First Lutheran Church

July 11, 2021

The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 1:3-6  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” 

Sermon “In Christ”

Pastor Greg Ronning

Have you ever been “in trouble?”  I don’t know about you, but when I hear that phrase,it always takes me back to my childhood.  I can picture myself back on the playground at school, when that kid, you know the one I’m talking about, comes up to you and says, “You’re gonna be in trouble when teacher finds out what you did.”

Being “in trouble” was never a good thing.  Do you remember waiting for your parents to come home, and for whatever reason, you were “in trouble?”  Waiting around “in trouble,” fearfully anticipating the consequences of being “in trouble,” was never a good place to be!

And of course, being “in trouble” doesn’t end at childhood.  No, in many ways that’s when trouble really begins!  It’s not a good place to be, no one wants to be “in trouble” at work, with a friend, with a spouse, with money, or with the powers to be.   Yet life is filled with troubles, big ones and little ones, and being in a “state of trouble,” anxiously waiting on “trouble” to play itself out is unnerving, exhausting, and unsettling.

“Trouble”

Cat Stevens

Trouble, oh trouble set me free

I have seen your face and it's too much, too much for me

Trouble, oh trouble can't you see

you're eating my heart away and there's nothing much left of me

I've drunk your wine, you have made your work mine

so won't you be fair, so won't you be fair

I don't want no more of you so won't you be kind to me

just let me go where, I have to go there

Trouble, oh trouble move away

I have seen your face and it's too much for me today

Trouble, oh trouble can't you see

You have made me a wreck now won't you leave me in my misery

I've seen your eyes and I can see death's disguise

Hangin' on me, hangin' on me

I'm beat, I'm torn, shattered and tossed and worn

Too shocking to see, too shocking to see

Trouble, oh trouble move from me

I have paid my debt now won't you leave me in my misery

Trouble, oh trouble please be kind

I don't want no fight and I haven't got a lot of time

Yes, unfortunately life is filled with trouble, and being in a “state of trouble,” anxiously waiting on “trouble” to play itself out is - unnerving, exhausting, and unsettling.  “Trouble, oh trouble can't you see, you're eating my heart away and there's nothing much left of me.”

However today we are reminded that we are not alone “in our trouble,” we are reminded that God in Christ Jesus has powerfully descended into our world of troubles, and in the grace, mercy, and love of that descent, we are no longer ultimately “in trouble,” we are firmly and forever “in Christ!”  St. Paul proclaims, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us ‘in Christ’ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

So, what does it mean to “in Christ,”and what are the blessings of being “in Christ?”

The first thing we need to remember is that being “in Christ” does not remove us from this world, being “in Christ” is not some kind of magic trick that makes us immune to this world and its troubles.  Christ does not take us away, - Christ joins us!  Jesus is our companion and our guide, the Word made flesh that dwells among us.  The direction of the Gospel is downward into the midst of our life, down into our troubles.

So it is that to be “in Christ” is to remain human and practice humanity.  After his death and resurrection, Jesus urged us to wait on the coming of the Spirit, and upon its arrival to join in its movement, - the creation of the church.  To be “in Christ” is to allow yourself to be gathered up into the faith community, into the Body of Christ, into the presence of Christ in this age, into that place where blessings flow and good things happen.  Spiritual and heavenly blessings do not belong to some kind of supernatural realm but are found in this realm where two or more are gathered “in Christ,” where faithful people are doing faithful things, in that place where heaven is emerging on earth, in Jesus’ prayer lived out, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

And it is in this place, in the faith community, “in Christ,” that trouble’s power over us is diminished and ultimately vanquished.  “In Christ” trouble, fear, and death no longer have that powerful last word.  “In Christ” we gather around the waters of baptism, and we are reminded that we are the beloved of God.  “In Christ” forgiveness is announced and practiced.  “In Christ” the scriptures are read aloud, and a living word comes to life, a word that inspires us, lights our way, and fills us with the power of love.  “In Christ” a diverse community is formed and sustained in a simple yet profound meal that brings the Body of Christ to life, “do this to re-member me.”“In Christ” we become the hands and feet and voice of God’s love mightily present for each other.  And “in Christ”peace is shared; a peace that fills the heart and a peace that summons us to a life of meaningful service.  And in all these things, “in Christ,” in the practice of being “in Christ,”even in the face of “trouble,”- healing, transformation, and peace fill our hearts and our minds.

Trouble is here to stay, it ain’t going anywhere, it’s part of this life.  But thanks be to God so is Christ!  May the Spirit continue to draw us together, so that “in Christ,” “with Christ,” and “through Christ,” we may rest assured in the confidence of God’s great love for each and every one of us.  May our eyes, our ears, and our hearts be drawn fully “into Christ.”

“Open My Eyes”

Greg Ronning

Open my eyes, that I might see

You revealed in each and every way

Open my eyes, that I might see

You standing beside me every day

And when my eyes are open wide

Fill the emptiness inside

Open my ears, that I might hear

The sweetest sound ever made

Open my ears, that I might hear

You calling me by name

And when my ears are open wide

Fill the emptiness inside

Open my heart, that I might believe

And stand on promises true

Open my heart, that I might believe

And find myself only in you

And when my heart is open wide

Fill the emptiness inside

Open my eyes

Open my eyes

First Lutheran Church

July 4, 2021

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism

Galatians 3:1-29 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified!  The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?  Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?  Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing.  Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? ….

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore, the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

“The Yardstick vs The Cross”

Pastor Greg Ronning

I want to begin today by taking some measurements.  As you can see, I brought a yardstick with me.  It may appear to you, as a normal yardstick - 36 inches long. However, this is no ordinary yardstick, this is a “spiritual yardstick.”This yardstick is only available to ordained ministers.  (Sorry Jasmine.)  We use it to measure faith.  And so it is that today, I am going to be evaluating your faith, assessing your spirituality, taking stock of your righteousness;to see if you measure up to salvation.  (Pastor Greg holds us yardstick and pretends to be measuring the people sitting in the pews.)It appears that some of you are doing better than others.  Some of you are “barely saved.”  Yeah, and some of you are right on the line.  And a few of you, let me double check, yeah a few of you may be in trouble. 

You know what I really like about this spiritual yardstick?  The person holding it, always seems to measure up!  Check it out, I measure in at over six feet.  That’s a lot of faith.  And Jasmine, (Pastor Greg closes one eye and holds yardstick out towards Jasmine) she measures in at only six inches.  I really hope your second year of seminary will accelerate your spiritual growth!

This (holding up yardstick)is what’s going on in today’s reading from Galatians.On one of his missionary trips, St. Paul founded the churches in the region of Galatia.  But now Paul is concerned that these churches have strayed away from his teachings about the death and resurrection.  In chapter one he writes, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.”  He adds, “there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”

It seems that the churches in Galatia were doing fine, living in the grace of Christ, experiencing the fruits of the Spirit; until one day some other religious leaders showed up with their “spiritual yardsticks.”  And using those “spiritual yardsticks” they, with the gift of eloquence, somehow convinced those good people of Galatia that their faith did not measure up, that grace, that the cross of Christ, was not enough, and that they were thus in fact,not good people.  Their message - It was not enough to believe in Jesus, they also had to fulfill the Jewish law.Salvation demanded both faith andgood works, strict adherence to the Law of Moses.  And consequently, none of them measured up!

In today’s reading Paul responds, “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?”  The Contemporary English Version translates Paul’s response more emphatically, “You stupid Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross. Has someone now put an evil spell on you?”You stupid foolish Galatians, you gave up the cross, grace and mercy,- for a yardstick, the law that condemns!

Unfortunately, this two-thousand-year-old story from Galatia continues to be lived out even today.  Everywhere we go, and even at church, even in Lutheran churches, we encounter “spiritual yardsticks.”  We encounter situations where people remind us that we don’t measure up.  And they have “bewitched”us!  They hit us in our weak spot and get our full attention.  We’re all afraid that we don’t measure up.

And out of fear, we let others judge our faith as lacking, our spirituality as insufficient, and our salvation as untenable.  And sadly, we begin to fall away from our beloved-ness, the beloved-ness proclaimed in our baptism.  “Foolishly” we fall away from the “cross” and begin to cling to the “yardstick.”And in fear, feeling unloved, we fall deeper into the viscous circles of “measurement,” until we find ourselves holding the yardstick, judging others to justify ourselves, finding and creating scapegoats to satisfy the false righteousness of a false gospel.Finding a dishonest salvation in the condemnation of others.  Sometimes we all go the way of, “You foolish Galatians!”We lose our grip on grace and fall into the anxiety of works righteousness.

Yet today, in the sacrament of Holy Baptism, we are reminded that we are saved, made whole, defined, and set free in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  We are reminded that nothing more is needed.  We are a people of the “Cross” and not the “Yardstick!”The cross reveals that we are loved, the cross sets us free, – in Christ God’s love is complete.We are, by grace and love, the beloved children of God.  In Christ the yardstick has been forever broken!  (Pastor Greg breaks the yardstick in two!)

Martin Luther wrote, “A (person) becomes a Christian, not by working but by listening.”  It’s not about measuring up, it’s about letting go, and listening to the gospel, trusting in the promises of baptism, “You are my child, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  Luther adds,“And so, anyone who wants to exert (themselves) toward righteousness must first exert (themselves) in listening to the gospel.”  You are “saved,” “made whole,” “set free,” not by doing good works but by listening, listening with your heart!  Put your energy into your listening skills not in trying to justify yourself by doing good works.

I hope you “heard” the gospel this morning as we celebrated the sacrament of Holy Baptism.  I hope that you “heard” in the promises spoken to Gavin, promises also being spoken to you.  But just in case you did not hear it, I want to conclude this sermon with my baptism song, “One More Life.”  Today I sing it for Gavin, and I sing it for each of you, and I sing it for myself.  May we all hear and believe the promise of the Gospel.  “Let those who have ears, hear!”

“One More Life”

One more life, a bright shining light

One more hope, that the world will be all right

You're a miracle child, Love made alive

Water falls from heaven, as God says you're mine

God says you're mine

One more heart, begun by You

One more soul, and hey all things are new

And soon you'll know your name, love's made its claim

Heaven will be calling you, and you'll never be the same

You'll never be the same

And you'll never be alone, when you feel lonely

You'll always be loved, yeah, you're part of a family

Something's happened today that can never fade away

When God comes down from heaven, He's here to stay

Here to stay

In one more life, one more life,

One more life, one more life

You're a miracle child

Love made alive

Water falls from heaven

God says you're mine

God says you're mine

Amen.

You’re Doing It, Peter!

Pr. Jasmine Waring

5th Sunday of Pentecost June 27, 2021

In Steven Spielberg’s 90’s classic, Hook, Robin Williams plays a now middle aged Peter Pan who finds himself back in Neverland to rescue his kids, and rediscover his forgotten childhood roots. A disheveled, awkward, and reluctant Peter finds himself living amongst the Lost Boys, who take him in to teach him how to be The Peter Pan again. There is a particular scene which came to my memory this week as I thought about our text for today. The Lost Boys were preparing a feast after a long day of training him how to fly. Peter, who is sore and famished, licks his lips with eager anticipation as the steamy pots are passed by him. He holds two spoons in his hands ready to devour this feast. One boy says to him, “We don’t use those.” To which Peter replies, “Then why have them?” The boy then says, “We have them so that we don’t have to use them.” After the boys paused and then yelled, “GRACE!” everyone digs in. To Peter’s surprise, there is no food! Yet the boys are eating invisible corn on the cob, watermelon, giant turkey legs, and scooping bowls of soup. Tinkerbell encourages Peter to eat, and he replies frustrated, “Eat what? There’s nothing here! Gandhi ate more than this!” It wasn’t until much later, Peter was able to loosen the restraints of adult sensibility, and began to play and use his imagination. That was the moment the table transformed from a feast of air, into a feast that nourished them. “You’re doing it, Peter!” they said to him in wonder and amusement. I imagine the Kingdom of God is a lot like this feast. To the world, the kingdom of God is foolishness, like feasting on air. But for those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and open hearts, can understand that God has prepared a feast for all of us. The Kingdom of God is a reality counter-cultural to the oppressive systems of this world. We can enter into it and find a seat at the table. This revelation is what transforms what is invisible to the world, into something that is as tangible as bread and wine. It is here, at the Lord’s banquet table we find nourishment for all who hunger. Not only those who experience food insecurity, but also for those who are hungry for community, purpose and meaning. Jesus said that he is the bread of life. We are nourished by him…carbs are very good in the Kingdom of God! In a world filled with scarcity, we can experience abundance. There is grace found at the Table. I loved the part when the Lost Boys took a moment of pause to shout grace before they ate. Even a rowdy bunch of boys knew this feast was gift freely given to them. Grace reminds us that we are beloved and valued for who we are as children of God, not by what we do or produce. Everything is a generous gift from God. We see this grace in our text when the messenger goes out and invites anyone, regardless of their social status. In a world that holds your mistakes against you, and makes you earn and strive for everything, the Kingdom of God shouts GRACE! There is equity and hope at the Table. Jesus tells his disciples who were fighting over the seats of honor at the table to humble themselves and take the less honorable seat. The banquet host gathers in those on the fringes of society and gave them a place of honor at the Table. Jesus said in Matthew 20, “The first will be last and the last will be first.” In world of punishingly hard hierarchies and inequality, the Kingdom of God elevates the poor and oppressed, and humbles the mighty. This brings us hope because if we can experience liberation in this place, then maybe we can experience this in other places. We can go into the world and see the things which held us back, only to leave them there to show (like the spoons) “That we don’t have to use them.” Every Sunday we gather together in order to join in on the feast that is already happening. Traditional Lutheran liturgy has been crafted so our worship services act as a divine drama. We are all cast in a role and are participating, imagining, even playing as we enter into a realm no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, and no mind could comprehend. For some, we look like we’re feating on air. For those with holy imagination, worship and liturgy are one of the many ways we can experience the Kingdom of God here. Now. We can be nourished, we can find grace, we can find hope and equity at the Table God has prepared for us. As we enter into the Kingdom of God here on earth, with our holy imagination, we have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on saying, “You’re doing it! You’re doing it! You’re doing it!” Of course we know from this parable that the feast is not just for us. This feast is for everyone. God is on the move in the world sending messengers to invite anyone who will receive it. The late author, Rachel Held-Evans wrote this in her book, Searching for Sunday, “This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes. And there's always room for more.” The reality is, there will be people who reject the invitation because the Kingdom of God is incompatible with their lifestyle. We are witnesses to a God who is the host of a great banquet. God is moving around the world sending messengers to invite everyone and anyone who will say yes. How do we respond to this? Will you accept the invitation? Will you join in on God’s mission? There is plenty of room at the table here at First Lutheran Church Fullerton. Let’s go out into our neighborhoods, to our favorite coffee shops, to our book club. Let them know that life doesn’t have to be this way. We can experience heaven on earth if we allow ourselves to play, imagine, and create as we partner in God’s mission. If you feel like you’ve been feasting on air; may the Holy Spirit ignite your holy imagination, and may you be nourished by Christ’s presence in bread and wine. If you don’t feel worthy to take a seat; may you find yourself in the good company of fellow misfits, and be reminded of your belovedness. May you sit at the Lord’s table and shout, “GRACE! GRACE! GRACE!” because everything is a gift. May you hear the cloud of witnesses cheering you on as you enter into the kingdom of God, saying, “You’re doing it! You’re doing it” Amen