March 18 2026 Lenten Reflection Jeremiah 50:6-7

 

Rev. George Miller

March 18, 2026

Jeremiah 50:6-7

 

Tonight you are witnessing a message recorded the day before my surgery.  This message was created in anticipation, filmed in preparation, and now it is being viewed, while I am feeling like a healing sheep that is far from the flock, dealing with my own unique wounds and experience.

 

Tonight, we see through the lens of Jeremiah, who was known as the “Weeping Prophet.”  His sense of empathy for the people led him to have deep emotional expression.

 

Jeremiah’s emotionality caused him to speak up and to speak out, to address issues that everyone saw; to create insight into the path the people were heading.

 

Because of this, Jeremiah was not always liked, or listened to.  There were those who wanted to silence him.  In chapter 18 he feels as if a pit has been dug for him, how they laid snares at his feet, hoping to kill him and his words.

 

Jeremiah isn’t so much the sheep that has gone astray or been lost, he is more like the black sheep of the family, the one that everyone feels uncomfortable around, the one everyone would rather not discuss.

 

But this does not stop his prophetic word, nor his care for the children, the youth and men who could die in war, or the wives who could become widows.

 

So he speaks and he cries, he reveals and he encourages, all with an unshakeable trust in the future; that eventually there will be restoration and rebirth.

 

In tonight’s reading he refers to the people as lost sheep; but not just lost- they are sheep who have been led astray by their shepherds. 

 

They are sheep who have been led away from the mountains of nourishment and faithful living, into a place where the shepherds have made them forget who they are, the flock they are a part of.

 

This has made the flock vulnerable, easy targets for their enemies and outsiders to come and devour them, to hurt them.

 

This evening, let us take a moment to think of how we may feel as if we are being led astray by shepherds meant to protect us.

 

Tonight, let us pause and reflect on how there are shepherds who have tried to separate the flock and pull us away from one another.

 

Tonight, let us think of the ways in which we can become vulnerable as a people, nation, faith because of such shepherds.

 

Tonight, let us take a moment to symbolically weep just as Jeremiah would.  To weep, and to wonder- “as a people, all we like sheep that have been led astray?”

 

How do we erase the guilt of our collected sins?  How can we reclaim the true pasture of the Lord, and the hope of our ancestors?  Easter can not come too soon.                           Amen.

Jesus- Timely and Political; John 18:28-38

 

Rev. George Miller

March 15, 2026

John 18:28-38

 

Preachers often receive the comment “I don’t want to hear anything political.  Religion should have nothing to do with politics.”

 

25 years ago, I would’ve agreed.  Back then, when starting at Eden Seminary, my calling was strictly spiritual; a faith about miracles, courage, and total trust in God.

 

But since serving one church during a recession and another church in a community steeped in wounds of prejudice and homophobia, I started to realize- many miracles would be unnecessary in a world that is just and kind.  Courage and trust are needed when facing obstacles to our health, wealth, and well-being.

 

The Bible is political- hence books like Kings, and stories like the Exodus.  The writers were political.  Prophets addressed issues of unfair rent, unfair wages, mistreatment of immigrants.

 

The ministry of Jesus was political.  At Jacob’s Well he talked to a Samarian Woman, he fed the hungry, offered wellness to the lame, making it so they could reenter society and earn an honest wage.

 

How much is our own political climate devoted to health care, poverty,  people’s rights, and those who are from another land?

 

Maybe, to make things a bit easier to hear, we can that the ministry of Jesus was political, because it was timely.  He ministered according to the events, people, and places of his time.

 

The ministry of Jesus spoke to the time he lived, one in which his nation of Judah and been invaded and occupied by Rome.

 

Jesus spoke to the ways of the Temple, addressing money changers with overcharged fees, and clergy demanding gifts of fatty lambs to dine upon, offering a purer connection to God that was unlike the policies of the priests.

 

The ministry of Jesus was timely, balancing issues that were spiritual and political, holistic and economic.

 

See today’s reading- authorities take him to government headquarters.  He’s questioned by the Roman military governor. 

 

In just 4 verses, the words Nation is used 1x.  King, Kingdom, and World are each 3x. 

 

King, Nation, Kingdom, World, are all political terms.  Why does it matter?

 

Because Pilate, a military governor, is asking Jesus if he is the King of the Jews.   Pilate is not asking if Jesus is the spiritual leader of the Jews.

 

Imagine this story taking place in the Ukraine; Pilate is Putin saying to Jesus is “Are you the one who is going to stir the pot and lead your people into waging a revolt against us, and try to kick us out of your country?”

 

That’s how powerful Jesus is; how strong his presence, words, and understanding of God and scripture is-  that a soldier with a full army at his disposal is afraid that Jesus is going to unleash a war, in which the Romans might lose.

 

Pilate is saying to Jesus “Are you going to stir up trouble and try to usurp the current administration.”

 

Pilate is so worried that Jesus is going to lead the people into a march, a protest, a boycott.

 

And Jesus, with only his words, says “My kingdom is not from this world.  If it was, my followers would’ve been rioting already.”

 

“So,” says Pilate, “Are you a King?”  Jesus says, “You say that I am…but what I came to speak to is the truth.”

 

“What is truth?,” Pilate asks.

 

Jesus does not answer.  He does not need to.  As we’ve seen all along, the Kingdom that Jesus represents is the Kingdom of God.

 

Unlike the Kingdom that Pilate represents, the Kingdom of God is one in which:

 

-there is enough for all,

-there is equality of ALL,

-there is forgiveness, and

-there is fellowship.

 

Enough, equality, forgiveness, and fellowship- all spiritual, political, and timely.

 

Jesus showed us God’s way, a way in one in which God gives us all we need, so we can learn to share, receive, and trust. 

 

We see God’s way when water is turned into abundant and delicious wine.  We see the way of God in the feeding upon the mountain, in which little is turned into much, and there’s enough to fill 12 more baskets.

 

In a culture in which women were less than, and foreign women were seen as the lowest of the low, Jesus ministers to and evangelizes beside the Woman at the Well. 

 

Mary and Martha go toe to toe with Jesus, moving the Lord Of All to tears. 

 

We see beggars treated as willing workers, blind worthy of compassion, and Jesus saying anyone who comes to him will not be tossed away.

 

In God’s Kingdom, there is forgiveness, and there is fellowship.  At a time of great exclusion, Jesus embodied a life in which he ate with, he welcomed, and he celebrated with such a diverse group of citizens and non-citizens.

 

The Kingdom of God, as seen in Jesus, is one in which God has created the world in such a way, that we are given enough so that we can give thanks for, and share what we have.

 

-Men and women, native born and foreigner are welcome, and equals.

 

-Forgiveness of mistakes and sins take place over vicious punishment.

 

-Folks can come together without fear, worry, or abusive hierarchy.

 

Hear how spiritual, political, and timely a walk with Jesus is.

 

Hear how beautiful God’s kingdom truly is; how amazing that we get to be part of it.  For all of God’s goodness and grace, let us say

 

“Amen.”

Hungry; Lent Reflection for Wednesday March 11 2026

 

Rev. George Miller

March 11, 2026

Ezekiel 34:11-16

 

“All we like sheep that have gone astray…”  One of the realities of feeling lost, or having gone astray, is the hunger one can feel.

 

For those that have been gone from home, there is the hunger of missing simple nourishment- juice, bread, meat.

 

Then there is the missing of the food that nourishes not just our body but our memories- smell of coffee in the morning, sound of bacon sizzling, the casserole Mom made that incorporated left-over elements that somehow felt lush and kingly, the Thanksgiving Turkey and Easter ham.

 

There is the missing nourishment of that which feeds our souls- the goodnight kisses, the memories of Christmas Eve services, the shared viewings of favorite movies or singing songs.

 

Each of have our own unique experience of what it means to be “home.”  Therefore, each of us have our own experience of what it means to be far from home, or scattered, or lost.

 

Each of us know a family member or friend who has been like a lost sheep.  Each of us have known what it is like for our mistakes and sins to make us feel like we may be apart from the flock.

 

How many tonight have known what it is like to feel far from home, to feel that sense of scatteredness, or to even feel lost?

 

So lost that you hunger.  You hunger for the simple things.

You hunger for the memories; that what-used-to-bes, that moment when things felt just right.

 

The people of Isreal knew that feeling all too well.  During the Exile, they experienced loss in their homes, experienced loss of their Temple, loss of their favorite food and common sights.

 

In that loss, they felt they were indeed the lost and forgotten sheep, and would often wonder- “Where are you God?” 

 

That question becomes one of the biggest hungers we can have- Where are you God?

 

Tonight we admit that we have hungered or are currently hungering.

 

Tonight, Ezekiel challenges us to feel what it is like to be unsorted, scattered in days of clouds and thick darkness, to be broken and injured, in need of rescue and tired, just so tired. 

 

And hungry, oh so hungry.  Hungry for that which feeds our body, our memory, and our spirits.

 

Are all we like sheep; sheep that have gone astray, and if so- what is to become of us?  Tonight we sit in that question; tonight we endure the discomfort.

 

This is the season we wonder and wade through the unknown, hoping, praying that the Good Shepherd has not forgotten us; that one day we too will rejoice that the lost one has been found.     Amen.

We Are More Than Just 1 Fire; John 18:12-27

 

Rev. George Miller

March 8, 2026

John 18:12-27

 

Here we are, in a garden.  A garden we have been to so many times before.  The garden Jesus would take us as he prayed.

 

There are pops of color from scattered wildflowers- yellow daises, blue lupines.

 

We stand with Jesus in this garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives. 

 

Rocky limestone, ancient olive trees that have seen so much history, and a dry creek bed awaiting the winter rains.

 

We are among trees that are centuries old with silvery-green leaves and twisted trunks.

 

Jesus is there, standing on dusty ground, no weapon.  Just words and a lust for life and love for God’s kingdom.

 

But that does not stop Jesus from being betrayed, arrested, bound, and taken before authorities.

 

Into this place of white lilies and ancient olive trees, where we often went with Jesus to seek sanctuary and connection with God, we now have violence, injustice, and rage entering in which no one, not even the Son of God is safe.

 

What a long way from the manger of Bethlehem in which the Baby Jesus was greeted with gold, frankincense, and myrh.

 

Now he is greeted with betrayal, brutality, and rough, scratchy ropes to bind him.

 

From the safety of the garden we now stand outside the gates in the dark of night, with only a coal fire to keep us warm.

 

But even there, we are not safe.

 

While Jesus is before the High Priest, Peter is amongst the slaves, servants and first responders.

 

He is vulnerable.  If anyone notices who he is, and who he hangs out with, he too can be arrested and brought before the corrupt leaders.

 

It is not long before a woman catches on.  “You’re one of his, aren’t you?”

 

Peter is too afraid to tell the truth.

 

To understand the enormity of this moment is to realize that Peter is with people who are on the outside of the gates. 

 

He is not with the popular or powerful; he is not with the cool or the commanders.

 

He is among servants and slaves who would be socially seen as less than.  He is questioned by a woman who would’ve had no say in a court of law, who would have been seen as beneath him.  Yet he is sooo scared that he has to lie to this female servant outside the gates to feel safe.

 

If we ever wondered how dangerous it is, and was, to truly follow Jesus, this moment tells us all. 

 

By a charcoal fire Peter feels so unsafe that he denies being a disciple not once, not twice, but three times.

 

To deny Jesus is a painful thing.  To know what is right, but to choose what is wrong. 

 

To dishonor a part of who we are; to discredit the legacy we belong to. 

 

How much this must have hurt Peter; how much as this moment he must have felt like that lost sheep that has gone astray.

 

How much, by the charcoal fire outside the gates, did Peter wonder “Will the Lord forgive me?  Will I ever be welcomed back in?”

 

…fortunately it would take just a few days for Peter to find the answer, and the answer is “Yes.”

 

For after the torture of Good Friday and the silence of Saturday, we are told in John 19 that Christ is Resurrected and appears to the people.  First to Mary, then to the disciples, then to Thomas, saying word of “Peace” and talk of forgiveness.

 

Then, in John 21:9-20, we have this scene.  It is daylight.  Jesus is on the shore.  He stands beside a charcoal fire.  He invites them to eat; to have breakfast.  He nourishes them with bread and fills them with freshly caught fish.

 

Then, besides that charcoal fire by the water, Jesus engages Peter in conversation.

 

The very one who denied following Jesus in the dead of night beside a charcoal fire, is now standing with the Resurrected Lord in broad daylight, with a new kind of charcoal flames.

 

What does the Resurrected Christ say to Peter?  Does he condemn him?  Fill him with feelings of shame?

 

Does Christ say to Peter “I don’t know you?”  or “Damn it all to hell?”

 

No.  By the charcoal’s light, Jesus says “Simon, son of John, do you love me? Feed my lambs.”

 

Note how Jesus calls him by his new name.

 

By the charcoal fire, Jesus says “Simon, son of John, do you love me?  Tend my sheep.”

 

Though Peter denied being a follower of Jesus three times, the Resurrected Christ acknowledges a 3rd time who Peter is.  “Do you love me?  Feed my sheep.”

 

If there is one lesson for us to glean today is that Christ does not see us and judge us from one moment.  Christ sees and knows us from the complexity of all we are and all we have been through.

 

How easy it would have been for Peter to forever be associated with the words of denial he said by the charcoal fire, but instead we have Christ pointing forward to who he is and what he is capable of doing.

 

This is a special moment because we have get to glimpse others through heaven’s eyes.  That we are more than a moment, we are more than a poorly made decision, we are more than what we do when afraid.

 

We discover that Jesus can see the totality of who we are.  Where we come from.  To whom we belong.  What we have done.  What we are capable of doing.

 

It is so easy to fall in love with this idea that Christ does not judge us once and for all based on one thing or one chapter of our lives.

 

Instead Christ is engaged with all that we do and all aspects of our existence. 

 

In Christ we see that one fire does not define us or limit our place in the Kingdom.

 

In Christ we see that though we all may be sheep who can go astray, the Lord is willing and able to meet us where we are and continue the relationship.

 

So this Season of Lent, when we falter and fall, when we do what we should not, may we look towards our brother, Simon Peter, and know that in Christ we are indeed given that first, that second, that third chance, and many, many more. 

 

Amen.

"All We Like Sheep" Lenten Reflection from March 4, 2026

 

Rev. George Miller

March 4, 2026

Luke 15:1-7

 

Last week we continued our path to Jerusalem, to the Cross, aware of our mortality, our brokenness, our tragic mistakes.

 

Feeling lost, feel scared, wondering “Does God care?”  “Does God know?”  “Will Heaven’s eyes smile upon me.”

 

“All we like sheep that have gone astray?”

 

Tonight we continue to think of that one; the missing of the 99 sheep, as told in Luke.

 

Luke sets this reading amongst the despised and the dejected of the world- the tax collectors who made their wealth off the suffering and hard work of others, and the sinners who keep making tragic mistakes, poor decisions, hurting others and hurting themselves.

 

In the eyes of the corrupt religious leaders and egotistical scholars, they are seen as less than; nothing; worthless.

 

But not to Jesus.  Jesus sits amongst them; right with them.  Locking eyes; seeing their faces; creating welcoming space.

 

Jesus, knowing that how the world sees them can affect how they see themselves, he tells them this loving parable.

 

He crafts an image of God as the one who searches, finds, lifts up, carries, and rejoices.

 

Not scold.  Not say “See, I told you.”

 

But, rejoices.  Gives thanks.  Smiles. Sing.  Celebrates.

 

How many tonight feel weighed down by the weight of their sins?  How many feel a burden from the mistakes they have made?

 

How many wonder tonight “If those around me knew who I really am, what I think, and have done would still want to sit beside me?”

 

How many have that hidden secret?  Or that feeling of shame over a sin you may have knowingly or unknowingly done?

 

We all do.  For to be human is to err.  To be human is to make mishaps.

 

But to be a Christian is to know that our wrongs do not have to keep us from Christ; to know that our sins do not single us out.

 

It is true, that all we like sheep have gone astray from time to time, but it does not mean we have to stay astray.

 

For in Jesus we have the Good Shepherd who will come in our most sinful moment to seek, find, lift-up, carry, and rejoice.

 

Jesus rejoices; so all we like sheep can rejoice as well.       Amen.