May 16, 2021

First Lutheran Church

May 16, 2021

Psalm 24:1-6 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.  Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.  They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation. Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Matthew 6:19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Sermon “A Gift from God”

Pastor Greg Ronning

Psalm 133 declares, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!”    “What a gift it is to be here today, in the sanctuary, together again, with each of you!” 

It’s been a long time, (fourteen months,) since we have gathered together in this space as a community of faith.  I thank God that during this time of “exile in pandemic” we have remained united, united in our faith, united in Christ, focused in on our mission; but it’s been “oh so very hard” not to be together in the same place, in this place, in our holy place where divine love comes to life in each of us, in all of us together. 

What a gift to be able to “softly sing” (hum) with our voices, but triumphantly with our hearts and from deep down in our souls, “Gather us in … Here in this place the new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away; see in this space our fears and our dreamings brought here to you in the light of this day. - Gather us in.” 

What a long-awaited “gift” today is, the gift of each other, the gift of being together, the gift of sharing the sacraments in person, in community, as the very body of Christ, “Here we will take the wine and the water, here we will take the bread of new birth, here you shall call your sons and your daughters, call us anew to be salt for the earth.”  Today is certainly a “gift!”

Today we celebrate indeed, but we must also seriously consider, “What will we do with this incredible gift?”

Last month I attended a zoom stewardship conference, (along with Mary Bermani and Terri Robertson, our Stewardship Team here at First Lutheran,) and among other things, we were challenged to re-examine our understanding of the concept of “gift.”  Our keynote speaker pointed out that in our culture, especially in our American context, we tend to think of “gift” primarily in terms of ownership.  When we give a gift to someone, we transfer ownership of that item.  When we receive a gift, it is ours to do with – whatever or however we please.  In many ways the now popular practice of giving “gift cards” has allowed us to double down on the idea, “Go and buy yourself whatever you want, get something special.” In our world, gift giving is transactional, a transfer of ownership from one person to another.

And that’s not really a problem, I’m not suggesting that we stop giving gifts to each other and our loved ones, but our cultural understanding of “gift” as “transfer of ownership” can become a huge issue if it carries over into our faith, our theology, our spirituality, and our discipleship. 

In today’s first reading the psalmist reminds us, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.”  Essentially the psalmist is saying, “Everything belongs to God.”  So, when we say, “Everything I have is a gift from God,” we need to remember that God does not “give” a “gift” as the world gives, when God blesses us with something, with everything, it does not involve a change of ownership, it is not a transaction, rather it becomes a matter of “stewardship.”  And that distinction is crucial, it changes everything!  We do not become owners but stewards, “those who would manage the resources and affairs of the owner for the sake of the owner.”

Today we are reminded that, “All good gifts come from God,” but also that “All good gifts belong to God.”  Today we are reminded that we are not the “owners” of our blessings but that we are the “stewards” of our blessings.  We are the caretakers of God’s good gifts.  And as such we are invited to ask totally different and perhaps new questions.  It is no longer a question of how much I should give to charity and how much should I keep for myself, but rather how might I use “all the resources” that God has given me to “steward” for the sake of the kingdom, the sake of Christ, for the sake of the love of God.   How might I use the resources of God, that have been entrusted to me, (time, talents, and treasures,) to proclaim the good news, to love my neighbor, pursue justice, and help make a difference in the world.  Today we are invited, not to simply give a gift, that is really not ours to give, but to follow Jesus deeper into a life of discipleship.

And that’s hard, it’s hard to change our understanding of our things, our resources, our money.  The world offers us the old proverb, the enticement that “possession is nine-tenths of the law.”  While it may be a “truism” of human nature, that the stuff I “have and hold” are my possessions, it is not the truth found and proclaimed in the scriptures, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.”  The mental and practical move from “ownership” to “stewardship” to “discipleship” is not easy.  As John Lennon once said, “Possession isn't nine-tenths of the law. It's nine-tenths of the problem.”  It’s hard, even counter intuitive, to release our possessions, - even when we have come to realize that perhaps our possessions have come to possess us!  In today’s gospel we are reminded, we are warned, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I began today by proclaiming, “What a gift it is to be here today, in the sanctuary, together again, with each of you!”  And it is a gift, a wonderful gift, but it’s not a gift for us to selfishly hold onto, not a gift for us to possess, but rather a gift from God, that we are called to steward, to share. 

We have a very unique opportunity before us, a rare moment in history; we have the opportunity to begin again, to begin again - anew!  A few weeks ago, I proclaimed from the pulpit that I was not excited, or even willing, to “return” to in-person worship, but that I looked forward to “beginning” in-person worship.  Life has seriously changed, there’s no normal to which we can return back, even if that’s what we wanted to do!  It’s time for something new to happen.  And together we are the “stewards“ of this new beginning here at First Lutheran Church. 

So, what does that mean? As this pandemic slowly comes to an end, as people are once again invited outside and into community spaces, what might we do to share the incredible “gift” that we have here at First Lutheran? 

As people come out of this pandemic, this year long ordeal, perhaps more engaged in the existential questions of life, looking for something more in life, open to engaging faith and spirituality.  What might we do to invite them, entice them, and welcome them into our faith community.  It will be tempting to “return” to our old ways.  But what if we dare to risk some changes and engage new people?  What if we were willing to meet people where they’re at, learn to speak their language, cater to their concerns, discover and meet their needs, adapt to become more inviting, find new and creative ways to share this wonderful gift?  What if we thought about it strategically?  What if we dared to begin anew?

This past Thursday the church celebrated “The Ascension of Christ.”  As the season of Easter comes to a close the risen Christ gathers up his disciples and lets them know that he will no longer be with them in the same way that he was before.  St. Luke writes, “Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.”  (The Paschal Candle is extinguished)  Something new will be happening soon.  Next Sunday we will celebrate the Day of Pentecost, and the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the fire that burned in Christ - will now be found burning in the hearts of the people who will become the church, the “new” Body of Christ present in the world.

May we be open to the coming of the Spirit into our community in this moment, as we begin anew, in-person, make changes, seeking to faithfully live out, and share, the gift of faith, the gift of church, the gift of the Body of Christ, the gift that is our life together, for the sake of the kingdom, for the sake of Christ, for the sake of love. 

“Here in this place the new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away; see in this space our fears and our dreamings brought here to you in the light of this day. Gather us in, the lost and forsaken, gather us in, the blind and the lame; call to us now, and we shall awaken, we shall arise at the sound of our name.”

Speak Lord, for your servants are listening!  Amen.

May 9, 2021

First Lutheran Church

May 9, 2021 + The Sixth Sunday after Easter B

John 15:9-17 [Jesus said:] 9“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

12“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”

“Impossible Love”

Pastor Greg Ronning

Many years ago, in my first call as a Youth Pastor, I was in charge of the confirmation program.  And part of that program required the students to turn in “sermon notes.”  The confirmation students were supposed to take notes during the sermon and then summarize the main points in a brief written report.  And they were always very brief!  It didn’t take long for the students to realize that every sermon was ultimately about “love.”  And that they could get away with simply reporting that, “God loves us, and we are supposed to love each other.”  

Now I was always hoping for something more profound, I was always hoping they would pick up on a profound theological point, that they would really relate personally to a story that was shared, or that they might discover their great calling in life.  But that was seldom, if ever, the case.  More times than not, all I got from them was, “God loves us, and we are supposed to love each other.” 

But you know what, - they were right.  The heart of the Gospel is “love,” the power of the Gospel is knowing that you are loved, and the great calling of the Gospel is to love others as we have been loved.  In many ways, that’s what it’s all about!  They got it right, that’s always the main point!  Of course, as we all know, it’s always easier said than done!

In today’s Gospel reading from John, we are reminded of this main point.  We are reminded how great God’s love is for each and every one of us, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  God in Christ Jesus laid down his life for each of us, for all of us, revealing the incredible breadth and depth of God’s love, and the liberating and saving power of God’s love.  We are invited to “abide” in that love, and then we are exhorted to practice that love, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” 

God loves us, and we are supposed to love each other.”  On one level it’s simple, but once again, as we all know, - it’s just not that easy.  To love as Christ loved us, is extremely difficult at best, - and most likely impossible.  Heck, I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find it hard just to be nice to other people, let alone love, or love like Christ!  And yet that’s exactly what Jesus asks of us, he wants us to love like he loved; to love people that make us uncomfortable, people who scare us, people who are strange, people who don’t think like us, people who don’t look like us, people who don’t share our political views, people who don’t act like us, people who don’t like us, even people who might hate us.  How is it that we will ever be able to “love one another” as Christ loved us?  There’s just so much doubt and fear residing deep within us, not to mention all around us, to ever overcome. 

Is Jesus really serious about this commandment?  And more importantly, are we willing to be serious about this commandment?

To be honest it’s kind of scary.  It takes me to the edges of my life where I don’t feel safe, - and I like to feel safe!  I’m more comfortable where I can keep things under my control.  I prefer to practice love on my terms and not on the open-ended terms of Jesus.  I prefer to volunteer when it’s convenient and conventional.  I prefer to be present when I am in charge and balanced.  I find it easier to give away little pieces of my heart, and not risk my whole heart.  I find it much easier to practice charity, than I do to practice the love of God found in Jesus. 

Yet, despite all my fears, there’s just something about the commandment, the invitation from Jesus to love, even to love recklessly, that causes me to lean in and to imagine, there’s something about it that compels me to respond.  And in this moment, Jesus softly welcomes me, “Abide in my love.” 

Because that’s where it all begins.  Truth be told, we cannot begin to love until we have experienced love.  Doubt and fear can only be conquered by that unconditional and relentless love that produces that peace which surpasses all understanding, the peace that guards our hearts and minds, and sets us free to finally be loved and to ultimately love others. 

Today’s reading from John, the commandment to love, is preceded by Jesus’ teaching about how we are opened up and empowered to such love.  “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.  I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” 

It’s important to note, and to remember, that Jesus is not asking us to somehow find the courage and strength to love all on our own, but rather is inviting us to “abide” in his love, and in doing so, let his love become the source and strength of our ability to love.  Theologian Debi Thomas writes, “In the vine-and-branches metaphor, Jesus’s love is not our example; it’s our source.  It’s where our love originates and deepens.  Where it replenishes itself.  In other words, if we don’t abide, we can’t love.  Jesus’s commandment to us is not that we wear ourselves out, trying to conjure love from our own easily depleted resources. Rather, it’s that we abide in the holy place where divine love becomes possible.”

This my sisters and brothers, if you are taking sermon notes this morning, is the main point of today’s sermon!  When we abide in the love of Christ, the love of Christ abides in us, strengthening and empowering us to love others.  We begin by abiding, and abiding leads to loving.  That’s how the love of God works!  Thus, the question for today is, “Where is your holy place where divine love becomes possible?”

Faith comes to life, in the life of the faithful community.  Love comes to life, in the life of the beloved community.  So it is that we gather together, for the sake of faith, for the sake of love.  To follow Christ, to live out the commandments of Jesus, is not a personal undertaking but rather a profoundly communal activity.  Christ is present when two or more are gathered together seeking simply to be “faithful people doing faithful things.”  To abide in Christ is not to be alone but to be intimately connected to the vine, the vine that is Christ, the source of our love.

And together in Christ, all things are possible – even “impossible love” comes to life.  In our life together, in this holy place where divine love becomes possible, we become love fleshed out for each other, we become love fleshed out for our neighbors in need, and we become loved fleshed out for our community to see and behold.  Apart from Christ we can do nothing, and such love remains frightening and unattainable.  In Christ, in the vine, abiding in love; we bear the fruit of love, even unconditional and sacrificial love.  Alone I cannot begin to love, but with you, my sisters and brothers in Christ, I am able to love, even as Christ has loved us.

Hear the word of Christ spoken to us this day, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”

Let us give thanks for our Holy Place, for the love that abides here, the love among us, the love deep inside of us, that love that enables us to love, the impossible love that makes our joy complete.   Amen.

April 18, 2021

First Lutheran Church

April 18, 2021 + The Third Sunday in Easter (B)

Luke 24:36b-53

36bJesus himself stood among [the disciples] and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence.

44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things.”

49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Sermon

“Encounter, Explain, Eat, Enlighten, Exit”

Pastor Greg Ronning

Today’s appointed Gospel for the Third Sunday in Easter tells us the story of how the risen Christ suddenly appears to the disciples, - terrifying them as if he were a ghost.  In that moment the disciples are filled with doubts and fears.  However, Jesus speaks a word of peace, reveals his wounds, eats some fish, opens up the scriptures to them, and inspires them to faith.  And then he departs, as mysteriously as he appeared, “carried up into heaven.”

The pattern in today’s Gospel story might sound familiar to you, in fact the same pattern is found in the story that precedes today’s story, the “Emmaus Road” story.  (I would argue that they are actually the same story told in two parts!) Professor Lucy Lind Hogan, of Wesley Theological Seminary, names the pattern repeated in these verses; “Encounter, Explain, Eat, Enlighten, and Exit.”

The pattern begins, in the preceding verses, with two disciples traveling down the road to Emmaus after the death of Christ.  They are lost in deep despair, wandering away in confusion, mourning the death of Jesus.  They have heard the women’s report that Jesus has risen from the death but believe it to be nothing more than “an idle tale.”  As they journey down this road, they “encounter” a stranger, who joins them in the journey.  In their grief, in their despair, in their confusion, they do not recognize that the stranger is actually Jesus.  As they travel down the road the stranger “explains” how the tragic events of the last few days, the death of Jesus, is connected to the holy scriptures and the promises of God.  As the day of traveling ends, the disciples invite the stranger to stay with them.  And as they share a meal, as they “eat” together, as they practice hospitality, their eyes are opened up and Jesus is made known to them.  Suddenly they become “enlightened,” all the words spoken by the stranger come to life and burn in their hearts.  Their faith finds that moment of understanding, it becomes real.  And then, in an instant, Jesus “exits.” 

The Gospel of Luke describes what happens next, “That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.  They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!”  Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

And that’s where today’s Gospel reading begins, and we discover the same pattern repeats itself, “Encounter, Explain, Eat, Enlighten, and Exit.”

As the disciples sit gathered together, discussing stories of the risen Jesus, suddenly they actually “encounter” Jesus, he appears standing before them.  They are confused and afraid, terrified and filled with doubt, they do not understand what is happening.  They think he is a ghost!  Jesus then begins to “explain,” he shows them his wounds, he bears witness to the resurrection.  And then, as he did in Emmaus, he “eats” a piece of fish. He is not a ghost, he is alive.  And slowly but surely the disciples become “enlightened,” their minds are opened up to the promises of scripture, the word of God made alive.  And they are transformed, they are made ready for the coming of the Spirit; they are ready to bear witness to the resurrection, to the good news of the gospel, the forgiveness of sin and life abundant and everlasting.  And then Jesus leads the disciples out to Bethany, he blesses them, and he “exits” into the heavens.

“Encounter, Explain, Eat, Enlighten, and Exit.”  A repeating pattern in the Twenty Fourth Chapter of Luke, and a pattern still repeating even today; the reoccurring pattern of faith, and the story of our faith.

It always begins with the “Encounter.”  Each and every day “Jesus” is present seeking out an encounter with each of us.  Motivated by grace and love, God in Christ Jesus, is out there, hoping and waiting to be discovered.  The problem is that we, more often than not, are not aware of the divine presence.  We miss understand the encounter.  And perhaps we’re afraid of a true encounter with Jesus!  In our busyness - we don’t take the time to really look, in all the noise - we don’t hear the still small voice, and in all the distractions - we are looking in the wrong places.  More often than not, we are somehow deaf and blind to the very thing we desire. 

Yet God is relentless, and blessed by the Spirit we are gathered up, and offered a variety of opportunities for an “explanation.”  We are gathered together in worship with the risen Christ.  And in the hearing of scripture and the Word preached, the good news proclaimed, the promises and the presence of God is “explained.” We gather in small groups, sharing in scripture and sharing our own experiences, and in this good work, in holy conversations, the Spirit begins to “explain,” opening up our minds and our hearts to the love of God.  In these moments of “explanation” the work of transformation begins, our sense of identity and mission become clear.  Our faith is seeking understanding, and our understanding comes to faith.

And then we move from our minds seeking “explanation” into an embodiment of the experience;  We “eat,” we share in the meal, we “eat” with others, we practice hospitality.  We gather around the altar, the table of Christ, and Jesus is present in bread and wine, and in the sharing of this meal we become the body of Christ.   We gather to experience the truth of the psalmist, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  In bread and wine, bread and wine received in faith, we experience the unconditional sacrificial love of God.  And we remember, we re-member, we are made whole, we are made holy.  And after this meal, we practice what we have received, opening our doors to our neighbors experiencing food insecurity, to our neighbors who need more than just a can a food, but also a heart eager to serve.

And in all this “enlightenment” happens.  Suddenly we see Jesus, present in our life together, present in “the least of these” that we serve, present in scriptures suddenly becoming the Word made alive in our hearts.  Present in the love that we share with each other, and the love that we share with the world.  Our eyes are opened up and our hearts are set on fire, we understand who we are and what we are all about, we are saved and we are empowered to save others.

And then, this time, the “exit” belongs to us, as we step out in faith into the world as bold witnesses to the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

“Encounter, Explain, Eat, Enlighten, and Exit.”  This is the story of the Easter Gospel, the story of faith, the grace filled story of our faith.  May the story be repeated in - with – and through each of us and in our life together.  Amen.