I rented "Prom Night", remake of the 80's horror film. It may have looked stylish, but it was a worthless piece of film. Why: because the main character remains a victim throughout the entire film. When trapped by the killer she shouts "leave me alone" instead of picking up the phone and calling for help. Everyone around her dies, she screams, she cries, and except for a brief scene she does nothing to fight off her attacker. Her salvation comes in the form of a police officer with a loaded bullet. Horror films should always have a sense of catharsis. This does not. Not worth anyone time.
Oh, and "Saw V"? Worthless, pointless and stupid. Note to producers: stop making them. You should've stopped with part 3.
A UCC Pastor's walk through the spiritual waters of Scripture, pop culture and life.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
One for the Money
Just finished reading Janet Evanovich's "One for the Money", the first in the Stephanie Plum series. I learned something about myself: I can't read action/adventure mysteries about a broke woman who's being stalked by a rapist while I myself am working 11 days straight and worried about the economy.
I enjoyed the book, although the characters are stereotypical and it took a while for me to get where it was going, but once the story line became clear I settled in and relaxed.
Evanovich balances humour with scenes of intense violence, which the violence surprised me since the book was designed to be a light, fun read. I'd be interested in reading the other books and I have been assured they are not as dark as this one.
The "soul" part arrived on page 268 when Stephanie is invited home for some stuffed shells. Stephanie admits home much she wanted to eat her mother's cooking. "More than good sex, a fast car, a cool night, or eyebrows. I wanted to feel unconditionally safe. I wanted my mom to cluck around me, filling my milk glass, relieving me of the most mundane responsibilities. I wanted to spend a few hours cluttered with awful overstuffed furniture and oppressive cooking smells. 'Stuffed shells would be good.'"
Except for the notion of "awful overstuffed furniture" that paragraph reminds me of Psalm 23.
We can all benefit from a good home cooked meal from time to time.
Happy Thanksgiving.
I enjoyed the book, although the characters are stereotypical and it took a while for me to get where it was going, but once the story line became clear I settled in and relaxed.
Evanovich balances humour with scenes of intense violence, which the violence surprised me since the book was designed to be a light, fun read. I'd be interested in reading the other books and I have been assured they are not as dark as this one.
The "soul" part arrived on page 268 when Stephanie is invited home for some stuffed shells. Stephanie admits home much she wanted to eat her mother's cooking. "More than good sex, a fast car, a cool night, or eyebrows. I wanted to feel unconditionally safe. I wanted my mom to cluck around me, filling my milk glass, relieving me of the most mundane responsibilities. I wanted to spend a few hours cluttered with awful overstuffed furniture and oppressive cooking smells. 'Stuffed shells would be good.'"
Except for the notion of "awful overstuffed furniture" that paragraph reminds me of Psalm 23.
We can all benefit from a good home cooked meal from time to time.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Hosea 14 for Dec 2008
Hosea 14
by Rev. George Miller
Dear God,
They say that we entering into the Advent Season. For Christians this means waiting for the birth of your Son, Jesus, Emmanuel, which means "God With Us."
It’s supposed to be a time of joyful waiting, the kind that makes you want to hold your breathe, hold out your hopes, and hold up your heart. The kind of waiting that says "Something good is going to happen." The kind of waiting that makes what ever you are going through seem that much more bearable.
As Christians we are waiting for the birth of Emmanuel because we know who he is. He is the one who sat down at the table and ate with all people. He let a woman of questionable background weep over him and clean his feet. He spoke up for a woman and saved her from a crowd bent on "adulteress-bashing". He called a tax collector down from a tree so they could share a meal together. He dared to tell stories in which outcasts where seen in a positive light. He met an oft-married woman at a well, he touched men with skin lesions, he healed people’s daughters and he healed their sons, and he invited all the children to come to him. And as Scripture reports, he never, not once, spoke out against gays or lesbians or bisexuals or transgendered folk.
God, this is how I know your Son. This is who I know your Son to be. Not as others say, not as others claim: full of hate and discrimination. No, I see you Son as the reflection of love and justice, mercy and acceptance, safety and wholeness. This is the Son I am waiting for.
And God, I pray that when he arrives, he doesn’t make himself known just in the manger, or amidst our gifts or Christmas dinner. But that he arrives as well in our hearts, and that he continues to reveal himself more and more to your children. That this year when Emmanuel arrives, he is seen by others in our faces, he is seen in our relationships, he is seen in our families, he is seen in the vows that we share and the promises that we keep.
May this Emmanuel be the one who is known in the courts and classroom, in the halls of government and the strangers on the street. May your Son reveal himself more and more to your people, so that the ways of your kingdom, and not the false ways of the world, watch over the land.
For as Paul writes in Galatians 3:28 "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female, for all of you are one in Christ."
That is who I await for this Advent, that would be the best Christmas present of them all. That we, as members of the LGBT community are not seen as less-then, or targets of hate, or mere lifestyle choices to be decided upon by law or popular vote. But that we too are included in the ideal of becoming one: that we are worthy of respect, worthy of safety, and worthy of love.
So this Advent, we wait Lord, we wait. Do not forget us, your people.
Amen.
by Rev. George Miller
Dear God,
They say that we entering into the Advent Season. For Christians this means waiting for the birth of your Son, Jesus, Emmanuel, which means "God With Us."
It’s supposed to be a time of joyful waiting, the kind that makes you want to hold your breathe, hold out your hopes, and hold up your heart. The kind of waiting that says "Something good is going to happen." The kind of waiting that makes what ever you are going through seem that much more bearable.
As Christians we are waiting for the birth of Emmanuel because we know who he is. He is the one who sat down at the table and ate with all people. He let a woman of questionable background weep over him and clean his feet. He spoke up for a woman and saved her from a crowd bent on "adulteress-bashing". He called a tax collector down from a tree so they could share a meal together. He dared to tell stories in which outcasts where seen in a positive light. He met an oft-married woman at a well, he touched men with skin lesions, he healed people’s daughters and he healed their sons, and he invited all the children to come to him. And as Scripture reports, he never, not once, spoke out against gays or lesbians or bisexuals or transgendered folk.
God, this is how I know your Son. This is who I know your Son to be. Not as others say, not as others claim: full of hate and discrimination. No, I see you Son as the reflection of love and justice, mercy and acceptance, safety and wholeness. This is the Son I am waiting for.
And God, I pray that when he arrives, he doesn’t make himself known just in the manger, or amidst our gifts or Christmas dinner. But that he arrives as well in our hearts, and that he continues to reveal himself more and more to your children. That this year when Emmanuel arrives, he is seen by others in our faces, he is seen in our relationships, he is seen in our families, he is seen in the vows that we share and the promises that we keep.
May this Emmanuel be the one who is known in the courts and classroom, in the halls of government and the strangers on the street. May your Son reveal himself more and more to your people, so that the ways of your kingdom, and not the false ways of the world, watch over the land.
For as Paul writes in Galatians 3:28 "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female, for all of you are one in Christ."
That is who I await for this Advent, that would be the best Christmas present of them all. That we, as members of the LGBT community are not seen as less-then, or targets of hate, or mere lifestyle choices to be decided upon by law or popular vote. But that we too are included in the ideal of becoming one: that we are worthy of respect, worthy of safety, and worthy of love.
So this Advent, we wait Lord, we wait. Do not forget us, your people.
Amen.
Sermon for Nov 9, 2008 (this one is out of order)
Nov 9, 2008
Scripture: Genesis 37:1-36
Sermon Title: "Hatefulness to Hopefulness"
Rev. G
We just heard a story of extreme violence and violation done by the children of Israel to a child of Israel. To counter balance it, let us meditate on these words found in 1 John, chapter 2:
"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world..." (v: 1-2)
Today, let us, as children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, recipients of the Spirit, learn a little bit more about how to walk in the ways of our Lord.
When we last met, Israel was limping towards Canaan and reconciled with his brother Esau. It was a poignant moment in which Israel was able to see the face of God and experience the gift of forgiving love.
Unfortunately, things have not gone smoothly. Sibling rivalry and dysfunction has reemerged in the family.
You would have thought that in his spiritually enlightened state Israel would not make the same mistakes of playing favorites as he and his mother once did.
But family dysfunction is hard to run from, and Israel returns to old habits: he favors Joseph over his other children. It’s a favoritism he doesn’t even try to hide, making Joseph a gorgeous robe with long sleeves.
The brothers grow angry when they see their father’s latest display of affection. "The spoiled brat," they probably say under their breathe.
They hate their brother, and to make it worse, Joseph begins share his dreams of sheafs and stars bowing down to him. It’s clear what the dreams mean, and so they hate him even more.
Then to make it worse, Israel sends Joseph to check on his brothers, and when they see him their hatred comes to a boiling point: "Let’s kill him!"
Viciously they descend, tearing off his robe, casting him into an empty pit, and in an act of indifferent cruelty, they casually share a meal while selling him into slavery.
This is the perfect picture of a family addicted to chaos; the family system at its worse: the father showing favoritism, Joseph the spoiled tattle-tale brat, and the brothers seething in hateful rage.
Is it any surprise that this erupts in unforgivable acts of violence and abuse?
...except I wonder if it was really Joseph they were angry at and they were trying to hurt.
There is a saying that goes "it’s never about what it’s about." And I wonder if that is the case here.
Yes, we’re told the brothers hated Joseph with his beautiful coat and fancy dreams. Yes, they conspired to kill him.
But I don’t believe they were truly angry at Joseph. I believe they were actually angry at their father, and they were angry at God.
First of all, Joseph had no control of his dreams. They came from somewhere, and back then people understood dreams to be a gift from God.
The brothers disliked the content of Joseph’s dreams and the way he shared them, but if dreams were a gift from God, shouldn’t it be God they are angry with?
But how does one take out their anger to God? How does one say "Hey God: I’m mad at you?" if no one ever taught you how to do it?
And if its that hard to speak to God, imagine how much harder it would be to talk to Dad.
Yes, Joseph was an immature tattle-tale, but wasn’t it, in some ways, Dad’s fault? After all he coddled him, favored him, reinforced his behavior.
Wasn’t it Dad who made it blatantly clear that he loved Joseph above everyone else when he gave him that stupid coat?
And wasn’t it Dad who foolishly sent Joseph to go check on his brothers? Didn’t he know just how full of anger they were?
The brothers may have been jealous of Joseph, they may have despised his very being, but I believe it was actually God who they were angry with and their father who they hated and wanted to hurt.
Attacking Joseph was just their unconscious way of doing it
With that being said, let me ask this: what if?
What if the brothers had taken a moment to pause, what if they had taken a moment to pray, and approached the actual targets of their anger?
What if they had collectively approached God with their jealousy, with their questions of why him and not us?
What if they had went directly to their father and told him just how they felt, venting their anger in a safe, healthy way?
They could have let it all out, using prayer, "I" statements and listening ears.
If they had taken their feelings of hate and anger to God and to Israel they probably would not have attacked their brother.
They probably would not have left him crying out for mercy, and they wouldn’t have to listen to their father’s endless cries of grief and mourning.
They could have shown their brother grace and mercy and given the family an opportunity to learn and grow closer to one another.
What if, what if, what if?
The trouble with "what ifs" is that they can never be realized, for what is done is done, and all we can do is move ahead, and learn from the mistakes that have been made.
Today’s story is a story of family dysfunction, of the unmerciful way we treat one another. It is a story as old as time, but it does not have to be a reality for us anymore
For as John writes in his letter, "My little children, you do not have to sin, for we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins."
And in Christ, we do not just have an advocate, but we also have someone to take all of our grievances, to vent all of our feelings, to release all of the hatred and rage we feel for one another.
And this is the Good News that I wish to share with you today: that Jesus Christ has become for us the most fantastic sounding board and intercessor.
After all, he knew what it was like to be human, he knew what it was like to feel emotions, and he knew all to well what it was like to be a victim of others unchecked rage.
In Jesus we have someone who will listen patiently as we pour out our hearts, hearing our every complaint about every injustice we feel.
You know those times when you are so angry? Those times when someone has hurt you so bad?
You can take that to Jesus.
The anger and the resentment you have about your parents? The things they did and did not do that still haunt you?
You can take it to Jesus.
The rivalry you’ve had with your sister or brother? The petty squabbles? The anger at the one who made a name for themself and the anger at the one who dragged the family name through the mud?
You can take it to Jesus.
Oh, you may try to pretend it doesn’t bother you. You may act like it’s all OK. But it’s not.
You can take it to Jesus.
He will listen. He won’t judge. He won’t shame you. He won’t tell you to be quiet.
We can turn to Christ to honestly say what we feel and in doing so, to be freed from the forces and feelings that enslave us, dehumanize others, and separate us from closer union with God.
We turn to Jesus with our anger, our jealousy, our suffering, and he will unload that burden from us.
And the way he does that is by taking it to the cross.
On the cross he bears the burden for us so we can let it go. On the cross all those feelings can be laid out, exposed, where they can be left to die.
And an amazing thing happens: we become free, and are freed to love that person as God in Christ has loved us.
On the cross those feelings don’t just die, but because of the resurrection, they are now transformed into opportunities for growth and healing, where we each have the chance to be heard, and the chance to heal
And then, because the burden of those feelings have died and been transformed, we are empowered to do the hardest task of all: to got the person who as hurt us, to share our honest feelings with them, to ask the things that need to be asked, and to say the things that need to be said.
In closing, anytime we remain quiet and become enslaved to feelings of hatred and jealousy, someone will pay the price. But it does not have to be that way.
Because we can go to Christ with all of our feelings, no matter how dark or scary they are, and he will transform them into opportunities for grace and mercy.
And the more we turn to Christ, the easier it becomes to confront those feelings, preventing us from actions that can hurt another and pull us away from God.
Through the death and resurrection of Christ we are granted the gifts of grace and mercy so we can go out into the world, walk amongst his children, and shamefully reflect back to them the same gifts God has granted to us.
No more does Israel’s children need to be thrown into the pit. No more do others have to be victims of our unchecked hate.
For in Christ, we now have a sure way to walk in the ways of the Lord and to be dressed in coats of righteousness.
In Christ the family is restored into loving closeness, where each person is given the chance to grow into their own individual, with their own unique talents and dreams.
And as John writes, we can walk just as Christ walked, being the face of God for all to see.
Thanks be to God who is Mother and Father almighty, to Jesus the self-giving sibling and to the Spirit who works to renew and transform the family, whatever shape or form they may be.
Amen and amen.
Scripture: Genesis 37:1-36
Sermon Title: "Hatefulness to Hopefulness"
Rev. G
We just heard a story of extreme violence and violation done by the children of Israel to a child of Israel. To counter balance it, let us meditate on these words found in 1 John, chapter 2:
"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world..." (v: 1-2)
Today, let us, as children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, recipients of the Spirit, learn a little bit more about how to walk in the ways of our Lord.
When we last met, Israel was limping towards Canaan and reconciled with his brother Esau. It was a poignant moment in which Israel was able to see the face of God and experience the gift of forgiving love.
Unfortunately, things have not gone smoothly. Sibling rivalry and dysfunction has reemerged in the family.
You would have thought that in his spiritually enlightened state Israel would not make the same mistakes of playing favorites as he and his mother once did.
But family dysfunction is hard to run from, and Israel returns to old habits: he favors Joseph over his other children. It’s a favoritism he doesn’t even try to hide, making Joseph a gorgeous robe with long sleeves.
The brothers grow angry when they see their father’s latest display of affection. "The spoiled brat," they probably say under their breathe.
They hate their brother, and to make it worse, Joseph begins share his dreams of sheafs and stars bowing down to him. It’s clear what the dreams mean, and so they hate him even more.
Then to make it worse, Israel sends Joseph to check on his brothers, and when they see him their hatred comes to a boiling point: "Let’s kill him!"
Viciously they descend, tearing off his robe, casting him into an empty pit, and in an act of indifferent cruelty, they casually share a meal while selling him into slavery.
This is the perfect picture of a family addicted to chaos; the family system at its worse: the father showing favoritism, Joseph the spoiled tattle-tale brat, and the brothers seething in hateful rage.
Is it any surprise that this erupts in unforgivable acts of violence and abuse?
...except I wonder if it was really Joseph they were angry at and they were trying to hurt.
There is a saying that goes "it’s never about what it’s about." And I wonder if that is the case here.
Yes, we’re told the brothers hated Joseph with his beautiful coat and fancy dreams. Yes, they conspired to kill him.
But I don’t believe they were truly angry at Joseph. I believe they were actually angry at their father, and they were angry at God.
First of all, Joseph had no control of his dreams. They came from somewhere, and back then people understood dreams to be a gift from God.
The brothers disliked the content of Joseph’s dreams and the way he shared them, but if dreams were a gift from God, shouldn’t it be God they are angry with?
But how does one take out their anger to God? How does one say "Hey God: I’m mad at you?" if no one ever taught you how to do it?
And if its that hard to speak to God, imagine how much harder it would be to talk to Dad.
Yes, Joseph was an immature tattle-tale, but wasn’t it, in some ways, Dad’s fault? After all he coddled him, favored him, reinforced his behavior.
Wasn’t it Dad who made it blatantly clear that he loved Joseph above everyone else when he gave him that stupid coat?
And wasn’t it Dad who foolishly sent Joseph to go check on his brothers? Didn’t he know just how full of anger they were?
The brothers may have been jealous of Joseph, they may have despised his very being, but I believe it was actually God who they were angry with and their father who they hated and wanted to hurt.
Attacking Joseph was just their unconscious way of doing it
With that being said, let me ask this: what if?
What if the brothers had taken a moment to pause, what if they had taken a moment to pray, and approached the actual targets of their anger?
What if they had collectively approached God with their jealousy, with their questions of why him and not us?
What if they had went directly to their father and told him just how they felt, venting their anger in a safe, healthy way?
They could have let it all out, using prayer, "I" statements and listening ears.
If they had taken their feelings of hate and anger to God and to Israel they probably would not have attacked their brother.
They probably would not have left him crying out for mercy, and they wouldn’t have to listen to their father’s endless cries of grief and mourning.
They could have shown their brother grace and mercy and given the family an opportunity to learn and grow closer to one another.
What if, what if, what if?
The trouble with "what ifs" is that they can never be realized, for what is done is done, and all we can do is move ahead, and learn from the mistakes that have been made.
Today’s story is a story of family dysfunction, of the unmerciful way we treat one another. It is a story as old as time, but it does not have to be a reality for us anymore
For as John writes in his letter, "My little children, you do not have to sin, for we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins."
And in Christ, we do not just have an advocate, but we also have someone to take all of our grievances, to vent all of our feelings, to release all of the hatred and rage we feel for one another.
And this is the Good News that I wish to share with you today: that Jesus Christ has become for us the most fantastic sounding board and intercessor.
After all, he knew what it was like to be human, he knew what it was like to feel emotions, and he knew all to well what it was like to be a victim of others unchecked rage.
In Jesus we have someone who will listen patiently as we pour out our hearts, hearing our every complaint about every injustice we feel.
You know those times when you are so angry? Those times when someone has hurt you so bad?
You can take that to Jesus.
The anger and the resentment you have about your parents? The things they did and did not do that still haunt you?
You can take it to Jesus.
The rivalry you’ve had with your sister or brother? The petty squabbles? The anger at the one who made a name for themself and the anger at the one who dragged the family name through the mud?
You can take it to Jesus.
Oh, you may try to pretend it doesn’t bother you. You may act like it’s all OK. But it’s not.
You can take it to Jesus.
He will listen. He won’t judge. He won’t shame you. He won’t tell you to be quiet.
We can turn to Christ to honestly say what we feel and in doing so, to be freed from the forces and feelings that enslave us, dehumanize others, and separate us from closer union with God.
We turn to Jesus with our anger, our jealousy, our suffering, and he will unload that burden from us.
And the way he does that is by taking it to the cross.
On the cross he bears the burden for us so we can let it go. On the cross all those feelings can be laid out, exposed, where they can be left to die.
And an amazing thing happens: we become free, and are freed to love that person as God in Christ has loved us.
On the cross those feelings don’t just die, but because of the resurrection, they are now transformed into opportunities for growth and healing, where we each have the chance to be heard, and the chance to heal
And then, because the burden of those feelings have died and been transformed, we are empowered to do the hardest task of all: to got the person who as hurt us, to share our honest feelings with them, to ask the things that need to be asked, and to say the things that need to be said.
In closing, anytime we remain quiet and become enslaved to feelings of hatred and jealousy, someone will pay the price. But it does not have to be that way.
Because we can go to Christ with all of our feelings, no matter how dark or scary they are, and he will transform them into opportunities for grace and mercy.
And the more we turn to Christ, the easier it becomes to confront those feelings, preventing us from actions that can hurt another and pull us away from God.
Through the death and resurrection of Christ we are granted the gifts of grace and mercy so we can go out into the world, walk amongst his children, and shamefully reflect back to them the same gifts God has granted to us.
No more does Israel’s children need to be thrown into the pit. No more do others have to be victims of our unchecked hate.
For in Christ, we now have a sure way to walk in the ways of the Lord and to be dressed in coats of righteousness.
In Christ the family is restored into loving closeness, where each person is given the chance to grow into their own individual, with their own unique talents and dreams.
And as John writes, we can walk just as Christ walked, being the face of God for all to see.
Thanks be to God who is Mother and Father almighty, to Jesus the self-giving sibling and to the Spirit who works to renew and transform the family, whatever shape or form they may be.
Amen and amen.
Sermon for Nov 23, 2008
Nov 23, 2008
Scripture: Genesis 45:1-15
Sermon Title: "Blessed Forgiveness"
Rev. G
It was a busy day. With so much to do I was heading to the café to work on my sermon when the phone rang.
The conversation was a social one and started pleasant enough but somewhere along the line I began to get a bit edgy: I really had to start work on that week’s message. So I became a bit short and curt.
Didn’t the person on the end of the line know that I had so much stuff to do? Apparently not, because they continued to talk and talk.
Finally, I felt I had no choice but to cut the conversation off, say my goodbyes and go back to work. Which is what I did. So I went inside, ordered my cup of coffee, and sat down to my sermon writing work.
Except I couldn’t. I wasn’t able to focus on the words in the book or the work at hand. I was blocked. I felt ashamed about my behavior.
I was rude on the phone and I was wrong. The consequence was a restless spirit and no matter how hard I tried to read and write my notes, I just couldn’t do. The afternoon had been shot.
I knew what I needed to do: call the person back and apologize for my behavior.
I stepped outside of the café and made the call, nervous about what I had to say. The phone picked up. "Hi: this is George."
"Oh, hello again."
"I’m calling to apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
"I realized I was very rude to you on the phone and I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry."
"I didn’t notice that you were rude."
"I know that I was and I am sorry for that."
"That is OK. You didn’t need to apologize. I forgive you even though I wasn’t aware you did anything wrong."
"I forgive you." With those three words I smiled and felt as if a weight was lifted off me.
We finished the conversation and I returned to my cup of coffee, my books, able to now focus and get my work done.
That was the day when I learned about the power of forgiveness and the newness it can create...
As Christians, forgiveness is perhaps the trickiest and most difficult of Christ’s teachings to embrace. Feed the poor? Visit the sick? Love God and love your neighbor? Those all make sense and are something we can do.
But to forgive someone? Seventy times seven? Now that’s hard. What if the person has done the unthinkable? What if they intentionally brought us great harm? Hurt us, hurt one of our own? Forgive them? That’s a hard lesson to accept.
But yet, isn’t forgiveness something Jesus himself was able to demonstrate again and again, in his stories, in his actions, even in his final hours when he hung on the cross?
Forgiveness is something we ask from God when we pray the "Our Father". Forgiveness is what we receive every Sunday during the Words of Assurance. And forgiveness is part of what we are singing about when sing "Amazing Grace."
And yet, when we have Bible Studies and group discussions, forgiveness becomes the one theme people seem to wrestle with the most.
Perhaps its because we confuse forgiveness with forgetting. Perhaps because we forget that we can be forgiven although there may still be natural and legal consequences. And I think we forget that often times we forgive more so for our sake: so that we can move on, let go and be transformed...
...More and more psychologists and pastors are learning about just how important forgiveness really is and just how destructive unresolved feelings of guilt and resentment are.
As humans it is part of our nature to make mistakes; to hurt one another. We can’t help it. Every day we say or do something that brings harm to another person, a part of the planet or to ourselves. Most of the time we’re not aware when we’ve trespassed against someone.
But there are times we know we have hurt someone and we know when we have been hurt. And there will be a response when that happens.
When we are hurt we can feel threatened, angry, and out-of-sorts. When we are the ones who have done the hurting we can feel shame, anger, and disappointment in ourselves. None of those are good feelings to carry around.
And if we do not find a way to properly deal with those emotions, what happens? They simmer and stew, working their way into our soul and begin to manifest themselves in unhealthy ways.
Being silent of pretending it never happened doesn’t do a thing. Instead our anger turns into rage. Shame turns into harsh criticism of others. Disappointment turns into isolation.
The inability to forgive and to receive forgiveness destroys friendship and rips families apart as those unvoiced feelings take on the forms of addiction, passive aggressiveness, abusive behavior or spending the rest of one’s life as a walking doormat.
Christ asks us to forgive and seek forgiveness because when we don’t relationships breakdown and life feels stymied and crippled, as opposed to fresh and full of new beginnings.
But do not be fooled: forgiveness is not easy, nor is it a one stop deal. It’s a process, it takes time, and it involves seeing through the eyes of faith.
Today’s scripture is a perfect example of that.
After 20 years Joseph comes face to face with the brothers who once sold him into slavery. During those years Joseph has been a servant, falsely accused of rape, thrown into a prison, and then upon receiving his freedom has risen to the second most powerful position in the land.
But when a famine rips across the earth, his brothers come begging to him for food. All those years of unresolved anger come to a head: what they did to him, what they put him through, so Joseph toys with them a little. He makes them squirm, plays with them like a cat with a mouse.
He’s in the position where he can get full retribution for what they did. If he wants payback he can lock them up, turn them into slaves, have them each executed.
But what good would that do? And how much more would that tear apart and destroy his already broken family.
And his brothers? Life for them has not been easy for them. They have lived a life of emotional and spiritual hell, carrying with them the secret of what they have done, leading their father to believe Joseph is dead, then watching and listening to him grieve every night and day.
So here the brothers stand. The ones who hurt Joseph 20 years ago, and Joseph who has all the power. Where will the story go? Will Joseph use his might to bring about retribution, or will he find a way to bring about healing?
His brother Judah speaks. He tells Joseph about the heartbreak his family has endured, the hard times they have faced, their father’s grief. And to make things right, Judah offers himself up to be a slave. Time may not have changed his sin, but time has clearly changed Judah the man.
And with those words, Joseph is moved. He weeps so loudly that everyone can hear. He reveals to his brothers the truth of who he is. And then he issues them an invite: "come closer to me". Joseph may not have said the words "I forgive you" but it is clear that he does.
It is an amazing scene of reconciliation in which Joseph could sentenced them to death, but instead he shared with them the gift of life.
He could have sent them away starving, but instead he invites them to step closer.
He could have told them to go home and never cross his path again, instead he invites them to come and live with him.
The entire Joseph story becomes a powerful tale of reconciliation and the power of forgiveness in which those who have sinned are redeemed, and the victim finds a way to become a magnificent survivor.
But how is Joseph able to move beyond what they did? First, he had time. Over 20 years to process what had happened. 20 years to think about what they had done.
Second, he is able to honestly confront them with what happened. He acknowledges all the bad that has happened, he doesn’t not sugar coat it. He tells them point blank "You sold me into slavery."
He has said what they all need to hear and admit. They heart of the issue has been confronted. Speaking the sin has it made it real. But speaking the sin has now also taken away its power.
Third, Joseph found a way to see his experience and his life through the eyes of faith. He makes the claim that God was able to find some good in the situation.
In saying this Joseph is better able to come to terms with what he has endured, and in the process he helps his brothers to release their own feelings of anger and distress.
In seeing how the power of God has been able to work through all their mess, Joseph created a newness for he and his family that has negated the pain of the past, redefined the present and has opened the future to new possibilities.
Life, not bitter anger, has won the day. Joseph freed the brothers from their captivity to their sin and shame. And Joseph has moved from being defined by what they did into having what they did just become a part of his story.
So today, we are here to celebrate and embrace the gift of forgiveness. Forgiveness we can give to one another, forgiveness we can give to ourselves.
It is a wonderful gift to share, but remember that forgiveness is rarely a one step deal, it is usually a process. Nor does forgiveness mean that you are going to forget: it means that you are not going to let it have power over you.
Christ asks us to forgive so that life, not death, is given a chance to grow and we can create and re-create. For example, once forgiven, I was able to go write my sermon. Once he forgave Joseph had his whole family back.
So today, the Sunday before Advent begins, let us begin the process of forgiveness.
As your pastor I stand before you asking that you forgive me for all the wrong I have done over the past 12 months. For the times I was rude, for the times I was curt.
If there was a sermon I gave or a message I shared that caused you any kind of harm, I am sorry.
For the things I said I would do that I have not done, please forgive me. For dreams I have stepped on or unwanted dreams I have shoved upon you, I am sorry.
For anything I have done that may have brought shame or dishonor, I apologize.
I ask for your forgiveness and another chance to become a better man, a better pastor and a better child of God.
...And now, as we have for the past three years, let us participate in a symbolic ritual of forgiveness.
In your bulletin are little slips of paper saying "please forgive me for" and "I forgive." You are invited to think of who you have been hurt by and who you have hurt. Write down the words that you need to say.
Then you are invited to come forward, light your paper in the dancing flame and offer it up to God as the beginning step of the healing process.
We forgive and ask for forgiveness as much for our sake as for theirs. It allows us to move beyond our traumas, and it allows us to become survivors in Christ
This doesn’t mean there won’t be times we won’t still feel angry or mourn what has happen, but it does mean we have begun the process of letting go, and letting God.
Hopefully you’ll feel a bit lighter, a bit more free. You may feel a greater sense of peace and be able to say "it is well with my soul."
Joseph found a way to forgave his brothers and brought forth new life. Jesus spent his whole career and even died speaking words of forgiveness. May forgiveness be in our hearts today.
Thanks be to God who forgives us again and again, to the Son who healed with his forgiving touch and the Spirit that speaks newness into our lives and into our relationships.
Amen and amen.
Scripture: Genesis 45:1-15
Sermon Title: "Blessed Forgiveness"
Rev. G
It was a busy day. With so much to do I was heading to the café to work on my sermon when the phone rang.
The conversation was a social one and started pleasant enough but somewhere along the line I began to get a bit edgy: I really had to start work on that week’s message. So I became a bit short and curt.
Didn’t the person on the end of the line know that I had so much stuff to do? Apparently not, because they continued to talk and talk.
Finally, I felt I had no choice but to cut the conversation off, say my goodbyes and go back to work. Which is what I did. So I went inside, ordered my cup of coffee, and sat down to my sermon writing work.
Except I couldn’t. I wasn’t able to focus on the words in the book or the work at hand. I was blocked. I felt ashamed about my behavior.
I was rude on the phone and I was wrong. The consequence was a restless spirit and no matter how hard I tried to read and write my notes, I just couldn’t do. The afternoon had been shot.
I knew what I needed to do: call the person back and apologize for my behavior.
I stepped outside of the café and made the call, nervous about what I had to say. The phone picked up. "Hi: this is George."
"Oh, hello again."
"I’m calling to apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
"I realized I was very rude to you on the phone and I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry."
"I didn’t notice that you were rude."
"I know that I was and I am sorry for that."
"That is OK. You didn’t need to apologize. I forgive you even though I wasn’t aware you did anything wrong."
"I forgive you." With those three words I smiled and felt as if a weight was lifted off me.
We finished the conversation and I returned to my cup of coffee, my books, able to now focus and get my work done.
That was the day when I learned about the power of forgiveness and the newness it can create...
As Christians, forgiveness is perhaps the trickiest and most difficult of Christ’s teachings to embrace. Feed the poor? Visit the sick? Love God and love your neighbor? Those all make sense and are something we can do.
But to forgive someone? Seventy times seven? Now that’s hard. What if the person has done the unthinkable? What if they intentionally brought us great harm? Hurt us, hurt one of our own? Forgive them? That’s a hard lesson to accept.
But yet, isn’t forgiveness something Jesus himself was able to demonstrate again and again, in his stories, in his actions, even in his final hours when he hung on the cross?
Forgiveness is something we ask from God when we pray the "Our Father". Forgiveness is what we receive every Sunday during the Words of Assurance. And forgiveness is part of what we are singing about when sing "Amazing Grace."
And yet, when we have Bible Studies and group discussions, forgiveness becomes the one theme people seem to wrestle with the most.
Perhaps its because we confuse forgiveness with forgetting. Perhaps because we forget that we can be forgiven although there may still be natural and legal consequences. And I think we forget that often times we forgive more so for our sake: so that we can move on, let go and be transformed...
...More and more psychologists and pastors are learning about just how important forgiveness really is and just how destructive unresolved feelings of guilt and resentment are.
As humans it is part of our nature to make mistakes; to hurt one another. We can’t help it. Every day we say or do something that brings harm to another person, a part of the planet or to ourselves. Most of the time we’re not aware when we’ve trespassed against someone.
But there are times we know we have hurt someone and we know when we have been hurt. And there will be a response when that happens.
When we are hurt we can feel threatened, angry, and out-of-sorts. When we are the ones who have done the hurting we can feel shame, anger, and disappointment in ourselves. None of those are good feelings to carry around.
And if we do not find a way to properly deal with those emotions, what happens? They simmer and stew, working their way into our soul and begin to manifest themselves in unhealthy ways.
Being silent of pretending it never happened doesn’t do a thing. Instead our anger turns into rage. Shame turns into harsh criticism of others. Disappointment turns into isolation.
The inability to forgive and to receive forgiveness destroys friendship and rips families apart as those unvoiced feelings take on the forms of addiction, passive aggressiveness, abusive behavior or spending the rest of one’s life as a walking doormat.
Christ asks us to forgive and seek forgiveness because when we don’t relationships breakdown and life feels stymied and crippled, as opposed to fresh and full of new beginnings.
But do not be fooled: forgiveness is not easy, nor is it a one stop deal. It’s a process, it takes time, and it involves seeing through the eyes of faith.
Today’s scripture is a perfect example of that.
After 20 years Joseph comes face to face with the brothers who once sold him into slavery. During those years Joseph has been a servant, falsely accused of rape, thrown into a prison, and then upon receiving his freedom has risen to the second most powerful position in the land.
But when a famine rips across the earth, his brothers come begging to him for food. All those years of unresolved anger come to a head: what they did to him, what they put him through, so Joseph toys with them a little. He makes them squirm, plays with them like a cat with a mouse.
He’s in the position where he can get full retribution for what they did. If he wants payback he can lock them up, turn them into slaves, have them each executed.
But what good would that do? And how much more would that tear apart and destroy his already broken family.
And his brothers? Life for them has not been easy for them. They have lived a life of emotional and spiritual hell, carrying with them the secret of what they have done, leading their father to believe Joseph is dead, then watching and listening to him grieve every night and day.
So here the brothers stand. The ones who hurt Joseph 20 years ago, and Joseph who has all the power. Where will the story go? Will Joseph use his might to bring about retribution, or will he find a way to bring about healing?
His brother Judah speaks. He tells Joseph about the heartbreak his family has endured, the hard times they have faced, their father’s grief. And to make things right, Judah offers himself up to be a slave. Time may not have changed his sin, but time has clearly changed Judah the man.
And with those words, Joseph is moved. He weeps so loudly that everyone can hear. He reveals to his brothers the truth of who he is. And then he issues them an invite: "come closer to me". Joseph may not have said the words "I forgive you" but it is clear that he does.
It is an amazing scene of reconciliation in which Joseph could sentenced them to death, but instead he shared with them the gift of life.
He could have sent them away starving, but instead he invites them to step closer.
He could have told them to go home and never cross his path again, instead he invites them to come and live with him.
The entire Joseph story becomes a powerful tale of reconciliation and the power of forgiveness in which those who have sinned are redeemed, and the victim finds a way to become a magnificent survivor.
But how is Joseph able to move beyond what they did? First, he had time. Over 20 years to process what had happened. 20 years to think about what they had done.
Second, he is able to honestly confront them with what happened. He acknowledges all the bad that has happened, he doesn’t not sugar coat it. He tells them point blank "You sold me into slavery."
He has said what they all need to hear and admit. They heart of the issue has been confronted. Speaking the sin has it made it real. But speaking the sin has now also taken away its power.
Third, Joseph found a way to see his experience and his life through the eyes of faith. He makes the claim that God was able to find some good in the situation.
In saying this Joseph is better able to come to terms with what he has endured, and in the process he helps his brothers to release their own feelings of anger and distress.
In seeing how the power of God has been able to work through all their mess, Joseph created a newness for he and his family that has negated the pain of the past, redefined the present and has opened the future to new possibilities.
Life, not bitter anger, has won the day. Joseph freed the brothers from their captivity to their sin and shame. And Joseph has moved from being defined by what they did into having what they did just become a part of his story.
So today, we are here to celebrate and embrace the gift of forgiveness. Forgiveness we can give to one another, forgiveness we can give to ourselves.
It is a wonderful gift to share, but remember that forgiveness is rarely a one step deal, it is usually a process. Nor does forgiveness mean that you are going to forget: it means that you are not going to let it have power over you.
Christ asks us to forgive so that life, not death, is given a chance to grow and we can create and re-create. For example, once forgiven, I was able to go write my sermon. Once he forgave Joseph had his whole family back.
So today, the Sunday before Advent begins, let us begin the process of forgiveness.
As your pastor I stand before you asking that you forgive me for all the wrong I have done over the past 12 months. For the times I was rude, for the times I was curt.
If there was a sermon I gave or a message I shared that caused you any kind of harm, I am sorry.
For the things I said I would do that I have not done, please forgive me. For dreams I have stepped on or unwanted dreams I have shoved upon you, I am sorry.
For anything I have done that may have brought shame or dishonor, I apologize.
I ask for your forgiveness and another chance to become a better man, a better pastor and a better child of God.
...And now, as we have for the past three years, let us participate in a symbolic ritual of forgiveness.
In your bulletin are little slips of paper saying "please forgive me for" and "I forgive." You are invited to think of who you have been hurt by and who you have hurt. Write down the words that you need to say.
Then you are invited to come forward, light your paper in the dancing flame and offer it up to God as the beginning step of the healing process.
We forgive and ask for forgiveness as much for our sake as for theirs. It allows us to move beyond our traumas, and it allows us to become survivors in Christ
This doesn’t mean there won’t be times we won’t still feel angry or mourn what has happen, but it does mean we have begun the process of letting go, and letting God.
Hopefully you’ll feel a bit lighter, a bit more free. You may feel a greater sense of peace and be able to say "it is well with my soul."
Joseph found a way to forgave his brothers and brought forth new life. Jesus spent his whole career and even died speaking words of forgiveness. May forgiveness be in our hearts today.
Thanks be to God who forgives us again and again, to the Son who healed with his forgiving touch and the Spirit that speaks newness into our lives and into our relationships.
Amen and amen.
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