January 27, 2021

January 27, 2021

O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides.
 – Psalm 26:8

…Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price…
- 1 Corinthians 6:19

Where do we find God? That question might take us in many directions and much of it depends on how we were formed in our childhood, and our current relationship with God.  Hopefully, we can learn to recognize God in everything as God is the maker of all things, and recreator of hope in us.

The psalmist, we must remember, comes from a different time, a time in which they believed the glory of God dwelled in the temple of God, and even in a special place within the temple where early on the Arc of the Covenant was kept.  In the days from Moses until Solomon the temple of the Lord was a tent that could be moved from place-to-place, the location of the temple didn’t matter as much as that the temple was were one would find the Arc, and therefore the presence of God.  After the temple was built during the time of King Solomon, the Jews refocused their aspects of worship to be in the temple in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the city promised to their ancestors, and the temple, there, would be the place where God’s presence could be found.

As the generations past, the temples was destroyed, rebuilt, and destroyed again, leaving the sense of identity for many who worshiped God in a state of flux; however, as Christians we also rely on the teachings of Jesus, his apostles, and of course Paul. Paul tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. This means the place where the glory dwells is in us, who believe.

So, where can we find God? We find God in ourselves as we offer ourselves to the love and grace God pours out in us. We find God in the eyes of another, knowing that there is no one that God does not choose to love. We find God in the warm conversations we have with loved ones and strangers. We find God as we worship in truth whether in a sanctuary, our home, or our car singing along to the radio. We find God in the place where God’s glory dwells as we seek to abide in his Word and Truth each day of this life on until everlasting life.  Let his glory be found in you today and always.

Grace & Peace,

January 26, 2021

January 26, 2021

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

Since March of 2020, loneliness and isolation has been more the norm for a large number of people. We started with orders to stay at home, then came the recommendation for those at high risk to remain at home. Even the places we often went and trusted for safety and security were no longer available for us. If we continued to participate in a worship service it was online, and as grateful as we are to have the opportunity to be connected in that way, we all can admit it is not the same. While I remain hopeful that we will reopen for in-person worship in the near future, I know several will remain at home, still, as they did during our last reopening.

I say this, not to discount the efforts that have been made to keep our church connected, but to help us understand, together, it is hard to feel connected when physically we are so disconnected. Especially, for many, during these cold winter months, the feelings of isolation can be overwhelming. More than ever this is a time to check on one another, to let them know they are being thought about, prayed for, and that they are loved.

Jesus tells his disciples that they need to remain connected to the vine to bear fruit, but so many feel cut off because their main sources of connection have been stopped.  However, Jesus also tells the disciples that even though he will not always be with them physically, they will know he is there through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus points them (and us) to the God who abides with us, who is there in our times of isolation, who comforts our ever needs. Yet, we are also called to be God’s hands and feet, to remind one another in our own words, or in the words that God gives, that we love them as God loves them. 

Time apart are hard, but God abides with us, and I pray we may abide in him, as we wait and hope to join again in the congregation, together, for worship.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 25, 2021

January 25, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – David Petty

And I said to him, “Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls because of the multitude of people that inhabit it.  For I will be a wall of fire around it, says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it. — Zechariah 2:4-5

For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. — Ephesians 2:14

Among all the headlines about politics, the pandemic, wars or rumors of wars, and celebrity scandals, one subject that keeps bobbing up like a cork is Wall Street.  Wall Street, of course is a term used to symbolize the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and related institutions in the area around that street, that constitute the financial center of New York City and to some extent of the world.  So I thought it would be interesting to think about the street itself.

Wall Street extends for eight blocks (less than half a mile) across the southern end of Manhattan island.  Some historians believe it was named for the Walloons, an ethnic group from southern Holland that settled in the area.  More likely, however, is that it was named for a wall that was initially constructed along what would become the street’s north side in the 1650’s, in an attempt to keep out hostile Indians as well as pirates and perhaps the British. 

Human-built walls don’t always work.  How well this wall worked is unclear; the marshy terrain of the island at that time would probably have made it easy to gain access to the city by another route.  In any event, the British had already taken over the city before the wall was completed and the street was surveyed.  Within a few decades a securities and exchange business, and unfortunately a slave market, were thriving on the street.

Walls have been built for all sorts of reasons over the centuries— think of the Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, and even the wall under construction (as of this writing) along the U. S. border.  Some walls are to keep out the elements (for example, sea walls), some to keep people out (the Great Wall) and some to keep people in (the Berlin Wall.)  So it should not be surprising that the Bible uses the word to express different things.  God is a wall that protects us, but Gods tears down walls as well.

In these times, as in Old Testament times, we often need the reassurance that God protects us, standing as straight and firm as a well-built wall.  Perhaps if our fears center on a pandemic rather than a physical enemy, a wall may not be the symbol that first comes to mind.  If our biggest enemies are our own sins — pride, greed, and so on — perhaps a wall is not the most obvious symbol.  But the point is the same.

Yet there is a time, as Paul reminds us, for breaking down some walls.  For walls can be bad as well as good.  I think another passage in Isaiah, 60:18, resolves the contrast nicely: “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders, you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.”  It is salvation that protects us from all real harm, and that brings us together with all God’s people.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

January 24, 2021

January 24, 2021

To join our online worship service at 9 am or after please visit: stmarkknox.org/sermons

But Jesus said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.” – Luke 4:43

Tucked between Jesus rebuke in his hometown of Nazareth and the calling of the first disciples, we find Jesus is continuing to preach in synagogues, now in Capernaum. In this city in Galilee, Jesus heals many sick and casts out demons. The people view Jesus as their Messiah, and they do not want him to leave.

I know I’ve heard the message many times, and I would venture to guess you have heard something to the effect: accept Jesus as your personal savior.  I understand the intent of such message is that we would accept the grace that God offers through Jesus, follow him, become a disciple, and live a life abundant and blessed because we belong to God.  However, sometimes the way the message is said, it can be interpreted as Jesus being only a personal savior.

I look to this short passage in Luke to remind us that Jesus came to be a savior for all.  His purpose was the proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to many cities, and through his disciples to all the cities that were and ever will be.  The message of salvation is a message of good news for the world, for its people, and the coming kingdom of God is a complete new creation.

I find it hard, sometimes, to boil the message of salvation down to a personal savior. Personable in relationship, yes. Knowing each saved by name, yes. Loving each the same, yes. However, it is we who belong to God through Jesus, not Jesus who belongs to us. The message of ‘personal savior’ gives the notion of possession, and we must not reverse the roles. For the same message of the coming kingdom of God is good news for us, and for all. Therefore, as we grow to see the kingdom of God we must allow the message of salvation to move from us, though it is still with us. We must understand this is a message to be shared with others. Perhaps, as we grow in our understanding, we might also realize that God’s good news is shared by us and through us as we live as disciples of the one who saves us, and all by His amazing grace.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 23, 2021

January 23, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – David Petty

Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith... — Hebrews 11:39-12:2

I don’t often read of a group of people being called a cloud.

In fact, except for this familiar verse from Hebrews and various paraphrases, I don’t think I’ve ever read of it.  The witnesses here are Old Testament figures listed previously in Chapter 11 —  Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and many others.  I suppose it might be that these are called a cloud because they are not fully visible and because they are “all around us.”  But there are other possibilities.

Hebrews is so named because it was written to a group of Hebrews, or perhaps because it was written in the style of Hebrew writing of that era. There is a large body of Jewish literature from this period (and others), and it uses some typical literary techniques.  One such technique is a type of allusion that uses a word or short phrase as a sort of “code” or “shorthand” that refers to longer passage (often in scripture).  The closest I can come to a modern illustration would be the term “sour grapes.”  Here the two simple words are intended to evoke Aesop’s complete little narrative of the fox and the grapes.

So possibly the word “cloud” is there to remind us of something in the Hebrew Scriptures.  I know of three main uses of cloud imagery on the Old Testament.  One is the cloud that led the Israelites through the wilderness (during the day) and that enveloped Moses when he spoke with God.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke pick up this image in their descriptions of the transfiguration of Christ.  Another image, in Isaiah 4:13, describes the Messiah as coming on the clouds.  It’s used again in Daniel and several times in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, and Revelation).

But the Bible’s first mention of clouds, and it’s one that especially interests me, is a passage beginning with Genesis 9:13: “I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”  The passage occurs at the end of the story of the great flood,  and the image (presumably a rainbow) represents God’s promises.

Of course I don’t know whether the writer of Hebrews actually intended to imply “promise” in 12:1, but it fits the context.  Although these witnesses did not receive the promise, they were certain of it; and their testimony was in their actions.  They are, to borrow a phrase from earlier in Chapter 11, evidence of things unseen.

That cloud of witnesses has grown a lot since Hebrews was written (we might want to call it a “crowd of witnesses.”)  It includes many New Testament figures not mentioned there, as well as saints of the church and figures like Martin Luther and John Wesley.  We have our own cloud of invisible witnesses from St. Mark; to our sorrow, several folks have left to join them in just the past few months.

But I would like to mention two other clouds.  One is simply ourselves.  In these days of social distancing, even those of us who are quite alive have become almost invisible to each other.  Although we are apart, however, we surround and sustain each other.  Second, I remind you of our pastor and church staff.  We do get to see many of them occasionally, either online or on those occasions when we have been able to have sanctuary services.  But for the most part they are an invisible cloud, supporting and nurturing our community — as they were long before the pandemic hit.  Thank the Lord for all of these.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

January 22, 2021

January 22, 2021

See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. – Psalm 139:42

The intent of the heart can be a profound yet difficult reflection. This psalm of David, seeks for the prayer to understand that true intention is known only by the individual and God. God searches deep within, sees our innermost person, and chooses to love and forgive us. 

It’s a wonder that God will choose to love us, knowing the deep darkness that we hold inside at times.  However, as the psalmist says, “even the darkness is not dark to you…” The truth of the psalm is that we are inescapable from God. God is with us, and for us. God chooses us, and wants for us to choose love.

It’s hard to admit that the evil we see in our world, and even in us at times is a choice we have made.  We choose to deny God when we choose to hate another. We choose to abandon God when choose wickedness. We choose God, however, when we repent of wicked ways. We choose God when we seek to be better. We choose God when we chose to love those with whom we disagree. We choose God when we realize there is no place we can hide from God, and relinquish ourselves to his loving arms.

The beauty of grace is that it is always available, always in abundance, and is always lavished on those who choose God.  May we allow God to rout out any wickedness that may be hiding in us, and lead us in the way everlasting in grace, peace, and love. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 21, 2021

January 21, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – David Petty

The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established. — Proverbs 19:21

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. — Jeremiah 29:11

John was a choir boy with a beautiful voice.  He had dreams of being a famous singer some day.  Then adolescence hit and he found himself unable to sing.  He was devastated — at least as devastated as one can be at that age; kids have a wonderful ability to bounce back.

He moved on, though.  He decided to become a choir director, and he began writing choral music.  Today John Rutter is one of the greatest composers of choral music in the world.  According to him, he still can’t sing.  (He’s exaggerating.  I’ve heard him sing a few lines in a radio interview and he’s not bad.)  Apparently God had other plans for John Rutter.

His story is not entirely unique.  The Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn also began as a choir boy who lost his singing voice.  You probably know stories of others, musical or otherwise, famous or otherwise, who encountered devastating circumstances that turned out to be springboards to greater things.  Quite possibly it’s happened to you.

The Bible indicates that God’s plans are not our plans, but it also implies that God’s plans are in our best interests.  Thus it would seem to make sense for us to align our plans with God’s.  But we often don’t.  Why not?   I think there are several reasons.

First, sometimes we simply forget.  In our busy lives it’s seems easy to forget about God for periods of time.  Second, it can be hard to know what God’s plans are (although the Beatitudes and the Golden Rule, for example, can point us in the right direction.)

Third, I’m afraid that sometimes we just don’t believe God will really work things out in our favor.  To be fair, that’s often not due to doubts about God’s power; sometimes it has to do with own sense of worthlessness.  Fourth, we don’t like to wait.  We may realize that God’s plans will eventually take place, but we also know that God’s time is on a different scale from ours.  We’d like our situation to be resolved in the next twenty minutes or so.

So pray for alertness, discernment, faith, and patience.  If you don’t need them yourself, pray for me.  And please treat yourself to some of John Rutter’s music.  There are a number of pieces available online.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

January 20, 2021

January 20, 2021

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13

There is no doubt that temptation is part of life.  It does not matter how strong we are in our faith, how far along we are in our faith journey, or if we have even begun to have faith, we are constantly faced with temptations.  The question is what we do when the next temptation arrives? Or how do we respond to temptation in general?

This may sound absurd, but more often than not, our answer to temptation is to give into it.  I’m not saying that we don’t have the power or even the responsibility to overcome temptation, and it’s often not the morally difficult temptations that we give into to most often (though that is possible).  Most of the temptation we face are the little things that could help strengthen our faith.  We may be tempted to stay up and watch a little more television vs. reading a devotion or Scripture.  We may be tempted to not participate in worship because it has moved online, though I hope in-person opportunities will occur again soon. We might be tempted to be angry because something didn’t happen the way we desired.  We might be tempted to put our own ambitions ahead of what is best of a community. All of these temptations are part of everyday life, and these are the temptations that we are more likely to give in to, than those of gross moral misconduct. 

Those in leadership of others, perhaps, face even greater temptations each and every day, and we pray that they will hold to the truth of God’s guidance as it is written in the psalms: “o send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling” (Psalm 43:3).

Yet, if we do give into temptation what does that mean for our faith?  Paul tells the Corinthians that there is no temptation that can overcome you, and that God always provides a way out.

I believe that as we desire for our faith to grow, our spirits to mature, these little temptations pop up more regularly, because God is claiming more of our lives and we become more in tune with our calling to love one another.  If we constantly decide, with God’s help, to overcome our temptations and be overwhelmed in and by love, than we might start loving others the way God desires, we might start seeing the kingdom of God alive in us, and we might start helping others overcome the power of darkness.

No wonder we face so many temptations, even little one, because if we were to truly overcome darkness, than we might get closer to the glory of God.  The powers of evil do not want to see us come together, working together, overcoming temptation.  Instead, they would tempt us to be divided.  As with every temptation, we do have the power to overcome.  I hope and pray that we would be guided by God’s light and truth, recognize the temptations that seek to separate us from God and from one another, and seek unity, harmony, and love for one another through Christ who overcame all temptation, and is our savior.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 19, 2021

January 19, 2021

5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15:5-6

In times where division seems hard to overcome, I look to what is the most uniting thing of all – The saving grace of Jesus Christ.

God sent us Jesus to be our one and only savior, to show us a path towards unity, though we often argue about the uniformity of a kingdom that we cannot fully see.  Unity, however, is understanding that we all have the same goal, we want the same outcome, we want to see glory brought to the name of Jesus.  In the past years we may have seen more disagreements with what that should look like, than agreement, but looking to the words of the apostle Paul, written to a church that seemingly couldn’t agree on anything, he writes: “may the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony…”

It’s an interesting word choice here by the translators: harmony.  To be in harmony is interesting because it does not mean that everyone is the same.  Best understood in music, harmony is what gives us a richness to a piece as the notes, though played or sung at the same time have an effect on one another.  There are times when a those notes comes together and seemly clash against one another, when there is dissonance among the wavelengths of sound. They create a tension, but also cause intrigue. Typically speaking, though, this tension does not last forever, but gives way to the resolve, when the notes align in that perfect harmony that is pleasing to the ears, and elicits peace and comfort to the listener. 

In much the same way, I believe that in the long music of life, we experience those times of dissonance, where we clash with the ideas of another, or can’t seem to find a point of which to agree. However, we must not give up or give in to disunity because of such clash.  The Scriptures remind us over and again that Christ’s love is the perfect bond of unity (Colossians 3:14) and as we seek to bring praise to God through our words and our actions, even among those with whom we disagree we can find harmony as we work together to bring glory to God the Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 18, 2021

January 18, 2021

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.15 Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. – Amos 5:14-15

            If you have time, I would invite you to read the full passage of Amos 5:14-24

“Let Justice roll like a mighty river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” 

These words taken from Amos are more known to us because of their use by civil rights activist and preacher Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  In several of his speeches, including his most famous “I have a Dream” speech.  These words indicate to those who listen that there is justice, and this justice coming, in spite of any difficulties we may face in the present age, because there is a God who believes in justice, equality, and those will bring them with the coming kingdom.

King shares that our God believes in justice. Yet, we should also remember that these words are much older than the civil rights movement of the American 1960’s. The same God whom King proclaims is for justice in our modern times is the same as the one who spoke for justice in the times before Christ through the prophet Amos.

In the days of Amos, the land was dry and parched, and there was need for rain, there was need for justice of those oppressed by a system that did not work, and there was a need for righteousness on the part of Israel because they were not seeking the good that was shown to them by God. They had forgotten to show the loving acts of mercy that was shown to them by the God who saved them out of oppression in Egypt and given them a promised land.

The image used for God’s mercy, righteousness, and justice, is this: 24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

We need to be reminded that the perversion of justice to our own benefit agers God, but as believers we are called to take a serious look at the way we construct our society, and our church.  We are challenged to ask whether “the noise of our songs,” or “our solemn assemblies” are honoring God because of the righteousness they call our lives to, or are they taking place in the glaring absence of the justice of our God for those who are overlooked, excluded, slighted, and violated in our community?  We need remember that our God desires mercy, love, acceptance, because those are what were offered to us, when we were on the outside.  And our response is to offer in the humility of Christ by which we are called.  The words, again, of Martin Luther King Jr, as borrowed by many who came before him; do still apply here, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

Justice will not fail, though wickedness appears strong, and has on its side the armies and thrones of power, the riches and the glory of the world, and though poor men crouch down in despair. Justice will not fail, nor perish out from the world, nor will what is really wrong and contrary to God’s law of justice continually endure.

God’s words though Amos are a call, that God has the final word, it is not ours. And on the cross as the sixth hour approached, that final word was “it is finished.” Death and destruction, oppression and inequality were over at that point.  For us, as Christians, our call is to remember that the one who saves us, saved the world, and we are the workers called to offer that love, bringing justice and righteousness to all, in the name of Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 17, 2021

January 17, 2021

To worship online with us at 9 am or later please visit: stmakknox.org/sermons

When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
– Luke 4:13

Much has been said and written about the temptation of Christ. Still, I find it one of the most intriguing stories to be shared with the context of the gospels.  The temptation Jesus goes though is nestled between his baptism (the pronouncement of who he is in God’s kingdom) and his public ministry (how he shares God’s kingdom with others).

The temptation that Jesus overcomes is an opportunity for us to overcome our own temptations. As we seek to follow Christ in this world, to be his disciples, and work for the kingdom that is already and not yet, we come to find that the temptation story teaches us much about the human condition and its desires.  The temptations of Christ are seen as a

- Temptation for hedonism (the stones to bread) which attacks the heart and its desire for satisfaction.

- Temptation for egoism (jumping from the tower) which attacks our mind making us believe we have might and will have success.

- Temptation for materialism (all the kingdoms of the world) which attacks the soul, believe that we can have all that we wish, that with power and wealth we will have control.

Like Jesus, we face these same temptations for power, satisfaction, and success. We all seek to build our own earthly kingdoms, and in the process we let go of the truth of what Christ did for us – set us free. Our freedom from the powers of this world enable us to focus on mind, soul, and heart as we seek to living into the faith, hope, and love that have been given us through Christ. 

This fundamental teaching of Christ’s overcoming temptation teaches us that we too overcome as we focus on faith, rely on hope, and serve others in love because He first loved us.  I pray we will move forward this week, keeping our focus on the kingdom that is to come and how we can work in that kingdom with faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these being love.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 16, 2021

January 16, 2021

 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. – Romans 12:18

In the midst of all that goes on in our lives, at our work places, in our neighborhoods, at school, even within our families, and especially within ourselves; are we at peace with everyone?  Truth is, even if you may be at peace right now all it would take is one wrong action on someone’s part and, BAM, no peace, only turmoil.  Likewise, you could be in turmoil over some major event that has occurred, will occur or is currently happening, but as soon as it’s over, peace can return to you.  Peace is one of those things that we would love to be permanent, or constant in our lives. However, peace seems to only happen in moments, and those moments often seem fleeting.

As Paul, is writing to the Romans about Christian ethics, he speaks to them about love, about the good, about opposing evil, and doing what is right.  He speaks to them about hope, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.  In the middle of all of this the phrase, “if possible…” shows up. We realize, in this, that peace is not always a choice.  As long as we live in a broken world, full of broken people, there will be broken relationships, and lack of peace therein.  So, what do we do about it?

We try.  We make peace a goal, and we sometime have to start small.  Peace takes much effort on many parties, but it begins with us.  First, find peace in yourself, forgive yourself as Christ has forgiven you, and forget about the pains that keep you from being at peace.  Christ as removed your transgressions as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).  So we must simply, be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10) and that He has taken it all away.  Secondly, make peace with family, I know that sometimes this can be difficult because some hurts run extremely deep, but family is family and they are a gift.  Just as we become part of God’s family, and are accepted in as children, so we should be accepting and loving of the family with which we have been blessed.  Find peace, even when others refuse.  Lastly, find peace with those around you, in your workplace, school, neighborhood, or church community.  We are all part of God’s family, all those who call on the name of the LORD, and you never know who you might be praising beside in heaven.  Make peace now, and peace will lead you onward to the day of Christ. 

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 15, 2021

January 15, 2021

Sharing from the Congregation – David Petty

Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  — Isaiah 55:1

One of the recurring nightmares of this pandemic has been that we will run out of available ventilators.  This was a particular concern last spring in New York, and has been raised again during the surge of the disease over the past few weeks.  Healthcare workers are agonizing over the possibility that they will have to ration ventilators, deciding to provide them to some patients and denying them to others.

A similar issue is occurring due to the currently limited vaccine supply.  The vaccine is being rationed to certain groups, and there is frustration and apparently even cheating.  According to the internet some individuals are even withholding vaccine from those who are supposed to receive it, so that they can administer it to themselves and their families.

Rationing due to limited resources is not new.  Even churches have to make hard decisions about how to spend their resources, giving up one program to support another.  So it is vital for us to remember that there is something that does not have to be rationed: God’s love.  God’s love is inexhaustible, limitless, unbounded.  To use Old Testament language, it is a well that never runs dry.

There are at least two ways, and more I’m sure, to think about this limitlessness.  One is on a personal level.  No matter how many times we stumble, no matter how much of God’s love that we feel we have used up, there remains plenty, available without price.  (We might limit it ourselves, of course, in the sense that we refuse to accept it.)

Another is on a social level.  We can give love (God’s love flowing through us) to anyone, without any fear that it will run out and there won’t be enough to give to someone else.  No rationing needed, and we might occasionally need to remind ourselves that there should be no price.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

January 14, 2021

January 14, 2021

I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world! – John 16:33

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? If we were to look to the scriptures we might pick a verse like Luke 9:23 – “If anyone wants to be my disciples, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Or we might say that being a displace of Jesus is following him.  We might look to the commands like in John 13:34 – “I give you a new command: Love one another; just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” We might, in this, believe and say that being a disciple means to love others as Jesus first loved us.

However, if there is something I have learned from my hears of striving to be a disciple of Jesus, is that in this endeavor I am a failure. I have failed to be a disciple over and over and over; more than I would care to admit.  I fail to be as accepting, loving, forgiving, peaceful as Christ. I fail to be a disciple. So, does my failure mean I am not faithful? Does it mean I should give up and step away from the pulpit? Some might think so, but in recognizing how I have failed, I also get to see through the darkness of my own making, and see the light of Christ lifting me up, offering forgiveness (again) and showing me a pathway of peace, and allowing the opportunity to share with others on this lifetime journey towards the heavenly kingdom.

Jesus has always called and walked with those who failed. Jesus calls those who realize their failure disciples, because they know they need to follow the One who is the word of peace and love.  And Jesus reminds us that while in this world, there will be suffering, there will be anguish, there will be failure. but be courageous! I have overcome the world. We all have to recognize, that we will not overcome our failure to be an example of Christ, I know I won’t, but every step of the way, I also know there is grace enough for you and for me. I know that through Christ, there is forgiveness, mercy, and love that will help us overcome each failure. I believe that God’s Holy Spirit will teach us, lead us, and one day we will no longer fail, but move on towards perfection, truly learning to love one another as a disciple of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 13, 2021

January 13, 2021

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. – Luke 1:78-79

When it comes to Scripture, the prophetic word and the poetic word seems to go hand-in-hand. Upon hearing what God would do, the priest Zechariah (father of John the Baptist) was stricken mute. However, upon seeing the revelation of his son, the promise God made him, realized, John is filled with the Holy Spirit and begins to speak.

What we read in this prophecy is a picture of what God is doing for his people, but all of it is not about his own son, John.  Zechariah is telling the people that salvation is near, and God is keeping his promises to the people of Israel – their salvation will come with the forgiveness of their sins.

The final lines of this prophetic word are shared above. I interpret these to be telling about a new dawning of light that is meant for the minds of the people who would see the same revelation as Zechariah.  We might think of it the same as what the apostle Paul would later say in his letter to the Romans: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds…(Romans 12:2). Both of these, I believe, are pointing us to see something that may at times be beyond us.  The words of “darkness” and “shadow” tell us that the revelation of things to come may not be seen by those who do not see through this coming light.  There may be those who cannot see the path to peace because such darkness, such shadow has too tight a hold on them.

Given the events of the past week, I think there is a darkness that many of us, as Americans, and as Christians need to overcome.  It is a darkness that seeks to blind us from seeing truth, from seeing peace, and moreover blinds us from seeing one another as those who are loved by God.  We all might have points of disagreement on the many issues that face us in our modern world; however, violence is never the answer to those disagreements. Hate is never a way to help one see truth.  The pathway our feet must walk is one of peace.

I know we all continue to watch as we wait to see what might happen next, but I pray that in our watching we would ask ourselves whether we are watching with the light of Christ showing us the path of peace, or blinded by a darkness or a shadow of death?

My hope is that we would allow Christ to light our way, to show us that peace is where the Spirit of the Lord is, that loving our neighbor (all our neighbors) is still of the utmost importance, and that God is with the brokenhearted. Our hearts are broken right now, and only God’s love could mend us together again.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 12, 2021

January 12, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – Edward Pierce

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” - Matthew 9:9-13

I know this will come as a great shock to all of you: a lot of my life has been driven by music. Music of all kinds, too: classical, religious, historical, world music, folk, pop, rock, blues, jazz, Broadway, and everything in between. However, it may surprise you that as a music worship leader, it isn't the beautiful melody or harmony or accompaniment that matter most to me; it is the text. Without good, deep, scripturally sound text, a song may be pretty but doesn't really work for me as a worship song.

For our service on Sunday, January 3, 2021, Sam said a few things that really struck me. During the pastoral prayer, he said, "We recognize that there are many in our world who do not experience the love of a church family, the comfort and joy of a faith community. May our witness to your love increase itself in hospitality towards them and with them. Nudge us on to greater acts of faithfulness as we learn to trust you more and more. Entice us to be those who offer the invitation of your love for all."  In his sermon, he mentioned that our scripture of Jesus' response as a twelve-year-old at the temple could be translated, "Did you not know that I must be about my father's business?"

He also introduced me to a song called "I Will Go." I was especially hit by the second verse:

Let me not be blind with privilege; / Give me eyes to see the pain.
Let the blessing You've poured out on me / Not be spent on me in vain.
Let this life be used for change.

This all called to mind another song I ran into when I was the pianist at Salem Baptist Church, a song titled "This Must Be the Place" by Steve Amerson. The song describes situations in life where people run into difficulty, strife, sin, and despair, where they are the outcasts. The end of the verses say,

"They doubt the church could have / The answers necessary, / And fear they'd find rejection
Rather than a sanctuary."

Then the chorus stunned me with this rending text:

"This must be a place / Where the broken heart can mend. / This must be a place
Where the outcast finds a friend. / For we cannot lift the fallen / If our hand still holds a stone,
And their sin that seems so great to us / Is no greater than our own. / There must be a point
Where shame meets grace, / And this must be the place."

It is the New Year, and tradition holds that we make resolutions for ways in which we will improve and live better lives. I've done the "I'll exercise more" and "I'll lose weight this year" resolutions before, and I could certainly use to make another stab at them. However, the words of Sam's prayer and message and these songs place me squarely at an uncomfortable crossroad: do I sit in church all comfortable in my faith, or do I remember that Christ asked me to "be about my Father's business?" Am I the one who needs to work to bring peace and healing to a hurting world? And face it, there is a lot of hurt right now. There is a lot of need. What am I doing about it? Are the blessings that have been poured out on me spent in vain? I need to be the hands and feet of Christ -- not dragging people into the church -- but going and meeting them where they are.

The has to be, there simply MUST be a point --

- where shame meets grace
- where despair meets grace
- where pain meets grace
- where addiction meets grace
- where poverty meets grace
- where hunger meets grace
- where brokenness meets grace
- where anger meets grace
- where defeat meets grace
- where alienation meets grace
- where rejection meets grace
- where hopelessness meets grace ...

and this, THIS must be the place. WE must be the place. I must be the place.

Dear Lord, I resolve this year to be the place where those in need meet grace, and I resolve to make my church, St. Mark, the place where they find and know your grace and love. Amen.

Gracefully Submitted,
Edward Pierce

January 11, 2021

January 11, 2021

3 A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
    and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
    and the rough places a plain.
5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
    and all people shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” – Isaiah 40:3-5

Yesterday we say this passage withing the context of Luke’s gospel as John the baptizer being the one who is the voice crying out of the wilderness. However, the text comes from a much older time. The prophet Isaiah says these words to speak about he comfort that is coming for the people of God. 

Many scholars looks at the entirety of Isaiah’s 40th chapter speaking of the coming Christ who will make all things right and usher in the true kingdom of God. And while this is the traditional Christian view of these verse, let us look deeper into what is said in verse 3-5 above.

Isaiah speaks about when the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and for that to happen he says: “paths are made straight,” “valleys lifted up,” “mountains and hills made low,” and “uneven ground made level” With these words there is a sense that in order for the revealing of the Lord’s glory there must first be an equity of sorts.  This equity is that all would be on the same level, or at the same level. It might make us wonderful about what such level might be; yet, I think at a certain point we are all there.  The one things that is equivalent across the board is our humanity, and with it the fleetingness of the human life.  While we wish for it to last as long as possible, and be a good as possible, life for all of us will one day end. It’s been said that death is the great equalizer.  All suffer it, and no one (aside from The One) overcomes it. 

Therefore, the glory of the Lord is revealed, and all people see it together at death. This death doesn’t come as a fear, though, it comes for the Christian as a great relief, and for many who understand baptism as a dying to self, and rising with Christ; death has already occurred.  It is perhaps why this passage comes in conjunction with Jesus baptism in the Jordan river.  Jesus leads us to death; that is, the equalizer which allow us to see the glory of life.  For as we arise from the waters of baptism we are made a part of a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come.

We in this new life can move forward, seeing the glory of God around every turn, and perhaps will do the work to help other come to see this equitable place where all are at the same level, and all might become sons and daughters of God, co-heirs with Christ in this kingdom that has begun, but is not quite yet.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 10, 2021

January 10, 2021

To join the online service at 9 a.m. or anytime after please visit: stmarkknox.org/sermons

John son of Zechariah went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
    and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
    and the rough ways made smooth;
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” – Luke 3:3-6

Today, is the celebration of the Baptism of our Lord. I love this Sunday, as it is usually a great time to gather in the Sanctuary and renew our baptismal commitments to: renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of the is world, and earnestly repent of our sin. We remember, and take up the charge again to: accept the freedom and power God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.

With these vows we confess Jesus Christ as our Savior, and put our whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races. In addition, we promise to live by his grace, and remain faithful as Christ’s representatives in this world.

These words which remind us of our promise lead us again to a greater understanding of Christ’s promise to be with us always, to lead us to love one another as he first loved us. We live into this sign of baptismal washing because our Lord was baptized in the Jordan river by John. We believe in the repentance and forgiveness of sin, and by the grace of God, we know that we can share in the kingdom that has already begun, and it yet to come.  May we reflect, today, on our baptism, and renew within our hearts the promise we make to be Christ’s hands and feet in this world.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 9, 2021

January 9, 2021

Now that day was a sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there… - John 5:9b-13

There are a number of healing miracles performed by Jesus in the gospels. However, there are only a few that occur on the day called the Sabbath.  For the Jews the Sabbath is supposed to be a day of rest, to reflect on God’s blessings and refrain from work for their religious observance.  Sabbath, traditionally starts at sunset on Friday, and remains in place until the evening dark on Saturday. 

During this approximately 24 hour period, the Jews were to do no work. Of course in an agricultural society there are some things that simply must be done, and over time certain acts were allowed, while others deemed for abstention. In the more populated places, like Jerusalem the religious adherence to the law would have been a little more strict, thus, the man called out for doing the simple task of carrying his bed mat. 

What is notable here, however, is that the Jewish teacher of the law saw this man with a bed roll (literally carrying his sick bed) and did not ask him about his healing or wellness, but questioned his inability to follow the rules, thus believer in this sickness (sin against God). 

One might ask, what is more important; a person’s wellness or their sickness? Too often the church (Christians) focus on the things that are wrong with a person, group, etc. We see the sickness of the world (aside from the pandemic), and want for someone, or for God to ‘fix it.’ Most people believe the fixing comes from all people ‘following the rules.’ In this, I fear that we stray too closely to those who are often seen as at odds with Jesus.

Jesus’ focus is, instead, on wellness.  Jesus sought to make people well, to build and restore relationships, to see to it that the life of people (especially those on the outside of society) would feel that they belong, are cherished, and loved by God and by him. When we truly do the work of Jesus, it is beyond religious regulation that we do such work.  We become relational ambassadors of heaven; seeking to share the peace, hope, and love of God and Christ with others.  When we really understand this work, then we are ready to focus not on all that is wrong (the sickness) in the world, but are prepared to work alongside Jesus for the world’s healing (the wellness) towards a kingdom founded on God’s love and grace.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

January 8, 2021

January 8, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – David Petty

... he asked Jesus, “and who is my neighbor?” —Luke 10:29

Which is bigger, Nashville or Atlanta?  Well, the population within the city limits of Nashville is about 694,000, and Atlanta is only about 507,000.  On the other hand Nashville’s urban area population, or “greater Nashville,” is around 1.9 million, whereas for “greater Atlanta” it’s around 6.7 million.  To answer the question it matters what constitutes Nashville or Atlanta.

To get closer to home, what constitutes Knoxville?  Most of us, I think, would include Farragut and Powell in “greater Knoxville.”  How about Oak Ridge and Maryville?  Lenoir City?  Oliver Springs?

Part of the answer is that it depends on the situation.  If you’re measuring, say, the increasing or decreasing crime rate, you’ll have to draw lines somewhere, such as the city limits or the boundaries of the county.  On the other hand, if you’re dong long-range urban planning, you’ve got to consider the geography, economies, growth patterns, etc. of nearby suburbs and even distant suburbs or “exurbs.”

I’d like to suggest that there are parallels to our church.  We might think of our 300 or so members as “Downtown St. Mark.”  Perhaps nonmembers who attend regularly, or even irregularly, are the near suburbs (as well as former members and close family of members).  Residents of Rocky Hill and beyond could be the distant suburbs/ exurbs.

What about denominational lines?  Are nearby Baptists, Catholics, Presbyterians, and even Jews and Muslims part of “greater St. Mark?”  Are we simultaneously part of their communities?  And as if that’s not complicated enough, consider the impact of the new technology and its virtual communities.

Again, part of the answer is that it depends.  We may need to draw some temporary lines If we’re going to look at church growth, finances, etc.; but when we finish doing that we may need to erase those lines.

Having asked these questions, I ought to have some decent answers, but I don’t.  I do feel that it is not in the church’s best interests to think in terms of us vs. them.  “Us” is all of us.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty