Press On, Dear Sisters

Sermon Ephesians 1:15-23 May 13, 2018 Ascension/7^th Sunday Easter

Press On, Dear Sisters

It is always a joy to hear uplifting words of praise. Today’s letter from Paul to the Ephesians is one such letter. Listen to the words and let us see how God moves within us…

Some of you who were around in the 1970s might remember a pop singing group called the Carpenters. They had a song out that was a real hit. It became the go to song for couples to have sung at their wedding. Marriage was just the beginning, it was the kick-off to a long life together.

The words went like this: 

We've only just begun to live

White lace and promises

A kiss for luck and we're on our way

(We've only begun)

Before the risin' sun, we fly

So many roads to choose

We'll start out walkin' and learn to run

(And yes, we've just begun)

Sharing horizons that are new to us

Watching the signs along the way

Talkin' it over, just the two of us

Workin' together day to day

Together

And when the evening comes, we smile

So much of life ahead

We'll find a place where there's room to grow

(And yes, we've just begun)

Sharing horizons that are new to us

Watching the signs along the way

Talkin' it over, just the two of us

Workin' together day to day

Together

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is that kind of song. It is a hymn, proclaiming the death, resurrection, and now the ascension of Christ as only the beginning for the followers of Jesus, for the church. The cross might be where Jesus died, but the hope of people of faith lies, not in his death, but in the fullness of his being-his birth (his incarnation), death, resurrection, & ascension. Paul writes it’s the future hope and the present reality of those who believe.

Paul makes what we might call a ‘prayer wish’ for the readers of this letter. He make a prayer wish for the eyes of their heart to be opened, for the riches of Christ’s glorious inheritance be among the saints, and for the immeasurable power of Christ who fills all in all be in them.

I find that prayer wish so powerful and so comforting. Isn’t that what we all would like for ourselves and for those we love?

In the story of our life and our journey of faith we are met with crossroads and as we enter into the unknown of those experiences, we discover it is a new beginning and the words, ‘we’ve only just begun’ echo through our first few steps of this new adventure.

The words of this letter to the Ephesians are timeless. We need those prayer wish words of Paul to fill our lives. 

How do we find answers to those age old questions that linger in our heads, or perhaps our children ask us and we have no clue how to answer. One such question about our future hope is, “If all of us go to heaven when we die and people from the beginning of time are there, including gramma and grampa, isn’t it really crowded; how would we find them?”

It sounds like a funny question that we would brush off-because who among us knows the answer? But, I’m sure we’ve all wondered about things such as these. The questions that come to us that stump us, "Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?"

It’s the sort of question mothers and fathers get as they are trying to tuck the children in to bed at night. It’s the sort of question we struggle with as we come home from the funeral of a friend. We have a need to be comforted about the future and we have a need to be assured here and now about our present life.

I think women through the ages have given us a ray of sunshine as we witness how they have coped and been strengthened through all kinds of adversity.

In the book Dance of the Dissident Daughters, Sue Monk Kidd describes her awakening to the God she thought she had known all her life. She enters into a journey about her faith, religion, and life as a woman. She becomes shocked, disenchanted, fearful, and finally at peace with her discovery of who God is in her life. 

She recognizes the power of women to stick together through so much. She says this, “Solidarity is identifying with one another without feeling like you have to agree on every issue. It’s unity, not uniformity. It’s listening without rushing in to fix the problem. It’s going deeper than typical ways of talking and sharing—going down to the place where souls meet and love comes, where separateness drops away and you know these women because you are these women.”

 She urges women to “Press On, Dear Sisters” Press on in life, press on in faith, press on in all that encompasses women, press on through all things and know that no matter what, we are not alone, we will stick together.

The stories of the strength of women in Scripture are filled with those who have led a people, who have fed a crowd, and who have challenged God, and carried God.

But, this prayer wish from Paul is for the church men and women, old and young, rich and poor, of all nations and tribes. Paul encourages them through this prayer for insight and vision. At every crossroad of our life we need the eyes of our hearts to be opened.

Our hearts are seat of knowledge and wisdom. May the days, months and years ahead begin with the eyes of our hearts opened so we can have the hope of our calling; so we can experience the riches of Christ’s inheritance; be filled and live with the immeasurable greatness of his power.

On this Mother’s Day I think of all my sisters in the world.

I think of all the women who are powerhouses of strength,

forces to be reckoned with;

who have challenged and been challenged in the workforce,

who experienced motherhood, daughterhood, and sisterhood.

I think of the prayer warriors,

the casserole makers,

the card writers,

the stay at home woman,

the go to work woman,

the everything to everyone woman.

I think of how as women,

daughters of God,

we’ve only just begun,

and yet,

we’ve been so far.

And I pray the prayer wish

for all of you

as Paul did

and I say Press On, Dear Sisters,

Press On.

Amen.

Resources: NIB Ephesians; Dance of the Dissident Daughter; Working Preacher.

Twelve Disciples of Christ-the Women!

Twelve Disciples of Christ

A reading for Mother’s Day 2018 adapted from Wild Goose Worship Group from Iona.

Monica: Let us remember and celebrate twelve disciples of Jesus, people who were touched by and tended him.

Pam: Remember Mary, the girl from the country town, the poet and the singer, who became pregnant with God, by God, for God’s sake.

Anne: Remember Elizabeth, Mary’s older cousin, who shared Mary’s excitement who herself bore John, the friend of the and baptizer of Jesus.

Joan: Remember Anna, the old widow and faithful believer, who saw an eight day old baby and recognized that the Messiah had come.

Carol: Remember Martha, the cook and housekeeper, the plain speaker, who gave Jesus her anger, so he could give her his love.

Pam: Remember Joanna, who with Susanna, and many other women provided the hospitality which Jesus saw as crucial to the gospel.

Anne: Remember Peter’s mother-in-law, who was so grateful to be healed, that her first act after recovery was to make a meal for Jesus.

Joan: Remember the Samaritan woman, whose conversation with Jesus was full of double entendres, but whose life was so changed by him, that she became the first real evangelist.

Carol: Remember the Canaanite woman, who gave Jesus a hard time, taking his exclusive language to task, until he saw and admired her toughness, and devotion.

Pam: Remember the hemorrhagic woman, who contaminated countless men, or so they thought, in order to touch Jesus, who named her faith as the root of her cure.  

Anne: Remember the poor widowed woman, who, in giving the smallest coins to God, gave Jesus his model for generosity.

Joan: Remember the woman caught in adultery, who let Jesus show how the grace of God is greater then the moralizing of men.

Carol: Remember her, whose perfume filled a room with fragrance, yet, who let her costliest gift be offered, in love, to God.

Pam: Remember the woman, who mothered many children not her own, the woman who taught in schools and watched a generation graduate to new life.

Anne: Remember the woman, who sacrificed her dreams, so her daughter could realize hers.

Joan: Remember the woman, who was known as the church lady, who taught Sunday school, watched babies, baked cookies, pies, and casseroles, who was an elder, acted as clerk, treasurer, communion server, usher, choir member, preacher, pastor, teacher, bell ringer, and was a pillar of the church.

Carol: Remember the women, who touched our lives because of their bravery, their courage, their intelligence, their joy, who helped us see Jesus in the face of others.

Monica: Remember the women who we have loved and who loved us, our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, and cousins. Remember the women who are no longer here, who have gone before us, whose energy, imagination, tenacity, witness, and joy provide us with warmed hearts and renewed hope. Amen.

New Life

While the women in the congregation have stated-we've heard so much about Ruth in all our women's Bible studies, the men have shared they know very little about the story of Ruth. It seems women's studies have done overkill on Ruth-poor Ruth. Conclusion-there is an imbalance in our men and women Bible studies. What do you think? Here is the last in this year's sermon series on Ruth. Enjoy.

Sermon Ruth 4:7-17 July 23, 2017 4 of 4 in Ruth series.

New Life

I’m ridiculously happy (I love this story) about sharing the final chapter of the story of Ruth with you today. It is a story that represents the abundance of joy that comes through salvation. It’s a story that describes salvation-or I should probably say redemption, because that is the word used throughout this tale-as an occurrence not just for an individual but for an entire people.

The gospel of John, in the New Testament, begins with the fullness of God’s love for us. We are told that nothing came into being without God in Jesus Christ. In him was life and the life was the light of all people. ..and..16-from his fullness we have received grace upon grace.

It is in the light of my New Testament lenses that I look back to this fourth chapter of Ruth. New life through the fullness of grace upon grace represents the abundance of love.

In this final chapter of Ruth all this abundance of grace, of love, of new life and restoration, renewal, redemption, salvation become a reality. In this story we discover the nature of God’s love in the relationship of Ruth to Naomi. No matter how far Naomi pushed Ruth away, Ruth was unrelenting in her love and faithfulness to Naomi. No matter how often in our lives that we reject God-we can be sure that God is ever faithful to stick with us no matter how we treat him. We will continue to receive God’s unmerited love for us no matter what. We will continue to be surrounded by others who reach out to us on God’s behalf-whether they know it or not-to extend a hand of grace.

We have this funny idea that our salvation, our redemption, is some kind of reward for those people who are faithful to God. Ruth was faithful to Naomi and committed to obey and follow her advice. So, we assume in response to ‘how good’ Ruth was, God rewarded her and restored her life. We could read that into the story with that kind of a lens. But, I’d like to suggest that the authors of this story clearly did not have this interpretation in mind.

Let’s look at what has happened-briefly.

Boaz gathers at the gate with elders-which is a way of saying he convened court. The ‘other’ relative to whom he engages is not named. He is ‘so-and-so’ because as it turns out in the story he is unwilling to completely fulfil his legal obligation. The purpose of the court is to put a contract on the property-buy the property-restore the clan/family.

Side bar-women could inherit, own, sell and buy property. But, since Naomi left during the famine it probably fell into the hands of so-and-so and she has to reclaim it. Boaz tells so-and-so that he has to buck up and do his legal duty. He shames him by telling him he can’t have the land without the lady. Worse he tells so-and-so that even if he doesn’t do his duty, he-Boaz, will step in, marry Ruth, present an heir to Elimelech and take the land back anyway. If that happens so-and-so will be out land and lose the money he used to buy it.

Business transaction were sealed with a sandal. Taking off the shoe meant you were giving up your rights to redeem and the obligation passed on to the next of kin in line.

Here is where I find the intertwining of the power of God’s grace in the actions of people remarkable.

It’s not that what we do earns us anything.

But, it is what we do that God uses to shape a people for good.

Boaz didn’t have to do anything.

He didn’t have to offer kindness,

or even go to the extent of being an instrument of redemption.

But, God used him and his actions are glorified in print.

In the power of the willingness of a person to act,

the power of God’s grace breaks through.

Boaz follows through on his promise to name the child to Naomi’s husband. By doing this Naomi is now legally, figuratively, and faithfully restored.

His actions make possible the new life for the family.

New life is restored to Naomi not through the literal resurrection of her husband, but through the resurrection of his inheritance in the newborn child. Our lives are probably better reflected in the life of Naomi than the one of Ruth.

Naomi was a woman who had it all and then lost it all. She became bitter in her grief and bitter toward God. As events unfold and choices are made, gracious circumstances occur in ‘happenstance’ sort of ways. In these moments, we witness the beginning of healing in the faith of Naomi. As she heals, she hopes, as she hopes, she blesses, and as she blesses, she recognizes her life turning around-she witnesses the face of a new direction.

Now Ruth is not to be diminished for her role in all of this. Yes, her life was one of faith and commitment. We do want to try to be faithful to God and people.

But, let us also be reminded of God’s action of salvation through the people we least expect.

-if our eyes are to be opened to newness

-if our eyes are to be opened to restoration

-is our eyes are to be opened to fulfillment, sustenance, and nourishment-and all of what God has to offer;

Then we have to be willing to let those ‘others’ into our lives and into our churches, and into our villages with a full embrace and an extension of true love.

Because we never know when God will use a Moabite, or a Ninevite, or a stranger, or a foreigner, or a ‘not like us’, or an ‘other’ to be the vessel of our salvation.

The women of the village are the undergirding of the impact of God’s wonderful, abundant grace. If it wasn’t for the words of these villagers, this story would just be about a nice guy who goes to court and makes good things happen for a family.

But these women announce the absolute joy that has transpired for Naomi.

She has completely turned around.

They bless her fullness of spirit-her soul has been restored.

Redemption isn’t about stuff.

Redemption is the fulfillment of one’s being. It’s about new life!

A village embraces a woman who has lost everything.

A village comes out to greet a lost and bitter soul.

A village embraces and loves and realizes the power of God at work.

It is the village who blesses in the abundance of God’s grace.

 It is the village who rejoices in the salvation of one lost soul restored to new life.

Let the church be the village that does the same.

Amen.

Resources NIB Vol. II

It is NEVER OK-KNOW THE SIGNS:Domestic Violence

KNOW THE SIGNS:Domestic Violence
THIS is more important today than ever before.

We must read and know that abuse is still prevalent and very much in the public conversation today. So we are very pleased to be sponsoring the Spaghetti Dinner to raise awareness for the Coalition.

This week we will hold a spaghetti dinner to help raise funds for the Eastern Shore Coalition Against Domestic Violence at Naomi Makemie Presbyterian Church on Friday October 14 from 5-7 pm.

It is an honor to serve a congregation that puts the issue of domestic violence as an important and necessary mission of the church.

So as we approach our dinner tomorrow night let's review the signs and symptoms of domestic violence. Let's understand the destructive patterns of violence against women. What is abuse against women? 

Abuse against women is physical and emotional. Physical abuse occurs in unwanted sexual advances, rape, assault, and many other forms of touching a woman's body without her permission.
The book "The Emotionally Abused Woman" by Beverly Engel MFCC is an excellent resource for women, men and anyone in relationships with other human beings.This article is filled with information from her book.

Here is a quick list of some types emotional abuse that women suffer:

• Domination-men who dominate women need to be in charge, and they seek to control every detail of a person's life actions. They often resort to threats to get their way.
• Verbal assaults-this behavior involves berating, belittling, criticizing, screaming, blaming and using sarcasm and humiliation. This is particularly dangerous because these assaults demean and diminish the woman or any human being for that matter. It is dangerous because it is difficult for women to heal from this abuse. 
• Abusive expectations-unreasonable demands placed on a woman and no matter what the woman does it is never good enough. She is subjected to constant criticism.
• Emotional blackmail-this is a powerful form of manipulation. It is the conscious or unconscious coercion of a person to have them do what this person (man) wants by playing on fear, guilt, or compassion. 
• Unpredictable responses-the abuser has unpredictable outbursts and inconsistent responses. Mixed signals are continuously sent and the abused is never sure of what triggers the outbursts.
• Constant criticism-the insidious nature of consistent, continuous criticism that cumulates and eats away at the persons self worth and self confidence. 
• Character assassination-mistakes are blown out of proportion. There does not seem to be a level of severity-burnt toast is as bad as a burnt house; past failures are always brought to light. Humiliation is the constant game that is played.
• Gaslighting-purposely creating an atmosphere through a variety of insidious techniques to make a person doubt herself, her memory, her perceptions, even her very sanity. This person denies what he has said or done. He will tell her that she is lying. He will avoid responsibility for his actions and tell her she is exaggerating. 
• Constant chaos-continuous chaos is the norm. The abuser seems to have an addiction to drama. Arguments are started for what appears to be no reason. It seems the person is adept of keeping the relationship and all that is around him in constant crisis. 
• Sexual harassment-unwelcome, unwanted, sexual advances, or physical or verbal conduct of a sexual nature. 

Friends NONE of this is OK!!

These predators have behaviors and women need to be informed how to spot them:

Check out this list on "How to Spot an Abuser"

• Poor impulse control
• Low self-esteem
• Selfishness and narcissism
• Needy and demanding
• Poor social skills
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• history of being abusive
• history of mental illness
• emotionally dependent
• antisocial behavior
• need for power and control
• conspiracy theorists 

We can spot the abuser and we can learn the M.O. of the abuser: 

• Victor: abusive expectations, and domination
• The Napoleon complex:the need to ridicule, and behave in anyway necessary to shame, blame and put the other down in order to make themselves look good.
• The Bulldozer: these people mow over everyone in their path. they will tear others down and take them down with them. These people are power hungry and will do and say anything to get ahead. 
• The controllers: these people have much of the above combined in order to have and maintain the control they have over another. Threatening to the point that others are afraid is real and again also very dangerous.
• Sex addiction: this person pleads or demands sexual contact frequently and becomes angry, hostile and manipulative in order to get what he wants. 
• The anti-social personality: these people do not live by the same set of rules and values as anyone else lives by. They create their own desires, their own agenda and they blame everyone around them for their behavior. They are incapable of loyalty to others. 
• The Misogynist: complete lack of respect for anyone other than they are. Hatefulness towards women by men, This hatefulness permeates throughout all interactions with women by making fun of them, by seeing them as sex objects, even to the point of becoming sexually violent towards them.
• The Blamer: they are NEVER wrong. they are incapable of apology. 
• The Destroyer: The goal to destroy their victims.
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: This person is gentle and kind and in an instant turn to rude, crude, angry, hurtful behavior.

If any of you have ever experienced behavior towards you in this way then you have been a victim of abuse. Know the signs and know it is NEVER OK! And the abuser must be stopped. 

Christ is Risen

Sermon Luke 24:1-12 March 27, 2016 EasterC

Christ is Risen

The women did on the third day as they had done for so many other relatives.

They knew the routine. They had done it just a few weeks earlier for Lazarus.

They gathered up the spices and placed them in the baskets as they prepared to go to the tomb to care for the body of Jesus.

They had held vigil for him at the foot of the cross.

They had seen him buried in the tomb.

He had been buried just as other loved ones had been.

Except this time, there was a guard and a large stone. And they wondered a little bit about how to handle the stone.

Women do as women have done

from the beginning of time

and continue into this time.

Somehow in the midst of grief and in the pain of loss, they get up, and they put one foot in front of the other.

They know that work still has to be done.

Dishes need doing, hungry mouths need to be fed, kids need to be heard, spouses need to know they matter, and companies still rely on them to show up for work.

We can learn a lot from the women who have gone before us.

Our mothers, or aunts or grandmothers have given us examples of how to keep going when it seems like we can’t.

They have given us some amazing ways of how to cope when we think we can’t.

They can tell some stories of how they made it through tough times.

It might be a good time to have a cup of tea with those women and listen to their stories again of days gone by.

I guarantee you, you will find your own strength to go forth as you listen to their strength.

It is only natural then, one might say, that it was the women first who saw the empty tomb.

They encountered the risen Lord before the rest.

They discover the unexpected, the unbelievable, the perplexing absence of the body of Jesus.

But, before they could even begin to speculate as to what had happened the dazzling men appear.

And here is where all the Good News appears-not the dazzling men-well maybe-ok, back on track here.

The women are in awe of God as they realize the messengers of God have appeared before them. They bow down in full reverence with their faces to the ground and their hearts pounding over the presence before them.

And this is the beginning of the good surprises.

I am reminded by the words of one wise person, saying, “In this day and time there are so few good surprises left. We are able to know so much, so when we have a choice of a good surprise let’s allow it to come to pass.”  

In our day when good surprises are rare, can we still be surprised by the joy these women encounter when they are told that Jesus has risen?

It is this good news that causes musicians to write music that takes our breath away when we hear the sounds of the Alleluia chorus.

It is the joy of this surprise that fills churches with fanfare and celebration and banners, colorful flowers and people raising the roof in song.

The greatest blessing on Easter (as well as Christmas) is to have a sanctuary filled with people visiting from all over.

How joyful it is for a congregation to witness the visits of others who have come on a special day to join in with song.

What a wonderful gift it is that so many choose to share in the good surprise of the Resurrection!

The Resurrection of Jesus-or as my children lovingly would say, “when Jesus came alive again”-is the greatest surprise of our faith.

His presence with us and within us now and forever more has completed full circle all the promises of Scripture from beginning to end. Part of the Easter vigil that is held on Saturday is the reading of all of those familiar promises God offers for God’s people. God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting.

How can we continue to live out the good news of the surprise of Easter morning?

One way we do is by making sure our kids have egg hunts and other happy occasions of surprise. We offer joy to others by dropping off some flowers or an unexpected gift. Throw a surprise party for a friend. Or perhaps an even greater surprise of joy to come by and visit.

The women as they ran from the tomb to tell the others broke the silences around them. They heard the words of these men of God, they were surrounded by these words of fulfillment, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead, he is risen.” They could not contain their joy and amazement. Without a thought they went running and shouting the Good News, the great surprise in the streets and to the others-even though the disciples thought the words were idle talk. Peter at least went and realized the same joy as the women.

Yes, and we too can carry on the great surprise of the Good News of Christ is Alive by breaking the silences around us and go running down to the others we know and shout out that he is no longer bound by death, but is victorious in life.

We could choose to believe this Jesus is the Christ and discover the surprise of his truth within us to change and transform and fill us with the joy of hope and wonder.

We can carry on the Resurrection,

the Easter surprise story

by living in the invitation of Jesus

to live as he lived, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another.”

Amen.