Rejoice in the Lord!

Rev. Debbie Cato

Matthew 22:1-14 and Philippians 4:1-9

Peace Presbyterian Church

October 12, 2014

Rejoice in the Lord!

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.” This is Paul's call to contemporary faith communities on this Sunday.

Remember, Paul is writing from prison to the church at Philippi. Longing to be with his favorite church, Paul is well into long,-difficult days between his last visit to Philippi and when he will again feast with his brothers and sisters there. The Philippian church, like Paul, is also suffering. The joy that energized the community when Paul first proclaimed the gospel in their midst is waning, partly because of his prolonged absence.

As sometimes happens during uncertain times, tensions have surfaced within the Philippian community. Paul urges Euodia (Eooda) and Syntyche (Sydeehe), co-leaders of the church who seem to be at odds with one another – or perhaps even with Paul, to “Be of the same mind as Christ.”

Paul knows these women well. They struggled beside him in the work of the Gospel and even though Paul is in prison, he has heard that they are not getting along – they are disagreeing. Euodia (Eooda) and Syntyche (Sydeehe) are long-time friends and co-workers. They are leaders in the believing community in Philippi, most likely heads of house-churches who have fallen on some bad times in terms of their “doing the gospel.” Most likely their disagreements were not even substantial. Perhaps they had more to do with what projects to take on, how to worship, which activities to be involved in. But because they are leaders, their unresolved disagreements are having a negative impact on the worshiping community in Philippi. “Have the same mind as Christ,” Paul tells them. “Stand firm in the Lord. Rejoic in the Lord.”

ⁱ

Paul uses the language of rejoicing to both encourage and remind his beloved brothers and sisters. Paul reminds them that they have a story of faith. They have experienced God's presence in their midst. This Greek city is home to Paul’s first church – the Holy Spirit formed a Christian church out of a bunch of pagans in the middle of a Roman controlled Greek city. Women were the head of the house churches in Philippi. God’s presence was with them as they grew in their faith and were witnesses of the good news in Philippi. Paul praises the work they have done and encourages them and the rest of the Philippian community: “Keep doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you,” he tells them. In Paul's understanding of the life of the Spirit, “joy” and “peace” go together.

Now the kind of joy that Paul refers to is not some superficial cheerfulness but a deep joy in what God has done in Christ and is continuing to do through the work of the church. The kind of joy Paul is referring to is not an emotion dependent on our circumstances. Paul is not thinking of something that is merely an emotional experience but rather he is speaking of something deep and lasting; a joy that comes through a deepening relationship with Christ. This joy is not an escape from the pain of life; it is a reconsideration and reinvestment in life from a different, liberating perspective. The fact that this joy is “in the Lord” reminds us not only that it comes from the Lord, but also that it is shared by those who live in him. This unmitigated, untrammeled joy is – or at least should be – the distinctive mark of the believer in Jesus Christ. This unmitigated joy is the distinctive mark of the body of Christ – the church.

Paul urges Euodia (Eooda) and Syntyche (Sydeehe) to resolve their differences and focus on what’s important. “Have the mind of Christ,” he tells them. Paul is a wise man. He knows that when the body has no joy – the body is dying.

I’ve witnessed that first hand. A church with no joy. The church had turned inward - existing only for itself. No longer being the church but only a social club. Gathering together on Sunday’s only to be with one another; to visit with one another. Unwelcoming to new visitors. Not wanting to grow in their faith or be engaged with the community. Feeling bitter and angry toward outside influences. The joy of the Spirit had long since gone. There was no life left in that church.

That’s not our church. Peace Presbyterian Church has a story of faith. You have experienced God's presence in your midst; you have felt the joy of the Holy Spirit. This week for the first time I saw the newspaper article announcing the first church service in the newly built sanctuary! I could imagine the joy experienced by those building this beautiful sanctuary and how it must have felt completing the job and preparing to worship in here for the first time. I actually got chills thinking about entering for the first time and sitting in the pews. Singing the first hymn, praying the first prayer – feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit here in this place that you built with your own hands.

I saw youth group pictures from years when this church was filled with families with children and youth and I could hear the laughter and noise that filled the church during those years; the life that was in these buildings. God was at work in our congregation.

God is still at work in our congregation. After decades without a youth group, the Holy Spirit moved in miraculous ways this summer and even though we don’t have families in the church with youth, we have a youth group. The joy of the Spirit is present at Peace!

We decided to collect school supplies for the children at Spring Creek Elementary and we called it Peace Presbyterian’s BIG School Supply Drive. We prayed you would participate even though we don’t have children in our congregation. You did! You bought more school supplies than would fit in the bin. They spilled onto the floor and piled up all around. The staff at Spring Creek were thrilled to see all that we collected and how it would benefit their students. The joy of the Spirit is present at Peace!

We have had our times of uncertainty; times of transition. Like the leaders at Philippi, we too have had our disagreements. We too have had our struggles. But we knew as leaders, we needed to work them out. Paul says, “Stand firm. Be one in the Spirit, as one person contending for the faith of the gospel. Have the same mind as Christ.” We knew that Peace has a wonderful story of faith and we are confident that the story isn’t finished yet. The joy of the Spirit is here. Perhaps we even heard Paul whispering, “Keep doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” Joy and peace go together.

Your leadership – your elders and your deacons came together and in doing so, they felt the joy of the Lord. In our time together, they clarified our identity as a church and how we are going to live out the everyday promises of the resurrection as the community of Christ here at Peace; how we are going to experience the ongoing joy of the Spirit.

Starting this morning, you are going to be hearing about the outcome of the work the deacons and elders have done over the last month. We are excited to share the Ministry Plan for Peace for the next year – the direction that we sense the Holy Spirit is leading Peace as a Church. A direction that will help us grow deeper in our faith, meet the needs of the congregation, and help us reach out into the community - the same community where God planted this church over 50 years ago. As you learn more, you will see that there is a role for everyone – for only together are we the body of Christ. We need all the parts to be whole. It’s what makes our joy complete! Ordinary acts bearing extraordinary gifts of God's love.

Paul uses the language of rejoicing to encourage and remind us. Our joy is found in what God has done in Christ and is continuing to do through the saints in the church. The kind of joy Paul is referring to is not an emotion dependent on our circumstances, but is a deep and lasting joy that comes through a deepening relationship with Christ. The fact that this joy is “in the Lord reminds us not only that it comes from the Lord, but also that it is shared by those who live in him. It is shared by each of us in his church.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.” This is Paul's call to contemporary faith communities on this Sunday. This is Paul’s call to us. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice!

May His kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen

Fee, Gordon, D. Paul's Letter to the Philippians: The New international Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1995. pp 385-413.

Bartlett, David and Taylor, Barbara Brown; eds. Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 4. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press. 2011. pp 158-163.

i

Peacemaking and the Kingdom of God

Reverend Debra Cato

Peace Presbyterian Church

Micah 6:6-8 and Luke 4:14-21

October 5, 2-14

Peacemaking and the Kingdom of God

Last week, we talked a little bit about the word “Shalom.” It means so much more than peace – it means completeness, wholeness, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness and harmony. It means a return of all creation as God first intended it to be. Remember the Garden of Eden? As God created the Garden, Adam and Eve had everything they needed. There was nothing but beauty and peace and tranquility. There was no sin. There was, Shalom.

This is the way God intends His creation to be. Shalom. Of course we know what happened and we know that today we live in a world that is far from God's ideal. So, how do we live into the reality of the peace/ shalom/ salvation that God desires for us?

The prophet Micah writes during a time when, after a long period of peace, Israel, Judah, and the other nations of the region came under increasing pressure from the aggressive and rapidly expanding Assyrian Empire. Samaria has been destroyed by God because of its crimes of idolatry, oppression of the poor, and misuse of power.¹ The people are living in captivity.

The people are saying, “What does God want of us? Does he want bigger sacrifices, fancier sacrifices? What does he want? What do we have to give God so that he will release us from captivity?”

And what is the answer? How does God respond? “I don't want anything!

Your sacrifices don't mean a thing. Micah says, “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Justice. Kindness. Walking humbly with God. That is what God requires. He doesn’t want more sacrifices. God wants justice. God wants kindness. God wants us walking humbly

with Him each and every day.

Imagine what the world would be like if we all lived that way. Justice. Kindness. Walking humbly with God. Sounds a bit like the Garden of Eden. Sounds like shalom.

After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, he went into the wilderness for forty days. Forty days of prayer and meditation before he began his ministry; his life work. We all know that he was tempted by the devil while he was in the wilderness – three times and he passed each test. Luke tells us that when Jesus came out of the wilderness he went back to Galilee, the region he was from. He entered a temple in Nazareth, opened a scroll and stood. Reading from the Prophet Isaiah, Jesus proclaimed to all that were there, the purpose of his life and ministry:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Good news to the poor. Release of the captives. Sight to the blind. Free the oppressed. Proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. What do you think? Sounds like the new heaven and new earth that Jesus came to proclaim – referred to as the Kingdom of God. Sounds like - Shalom.

In scripture, shalom; peace; unity –are tied to justice. In God’s world, you can’t have peace, you can’t have shalom, unless there is justice. And we see through the parables that Jesus told, and through example after example of his ministry, that God's idea of justice is upside down from the rest of the world. Counter-cultural to what we are used to; to what we are told. God’s form of justice brings shalom – wholeness, welfare, tranquility, prosperity; for all, not just some.

You cannot read Scriptures without sensing God’s heart for justice. It is pervasive throughout the Bible. The Hebrew word for justice is scattered more than 200 times throughout the Old Testament. ² Over and over again we see God’s love for the widow, the orphan, the immigrant, and the poor. We see God’s love for the marginalized, the oppressed, and the forgotten.

Let's listen to a few other Scripture passages that focus on justice:

Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan,

Jeremiah 22:3 Thus says the LORD: Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed.

And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place.

Psalm 33:5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

Psalm 106:3 Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.

Deuteronomy 16:20 Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Psalm 140:12 I know that the LORD maintains the cause of the needy, and executes justice for the poor.

Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Justice is central to who God is!

Ken Wytsma, the author of “Pursuing Justice,” wrote this definition of justice. Wytsma says:

“Justice is the single best word, both inside and outside the Bible, for capturing God’s purposes for the world and humanity’s calling in the world. Justice is, in fact, the broadest, most consistent word the Bible uses to speak about what ought to be, and it has been used throughout the centuries by Christians and non-Christians alike to describe vital areas of human and divine concern.”³

Wytsma says that “doing justice means to render to each person what each is due. Justice involves harmony, flourishing, and fairness, and it is based on the image of God in every person – the Imago Dei – that grants all people inalienable dignity and infinite worth.”⁴ Simply put: justice is doing for others what we would want done for us.”

Justice is the act of restoring to fullness something that has been harmed.

Eugene Cho, founder of One Day’s Wages says, “We lose sight of God’s promise to restore our brokenness and our fallen world. This is why for us, as Christians, the person of God, the deity of God, God’s justice, and God’s goodness are such powerful things. God’s justice is His plan of redemption for a broken world. God’s justice is renewing the world to where He intended it to be.”⁵ Justice is the pursuit of the shalom that God intended for the world and humanity. This is the reality of justice.

As the beloved children of God, it only makes sense that we should love what God loves. God invites and commands His people to not just be aware of injustice but to pursue justice. Eugene Cho says, “To be followers of Jesus, we are required to pursue justice and live justly at the same time. We do justice because justice is rooted in the character of God and therefore, it must be reflected in the character of His followers.”⁶

Jesus reflected justice in how He lived, how He loved, and how He welcomed the stranger, the marginalized, the leper, the widow, the prostitute, and the sick. Jesus reflected justice in how He confronted religious leaders, how He embraced, welcomed, and empowered women; how He confronted ethnic biases and prejudices. Jesus both loved justice and He lived justly. He calls us to follow Him.⁷

Christians believe in the gospel that is revealed to us in the life, death, and resurrection

of Christ:

A gospel that not only saves but also serves;

A gospel that not only saves but seeks to restore all things back unto the One that ushered forth all that is good and beautiful;

A gospel that not only saves but ushers in the Kingdom of God;

A gospel that not only saves but restores the dignity of humanity – even in the midst of our brokenness and depravity.

This gospel is not just for us. The gospel is good news for everyone.⁸ But the question remains, how do we live this out? How do we live into the reality of the peace/ shalom/

salvation that God has provided for us?

I was looking through the Peacemaking inserts that we've had:

     Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN pursues justice through their work with Living Waters for the World, an organization training local leaders in under-developed countries develop sustainable water systems. Access to clean water is certainly an issue of justice.

     First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth, TX works with their local public school system’s “Disrespect: It’s Not Okay” program that teaches students and adults to speak out against bullying and aggression in the schools. Providing safety and wholeness to students is certainly an issue of justice.

First Presbyterian Church in Lakeview, OR works with Lake County Crisis Center providing emergency services to victims of domestic abuse in their community. At the end of each month, the church hangs a banner expressing support of protection for women – encouraging members to raise awareness about violence and abuse, certainly issues of justice.

     Through its’ relationship with International Peacemakers, our denomination is involved in multiple efforts around the world, working for peace and justice. One example is their work with Christians in the Middle East who face persecution only because they worship Jesus Christ. Work that fosters understanding and religious acceptance in communities around the world is justice work.

Here at Peace Presbyterian Church in Eugene, we support FISH Food Bank, providing food and financial support for people in our community who are food insecure; people that are hungry. Hunger is an issue of justice and a matter of restoring Shalom to our community.

We collected school supplies, giving all the children at Spring Creek Elementary School the opportunity to have the tools they need to be successful in school. Even school supplies – providing resources so that no child goes without, this a matter of justice.

Some of you knit, and your hats and scarves go to the homeless. Or, you knit prayer shawls that provide comfort to people that are ill or dying or struggling in some other way. Some of you meet at the church and make comfort quilts that go to children when they are removed from their homes due to violence or unsafe conditions; or to little babies struggling to survive in NICUs. Can you see how each of these ministries is a work of justice? Bringing about Shalom?

These are just a few examples – I know there are other things that you do individually that are justice related. Are there other ways that we could be a church that represents peace and justice in our community? With a name like “Peace,” I can’t help but wonder if there is more we could do around issues of justice – both locally and internationally. Justice is doing for others what we would want done for us. Justice is what brings about Shalom – wholeness, health, welfare, safety, fullness – to all people.

God says we must not only love justice, we must live justly. What do you think? How are you doing? How are we doing? May His kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

1Limburg, James. Interpretation Commentary: Hosea – Micah. Atlanta: John Knox Press. 1988. p159.

2 Keller, Timothy. “Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just.” New York: Penguin. 2010. P3.

3 Wytsma, Ken. “Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things.” Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 2013. P9.

4 Ibid.

5 Cho, Eugene. “Overrated: Are We more in Love with the Idea of Changing the World than Actually Changing the World? Colorado Springs: Cook. 2014. P37.

6 Cho. P38-39.

7 Ibid.

8 Cho. P42.

It's O.K. to Copy!

Reverend Debra Cato

Peace Presbyterian Church

Exodus 17:1-7 and Philippians 2:1-11

September 28, 2014

It’s O.K. to Copy

Today, the lectionary has us in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. If you participate in the Acts Bible study that begins today, you’ll learn that the church in Philippi was Paul’s first church plant. Just in case you aren’t sure how Paul feels about this, his first church, let me read you a few verses from the start of his letter.

Philippians 1:3-8 “I thank my God every time I remember you, ⁴ constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, ⁵ because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. ⁷ It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.”

Paul begins his letter to the first church he planted with words like “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy;” “I long for all of you with the compassion of Jesus Christ.” Paul loves this congregation. Philippians is filled with joy and love and encouragement.

Philippians is one of Paul’s prison letters – Paul writes to his beloved congregation in Philippi from prison. It’s hard to tell from the positive tone of the letter that Paul is writing from prison, except for a brief mention in verse 7: “It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me,both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”

I’ll be perfectly honest – I don’t think I have the strength, the courage, or the fortitude to remain joyful in the midst of the kind of circumstances Paul found himself in while imprisoned in a first century prison. But Paul’s faith is authentic. It is deep. His faith does not falter. It is later in this letter that he tells the Philippian congregation, “¹² I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” That’s the kind of faith I want! What about you?

While I was on vacation, I did not think about or worry about the church. I rested and relaxed and enjoyed my family and friends. BUT – I did continue to pray for you. It is something I do every day and something I continued to do while I was on vacation. It is a natural part of my life as your pastor. Yet it is from prison, not vacation, that Paul the pastor continues to be concerned about his flock in Philippi.

He writes to encourage them and admonish them and remind them who they are called to imitate. Listen to the ways that Paul lovingly reminds his beloved congregation that they are united through Christ. Listen as if Paul is writing directly to you – the congregation at Peace Presbyterian.

Philippians 2:1-2 “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”

Do you hear that? Do you doubt who you have in the Lord? Paul says even though we are all very different; even though we may like different things and have different opinions; even though we may not be friends outside of church – Christ makes us one. Philippians 2:1-2 “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” In Christ, we have one mind. Christ brings us together.

Even as Paul endures imprisonment and faces possible execution, he is nourished knowing that he continues to be a part of the body of Christ. It is a love that burns with desire for the flourishing of others, a love whose joy is be made complete only when all are included. Paul burns with a joy and love he desperately wants the Philippians to share. This “joy made complete” marks the realization of koinonia, the fellowship of those for whom living is Christ.

But there's more! Paul writes: Philippians 2:6-8 “[Christ] who, though he was in the form

of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷ but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.” (pause)

The celebrated pacifist Mohatma Gandhi lived from 1869 – 1948. He was an advocate and pioneer of nonviolent  social protest and he led the struggle for India's independence from British  colonial rule . Gandhi is reported to have made this observation in the midst of his non-violent struggle for justice for his people in the face of the occupation of his native India, “I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”¹ You Christians are so unlike your Christ.

In 2007, more than 65 years later, a pastor named Dan Kimball wrote a book called They Like Jesus But Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations. Dan graduated from Multnomah Biblical Seminary and Western Seminary – both in Portland and he received his doctorate in leadership from George Fox University, in Newberg, Oregon. Dan interviewed over 2,000 people in their twenties and thirties – the missing generation. In the introduction Dan says, “As you read this book, you might get defensive at first, perhaps even a little depressed. But after listening to the people I interviewed, I experienced hope. Yes, they had some harsh things to say about the church and Christians, but as the title of this book implies, they are open to Jesus, and this give me great hope.”

I read Dan's book in 2010 and it's everything Dan promises it will be. It's exciting! It gave me great hope. It changed the way I think about the church. Young people say they don't come to church because they don't see Jesus in the church. They see hypocrisy, judgment, unloving attitudes, exclusion, harsh political agendas – things that don't represent Jesus. Young people say they like Jesus. They are just turned off by the church.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Paul wrote: Philippians 2:3-8 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.”

We are called to be imitators of Christ, to live in a way that allows other people to see Christ in us. Paul is telling us that it is O.K. to copy Jesus.

Now an imitator is different than an impersonator and I think that's what the young people that Dan Kimball interviewed are saying – that when they see Christians, they see a bunch of impersonators. Impersonators take great pains to make people believe they are who they are not. I imagine that impersonators of Christ are members of church (members of the body of Christ), they sing the hymns and pray the prayers and mouth the words but perhaps they hold harsh judgments about those who are different; they are unwelcoming to newcomers – particularly those who look and act different; believe differently; come from a different social class, racial class. Pehaps there is a lot of infighting. Perhaps a Christian impersonator is kind in church but in the business world is harsh to employees or co-workers, rude or even cruel to neighbors. You get the picture. I think there is bit of an impersonator in all of us; trying to be someone we aren't; trying to be better than we are.

Imitators know that they strive to live up to the challenge of being a reflection of someone they look up to. It's hard to walk in the foosteps of others – particularly when the other is God! The standard is very high. We know that we will fall short. That's O.K. Paul isn't expecting perfection, he's telling us we must adopt Christlike attitudes in all aspects of our life.

So, what does it mean to be called a reflection of Christ? It is not a call to perfection, but rather an invitation to be honest with ourselves and to understand that God is doing something unique and special in each and every one of us. This is God's challenge for us to live in a manner that is counter-cultural. Paul is reminding the Philippians – and us, of the reality in which we live as believers.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”

Understand that you are no better and no less than anyone else. You and each person around you was created in the image of God. If Christ – who is God himself could empty himself so completely that he took the form of a slave; that he took on flesh and was born in human likeness; that he completely and totally humbled himself even to the point of death; then surely Paul says, we can humble ourselves enough to think of others before ourselves.

If we could do just this – think of others before ourselves, we would indeed

     reflect the love and compassion of Christ

         live out the justice and redemption of the gospel

               transform the world because we ourselves would be transformed.

I read recently that if we want to change the world, we have to be changed first.

I think this is what Gandhi was talking about. I think this is what the young people crave to see when they say they like Jesus but not the Church. Genuine people trying to live out the call. We have to become like Jesus and Paul tells us it's O.K. to copy Jesus. He's our model.

Christian living is a process. God's timeline for each one of us is unique, and only God knows what the final product is going to look like. We can not expect an instantaneous transformation of our life's attitudes and actions, but we should expect an ongoing process of change that results from the ever-growing awareness of our need to be at a different place if we are truly Christ followers. The process begins with our conscious decision to become reflections of Christ in our actions and reactions to life.²

There's no such thing as a perfect church because every church is full of people like us. Trying hard but still human, messing up from time to time and learning as we go. But what if we decided that we were going to take our name seriously? That we were going to do more than sing “Shalom” at the end of each worship service that we were going to be a community of “Shalom”? It makes Paul's words of encouragement, consolation from love, compassion and sympathy, and joy mean all that more. It makes you sit up and take notice of his admonition to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.” Shalom means more than peace – it means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

      In a world with so much violence – that would be counter-cultural!

Can the world see Christ in us? Can people see Christ in you?

            May His kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen

1Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 4. Pastoral Perspective. Gilberto Collazo. p 110.

2Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 4. Pastoral Perspective. Gilberto Collazo. P 114. 

The Right Time to Pray

Rev. Debbie Cato

Psalm 86 and James 5:13-20

Peace Presbyterian Church

September 14, 2014

The Right Time to Pray

We’ve spent the last month studying the Book of James and this is our fifth and final week - the end of our study of James. When we started, I introduced James by saying that his primary concern is the shape of the Christian life. Based on who God is, and therefore who His Son, Jesus Christ is, James says we must live holy lives and so his book – all five chapters, is about what this holy living looks like. James assumes that we have faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and he asks the question, so what? What does this mean for our life? For James, the faith that counts is the faith that is active in a person's life; a faith that’s alive. James insists that true faith is active or obvious in our life. True faith can be seen in how we live; how we act; how we behave. According to James, faith that is not active is not faith at all.

First, James warned us not to be deceived by who we think we are. We don’t always live as the people we are in God because there is a lack of connection between hearing and doing; between who we are and what we do. James warned us that we must not just be hearers of the word; we must be doers of the word.

In chapter Two, James expanded this idea of hearing and doing, insisting that “faith alone” is not adequate without the “deeds of faith”. Faith is more than just believing. Faith is a response to God out of obedience and love. Our faith should be visible by its fruit – the way that we live, the things that we do and say; by our attitudes and our behaviors. James says that our faith ought to be who we are; not just something that we believe.  It's not just head knowledge. It's heart knowledge.

Chapter Three taught us to tame our tongue. Easy to say but much harder to do. James reminds us that our words can be used to tear down or to build up. Words – or the misuse of words are the cause of conflict. Words are the cause of disputes. They are the cause of hurt and pain and brokenness. As beloved children of God, we must relate to one another as people created in the image of God. We are called to be humble and gentle, pure and peaceable; yielding to one another, full of mercy and good fruits, willing to hold our tongues rather than use our words to hurt. We should listen more than talk. These are the marks of those that are wise and mature in faith.

Last Sunday, we looked at James’ Fourth Chapter where we learned that true wisdom comes from above; true wisdom comes from God. James says that we must admit that we really don’t have ultimate power or authority over ourselves. God does. And so if we are to live holy lives; if we are to have true wisdom, we must submit ourselves to God. We must draw near to God so that He will draw near to us. We must be willing to pray, “Your will be done. Not mine, but yours.” And mean it.

And now James ends his letter with perhaps his most important teaching on holy living. The key thing that pulls everything else together. He’s been telling us what he thinks the most important traits of holy living are; the most important evidence of a living faith in Jesus Christ.

Being doers; not just hearers of the word.

   A faith that’s visible; a faith that’s who we are, not just what we believe.

       Using words to heal, rather than using words to hurt.

          Submitting to God.

James final teaching on holy living is about prayer. Prayer is powerful – the most powerful tool we have. Think about it. We have direct access to God himself – the creator and ruler of the universe! Prayer is our way of talking and listening to God. It is through prayer that we combine the pieces of holy living that James has been talking about – using our words in the right way and the wisdom found in seeking a relationship with God. It’s how we draw near to our Abba Father.

James asks us a rhetorical question. When is the right time to pray? When is the right time to pray? When do you pray?

James provides examples:

   Are you suffering? Pray.

       Are you happy? Pray.

          Are you physically ill? Pray.

               Have you sinned? Pray.

                   Do you have a need? Pray.

James says we are to pray for ourselves and we are to pray for others. We are to pray individually and we are to pray as the Body of Christ. Sounds to me like there isn’t anything we shouldn’t pray for or anytime we shouldn’t pray! When is the right time to pray? Maybe the better question would be – Is there a time we shouldn’t be praying?!

There’s an old formula for prayers calls ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. As the old formula goes, we open our prayers with adoration; praising God for who God is. Then we admit our sins and ask God to forgive us. After we’ve admitted we are sinners and fall short, we thank God for the ways he has blessed us and met our needs. And then, only then do we ask God for what we need or for the needs of others – called supplication. Sounds like what James is talking about doesn’t it?!

We praise God first because we were created to praise God – to worship him. We get into the habit of praising God because of the things he has done for us, but we should be praising God just because of who he is. We should praise him because He is holy and just; ruler over all creation. It is a test of faith when we can still adore or thank God in the midst of suffering and illness; when we can still see God’s blessings in the midst of crises and difficult times. There are many scriptural examples of those, strong in faith who were able to praise God in difficult times; Job, Jonah, Hannah, Mary, and Jesus, just to name a few.

It is often in our brokenness that we can hear most clearly God’s reply to our prayers. When we are too broken to speak our prayers, it is often through remembered hymns and spiritual songs of praise that we are able to continue to have conversations with God. Or even a simple, “Help me, Lord.” He knows. He knows.

But it isn’t only ourselves that we pray. We pray for others that we know who are in need and those whose needs are known to us in the wider world. Mary is always so good about reminding us to pray for those who don’t have; who are vulnerable; who may not have someone to pray for them. That is the kind of heart God wants. This allows us to see the image of God expressed in others, to share in their suffering, and to add our voice to God’s hearing for the good of the world.

The church as a praying community engages in all these types of prayers. We sing together, minister to the sick, and confess to one another. Our prayers as a community shape and allow us to become more closely the true Body of Christ. In community prayer, we have the opportunity to both listen for and be God’s voice in the world. Through prayer, the body of Christ is empowered to carry out the mission of Christ.

Prayer changes relationships, prayer changes our hearts, and prayer changes lives. It is the way that we can communicate directly to the living God. It is the way to true wisdom which comes from above. It is the way to holy living, so it’s no wonder that James ends his letter with a teaching on the right time to pray. Pray when you are suffering; pray when you are happy; pray when you are physically ill; pray when you have sinned; pray when you have a need. For just as Paul said in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, “Rejoice always and pray without ceasing.”

Many of you probably recognize the name, Corrie ten Boom. Corrie was a Dutch Christian who, along with her father and other family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II and was imprisoned for it. Corrie is quoted as saying, “Is prayer your steering wheel, or is it your spare tire?” Is prayer your steering wheel or is it your spare tire? Do you use prayer to guide you every where you go or do you only use it when you are in trouble?

Friends, we find ourselves in a time that is right for prayer. It’s a time to praise God because He is sovereign over the universe and He is still in control. It is time to thank God for the blessings He pours down on us each and every day.

This is a good time to focus on your prayer life. Spend time alone with God – talking and listening. Ask for wisdom from above. Spend time as a family or as friends, praying together; praying for one another; praying for the church. It is only through prayer that you will find peace and clarity and comfort.

It is through prayer that you will draw near to God and God will draw near to you. God is in the midst of your pain and your struggles. He is in the midst of your joy and celebrations. Invite him into your thoughts and into your hearts. Ask Him to give you His heart and His mind. Now is the right time to pray. Not my will, but Yours, Lord.

May His Kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

The S Word

Debbie Cato

Psalm 1 and James 4:1-10

Peace Presbyterian Church

September 7, 2014

The “S” Word

When it comes to conversations with God, there are several words that I've learned it's better not to say – certainly better not to pray for! For instance; the “p” word. I'm not good at patience and I wanted (actually still do) to be more patient. I thought I should be more patient - you know, be better at waiting. I used to pray that God would give me patience. Then I realized that instead of giving me patience, God was giving me opportunities to learn patience. I didn’t like that – it was way too hard. It was painful! Never mind, God! I said. I’ll never learn! You can stop trying to teach me!” So, I’ve stopped praying for the “p” word. Sometimes I think he’s still trying to teach me, but I never talk to God about – “you know what” anymore!

Today, as James continues to teach us about holy living, he uses the “s” word. In American culture, the “s” word has become a dirty word. “We are our own person,” we say with pride. We do our own thing. We are independent. We don’t report to anyone. Nobody tells us what to do. We do our thing; I’ll do my thing. You do your thing. It’s the American way.

But, as we should expect, it’s not the Christian way. It’s not the way of holy living. This week, in week 4 of our series, James teaches us that we are to “Submit to God.” All the problems he has presented us with so far; all the obstacles to holy living come from living by the wisdom of the world – submitting to things that are not of God. Submitting to our own pride – the “I will do it my way.” All the “I know best” things in our life. All the “no one is going to tell me what to do” times in our life. All the times we submit to the pressures of culture; our surroundings; popular opinions; the popular person. Whether we want to admit it or not – we are in fact submitting to something or somone! The question is – what exactly has authority over you?

Think about it – the conflicts we have are because we want to be right. We don't want to let go; give in; forgive; forget. We can't hold our tongues. Listen. We don't put our faith into action because we think about our selves first. Pride stands in the way. Selfishness.

But James says that we must admit that we don’t have ultimate power or authority over

ourselves. We really don't! God does. And so if we are to live holy lives; if we are to have true wisdom, which we’ve already learned is wisdom from above – wisdom from God himself - we must submit ourselves to God. We must yield power and authority of our lives over to God. Power and authority that God already has. We must be willing to pray, “Your will be done” and mean it. We pray it every Sunday: “Your will be done.” Your will be done, God. Yours. Not mine. We must pray it and mean it.

While this may initially cause us much fear and trepidation; we should actually feel the opposite. We should find peace and comfort in submitting ourselves to God! God is tirelessly on our side. He never falters in respect to our needs; he always has more grace at hand for us. He is never less than sufficient; he always has more and more to give. His resources have no limits; his patience is never exhausted; his initiative never stops; his generosity knows no limit; and his love never ends. Submitting to God results in blessings and God’s goodness pours over us! This is a good thing, friends. The “S” word really isn’t a bad word! Submitting to God who has only good things planned for us can only be good!

Submitting to God leads to holy living, because it draws us nearer to God. Nearer to the God who created us in His image. Nearer to the God who loves us unconditionally. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? We need to draw near to God because we can’t submit to God unless we are in constant communion with Him. We must be earnestly and constantly praying and listening and discerning where God is calling us; who God is calling us to be. How God is calling us to be.

Perhaps the reason we are fearful of submitting ourselves to God is because submission is calling us to a life of obedience. To live near to God requires us to do things that bring us close to God. It requires a life of regularity and discipline. Time spent in His Word – reading and meditating on Scripture. Time listening and talking with God through prayer. Public and private worship. Devoting ourselves to Christian fellowship. Feasting at the Lord’ Table as we will do later in this morning’s service. Cultivating every opportunity we have to draw near to our Lord and Savior.

Psalm 1 is alluding to the same thing – submitting to God's authority. You have a copy of the NRSV of Psalm 1 that Jeanne read this morning. Take it out and look at it while I read a couple 0f other versions. They are fun to compare and help us to really understand the passage. The first I’m going to read is a translation by John Goldingay. John is an Old Testament theologian and professor at Fuller Seminary. He was one of my professors. He has written a commentary on Psalms and this is his translation directly from the Hebrew to English:

¹The blessings of people

who have not walked by the strategy of the faithless,

or stood in the path of offenders,

or lived in the company of disdainers!

²Rather, their delight is in Yahweh’s teaching,
and they talk about his teaching day and night.

³They are like a tree planted by channels of water,
which gives its fruit in its season,
and its foliage does not fade;
all that they do succeeds.

⁴The faithless are not like that,
but rather are like the chaff that the wind blows away.
⁵Therefore the faithless do not stand at the judgment,
nor offenders in the assembly of the faithful.

⁶Because Yahweh acknowledges the way of the faithful,
but the way of the faithless perishes.

And now I want to read Eugene Peterson’s translation from The Message. Eugene’s translations are raw and use everyday language:

How well God must like you -
you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,

you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,

you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.

Instead you thrill to Yahweh’s Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.

You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,

Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom.

You’re not at all like the wicked,

who are mere windblown dust –

Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people.

Yahweh charts the road you take.

The road they take is Skid Row.

Psalm 1 believes in the importance of choice. It believes that the key choice we have to make is enormously important – but it also believes that it is straightforward. There are two ways that open up before us as individuals; they way of God; and the way of evil (the way that isn’t God). Delighting in God’s teachings (chewing on Scripture) and bearing fruit – or as James puts it faith in action. Submitting to God.

Jesus takes up the idea in Matthew 7 when he speaks of the broad path and the narrow path. We are like people on a journey who face a fork in the road and have to decide which path to take. One of the paths involves “walking by Yahweh’s Torah – or God’s Law.

The narrow way is both easy and difficult. The Law says things like we must “bow down only to God; keep the Sabbath; don’t commit adultery; tell the truth; don’t fancy other people’s stuff.” It’s really not that complicated. Yet, it is the narrow path. It goes against human instinct. We like to worship other things; we like to control the whole week; we don’t like to submit to anything. We must be living a life of faithfulness if we expect to worship or pray – we can’t separate living and worship.

Fellowship with God—and its consequent blessing of his fellowship with us—does not ‘just happen’; we cannot drift into it any more than we drift into holiness. It is a discipline we have to develop through obedience and practice.

James says that this is a “deliberately cultivated fellowship” (8a). The command is draw near to God, and we find ourselves encouraged to obey it by the promise which goes along with it, and he will draw near to us.

We have a tendency in ourselves to want to reverse this order. How easy it would be to keep a daily time with God if only we had a more vivid sense of his presence—in other words, we want the promise to come before the command! But James reminds us that God enriches with the grace of his presence those who obey his command to seek his presence.

Unless our inner focus shifts from the earthly to the spiritual we’ll wreak greater havoc on ourselves and others. We brag, we covet, we murder, we’re hypocrites, we quarrel, and we create conflicts. With the gift of holy wisdom we can, even in our weaknesses, learn to live lives of mercy, purity, peacefulness and gentleness, which is exactly what James tell us God wants for us and from us.

And it’s not just for one of us. It’s a gift to all of us. All of us are expected to be channels of spiritual wisdom for our own greater good and for the good of those around us. All we have to do is ask. We must submit to God. May His Kingdom comes on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.