Sermon for Aug 2 2026; The Nests of God

 

Rev. George Miller

August 2, 2026

Isaiah 10:1-19

 

If you are the kind of person who enjoys a rainy morning, then Friday was for you.  The day began relaxingly overcast.  Gentle drops began to fall, their rhythm increasing as the world became the sound of heavenly water atop the roof.

 

Friday’s rain felt like it was saying “Relax.  Be calm.  Nestle into your nest, to find shelter, to sleep, to rest, to know that you don’t have to do a single thing and the world will go on.”

 

If you like the rain and have no place to go, the chance to nestle to the sound of gentle thunder and restorative rain is bliss.  Sabbath.  Sanctuary.

 

The Bible has a few places that have this kind of nest imagery.

 

Psalm 91 says “You who live in the shelter of the Most High…God will cover you with God’s pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; God’s faithfulness is a shield and defense.”

 

Deuteronomy 32 portrays God as an eagle that stir up the nest, hovers over the young, spreads its wings and takes them up, guiding their flight.

 

In Matthew 23, Jesus looks upon the city of Jerusalem, with all its violence and unfairness, and says “How often I’ve yearned to gather you as a Mother Hen and keep you under my wings.”

 

How different these nest images are from what we just heard.

 

Isaiah 10:1-19 is a complex reading, with 3 separate parts.  First, we hear how disappointed God is with Isreal. 

 

Here they are, a nation founded on the 10 Commandments, with it’s love for God and love for neighbor, and they have descended into an unrecognizable place where they enforce unjust laws, rob the poor of their rights, abuse widows, orphans and rule with greedy sin.

 

Because of this the nation has become weak and easy to attack, which Assyria does, taking over the land and humiliating her citizens.

 

The second part has God berating the Assyrians, saying “Yes, my people were nasty and inhumane, but you didn’t have to plunder and annihilate them the way you did.”

 

The third part features the foreign King of Assyria who has zero regrets and total delight in what he has done.  The enemy King says, “The people of Isreal were like birds in a nest, so I took my hands and grabbed them, destroyed them and made it so that not even their eggs, their babies, their nestlings could take flight.”

 

Jesus talks of wanting to gather the people like a Mother Hen.  God talks of creating safe nest where the vulnerable are protected, an eagle who lifts the fledglings up so they can learn how to fly.

 

But the King of Assyria?  He finds delight and purpose by reaching into the nest with bare hands and destroying each and every bird.

 

If you want to know the power of calling Jesus “King” and God “Lord” as compared to the kings and lords of the earth, here it is.

 

God gives shelter and sanctuary; Jesus gathers us and creates a community based on love.

 

What strikes me most about the Assyrian’s actions is how they not just affect the immediate present, they forever alter the future.

 

Those fledglings, those nestlings in the nest weren’t just noisy hungry creatures with wide open beaks unable to fly, they were the ones who would have developed feathers and muscles for flight, and play their part in creation by eating insects, pollinating, and singing their song.

 

Think of all the future voices the King of Assyria forever silenced when he ravaged those nests.

 

Those who would never grow to become prophets or priests, artisans and architects, traders and teachers, heads of government and new business starters, moms and dads.

 

I think of Marty, OKS and our participation.  Marty one said that OKS matters because the child who receives nutrition may grow up to be the next Nelson Mandela.

 

Think of how that can apply to our Mission guests today- Habitat For Humanity, and our hands-on relationship with them.

 

What a rich Mission Statement they have- “Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, community and hope.”

 

Sooo far away from the destruction of Assyria and much more aligned with the ways of Heaven.

 

How Habitat offers affordable, safe homes, asking their families to engage in partnership and sweat equity, so they can build a notable, maintainable nest together.

 

How Habitat, the members of St. Lucas UCC, and the community get to play a role in building those nests, putting God’s restorative and protective love into action with each hammer, tape measure and level.

 

How Habitat is building a nest not only for the “now” but for the future.  When the nestlings and fledglings of these nests can sleep knowing they are safe and have a place to call “home”, they are free to dream, to play, to take chances, to learn, to go out into the world with their gifts.

 

The King of Assyria found delight in destroying all hope for the future, but Habitat lays the foundation for a future of flight.

 

Who knows what difference we can make in the life of a child and a youth.  Who may become the next William Danforth or Maya Angelou.  Who may become the next William Eliot or Josephine Baker.  Who may start the next foundation or hospital or center for the arts or become future Senior Pastor of St. Lucas UCC.

 

While the unjust kings of the world want to upend, take away, and make weak, we have a savior in Jesus who wants to establish, bring together, and make strong.

 

While human rulers crush orphans and widows, the God of All Creation hovers over, watching.

 

The nests of Jesus, the places built in the name of Christ, are here to be a place of sanctuary, a place of calm, a place where we can say “Lead Us On Eternal Sovereign”, lift us up, on eagle’s wings. 

 

Amen.

"Worship & Wags Worship" Message; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

 

Rev. George Miller

July 12, 2026

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

 

July 2002 was the loneliest summer of my life.  After 9 months of heavenly living at Eden Seminary, everything came to an end.  It was the 1st year of Seminary- living, learning, dining, and worshipping on campus.

 

Every week surrounded by folk from around the globe, studying the Word of God, going to Chapel 3 days a week, Communion on Thursday and homecooked meals on Sunday.  Going to Coffee Kartel, studying side by side, making meaningful connections.

 

One day, it all ends: school year is over, everyone but me leaves.  A campus thriving with community is now empty it’s just me...

 

…and the birds.  Months ago I set up a bird feeder.  Since I lived in a garden level apartment, I could look out the windows and enjoy a ground-level view of the birds enjoying their morning meal.

 

Thank God.  Those birds saved my sanity and soothed my loneliness.  For 3 months they gave me the 1 reason to get out of bed. 

 

Each day those feathery creatures gathered by the feeder, singing and squawking, waking me up, waiting to be fed. There was no sleeping in or bed rotting.  To silence their sounds I had to get up, get dressed, put on shoes and step into the sun. 

 

Thank God for those birds, their impatient songs by the window. 

 

Thank God for the gifts of animals and pets, dogs and cats, snakes and fishtanks, parakeets and guinea pigs that allow us to be generous spirits, discovering that we need them as much as they need us.

 

Today is “Worship and Wags.”  We acknowledge the role animal companions play in our lives and reflect God’s “pawesome love.”

 

What a testimony to our pets’ place in our life that we welcome them in this sacred sanctuary.  All of God’s Creation is worthy; if they bark with joy, purr with contentment or sing at sunrise.

 

A few days ago, Tik Tok influencer Gabby Bernstein had a guest explain why we have such an emotional attachment to our pets.

 

According to them, when we have an animal companion, we are in “our purest spirit when we’re aligning with the animal.” As Gabby writes in her post-

 

“Our pets will love us without conditions, without expectations, without asking us to be anyone other than ourselves.”

 

That version of ourselves that our cats and dogs bring out is the beautiful and holy version of ourselves that feels “completely loved, completely safe, and completely connected.”

 

In other words, our pets empower us to embody and experience God’s “Pawesome Love.”

 

A love that accepts us for who we are; as we are.  A love that is mutual.  And a love that thrives in generosity and a generous spirit.

This connects to our reading from Ecclesiastes which has been going on and on about how life seems unfair, redundant, and pointless since all of us will die.

 

Last week, the author commented that at least life becomes doable when we are united.  Today they share another insight: if we know we must work and we are all going to die, then eat, drink, have fun, do things that bring you happiness.

 

“Hey, since you work hard, enjoy what you earn.  Be generous with yourself and others.  Don’t hoard money in a way that makes you miserable; use it in ways that bring joy.”

 

How many pet parents resonate with this?  That moment you walk into the store to buy your beloved animal their food, treat, or toy?

 

The joy of dilly-dallying for our Heidis and our Guineveres, as we check out all the flavors and textures of pet food- pate, flaked, grilled, extra gravy. 

 

Since caring for our pets is a form of caring for ourselves, we feel a joy that comes from being selfless and buying something they like.

 

Shopping for our pets becomes a sense of joyful generosity.  You know what dry food they prefer; the toys they like, what kind of seed the birds will eat, which flakes our fish most enjoy. 

 

Making sure our reptiles have the right heat lamp to stay warm and tasty crickets to devour.  Which accessories keep our rodents occupied. 

 

Today’s scripture reminds us that life is but for a moment, so enjoy it, eat, drink, have joy, work hard so you can treat yourself.

 

Isn’t this one of Jesus’ messages? He talked about heaven being on earth wanting us to see God’s Kingdom in the here and now.

 

Jesus told about the lost sheep that was found and used a donkey to symbolize new life breaking in.

 

In the UCC we not only share the good news of Christ, we discuss how God’s covenant is with all of creation-

 

the soil and air, the cosmos and animals, our furry, scaly and feathery companions.

 

We see this nationally in the STAR Coalition which shares how small town and rural churches have a special relationship with the land, their livestock, and pets.

 

We see this in UCC churches across the country like 1^st Congregational in Manchester, Vermont that brings attention to pets displaced by disaster and war.

 

St. Peter’s in South Bend, Indiana offers free microchipping and rabies vaccines.

 

Trinity UCC in Canton, Ohio has a pet chaplain on staff to be there for pets are ill or facing end of life.

 

St. Louis has Lydia’s House with their Purple Leash Project, creating a pet-friendly environment for families displaced by violence.  Purina strives to make these safe spaces possible.

 

Here at St. Lucas, love of Creation takes place with our recycling program and Earth Care Ministry; our Annual Pet Blessing and upcoming Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day service.

 

Today’s reading reminds us to enjoy what we work for.  If the author lived in today’s time, perhaps they would say to get yourself a dog or a cat, put out a birdfeeder, or set up  fishtank.

 

Our beloved pets have a way of bringing out the inner Christ that dwells within us. 

 

Our cats and canines not only love and depend on us, but encourage the most genuine, most generous, purest, version of ourselves to manifest.

 

God’s “pawesome love” is found within them, allowing calm, connection and heaven in the right here, right now, in a morning song, a gentle purr, or the wag of a tail, all which says “You are my joy.”

 

   Amen and amen.

“We have not earned these/They just come with the table.” Sermon on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

 

Rev. George Miller

July 5, 2026

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

 

The World Cup is here and it’s like a secular Pentecost- other nations and languages coming together around one common thing.  Instead of Christ, it is soccer.

 

Thanks to social media, Americans are enjoying an unexpected experience- seeing the vastness and beauty of the United States through other people’s eyes.

 

Foreigners are in awe with our state parks, how huge a country we are, how melt-in-your-mouth delicious barbeque is and the yumminess of ranch dressing; trying soul food, biscuits and gravy, and southern fried chicken.

 

On Instagram a man from Japan shared that he was at a restaurant and immediately received chips and salsa.  He said to the waiter “We have not earned these.”

 

The waiter replied “They just come with the table...”

 

The man said that in his land, hospitality is a debt; every gift creates an obligation, weighed carefully, returned in proper season. 

 

He writes that in America the gift of chips and salsa is a sign of trust, arriving before you can even prove that you’ll pay for dinner.

 

When the chips are refilled, he refers to it as “Generosity that arrives before the request cannot be repaid. The trust of a nation is in that salsa.” nobunaga@japan_nobunaga

 

“We have not earned these/They just come with the table.”  This man from Japan may have just summed up what Communion is.

 

Today we celebrate the 250^th birthday of America, the place we call home, a moment for us to remember the dreams that our country means to many, especially those who immigrated here. 

 

This is a time to give thanks for democracy, something our congregational ancestors brought to the shores of Massachusetts.

 

To feel inspired by our gorgeous landscapes, to recall how we were conceived by the concept of Liberty, to honor those who came across the Atlantic, how we have established an economy and created standards, being a place that’s intended to welcome questioning and debate.

 

Of course some of those questions and debates come down to how we interpret, what we value, and how we understand. 

 

The ways in which immigration is currently being discussed.  What exactly were our founding Father’s connection to scripture?  How do we improve relationships with those living within our borders? 

 

President John Adams called today the “Great American Festival,” a Day of Deliverance. 

 

He was aware of the toil and treasure it would take to maintain the Declaration of Independence, what it would mean to support and defend the gifts of Liberty.

 

Toil and Treasure.  These words sum up Ecclesiastes.

 

Today’s reading is written by someone who is tired.  They are sooo tired that they are tired of being tired.

 

The author of Ecclesiastes is a teacher who thought the solution to life is to learn as much as he can learn, but realizes the more he learns the less he knows.  This makes him sad.

 

He tries to find joy and purpose in life by buying things, building things, surrounding himself with rock stars and voluptuous women, but nothing equates to joy.

 

He begins to realize how unfair and foolish things are, how predictable and mundane life is.

 

He sees life as a daily set of tasks and toil that never ever end.  If the author lived in St. Louis, he’d say “Oh my God! I have to rake in the Fall, shovel in the Winter, deal with Spring storms, and sweat like a dog in the Summer!”

 

The author is despondent.  He sees that those who follow the rules and play fair are getting punished while those who do what they want seem to be living it up. 

 

He sees how greedy and lonesome his peers have become.  No matter how much success they have had, it’s never enough.  He watches as death comes for everyone he knows.

 

Then, in chapter 4, verse 9, something clicks for the teacher- yes, life is hard, yes, life is redundant, but when we are united, it is so much better.

 

The author, who thinks he knows nothing at all, actually knows a lot- that it is relationships, it is partnerships, it is collaboration, which makes all the difference.

 

When one falls, the other can pick them up.  When one deals with the coldness of life, the other can warm up their spirits.  When difficulty arises, two can face it together, and it is harder to be broken when there are three.

 

This is not a scripture about rugged individualism and celebrating those who can do it themselves- it is a scripture about the joy that comes when 2 or more are gathered, the beauty of being relational, the strength that comes from being united, the possibilities of being more than just ourselves.

 

Life is full of toil; but when united it can become tolerable and we can become undefeated.

 

United.

 

That’s what happened on the Day of Pentecost when people from all over came together and the Holy Spirit fell upon them, uniting them around the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

United is what John Adams imagined and hoped for when he helped give birth to our nation, longing to see the civic virtue and character of democracy flourish and take root.

 

United, which is the motto of the UCC, taken from the words of Jesus in John 17:21- “That they may all be one.”

 

This does not mean identical, or to always agree, but to toil side by side, to strive together, to pick one up when the other falls.

 

Unity is what Jesus brought to the table.  Unity is what Jesus embodied when he drank wine at the wedding, shared fish on the hillside and broke bread in the upper room. 

 

Not just unity, but grace and welcome.  Jesus unified everyone at the table by feeding them without anyone having to prove their worth or paying ahead, but for simply being present.

 

Today’s reading ties into our nation’s 250^th anniversary; a reminder that who we are and what we can achieve is tied to our sense of unity and shared purpose.

 

Today’s reading reminds us that how we engage with others can make us stronger and better.

 

It is a way to bring calm to a world that wants to say there are not enough chips for all, but Jesus says “Yes there are, and they taste so much better when shared and united.”                 Amen and amen.

A Message for Our Mission Trippers; Psalm 30:4-6

 

Rev. George Miller

June 28, 2026

Psalm 30: 4-6

 

Note: This message is the result of St. Lucas UCC members who shared their experiences, insight, and knowledge.  I cannot claim all of this as my own creation. 

 

You may have heard about Christmas in July.  Today we have Hannukah in Humidity.

 

Last week Nehemiah got the sons and fathers together to rebuild the Jerusalem walls.  Most certainly there were also daughters and mothers who participated. 

 

About 150 years later the Greeks attack the city, taking over the Temple, telling the people they cannot attend worship, circumcise their children, observe Sabbath, or read their Holy Texts.

 

The enemy violates the Temple, putting up a statue of Zeus, sacrificing pigs on the altar, desecrating the holiest of spaces.

 

Because the people of Judah are brave and remember their heart belongs to God, they rise up and fight back, reclaiming the Temple, restoring it to its proper purpose.

 

With a limited supply of ritually pure oil, they burn lamps for days and days to cleanse God’s House, reclaiming it as a sacred sanctuary, a place of refuge where they can resume holy Sabbath worship and study of  their sacred texts.

 

This victory over the enemy and cleansing of the Temple is what Hannukah is all about.  Psalm 30 is said to be the song they sung on that day when worship resumed.

 

“I will extol to you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and did not let my foes rejoice over me.”

 

“O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.”

 

Imagine what it was like to return to this place of worship after being gone for sooo long, able to freely say “Sing praises to the Lord…and give thanks to his holy name… weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

 

How this could’ve been sung  post-COVID when we reentered our sacred structures.

 

Imagine the people of Psalm 30 after recovering the Temple; candles burning for 8 nights.  The whole congregation lifting their voices, singing with unparalleled joy “I shall never be moved.”

 

I shall never be moved- no matter what the enemy tries, no matter the chaos that comes our way.

 

Chaos runs throughout the Bible; thankfully so does the restorative acts of  God.

 

In Genesis, God takes chaos and creates life.  In Exodus, chaos is transformed into freedom. 

 

In Joshua, God takes the chaos of wibbly-wobbly into the Promised land.  In Nehemiah, God turns chaos into a community-wide construction event.

 

In Psalm 30, chaos is conquered by a congregation that comes together singing thanks to our generous God.

 

Read scripture this way and you see this cycle taking place again and again- chaos comes along and God acts; chaos tries to silence and God speaks, chaos attempts to end and God creates a new beginning.

 

It is like a full circle, again and again, a circle one can appreciate and look bravely towards when life gets hard and things seem unsure.

 

Full circle.  A few days ago, someone who is incredibly wise used that expression; it sounded inspirational.

 

The idea of things going full circle.  Not all circles have to be bad or chaotic.  There are circles that feel good, filled with legacy and meaning, memory and promise.

 

Today’s blessing of the Mission Trip is a Full Circle moment.  Mission is so deeply rooted in our UCC roots.  For example, in 1812 we were the first Americans to send missionaries oversees.

 

At St. Lucas, we’ve had mission trips for decades, to places all over the nation.  We’ve watched those start off as youth who have continued as adult supervisors, some now closer to middle-aged than teenager.

 

Oh, the places our mission trips have gone- Back Bay, North and South Carolina, Colorado,  Louisiana.

 

With them a Spirit of Christ; a spirit of love and being united.

 

As our youth and adults prepare to go to Spirit Lake in North Dakota, we pray for them 3 gifts.

 

The gift of reverence- be present to the Native American community, meet them where they are while respecting their ways.

 

The gift of disconnecting with cell phones and social media so as to connect with nature, one another, the satisfaction of honest work, and restorative quiet.

 

The gift of awe and wonder; may they stand beneath the skies of God’s handwork and marvel at all of creation, finding healing and satisfaction in what their eyes behold and ears can hear.

 

With these gifts, may our youth and adults find their own ways to best be ambassadors for St. Lucas and the United Church of Christ.

 

May they embody the spirit of Jesus who sat in celebration with people getting married.  May they embody the compassion of Jesus who met with curious elders and folk living with sickness and hurt. 

 

While at Spirit Lake, may our youth and adults be engaged, like Jesus at the well, having rich conversation and dialogue.

 

May they embody the legacy and traditions of the UCC, with hearts that welcome, hands that empower, feet that walk besides, and spirits that uplift.

 

Into a world that can be filled with too much chaos, may you bring calm and be the calm. 

 

Like those in Psalm 30 gathered to sing praises to the Lord, may you minister in such a way that gives thanks to God’s holy name.

 

May our Mission members embody the faith that believes weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

 

May you go as the hands and feet of Christ, and return with an expanded reverence, sense of connection, and memories filled with wonder and awe.

 

Be the light that you already are.

 

Amen.