Stay; Isaiah 9:2-7

 

Rev. George Miller

November 16, 2025

Isaiah 9:2-7

 

After our Annual Meeting last week, someone came over and said “I hope we haven’t frightened you away.”  I smiled with reassurance, also because someone said the same thing at our last meeting.

 

After 20 years of church meetings, not to mention Conference, and General Synod meetings, they are all the same, with the same amount of stress, tension, and fear.

 

But one thing to be said is that St. Lucas is going to “St. Lucas.” 

 

We’re going to worry about finances, we’re going to have heated moments, we’re going to take an hour to vote on a motion.

 

I smile, but it also breaks my heart, knowing that folk are worried; afraid.  No one wants to see such a foundational rock as St. Lucas worrying about future survival.

 

St. Lucas does too much good.  We’re an inportant place in the community.  Many families and legacies are within these walls.

 

So we are afraid.  Uprooted with worry.  Fearful about finances.

 

God bless Tom who asked “Do we have a plan?”  His question creates a steady ground for us to work side by side to allay concerns.

 

Though I smiled when asked the question, I am mindful of 2 things-

 

There is a divide in how we think and want to proceed as a Body of Christ; not quite yet a cohesive team that moves forward as one.

 

Second- we heard a lot about budget and voting, but we didn’t hear were words like “Gospel,” “God,” “Jesus,” “Holy Spirit.”  Scripture or Christ’s Teachings didn’t come up. 

 

As an entity whose Mission is to unite  “Christians in the worship of God and affirms life-long Christian education, faithful discipleship and caring service in God’s name,” we didn’t hear many of those words.

 

Maybe next year we can start our meeting with the Mission and Our Promise, which reads-

 

“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.”

 

Last week, someone said “I hope we haven’t frightened you away.”  I smiled because after 20 years of meetings, they are all the same, with the same stress and fear, and St. Lucas is going to “St. Lucas.”

 

We’re not the only ones- this level of worry has been around since God set the Israelites free and their first worry was about water.

 

The fear and worry over real life situations is all over the Bible.  Some like Hannah take it to the Lord.  Some like King Uzziah think they are the Lord. 

 

Then there’s King Ahaz who hears a word from the Lord and still chooses to do his own thing. 

 

King Ahaz is the 12^th King of Judah, the Southern Kingdom, about 30 years after Amos.  It’s a time of instability and worry.  The Assyrian empire is posing a threat to the world, taking over nations.

 

The King of the North partners with the King of Syria to fight against Assyria.  They invite King Ahaz and the South to join them.

 

Ahaz refuses, so they attack with the plan to install a puppet king.

 

Ahaz is terrified.  Instead of turning to God for guidance, he turns to the Assyrians, thinking that an alliance with them will bring him safety.

 

This is where Isaiah comes in.  He says to Ahaz “I know what you’re thinking, but don’t do it.  Stand still in your faith.  Stay right where you are.  Trust in the Lord.  Don’t turn to the left, don’t turn to the right, but stay.  Soon this will be over and you’ll be OK.”

 

But Ahaz ignores him.  He takes the Temple’s offerings and gives it to Assyria in exchange for their help, starting a non-reversable domino effect.  Assyria enters Judah, making them their underlings.  They attack Syria, conquer the capital city of Samaria, ending the Northen Kingdom. 

 

The people are taken as captives, displaced, forced into marriages, creating what’s known as the “Ten Lost Tribes of Isreal.”

 

Out of fear and zero trust in God, Ahaz has made his people servants of the Assyrians and caused the northern kingdom to be decimated.

 

It is a dark day for everyone.  But, as John 1:5 says “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overtake it.”

 

Though Isiah has come with words of judgement, he’s also come with words of hope.  Words that say these difficult days will be over, transformation will take place.

 

That seeds are being planted in which there will be some good.  Eventually troubles will be over, barriers are broken, and peace is possible.

 

Isaiah tells Ahaz about a child to be born, one who will do good things, live in right ways, and be enthusiastic for God.

 

For scholars, it is believed that Isaiah is talking about Ahaz’s son, named Hezekiah, who as the future kind did indeed do great things.

 

For Christians, this reading takes on a second meaning- pointing to the experience of Jesus Christ.

 

Especially Christians who know what it is like to walk through disappointment, pain, weariness.

 

In these words spoken 2,750 years ago, we hear the ageless stress and anxiety of being human and trying to make it through another week, another day, another hour.

 

Not much has really changed since Ahaz, has it?  Yet Isaiah still dares to say, “The people who walked in darkness have seen great light.”

 

Not that the darkness is gone, or pain non-existent.  But because we are not alone- God meets us there.

 

This is in many ways the heart of Advent that we are about to enter, when we get to journey back to Bethlehem and meet the baby in the manger, where God is present in the person of Jesus. 

 

Not a king in a castle or a chariot, but as a vulnerable innocent child.

 

When earliest Christians had an experience with Jesus, they looked upon these words from Isaiah  and said ‘These words are what God has done in Christ.  This is what God continues to do.”

 

When Jesus walked by people could sense the wisdom, the inner strength, the care.  When Jesus walked by those aching for stability and wholeness , they may have called him “Wonderful Counselor,” “Prince of Peace.”

 

One way we of St. Lucas can hear Isaiah’s words is to not think of a child born in the past, or yet to be, but the child born in you, now.

 

When we can breathe again after a hard week, when we are resilient,  when we speak kindness, we are embodying the everlasting wisdom and peaceful might seen in Christ.

 

As we enter into 2026 looking for a plan, we can hold onto these words, knowing that though things can appear dark, there is a light, it shines upon us, and the darkness does not have to overcome it.

 

We do not have to be Ahaz.  We don’t have to make rash decisions based on fear or makes alliances that drain our spirit.

 

We can turn to the light of Christ and welcome the presence of the Lord; we can remind ourselves that in Jesus, God is right there.

 

We can pray like Hannah.  We can use our wisdom like Solomon.  We can speak like Amos. 

 

With God, for God, as followers of Christ.    

  For that let us say “Amen.”

Sweet, Sweet Justice- Amos 1:1-2; 5:14-24

 

Rev. George Miller

November 9, 2025

Amos 1:1-2, 5:14-24

 

Amos.  A shepherd living at a time when the nation is broken in 2.

 

The success of King David and Solomon is no more.  Their heirs could rarely do what was right and pleasing to the Lord-

 

to do justice, love kindly, walk humbly with God in the cool breeze of the afternoon or under the starry sky.

 

As a result, the nation has split into 2 entities- the North and South.

 

In the North is King Uzziah, so good at securing a successful army and creating economic wealth, but goes into the Temple, acts as if he is the High Priest, insulting God.

 

In the South is King Jeroboam.  On the surface he’s brought peace to the nation, with money flowing into the economy; but under those seemingly calm waters, he is exploiting the poor, drowning in corruption, and building golden calves to worship other gods.

 

Though Amos lives 12 miles away in the hilly, rural town of Tekoa; surrounded by acres of olives, grapes, and barley, he sees all of this transpiring. 

 

Though his town is not wealthy, they are people that prize wisdom, folk who can think clearly, and are not impressed by shows of piety.

 

Amos is a shepherd.  He knows how to be observant; reflective; a keen sense of his surroundings, knowing when danger is near.

 

He would have a protective heart and courageous soul, to keep the flock safe from predators and thieves.

 

He would have a will to endure- long hours outside, dealing with rocky situations and harsh weather.

 

Take all these things together- where he lives, how his people think, what he does, and it makes Amos a perfect voice for God.

 

God uses this small-town shepherd surrounded by sycamore figs and barley fields to speak out to the 2 kings, to have them hear.

 

What they hear is not pleasant music from a piano or the cooing of a turtle dove.  It is the harsh jarring sound of God roaring with displeasure, as their actions are hurting the people.

 

The pastures where Amos works and the fertile highlands where fruit and fresh water come from are drying out.  There will be wildfires all over, and foreign enemies crouching to attack.

 

But it does not have to be this way.  Amos, filled with God’s “sophia”[1] says “Seek the Lord; seek the Lord and live.”

 

Amos says “Acts with integrity.  Don’t stomp upon the poor, steal their means of bread, take away their housing, or push them away while you take a bribe.”

 

Amos, filled with a passion for  fairness and mercy, tells the nation’s leaders-

 

“God is not impressed with your shows of grandiosity.  God does not care about your parades or pompous gifts meant to impress and control.”

 

“God does not care how loud you sing or if you have 76 trombones, 110 coronets, and horns of every shape and kind.”

 

Amos is preaching with the wisdom of the town elders, embodying the spirit of someone who knows what it’s like to live on the margins, to guard his sheep.

 

But…he does not leave the people dry or on a discordant note.  He offers hope, a chance to sing a different melody.

 

He says “Make the choice to focus on that which is good.  Enjoy making people smile and feel whole.”

 

“Make fairness and fellowship your priority, so when people walk through the gates of your city, they call ‘feel’ it and…exhale.”

 

Speaking for God, Amos says “Open up the faucets of heaven’s desires so that there is restoration and harmony, compassion and uprightness, balance, and flourishing.

 

In other words- “justice.”

 

Justice can sometimes be a hot-button word; but it doesn’t have to be.  Justice is a word that means-

 

Integrity.  Fairness.  Mercy. 

 

In a small-town, justice may simply mean “neighborliness.” 

 

In a place like Sedona, Arizona, full of red rocks, gemstones, and yoga studios, it can mean “Wholeness.”

 

In the big city full of hustle, bustle and honking horns, justice can mean “civility.”

 

In a church setting, justice can mean focusing on the 10 Commandments and teaching of Jesus, letting go of that which does not nurture God’s will being done here on earth.

 

For our veterans, it can mean “memory”- not forgetting and honoring what was endured.

 

This is what Amos encourages us to do; what Amos says is more important than shows of power or  acts done with strings attached.

 

Amos encourages justice- Integrity.  Fairness.  Mercy.

Neighborliness.  Wholeness. Civility.

Memory. Restoration.  Harmony. Compassion.  Uprightness.  Balance.  Flourishing.

 

So when that justice rolls down it feels like freedom; it feels like music; creating a sweet, sweet spirit, not just in the city, but in the small towns, the hill tops and the wilderness.

 

When that justice rolls down it sounds like “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “This Is My Father’s World” all at once.

 

When that justice rains down it sounds like “Hallelujah,” “Feed The Birds,” and “We Lift Your Name On High.”

 

When that justice arrives it sounds like the joyful songs of Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Elvis Presley all pouring down into one big dance party.

 

When that justice rains down, it sounds like “Here I am Lord; Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.”

 

When justice rains down, it sounds like the moment at the manger, the waters of baptism, the invite to sit on the green grass, the Beatitudes, the words spoken to Nicodemus at night, the woman at the well, tears shed for Lazarus, and the greeting said to Mary on Easter morn.

 

Basically every word Jesus said, every act he did was some form of justice, from feeding to healing to saying “Peace be with you.”

 

The good news is that the Lord does not have to roar to get our attention; things do not have to wither or dry up.

 

We can bring that change; we can be that song of hope when we choose to focus on the good and act in ways that are right and kind.

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”

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[1] Sophia is Greek for “wisdom”

Grace, Snooze, and Hush- 1 Kings 19:1-14

 

Rev. George Miller

November 2, 2025

1 Kings 19:1-14

 

508 years ago in the German town of Wittenberg was a university filled with students, teachers and a new technology called “printers” that made books, pamphlets, and posters.

 

The town had green fields, houses with red tiled roofs, and the wide Elbe River gently flowing through.

 

At the center of town was a market square with the smell of baked bread and fireplace smoke.  Folk sold cheese, chickens wandered free, and you could hear the clop-clop-clop of horses pulling carts of hay and grain.

 

Standing above it all was Castle Church, with gray stone and an infamous giant wooden door.  Inside, incense and the sounds of monks chanting in Latin.

 

In this town of teachers, farmers, and artisans lived a monk named Martin Luther, with ink-stained fingers.  He studied scripture.  He taught about God.  He wrote, a lot.

 

Though he had a strong faith, he was bothered by two things.

 

He was afraid that he had sinned just a little too much and lived just a little too wild.

 

He was also bothered about how the church told people they could pay to have their sins forgiven and with a few “clinks into the money chest” buy their way into heaven.

 

One night, while everything was a hush, he came across Romans 3:2- “They are now justified by God’s grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

 

This means we were set free not by the clinking of coins, but through grace that God freely gives.

 

Those words unearthed something within Luther’s heart; he began to let go of his shame and fear, finding joy 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 Christian reflection.  He wrote “The 95 Theses” meant to spark ideas and get people to think.

 

On the morning of October 31, 1517, as the sun rose over the Elbe river, he made his way from the university to the market square smelling of baking bread and the sounds of farmers and merchants setting up their tables.

 

With a hammer and nail, Luther posted his observations to the giant wooden door of the Castle Church

 

Each strike of the hammer, a brave act for anyone who had been told that forgiveness had to be purchased, for every person who was told they had no place in heaven, for everyone who was denied mercy or compassion.  

 

There, on the door of the Castle Church, in the center of the marketplace, of this busting German university town, Luther publicly pondered many things.

 

As the sun continued to rise, a spiritual revolution arose, as people reading his post began to explore, challenge, and begin to see Christ and the Christian experience in a brand-new way.

 

Because of the new printing press, books and pamphlets would spread his thoughts all over, starting the Protestant Reformation and forever shaping how we, members of St. Lucas UCC, discuss and think about God, Jesus, and Eternal Life.

 

Last week someone (embodying their inner-Luther) slipped a note into the Offering Tray, reminding me that it was Reformation Sunday. 

 

It was a simple thing to do, but important.  As someone who comes from a more Pentecostal, Congregational background, the Reformation was not a big part of my faith formation.

 

Yet, it is an important part for many people here, a tradition of identity and faith; one I hope to remember next year.

 

And the idea of Reformation fits so well into today’s reading.

 

Here we have a story about a prophet, Elijah, who is in a bit of a crisis.  The Queen of the North is very unhappy with him and wants him dead.  So he flees south.

 

He leaves the lush Jezreel valley, full of vineyards and olive groves, to the barren desert full of thorn bushes and sand-colored hills.

 

He’s scared.  He’s tired.  He’s alone.  He finds strength in an angelic serving of bread and drink.

 

He comes to a place of jagged peaks and narrow canyons, and finds shelter in a cave.

 

There the word of the Lord says “Elijah, what are you doing here?  Of all the places you can be; why here?”

 

Speaking from a place of understandable fear, he says “I have been very brave, but they are trying to kill me.”

 

God says “Go, stand on the mountain, the Lord is about to pass by.”

 

Elijah stands on that giant rock.  The winds howl, breaking stone.  The earth shakes.  Flames erupt all around.  It is like a big Hollywood Spectacle, something Will Smith or the Rock would star in.  All noise and light and action.

 

But God is not there in the woosh or the boom or the crackling.

 

Then there is a sound, a whisper, a hush, of sheer silence.  Almost like the audio version of “the snooze.”

 

And God is there.

 

Not in the show, not in the pomp, not in the circumstance, but in the stillness, in the calm, in the quiet.

 

God is present to Elijah, and it did not require coins or indulgences or acts of piety. 

 

God is present to Elijah and in that presence is the grace.  God hearing.  God speaking.  God saying “Go- there’s so much more for you to experience.”

 

In many ways, this is like the posting of the 95 Theses. 

 

What Martin Luther did was say “It’s not about the incense, it’s not about the chanting in Latin, it’s not about paying to get into heaven or Florins for forgiveness.”

 

It's about grace, the grace that God freely gives.  Grace in the middle of disagreements.  Grace found in the courage to just get up and make it through another day.

 

God’s mercy that does not have to be wrapped in spectacle, but in stillness, calmness, “the snooze.”

 

Think of how much Jesus did that was in that hush. 

 

Telling Nathanael that he saw him under the fig tree. (John 1:48)

 

Meeting Nicodemus under the cover of night (John 3).

 

Having conversation with the woman all alone at the well (John 4).

 

Washing the disciples’ feet with ordinary water and an everyday towel (John 13).

 

All of these as acts of incarnational grace that Jesus displayed.

 

The tranquility of the manger on Christmas; the stillness of the tomb on Easter.

 

All of these moments are reflected in Romans 3:2 and inspired Martin Luther and to lead a revolution.

 

There are so many ways in which we get to experience God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

 

There is the awe we get to see in acts of justice, kindness, and mercy.

 

There is the awe of collective effervescence, in which we feel connected to something bigger than ourselves.

 

There is the awe of nature- the vastness of beauty and power from mountains to oceans to winding rivers and sloping vineyards.

 

There is also the awe of the hush, of the stillness, of the calm that comes when God sees, God hears, God says “Here I am.”

 

Be brave. 

Move forward.

Share the Word.

Embody my grace.

 

For that , let us say “Amen.”

The Snooze 2- Creation, Play & Presence; 1 Kings 5:1-5

 

Rev. George Miller

Nov 26, 2025

1 Kings 5:1-5

 

Last week we saw David have a “Snooze” moment right before he was anointed King.

 

After that it was “snooze” no more: he faces off with Goliath, is the target of Saul’s rage, is in a constant state of fleeing, fighting, and family drama.

 

When he dies, his son Solomon, seeker of Wisdom, is crowned. 

 

Solomon has administrative gifts, makes sure folks are fed, and citizens feel happy.  His ability to think and speak clearly gains world-wide admiration.

 

The result- King Solomon and the country are at rest; there’s no chaos, controversy, threat of war.

 

Solomon and the people are on “Snooze” and they’re loving it.

 

Do you know what happens when someone is on “snooze,” well fed, safe, and happy?  They relax. 

 

They get to create- Bake bread. Paint in shades of greens and watercolor.  Put together LEGOs.

 

When someone is on “snooze” they get to play- sing songs; dance the salsa; sip wine with the girls or their favorite gays.

 

When someone is on “snooze” they become truly present; getting

to go the parade and see the Mayor handing candy out to the kids; writing cards to military members;

finally going through that box of photos that’s been there for years.

 

When someone is on “Snooze” their synapses move like God’s breathe over the waters and there is light and life and love.

 

King Solomon and the well fed, happy nation in on “Snooze” and THAT’S when he realizes “Now is the time to build God’s Temple.”

 

With this relaxed energy of “The Snooze,” King David can harness his heavenly wisdom.

 

He reaches out to King Hiram up north, and says “Hey, I have an idea and an opportunity that will benefit us, and all of our citizens.” 

 

“I’m going to build my God a Temple, and I want to use your people and your cedars to do it. They will work with my people, and I’ll make sure that every year you’ll get a full year’s worth of groceries.”

 

It's the most brilliant partnership.

 

King Hiram is located on the Mediterranean trade route with access to the best trees, artisans, woodworkers, and ship makers.

 

King Solomon is located inland with minerals, political contacts, trade routes, wheat and wine in abundance, and enough livestock to offer the best BBQ.

 

Basically, Hiram is the King of the Sea and Solomon is the King of Land.  Their coming together is such a natural alliance, but it took “The Snooze” for that to happen.

 

In the process, the Temple is built, over 180,000 jobs are created, resources are shared, people are fed, local businesses are thriving, and peace continues for 25 years.

 

When the nation North of you is being fed and the nation South of has work, it’s hard to be at war.

 

The power of “The Snooze.”  Of being at a time and place of peace.  Sabbath.  Everyone can breathe.  Create.  Play.  Envision. Establish relationships. Bless others.

 

Hmmm…sounds like something familiar- a concept we have discussed; the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven being right here, right now…on Earth.

 

It's a concept the Prophets of the Old Testament fully understood.

 

Today, our Adult Ed hears a timely presentation from our guest, J-Mo, speaking on Isaiah 58.

 

From the slide presentation J-Mo graciously shared, Elijah spoke of sharing bread, avoiding the chaos of unkind words, not putting unfair burdens on others.

 

These acts stem from rest and right living, resulting in needs met, bodies healthy, being watered like a garden…and transformed.

 

Jesus also shows what that peace, that Sacred Snooze looks like.

 

Jesus embodies what happens when people come together in rest and share resources, when folks work together and partnerships are created.

 

Jesus, embodying the Call of the Commandments and the Wisdom of the Prophets, showed that when we stop with the struggles, stop with the strife, we become part of a “collective effervescence.”[i]

 

Think of the Wedding Banquet, as Jesus co-creates wine with Mary, the servants, and the steward.  

 

Think of that heavenly meal on the lush, green grass, where a generous child shared what they had so Jesus could bless, disciples could hand out, everyone was satisfied and left-overs gathered.

 

Think of how Jesus’s ability to rest, be present, be kind, made space for interaction with a Samaritan at the well, folk living with disabilities, a woman who did not behave as expected, people from other places, even giving bread to the one betraying him.

 

That Snooze, that peace is so essential to Kingdom Work and establishing heavenly foundations.

 

Think of St. Lucas, founded by those who left a land where the King wanted to control God.

 

When the time was right and things seemed calm, there was the idea to build a nearby church, creating jobs, wisely using resources, moving as one. 

 

King Solomon had cedars from Trye sent down-shore,  but when it came time for us to build a new building, we had limestone from the local quarry brought uphill.

 

St. Lucas UCC founded on the legacy of Christ; was able to create, play and collaborate, supporting Caroline Mission, Deaconess Hospital, Lydia’s House.

 

From that place of being focused on God’s heart, we’ve been there for Good Samaritan, Cape Albeon, Emmaus Homes.

 

Today we have blood drives, provide food for Lindbergh students, and have a part in feeding malnourished kids in Kenya.

 

In doing so, we are playing a role in making Heaven here on earth; and we are fed by the heritage of our ancestors.

 

King Solomon and the people experienced a time of restful calm. 

 

They were able to create, play, come together, build alliances, bless local business, ensure everyone was fed, and put their focus onto God.

 

Great things can happen; Heaven happens, when we embrace God’s wisdom, find ways to create and cultivate, ease the burdens and enjoy the awe of what God can do.

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”

 

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[i] “Collective Effervescence” is a phrase from the AAA Magazine titled “Awe For All.”  According to psychologist Dacher Keitner , there are 8 different typed of awes.  “Collective Effervescence” is  feeling connected to something larger than yourself within a group, often during large events.