Thanksgiving Message; Psalm 100

 

Rev. George Miller

Nov 27, 2024; Thanksgiving

Psalm 100

 

It’s been said that there are 2 types of prayers-

Help, help, help

and

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

Tomorrow is a day of thanks.

 

It is also a day that is tied to the history of the UCC, for we know the Puritans and Pilgrims who came here via boat became the Congregational side of our denomination.

 

That meal they had in 1621 was a harvest feast, one they shared with the Wampanoag people.

 

It was indeed a meal of thanks, but it was a meal that came after many months and prayers of “Help!” in which the ancestors endured rough seas, rough seasons, and the loss of so numerous lives.

 

It was a woman, named Sara Hale, who campaigned to have that meal commemorated and turned into a national event, writing articles and letters of encouragement to presidents.

 

In 1863, with the nation embroiled in the Civil War, seeking a restoration of peace and harmony,

 

President Lincoln issued a proclamation establishing Thanksgiving as a National Holiday, asking citizens to pray for the healing of the nation’s wounds.

 

Be it that first meal in 1621, or that 4^th Thursday in 1863, Thanksgiving is a time for folk get to gather over food and say

 

“Thank you thank you thank you,” even if they are also saying “Help, help, help.”

 

It is a day of gratitude and promise, remembrance and looking ahead.

 

For making it through another year.  For having people we love.  For being loved.  For being right here, right now.

 

Thank you.

 

I wonder what it was like for those German immigrants who came to St. Louis, when they celebrated their 1^st Thanksgiving here.

 

After leaving their home, after many traveled up the Mississippi, after going through the process of assimilating and settling in, what was it like to gather around that table with everyone else?

 

And to think of how they helped to shape the holiday as it is today.

 

The Cornucopia, or “horn of plenty” came from the German settlers.  Their love for parades played a big part in what we see today.

 

According to author Muki Sahin, it was the Germans who brought the presence of sauerkraut and pastries to the table. 

 

According to St. Louis magazine, during the 1800’s, Thanksgiving was very much a religious affair, with people coming to church.

 

For those in high society, the meal began promptly at noon, with entertainment after.

 

In 1890, when turkeys turned scarce, folk turned to roast pig, duck, goose.  Kids played “Pin the Head on the Turkey.”

 

Here is something really cool- that in many ways, Thanksgiving is a national form of Communion.

 

Think about it.

 

How Christ gathered with the people he ministered alongside, and through food and drink he created a way for them to forever be united.

 

How Jesus was able to take bread, break it and say “This is my body.”

 

How Jesus was able to take drink, pour it and say “This is the new covenant.”

 

The new covenant we heard Jeremiah talk about 2 weeks ago, a covenant that is written upon our hearts, made known through our actions.

 

It is so beautiful to think of how, even if people may not see or realize it, there is a Communion aspect related to tomorrow’s meal, in which food is cooked, food is shared, food brings us together.

 

Psalm 100 invites us to make a joyful noise to the Lord; to worship in gladness; to know that the Lord is God and we are God’s people.

 

Tonight and tomorrow we get to do just that.  It does not mean we ignore the issues in the world, or stop asking for “help”,  but it also means that we get to pause, take a break, breath, and be thankful for what we have, who we are, what we have achieved, and just whose we are-

 

Children of God, a family in Christ, surrounded by the breath of the Holy Spirit.

 

For the Lord is good, and God’s steadfast love endures forever.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

And for that, we can say “Amen.”

Husband, Master, Dancer, Friend- How do YOU Describe God? Jeremiah 31:31-34

 

Rev. George Miller

Nov 24 , 2024

Jeremiah 31:31-34

 

“Words Matter.” 

 

This is our 17^th Sunday together, and if there’s one thing I hope we are discovering is just how much words matter.

 

At meetings, words of hope or words of despair can shape the decisions we make.

 

Today’s baptism we welcomed Jack Robert into God’s family with water and words.

 

Words Matter- God created with the words “Let there be light.”

 

John’s Gospel calls Jesus “The Word” that was in the beginning.

 

Words Matter.  That’s something we discussed at Monday’s Bible Study when 15 people showed up to Explore God’s Story.

 

Explore we did, having lively conversation about today’s text.

 

What I love about Bible Study is that it is often the participants who teach and inspire me, planting seeds for sermon ideas.

 

The seed that was planted on Monday is from verse 32.  God says “I took them by hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt- a covenant they broke, though I was their husband.”

 

One person asked “Why is God referred to as a husband?”  BUT, someone else’s Bible had another word.  Their Bible said “Master.”

 

Why would one Bible refer to God as “husband” and another as “master”?  We discussed this on Monday, and you’re invited to think about it today.

 

Think of how you refer to God.  The words we use to describe God can define our relationship with God, our beliefs, and our collective way of being church.

 

“Husband” is a very relationship orientated word.  Walking hand and hand with God as a spouse could be a leisurely stroll with sightseeing and hablas[i], enjoying the cool breeze of the afternoon or evening stars.

 

The word “master” can sound like a power dynamic.  A master could be someone you see as above you, in control, dominator.

 

What does walking hand and hand look like with a master?  Are they in front, dragging you; telling you to “hurry up and keep pace?”

 

What kind of God do you want to take your hand?  Of course, it matters the situation, location.

 

“Husband” has a different connotation depending on the era and culture you live in, or if you are in an abusive marriage.

 

For one person “Master” can stir up images of slavery, while for another, Master may mean a person who lovingly cares for those they’re responsible for.

 

Words matter as they shape and affect how we think of God.

 

What if other words were used?

 

Last Thursday, while meeting the family of Marian Preis, they spoke about how much she loved music and movement, so a new word for God came to my mind- “Dancer.”

 

What if God said “When I took the hand of their ancestors, I danced with them out of Egypt as their dance partner.”

 

Think of that- God as Ginger Rogers or Fred Astair.  Twirling, guiding, leading, elegant, playful.

 

Imagine God as Gene Kelly, taking our hand, singing in the rain, jumping in puddles.

 

Think of God as a dancer from a country like Kenya- taking your hand to do the Mwomboko- a fox-trot style dance used to celebrate independence.

 

Or God taking your hand to do the Adumus dance of the Massai in which you joyfully jump high?

 

Words Matter.  So let’s share one more word- “Friend.”

 

What if in Jeremiah 31:32 God said “When I took the hand of their ancestors, I brought them out of Egypt as their friend.”

 

Friend is a wonderful word that can evoke deep emotion within your heart and spirit.

 

A friend is someone we can be totally honest with, sharing our deepest sadness and greatest joy.

 

A friend is someone who listens to you regardless if you are in the pit of despair or soaring high with great news.

 

A friend is someone you may not see for days, weeks, months, but the moment you’re reunited it feels as if no time has past.

 

Like those times you may stray from God or stop attending church because you’ve been bogged down by grief or feel wracked with guilt over some tragic mistake you’ve made.

 

What if you referred to God as friend?  How would that shape the way you interact with God?

 

Words matter- they brought forth life; they were in the beginning.

 

Words said at the baptism of a baby or at the funeral of a beloved wife and mother matter.

 

The words we read and use to describe God matter as they shape how we see God, see ourselves, see our relationships, our place, and our faith.

 

Husband, master, dancer, friend- imagine all the many more words we can use.

 

Regardless if you are from Kenya or Germany, Sebring or St. Louis, Colombia Missouri, or Colombia the Country-

 

Words matter, for words will forever create and shape and inspire and empower.

 

Words matter for they can affect how we can grow, walking hand and hand with God just as our ancestors did, just as our future generations will do.

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”

 

---

[i] Hablas means “talking” in Spanish

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We Are Worthy; Isaiah 6:1-8

 

Rev. George Miller

Nov 17, 2024

Isaiah 6:1-8

 

“History is unavoidable…” Those are the words of theologian Gene M. Tucker.

 

Today’s reading takes place in a country that is on the cusp of major change.

 

King Uzziah has been leading the people for 52 years.  He is the 10^th King of Judah and under his care, the nation has experienced the most prosperous of times.

 

But- in about 30 years things are going to change.

 

Assyria, the nation to the North, is gaining in power and might and is becoming a threat, one that will alter the course of Isreal forever.

 

“History is unavoidable” is what theologian Gene Tucker says, and we hear that right in the start of today’s reading.

 

The King has died and the prophet Isaiah is in the sanctuary.

 

We are not told why he is there, but Isaiah is standing before the most holy of places- where the Ark of the Covenant is located and the 10 Commandments kept.

 

Who knows why Isaiah is there at this moment?

 

Perhaps he was supposed to be there, doing some kind of task for the Temple.

 

Perhaps he was there for prayer, a chance to engage one on one with God.

 

Perhaps, like many of us from last week, he was there in the sanctuary because he was trying to process the news about their leader and the Temple is the place he wanted to be.

 

Perhaps the sanctuary is where he needed to be.

 

The author does not tell us or give us any real tangible hint.

 

But since the author tells us immediately about the King’s death, it can lead us to wonder what was Isiah’s mood that day.

 

Was he melancholy, wondering if they will ever have such a time again in their nation’s history?

 

Was he eager?  Maybe looking forward to what life could possibly be like with a new king coming in?

 

Was he there with his stomach in knots, attuned to what was going on with the nation north of them, thinking that perhaps this change in power had made the people that much more vulnerable?

 

What brought Isaiah into that sanctuary that day and what was he feeling?

 

In the words of the King of Nineveh- “Who knows?”

 

But what we are told is that into this moment of history, Isaiah has an image of God, and it is powerful, one of the most powerful encounters in all of scripture.

 

As Isaiah tells us, he sees the Lord sitting on a throne, which most likely means that God is sitting on the Ark of the Covenant, which would have also been the most elevated, most holy place in all the building.

 

Isaiah says he saw seraphs, with covered faces, and they flew.

 

As they flew they called to one another “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts.”

 

This words “Holy” is to remind us that God is like no other and there is no other like God.

 

The sanctuary is reverberating with this song “Holy Holy Holy…the whole earth is full of God’s glory.”

 

It is a testimony to how the world and all of creation is God’s.

 

Isaiah’s encounter with the Lord is personal, so unique.  There’s smoke, there’s song.

 

And what is Isaiah’s first response?

 

Woe and fear.

 

Verse 5 has the prophet say “I am lost”, but a better translation may be “I fear for my life.”

 

Isaiah is in the Temple, an eyewitness to God’s glory, and his response is fear and woe.

 

And why does he feel this way?

 

Because he simply thinks he is not good enough. 

 

At this moment, as all this wonder is taking place, all Isaiah can think about is all that he has done wrong, all the tragic mistakes he has made, how imperfect he is, and how broken his people are.

 

“Holy Holy Holy…the whole earth is full of God’s glory” sings the seraphs.

 

And all Isaiah can think of to say is “Woe is me.  I am lost.  I am a person of unclean lips, and I live among imperfect, unclean people.”

 

Is there anyone who can identify with Isaiah today?

 

The feeling of being full of sin?

 

That feeling of guilt from what you have done?

 

That feeling of not being good enough?

 

That’s what’s going on in today’s story.  Even within the sanctuary, even with the glory of God before him, even with all this song and splendor…

 

…Isaiah can only focus on how he thinks he does not measure up; he assumes he is unworthy to see and hear and experience God.

 

And yet, and yet he is the one that God has called; he is the one that God chooses.

 

In a symbolic act with a piece of coal, his mouth is touched, and he is told “your guilt is wiped away; your sins are no more.”

 

In the words of Psalm 32:5, he is basically being told that the guilt of his sins are forgiven.

 

In essence, he is being told that his mistakes, his errors are no more…so now he is free.

 

He is free from the slavery of his sin.

 

He is free from what he thinks he’s done wrong.

 

He is free from his sense of inadequacy, and he is now made ready to “do” and to “act.”

 

Amid all the wonder and splendor of the sanctuary, Isaiah thought he was incapable.

 

But God dismantles those thoughts, places upon Isaiah a change of heart.

 

And now, when God asks the question- “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”,

 

Isaiah finds a way to speak, he finds the words to say “Here am I; send me.”

 

Isaiah finds a way to act, to be brave and to answer the call. In doing so, nearly 2,800 years later we are still reading his words and we are still telling his story.

 

Isaiah becomes a good reminder to all of us that the Lord does not see us as we see ourselves.

 

The Lord does not see us limited by our mistakes or the sins we have done or the guilt that we carry.

 

God is Holy and holy other.  God does not see us as the world sees us.  God is not confined to or limited by how we see ourselves.

 

God can see who we are and what we are each capable of.

 

God is free to surprise us, empower us, and call us, even when history or life or circumstances seem to get in the way.

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”

"Who Knows?"; A Message For a Historical Moment; Jonah 3:1-8

 

Rev. George Miller

Nov 10, 2024

Jonah 3:1-8

 

“Who knows?”  Those are the words from the King of Ninevah.

 

They may be the timeliest words for today.

 

Since the Election, folk have experienced a myriad of feelings.

 

Some are feeling great elation, as if they just heard the best news in the nation’s history.

 

Others are feeling profound sadness, as if they just heard the worst news in America’s history.

 

And for now, the truth is “Who knows?”

 

We can guess, we can assume, we can play out every single scenario in our head, but the truth is “Who knows?”

 

Who knows if the economy is going to boom, boom, boom as some hope.

 

Who knows if we’ll be living a Nazi Germany as many fear.

 

Who knows…and at this moment this may be the best we can say.

 

Since August 4, we have been Exploring God’s Story and encountered so many motifs.

 

We rooted our ministry together by discussing good seeds planted in good soil.

 

We discussed walking in the garden with God during the cool breeze and being with God during the darkness of night.

 

We’ve looked at what it means to hold people accountable and how to leave things behind, both so we can move ahead.

 

We’ve discussed being addicted to chaos; celebrated Hannah who found a way to hold onto hope.

 

King David showed us how to humbly praise God even when we don’t get our way; Solomon showed us how ministry can financially bless a community.

 

Last week we heard “Do not be afraid” spoken to a widow at the city gates, celebrating what it means to “Be Brave.”

 

Today we apply all these lessons. 

 

No matter how we voted, no matter how we feel about the election, now is the time to take the stories of our spiritual ancestors and apply them to how we live, how we worship, and how we will survive.

 

We keep planting those good seeds in good soil.

 

We keep finding ways to walk with the Lord in the cool breezes and dark nights.

 

We find ways to move forward, praise God, bless the community, and be brave, brave, brave.

 

We also find a way to listen to where the Voice of God directs our attention, and if all we can muster up for now is a “Who knows?”, that is enough.

 

We don’t have to know.  We can’t know.  We can’t spend every moment of every day for the next 4-5 years trying to guess, assume, determine what the future is or is not.

 

Almost every story in the Bible takes place during a tumultuous time in human history.

 

Almost every piece of scripture was written during a difficult, tumultuous time in human and political history.

 

Almost every Biblical author was writing during unknown, difficult, tumultuous times in human, political, and economic history.

 

Most likely, Genesis 1 was written after Jerusalem was attacked, the Temple destroyed, and the people Exiled.

 

Exodus is about enslaved people being heard and seen by God, set free to cross the Red Sea to become a new nation.

 

Last week we heard about the widow who was a victim of the drought caused by the King’s unfaithfulness.

 

Look at the Gospel of Luke- the Emperor creates a plan to tax the masses and, in the process, we have Jesus born in Bethlehem.

 

All these stories of light and life are set in great uncertainty and political strife.

 

People may think the Bible is full of pie-in-the-sky fanciful stories and don’t apply to real life.

 

That is the furthest from the truth.  The Bible was written by survivors who faced tough times and found the strength to carry on by recalling the stories of their ancestors.

 

How do you find comfort in chaos? Look at how God creates order in Genesis 1.

 

How do you face assumed defeat? See how the Red Sea parts.

 

How do you face scarcity head on? Be brave.

 

Today we have a King and a country that are told the worst of news from Jonah. 

 

What do the people do?  They act.  They come together as one.  They embrace their faith, as shaky as it may seem.

 

What does the King do?  He turns to God in a radical act of faith. 

 

But first- he also acts. Instead of doing nothing, he does what he can. 

 

He stands, he removes, he covers, he sits in the uncomfortableness of it all.

 

He speaks.

 

Instead of arrogantly thinking he has all the answers, instead of giving false hope, or ignoring the starkness of what could be ahead,

 

he humbly, vulnerably says “Who knows?”

 

Perhaps no truer words can be said by any other person today-“Who knows?”

 

It may not solve all the problems.

 

It may not calm some’s anxiety or elevate some people’s joy.

 

But to say “Who knows?” is one way we are reminded that we cannot determine the future.

 

However, in our faithful actions, in our unity, by remembering the story of our ancestors and their relationship with God,

 

we can find ways to walk in the garden and the darkness.

 

We can find how to be a presence and a blessing to our community.

 

And above all, we can find ways to be brave, even if we are full of joy or if we are full of fear.

 

The people of God have always made it through.

 

The people of God have survived dark nights, Red Seas, political events, and we are Still Here.

 

It is not easy.  It is not without action. 

But it is always, always with God; and it is always by being very, very brave.

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”