LEGOS as Faith In Action; 1 Samuel 3:1-11

 

Rev. George Miller

October 12, 2025

1 Samuel 3:1-11

 

Legos are a perfect way to teach about faith- faith in the process, faith in God, faith in yourself.

 

In the beginning of any Lego project you have this group of stuff- messy, unorganized, multi-color, multi-shape, multi-purpose.

 

There they are.  Looking at you while you’re looking at it.

 

Either your thought is “What to create?” Or “How do I turn all this into the photo on the box?”

 

Then…you just do.  You gather, you use wisdom, intuition, logic.  Piece by piece you snap snap snap.

 

Sometimes you hit a roadblock or a dead end; things get frustrating.  You may want to give up. 

 

Or you give yourself the OK to walk away and come back later with fresh eyes and new energy.

 

Sometimes, there is a piece missing.  So you make do or find a way to overcome the obstacle.

 

But if you are a faithful Lego connoisseur, no matter the mess, the chaos, the missing pieces…you just keep building.

 

You snap into place, arrange, you may even invite others to be part of the process.

 

You just keep building.

 

Eventually- finalamente- there it is; there you are!  It is finished and your Lego creation is beautiful, because you had faith in the process, faith in yourself, and perhaps even faith in God.

 

And to think it all started from a mess of colors, forms, and stuff.

 

Many ways, this is what Genesis 1 is all about – “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.  Then God said ‘Let there be light;’ and there was light.”

 

So much of the Bible is a retelling of that creation story, just with people and families facing voids and darkness in which nothing seems possible.

 

Genesis 28, with nothing but a rock as a pillow, Jacob has a dream that assures him God is there.

 

Exodus 16, the Israelites are hungry and incredibly angry.  God hears them, acts, and blesses them with daily bread.

 

The story of Ruth and Naomi, in which they face death, famine, and no child to carry on their legacy.  Somehow, through smarts, logic, and faith in God, they find a way to survive, thrive, and bring new life into the world.

 

Throughout the Bible we find a lineage of hope that says “Even though things seem messy, even though things look like they make no sense, through our faith in God, by our actions and intellect, we can make it through.”

 

This lineage of hope is seen in Sarah, Abraham, Jacob, and Ruth.

 

We see it today. 

 

Life has not been great for the Israelites.  They have forgotten who they are, ignoring the instructions from God.

 

Their religious leaders are too busy stealing from the offering and having sex in the doorways to do what God has asked of them.

 

So times are dark; they feel hopeless; and they are under constant threat of their enemies coming to attack them.

 

In this dark time is a woman of extreme faith named Hannah. She is the second wife of a man who seems to be absolutely clueless about everything. 

 

She has no child, no son, which means she has no one to care for her if her husband dies.

 

Instead of being passive and idle, Hannah does what she thinks is best- goes to the House of the Lord and prays.  She is honest about her feelings of vexation and anxiety.

 

Eventually, she gives birth to a boy named Samuel.  In thanksgiving, she raises him in the faith, having him live in God’s house.

 

In chapter 2, Hannah offers a prayer to God that sounds like a mighty warrior, speaking of God as a rock, as knowledge, who strengthens the weak, exalts the poor, and guards the faithful.

 

From Hannah’s actions to her prayers and powerful words, she is a woman of faith.

 

Years pass.  Things have gotten worse for Isreal.  At any moment, the Philistines are going to attack.  The priests are still stealing and fooling-around with parishioners.

 

It’s as if everything is dark, messy, and could end at any moment.

 

But as chapter 3, verse 3 says “The lamp of God has not gone out yet.” 

 

There’s still hope.  There’s still the possibility that the Lego set will not come undone.

 

The light of God is still there, even if it’s just a flicker, even if everyone else has abandoned it.

 

And that light of God, that still small voice, calls out to Hannah’s child Samuel, and says “See, I am about to do something…that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it to tingle.”

 

God is not done.

 

God sees the mess of human created, ego-driven, unethical, behavior that is all over the place.

 

Instead of walking away or giving up, God says “I’m going to take these fallen Lego parts, and we are going to put them back together.”

 

Notice these words are not spoken to the priests or local leaders, but to a boy, a child, someone who like Hagar, Ruth, and Naomi, is among the most vulnerable and unseen.

 

Into chaos God speaks, and God does what it takes to resecure the foundation on which they stand.

 

It takes a boy raised in great faith by a Mom who knew what it was like to stand upon the Lord.

 

Samuel comes from a lineage of hope; a family that had a great faith that they passed down.

 

A thought- is hope, is faith, something that can be inherited? 

 

If we are born inheriting our parents’ eyes, hair, skin tone, can we also inherit their faith; their hope; their trust in the Lord?

 

If we learn how to act, how to live by observing our parents and elders, can we also learn from them our faith?

 

And if we do, what kind of faith is it?  Is it the kind that sees the Legos on the floor and gives up?

 

Or the faith that sees the pile and says “Let’s work together and see what we can do.”

 

Maybe it’s because of his mother Hannah, that Samuel had the opportunity to hear the Lord when darkness seemed so permanent.

 

Maybe it’s because of Ruth and Naomi that Hannah had trust in the Lord.

 

Maybe it’s because of the stories about bread from heaven that Ruth knew they could keep going.

 

Throughout the Bible we see this lineage of hope, this heritage of faith, which says-

 

“Even when things are messy; even when times are dark, God still sees, still hears, and God still acts.”

 

Perhaps this week we can think of all we face, and is going on as Legos on the floor waiting to be assembled.

 

With that image, we can move together to not live in unproductive fear or frozen doubt, but to find ways to move, to be.

 

To rely upon the faith that has been passed down to us from generation after generation.  

 

Faith in the process, faith in God, even faith in yourself.

 

You just keep building, until your time to build is no more.

 

Amen.

Finding God in the Broom and the Dustpan; Exodus 16:1-18

 

Rev. George Miller

October 5, 2025

Exodus 16:1-18

 

Last night was our 2^nd Annual Polka Worship, with a focus on Martin Luther.  He would have enjoyed our time together. 

 

For all his seriousness, Luther liked simple blessings and God’s provision, once stating-

 

“God does not give us only what is necessary, but also what is delightful and joyful.  (God) gives us wine to gladden the heart, oil to make the face shine, bread to give strength.  Thus we see the overflowing goodness of God.”

 

My recent vacation in Minneapolis was the overflowing goodness of God.  Visiting friends.  Preaching at Grace Temple.  Seeing the sun rise over the city.  Relaxed meals with fresh fruit in the morning and a martini at night.

 

I desired to bring that sense of  vacation calm back to St. Louis. 

 

On Wednesday the alarm sounds and there are the day-to-day things to do- feed cats, put away dishes.

 

Such tasks can feel like a chore, but if done with intention, they’re like a ritual.  A sense of order to ground the mundane of the day into the holy, trusting that even in the dustpan, God is there.

 

While doing laundry, an idea arrived.  Instead of hauling the items from the washer into the dryer in one big clump, why not go piece by piece?

 

Noble idea, but by the 3^rd item, boredom settled in.  To make it like a game, I counted how many items were in the wash.  31 pieces, from socks to t-shirts to towels.

 

This was just 1 load.  There are people in which 31 of anything would be a lot.

 

It felt like an unbearable chore; yet a chore because I was fortunate enough to have this much.

 

The irony of having too much- looking at a full closet, saying  “I have nothing to wear,” then looking at a full hamper and saying “Not more laundry!”

 

Can anyone can relate?  Having to wash dishes, but those dishes meant you got to eat.  Having to shovel the driveway, but that means you have a car.

 

The writer of Proverbs 30 says to God “Give me neither poverty or extreme wealth; give me what I need.”(Proverbs 30:7-8)

 

The idea of scarcity and abundance is very much a part of the Bible. 

 

Abraham and Sarah face a famine that forces them into Egypt.  Jacob only has a stone to sleep on in the desert.

 

On his death bed, he says to his son, may the Almighty “bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.” (Genesis 49:25) 

 

Blessings of heaven, blessing of the earth, blessings of the family.

 

Martin Luther understood this.  He was a man of faith who enjoyed a laugh, a song, and a stein of beer.

 

He understood the tension of God’s gifts and human needs.

 

He saw “daily bread,” to include that which is needed to support the body- shoes, shelter, nutrition, a  healthy family, honest leaders, honorable friends. 

 

He warned against having so much that one turns to hoarding, cruel greed, exploitation. 

 

He worried that too much can pull someone away from God just as too little can cause one to not believe in God.

 

When preaching on Ecclesiastes, Luther said “It is God’s good pleasure that we enjoy what (God) has created.  Therefore, we should use God’s gifts with thanksgiving, not with greed, but with gladness.”

 

Meeting gifts with gladness; finding ways to embrace God’s abundance so that everyone can have their blessed daily bread too.

 

We see this in today’s scripture.  The people are on the journey of a lifetime.  From the Nile Delta, across the Red Sea, to the springs, the Israelites face a new reality.

 

After 2 months and 15 days, they are tired.  Their feet hurt; their joints ache; they are hungry.  Their bellies are making that rumbly sound.  So, they rumble to Moses. 

 

As Luther noted, when food is scarce, it creates a faith crisis.  They feel tempted to go back to the not-so-good old days.  Though they were slaves, they had food; now things seem scant.

 

So God produces a plan, one with lessons of participation, trust, and rest.

 

In the morning there’s bread for everyone.  But God’s not going simply hand it to them.  God is going to empower them.

 

They are to go out, gather what they need, doing the necessary work to attain their daily bread.

 

Then there is the trust part- don’t hoard the bread; believe there will be more.

 

Then there is the rest part.  On day 6, gather twice as much and trust that it will last them until Sunday.

 

Think of it- this former group of enslaved people are told it is OK to rest, and they can sleep in and still be fed without fearing punishment.

 

It’s beautiful.  God will provide; you participate in the blessing.

 

God will give, but trust that it is enough.  Use what you receive appropriately so no one goes without and nothing goes to waste.

 

God wants you to rest, so take time to breathe, chillax, enjoy.

 

God is presenting a rhythm, a daily ritual, a way to find the holy with them, beside them, around them.

 

The people experienced God in the parting of the Red Sea; now they experience God in the mundane everyday of “Mom- what’s for breakfast?”  “Dad- what’s for dinner?”

 

This is God saying “I will meet you where you are and give you what you need.”

 

We see this in Jesus.  Think of all the ways Christ, the incarnate “I AM” is able to meet people where they are and give them what they require.

 

Like in John 6.  Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee.  People follow him up a mountain.  He sits.  He sees the masses.  He tells the disciples to have them sit down.

 

When the children and adults sit in the abundant grass, Jesus takes 5 barley loaves, gives thanks, and gives it to those ready to receive.

 

There was enough bread as the people could want, and when the meal is finished, Jesus says “Gather up the left-overs so nothing goes to waste.”  There is an abundance of 12 baskets.

 

We see a need, and participation from the people.  We see rest and trust as they sit in the lush grass.  We see supply as folk get what is needed and there’s enough for all.

 

In the stories of our ancestors and ministry of Jesus, we experience the eternal questions-

 

When things are uncertain, will you trust God and when things are in abundance, will you still trust?

 

Today we witness the ways of heaven here on earth, how God’s desire is for everyone to have enough, and our call to both work and rest, receive and trust.

 

These are the ways we experience Christ and transform lives; ways  to honor our heritage and to ensure a future.

 

Ways we see God in the miraculous and the mundane, the personal and the communal.

 

And, as Martin Luther would say “To see the overflowing goodness of God.”

 

Amen.

Polka Worship Message; Psalm 46:1-3

 

Rev. George Miller

Oct 4, 2025

Psalm 46:1-3

 

“Lift up your voices and sing out your praise; all your care will melt away!”

 

These are lyrics of “The Good News Worship Polka” that we’re singing soon. First- let’s take a pause to enter this moment:

 

The Grace of God, “Die Gnade Gottes”, to all.

 

Warmth.  Reflection.  Dedication.

These are three things to celebrate as we gather here tonight amidst polka music, beer, and good cheer.

 

Warmth, like how Germans are known for valuing a gathering, be it at a local beer garden, or a “Stammtisch”, the table people come together to share stories, laugh, and genuinely connect.

 

Reflection. The value of looking at things, wondering, asking.  The cornerstone to learning, evolving; asking “is there something more?”.

 

What does it mean to say- “God is our refuge and strength”, how does a group of people “not fear, though the earth shall change”?

 

Dedication.  Standing firm even “though the mountains shake.” The importance of belonging, being faithful to your family, community, and your God.

 

Warmth.  Reflection.  Dedication.

Gemutlichkeit. 

Nachdenken. 

Hingabe.

 

Lift up your voices and sing your praise; all your care will melt away. 

 

The Scripture tonight is a favorite of Martin Luther, that well-known reformer who unearthed the notion of grace and shared it with all.

 

Martin wasn’t just a thoughtful theologian or serious scholar.  He knew how to embrace the gifts of grace and the bounty of creation.

 

In good German fashion, he enjoyed food and drink, especially the beer his wife brewed at home.

 

He loved music.  He thought faith can be joyful, grounded in the every-day, crafting songs that people could sing from their heart and feel in their soul.

 

Born in 1483 in Eisleben, Germany, Luther was raised in a working-class family.  After a fearful storm in 1505, he entered monastery and was ordained 2 years later.

 

He traveled to Rome in 1510, expecting to find holiness, instead he saw corruption, making him hunger for authentic faith.

 

Though he was a scholar and religious leader, he carried around a great deal of guilt from the things he had done throughout his life.

 

One night, while lecturing at Wittenberg, he came across Paul’s letter to the Romans.  It said “They are now justified by God’s grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

 

Those words unearthed something within his heart; he began to let go of the shame and fear he carried.

 

Luther found boundless joy and wholeness in knowing that he didn’t have to earn God’s love, all he had to do was to receive it.

 

This motivated him to use his gifts of reflection, embrace his Christ-based dedication.

 

In 1517, he posted his infamous 95 Theses, standing in courage, bravely bringing to light the idea that the church could do better.

 

There, in Saxony, this son of Germany, started a reformation that forever changed the world- how we see God, how we relate to Jesus, how we come together to worship in warmth, reflection, and dedication.

 

Luther stood before emperor and authorities, translated scripture into the language of the people, created teaching tools for children and adults.

 

He rooted faith and a Christ-lived life into the mundane every-day, the practical and simple so that people could understand and have a taste of how good heaven is.

 

He believed in humility before God and the holiness of everyday life, be it family, kaffeeklatsch conversations, or sharing a homebrewed beer at the table.

 

His heritage is everywhere and there is no doubt that he would approve of us gathering in this Friendship Hall, in a church made of limestone from the Sunset Hills earth, listening to polka, sitting beside family, among friends.

 

For Luther, God is our rock; God is the refuge we go to when the storms of life are great; when we have nowhere else to turn.

 

For Luther, God is our rock, our steadfast foundation we stand upon, empowering us to be brave and fearless, even as things seem uncertain and people wage war.

 

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing, our helper amid the flood or mortal life prevailing.

 

How wonderful to know that a life well lived, a life of friends and food, drink and song, joy and dance, faith and friendliness is a foundation to a life lived in Christ.

 

So let us lift our voices and sing out our praise; for all our care will melt away. 

 

“Die Gnade Gottes”, to all. 

 

Amen.

Mission, Promise and the Rock We Stand Upon; Genesis 28:10-17

 

Rev. George Miller

Sept 21, 2025

Genesis 28:10-17

 

Finally! Finalmente!  Endlich!  A scripture that hearkens back to the fond memories of Sunday School.

 

After the pain of last week and a month of Creeds, Psalms, and Troublesome Fathers, we have a story that embodies the wonder, mystery, and awe of Scripture.

 

Like Jesus feeding folk with 5 loaves and 2 fish, we have a story many of us heard as a child, with a song we enjoy singing.

 

Jacob falling asleep on a stone and dreaming of a ladder that connects to heaven; angels to and from.

 

God, the Rock of Rocks, says to Jacob “I am the Lord, the God of your Dad and his Dad.  This land will be yours and belong to your kids’ kids.”

 

On this heavenly ramp, God says “Your family will take root and bloom in every part of the world, and they will bless all the families of the earth.”

 

In this deserted desert place, Jacob, who has run away, hears God say “Know that I Am with you.  I will watch over you.  I will carefully tend to you.”

 

Don’t you love how much God sounds like a Big Poppa or Big Mamma who wants nothing but the best for their child?

 

Jacob wakes up.  No more ladder.  No more ramp.  No more angels.  Just emptiness, and the rock he fell asleep on.

 

Yet he feels full; empowered; part of something bigger than himself.

 

He says “I didn’t know it then, but I do now- The Lord is in this place. How amazing that right here the everyday and the holy meet.”

 

He takes his rock-pillow and calls the place “the House of God.”  No doubt a sweet, sweet spirit.

 

How rich with truth this story is. 

-God is found everywhere, in every situation

-Any space can be holy

-Even when all seems lost, God IS.

 

This ties back to previous sermons: the belief of God as our Rock- the place of refuge we come to, and the foundation we stand on.

 

How perfect that theology and imagery is for us.

 

Recently someone shared an article from  Sunset Hills Horizon recounting the history of quarries like the one in Powder Valley.

 

Eons ago, deposits of limestone created the Merimac Basin, an abundant fossil bed.

 

In 1905 St. Lucas needed to replace the old frame church, so they decided to build one of stone. 

 

George Helfert, owner of a quarry at the bottom of the Old Gravois Road hill, donated the stones.

 

Two teams pulled wagons loaded with quarried-stone up that hill, unhitched at the top, then went back down for the next load.  A ramp was built and a horse-drawn pulley used to raise each stone.

 

St. Lucas is considered “the most significant stone building in the Sunset Hill area.”  Our 25^th Anniversary booklet says starting a new building “requires courage, determination, faith and love of God.”

 

The ancestors of St. Lucas had to be brave.  Thank God they were, because here we are, 120 years later worshipping the God of Jacob in these generously donated rocks made of the limestone that came from soil down the hill.

 

Think of that amazing heritage.  The metaphorical “rock” we come to for refuge and worship was constructed from rock in the soil.

 

Within this refuge made of local limestone, we give thanks and praise to the Eternal Rock we stand upon and find rest.

 

There is poetry in this.  Our spiritual heritage is literally built on the heritage of this soil.

 

What other rocks do we are rest upon and form our foundation?

 

Each week we say we’re transforming lives and love grows here. 

 

There are 2 other Rocks we see every Sunday- our Mission Statement and our Promise found on the front of the bulletin.

 

Our Mission states “St. Lucas UCC unites Christians in the worship of God and affirms life-long Christian education, faithful discipleship, and caring service in God’s name.”

 

Wow.  Our Mission, the Heartbeat, the Foundation of St. Lucas proclaims to be one of

-Unity

-Life-long learning

-Practices rooted in Christ

-Merciful acts rooted in God.

 

How are we climbing up that hill of hope?  How are we, as a church, when it comes to unity, worship, education, actions, and integrity?

 

Our Promise states “St. Lucas UCC members, united in Christ and led by the Holy Spirit, strive to live faithfully, grow spiritually, and serve lovingly all of God’s creations.”

 

A second wow.  Our Promise, the pledge St. Lucas proclaims is

-united members who

-follow God’s wisdom

-try our best to live as if every place, every situation has holiness

-continue to bloom, blossom

-care tenderly for what is God’s.

 

How are we climbing this hill of assurance?  How are we when it comes to being united, allowing things to unfold at their own time, acting in faith, continuing to evolve and to do “diakonia”?

 

As we prepare for our Council Conversation, it is good to keep our Mission and Promise in mind, as they empower us to reflect on who we are as a church and as Christians.

 

It is good to keep the Mission and Promise in mind as we create and vote on our 2026 Budget.  Budgets are statements of faith. 

 

What we plan to spend and what we trust to receive are Theological Statements about what we believe about God, what dreams the Holy Spirit has for us, and where we trust Jesus to lead.

 

Today we got to experience a story that speaks to so many of us.  What it means to be where you are; what it means to discover that God is there.

 

To be reminded of the words of presence and the assurance that God, our Big Daddy, our Grand Mama, is there, regardless if it is in the Garden or in the desert.

 

Since we are all descendants of Jacob, we have a faith founded on the assurances of God.

 

The God who stands besides us, the God who speaks to us, the God who says “I Am with you, and I will root for you no matter where you are.”

 

We don’t have to dream of heaven to know that heaven is right here, right now, especially when Christ is our foundation.

 

As our 25^th Anniversary Booklet stated “courage, determination, faith and love of God.”

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”