First Lutheran Church

October 3, 2021

“A Listening Heart”

1 Kings 3:3-9

Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”

John 10:1-10

‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Sermon 

I talk to God all the time, and I believe that God speaks back to me, - all of the time.  However, it’s not always that easy to understand and recognize that communication, what’s going on, what’s truly being said, and what’s being heard.  So it is that I pray the prayer of King Solomon, a prayer for an “understanding mind,” for “wisdom, ”for “a listening heart. ”Please sing this prayer with me.

Give me a listening heart, A quiet place to pray

Open up my soul, That I might hear your voice this day

Spirit of wisdom, Pour yourself on me

That I might know your will, That I might be free

1 Kings 3:3-9

In today’s Old Testament reading Solomon famously asks for wisdom, translated in the NRSV as an “understanding mind. ”According to the original Hebrew Solomon asks for “lebhshomea,” which is translated literally as “a listening heart.” So it is that wisdom, discernment, self-understanding, and vocation (the understanding one’s calling in life) begin with the practice of listening from the heart.  So it is that we gather today to read scripture, sing spiritual songs, and listen for a word from God, a Living Word; so it is that we lean in with “a listening heart.”

Unfortunately, in our very loud world it can be hard to listen faithfully.  So many people and institutions claim to be the voice of God.  There’s so much noise.  I’m reminded of the story of Elijah, who was waiting on a word from the Lord.  As he waited a powerful wind rushed by, that was followed by a great earthquake, and then a firestorm.  And in all that noise, all that power, all that chaos – God did not speak.  And then came the sound of “a gently blowing,” and in “a still small voice;” God spoke, and Elijah heard.

Give me a listening heart, A quiet place to pray

Open up my soul, That I might hear your voice this day

Spirit of wisdom, Pour yourself on me

That I might know your will, That I might be free

1 Kings 3:3-9

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us that sheep are able to recognize the voice of the shepherd, they are able to distinguish it from the voice of a stranger, “and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from [them] because they do not know the voice of strangers. ”In this teaching Jesus implies that those who follow him will recognize his voice, and they will be able to discern the voice of a stranger, a voice that might lead them astray.

So how good are you at recognizing voices?  Let’s test you!

(At this point in the sermon Pastor Greg will be playing audio clips of people the congregation knows and people the congregation does not know, asking them to identify the person by their voice.  Each voice will say, “Hey, come over here, I want to show you something.”)

We can be pretty good at recognizing voices, but how good are we at recognizing God’s voice?  Once again so many people are claiming to be the voice of God in our life.  Politicians, Celebrities, Pastors; Facebook, Twitter, and TV; Ancient Religions, Established Traditions, Modern-Day Conspiracies!  So many competing voices, so many conflicting absolutes, so many and so loud and so confusing.  I am pretty good at recognizing some voices but recognizing the voice of God is not always easy.

Give me a listening heart, A quiet place to pray

Open up my soul, That I might hear your voice this day

Spirit of wisdom, Pour yourself on me

That I might know your will, That I might be free

1 Kings 3:3-9

So how do we recognize and discern the voice of God?  This morning I offer you three suggestions; know your scriptures, practice good theology, and listen with faithful people who do faithful things.

Begin by knowing your scriptures, know what Jesus teaches and what Jesus does.  And please notice I did not say memorize the scriptures.  As Lutherans we are not fundamentalists, we do not read the scriptures literally, we take the scriptures seriously.  So it is, we are called to study the scriptures, and embrace the truths about the love of God as revealed in the scriptures.  Luther reminds us that studying the scriptures is not easy, and that the scriptures can at times be in conflict. So it is that ultimately, we understand the scriptures in the light of the cross, in the light of grace and mercy, in the light of sacrificial love.  Luther encourages us to error on the side of grace and love, for grace and love is how the story always ends with God.  Recognize the voice of God by knowing the story of God’s grace and love, the story found in your bible.

Practice good theology! Luther taught that it was the duty of every Christian to be able to distinguish the difference between the law and the gospel and to put each in its appropriate place.  They both can be the voice of Christ, but they must be understood differently. The law serves only to lead us to Christ, it does not save us, nor is it do be used to define us.  It does not belong in our hearts.  It is only the Gospel that saves us, and it is only the Gospel that should define us, and it is only the Gospel that we should allow into the depths of our hearts.  The true voice of God may come to warn you, to turn you around, but it never comes to shame you, it never comes to destroy you. The Living Word of God, the voice of God, comes to give life, life abundant and life eternal.  Cling to the voice that saves you and not the voice that condemns you.

And finally, listen with your heart in community.  Faith does not belong to the individual alone, it comes to life in community.  Discerning the voice of God, the word of Christ demands the perspective and insights of others, others who gather, listen, and respond to the voice of God.  Place yourself in the midst of faithful people doing faithful things, and listen, ask questions, share our insights. Be open to the insights of others, be very open to the insights of others who are different than you, make sure your faith community is diverse, even uncomfortably diverse.  And engage in what I like to call “holy conversations,” and together you will hear and be able to discern the voice of God.

This morning God invites us to listen with our hearts, that we might hear and understand: the voice of the Good Shepherd, that we might be faithful and wise in our life, that we might know the ways of God, that we might be set free in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Give me a listening heart, A quiet place to pray

Open up my soul, That I might hear your voice this day

Spirit of wisdom, Pour yourself on me

That I might know your will, That I might be free

1 Kings 3:3-9

 Amen!

First Lutheran Church

September 26, 2021

“God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday”

Mark 10:13-16 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.  Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’  And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Sermon

Each year in September congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) come together to perform acts of service with our neighbors on “God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday.”

It’s a Sunday when we change up our usual gathering pattern.  It’s a Sunday when we focus not on being in the sanctuary but rather being out there in our neighborhood.  It’s a Sunday set aside to celebrate who we are, - “one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.” “God’s Work, Our Hand Sunday” offers us an opportunity to explore one of our most basic convictions as Lutherans: that all of life in Jesus Christ – every act of service, in every daily calling, in every corner of life – “flows freely from a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.”

Our Bishop Andy Taylor always reminds us, “Because we know that ultimately we are ‘saved,’ we don’t need to worry so much about our own life, we can focus on helping those in need.”  In Christ, we know that we are loved, we know that we are cared for, we know what really matters; and this sets us free to love and care for our neighbors.  This is what it means to have a “daring confidence in God’s grace! ”So it is that we gather today not to somehow ensure our own salvation, but to be empowered by “the salvation we already have” to go out into the world and make a difference.

And that is exactly what we are going to do!

Over the past month we have been preparing for this day in many ways.  This year we chose to partner with “Crittenton Services for Children and Families.”  Crittenton is a nationally accredited mental health and child welfare nonprofit, located here in Fullerton, with more than 50 years of experience serving the most vulnerable system-involved children, youth, and families.  Greg Eubanks, the CEO of Crittenton, and a member of The Table, joined us a few Sundays ago and told us all about the important and inspiring work that they are doing!  Many of you have expressed a great excitement to be partnering with Crittenton, and many of us hope this will turn into an ongoing opportunity for service for First Lutheran and The Table.

In our conversation with Crittenton we discovered what some of the things they need, and we have been collecting them.  In particular we have been gathering up card games, Spanish language toddler books, sippy cups, and the ever-valuable soccer balls to replace those who have escaped the fence around their field finding their way into the drainage canal!  Today, after our service, we will be bringing these donations over to their campus just down the street from us. 

And we will also be bringing lunch! 

Today we will be serving lunch and playing games with around 60 teenage boys.  Thanks to those of you who made a financial gift to buy pizza, lots of pizza for those 60 teenage boys!  And thanks to those of you who made all the dessert cookies for those 60 teenage boys.  And thanks to those of you who are able to go over there today to serve the lunch, and interact, play games, with those 60 teenage boys.  It’s going to be quite a day, quite an experience for all of us, and for those 60 teenage boys!

It seems that too often our religious life deals with things that can be mostly “philosophical.”  We talk about our good theology, discuss great and noble ideals, we learn about God and creation, we investigate the social condition, we discover ourselves in spiritual disciplines, and we act out meaningful liturgical rites.  And while all these things are good, I have to admit, I really like it when we get out of our heads and out onto the streets, I really like it when the rubber meets the road, I really like it when we leave this place and go out into the world to serve.

In last Sunday’s appointed Gospel Jesus took up a little child in his arms and said, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”  In today’s Gospel Jesus proclaims, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”  And to my joy, today we will not muse philosophically about these teachings, - we will boldly live them out. 

Today we will be seeking out the children in our community who are in need, children who need to be reminded that they are loved and cared for, children who need help finding a place to call home, the children Jesus would have us gather up in our arms.  God’s work, our hands!  And in this little act of service, we will undoubtably discover the Kingdom of God that belongs “to such as these.”  We will come with sippy cups and soccer balls, and they will bless us with the Kingdom of God.  Not a bad deal, - for each of us!

And in between this service and our service project we will take a few moments to enter into a Congregational Meeting!  Today we will vote on calling a new Associate Pastor.  And one of the duties of this pastor will be to help us organize a new emphasis in our Children and Family Ministry.

“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” 

Today we are blessed to be about these very things, today we are blessed to do the work of God with our very hands, our very hearts.  Let us do so with a daring confidence in God’s grace and love.  The Kingdom awaits us. Amen.

First Lutheran Church

September 19, 2021 + The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost B

Mark 9:30-37

30[Jesus and the disciples went on] and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it;31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

33Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

Sermon

This week’s Gospel begins with Jesus once again reminding his disciples that that the path he is on will lead to a great conflict, one that will cost him his life.  Yet death will not have the last word.  And once again the disciples don’t seem to get it.  Oblivious to what lies ahead and the consequences, as they travel along the disciples begin to inexplicably argue amongst themselves as to which one of them is the greatest.

When they arrive at their destination for the day, Jesus asks them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” They don’t respond, - they are embarrassed.  In this moment Jesus sets them down, seeks out a child, puts the child among them, and then lifts the child up, holding the child in his arms, he proclaims, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

Do you see what is happening here, in the movement, in the action? Jesus reminds the disciples that greatness is not what they think it is, it is not about worldly power, but rather it is about hospitality, it is about humility, it is about serving the little ones.

In the next chapter in Mark’s gospel, the tenth chapter, Jesus will once again turn to a child to instruct the disciples about the nature of the Kingdom of God.  “People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.  Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’  And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10-13-16)

In Luke’s version of the same story he adds, “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:17)

So it is that Jesus makes children - signs of the Kingdom, examples of faith, and key to the understanding of our mission, what it means to follow Jesus.  Today we are invited to consider, and perhaps reconsider, just what it is about children that opens us up to the nature of God, the presence of God, and our relationship with God.

The first temptation with today’s text is to sentimentalize the connection, to lift up the idealized nature of children as pure and innocent, meek and mild, good and unselfish, open and accepting, genuine and good.  After all that’s what it means to be childlike, right?  Yeah, maybe, but we all know that children can also be - childish! 

One of my favorite theologians these days is Debi Thomas, you are probably becoming familiar with that name, because I quote her all the time.  I was particularly interested in reading what she had to say about this week’s text, about Jesus and children, because she is not a seminary professor but rather an active children’s minister!  She works with children all the time.  And I found her response to this temptation to sentimentalize the connection between children and faith very interesting and thought provoking. She writes, “Well, I don’t know children like that; the ones I know are far more interesting. They’re feisty, clever, quick, fierce, generous, selfish, naughty, obedient, curious, bored, quiet, loud, challenging, funny, surprising, solemn, and exhausting. I think Jesus knew as much when he described children as trustworthy representations of God.”

So, keeping the “true nature” of children in mind, as described by Thomas, let us honestly consider how welcoming children, and becoming childlike in our understanding of faith, might open us up to the true nature of God, the presence of God, and deepen our relationship with God.  Thomas suggests we explore these possibilities: imagination, questions, abundance, and divine power.

Children are free to imagine and reimagine God.  They don’t limit themselves to preconceived notions, they are not limited by doctrine, dogma, or theology.  Children can take a few markers and some construction paper, some clay or building blocks, and imagine the whole kingdom of God.  And while it may look like just a bunch of squiggles, and while they may draw outside the lines, while it might be messy; when you ask them to explain what they are creating they can tell you the gospel story, the story of God’ love, as they understand it, as they experience it.  Today our children will gather for messy church, and that’s exactly what will happen!   In today’s Gospel the disciples can’t begin to understand Jesus’ teaching about the resurrection, they can’t even begin to imagine something beyond death.  When Jesus invites us to welcome the children, Jesus is inviting us to open up our imaginations, to wonder freely once again in the realm of endless possibilities.  Perhaps that is where God is waiting to meet us, perhaps we should all visit Messy Church today!

Children are free to ask questions, even the hard questions.  Children are curious, they are not embarrassed because they don’t know the answer, and they’re willing to risk social discomfort, (yours and mine,) to get to the truth.   And children are persistent with their questions.  “But why?”  In today’s Gospel the disciples are afraid to ask Jesus any questions about the things they don’t understand.  When Jesus invites us to welcome the children, when Jesus invites us to receive the kingdom of God like a child, Jesus invites us to ask questions, even the hard questions.  For it is these kinds of questions that lead us into the holy intimate conversations that help us grow spiritually, that place us in the presence of that Living Word of God.

Children teach us to trust in God’s abundance.  Thomas writes, “Young children generally expect that there’s enough to go around. Enough time, enough hugs, enough attention, enough love. (Also, enough Teddy Grahams, cheddar-flavored Goldfish, and Munchkin donuts!) It doesn’t occur to them to fear scarcity unless they’re conditioned to do so; left to themselves, they assume plenitude.”  To welcome the child, to be childlike in your faith is not to argue about who is the greatest, but rather it is to trust in the generosity, sufficiency, and abundance of Jesus.  It is not a competition!  In Jesus there is more than enough.

And finally, we are invited to see in children – divine power.  In the time of Jesus children were socially invisible.  They were totally dependent on the hospitality and tolerance of others.  They were powerless in the system.  Children are often at the mercy of those who are older, bigger, and stronger than they are.  Yet Jesus lifts them up as signs of the kingdom, examples of faith, and the key to our mission as followers of Jesus.  We are reminded that Jesus came into the world as a helpless child, born not into power but into poverty, “born in a stable because there was no room for him in the inn.”  In lifting up children Jesus challenges the hierarches of this world.  The disciples don’t get it, they argue about greatness, they are “stern” with the children that approach Jesus, they don’t have time for the children.  They forget that true power, divine power is experienced in serving others, in serving the children, in serving those who are truly powerless in our world.  “Do you want to see God?” Thomas writes, “Look to the weak, the small, the simple, the vulnerable, and the helpless. Look to the ones who are not in charge. Look at the tiniest faces, and see God.”  When Jesus invites us to welcome the child, Jesus invites us into the power of servanthood, the power of the Kingdom of God.

On this day we gather together as nothing less than the children of God.  That’s what Jesus has proclaimed in our baptism, that each of us indeed are - a beloved child.  Be that child; receive that love, imagine that love, question that love, trust that love, and practice that love.  As you have been welcomed into the arms of Jesus, welcome others into those abundant arms through your arms. For it is in these arms that we are in the very presence of God.  “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

Amen.