Feed the Fire

Feed the Fire

Luke 12:49-56

August 18, 2013

Some time ago I was leading a Bible study and one of the participants made this observation:

“The more things change the more we humans stay the same.”

Pressed to explain her insight she continued:

“We are still sinners who need a Savior.”

And indeed, although the circumstances of human fear and stress might seem different

     In this age when we can insulate ourselves

      Do everything on line

     The underlying truth: We are still sinners who need a Savior.

Jesus said, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!”

What do you want to do as Jesus kindles his light in your life?

• -  Just smile politely when Jesus says those words.

• -  Try and put the fire out

• -  Listen and repent, coming to life fully aflame in the light of Christ, ready to carry His light into the whole world

Let’s look at the first option: smiling politely.

     This seems to most often be the “default” setting for the church in the U.S. today

     The popular preachers

      Prosperity gospel

          Luke 12:49-56 doesn’t fit

            Just believe in Jesus and the world will fall at your feet

              Cars, homes, money. No earthly worries.

              Relationships will be stress free.

                  I love Disney World, but real life isn’t that way.

                  Prosperity gospel: a fragile house of cards

                       Where do we go when the house falls

                        The job is lost, the marriage goes sour

     But it’s not just them. We all do this. I DO THIS!

      A one-week mission trip makes us feel awesome.

      And then more came after us.

      Except now, nobody is helping again.

     We save the world for a short span.

      And then go back to what was.

The Faith Five is coming around again for confirmation families

     Of course, no one ever claimed to miss it.

Taking God’s Story Home is making a return for the rest of us.

     When we were baptized, someone made promises for us.

     When we affirmed those promises at confirmation, we made the promises.

     And here they are:

      To live among God’s faithful people

      To hear the word of God and come to the holy supper

      To know the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments

      To have in our hands and hearts the holy scriptures

      To be active in faith and prayer

      To trust God

      To proclaim Christ in word and deed

      To care for others and the world God made

       To work for justice and peace.

And when these are brought back to our attention,

     We smile and nod.

      We agree for Sunday morning’s sake

         And then go back to whatever it was we were interrupted from.

     What if we read the Bible as fervently as we read the Packer Report?

      Who gets more of our time? Aaron Rodgers or Jesus Christ?

         Yup. Time to smile and nod.

Then there’s the second option: Try and put the fire out.

     I’ve done this one too.

      First hearing a call to work in ministry when I was in middle school.

         Finally went to seminary at age 37.

            I had good reasons.

     Anytime God calls us.

      We can find good reasons not to answer.

         “When I have more time”

         “When all else fails”

         “When I can’t do anything else”

And yet, people will still go hungry

     People are still lonely

     People are hurting

     People need the Lord.

      And our fear, stubbornness, pride

         Says “no”

But what if…

     What if we would consistently choose the third choice:

Listen and repent (which means turn around back to God),

coming to life fully aflame in the light of Christ

Ready to carry His light into the whole world

How alive would Christ the King Church, the PEOPLE, actually become?

     What difference could we make in the world?

      Living as though it’s important to us to let others know

         Christ died for us; Christ came back to life; Christ will come again to claim us.

And no it’s not easy!

     That’s the division Jesus talks about.

      Because the gospel is scandalous.

         It’s counter-cultural.

            People will make mock you for believing.

            Just like they mocked Christ on the cross.

     The true Gospel (not the garbage TV preachers spew)

      The true Gospel will not make you popular

         Or cool

            Or rich

But it will make you free.

Because even if we fall back to smiling and nodding (and we will!)

Even if we try to put the fire out (and we will!)

Eternal life is still ours through Christ who saves us.

     But why not 5 minutes a day with your family?

      Why not a few moments sprinkled liberally in prayer?

         Because these times open the rich and abundant life that God promises.

            Even more fulfilling than a Packers (or better yet, Bears!) victory on Sunday.

Eternal life is ours. Make sure you clothe yourself in Christ.

     There’s a battle out there. And God wins.

Amen.

        

     

It's the Father's Good Pleasure!

Luke 12:32-40
Pastor Doug Holtz

Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 

So what is in today’s readings anyway?

“Don’t be afraid?”

     Sell your possessions

          Be dressed for action

              You must be ready

Sure. Sounds great.

     Can’t we do any better today?

          Sounds like things you’d put on a sign…

              Not those people

                   Sounds like things Fred Phelps and his merry band might use

                  

And I suppose living in today’s world

     These do come up a bit empty.

         

Let’s try one more from today’s gospel:

     It’s your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Bam! Right in the middle of all those others.

     Funny how we never see that on a protest poster.

          Those words change the tone of all the others.

              They are words of hope; not warning.

                  

Which makes all the other words hope; not warning.

     Suddenly, being dressed for action

          Selling your possessions

              Are not to cause anxiety

                   But bring us true hope.

It’s your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

     So it’s not to be alert because otherwise there is trouble.

          It’s to be alert because something awesome is just around the corner.

So if we’re given the kingdom, what more do we need?

     Or as a certain company asks: What’s in your wallet?

          A look through mine finds nothing unusual:

              A VISA card or two (one from that very company!)

              A few business cards

              Kwik-Trip (gotta love the rebate)

              Health Insurance

              Dental Insurance

              Prescription Insurance

              Proof of Auto Insurance

              AAA Membership

              Pastor ID card (in case they don’t believe me!)

Don’t be afraid?

     Like everyone else we have modern needs

          Let go and let God?

              Hardly.

And all those cards?

     Yes. This purse WILL wear out.

So what is this purse that doesn’t wear out.

     Maybe it’s where we keep more important stuff.

     The things they can never take away.

          Memories of loved ones helping and caring for us and others.

              of favorite smells from holiday gatherings gone by

              of time spent just doing nothing with friends

              of that first taste of communion (complete with sour face)

     God is there in those memories

          They are God’s goodness and grace given to you

              By parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors

                   Maybe even someone you didn’t even know

Have you all thought of something?

     Write it down on the post-it closest to you.

          Now either yourself or someone around you.

              Go put it on the door.

                   These are the kind of blessings I was talking about last week.

And these blessings are exactly how God shows you his kingdom.

     These are the hopes and dreams.

          These are stories of faith.

              And you haven’t forgotten.

Have no fear little flock.

     Have good cheer little flock.

          It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

              And just like these memories

                   These BLESSINGS!!!

                        They can never be taken away.

                            

And just like those memories.

     The kingdom can’t be taken away either.

     Just as apostle Paul says in Romans 8:

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning.

     Because the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

          And don’t be afraid.            

              Because oh what an hour it will be.

Or as the Impressions might have sang:

People get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord.

Amen.

Money is the root of all evil?

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Luke 12:13-21; The Parable of the Rich Fool

Pastor Doug Holtz

Money is the root of all evil!

Money? Fibers woven carefully together to form a rectangle?

     Metal minted into round decorated objects, sometimes used to measure tire life?

     Much better than the barter system.

          How many head of cattle for a vacation in NYC?

          How would you get them there?

          And you think NYC is congested now?

“Money is the root of all evil.” A horrible misquote.

I Timothy 6:10 “The LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”

Money is actually a wonderful thing.

     Makes life in this modern era possible.

          It can provide for the family.

          Given to others in need.

          Create jobs, fund important research.

     But it can’t produce abundant life

          Peace and satisfaction we all seek.

          It always comes up short.

The LOVE of money can lead to disaster:

Jesus’ parable today isn’t about money.

     It is about greed. Listen to the conversation the man has again—

not with a neighbor or friend

but with himself.

“I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, I have ample goods laid up for many years; I can relax, eat, drink, be merry.’”

This is a completely self-involved conversation.

Not only is he talking to himself

     He is having a conversation with himself

          Inside a conversation with himself.

So amidst all the wealth,

     All the planning for bigger and better

          What’s missing?

Relationships with others.

And this leads to isolation and loneliness

     Which then leads to buying more stuff

          Which leads to loneliness and isolation.

But if this is so bad for us, why does it persist in life, in society, in ourselves?

     We’re only human.

          With the doubts and neediness that goes with it.

The commercial world builds on these insecurities. You remember this gem?

     Wisk. Ring around the collar!

Identify the problem. Magnify it into a huge dilemma.

Sell the immediate solution, complete with smiles!

And it works, doesn’t it?

     And we’re hooked. We go out and buy Wisk.

Even though we know the blessings of a good relationship

     There’s nothing instant about it.

          We can’t go to Walmart or Target to buy it.

We substitute the material for the immaterial.

     It’s right there in front of us

          Culture tells us there’s nothing better.

So… what are we to do?

     This brief time is just the beginning.

     Yes, it’s an uncomfortable subject

          We all know we can somehow do better

              We need to talk about it.

Even though it should be always on our radar

     “Stewardship season” is coming.

          So do we pull out the usual charts?

              Have feel-good talks?

     Or will we begin a process of change.

          If we are really the church,

              Why can’t we really work on this with each other?

So let’s start talking about the proper use and dangerous abuse of material wealth and wonder together how our community—by studying scripture and having the difficult conversations—can help us live into the kind of abundant life that material wealth can support but cannot produce.

And let’s start looking for signs of the abundant life that Jesus describes in the gospels.

     Relationship, community, love, purpose

          These things are less tangible than stuff

          But far more powerful

Let’s become aware of God’s blessings to us.

In fact, let’s start today!

     The back doors have been cleaned.

          (I still have them, they will be used)

     Consider ways God has blessed you.

          The quiet conversations, the loving relationships, the joy in community.

Notice them, name them, give thanks for them.

     Post-it notes.

During the week: keep a simple log, take a couple of minutes at the end of the day to pray and give thanks. Send a note or email thanking others for their blessing to you.

     It’s a start. A really good start.

     And it could be fun!

And this is just the beginning.   

     We’ll do more this autumn.

          Build REAL community.

              Count blessings together.

                   Lift one another up.

I have ideas.

     I’ll bet you do too!

          Email me, drop me a note.

              Let me know what you’re thinking.

     I hold your thoughts in the highest regard.

          Maybe you’ve seen something work elsewhere.

              Maybe you have an idea so crazy it just might work.

                   Let’s share our ideas.

                        Throw them against the walls and see what might stick.

Counting my blessings begins with the people who surround me.

     All of you sitting here today.

          Your willingness to step out.

              To take a chance. Be a little vulnerable.

                   Determines where this church is going.

Let’s stop looking toward money and stuff for happiness/contentment

     Let’s look toward God and each other for the true abundant life.

          Let’s live as people who live within a promise.

              Let’s live God’s vision.            

Let’s be the church. God’s church.

Amen.