May 26th 2013 John 16:12-15

JOHN 16:12-15

12 "I still have many things to say to you,

but you cannot bear them now.

13  When the Spirit of truth comes,

he will guide you into all the truth;

for he will not speak on his own,

but will speak whatever he hears,

and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

14  He will glorify me,

because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

15 All that the Father has is mine.

For this reason I said that he will take what is mine

and declare it to you.

I.

It makes sense to me that this scripture reads like poetry,

for are not our hopes and dreams themselves poetry?

Is there not a poetry in looking toward the future

 and claiming a truth to be known there?

The poetry of blessings, the poetry of toasts, the poetry of promise,

 the poetry of commencement speeches, and inaugural addresses,

 the poetry of asking a child,

  “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

 or of assuring a little girl,

  “Someday you will appreciate your height.”

 the poetry of reminding a friend,

 “This too shall pass.”

or of assuring a brother in Christ,

  “God is with you.”

 the poetry of hope, the poetry of dreams, the poetry of the Spirit.

It makes sense to me that this scripture reads like poetry,

 because it is a scripture which assures us

  of the Spirit’s work in the future.

II.

There is a poetry when the Spirit whispers through the scripture,

"I still have many things to say to you,

but you cannot bear them now.”

Can you imagine, if at this church’s founding, 129 years ago,

  the Spirit spoke all the good things this church would do?

We would not be able to bear it.

Can you imagine, if at this community’s founding, 139 years ago,

 the Spirit spoke all the loving things this town would do?

 We would not be able to bear it.

Can you imagine, if at earth’s founding, 4.5 billion years ago,

 the Spirit spoke all the awesome things the world would do,

 we would not be able to bear it.

There is a poetry in the future coming piece by piece,

 in the Spirit working to create good, upon good, moment by moment,

 despite the chaos, healing the pain, light in the darkness.

III.

It makes sense to me that this scripture reads like poetry.

Is not the gentle tug on our hearts poetry?

 Is not the preciousness of our children in this church poetry,

  because it reminds us of what’s important.

Is not the pain we feel at an image of tornado victims poetry

  because of the empathy we feel?

 Is not the glory of sunshine and approaching summer poetry,

  because it reminds us of the glory to come, and the glory above?

Is not truth spoken in kindness poetry?

There is a poetry when the Spirit proclaims through the scripture,

“When the Spirit of truth comes,

he will guide you into all the truth;

for he will not speak on his own,

but will speak whatever he hears,

and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

You can imagine the truth spoken to this church,

 through the life of Christ feeding the poor,

 and our life feeding the hungry.

Can you imagine how the Spirit today is

 declaring to this church the things that are to come?

You can imagine the truth spoken to this community,

 about loving your neighbor as yourself,

 when you walk through the grocery store

  and people care to stop mid-aisle and catch up.

Can you imagine how the Spirit today is

 declaring to the community the things that are to come?

You can imagine the truth spoken to disciples,

 not to draw the sword, but to bring peace,

 and the importance of earth’s peacemakers on this Memorial Day weekend.

  Can you imagine how the Spirit today is

  declaring to the world the things that are to come?

There is a poetry in the ways the Spirit has spoken

 to the church, the community and the world,

 and there is poetry in the Spirit declaring to us

  the things things that are to come.

IV.

It makes sense to me that this scripture reads like poetry,

 for is not the gift of life from the Father poetry?

 Is not the life of the Son poetry?

 Is not the promise of the Spirit at work in our life poetry?

There is a poetry when the Spirit declares through the scripture,

“ He will glorify me,

because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

All that the Father has is mine.

For this reason I said that he will take what is mine

and declare it to you.”

Christ has taken the glory of the Spirit and declared it to you.

Can you imagine what glory Christ through the Spirit

 is declaring to this little church?

All the Father has is the Spirit’s and it will be declared to you.

Can you imagine what the Father through the Spirit

 is declaring to this community?

The Spirit is speaking through this scripture.

Can you imagine what is declaring the world?

 V.

It makes sense to me that this scripture reads like poetry,

 and if you listened to that Spirit,

  and if you shared its declaration,

 your hopes and dreams would sound like poetry too.

If you shared your dreams for our church, our community, and our world,

 they too would sound like poetry,

 the poetry of the Spirit,

 declaring what is to come.

What is to come?

 What poetry does the Spirit stir inside you?

What is the poetry the Spirit is speaking through you

 to this church, this community, and this world?

What is the poetry of your dreams, your hopes, and your prayers?

May 19th, 2013 Acts 2:1-21

ACTS 2:1-21  

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            ¹When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

            ⁵Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ⁷Amazed and astonished, they asked,

 “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes ¹¹Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”

¹²All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” ¹⁴But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ¹⁵Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ¹⁶No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷  ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,

     that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

          and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

     and your young men shall see visions,

          and your old men shall dream dreams.

¹⁸  Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

          in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

               and they shall prophesy.

¹⁹  And I will show portents in the heaven above

          and signs on the earth below,

               blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

²⁰  The sun shall be turned to darkness

          and the moon to blood,

               before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.

²¹  Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

***

          Have you seen tongues of fire? Have you heard the rush of a violent wind? Have you witnessed the Holy Spirit filling all the people together in one house? Have you? It is right in front of you. This sanctuary is aflame with the fire of Pentecost, this town’s community is pursued with the rush of a violent wind, and the Holy Spirit is filling the whole world by all of us being the Church together in this one house. Have you seen the tongues of fire? They are right in front of you, but perhaps they’re not in a language you understand.

            Have you seen Mark Ferns dedication to teach Sunday School for years on end? Have you seen Sharon Defrees wrangle preschoolers for a Bible story? Have you seen Bob McKim fixing something around the church? Have you seen LaVonne do quick calculations for the budget? Have you seen Silas and Sydney race up to the choir to shake hands? Have you seen Annie and Melissa planning Vacation Bible School? Have you seen a handwritten a card from Marcia or Martha? If so, you have seen tongues of fire.

            Have you heard the rush of a violent wind? Have you heard the sound of middle students filling the basement at breakfast time for the Open Door program? Have you heard the laughter of the Presbyterian Peanut Butter Packers for the Backpack program? Have you heard our choir members sing in the Community Choir? Have you heard the prayers for Eli, or the Bighman’s lifted up from these pews? Have you heard our voices in letters to the editor, on city council, and the school board? Have you heard the voices of our teachers, our lawyers, our doctors, our librarians, teaching, helping, healing our community? Have you heard the sound of cattle, of the plow, and of the quiet forest, as our ranchers, our farmers, and our forest service congregants care for creation? If so, you have heard the rush of a violent wind.

            Have you witnessed the Holy Spirit filling all the people together in one house? Have you witnessed Rick and Ginger traversing the country building homes for Habitat? Have you witnessed Deb and Lynn’s repeated missions to the Dominican Republic? Have you witnessed Kourtney Lehman in the Leadership Class lending loans across the world through Kiva? Have you witnessed the Presbyterian Women taking on human trafficking in this and many other countries?  Have you witnessed our continued prayers for peace for people all over the world? If so, you have witnessed the Holy Spirit filling all the people together in one house.

            Now that I’ve translated it for you, are you burned by the tongues of fire around you, are blown over by the violent wind beside you, are you bursting to witness to the Holy Spirit who has filled all these people together in one place. Are you amazed at this little Church, and its Pentecost? Are you still counting the uncountable Acts of service and love that imbue this house and exude from it to reaches far beyond measure?  Are you in awe of the Spirit?

            Are you in awe of the Spirit, because that’s who it is? We have awesome people in this congregation, but I wonder if it is because the Spirit is aflame in this congregation. Our congregation does a lot in the community, but I wonder if it is because the Spirit is working through us in the community. Our congregation is changing the world, but I’d wonder if it is because the Spirit is alive in the world through the actions of our congregation. I am in awe of this congregation, yet, even more, I am awe of the Spirit. I am in awe of the Spirit as God’s gift at Pentecost.

            In Acts, “God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” It has been poured out graciously and abundantly, and we can see it, hear it, and witness it in our midst. Pentecost is here at 1995 Fourth Street; the church is aflame with the Spirit, and yet, I wonder if we have named it. I wonder if anyone is calling out, “Fire, rushing wind, Holy Spirit.” In our humility we shy from naming the Spirit’s acts in us and around us. It’s a hard thing to do, but it isn’t about us. Its about recognizing and praising the Spirit. Its about living out the Spirit’s gift, one of which is prophesy, which does not simply mean predicting the future, as we understand it now. It means bringing the Good News to the people, in Word and in deed.

Acts reads, 

         “and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

     and your young men shall see visions,

          and your old men shall dream dreams.

¹⁸  Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

          in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

               and they shall prophesy.

¹⁹  And I will show portents in the heaven above

          and signs on the earth below,

               blood, and fire, and smoky mist.”

            One of the gifts of Pentecost is prophesy. So I ask you again, have you seen tongues of fire? Have you heard the rush of a violent wind? Have you witnessed the Holy Spirit filling all the people together in one house? Have you? It is right in front of you. You can see it. Prophesy, speak, and name the Spirit in our midst. Let others hear and understand in their own tongue. Let us prophesy that we might praise, and give thanks for the gifts of Pentecost. Let us praise and give thanks for the Spirit poured out, and the language of the prophets, who declare the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day, this great and glorious Pentecost day.

May 12th, 2013 Acts 16:16-34

Acts 16:16-34  

16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling.

17While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."

18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her."

And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.

20When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews

21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe."

22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.

23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.

24 Following these instructions,  he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.

27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,  since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."

29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

30 Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31 They answered,  "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.

34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.

SERMON

I know this scripture is most often remembered as the story of Paul and Silas in jail but I’m most interested in the unnamed characters, the supporting roles. I’m intrigued by the story of the slave girl. I wonder what her name was. I wonder from where she came. I wonder how she came to be enslaved. I wonder if she was forced into slavery because of her own poverty, or if she was born into slavery because of her parent’s poverty. I wonder what was her debt and how long she must work to pay it off. I wonder if her time of indebtedness was the Biblical average of seven years. How many more years did she have to be enslaved when she met Paul and Silas?

I wonder how it came to be that she became a fortune-teller slave. She had the gift of

divination, and made a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. I wonder if she was really crazy or really gifted. I wonder the same thing about fortune-tellers today. Do they have a gift from God, a special awareness like a prophet relaying a dream, or are they pulling the wool over people’s eye’s in a dishonest hoax. The slave girl is said to have the spirit of the snake, and I have heard of other Biblical snakes who seem to know the future, especially when it comes to the knowledge of good and evil. And that is exactly what the salve girls has. She is pointing out the Good News of salvation, and lifting up Paul and Silas. I don’t imagine the snake in the garden of Eden getting its power from outside of God because it tells the truth, and likewise, I don’t imagine the slave girl’s power coming from outside of God because she tells the truth.

”While she followed Paul and Silas, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the

“Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."” What could be more true. Paul and Silas are slaves to the gospel. They are in poverty, having given up all they had, to follow Christ. They are enslaved to preaching the Good News of salvation. The slave girl is right. Isn’t she telling the truth? Isn’t she following them to tell others about Christ? Isn’t she doing the same thing as Paul and Silas? Would her gift of fortune telling not help their case? It seems that she is doing the right thing.

I don’t know why Paul gets annoyed. The scripture says she kept calling out for many

days, and I suppose even if someone is spreading the gospel, hearing the same phrase called out for days upon days could get exhausting. But I don’t think this tedious repetition is why Paul gets annoyed with her. Maybe Paul felt like she was proselytizing rather than evangelizing, being pushy by calling out, instead of welcoming. Maybe Paul felt like it his show, and she was taking all the glory. Or perhaps, Paul felt like it was Jesus’ show, and she was taking away the glory.

Perhaps with her fame as a fortune teller, the scene became about her, and not her words. Perhaps as a slave her intensions seemed off, as if she was making money for her owners by proclaiming the gospel, instead of prospering the gospel itself. I wonder if her enslavement was how Paul knew something was wrong. Because even as she followed them, and proclaimed the Good News, as long as she could still tell fortunes she was still a slave, a slave to her owners, and not a slave to God, like Paul and Silas.

 

So, “Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.” I wonder what she felt like.  The scripture doesn’t say. I wonder if she felt healed? I wonder if she felt freed, because she truly was. A slave in Biblical times could become free if they were wounded, and their debts would be canceled. In taking away her ability to tell fortunes, Paul also took away her enslavement. Now the slave girl could seek true freedom, to choose Christ for herself. I wonder what she did next.

The scripture doesn’t say. But I have an idea because I know the only way to respond to God’s healing, is to respond by healing others. I imagine her free telling the same prophesy and crying out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."” I imagine her subverting the idea of slavery from human slavery, to slavery for God.

It seems like the same thing, that nothing really would have changed. But the difference is that true healing in Christ, not only heals the person, but seeks to heal the system. The salves become free, the slave holders become free, the inprisioned Paul and Silas become free, the distressed and sucicidal jailer becomes free. When Christ heals, the system and the individual righted and free. In our time, three kidnapped women held in a house become free, and we question the corrupt systems that held them there. In our time, there is a starving protest at Guantanamo, like Paul and Silas singing hymns in jail, and these things help us look at our broken prision system and seek freedom. We are under siege of military men and women committing sucicide and violence, like the jailer, and we look at our systems, and seek freedom.

This is what God’s freedom looks like, it looks like a woman becoming free to choose to be enslaved to God. It looks like the freedom to tell others the good news. It looks like the freedom that changes the system. It looks like an unnamed slave girl foreshadowing the big story of Paul and Silas. It looks like an unnamed slave girl living and telling the story of Christ’s salvation.

May 5 2013 Revelation 21:10, 21:22-27, 22:1-5

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REVELATION 21:10, 21:22-27, 22:1-5

10And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain

and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.

22 I saw no temple in the city,for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it,

23 And for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

24The nations will walk by its light,and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.

25Its gates will never be shut by day-and there will be no night there.

26People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

27But nothing unclean will enter it,nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood,

but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal,

flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

2 through the middle of the street of the city.

On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit,

producing its fruit each month;and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

3Nothing accursed will be found there any more.But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,

and his servants will worship him;4they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

5And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun,

for the Lord God will be their light,

and they will reign forever and ever.

******************

What is your favorite city? What is it’s best view? Have you ever looked down on

a city in awe? I have a few favorite cities. I love San Francisco, the fog and the

breaking sunshine, the water and the bridge, the hippy streets of Haight-Ashbury and

the spanish streets of the Mission district, and tourists and locals in Chrissy Field, and

people walking around with yoga mats and flowing clothes, and ducking into

bookstores. I love walking across the bridge and up the hill behind it. From this vantage

the whole city seems one, covered in the same fog, the same sunshine, or preparing for

the clouds rolling in. The hills which break up the view down below seem to gently roll

together creating the city as a whole. It is a great view up the hill past the San Francisco

Bridge.

I also love Charleston, and I once read that the way to enter that city was not by

land coming in through its backside and lost streets, but instead to enter the city from

the Atlantic, to sail in just as those first Europeans did, where you see the city as a

whole, the giant homes and city wall, standing as a fortress against both enemy ships

and weather. Hidden is the ugly history of the salve markets and plantations, of the

prejudice that still resides there and the poverty that divides much along racial lines.

From the sea, the conflicts of the city are muted and light plays against Charleston,

displaying the city and the sea in great pastels. The ocean is the way to view

Charleston.

In Colorado Springs I would go on a hike at the Western edge of town and before

too long I would be high enough to view the entire city. Having researched much of its

history, I could both see its current form, and imagine its beginning. I could view the

urban sprawl, and the few streets that were first inhabited with the mines. It was a good

way to see Colorado Springs, because in the midst of it, the city can seem very run

down, with buildings and homes begging for repairs and new paint. With hundreds of

homeless begging for food, or money for drugs. The city down below is seen with

liberals and Christian conservatives staking out buildings downtown like a property

war. But high up in the Red Rock Canyon Open Space the city seems harmonious, and

its poverty fades away into the vast landscape out to the East. From the mountain top is

the place to see Colorado Springs.

Just yesterday, driving back to our city, I was appreciating the view, where you

come up over the ridge and begin to see the mountains and then you start dropping

back down and you see Baker City spread out in the valley below the mountains. And

looking far off to the East the Wallowa mountain range beckons, letting you know your

home in between. Its a nice way to see our city. Perhaps the best way. When you get

down into it there are streets which are nicer than others. Here too there are homes and

buildings begging for repair and a fresh coat of paint. Here too there are debates with

the forests and the ranches. Sometimes when you get down into it, its not as pretty as

when your looking from farther away, from up above. I love that drive which brings

you into our town.

In today’s scripture, there is that same kind of mountain top experience. That same

kind of view. In John’s dream, the Spirit has carried him up to a great high mountain,

and showed him the city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. Instead of

seeing the temple on the city’s highest point, there is no temple. God is no longer in one

place; God has come down and covered the city. God has bathed the city in light, so

much so, that there is no longer night or even need of lamp light. For the Lord is the

light and has brought it abundantly, blindingly. Likewise the nations are all walking and

following the light of God. There is no division, or war, or debate, but instead life itself

is a common worship of the Lamb for all tribes and peoples. Likewise, the relationships

between people are righted. No one is unclean, or false, or practices abomination. There

are no lies, no separation of families, no murder, no infidelity, no addiction, no

heartbreak, and no pain. From high up, looking down on the new Jerusalem, all these

things are gone, and beauty is in its place.

An angel shows John a river as bright as crystal, and on either side the tree of life

bears good fruit. There are no wily serpents, or tempted humans. Instead their are

twelve kinds of fruit, always producing, and the leaves of the fruit are for the healing of

the nations. No more Babel, no more floods, but leaves for healing from the tree of life.

And in this new Jerusalem God reigns not from on high, not from the mountain top, but

from the city streets, and from the people themselves, and the people will worship God.

God’s name will be written on their foreheads, that everything that might be said, might

be a word of peace and love. That through them, and by God, God’s light will shine on

this city forever and ever.

What a view John gets to have, and how hard will it be for John to come back

down from the mountain, how hard will it be for John to wake up from his dreaming.

How hard is it for us sometimes to come down from that ridge above the city, and into

the places where reality makes things ugly again. How hard it is when all we see are

partly run down streets and broken relationships, and debate signs, and to-do lists to be

done. How hard it is to remember that this place too is where God has settled down like

morning dew, to anoint this place, to cover this place with the Lamb, and with the

Spirit. What do we need to do to remember that God has settled here, that we are the

church both inside this place, and in our relationships with each other and the earth

outside. How can we continue to look to the hills from where our help comes when we

are stuck in the city? How do we not forget about our dreams when the mourning

comes?

I think we have to look for the places where we see God in our midst. Last week

when I asked you where you saw God, your answers were incredible, and they were

answers that came from life in the city. You saw God from Open Door mornings, to

specific people in this church, to sunshine and warmth and flowers and trees, to

people’s kindness, to those helping in our community, to teachers, to friends eating and

dancing together, to dogs, the opening of aspen leaves, and being safe, in the birth of

little ones, in the unconditional love of family and friends, in life long friendships, in

the alpine glow of the mountains, and the birds searching for food, in the drifting

cherry blossoms, in an adult telling a child they how wonderful they are, in family

praising God, unexpected acts of kindness, in doctors who are missionaries, in

sunflowers, in the eyes of a husband and children, in nature and its instincts and stars at

night, in sunrise and sunsets and everything in between, in Hell’s Canyon, in

meaningful work and moving to Baker City, in the love and care of foster parents, in

the help of neighbors, in rainbows, in pets, and someone wrote the words, “here.”

That is where the new Jerusalem lies. It lies here. We can see it from the

mountains, but we can also find God living in the valley.

Here is where the new Jerusalem lies. Here in this valley. Alleluia, Amen.