party”

Westminister Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

August 29, 2010, Chester Craig Topple

Do you ever get an itch...while your just sitting in a chair reading, eating, or watching TV, and you try to scratch it but you can’t quite get to it, you reach around, you stretch your arms, you search for some kind of relief.  It gets so bad you have to stand up. What can you do?  just. can’t. reach.  The wall?  A fake wooden hand? Where is a backscratcher when you need it?  

higher higher a little to the left, little more...there, ahhh.

I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine.  Those are good people to have around.

quid pro quo - Something for something.  Do me a favor now, you’ll be sure to get on in return.

It is a very utilitarian way of looking at the world.  We associate with certain people because we know we can get something out of the relationship, and perhaps that person is just as likely to get something out of it to.  In other words, how useful are you to me? How useful am I to you? We all have backs that itch a lot...So we have to see who may be willing to give us a little scratch...

Even 2000 years ago people sought out useful relationships.  Jesus is at a party at a pharisee’s house.  Sounds a little weird....Jesus at a party and he is at a pharisee’s home.  He had been invited by a leader of the religious establishment to hang out...or maybe to be trapped. We don’t know. Jesus didn’t seemed bothered by it either way. He went.

But before he goes inside...he sees someone outside the party.  In fact he was standing right in front of him; almost blocking his way to the door. Someone with a terrible condition- dropsy, swelling-- that leaves him a social outcast...and Jesus couldn’t just walk past him, before going to the party. Jesus heals the man (fourth time he heals on the Sabbath day in Luke--in case you were counting). The man goes away... and in the story doesn’t even say thank you.

Then Jesus goes in and sees all the to do and putting on.  People sitting here are moved to there.  “Why, you are a very important to me, please, come sit here.” “Hi Friend, yes you. You are nice, but you don’t quite meet my needs like this fella here...you mind sliding over?”

Jesus suggests that people should sit far from the place of honor and then get moved up.  And let me tell you, some in this church have done that pretty well...only a few like to sit close to the front....and it’s not to get close to me, no, it’s to get close to (point to the painting). He’s the one who is hosting this party right now...and he’s right there!). The point Jesus is trying to make: The one exalted will be humbled, the one humbled will be exalted.  Don’t think yourself better than anyone else….The humble Jesus exalted on the cross. The humbled Jesus, exalted in resurrection.

Joshua 5: Son, you have a problem

Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe, NM  March 14, 2010

Fourth Sunday of Lent. 

Joshua 5:9-12

“Son, you've got a problem...  I can help, call me.” That was the message Trasie's grandfather --affectionately known as Paw Paw Dan--left on my phone one late afternoon Spring of 2005. Trasie and I had been working outside all day, in what was our first attempt at planting our own vegetable garden.  See, Paw Paw grew up on a farm. And everywhere he went in his life, including a large part of his adult life in Fort Bliss, the base outside of El Paso, Tx, PawPaw always kept amazing gardens...tomatoes, squash, beans, eggplants, cucumbers, lettuce, collard greens, okra, turnips...If it would grow, he would grow it and he did it until the day he died.  He loved it.

He hand wrote for us a how to plant and harvest his favorite crops; so we had to try it out. (Pictures and journal)

But, it wasn't as easy as he made it sound.  We called him a lot while working in the garden: What kind of seeds?  What about the dirt? What about the frost date?

He always had the answer.  But I had to be ready.  If I asked a question that he had already answered, even if he had told me weeks or months earlier, he would say, “SON, You're not listening.”  

He loved that we were getting into it, carrying on this legacy, and so that's why I got the phone call that one afternoon.  "You've got a problem...I can help.”  Turns out, I did have a problem and he helped!

 

How many of your parents or grandparents had a garden? Or even a farm?  

Abram Animal Halves, Genesis 15

Genesis 15: 1-18; Westminister Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe; February 28, 2010

Singing:

Father Abraham had many sons
Many sons had Father Abraham
I am one of them and so are you
So let's all praise the Lord.
Right arm!
Father Abraham had many sons
Many sons had Father Abraham
I am one of them and so are you
So let's all praise the Lord.
Right arm, left arm!
Father Abraham had many sons
Many sons had Father Abraham
I am one of them and so are you
So let's all praise the Lord.
Right arm, left arm, right foot!

Alright! I was at presbytery meetings all day Friday and Saturday.
I thought singing this together would make for a great sermon. 

How bout, one more verse…Father Abraham…no?

Okay.  Actually, I’m kind of wondering how you reacted to this passage Rachel read about Abram…aka father Abraham. What stood out to you from this ancient text?  What about Abram’s whining to God about his heir being a slave?  [Offensive to me]. What about God encouraging a colonialist conquistador attitude in Abram? Giving Abram land to possess that is already possessed?  

And how bout Abram getting his butcher groove on? slicing through animals…eesshh

You know I have options when choosing passages to preach on. But, for some reason, this was the passage that stayed with me for this second sunday of lent. 

As we are thinking about our own Lenten journeys, As we are living into sacrificing, altering, or taking on of certain lifestyle practices as a way to re-imagine Jesus’ experience in the wilderness, and understand better the way of the cross—And for many of us this has meant attempting to reduce our fossil fuel intake because we see it as an issue of justice...

This passage about Abram stuck.  And I want to share, briefly, three reasons why (unusual for me to preach a three point sermon but here goes).

Christ The King Sunday

“Meet Cristo Rey, He goes by Chris.”

Christ The King Sunday, Nov 22, 2009, WPC Santa Fe

John 18:33-37

Can you imagine meeting Cristo Rey?   Translated: Christ the King.   

Actually, I met a young man the other day...and his name was Cristo Rey.  He went by Chris…

Today Churches around the world celebrate the Reign of Christ. So, what does that mean? We don't really have kings to compare it to—as much as any of our presidents would like to act as kings, they aren't.  And Sander van Doorn, former member of this church from the Netherlands, now living in Switzerland said he was never very impressed by his monarchical figure. But as people of faith we declare: Christ is our King.  So we imagine ...  

I suppose one aspect of having a king is subjugation.  Submitting.  Bowing, if you will.  This isn’t so easy, right…I mean, we Americans don’t bow, que no? Obama clearly forgot this on his recent trip to Japan…But, Look! Christ is just there in the back, making his way down the red carpet.  What would you do? Would you bow?

My Robe's getting longer Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12:38-44; 1 Kings 17:8-16 , Nov 8, 2009

Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

On Nov 22 we are going to have a good meal together, courtesy of Kevin Hart and his crew.We’ll recognize thanksgiving and give thanks for all our many blessings; And then we are going to turn in our pledge cards.  It’s part of what we call "stewardship." Of course when we talk about stewardship it means being good stewards of or taking care of what’s been entrusted to us—through the offering of our time, our talent, and our treasure to take care of the church and live out it’s mission; but really, when we talk about stewardship--it means money...it means we fill out a blue slip and try to make a go out of church and ministry for another year. We can dream big and set a big budget and think of all the wonderful ways we can be church and keep a roof over our heads.

But of course, this is Nov 22, and we are only at Nov 8.  Gives us a few weeks to start thinking and praying about what kind of commitment each of us might be able to make.And to put things in perspective we have two stories of two widows, who may teach us a little about stewardship this morning.

The first widow we find in 1^st kings:  She’s faced with a dilemma. A crazy person[1]—the prophet Elijah—is challenging her hospitality. First he requests a little water. "Okay, sure." Then, then he requests a little food, just a small morsel of bread…but it’s the last of what she has. She tells him, “ I'm gonna cook what I’ve got for me and my son, so we can eat it and die”....uff.,  Gloomy situation. But, real life. Some mother's face this dilemma. 

What do you do when the cupboard is bear...there is nothing to eat?   nothing left?   Runnin on empty, account’s run dry.  What would be your response to God?  ?  Give away to a stranger? Give up?   Or keep living for another day? 

Elijah assures her that her jar will be filled….and she trusts, gives Elijah some bread, and low and behold, "The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah." A powerful testimony of generosity, of trust, coming to a point of desperation and acting with bold generosity. 

So what does this teach us about stewardship? Giving? If we have reached the last of what we’ve got, do we give? Or if we have a whole lot, especially compared to this widow…do we give?

Sell Everything Rumage sale

Westminister Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

Mark 10:17-31

October 11, 2009

Cost of discipleship:  Sell everything

Last night was a special night.  I had a blast at the Spanish Supper. Great food, Good company.  An interesting dance performance,  Good singing ;). It’s a good fund raiser, people chipping in to help out even as they enjoy the evening. So are we ready to do another fund raiser? I was thinking about a yard sale….A rummage sale—that’s the word right? Now before you object: I know this church has put on some pretty impressive rummage sales.  I’ve seen the evidence: -boxes labeled Rummage Sale, with markers and labels.. -clothes rack and hangers.  These things used to be huge. 

Speaking of huge rummage sales: there was this Baptist church, not far from where I grew up, and they had this huge yard and this huge yard sale every year.  They started dragging stuff out there on Monday of the week before.  And covered the stuff up with tarp—big blue tarp—tarp city. You should have seen the people as they drove by. slow down, roll down their windows and just gawk, Wow…look at all that stuff.  Sales would begin Thursday morning at 7 am, and the line to buy stuff would stretch for a mile down Clairemont Ave, If there was any grass ever exposed because too much had sold they would go back to these storage trucks and bring more stuff out!  And the sale would last for three days!  Three Days!  It had to end before Sunday because you know Baptists don’t work on Sunday.

Trasie and I went to it a few years ago, and gawked and looked and touched, and bought a few things. Some of which is sitting in our crawl space—I’m sure there’s a perfect place in our house for it. When I went to pay, I asked the woman at the register (yes they had registers), so how much do yall usually make at this thing? 
Well last year we made $40k.  And what do you plan to use the money for?  

Our church youth group. Hmm. $40 grand for the youth program; wow.

Well, let me drop the idea of yard sale for a second and talk about a different sale going on. We continue our series on the cost of discipleship…and today’s passage, today’s challenge of Jesus may be the most liberating…or perhaps the most challenging we’ve had yet.  I mean, before Jesus was just telling us if we want to become disciples…we just needed to become like children.  Piece of cake

Or if we wanted to deny ourselves and take up our cross… ha, that’s nothing compared to today’s challenge! Because see today…Jesus is getting personal. He’s talking about our stuff.

[act it out]Here comes the man to Jesus.  He is dignified, he’s thought about this for a long- time; He has a lot of stuff, and Jesus has something else he wants.  A good consumer.  He bows, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.”

What must I do…hmm.

Jesus response:

“why do you call me good, no one is good but God alone.” A loaded statement, We can talk about after church.

“You know the commandments, Jesus presumptuously tells the man…

Indeed he does—such a good student—he even drops the good,

“Teacher, I have kept these since my youth!” 

He’s just beaming! Jesus looks at him, and loves him, the passage says, what detail. 

No judgement, no contempt, Does Jesus want what’s best for the man?   Good, but you lack on thing.  Sell your stuff, give the money to the poor, and follow me.

How’s that for a plan for redistribution of wealth? It’s very systematic.

He doesn’t say give your stuff away.  He says sell it—so as to get into the pockets of those who can afford to buy the stuff—and then give the money away to the poor.

Don’t give your stuff to them…it might corrupt them. Give them money, something that they can use, to buy food, to be able to live in a decent place.  It levels the playing field.  Then, then follow me. 

What an invitation Right! I mean it’s Jesus we’re talking about…inviting that guy to follow, to hang out..to be with him!  Is this guy excited or what..I mean Jesus gave him an answer.. told him exactly what to do! Woo HOO! What was that man’s reaction? SHOCKED…and grieved. He had been so happy, what had made him so sad now?

A decision: follow Jesus or follow what we in our society call the pursuit of happiness, the acquiring, the possessing, the taking of more stuff. A consumerist’s dilemma. I’ve got everything that I could ever want, just give me one more thing: assurance of eternal life. Is this Jesus saying: you can’t buy your way into heaven.

Do you remember when you first encountered Jesus?  Did you take the initiative and go to him and say, Good TEACHER…what must I do to inherit eternal life? OR did Jesus come to you, and say, drop your nets and follow me..  Sell your stuff or drop your nets, either way you’ve got to give something up to follow.  Right?

See why this is may be the hardest price to pay of discipleship for many of us…?  Even the disciples are thrown off by what Jesus says especially when he starts talking about a camel and a needle.  Where did he come up with that?

Who can enter the kingdom of God? They gasp. 

And Jesus throws them a little incy wincy tiny tiny bone:  Well, for mortals, it’s impossible, but for God…?   So, you’re saying there’s a chance.[1] 

But the disciples are like….Look Jesus we’ve left everything..are we okay?  Having left everything, the disciples wrestle hard with this issue…And do we, will all of our stuff, do we wrestle? I love it when we can say about God, and the bible it’s a both/ and scenario.  The bible is both inspired by God and written by humans. Jesus is God and human. You can have a lot of stuff, and you can participate in the kingdom of God.  Hmm. Is that what Jesus says?

That’s the way most people read this passage:

Try to explain it away.  “Well, that just applied to that man, not to me.” Is that what you think?

Or they spiritualize it and say,

“so long as my things don’t own me, they don’t possess me, then I can follow God and have my stuff.” Does that make sense?

Or say, well God is in charge of everything, if I have a lot of stuff, it’s because I have been blessed by God.

And who’s approach is to just not bother reading it..Is that that story about that rich guy…quick turn the page!  turn the page!

I don’t think most people in America, where we consume more than any other place in the world, really like this story: I don’t.  I know I have too much stuff…, and how does the stuff affect my life and my discipleship? 

We had a yard sale recently because we needed to get rid of things—declutter a bit, simplify. .  We filled up our drive way with stuff, and we still could have put more stuff out there. We thought it would be nice to declutter a bit…simplify our lives.  What do you think our plan was for the proceeds? Oh, how pious do you think we are? We wanted to sell our stuff so that we could buy a dishwasher.   Remember, we’re simplifying our lives J. My excuse: I hadn’t prepared for this sermon yet, otherwise, I’m sure I would have given the money to the poor.

There I go talking about rummage sales again.

I think most american’s don’t like this story because we, like that rich man, see Jesus as a threat to our very identity.  If we don’t have our stuff, who are we? If we don’t have our stuff, are we secure? If we don’t have our stuff, will others think we are successful? It’s so engrained and it starts at an early age:  What do we tell our children.  To get an education, why? So they can get a good job. Why? SO they can make money. Why? So they can buy a lot of stuff! This story is about stuff, it’s about wealth, and what Jesus says flies in the face of his Jewish culture that would have viewed this man Jesus talks to as one blessed, one favored by God, and it flies in the face of our culture, both the secular society that would place all meaning and value on accumulation of possessions and wealth, and a Christian culture that has been seduced by the allures of this world, and preaches prosperity and wealth are blessings from God. Jesus says SELL IT…give the money away…and follow me!

How did that rich man feel?  How do you feel?  Is Jesus trying to torment him?

Does Jesus say this to make us feel bad?  I feel bad….

But I don’t think that’s Jesus’ intention.  He loved him…Is it possible that Jesus wants what’s best for him, for us…and for the thousands are people in the world who don’t have enough to eat because of a screwed up economic system that sucks up all the resources and world goods from poor places and fills the belly of rich places to the point that we are sick to our stomachs.

It’s John who’s more direct about this than Jesus. 1 John 3:17:

¹⁷How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

Is there good news?

He looks at the man, and loves him, and says come along…live a life you’ve never imagined living before. Don’t be dooped by empire!  Come and live into the kingdom of God now. Begin living your best life now…get rid of your stuff.

Can we see that there is any good news in this message?

[Solicit responses.]

I have to say a few theological things about this passage that I think are good news: 

First, the man wonders what he needs to do:  And that’s what we often wonder too. What do we need to do to inherit eternal life.  There is nothing we can do.  We are saved by grace and grace alone. It is what God does.  Second, Jesus reassures us, even after the camel and the needle thing: that nothing is impossible for God. 

It’s kind of like Jesus bringing us to the edge of our pews, and before we fall off, he gives us reassurance. But the invitation is still there, for the rich man—for us: Sell your stuff, give it to the poor, and follow me. 

And wouldn’t it be awesome if we as a community of faith, before we told any individual or any kid that they need to live a sacrificial lifestyle, that we modeled together that sacrificial lifestyle, for all the world to see.

Ok, back to the rummage sale:

I wonder what would happen if we had a huge rummage sale, as big as that one at the Baptist church.  I bet we could, especially with this passage in mind..I bet our small church, and some of our friends could really go through our homes and take out all the stuff that we don’t need, and bring it here to the church, and put it in the parking lot and set up tarps, and just start selling it, even on a  Sunday…we can just take a break at 11 for worship...And when people see how much money we’re making, when they ask us what we’re going to use the money for, we can say…

to build a second story educational wing to our church (so much for the new roof)..

TO buy the liquor store.  For new counter tops J, and a new stove.  (sorry ladies)

No!

We can say, did you hear about the need to pay for a homeless shelter in town..we are doing it to help cover the cost so that no one freezes in this town this winter, and everyone who comes in gets to eat.

We can say, did you hear of all the kids who are starving in the world, I think there are like some 30000 who die about ever day from lack of food and malnutrition, and no good drinking water. We’re going to help to give them food. 

Hope you enjoy that dvd player!

What would the people think of us then.  That we were crazy?

Sure they would.  And we’d go home and say, what happened to all my stuff. How liberating! 

We would be assured of one thing: We would be well on our way of following.
We would be well on our way to entering the kingdom of God. Follow me!

The invitation is there. The invitation, that sweet liberating, challenging invitation.

I don’t care how young or old you are, there it is.  Rummage sale, here we come, and let’s see what the kingdom is all about. 

---

[1] Dumb and Dumber