http://www.sharingchristslove.org/index.htmlSermonsenPastor Jeff BeebeCopyright 2007 St. Paul Lutheran2008-05-11T08:56:30-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Mon, 12 May 2008 08:57:41 -0500Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-05-11T08:56:30-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/8d0cfa22e2113616fa5feef4a581217d-52.html#unique-entry-id-52http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/8d0cfa22e2113616fa5feef4a581217d-52.html#unique-entry-id-52
Today’s message is in outline form, based on Martin Luther’s teaching on the Holy Spirit, found in his explanation of the third article of the Apostle’s Creed.

I. Introduction

I will quote from memory, Luther’s explanation. “I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort, believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and kept me in true faith,

In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian on earth, and keeps it united with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

For those of my generation, who attended confirmation and did memorization, those words may sound familiar. Luther’s explanation. Particularly good description of work of H.S.

Day of Pentecost is day we remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church. Talk about what Luther says about the Spirit. First, general comments about the Spirit. The Spirit is intentionally nebulous. Can’t ever fully grasp it’s meaning or work. Wide range of understanding. Wild, chaotic, as in lesson from Acts. Celtic Christianity uses the wild goose as the symbol for the Spirit. But we also have a gentler image of the Spirit. The Dove is a symbol. In today’s gospel, Jesus breathes on them, as the disciples receive the Spirit. Wide range of understandings and practices, reflected in our Christian churches. Wild Pentecostals to subdued Scandinavian Lutherans. What does Luther say?


II. Body

Luther uses five verbs, five action words to describe the work of the Spirit. The Spirit is “God in action”
Calls us to faith. Can’t do that ourselves. The Spirit of God does it. How? Through the gospel. Thru the message of God’s love in Jesus Christ. There is no other way. That’s why we have preachers. Peter preached and 3000 believers were brought to faith on that first Pentecost. But not just preachers. It’s all believers, sharing their faith in word and deed. Music, Sunday school, confirmation, Bible camps, mission trips, Bible studies- in so many ways the Spirit’s call goes forth.

Gathers believers into Christian community. Pentecost- birthday of the church. Came together for worship, fellowship, learning, service, support. No isolated, individuals, in NT Christianity. People are in community.

Face to face is best. But internet is changing this. Give Facebook example, Modest in Tanzania joining and asking me to be his “friend.” We are connected, but face to face is always best

Enlightens Confirmation curriculum, from Head to Heart. The light bulb comes on. This is a real relationship with God that is possible. Often this is in the teenage years, as you begin to think more abstractly about place in the world. But enlightenment can happen any time, as we grow and mature in faith. Gives us insight as we discern God’s direction in our livesd.

Sanctifies- to make holy. None of us is holy in and of ourselves. We are made holy by God’s action in Christ on the cross. Any growth in righteousness, as we mature in faith, is entirely the Spirit’s work

Keeps During rough times, times of doubt, times of sin, other trials, it is the Holy Spirit that guards and protects us. Keeps us in faith. There is comfort here. In Baptism, we are sealed, branded, by the Holy Spirit. We trust the Spirit will keep us, and God’s church, in his care. It’s not up to us. The Spirit keeps us in faith.

III. Conclusion- Many different ways to understand the Spirit, from Wild Goose to Dove of peace. No better overall perspective than Martin Luther’s 5 verbs. Calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps. May the Holy Spirit work in our lives in this way. Amen



]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-04-27T20:30:35-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/0890a67df6ffcd9958b3a732b17e7a42-51.html#unique-entry-id-51http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/0890a67df6ffcd9958b3a732b17e7a42-51.html#unique-entry-id-511 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21

Dear friends in Christ,

I read a testimony by a pastor, Dr. Arthur Caliandro, that he wrote about how God used a young man on the maintenance staff of his church to help him through a small mini-crisis of faith he was experiencing. As you may be aware, it is not uncommon for Latino families to give their little boys the name of Jesus. And, of course, they call them Jesús, which was this custodian’s name. One night Dr. Caliandro finished a meeting in the church and went to his office to retrieve his coat. When he got there, the lights were on and the door was open, which was unusual. He noticed that someone had painted the door, and on the side of the wall by the door there was a note written which said this: “Dear Sir, do not close the door.” It was signed, “Jesus.” Dr. Caliandro smiled. He was amused by that. “Dear Sir, do not close the door.” Signed, “Jesus.” As Caliandro went on home, he realized there was a message for him in that little note. In his little faith crisis, when his faith had dulled and he was wondering if God was really present, he needed to keep the door open and once again to reconnect with God.

We are nearing the end of the Easter season in the church year. As I have been reading the lessons each week it has struck me that I don’t ever remember there being such a stark contrast between the words of hope and promise we’ve heard each Sunday, and the depressing and fearful words we’ve heard the rest of the week. This past week I was watching the Today show one morning and they were talking about an article someone had written about why, because of the high food costs, now might be the time to start stockpiling food. The cost of gas has risen 50 cents a gallon from the beginning of Easter 6 weeks ago. Housing prices continue to tumble. O, and by the way, are you aware that the cost of stamps are increasing again on May 12th? Not much good news coming at us during the week.

But, in contrast, listen to these words from Peter and John today. “Do not fear, what they fear.” “Do not be intimidated.” “Who will harm you?” “I will give you another advocate.” “”I will not leave you orphaned.” “You in me, I in you.” “The hope that is in you.” Those are words of hope and promise that jump right out at you as we read the texts. That’s why the words of scripture are so important, to provide another way of understanding. That’s why we share a message and gather for worship each week, to be reminded there is another way, a sharp contrast from what we hear elsewhere.

As I thought about all the troubles we’ve been hearing about these weeks, I decided it was time to look at it from a spiritual point of view. I think that’s what pastors, in particular, are called to do. I want to explore with you this morning the spiritual question, “What might God be trying to teach us during these trying economic times, that everyone is now feeling?” And I want to suggest, as Pastor Caliandro learned from “Jesus,” that we not close the door on what God can do.

As I think about the current economic crisis from a spiritual point of view, there are at least three questions that I need to ask. These are three questions that perhaps God is asking all of us to consider, as we’re feeling the anxiety of our times.

The first is, “What do I really need and value?” What’s truly important? When everything is going good, we don’t even think about this. Why would we? Life is good! We’ve got everything we need and then some. But the tough times force us to think this through, bring us back to the basics, and maybe that’s part of what God wants us to do during this time.

Since we’re all so very different, this is a question that only you can answer for yourself. We all make choices around what we own and value, based on who we. But that’s something we can all take a look at. Difficult times cause us to do that. Do I really need all those clothes in that closet? How much time am I giving to my family? Am I taking care of my health? How much of what I want, do I really need? What do I value? These are questions that perhaps God is wanting us to ask ourselves during this time.

A second question that I, as a Christian, am forced to wrestle with during difficult times is, “Do I trust God’s promises?” Do I truly believe what God, in God’s Word, says? Today’s lessons are full of these promises. In John 14, Jesus is preparing his disciples for that time when he will no longer be physically present with them. He promises them they will not be left alone. “I will not leave you orphaned,” he says. He promises them the Holy Spirit, another advocate, the Spirit of truth to guide them. Peter says, “Do not fear? Who will harm you? He’s speaking to the early church, facing persecution. Even if you do suffer, he says, you will be blessed.

When things are going well, we tend to think only about ourselves, that we can handle life quite nicely on our own. But when things are not so good, it forces us to re-think that. Do I really believe these promises of God, that God is present and that God will guide me through, or do I not believe it? Spiritually, the tough times can have the positive effect of bringing us back on our knees to God and trusting in those most basic promises. Rather than approaching life with panic when things go bad, we can step back, push the pause button, hear the promises fresh again, and then figure out how we are being led.

In one of his films, Charlie Chaplin plays a prisoner being transported to jail, but his boat is shipwrecked. At the film’s beginning, he is sitting on a beach looking at an iron clasp around his leg attaching him to a ball and chain. The whole film shows him relating to this ball and chain, attempting to escape its weight.

First he thinks he will humor the ball and chain. “When its guard is down, I will dash away,” he thinks. So he makes little jokes to distract the ball and chain and then he tries to run away from it, only to fall into the sand.

Scratching his head, wondering what to do next, he decides that he can outsmart the ball and chain. He gets up and tries to walk away--and again falls into the sand. As he becomes more thoughtful, his next strategy is one of reason. “I know. I will talk to it! I will reason with it!” but, again, down he goes into the sand.

Now, at the end of his patience, he pretends the ball and chain are not there. He kicks sand over it, and for a while it looks as if his problem has vanished. Thinking he has solved his dilemma, he strides to the end of the chain. Down he goes.

At this point, the insight finally dawns. Like a light turning on in Chaplin’s head, he realizes that he can’t solve this problem alone. If he is going to be helped, it has to come from the outside. In the last scene, he is seen looking upward in hope of rescue.

When we are in times of distress, that is our hope as well. We are not orphans. We are not alone in this world. We have a Savior, a Redeemer. Someone watches over us and cares for us. Jesus says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you . . .” Do I believe this? Do I trust God’s promises? These are questions the tough times force us to face.

And then the final spiritual question I think we need to ask is, “Because of faith, can I act differently from what the world is expecting?” Because I trust the promise of God’s presence, do I have the courage to stand up and, if necessary, go against what the majority of people are doing? Do I trust God enough to do the right and best thing, even though it may not be what everyone else does?

Peter is encouraging these early Christians to do just that. “Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good?” he asks. “Even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed,” he says. “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting of the hope that is in you,” he tells his readers.

We’re living in a time of high anxiety. The temptation, even in faith and ministry is to circle the wagons and shut things down. That’s what is happening in much of what we read about every week. Times are tough. But as my father used to tell me when I was a kid, and maybe your parents did as well, “Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean you have to it as well.” This should be especially true for believers, who have all the promises of God upon which to draw.

We have a great opportunity for us as a church to act differently than expected in the matching gift opportunity that Chris spoke about. At a time when lots of ministries in neighboring churches are being scaled back, and staff and programs are being cut, two families have stepped up and offered a very generous matching gift, so that does not have to happen here. All the rest of us need to do is step up in a similar way, go against the grain, and give more, not less, to make it happen. “Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? asks Peter. In doing the right and best thing, I know this church, and many others, will be blessed.

Tough times are here, there’s no denying that. This economic downturn is being felt by everyone every time we fill up the tank. So now that God’s got our attention, what is God our maker asking us to think about? How about these spiritual questions. What do I really need and value? Do I trust God’s promises? Because of my faith, do I have the courage to act differently than what the world is expecting? When times are tough, it’s tempting to give up. But that’s not what believers, backed by the promises of our Lord, are called to do. Rather, we move forward with hope and trust. Or, as Pastor Caliandro learned, “Do not close the door, signed Jesus.” Amen ]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-04-13T08:30:00-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/b4c3532de2656d0c120a74ec3d96cad5-50.html#unique-entry-id-50http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/b4c3532de2656d0c120a74ec3d96cad5-50.html#unique-entry-id-50John 10:1-10

Dear friends in Christ,

The last couple weeks we’ve looked at the resurrection confidence expressed by Peter in the book of Acts and in I Peter. I’ve tried to make the point that, in a time when so many people lack confidence in the future, Christians, of all people, who believe the resurrection, ought have confidence in God’s presence and be a witness of that confidence to others. Remember last week how Peter said we have been born anew with an imperishable seed? That’s a great message of hope. We have within us the seed that grows to eternal life, which nothing, not even death, can destroy. Life is difficult for many right now, but because of the resurrection, we can look forward with confidence.

Again this morning we see this idea shine through. Only this time it comes from the words of Jesus himself in the gospel lesson. After talking about shepherds and sheep and thieves and the gate to the sheepfold, Jesus concludes, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” This is a wonderful verse of scripture, affirming the great gift of life we have been given. Much like John 3:16, this is a verse we should all commit to memory. “I came they may have life, and have it abundantly.” It’s a verse that I think of often as I live my life each day.

Don’t we all want an abundant life? I think we do. Whether things are going very well, or we’re going through a rough spot, I think we all want to feel like we’re living an abundant life. The question is, what is this abundant life that Jesus promises? And how do we live it? That’s what I’d like to talk about this morning.

Perhaps it’s best to begin by saying what the abundant life is not. It is not the so called “good life” defined by our culture that consists of wealth and possessions. Too often this verse is misused by prosperity preachers and others and read as an endorsement of their extravagant, materialistic lifestyle. They equate the abundant life to living in the lap of luxury. Since we all like to have nice things, it’s tempting to buy into this idea and get lured into thinking that the abundant life is all about having things, the accumulation of toys.

Someone once saw an epitaph on a tombstone that read like this: “ Mary Jones: She died of things.” The tombstone next to hers read, “Steven Jones: He died providing things for her.” That’s both kind of funny and sad. Life gets defined by what we have and what we use, rather than who we are and what we might become. Right now, for example, would you say Brittany Spears has an abundant life? She can have anything she wants. But she’s obviously not happy. She’s troubled and searching. The abundant life is not the “good life” of money and possessions we so often think about in our culture.

To understand what Jesus meant by the abundant life, we need to look back at the lesson. All of the lessons for the day have the imagery of sheep and shepherd. We are the sheep, God is the shepherd. Psalm 23 begins, “The Lord is my shepherd . . .” In John’s gospel, we are sheep herded into a pen for the night. Being compared to sheep isn’t all that complimentary, but it is probably a good description of the human condition. The point is, of course, that we have a Shepherd--One who looks after us and protects us. And this leads to some powerful insights about abundant life.

Let’s begin with this: The person who has abundant life hears and recognizes Jesus’ voice. John writes, “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” Picture a large sheepfold, a place of safety for the night, with multiple flocks of sheep cared for by multiple shepherds. When a shepherd enters, the sheep know the voice of their shepherd, and follow only him. From this we learn that the key to an abundant life is not the accumulation of things, it is rather to recognize the voice of the Shepherd in your life. It is to listen and be guided by Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in all that we do.

The lesson says the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd. They trust it. They are familiar with it.

The only way to hear and follow the voice of Jesus is to become familiar with it. There are lots of voices, there is lots of noise, and lots of causes in the world seeking our attention. But if we want to be guided by the Good Shepherd, we have to become familiar with His voice.

We do so by listening for God in prayer, in the counsel of trusted friends, and especially where God speaks most clearly, which is in worship and His Word. Here we find his promises. In times of distress and pain, when we feel we cannot take another step along the pathway of suffering, we hear his voice, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. " (John 14:27). When our faith has faltered and the way forward seems dark, his voice says "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me" (John 14:1). When we are uncertain of life's purpose, confused about what makes life good and true, we hear his voice say: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, full of grief for one we loved or aware our life will soon come to an end, his voice says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet will they live ..." (John 11:25).

Abundant life begins with listening and knowing the voice of Jesus. When we know it, we trust it, and the shepherd’s voice becomes our guide. In the flurry of voices that fill the world, we listen for the sound of the voice we know best, the voice that speaks compassionately, mercifully, lovingly and hopefully. That is the voice of our shepherd, the voice we follow.

The lesson says the sheep hear and they follow in the footsteps of the shepherd. They go, the way he goes. Here we learn that the abundant life is found as we seek to follow the path of our savior.

You know, Jesus had it all. With the Father and Spirit in heaven, there was no greater position. No amount of earthly wealth or power could come close to what Jesus already had. But what does he do? He obediently gives it all up, taking the form of a servant, to become one of us. And as if becoming one of us wasn’t enough, he even gives himself over to the Father’s will to suffer and die a terrible death on the cross. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only son.” God and Jesus showed such love for us. We are now called to follow the Shepherd’s steps, the way of love and service for one another. That’s the way to an abundant life.

One day a man stopped in a convenience store to get a newspaper. He noticed that the owner of the store had tears in his eyes and kept looking out the window. He asked what was going on.

The store owner said, “Do you see that bus bench over there? There’s a woman who comes there every day around this time. She sits there for about an hour, knitting and waiting. Buses come and go, but she never gets on one and no one ever gets off for her to meet. The other day, I brought her a cup of coffee and sat with her for a while. I learned her only son lives a long way away. She last saw him two years ago, when he boarded one of the buses right there. He is married now, and she has never met her daughter in law or seen their new child. She told me, ‘It helps to come here and wait. I pray for them as I knit little things for the baby, and I imagine them in their tiny apartment, saving money to come home. I can’t wait to see them.’”

The reason the owner was looking out the window at that particular moment was that the three of them--the son, his wife and their small child--were just getting off the bus. The look on the woman’s face when this small family fell into her arms was one of pure joy. And this joy only increased when she looked into the face of her grandchild for the first time. The store owner commented, “I’ll never forget that look as long as I live.”

The next day the same man returned to the convenience store. The owner was again behind the counter. Before the store owner could say or do anything, the customer said, “You sent her son the money for the bus tickets, didn’t you?”

The store owner looked back with eyes full of love and a smile and replied, “Yes, I sent the money.” Then he repeated his statement from the day before, “I’ll never forget that look as long as I live.” This man had discovered a measure of the abundant life through his act of love and service.

And finally, Jesus says these words in the lesson. “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” This is a different image than the shepherd. Here Jesus is the way into life and salvation. To receive the abundant life, we trust this way, and no other. Thieves and bandits want to find other ways into the sheepfold. But believers trust this way, the way of Jesus, the gate to the abundant life.

Martha Beck, in her book, Expecting Adam, tells the story of the struggles, fears, and pain associated with giving birth and raising a Down’s Syndrome child. It also tells how the birth of Adam not only changed her and her husband’s understanding of what it means to be a ‘normal’ human being, but also transformed their lives. Near the end of the book Martha writes: “I have discovered that many of the things I thought priceless are as cheap as costume jewelry, and much of what I labeled worthless was, all the time, filled with the kind of beauty that directly nourishes my soul. Now I think that the vast majority of us ‘normal’ people spend our lives trashing our treasures and treasuring our trash.”

Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” It’s not about wealth or possessions. It’s about listening for the Shepherd’s voice, following the Shepherd’s path of love and service, and trusting the gate to life and salvation. In a world that says the good life is measured by wealth and possessions, may we know the abundant life that comes through following Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Amen


]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-04-06T12:44:51-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/1c4d111c6376bde4530935fda699b330-49.html#unique-entry-id-49http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/1c4d111c6376bde4530935fda699b330-49.html#unique-entry-id-491 Peter 1:17-23

Dear friends in Christ,

If you were here last Sunday, you will recall that the focus of my message was on confidence. We are living in a time where people have very little confidence in their lives or in the future. The consumer confidence level fell to a five year low in March, and the consumer expectation index, which measures the outlook for the future, is at a 35 year low. Not since the days of the Arab oil embargo and Watergate have people felt so uncertain about the future.

Last week I said gas had moved to $3.15/gallon locally, and now it’s at $3.29. Another airline, ATA, shut down and went into bankruptcy, caught by the high fuel costs and decline in travel. In addition to the economy there are political issues, especially the war in Iraq, that bring discouragement, not to mention the local issues we hear about around here. I heard this week of a New York Times poll again confirming our lack of confidence, indicating 81% of Americans are feeling the country is moving in the wrong direction.

The message of last week’s sermon was that although all of this is very real, we, of all people, who believe the good news of Christ’s resurrection, ought live our lives with confidence. Although Peter and the other disciples at times lacked confidence in God and God’s plan, all of that changed with the resurrection. Peter in the book of Acts and in the letters he wrote that are part of the New Testament, speaks with confidence and boldness about God’s presence in his life and the world.

Well, this is such an important message for us in these discouraging times, that I decided to follow up the theme with a sequel. Again today we hear from Peter in both Acts and 1 Peter, and again his confidence shines through. So let’s call this message, “Confidence Continued,” and I want to focus more on how Peter says we receive this resurrection confidence in our lives.

My main focus today is going to be on the very last verse of the second lesson, 1 Peter 1:23. It is here we find Peter’s understanding of what I’m calling “resurrection confidence.” Here he tells us how we can receive this confidence. Here we read that he boldly says believers have been “born anew.” I wonder if Peter was aware of the conversation Jesus had with a Pharisee named Ni¬codemus, a story recorded in the third chapter of John’s Gospel. In that conversation Jesus told Nicodemus that if he wanted to see the Kingdom of God he would need to be born again. “How can an old man come out of the womb again?” he asked. And Jesus told him that it was spiritual rebirth he was referring to. This re-birth begins in this life and continues to eternal life when the flesh dies.

It is the Holy Spirit, working through the words and witness of others, that brings about this spiritual re-birth in a person’s life. It certainly happened for Peter and the other disciples. On Good Friday they were lost. After seeing and hearing of the resurrection, they were found again. They received the Holy Spirit. They went forward with their lives with full confidence in God’s presence. I know God continues to this day to work the miracle of spiritual re-birth in people’s lives. Sometimes people can point to a very specific time that they remember God entering their lives in a special way. Sometimes it’s a more gradual process. Either way, God brings about a spiritual re-birth, the gift of faith, and that then becomes the key guiding principle in a person’s life. Spiritual re-birth brings about the resurrection confidence Peter shows in his words and actions.

Peter then goes on to give a picture of what occurs in this new life, when one is born anew. The image is a seed. He says we have been born anew “not of perishable but imperishable seed.” Now I don’t know about you, but I’m glad spring is finally pushing winter aside. Some of you are gardeners, and you are already thinking about what seeds to plant, what vegetables and flowers you’d like to grow this year. You can’t wait to run your hands through the warm soil and begin planting.

I’m looking at my lawn. It’s a mess right now, and it’s going to take some work to make it look decent again. There’s picking up after the dog, gathering up all the sticks from the branches that fell over winter, and then raking. Another thing I’m planning to do is fertilizing the lawn with a fertilizer that has a pre-emergent crabgrass killer. What this does is kill the thousands of tiny crabgrass seeds lying in my lawn waiting to germinate when the soil temperature warms up. I don’t know if it’s a particularly “green” thing to be doing, but it does stop the crabgrass from taking over by killing the seeds.

Peter tells us that all who are born anew are planted with an “imperishable” seed. It’s not something that can be killed or will later die off. What a promise that is. God, through the Spirit, plants this seed in us and it is imperishable. That should fill us all with confidence. Even though things are really tough right now in many ways, we have an imperishable seed growing in us, a gift from God.

And this imperishable seed of faith really is a gift. It grows because God makes it grow. Spiritual growth in our lives is not intended to be a burden, something we have to work at or strive for.

Think about those seeds you’ll be planting in your garden. You can provide good soil. You can provide nutrients. You can provide water. But the seed does the growing. It doesn’t strive to become a carrot or a cucumber or a green bean. It grows into what it is intended to be.
So it is with our spiritual lives. We don’t make ourselves grow in Christ. It happens when we yield our lives to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t up to our effort any more than a cucumber seed struggles to become a cucumber vine. Far too often Christians have taken the Good News of God’s grace and turned it into the bad news of human effort. We turn Christianity into a self-improvement program.

But that is not the promise of the Gospel. The Good News is that we are saved by grace and it is by grace that we grow into the likeness of Christ. Our job is to yield to the power of God; it is the Holy Spirit’s job to transform. Yes, we should provide a good growing environment. The seed within us needs nutrients and water. That’s why we worship. That’s why we receive the Lord’s Supper regularly. That’s why we pray, study, and serve. But it is God that finally provides the growth. It’s not a striving after some ideal spiritual life. It is rather living with confidence that the imperishable seed provided by God is growing within us.

There’s another hopeful thought that come from this seed image, that should give us confidence. This seed image implies that God is not done with us. A seed is a beginning and not an end. A cucumber seed is not a cucumber vine. But given the chance, God has placed within this tiny seed the power to become a fruit-bearing vine. In fact, it has no other choice. It can’t become a grape vine. It can’t become a rose bush. A cucumber seed becomes a cucumber vine, period!

Think about what that means for those of us who are born anew in Christ. We are destined to grow into the very likeness of Jesus. Our life in Christ is a journey of becoming, of becoming day by day more like Christ. As surely as a cucumber seed will grow into a cucumber vine we, who have been born anew by the seed of Christ, will grow into the likeness of Christ. That should also give us confidence as we look ahead. Yes, times are tough. But the seed is still growing. The gardener is still working on the soil of our lives. Living by faith, having been born anew, we have every reason to hope.

Peter’s life was changed by the resurrection. He went from no confidence, denying three times ever knowing Jesus, to complete confidence, becoming the first apostle to stand and proclaim Christ is Jerusalem. And did his confidence make a difference? You bet it did. We see this at the end of his sermon in Acts, the last verse of the first lesson today. This is what is written. “So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.” Three thousand people responded to Peter’s confident proclamation of the resurrection. It’s amazing what a little confidence, and the power of the Holy Spirit, can do.

We are all called to continue on with this work of confidently proclaiming the good news, to be evangelical in our world. It’s not easy in these discouraging times. Recently, the Presiding Bishop of our denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, wrote a letter to pastors about what it means to be evangelical, to be people that share the good news in today’s world. I’d like to close by quoting a portion of his letter, which speaks eloquently of the resurrection confidence of the gospel.

He writes, “The challenges of this moment in history can be discouraging, especially if we succumb to the great pressures on us. (Pastors and) Rostered leaders serving congregations are expected to attract and hold members in an increasingly competitive and consumer oriented religious market place. Many of you are serving congregations that have experienced significant losses, which can often lead to a nostalgic longing for an idealized past that depletes energies for ministry today… We can lose ourselves in discouragement when we view ministry as if it were all about us.

Rather than wondering anxiously “how are we doing?” by ourselves, I invite you, to take a fresh and confident look at where we are by asking the question out of your daily baptismal renewal: “What is God doing with and among us?”

On the cross, all of our self-absorbed attempts to “survive” or save ourselves were crucified. Through the gospel the Holy Spirit claims, gathers, and sends us into a new life as an evangelizing church for the sake of the world. The Holy Spirit is the source of the power, strength, and gifts as together we proclaim Christ and engage in God’s mission for the life of the world. In this mission we follow the way of the cross, losing our lives for Christ’s sake and the sake of the Gospel.” So this Easter season of resurrection, let us all take our Bishop’s words to heart. Let us not get absorbed with questions of survival, as if God’s church depends entirely on us. Rather, let us all be about confidently living and proclaiming the good news of the gospel and allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work. For this good news is a message of confidence and hope, so many are longing to hear. Amen
]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-03-30T12:42:52-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/673cc95af2ea366aff6ca350bd1b27b3-48.html#unique-entry-id-48http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/673cc95af2ea366aff6ca350bd1b27b3-48.html#unique-entry-id-48Act 2, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31

Dear friends in Christ,

In my nearly 53 years of life, I don’t know that I can remember a time when there’s been so little confidence in what is going on in the world and in the future yet to come. I’ve been around long enough to know there have been some peaks and valleys, but this seems to be a particularly deep and desolate valley. Some recent polls seem to affirm this. For example, the Consumer Confidence Index is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households. This Index, which had declined sharply in February, fell further in March. The Index now stands at 64.5 (1985=100), down from 76.4 in February.

Says Lynn Franco, Director of the Consumer Research Center: "Consumers' confidence in the state of the economy continues to fade and the Index remains at a five-year low. The decline in the Present Situation Index implies that the pace of growth in recent months has weakened even further. Looking ahead, consumers' outlook for business conditions, the job market and their income prospects is quite pessimistic and suggests further weakening may be on the horizon. The Expectations Index, which measures future expectations, in fact, is now at a 35-year low level not seen since the Oil Embargo and Watergate."

In the first quarter of this year, food prices are up 8%. Gas is $3.15/gallon. The housing market is dismal, with prices having dropped 20 – 30%. There are pages and pages of foreclosure notices every week in the back of the Forest Lake Times.

Our confidence in our government leadership is also low. President Bush’s approval rating has stood at about 30% the past several months, with a 65% disapproval rating and another 5% undecided. As we look to the future, there’s skepticism about the next presidential candidates as the democrats continue to slug it out and not all republicans are happy with who will be their nominee.

There’s not a lot of confidence in the war in Iraq, which continues to go on with no end in sight. It’s a divisive issue that hit the Forest Lakes School District this week as administrators chose to withdraw an invitation to the Vets for Freedom event that had been scheduled at the High School. They feared that it was going to turn into a political demonstration by both those for and against the war, endangering students. And how confident is anyone about there being a satisfactory resolution to the Wyoming/Wyoming Township/Chisago/Stacy annexation issues?

There is a lack of confidence all around, and this naturally trickles down into all areas, including the church. We wonder, where is God in all of this? Is it worth investing my time in service to Him? More of my money is going for food and gas, not to mention the decline in the value of my property. Maybe I’ll cut back on my offering, maybe cut it out completely. Doubt creeps in from all sides. Our confidence, even our confidence in God, can be affected.

But today as your pastor, I’m here to proclaim that we, of all people, need to stand strong and live with confidence and hope. In the face of the lack of confidence all around, we need to be witnesses to our God, who could not be defeated by death, but raised up his Son in power. The Easter message is all about living with confidence, for in the empty tomb we believe the forces of evil and death, and all the confidence busters, have already been defeated.

As Jesus’ life came to an end, there was plenty to be skeptical about. For the disciples, there seemed to be good reasons to lack confidence in their lives and in the future. This lack of confidence comes out in the gospel lesson. On the evening of that first Easter, 10 of the disciples gathered in a house behind locked doors. The risen Lord had not yet been revealed to them. As far as they were concerned, Jesus was dead. They had no future. The man they had given three years of their lives to, had been nailed to a cross. They were afraid that the terrible suffering and death that happened to their leader, might happen to them next. One of their group, Judas, the betrayer, had already killed himself. Another, Thomas was not with them.

We learn in the lesson that to these 10 the risen Lord did appear, greeting them with peace and revealing to them the scars in his hands and side. But when they went to tell Thomas, he doubted their word. He had no confidence in their witness. He was still back on Good Friday. “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”


Peter also speaks today in the first lesson from Acts, and in our second lesson from 1st Peter. Like Thomas, Peter went through a time when he had no confidence in himself, Jesus or God. You know the story. When Jesus was arrested and put on trial, Peter watched from a distance. When a maid and some others recognized him and asked him if he was one of the Jesus’ disciples, three times Peter denied knowing him. Like the other disciples that first Easter Eve shut behind locked doors, like Thomas who demanded proof, Peter had no confidence in life when Jesus appeared to be defeated.

But what a very different Peter we find in his sermon in Acts and in what he writes in 1 Peter. Clearly, because of the resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter became a changed man. The weak, lying, defeated disciple of Good Friday, became the strong, confident, hopeful man we meet in these lessons.

Peter was now able to speak confidently about God’s great plan. On Good Friday, as far as Peter was concerned, there was no plan. In Peter’s eyes, whatever plan Jesus was following came completely undone when Jesus was arrested and put on trial. “I never knew the man,” is all Peter could come up with then.

But now look at Peter in this lesson from Acts 2. The contrast with the Peter on Good Friday couldn’t have been greater. On Good Friday he was timid and afraid of the authorities. But in Acts, he speaks with boldness. He begins, “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say.” That’s confidence.

He goes on to say that God very definitely had a plan. Speaking of Jesus he says, “This man, handed over to you, according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.”

What happened to Jesus was no mistake. Hid death was no accident. God allowed it for a greater purpose. Jesus died, so that He might be raised up, to show that God was more powerful than death itself.

He quotes to the Israelites from their very scriptures, Psalm 16. David says in the Psalm, “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption.”

Peter then says, “I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us today.” Peter is fully confident that David is dead and he is therefore all the more confident that who David is referring to in the Psalm is Jesus, the Lord. He is not dead, he is risen. “He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.” The resurrection so changed Peter’s life that here, instead of denying Jesus and God’s plan, he stands before the people of Israel and witnesses to God’s perfect plan in raising Jesus.

So Peter now speaks confidently of God’s plan. But even more, he himself believes confidently in God’s plan. This comes out clearly in his letter, our reading from 1 Peter. He says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Now listen to his confidence. We are born “Into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who are being protected by the power of God.” Does that sound like a man who once denied Jesus in the corner of a courtyard when confronted by a maid? No way. He now speaks with supreme confidence.

And this is no pie in the sky, life is always good, kind of belief. He says we rejoice, “even if now for a little while you have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of you faith – being more precious than gold, though perishable, is tested by fire- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus is revealed.”

Peter’s life was completely changed by the experience of the resurrection. So was Thomas’, who came to confess Jesus as, “My Lord and my God.” So were the lives of the remaining 9 disciples, all of whom became witnesses to the Lord and leaders in the early church.

They all went from no confidence, to complete confidence in the power and presence of God. They understood that hardship, trial, and suffering would not go away, but would be a time of testing and give them an even greater opportunity to proclaim the good news of the resurrection.

There is no doubt that among Americans today confidence in life and the future is about as low as any of us has ever seen it. But for believers, this a great opportunity for witness. Our hope is deeper than the ups and downs of the markets or the dreams and plans of political parties. We approach life with confidence, resurrection confidence, that there is nothing in this life that in the end, defeats us. As Peter declares, we have an “indescribable and glorious joy” because of what God has done for us in Christ. Now’s not the time to give up. Now’s not the time to give in. Now’s not the time to cut back in our spiritual commitments. For now is the time of testing. Now’s the time to stand up, bear witness, and have confidence, knowing that because of the resurrection, God goes before us and will lead us through this time of trial. So let us leave this place today with renewed confidence. And then let us join Peter, Thomas, and all the apostles, bearing witness to the good news of the hope and power of the resurrection. Amen
]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-03-23T16:59:18-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/d9e93e6e94f37fc01950cf587da97f31-47.html#unique-entry-id-47http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/d9e93e6e94f37fc01950cf587da97f31-47.html#unique-entry-id-47
Dear friends in Christ,

Welcome to worship! This morning you are part of modern day history. You probably didn’t wake up today thinking you were coming to an historic Easter service, but that’s exactly what is taking place. Now here’s what’s historical about this Easter. This is the earliest date for Easter Sunday any of us will ever celebrate. That’s probably not surprising, since it looks more like Christmas than Easter! I looked at one chart that calculated the date for every Easter through the year 2124, 116 years. Not once is Easter again as early as March 23rd. In fact, since 1875, there was only one other time Easter was this early and on this same date. The year was 1913. I wasn’t around, nor were any of you. So, turn to you neighbor, shake their hand and say, “Congratulations! You’re part of history!” We can all say, we celebrated Easter on its earliest possible date.

The date for Easter is a floating date. For a long time Christians could not agree on a date for Easter. Still today, a few groups, like the Eastern Orthodox Church, have a different way to choose a date. Their Easter is April 27th this year. But for most Christians, Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. The spring equinox was last Thursday, when the length of day and night were equal. We had a full moon Friday, although you couldn’t see it because of the snowstorm, making today Easter.

Because the time of the full moon can vary up to a month, Easter can be as late as April 25th. That will happen again in the year 2038, 30 years from now. So some of you will be around, and hopefully, God willing, so will I, and we will then have experienced both the earliest and latest Easters possible. So put April 25th, 2038 on your calendars as a day to really celebrate.

Now I may be one of the few pastors that cares about such things, but the fact that we’re together on this historically early Easter seems significant to me. It won’t happen again in any of our lifetimes. And as I looked out my office window as the snow was falling all day Friday, I thought, there must be a message here, especially for those of us that live up in the north. And as I thought about it, three things came to mind.

First, this early Easter reminds us that we need to understand Easter as a daily attitude of the heart, not a set date on the calendar. If I had a say in the matter, and I assure you I don’t, I’d set Easter Sunday for the third Sunday in April every year. That would be just about perfect around here.

But Easter is not a set date, and maybe that’s a good thing. It reminds us that the message of Easter, Christ’s victory over sin and death, is not just a set, one day event. It’s a message and a promise that we need to draw upon every day God gives us life. Often, I think, we focus too much on key days of our faith life. Perhaps it’s our Baptism day or the Baptism of our child. It could be first communion or our confirmation. It could be our wedding day. Evangelical Christians make a big deal of that day when they can point to being born again into the family of God. Those key days are important, but what’s really important is how we draw upon those key days, every day of our lives. Easter, as important as the annual celebration is, should not be understood as a once a year thing. It really needs to be a daily event for us, a daily dying to sin and rising to new life.

There was a young soldier who lost his legs in battle. Something died within this young man when he found he would never walk again. He lay in his hospital bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He refused to talk to anyone who tried to help him. He refused to cooperate with doctors or nurses who wanted to help him to adjust.

One day another patient of the hospital strolled in and sat down on a chair near the bed. He drew a harmonica from his pocket and began to play softly. The patient looked at him for a second, then back up to the ceiling. That was all for that day. The next day the player came again. For several days he continued to come and to play quietly. One day he said, "Does my playing annoy you?" The patient said, "No, it’s ok." They talked a little more each day.

One time the harmonica player was in a particularly jovial mood. He played a sprightly tune and began to do a tap dance. The soldier looked on but was apparently unimpressed. "Hey, why don't you smile once and let the world know you're alive!" the dancer said with a friendly smile. But the legless soldier said, "I might as well be dead as in the fix I'm in." "Okay," answered his happy friend, "so you're dead. But you're not as dead as a fellow who was crucified two thousand years ago, and He came out of it all right." "Oh, it's easy for you to preach," replied the patient, "but if you were in my fix, you'd sing a different tune." With this the dancer stood up and said, "I know a two-thousand-year-old resurrection is pretty far in the dim past. So maybe an up-to-date example will help you to believe it can be done." With that he pulled up his trouser legs and the young man in the bed looked and saw two artificial limbs. The tap-dancing fellow with the harmonica was not simply a Pollyanna preacher. He once lay where that young soldier now lay. He himself had known the power of a resurrection. He had learned to live life abundantly--even without his legs. Needless to say, the young soldier's own resurrection began that moment. That was an Easter moment for him. This early Easter reminds us that we don’t just celebrate a date on a calendar. Easter is a daily dying and rising.

As I looked out my office window at the falling snow, a second thought came to mind. Right now, it still looks a lot like winter. There’s still snow, the trees appear dead, the ground is frozen, nothing’s growing outside. These Easter flowers are beautiful, but they weren’t taken from someone’s outdoor garden. We’ve been given a few, short, glimpses of spring, but it’s certainly not yet fully here. Now I believe it’s coming, but I haven’t seen the evidence yet. I’m living by faith, not sight, when it comes to the promise of spring.

And so it is also with the good news of Easter. No one actually saw Jesus being raised from the dead. Mary and Mary Magdalene saw an angel and the stone being rolled away. But they didn’t see what took place inside the tomb. There was no digital recorder filming the event. It was nothing that could be posted on YouTube for everyone to see.

They did see the risen Lord, as did others like Peter. But for the vast majority of people, the promise of the resurrection was a matter of trusting the word and witness of others. It was a faith event, believing what was said was indeed true.

To this day we walk by faith, and not by sight. We trust that just as we believe spring will come forth from winter and the day will come when the flowers will once again bloom outside, so also we trust that God daily raises us anew, and that one day we will be raised to new life in our eternal home. Can we see it? Not really. But we trust the promise and the 2000 year witness to the resurrection, and that is enough.

About this time of year, late March of 1993, a sudden, unexpected snowstorm blanketed the East coast of the United States. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, it was the snow of the century. Many hunters and hikers were cut off from loved ones. Included in this group were four medical doctors from Knoxville, TN. who were on a weekend hunting excursion. Since they expected to be gone only one night, they did not bother to give their families the exact location of their hunt. They felt they could take their SUV deep into the mountains and get back with no difficulty whatsoever.

The snow hit so hard and fast it buried their SUV. They hadn’t brought enough food for more than two days. They were in deep trouble. They were trapped. All they could do was wait and hope help would arrive. Evening had fallen on the second day. They were cold, hungry, and greatly discouraged. Would no one find them before they had frozen or starved to death? Then suddenly they heard overhead the unmistakable whirr of a helicopter. They jumped out of the vehicle and screamed and waved to allow the pilot to locate them. And he did. For a moment the helicopter hovered above them. They could see it was already full of other hunters and hikers. Then they saw a basket being lowered from the helicopter. In that basket was a note. On that note was one word: “Tomorrow.” That’s all the doctors needed to know. Their fear was gone. Help was on its way. They knew they could survive until tomorrow. They would live to see another day.

The resurrection is about a hopeful tomorrow. As sure as spring will come once again to our northern climate, God will raise us up from whatever appears to be defeating us. Now we walk by faith. We trust the promise to come.

And as I looked out at the snow covered parking lot preparing for this early Easter, a third thought came to mind. In winter, everything looks dead. The trees, the bushes, the ground, the long periods of darkness, all around things seem lifeless.

It reminds me of the pastor who called the children forward for the children’s message. He asked them a simple question, “What do you have to do to go to heaven?” He expected some of the children might say, “Be good.” He was hoping one or two might say something like “Believe in God” or “Have faith.” What he got instead was a simple, childlike answer. Before any of the other children could answer, a young lad blurted out, “Die.” Well, of course he was right.

But the Easter message is that death does not have the final say. This early Easter, the death of winter is still hanging around. But the promise is that out of death, comes life. Indeed, often in God’s plan, things must die, before new life can spring forth. That’s a hopeful word. It allows us to look at the dying times in life, whether that be something personal or in the world in general, with optimism. The dying is painful, but maybe it has to happen to make room for the new. So we live as people of hope. There’s plenty of bad news every day. The economy is terrible, a major bank crashing last week. The war in Iraq drags on. Maybe you’re in the midst of a personal crisis. This kind of dying happens all the time. But the resurrection hope is that life arises from death. The winters pass and a glorious spring bursts forth. We celebrate that hope this Easter morning.

Well, congratulations again on being part of this historic early Easter. Next year it’s back to a ho-hum date, April 12th. So let’s use this date in history to remember Easter is not a date on the calendar, it is an attitude of the heart. Let’s remember Easter is about faith, and not sight. And let’s remember Easter is about life, overcoming death. That is our hope on this historic Easter day. Amen ]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-03-16T16:24:35-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/f4fd04e11e2fde412a4464990bbd46f1-46.html#unique-entry-id-46http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/f4fd04e11e2fde412a4464990bbd46f1-46.html#unique-entry-id-46
Today’s message for us comes directly from the passage of scripture we are about to read together. There will be no additional comment from me, no attempt at further interpretation. The text stands on its own, the passion of our Lord According to Matthew.

Just a few comments before we read. First, about this word “passion.” What probably pops first into our mind is the modern usage of the word characterized by what might be found in romance novels or television shows like “Desperate Housewives.” Passion is a kind of unbridled sexual desire that in many cases causes people to do irrational things they otherwise would not do. Obviously, this is not the meaning before us today. When we refer to Christ’s passion, we’re focusing on the Latin meaning of the word which means “to suffer.” The Passion of Christ refers to the sufferings he endured in the period following the Last Supper through the Crucifixion.

All four gospels record this passion, although not in identical ways. When you come for our Good Friday service of Darkness, you will hear Christ’s passion according to John. Today’s reading is Matthew’s account.

In Matthew, Jesus fulfills his God-given destiny foreshadowed in the Scriptures and inaugurates a new age of history of resurrection life. Jesus is the obedient Son of God, tenaciously faithful even in the midst of extreme suffering. Jesus' trust in God, tested in the cruelty of death itself, is not in vain.

As we read, pay attention to the key players in the drama. Jesus remains calm in the face of his terrible destiny. The chief priest and elders launch a desperate plot. Judas is a tragic figure, giving Jesus up to death, leading to his own tragic end. Peter gives in to fear, denying he ever knew Jesus as he watched the trial unfold.

Pay attention also to the different scenes and the movement from one to another. There is the opening scene where Jesus speaks to the disciples of what is to come and a woman shows her devotion to the Lord. We move to the Last Supper and the revealing of the betrayer. Then it’s on to Gethsemane, where Jesus prays and gives himself over to the Father’s will. We have the trial, the crucifixion, Christ’s death, and the anticipation of the dawn of a new age as the graves of the saints are opened and they are raised to new life.

Also, as we read, we participate by reading the parts marked “people” and in bold print. Sometimes we are frightened disciples. Sometimes we are the angry crowd, calling for Jesus’ death. Sometimes we are the soldiers, mocking him. Finally, we are those standing at the foot of the cross, who, after watching all that has taken place, say with awe and wonder, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

So, let today’s message begin, “The Passion of our Lord According to Matthew.”
]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-03-09T08:44:54-05:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/a8277723602331562cf8f542a3659f26-45.html#unique-entry-id-45http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/a8277723602331562cf8f542a3659f26-45.html#unique-entry-id-45John 11:17-45


Today’s message will feature a faith testimony by Tony Wicklander, a member of St. Paul Lutheran, who, on many occasions has been “left for dead,” only to recover and continue forward in life. In many ways he is a “modern day Lazarus,” whose story provides hope in the midst of the dark times of death we all face. I will provide a short introduction to Tony’s testimony about the raising of Lazarus miracle. If possible, I will try and post a written copy of Tony’s testimony on the website.

I. Intro
Today’s message is going to be a bit different. I’ve asked Tony Wicklander, a member of our congregation whose name you have often heard in our prayers, but a man most of you have never met, to share his faith testimony. In many ways Tony is a modern day Lazarus, a man left for dead on several occasions, but in each case who has recovered to be a witness for God’s grace and power. Before I call on Tony to share, I’d like to say a few words about the gospel lesson you have just heard.

II. Body
Every now and then we hear about someone who has been declared dead, who miraculously comes back to life. A popular and inspiring book currently on the shelves is titled, “Ninety Minutes in Heaven,” written by Don Piper, who was in a terrible car accident, declared dead, and, through the fervent prayers of a friend who came on the scene, was restored to life 90 minutes later. A similar type of account made the news down in Florida recently, a man who suffered a massive heart attack, was declared dead, until the cardiologist prayed for him, made one final attempt at shocking his heart, and his heart began beating.
What makes the Lazarus miracle different from those kinds of accounts, was that Lazarus was in the tomb four days. No one in their right mind today would suggest that a person dead four days would be brought back to life. That might make for a story line in a Stephen King novel, but not for real life. And so the question we have to ask when approaching this passage of scripture is, what’s the underlying message of the miracle? What’s it trying to teach about God and say to us? Here’s three brief things before I have Tony share.
1. God acts in God’s time and way, according to God’s will, not our own. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, he did not immediately go, but stayed where he was two more days. By the time he got to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead two days. This upset both Martha and Mary who both say to him, “Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died.” But this delay was intentional, to remind us that we do not control God, we trust God, to act in love on our behalf, in God’s time and way.
2. God brings life from death. There’s no situation that God cannot heal and make whole. Life can be rough at times. But this miracle shows us that there is nothing that is beyond God’s power to restore and renew. With God, all things are possible. We live in hope.
3. This hope is eternal. “I am the resurrection and the life,” says Jesus, “He who believes in me, shall never die.” Although our perspective is finite, God’s is infinite and eternal. Our hope is not defeated in death. Death is nothing but the passage to eternal life with God.

Tony Wicklander knows more about dying and rising than all of us in this room combined, I am sure. I asked Tony this week if he thought he was well enough to share his faith story, and thankfully he said he would. So I’m going to turn it over to Tony, our very own Lazarus.
]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-02-24T08:35:55-06:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/26d89501a6250d1ddcccb92ba084f3f9-44.html#unique-entry-id-44http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/26d89501a6250d1ddcccb92ba084f3f9-44.html#unique-entry-id-44John 4:5-42


Dear friends in Christ,

Last week my message was on what some have called the “Hope Diamond” of Bible verses, John 3:16. If you weren’t with us last Sunday, I’d encourage you to go to our website, www.sharingchristslove.org, and read it as a devotion sometime this week. One of the things I mentioned was that the verse says, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only son.” Other translations say, “One and only son,” or “only begotten son.” Jesus has the genes or genetic make-up of God the Father. Jesus is the only one with such a make-up. All of the traits or qualities of God are found in Jesus the son. In today’s gospel we clearly see this. I want us to focus this morning on three qualities of God we see through Jesus as he encounters this Samaritan woman at the well.

We’ve all seen them. Maybe they’re at an intersection in downtown Minneapolis holding up a sign, “Homeless, Need Help.” Or maybe they’re walking along Highway 22, dressed in black, chains hanging from their pockets, body piercings in various places. Maybe they’re a special needs child in a classroom, or perhaps special needs adults on a group home outing. Maybe they are of a different race than our own and seem out of place in our community. They are the people that don’t fit in, at least in our way of thinking. They are the ones that draw glances, if not outright stares, from people passing by.

Although most of us have difficulty fully accepting others, God does not. Acceptance of others, even those on the outer fringe, is a quality of God we see through Jesus.

There are two clear examples of this in the lesson. Jesus first shows acceptance of racial or ethnic divisions. Jesus met this woman at a well in Samaria. For Jews, Samaria was considered an unclean land. Even though it was longer to travel around Samaria, when Jews would go from north to south, from Judea to Galilee, most would go the long way to avoid entering Samaria. Some, out of necessity would travel through Samaria, but they would not linger there. Jews and Samaritans were ethnically divided and there was much hatred for each other.

When Jesus asks the Samaritan woman to give him a drink, he is violating and challenging social customs. Jews would not drink out of a Samaritan cup because they considered all Samaritans and all they touched unclean. Yet Jesus reaches across this huge ethnic division and asks the woman for a drink.

Jesus also shows acceptance of gender differences. Not only was this person a Samaritan, she was a woman. Now for us, who have largely, though not entirely, accepted the equality of men and women, this conversation seems like a fairly natural thing. But it would not have been so in Jesus’ day. It was considered improper for a man to talk with a woman in public. When the disciples returned, the lesson tells us, they were astonished, indeed shocked, that Jesus had been talking to her. Here’s how Leonard Griffith, in his book, Encounters with Christ, talks about Jesus’ deep respect for and acceptance of women.

“Jesus encountered a number of women during his earthly ministry, and his conduct towards them appears all the more remarkable when you remember the inferior status of women in the first century world. The hard Roman treated her as a slave or a plaything. The cultured Greek did not regard her as the intellectual equal of any man. Even the devout Jew listed her as an item of property along with the fields and cattle and would never break the law by talking to her about religion. The coming of Jesus invested womanhood with a new honor and motherhood with infinite sacredness.”

We see through Jesus in this encounter God’s acceptance of all people. His example makes us think about ourselves, and our example to our children and community.

Many of you have met Dee Wilkenson in our church. Over the years, Dee, without any fanfare, has made and donated 130 quilts to the Southeast Asian Ministry in St. Paul. That’s fantastic and I’m sure many people have been blessed by those warm quilts. But I wonder, what if a family of eight Hmong people who spoke little or no English were to come to our church next week. Would we welcome them in Christ’s name, shake their hands, offer a cup of coffee, show them the Sunday school, give them a brochure; or would we stare, keep our distance, and wonder what these kind of people were doing in our community?

Rick Warren, author of the book The Purpose Driven Church says this about church growth. “The problem with many churches is that they begin with the wrong question. They ask, “What will make our church grow” This is a misunderstanding of the issue… The question we need to ask instead is, “What is keeping our church from growing?” What barriers are blocking the waves God wants to send our way? What obstacles and hindrances are preventing growth from happening?”

That’s a challenging question. It’s not only about people we may consciously or unconsciously be turning away, but it even gets to such basic things as the Sunday morning schedule we offer. Are we willing to meet people where they’re at, or do we ask them to be where we’re at? As a church council and staff we’ve recently been discussing the Sunday school and second service schedule. Is it reaching people where they’re at, or do we need to do that differently to increase participation? We’ll let you know as things unfold. I’ve long thought about the Sunday conflicts that modern day families experience. I wish everyone would bend to my will, and be here on Sunday mornings. But that’s unrealistic. So, I’m strongly considering that this summer, beginning the Thursday before Memorial Day, we offer a Thursday evening “Weekenders” worship service. In my vision it would include an optional BBQ meal before the service, followed by an informal 45 minutes of worship. It would be especially for the “Weekenders,” all those people that will be gone the upcoming weekend. Is this a perfect solution? No. There’s plenty of Thursday evening conflicts for families like t-ball practice, soccer, and so on. But, hopefully it will work for some. Rather than fight the reality of weekend conflicts, this will be an attempt to reach people where they’re at. Who knows, it may be so successful that the “Weekenders” summer service becomes a year round option for people who have to be gone on weekends. The first quality of God we see in Jesus today is acceptance. God accepts all of us unconditionally. Are we doing the same for others?

Now not only is this person Jesus meets a Samaritan and a woman, she is also imperfect. She is broken. For whatever reasons, in her relationships with men and her attempts to create a family, she has failed. Now this cannot be only her fault. The men in her life bear some of that responsibility. But the lesson does reveal that she’s had five husbands, and the man she is now presumably living with is not her husband. The impression this gives is that she is a kind of moral mess, which has further made her an outcast from the community.

What happens? Jesus accepts her where she’s at and begins a conversation over a cup of water from Jacob’s well. Over the course of this conversation, she is confronted with her true self and experiences the grace and forgiveness of God through Jesus. Forgiveness is the second quality of God we see today.

Why don't more people go to church? Last week I was at a gathering of Lutheran pastors that serve churches up here in what we call the North Conference. Pastors from Almelund, Lindstrom, Chisago City, Rush City are some who were present. I asked them, “Are any of your churches growing?” In an honest conversation the best most could say is “We’re holding our own.” The reality is that many of our churches have declined. Adjusting schedules to meet people where they’re at might be a partial solution. But it’s more than that. I like what Pastor Mike Foss, formerly senior pastor at Prince of Peace in Burnsville writes. He says, “Being a Christian isn’t easy. You can't come to church and meet God without meeting yourself. And that isn't always an easy thing to do." I suspect there are many who do not come, because they fear what they have to face within themselves. It’s easier just to put the blinders on and hope it goes away.

Forgiveness and reconciliation often begins within our own souls. This woman is invited to meet the Savior by first seeing herself. Listen to her witness when she returned to the city. She said to the people, "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done. He cannot be the Messiah, can he?" (John 4:29) She saw her life as it really was. It was like a confession for her. She then experienced forgiveness from our Lord. She let others know this was possible for them as well. We all need to look at ourselves. We all need forgiveness and a fresh start. Forgiveness is a quality of God we see through Jesus.

And then finally, we see through Jesus, that God is sustaining. God is right there with us and for us, every day. Jesus uses the physical thirst for water, to cause this woman to think about her spiritual thirst for God. Jesus was leading her to seek something much deeper than the physical water of the well. “Drink of this water,” he says, “And you will never again be thirsty.” There’s the spiritual promise that God is the living water, always with us, always sustaining us, finally gushing up to eternal life.

How can we drink of this living water? We receive it by faith as we turn to God in prayer. We imagine the cooling, refreshing water of the Spirit filling us and taking away our thirst. Like a cool drink on a summer day, the spirit renews our weary souls. And then we drink of the Spirit over and over again in our worship, in our prayers, and as we eat and drink together around the table of the Lord.

Do you need the living water Jesus offers today? I know I sure do. I need it every day, to fill me, sustain me, and keep me in a right relationship with God.

When we see Jesus, we see God. He alone has God’s DNA. When Jesus meets the woman at the well, what do we see? We see a God who is accepting. We see a God who is forgiving. And we see a God who is sustaining. May these qualities of God, found in Jesus, also be found in us. Amen

]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-02-17T09:00:00-06:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/66ccf7a8b64c3396fa5fcc15c19a6def-43.html#unique-entry-id-43http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/66ccf7a8b64c3396fa5fcc15c19a6def-43.html#unique-entry-id-43John 3:1-17

Dear friends in Christ,

I just read for you what some have called the “Hope Diamond” verse of scripture. Did you hear it? Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy Graham, calls it “the North Star of the Bible. If you align your life with it, “She says,” you can find The Way home.” Martin Luther calls it “the gospel in miniature.” If there is only one scripture verse you commit to memory, this should be the one. In this one verse is summarized the entire Christian faith, the hope for the world. It is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.” With help from author and Pastor Max Lucado, who recently published the best selling book, “3:16, The Numbers of Hope,” I’d like to focus this morning’s message on this one verse.

It’s always important to consider the context in which any verse is written. What’s going on around the verse? What leads to the words being written or spoken? In this case, the context is one of the great encounters one man has with Jesus. For the next three Sundays, we’re going to see other great encounters in the gospel lessons, so I hope you come to learn about those as well. But today the encounter is between Jesus and a man named Nicodemus.

Who is this Nicodemus? He is a very important Jewish religious leader of the day. His title is Pharisee, a scholar, one who paid particular attention to the Jewish law that guided the religion of the day. Think of a Bishop or perhaps a seminary professor today. This was a man, who along with other Pharisees, conversed about God. They discussed reaching God, pleasing God, appeasing God. This is what they did- they were the religious pros.

Nicodemus had heard about Jesus. So had nearly everyone else, since Jesus had recently thrown out the moneychangers in the temple, an act guaranteed to get the Pharisees attention. Nicodemus was curious about this rabble raising rabbi so he did what none of the other Pharisees was willing to do. He went to Jesus, at night, secretly, probably because he feared what his peers might say if he went openly during the day.

Nicodemus, the well prepared Pharisee, approaches Jesus and tells him what he knows. “We know that you are a teacher who has come from God,” he says.

Immediately, Jesus cuts to the chase with this curious Pharisee. He doesn’t make small talk. He doesn’t acknowledge Nicodemus’s credentials or authority. He simply says, “No one can see the kingdom of God, without being born from above.” Other translations use the words “ unless one is born again.”

When we drive to Jackson Hole in Wyoming, we go over Togwotee Mountain Pass. The road passes a number of times over the Continental Divide, which is marked with highway signs. Water on the east side flows east. Water on the west, flows west. It’s one way or the other, no in between.

These words of Jesus are like a continental divide in scripture. On one side stands Nicodemus. He has learned his whole life that reaching God is about good efforts, sincere gestures, and hard work. Do what the law says, that’s how you attain heaven. Today we might say, “God helps those who help themselves.” Our effort plus God’s effort brings the results we want. Makes some sense. A lot of people think that way.

But on the other side stands Jesus. His response? Your best won’t do. Your works won’t do. Keeping the law is not the answer. Unless you are born from above, born again, you will never see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus is confused. What is this man talking about? You can’t rewind the tape of your life. There are no do overs. This isn’t like golf. If your tee shot sails off into the woods, you can’t tee up another one and hope to put it in the fairway. You can’t go back to the maternity ward and start over, although many of perhaps wish we could.

To which Jesus replies, this is the Spirit’s work, not ours. The Spirit creates newborn hearts, fit for heaven. Just as it is the mother that does all the work in birthing the child; hurting, agonizing, pushing, and delivering, so also it is the spirit that does all the work in delivering a newborn heart in us. Nicodemus, and everyone else at the time, thought some kind of self-fix was possible. Jesus said no. God handles the task, by the work of the Spirit, from start to finish. One does not ultimately receive a relationship with God and the hope of heaven by simply trying harder to do better. One receives that relationship by receiving the gift a new heart, a spiritual rebirth made possible only by the Holy Spirit of God.

Have you ever been simply stunned by receiving some news that you weren’t expecting or maybe weren’t ready for? Maybe it was some bad news, or it could have been very good news, but in any case, you didn’t know just quite how to react? I still remember seeing with Melissa that Early Pregnancy Test indicating that we were going to be parents for the first time. This was good news, but I was stunned nonetheless. Wow, this is really going to be life changing.

That’s the impression I get from Nicodemus after he’s listened to Jesus. He’s stunned. He’s just had the rug pulled out from under him. All the assumptions he made about God and attaining heaven have come undone. He scratches his head and says, “How can these things be?”

It is at this point, that Jesus leads Nicodemus to the Hope Diamond. How can these things be? Here’s how. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.” And in these words there are four facets of this diamond that particularly sparkle for Nicodemus and for us.

The first is, “God loves.” God loves the world. These are amazing, hopeful words. God loves this place. Even though some abuse and take the lives of innocent children, God loves. Even though a shooter opens fire on a classroom of innocent college students, God loves. Even though terrorists blow themselves up and take the lives of innocent people, even though war rages, even though the poor go hungry, God loves. God certainly could, and perhaps should, punish the world. But that’s not what 3:16 says. God loves the world. The word for love is agape, unconditional love, a decision to love, and to keep on loving, and not to condemn.

They were married over 50 years. The last 10 were marred by her dementia. The husband did the best he could to care for her at home, but she grew sicker, weaker, older. Finally he admitted her to full time care.

His devotion did not end, however. “I arrive at 6:15AM,” he beamed. “You’d think I was on the payroll. I feed her, bathe her, and stay with her. I will until one of us dies.” That’s agape love. That’s how God feels about us and the world.

God loves. That’s the first facet. God gives, that’s the second. And what does God give? A new set of orders to follow? A new set of rules to obey? Not at all. God gives his son, his one and only son.

Only Jesus the God’s genes or genetic make-up. The familiar translation, “only begotten son” conveys this truth. He alone shares God’s DNA, God’s essence. Every quality we attribute to God, we can attribute to Jesus.

This only son is then given up for the world on the cross. Who among us can begin to imagine giving up willingly, a son or daughter, to death on the cross? We can’t. But God so loved the world, that God did that, to save us from our sin.

A Chinese Christian, before her Baptism, was asked a question to ensure she understood the meaning of the cross. “Did Jesus have any sin?” the pastor inquired. “Yes,” she replied. Troubled by her answer, he repeated the question. “Yes, he had sin,” she answered again. The leader set out to correct her because of course, Jesus never sinned. But before he could, she spoke up again. “He had mine.” And, of course, she was right. God gave his only son, to take our sin.

God loves. God gives. We believe is the third facet. “Everyone who believes in him,” says the verse. We believe. This good news of God’s love for the world and gift of God’s son is for everyone. All that we do is believe. Think of any example of trust that you’d like. That’s all we do. We trust this gift.

Lucado gives the example of Bible translator John G. Paton who was struggling to find an appropriate verb for believe to use with the people of the New Hebrides islands. He came across a solution while hunting with a tribesman. The two men bagged a deer and carried it on a pole along a steep mountain path to Paton’s home. When they reached the veranda, both men dropped the load and plopped into the porch chairs. As they did so, the native exclaimed in his native language, “My, it is good to stretch yourself our here and rest.” Paton immediately realized he had the translation for believe he was seeking. “Stretch yourself out and rest.” “For God so loved the world, that everyone that stretches himself out on Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Faith- to stretch out on Christ and rest.

God loves. God gives. We believe. And the fourth facet- We live. This is the great and final promise. We do not perish to hell, forever apart from God. Rather, we live to God eternally. God prepares a place for us, a place so wonderful we can’t even begin to imagine. It will be a place of reunion, a place of forgiveness for whatever past wrongs, a place without suffering, a place of peace. And we don’t have to wait until we die to begin to experience this. When we believe now, we begin to experience the hope and joy of heaven.

God loves. God gives. We believe. We live. Those are the four facets of the Hope Diamond of scripture. When Martin Luther was dying, severe headaches left him bedfast and pain struck. He was offered a medication to relieve his discomfort. He declined and explained, “My best prescription for head and heart is that God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The best prescription for head and heart. It’s a dose I expect we could all use today, and every day. May the words of John 3:16, first spoken to the Pharisee Nicodemus, be for you good news and your guiding star. Amen (Much of this message and the illustrations use dare from Max Lucado’s book, 3:16, The Numbers of Hope, Thomas Nelson Press, 2007. I recommend it for you reading.



]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-02-10T09:00:00-06:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/a8bec058102ce99b25f4dd1b040b484b-42.html#unique-entry-id-42http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/a8bec058102ce99b25f4dd1b040b484b-42.html#unique-entry-id-42Matthew 4:1-11

Dear friends in Christ,

Will you be faithful to God? Will you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Will you be obedient to the first commandment, “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other god’s before me? Those seem to be the core questions facing Jesus as he squared off with Satan in the wilderness. Not surprisingly, those are the questions we also face as we daily walk by faith.

I read this lesson primarily as a test of Jesus and his readiness to take on the ministry for which he was sent and called. Right before this lesson, Jesus is baptized. Baptism is always seen as the beginning point for what is to follow. Right after his Baptism, comes this test. Is Jesus ready? Does he have what it takes? Will he be faithful to God?

Now that may sound odd, the son of God being tested for his readiness. But keep in mind, he is also, the son of man. He is human with all the physical needs and emotional needs and spiritual needs that we all have. It’s this human side that’s being tested. Will he be able to stand up to the intense pressure that will be brought upon him, or will he crack, give in, and ultimately fail? That’s what’s at stake here.

We know this was a test of Jesus, and not just some random temptations he faced, because of the way the lesson begins. It says, “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” God’s spirit took him there. This was purposeful or as Rick Warren might say, “Purpose Driven.”

God testing one’s readiness was a pattern seen elsewhere in scripture. In fact, we see it in the first lesson from Genesis 2. God commands Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God allows the tempter, the serpent, to give the test. In that case, they failed, the consequence being sin and death entered the world. God tested the people of Israel in the wilderness on several occasions. For example, when God gave the people manna from heaven, they were to collect only enough for one day, and no more. They were not to hoard this gift. The reason for the test was to examine the people to see if they would trust God and follow his commandments

Tests are not bad things. They’re a way to measure if you are ready. A driving examiner giving road tests to new drivers is not trying to flunk the students. He or she is seeing if they are ready to be on the road alone. Examiners are looking out for the good of the students, as well as for the other drivers that share the road. In much the same way God the Father tests Jesus the son. God wants Jesus to pass the test, to show he is ready for the challenge to come.

And so God allows Satan to do his thing, to go after Jesus, to give the test. Notice I said that God allowed it. God is far greater and more powerful than the devil. Satan may have thought he was in control and the one in charge, but the spirit led Jesus to the wilderness, the spirit was with Jesus in the wilderness, and the spirit allowed Satan to test Jesus. Satan’s method is temptation. That’s the tool he uses. Unlike God, who tests us for success, Satan tempts us for failure. God wants us to become stronger in faith, Satan wants us to grow weaker. That’s the difference between a test and a tempt. One is for good, the other for bad. In this lesson we see both the test of God and the temptation of Satan. The question is, to whom will Jesus listen?

The first temptation thrown at Jesus can be summarized by the words, “Satisfy yourself, satisfy yourself.” Jesus, led by the spirit, had gone alone in the wilderness, fasting for forty days. In other words he took no food for 40 days, only water, as a way to focus spiritually on God alone. This is where we get the tradition of the 40 days of Lent as well as the spiritual discipline of fasting for a time, something that some people still do.

At this very vulnerable time, Satan approaches Jesus. “Turn these stones to bread,” he says. As a human being, Jesus desperately wanted bread. He was hungry. Bread is a good thing. As God’s son, he surely could turn stones into bread. But the deeper, underlying temptation, was for Jesus to use what he had to satisfy himself. It was to use what God provided for his own needs and wants. It was to replace God with what he needed and wanted for himself. Satisfy yourself, was Satan’s temptation. But, of course, Jesus had the spiritual strength to stand strong. He knew that there was more to life than simply satisfying yourself. And so he quotes back to Satan these words from Deuteronomy, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Satan’s word was not of God, and Jesus knew it. He resisted the temptation for bread and to satisfy only himself.

We live in the richest country in the world. Sometime this summer, every individual over 18 in this congregation, as well as each child under 18, is going to receive a $600 check from the government as part of an economic stimulus package. With that one check, which 3 weeks ago you were not expecting and is for all practical purposes a gift, you will exceed the per capita annual income for a person in Tanzania, which is about $500. This holds true for many parts of the world. Because we have so much, there is a strong temptation to satisfy ourselves. It is to use our resources for whatever we want, for us. I’ve earned it. No one can tell me not to have the biggest and best and most up to date of whatever it is.

Now I would never tell you how to personally manage your resources. We all make financial decisions based on what we like and don’t like, what we want and don’t want. There are things you may value, that I don’t, and vice versa. But none of us should ever allow what we have to become more important than God. None of us should make satisfying ourselves our life goal. All of us should be giving back to God through our offerings, knowing that what we give benefits many others. The best way to guard against possessions possessing us, is to give back, which regularly reminds us that God is first, not satisfying ourselves.

Satan was not ready to give up, so he took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple. “If you are the son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against the stone.” This temptation can be summed up in the words, “trust yourself, trust yourself.” Now Satan makes it appear as if Jesus, in throwing himself off the temple, would be showing the ultimate trust in God. “You trust God, don’t you? Throw yourself down. Prove your trust. God says the angels will catch you!”

But this was not trusting God. It was quite the opposite. If you do what Satan says, you’re putting God to the test. You don’t say you trust God, and then turn around and test God. Either you fully trust God, or you don’t. There’s no testing of God. When you do what Satan tempts here, you actually show your lack of trust and that the only one you trust is yourself. Again, Jesus was spiritually strong. He quotes back to Satan, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Satan wanted Jesus to test God’s trustworthiness. The temptation was to see if God really loved and cared for him. If God did, he’d show it by having the angels catch Jesus while falling. Are you ever tempted to test God’s love? Have you ever thought, “God, if only you’ll show me a sign, I’ll believe and obey!” or “God, if you’ll just heal me from this cancer, I promise I’ll live a good life for you.” But God doesn’t want us to test or negotiate or make bargains. That shows we’re still holding on to ourselves. God wants us to trust him alone. We are to live fully trusting God, not placing our trust in ourselves or other things.

The final temptation is on a high mountain. Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. “They’re all yours,” he says, “All you have to do is worship me.” This temptation can be summed up with the words, “Glorify yourself, glorify yourself.” Jesus had before him all the kingdoms of the world with all their glory and splendor. If he wanted, he could have cried out like Jack’s famous words to Rose in the movie “Titanic,” “I am the king of the world!” It was all right there for him, right at his finger tips. All the glory he could ever have wanted, was his.

But at what cost? He would have to deny God the Father and worship an imposter, Satan. For a third time Jesus mustered the spiritual strength to fend off Satan. “Away with you, Satan!” he cries out, “For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ And with that, Satan was defeated. Jesus passed the test. And almost like a prize fighter seated in the corner of the ring, the angels came and cared for him after this epic battle.

Like the temptation to satisfy yourself, the temptation to glorify yourself is everywhere around us. Who doesn’t want to be at the top of the class or be seen as the most beautiful or in some way be put up on the pedestal of glory? Who wouldn’t love to cry out, “I am the king of the world?” But like the previous two temptations, what you’re really doing is replacing God, the true Lord and King of all, with yourself. And when that happens, we are no longer being faithful to God.

Satisfy yourself. Trust yourself. Glorify yourself. Those were the three temptations thrown at Jesus by Satan in the wilderness. What do they each have in common? They seek to replace God with ourselves. They want to turn something other than God, into God. But Jesus saw through the deception, resisted the devil, and remained spiritually strong.

Will you be faithful to God? Will you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Will you be obedient to the first commandment, “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other god’s before me? When tempted by Satan on these core questions, Jesus was able to answer, “yes!” With the Spirit’s help, may we also be able to answer the same. Amen

]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-02-03T20:28:40-06:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/af3cf5d9406c5477d69b37332dd59156-41.html#unique-entry-id-41http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/af3cf5d9406c5477d69b37332dd59156-41.html#unique-entry-id-41Matthew 17:1-9

This morning’s message, which contains a slide presentation of our 2007 ministries, is presented in outline form.

I. Introduction

A. Epiphany means to shine forth. The season concludes each year with a reading of the Transfiguration of our Lord, this year in Matthew’s gospel. Jesus shines like the sun. We hear the words of comfort and promise from the Father, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” Disciples are so captivated and moved, they want to stay. But their mission was not on the mountaintop, but in the valley below. They would need to shine forth to others. This is our call as well, individually and as a church, to shine forth with God’s love. Just how do we do that? Well, we’re each an individual light, and in the church we join with others to do ministry. Introduce video of 2007 ministries, explaining that this is just the tip of the iceberg of what we do as a congregation, the way we shine forth. Show slide presentation.

II. Body

That, and much more, is how we are a light to the world. Unfortunately, that light has already begun to dim. Example, calling Craig Corbin and letting him know we will not be able to give any mission support to Luther Point Camp. We are not receiving the financial support to do that. But here’s the good news. The leadership of this church is committed to turning this around, so that our light continues to shine brightly, and indeed even brighter than in the past. And the season of Lent, which begins Wednesday, is the perfect opportunity to start. During the next seven weeks, we focus more intensely on God’s love for us in Christ, the cross and the resurrection, than at any other time of year. So, this morning I want to present to you three Lenten challenges which will make your light shine brighter as well as the church shine brighter.

1. Pray every day for your church. Jesus went up the mountain to meet with God, and he did. We can do that as well, thru prayer. You can pray for your church, once a day, in less than three seconds. “Lord, watch over and bless my church today.” Your prayer brings God into the picture. Not that God isn’t already there, for God loves the church. But it actively seeks God’s presence for us, which we always need. It also brings your church into your mind and heart that day. It makes it not just a once a week or occasional experience. It makes it part of your life, which it is. So, beginning Ash Wednesday I challenge you to pray for your church at least once a day. More devotions available on the table.

2. Attend church every Sunday for the next 7 weeks. This is the most sacred time of the year for Christians. This year, in particular, the gospel readings are wonderful and easy to relate to. There’s the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, the searching Nicodemus who learns he must be born again, the woman at the well who finds living water, the man born blind, healed of his blindness, Lazarus raised from the dead. These are texts that I guarantee you will be a blessing.

Beyond the personal blessing, we need you here. The church is not complete, it is not all it can be, when people are absent. Each of you is a light to the world. The more lights we bring together, the brighter this church can shine. So, grab your family, invite your friends, and commit to coming for the next seven weeks.

Now, I’m a realist. I know there are legitimate reasons that not all 7 weeks may work for everyone. You already have vacation planned. Someone gets sick, you’re gone for a family obligation, whatever. We do have Wed. services, so if you miss Sunday you can come then. But the bigger point is that it is very easy to get spiritually lazy. We need to over come that. Snap Fitness example, need to keep spiritually fit. Challenge #2, attend church every Sunday for the next 7 weeks.

3. Lent and Easter have always been a time for giving to the Lord. Here’s my challenge to you. Try tithing for 7 weeks. The tithe, giving 10%, is lifted up as a Biblical benchmark for giving. It’s not a law, but it is commended. Many have felt a special joy, a significant blessing, when they’ve taken that step and begun to tithe.

Here’s how it works, in real simple numbers. First, you pick the amount on which to tithe. Net income or gross income, that’s between you and God. Let’s just say, that for your situation and to make the math easy, the number you’ve chosen is $52,000 of annual income. That means each week you have available $1000. The tithe is 10% of that, or $100. So, for the next 7 weeks, you’ll give $100 for the Lord’s work, thru your church. Now may, you’re already giving $20/week. For the next 7 weeks, you’ll increase that by $80. A few of you already tithe or exceed the tithe. Your challenge is to give beyond that, maybe for 7 weeks give 11% instead of 10.

I know that for many this may be a real stretch and sacrifice. But I also know that it can be done, especially for 7 weeks. Give God a chance. See if you do not feel blessed, knowing that you’ve followed the Biblical model and given significantly for the Lord’s work. And wouldn’t it be wonderful, if I or a member of our stewardship committee, could stand before you on a Sunday and not have to say, “We need more,” but rather, “We’ve received so much, we’re going to the extra support to Luther Point, or to the ministries of our synod, or to whatever is chosen to receive that gift. For too long, too many people have assumed that someone else will provide the support. That can no longer be assumed. There is nobody else but you. So I challenge you to try the tithe during Lent, 7 weeks. Both you, and the church, will be blessed.

Jesus shined on the mountain, filled with the Father’s presence. We can shine to, maybe not in quite the same way, but as one individual light, joined together with many others in the church. I don’t want to see our light dimmed any further. Now’s the perfect time, the season of Lent, to make new commitments to prayer, worship, and giving. May God give us the will, the strength, and the resources to do so. Amen
]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2008-01-20T13:46:17-06:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/ca52eb78fda580a6da6240317470899b-40.html#unique-entry-id-40http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/ca52eb78fda580a6da6240317470899b-40.html#unique-entry-id-40Isaiah 49:1-7, John 1:29-42

Dear friends in Christ,

It’s a very cold morning here in Minnesota. In fact, this could be the coldest weekend of the winter season, we’ll have to wait and see. So, to get your mind off the cold, I want you to picture in your mind’s eye a warm, calm, summer day in July. The sun is shining and you’re anchored in a boat out on the lake. You’re dressed in short sleeves and a pair of shorts. You have in your hand a fishing rod. You draw it back and cast the lure out a short distance, watching it splash in the water. As the lure descends downward, you notice how small waves ripple outward from where the lure hit, out in circles until they disappear in the distance.

Further off in the lake you notice a speed boat go racing by, pulling a couple of laughing children on tubes. Before long, your boat begins to rock gently, as the waves created by the wake of the speed boat cause it to rock back and forth. The waves pass beneath, eventually making their way to the distant shore. That picture looks awful good about now, when the lakes are frozen and it’s just too cold to be outside for any length of time. It will be several months before we’ll be able to see this ripple effect on the lakes again.

The ripple effect. We’ve all seen it. Drop a stone in a calm lake, and watch the waves move out from there. A similar idea is something called the butterfly effect. It’s another image that reminds us of summer. An illustration of chaos theory, the phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that ultimately cause a tornado to appear or maybe prevent a tornado from appearing. The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale phenomena. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the theory goes, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.

As I was reading today’s lesson, this ripple or butterfly effect came to mind as a picture of Christian witness and the work of the Holy Spirit. From one, small, seemingly insignificant act of witness, ripples are sent out that literally change the world.

In the gospel, we once again meet John the Baptist. Last week we saw him as the one that Baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. This week he becomes the witness to Jesus that begins the ripple effect. As Jesus comes toward John, John says, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” He testifies, the gospel says, he bears witness. He declares the truth he has seen. At this time he is alone, but who Jesus is has become very clear to him.

The next day, the lesson says, John is no longer alone. He is with two of his disciples. John points out Jesus to them, “Look, here is the Lamb of God.” John becomes the stone that drops in the water, or the butterfly that flaps its wings. The ripple effect begins. These two went and began to follow Jesus. Jesus spoke with them, and they wanted to know where Jesus was staying. Jesus continues the ripple. He extends this invitation, “Come and See.” It was non-threatening, warm, and personal. “Come and see!” The invitation went out to just two people, "Come and see."

The two went, one of whom was Andrew, and being in the presence of Jesus changed his life. I don’t know what all took place that day when he was with Jesus, but it changed him. Andrew was so moved that he went and told his brother, Simon. The ripple continued. At his brother’s invitation, Simon, too, became a follower of Jesus. Little did Simon know then what an impact he would one day have for the Lord. You know him better as Peter, who after the resurrection was the first to proclaim in Jerusalem the mighty, saving acts of God. John points out Jesus to his disciples, one of whom was Andrew. Jesus invited Andrew and the other to where they were staying, Andrew invited Peter, and that eventually changed the world. The ripple effect.

Most of us probably already know that we are called to be good witnesses for Christ in our words and our actions. Many of us try to do that, as best we are able. But it can be discouraging. As a pastor and leader of the church I think often about how we can more effectively reach out and draw people to the church. I know many of you have this concern as well. We have a surrounding population of 10 – 12,000 people within a 10 minute drive of our location. I’m sure many of those people do not have a church home. Sometimes I think, with all the people around, why do we only gather a few hundred people on any given Sunday morning? Surely we should be able to fill two worship services. And then we have mornings like this one where it is -20, and it really makes it tough for people to come. There are days when I can relate well to Isaiah the prophet’s words in the first lesson, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity.”

But then I am reminded of the ripple effect of today’s gospel, powered by the Holy Spirit, and despair is replaced with hope. One man’s witness, John the Baptist, sets in motion a chain of events that ultimately leads to Peter’s witness in Jerusalem to the resurrected Christ. And that witness led to the growth of the church leading up to this very day.

The outreach question is not so much, “How many people are we bringing in.” The outreach question is really, “Are we faithfully inviting,” or, to say it another way, “Do we testify, in our words and actions, to Christ?” We can’t control the bringing in. That’s the Spirit’s work. But we can control the inviting. And the most effective invitations are not mass mailings or paid church advertising in the yellow pages or newspaper or website. The most effective invitations are personal, like Jesus to Andrew, “Come and See.” If we speak those words to another family member or friend, “Come and see,” you just never know what ripple that may end up having in the world.

I know God used the ripple effect in my life to bring me to faith and to where I’m at today. I guess I’d say it was my parents who were the stone dropped in the water to set it all in motion. They brought me as a child to a young church near their new suburban home in Edina, Normandale Lutheran. This was the baby boom, and there were so many children, one of the members, Mrs. Williams, taught her Sunday school class in the basement of her home, a block or so away from the church. I remember attending. Then there was Mr. Gernbacher, teaching Sunday school to a bunch of rowdy 6 grade boys. For confirmation we had a new young pastor, Pastor Al, who confirmed me and then invited me and others to the parsonage basement for senior high youth group. It was largely because of that experience that I decided to become a pastor myself. Hopefully, both personally and professionally, I’ve had at least some impact in my witness to others over the years.

Saturday, 4 of the 8 members of the congregation that recently traveled to Tanzania returned. That whole involvement in that mission is another great example of the ripple effect. It began for us back in the year 2000, when I asked Gwen Hanson from Faith Lutheran if she’d be our guest stewardship speaker. She agreed. But in addition, I learned in meeting with her that she and her husband, who were recently retired teachers from Forest Lake, had been part of a teacher exchange program in Tanzania, sponsered by the ELCA, called Mwangaza. This exchange takes place every three years, and they were wondering if I might know of a teacher who could be involved in the program.

The Lord only knows why, but instead of just throwing the written information they had given me in the recycling bin, I thought of Gerry Lidstrom from our church, who also just happened to be part of our stewardship committee planning this event with Gwen. I sent the information to Gerry at SW jr. high, through my daughter Allison, who at the time was one of his 7th grade students. Gerry was surprised to receive it, but, for whatever reason, he too did not just throw it out, spoke with Mark and Gwen, and eventually decided to become involved. Gerry was partnered with Haran Ngede, from Mtera school, who came here in the late winter of 2001 and worked with Gerry in the Forest Lake schools. Gerry then went to Tanzania in the summer of 2001 and worked with Haran and visited Mtera school.

It was such a powerful experience for Gerry that, upon his return, he encouraged us to sponsor students at the school and eventually to partner with Mtera church.

It took a few years, but God is patient, and four more of us from the congregation visited Tanzania in 2005. In 2007, six of us made another trip, including 4 who went for the first time. Now, in 2008, 8 people made the journey, 6 for the first time, including my daughter Allison, who originally brought the written materials to Gerry back in the fall of 2000. The ripple effect. 1 person from our church, influenced 4 who influenced 4 more, who influenced 6, meaning we have now had 15 people from this congregation visit our partner church in Africa one or more times. I would never have believed it back in 2000.

Can one person make a difference? Let’s not forget Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose work is commemorated tomorrow. Dr. King walked out of relative obscurity onto a national and international stage in his quest for civil rights. Forty years after his death, Martin Luther King, Jr. continues to have an effect on new and emerging generations.

On a cold winter morning, with all the lakes frozen, we are reminded of the ripple effect of our witness. It’s a word of hope and encouragement. One person’s testimony can make all the difference in the world. It is the responsibility of the whole body of Christ to testify in word and deed. “Come and see” is the invitation we extend. And then we pray, that through our invitation, the ripple effect might take place, the Spirit of God impacting lives in ways we never could imagine or do on our own. Thank you for being faithful, hearty witnesses who don’t let below zero temperatures keep you from hearing the Gospel. May your witness start a ripple that impacts the world. Amen
]]>Pastor Jeff BeebeSunday Sermons2007-12-24T16:00:00-06:00http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/171f2f72902447954d93ae1b1a6cd7e2-38.html#unique-entry-id-38http://www.sharingchristslove.org/sermons/files/171f2f72902447954d93ae1b1a6cd7e2-38.html#unique-entry-id-38Luke 2:1-20

Merry Christmas everyone! Merry Christmas! That is the traditional Christmas greeting. Everyone from Santa Claus to the politicians seeking votes in the Iowa caucuses is sending out the greeting, Merry Christmas. Christmas is the season of merriment. It is a time for celebrating, for putting up colorful decorations, for opening presents, and for singing cheerful songs. If someone is not merry, what is he or she? A “scrooge,” who says, “Bah Humbug,” after that old grump Ebenezer in Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol.”

However, I’ve talked with people this past week who are anything but merry. As wonderful as Christmas can be, it is only a date on a human calendar. Life’s troubles do not take a leave of absence for the Christmas season. Let me share one example. On Thursday I attended the funeral of a woman who was my mother’s next door neighbor for 46 years. Her son and I are the same age, grew up together, and graduated together from high school. Now your mother’s death so close to Christmas would be hard enough to deal with. But 18 months earlier, her husband, my friend’s father, died of cancer. Prior to his death, the oldest boy in the family had been diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. He died last summer at the age of 56. So, in 18 months, this family of five has had 3 funerals, with just two sons now surviving. And both of them are living with the reality that they could also get ALS, a genetic illness that took the life of a grandfather, a brother, and their mother, who had just received the diagnosis a month before she died. It’s hard to be merry and to celebrate when you have suffered such loss in your life.

Closer to home, as a pastor I’m quite aware of the trials and tribulations people are facing this holiday season. There are several people who have been recently treated for cancer, including one with a brain tumor. Not only are they suffering from the physical effects of the treatment, there is the mental and emotional uncertainty that goes with such a serious diagnosis. Another member has had numerous tests trying to figure out what is causing severe pain. Still another had their house broken into last week. Another has had serious problems with foster children develop.

It’s tough to make yourself feel merry under such circumstances. Everyone else is merry, or so it appears. It is the expectation that you will be merry, too. But you’re not. If anything, you feel worse because of the expectations of the season.

I know others who are not exactly dreading Christmas, but they are looking forward to having it end because they are exhausted from their merrymaking. To be honest, pastors and other church workers often fall into this category. Christmas parties start in early December and continue non-stop. Then there’s the decorating, shopping, and wrapping that had to be done. Maybe preparation for out of town guests or travel plans add to the stress. It’s almost to the point that Christmas is not so much to be celebrated as simply endured. The twelve days of Christmas, the actual season for celebrating Christ’s birth which begins Christmas Day, are little more than the twelve days of recovery, a time to regain the energy and strength expended in all this merry making.

In the face of what are often ambivalent feelings toward Christmas, a 19th century English carol proclaims, “God rest you merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay.” "God Rest You Merry” was first published in Britain in 1833, when it appeared in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern, a collection of seasonal carols gathered by HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_B._Sandys" \o "William B. Sandys" William B. Sandys. The author is unknown.

On first hearing, the words sound very idealistic, even terribly unrealistic in light of the problems we all face. “Let nothing you dismay?” You must be kidding. I know lots of people who are very dismayed and not particularly merry.

But maybe, even though we’ve sung or heard this carol countless times, we’re misunderstanding what the words meant. The old English words and the poetic form in which they’re set make them a little difficult to understand.

The way I first understood the carol was to picture in my mind a street corner in London with a light falling snow, causing the kerosene lamp to look as if it had a halo around it. Around the base of the lamp, oblivious to the horses and carriages going by, are a small group of carolers, all in long wool coats, men in top hats and women with their hands deep inside their fur muffs. Maybe this picture is one I actually saw, as this was the carol sung in Dicken’s “a Christmas Carol,” which has been dramatized in theater, movies, and television. All of the carolers are very merry, with no problems other than the cold. These are the merry gentlemen and women to whom God brings rest.

Understood in this way, one has to be merry before the words apply. God rest you, merry gentlemen. Merry is an adjective modifying the noun, gentlemen. The implication is that for those who are merry, caught up in the Christmas spirit, God will rest. Rest is an old English way to say “keep.” God keep you, Merry Gentlemen.

But, I have learned, that this is not what the carol means. This is an instance of the placement of a comma being crucial to the meaning of the sentence. As you’ll see in the title in the bulletin, the carol does not say, “God rest you, (comma), Merry Gentlemen. Rather, it says, “God rest you merry, (comma), g