3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,
"You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
3:8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to
yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God
is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
3:9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree
therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire."
3:10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
3:11 In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share
with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."
3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him,
"Teacher, what should we do?"
3:13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed
for you."
3:14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said
to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false
accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were
questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the
Messiah,
3:16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water;
but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to
untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and fire.
3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn
with unquenchable fire."
3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news
to the people.
Comments:
Seasons of the Spirit reminds us that chaff and wheat come from the
same plant... I wonder how often we only see the chaff of a person
instead of the wheat. Is it only at Christmas we "see" the value of
the poor.
What about the world, Jesus came to the world, he was born in
another country- do we see the wheat of other countries. I am going
to cuba in January and am reading the history of it. Wow! the
embargo started because we wanted them to become a part of
America-why we saw the glitter of sugar gold and riches.
What expectations does God have of us, to sort out the chaff that
blinds us from seeing the kingdom as God intends... I love my
country but I alway have to love it from God's vision (there is a
passage in Collassians like that.)
Early ramblings.... on the road to the stable.
A children's book, Big bear, Big Bear comes to mind. Big bear big
bear, what do you see... Maybe God is asking us little children
little children what do you see...
Nancy-Wi
Before he begins his account of Jesus' ministry, Luke describes the
work of John the Baptist, who proclaimed the good news in startling
images. Radical generosity and faithfulness in vocation are among
the fruits of repentance John identifies.
After Advent's first sign urging us to "obey" and its secondary
stress on the "way," we come to the exhortation of this third
Sunday: "Rejoice!"
John rebuked and exhorted, but also "proclaimed the good news." We
have learned more of that good news than John knew and it fills our
Advent. First and foremost, the joy set before us is that Jesus
endured the cross "and has taken his seat at the right hand of the
throne of God" (Heb 12:2). And secondly, the joy the Holy Spirit's
baptism has given us is to possess "the peace of God which surpasses
all understanding" (Phil 4:7).
An old carol asks "Ubi sunt gaudia?"--where do we find joy? Scan the
first reading, Zephaniah 3:14-20--"Sing aloud....Rejoice and exult
with all your heart....The LORD, your God, is in your midst...he
will rejoice over you with gladness." God has brought us home!
Certainly that is the foundation of our joy.
Beyond that, what makes you glad? Compare it with John's answers to
the crowd's questioning, "What then should we do?" Consider
contrasting reasons for joy--"I have two coats! Isn't that great?"
or "I can share my coats with you! Here, take one!" Another example:
"I have so much food I will buy a bigger freezer to store it all!"
or "Spare a buck? I can spring for dinner!" One more: "I had to bend
a few rules, but I made a pile on a sharp deal" or "I am content
with my honest wages."
Seldom is our joy unselfish, but the first reading underlines our
true reason for joy: "The LORD has taken away the judgments against
you" (v.15). We repent our selfishness, and forgiveness awaits
us--reason indeed for joy!
"Rejoice! Again I will say, Rejoice!" Advent's best reason for joy:
"The Lord is near!"
George W. Hoyer
John is preparing the people for a new reality. Having established
himself as a prophet among them, he calls for genuine repentance and
exhorts them to change. Even though John calls the crowds, "vipers,"
they seem eager to hear more. They want to know what's expected of
them after baptism. John responds that they are to live and act with
integrity and compassion, caring for those who are denied a share of
community resources or true justice. Finally, John points to the one
who is to come. This one, Jesus, comes with a powerful message and a
new baptism.
The writer of Luke is reminding the first-century audience that they
are to be a believing community whose discipleship is seen through
action, and we hear this message too. Something wild and beautiful
happens when Christ enters the picture. Our vision, our reality, and
our practices change, challenging us to be truly open to all the new
possibilities that Christ invites.
How do we hear John's exhortations? Do we experience this call to
change as truly "good news" (3:18) - a cause to rejoice? This is
good news because it points us to the one who brings us into
merciful communities, a faithful way of life, and liberation for
all.
The people were filled with expectation... trying to discern the
truth. The truth of what he said and who he was..
His answer is interesting, not by water but with the Holy Spirit and
fire...
a curious reference to fire.. Anybody know the greek here? Nancy-Wi
To Nancy in WI:
The Greek word is "pur" (pronounced like "poor"). It means "fire,"
just like the book says. Let's not forget that when John (and Jesus)
mention that some will be thrown into the fire, they mean just that.
John is giving truly good news to the people; he's warning them
about God's wrath, which will come and destroy those who do not
repent and turn to God.
Will in NJ
I need some help... I'm a college freshman and I'm writing a sermon.
I chose this scripture because I like the message within, but I'm
not 100 percent sure where I should go with it. Any ideas?
college freshman: You wrote, "I chose this scripture because I like
the message within," First write out what you believe the message
is. Be prepared to let the Spirit work through you and the comments
of others lead you to other places. Depth and breathe....
Are you preaching or testifying. When you preach I always consider
to whom I am preaching. When I testify it is my own story. Sometimes
your own story is enough to preach. Next, live the scripture daily
or twice a day. what hymns and what liturgies flesh it out. Are
there stories that compliment it or tell it.
I am only working with 15-18 but it is informed by what is before
and what comes after. Nancy-Wi
Will or anybody, the line I am wondering aboutis: "He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Baptizing by fire is the
question here for me. still puzzling. Nancy-Wi
This is how you separate the wheat from the chaff by hand: At this
point the wheat is full of chaff - the fibrous outer shell that
surrounds each kernel of wheat on the head. You need a windy day, or
a big fan to get rid of this. As the wind always blows where I live,
I throw it up into the air like people have been doing for thousands
of years. The wheat is a lot heavier than the chaff so it falls to
the ground first. The chaff is blown away. I also did this on a big
tarp so it wouldn't be so hard to collect the wheat. Finally, after
lots of throwing, it was clean enough to suit me. Nancy-Wi
The end of this reading has John distinguishing himself from the
Christ in three ways: John is not worthy even to be a slave of the
mightier one; the Christ will baptize not with water but with the
Holy Spirit and with fire (anticipating Pentecost, Acts 2); and the
Christ will bring judgment.
In its present context, "Spirit and fire" can also be translated
"wind and fire," giving a double meaning to John's words. Wind and
fire were symbols for the Holy Spirit, the powerful presence of God
(Acts 2:1-4), but also of judgment. Farmers poured wheat from one
container to another on a windy day, or tossed the wheat into the
air with a fork or shovel so that the chaff would be blown away,
leaving the grain clean. The chaff burned with explosive combustion.
To this day, farmers know that a fire in a dry wheat field cannot be
contained or controlled. The message is clearly one of judgment,
just as in the earlier image, "The axe is laid to the root of the
trees" (v.9). The preacher should not, however, use John's message
as the permission to launch attacks on listeners, without redemptive
content. When repentance and forgiveness are available, judgment is
good news (v.18). The primary aim is to save the wheat, not to burn
the chaff.
from "Luke" by Fred B. Craddock in the Interpretation series.
Since I am limiting my preaching to the later half, beginning with
vs. 15, I still felt I need to put those verses context, this is how
I will do it. In this case the congregation will not know in
advance, so I am being the narrator. Be my guest if you find it
useful. Nancy-Wi Our scripture today is part of a longer passage in
which John the Baptist addresses those who have come to be baptized.
Not with the Holy Spirit but for repentance. John gives advice…and a
warning to crowd. (John enters) John "You brood of vipers! Who
warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of
repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as
our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to
raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root
of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire."
( you could narrate this part or assign several people to just say
"What then should we do.) And the crowds asked him, "What then
should we do?"
John--- "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none;
and whoever has food must do likewise."
(same either narrate or assign several people parts) Even tax
collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what
should we do?"
John- "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."
(same either narrate or assign several people parts) Soldiers also
asked him, "And we, what should we do?"
(John gets ready to exit) John "Do not extort money from anyone by
threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." (
John exits)
Well that pretty much tells the story. Our lesson today continues
on.
Baptism with fire could be said to be fulfilled at Pentecost. Fire
also refers to purification and sometimes judgment.
The baptism of Jesus (Christian baptism) is also a Spirit baptism,
too. John 3:5 "Born of water and the Spirit" where there are two
anarthrous nouns governed by the one preposition "ek" linked by the
conjunction "kai" ... in other words, water and Spirit are linked
together and not two completely separate baptisms or entities, a
born of spirit-water, if you will, which occurs in Christian
baptism. I am sure that will get some heated discussion from some.
:)
Luther in IA
Just who is "the chaff"? How bad does a person have to be to be
chaff? Can you switch between being wheat and chaff, and then switch
back, i.e. can wheat become contaminated, but then choose to be made
usable again? (sort of like the salt losing its saltness idea.)
Are the chaff the people who don't give away their coats or food, or
who take more than their allotment of something? Or does it go
deeper than actions and greed? Some would say "if you don't believe
what I believe, you are a pretty disposable commodity in God's
Kingdom." And others would say "Nobody gets tossed out of God's
Kingdom. There is room for everyone in it." Where does God draw the
line on what his winnowing fork will be sifting out?
Questions - perhaps rhetorical ones - running through my mind early
in the preparations.
KyHoosierCat
Maybe that the line is not clearly drawn for a reason- we are all
going on to perfection... a thought. The more we judge our own
response to Christ's teaching, maybe the better our relationship
becomes. Nancy=Wi
KyHoosierCat asked who is chaff.
It has been some months since I posted and as I am preaching this
weekend, I am jumping back in...
If I read this correctly, the warning John is issuing is that now
that the Messiah has come, the process of salvation has begun and
will end with the final judgement, first comes the clearing of the
threshing floor and preparing for gathering the harvest. That
process has begun and the winnowing fork is in hand. The final
judgement is not here yet, so there IS YET TIME to repent and
believe the Gospel. The chaff, I believe, refers to unbelievers who
persist to the end and rely on their good works or some other method
for salvation. The believers have that grain (perhaps the grain of
Truth) within them that is life, not merely an empty shell that once
contained life. This is GOOD news (v. 18). This was a message of
HOPE from John. The "brood of vipers" seems to arrive on cue to jump
on the bandwagon. However, John will have none of that. Only
repentance and belief in the Gospel will suffice. No empty shells
that appear to be grains of wheat.
Come Lord Jesus...
ARMY CH E, Heidelberg
Three groups of people come to John and all ask the same question;
"What should we do?" That is clearly the most reasonable question.
John says "Judgment is coming!" Everyone asks, "Since judgment is
coming, what should we do?"
In each case, the remedy is the same; do not be attached to this
world. Repentence, then, always involves detaching yourself from
THIS world so you can focus on the world Christ is bringing.
Whoever has two coats is, in effect, serving two masters (as Origen
points out). Give up one and be charitable. The Jews might think
John's advice to tax collectors would be to stop being in the tax
collecting business... but no, John says, in effect, "If you are a
tax collector, then be an honest and lawful tax collector." Also to
the soldier, John does not demand that a soldier stop being a
soldier, but that the soldier be a good soldier; not extorting by
using force and false accusation, but to be satisfied with what you
have. In each case - don't serve THINGS in this world, but be
content with what you rightfully have.
To KyHoosierCat's question, I would simply say we cannot know who
the chaff is. This is what will be revealed at the judgment. Since
this is the case, we treat everyone like wheat, but call on them, as
John does, to live like wheat.
A common theme in the preaching God has given me is, "Be who you
are. You are a Christian. Be that."
JG in WI
Nancy,
I've never thought to tease out what baptism "with the Holy Spirit
and with fire" means. BUt from your earlier reminder that we are all
made up of chaff and wheat, and that wind blows away the chaff,
could it be that the Wind of God, the Spirit, blows our chaff away
into the fire? Just a thought...
Heaher in Sharon
Dear Nancy-Wi,
Can you tell me some more about Big Bear, Big Bear? Who was the
author? Is it available today or is it an older hard to find book? I
am interested in finding it.
Mike in Sunshine
John says "Bear fruit that befits repentance." He then gives three
ways to do this based on people's inquiries: be charitable, don't
cheat or steal, don't extort. I know there's always room for more
charity, but overall I say this list isn't hard for most people I
know. Tim in NY
Rambling thoughts, disconnected perhaps -- and probably too long.
Sorry in advance.
I agree with Tim that this list isn't all that tough to keep. Few of
us would keep the extra dollar we got back in change at the store,
even fewer would resort to threats to get what we want. And we all
give charitably in some real ways. I guess I'm wondering if just
doing the right thing is sufficient. John seems to be dwelling on
actions that keep us on the up-and-up, thereby avoiding the eternal
fires. But I don't see any "heart" in it. The people he was
preaching to must have really needed to start from Square 1, the
basics. Do not steal. Do not cheat. We'll deal with the tough stuff
later.
Jesus leads me to understand that I am to do right by my brothers
and sisters because I love God and want to serve him. Not because I
will be rewarded, and not because I will be punished somehow if I
don't, but as a response to God's great love already shown. There is
heart in that; it is not simply a Do/Do Not list with a
corresponding reward/punishment list.
I sometimes watch Dr. Phil McGraw's show (stop groaning out
there!!). I remember one show where a very strict mother had a chart
on the refrigerator door that listed what punishment fit which
crime. Sassing Mom or Dad meant X swats on the bare bottom. Lying
was so many swats and maybe a bar of soap in the mouth. Etc. Every
time this 4-yr.old child broke a house rule, she was taken to the
refrigerator to see what was coming. She lived in fear of being hit
and soaped, but it did not improve her behavior one iota. She was
still doing all the crimes, and showed her parents zero respect,
even with a frightening punishment hanging over her head.
This is my fear of this kind of Judgment Day idea. We may believe we
know what's coming, but does it deter us from our actions? Prisons
are full of return customers. Principal's offices are visited by the
same students over and over.
Speaking for myself, fear of eternal fires is not what keeps me
trying to live right (not perfectly by any means. This is no brag
board!) It is that I am loved so perfectly that makes any attempt to
sully that love seem so utterly distastful to me.
So, for the 3rd week in a row, I'm having a real struggle with the
Scripture verse of the week. I may move over to my original thought
of Isaiah and the wells of salvation.
JG in WI, Thanks for the "if you're going to be a child of the
Kingdom, be the best one you can be" angle. That may help me work
through this text.
KHC
Wheat...chaff.
I grew up on the Canadian prairies; a farm-boy with my hands on the
equipment and my nose full of the dust. When I muse through this
text I'm always somewhat taken back with quesions about "who is
wheat...who is chaff" because the two are part of a single and
dynamic whole! No wheat kernal exists that hasn't been protected and
allowed to nurture and develop and mature from inside the outer
layers of that kernal-which are the chaff!!
In the life-cycle of a wheat seed, from one kernal planted in the
ground grows a stock (or sometimes two stocks depending on the
growing conditions!) each of which produces a head (or heads,
depending on the scientist's modifications in the labratory). Each
head of grain may contain 15 kernals, or as many as 50 (again,
depeding on the variety grown, the growing conditions, the
fertilizer, etc.) Each kernal then has many layers which have names
and particular characteristics as defined by scientists and
researchers. And each layer from the outermost (chaff) to the
innermost contribute particular elements to what the grain will be
used for. In the process of harvesting the crop, the kernals are
initially separated from the rest of the plant leaving "grain" and
the "straw". The straw is initially everything from the stock
(ground-level and upward) to the kernal itself. But the straw is
often broken down into components: the stockier parts can be used
for 'bedding' where livestock lie down...or it can be used -as it
still is as in parts of Africa- for an ingredient in building
bricks...or it can be compressed and turned into pressboard products
for construction or firelogs for fireplaces...or it can be worked
back into the soil to provide nutrients for the next season of
growing...or it can be piled up and burned (which simply adds carbon
to the universal carbon-based system) Now the chaff can also be left
to decompose and re-enter the soil as a nutrient, or it can be
collected and used as a nutritious ingredient in a feed-mixture for
livestock, or it can be added to the straw and used also for various
contruction products...or it can be burned (and it DOES burn with
particular vigor because of it's characteristics!). Or layer of the
chaff somewhere between the outside and the core of the kernal
becomes an ingredient in bran (bran flakes, bran fibre, etc for good
digestion!)
But here's where it gets really fun, 'cuz whether or not we look at
separating wheat from chaff, or chaff from straw, it remains that
the parts all come from one mutually supportive whole (the plant!),
and once separated, they all go through processis that break them
down into various uses: nutrients for soil (staw or chaff) or for
seed to grow the next crop (wheat); destined for the fire in the
field (straw, chaff) or for the fire of digestion (grain converted
into calories to be burned off in the body); converted into other
forms (straw and chaff turned into bricks or fibre-board) or (grain
pulverised and crushed to become flour for baking. And NO kernal of
wheat essentially has any say in how it will be used or whether it
more like chaff than wheat.
At best, I think the whole metaphore is best left to the discretion
of the "farmer" -dare I say God!-, who knows far better than we that
enclosed in every layer of chaff is a kernal and that embodied in
both the chaff and the kernal are useful elements which will need to
be further crushed, pulverised, refined and otherwise converted to
reach their full potential.
...anybody sing the hymn "IN The Bulb There is A Flower"- 1985 by
Natalie Smith??
Perry in K/W (that'd be in Canada, eh?)
In reading the first couple of verses, John is calling the children
of Abraham to be true to who they are. They are just resting in the
status they think they have in being the children of Abraham, and
God's chosen people, but not living the life that they are to live
that defines "Children of Abraham." The Good News is they are asking
the questions, "What must I do?" Something in John's words of
warning got them to at least think, to prepare them for Christ's
coming. The Good news is they have been given another chance, a
chance to respond to the Good News, and to the person of Christ.
Susan in Wa.
What must I do? How about "believe" in the one whom God has sent?
Then respond to the love of God, which is behind the sending of the
Son by doing good works. Too often the "What can I do?" is intended
to earn salvation. Question - When do we receive the Holy Spirit? I
always thought it was when we were baptized in the name of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Yet, there are those who impart the
Holy Spirit with the laying on of hands. Jesus breathed on his
disciples, then they received the Holy Spirit. Any thoughts? PH in
OH
Perry, KHC, JG,
A couple thoughts. Thanks Perry for the reminder that there is both
wheat and chaff in all of us -- I like that image, not sure what
I"ll do with it, but I like it.
Also, I guess my inclination at late Mon afternoon is to go with the
mid-section of the passage: what can we do? These are all things
that are fair and reasonable, not to mention just. There is much we
can do where we are -- we do not need to leave all that we know
behind, jump from being an accountant to the mission field in Africa
--- but we ARE being asked to be just and fair and reasonable, just
where we are. I like the "be the best Christian you can be" idea,
too.
MM in PA
Susan in WA, I too keep admiring the openness of the crowd, the tax
collectors and the soldiers to John's message. When they ask "What
should we do?" they are like sick people hanging on their doctor's
recommendation. Their "What should we do?" shames me because in my
heart I don't ask the Holy Spirit that question nearly often enough.
I get comfortable with what I'm already doing. If I ask the Holy
Spirit "What should I do?" I will soon be shown something about
myself that I will have to change if I want to become what God wants
me to become. It's a huge risk to ask that question. They have more
courage than I do. TiminOH
The image that comes to my mind re: the wheat and the chaff is that
of Eustace in Voyage of the Dawn Treader--he can take off some of
the layers of the dragon he had become, but ultimately it was only
Aslan--only Jesus Christ that could remove all those layers of the
beast. And does not God sing for joy at such a sight?! J in CA
Hi, I've never posted here before but I thought I would share the
lyrics to the beautiful song we will be using with this text. It's
written by Peder Eide & Adam Wirdzek, 1999 Ya! Sure Music/Scrumpy
Music ASCAP:
V1: Teach me to love, teach me to serve Teach me to tell of the
truth of your Word Help me be weak, help me be strong To love what
is right and to hate what is wrong
Chorus: I know that I have a long way to go Until I’m made pure and
true* But ‘til that day, this Lord I pray Help me to be like You
V2: Teach me to trust, teach me to pray Teach me to walk in the
faith to obey Help me be meek, help me be bold Help me to serve both
the young and the old (chorus)
B: To be a friend of compassion, A servant with passion A lover of
Your dear bride To be filled with conviction, A part of Your mission
A servant of Christ who died
V3: Teach me to stand, teach me to fall Down on my knees in response
to Your call Help me to die, help me to live Help me to share the
true love that You give (chorus)
*Refers to our destination in heaven, not a state of perfection here
in this life. On the day of Christ Jesus, God's work of
sanctification will be complete - we will be made pure and true.
Jesus is coming!
When I preached on this text three years ago, my deacon (the late
Glenn Wilde) had preached the Sunday before and had talked about
stones in New England farm fields being a metaphor for our sinful
nature. I picked up on his metaphor and the comment of John the
Baptizer in Verse 8. You can find that sermon (entitled "Stones at
Worship")
I'm not preaching this Sunday as my family and I will be in Southern
California where we will bury my dad on Saturday (he passed away on
November 17). Nor am I preaching on 12/21 -- the Sunday School
Christmas Pageant will be that morning. But I'm sure looking forward
to discussing the Christmas propers with you all!
Blessings, Eric in OH
I would like to thank Perry (eh?) for making the point that wheat
and chaff come from the same plant--as well as for the exposition of
the many uses of the plant itself.
Perry wrote: No wheat kernal exists that hasn't been protected and
allowed to nurture and develop and mature from inside the outer
layers of that kernal-which are the chaff!!
Interesting--at a time when we are all putting on layers (getting
ready for winter storms and cold), John the Baptist is asking us to
take off those layers that protect us--get rid of the chaff! Get rid
of the stuff that makes you comfortable and keeps you safe and
warm--the stuff you grew up with, perhaps? Is this a call to
vulnerability? We've given chaff a bad name, partly because of the
imagery that's been used to describe it in the Bible. But maybe it's
just a symbol for our need to grow beyond our comfort zones.
It reminds me of what it was like to give up my favourite blanet
when I was a child--not a fun experience! (Although it had pretty
well disintegrated by then anyway!) Giving up the chaff is hard to
do. . .
macdonde in Newcastle
One could never go there without being immersed, a full-body,
dripping on the floor kind of immersion, where no dry spot is spared
and even the space between one’s toes are not exempt. For life in
Alma Brown’s house was like that, always the smell of something good
baking in the oven, always the chaotic activity of communal living,
always the intensity of relationship and connectivity and unity. To
visit Alma Brown’s house was to be completely consumed by the
breadth of Spirit and the messiness of life.
You see, Alma’s wasn’t just any house; Alma’s was a house full of
brokenness, an amalgamation of throw-away folks, a collection of
souls born from the hell of addiction. Three dozen folks, some with
children, most without; men and women, black and white, old and
young … three dozen folks living in three old houses on three
corners of a dirty intersection in what the good white folks called
“that bad part of town.” Three dozen folks who had found their way
up from the gutter to this rather bizarre community where there was
never a lot of room for privacy but there was ample space for life.
For some of those on the outside looking in, they didn’t much care
for that the love offered up by Alma. It seemed harsh, and besides,
those folks weren’t really very lovable. Hers was an overwhelming
kind of love that always held one accountable. Hers was a love that
said, “You are always accepted here, right where you are at, no
matter who you are, no matter where you’ve been, no matter what you
have done. You can stay as long as you need to stay, but while you
are here, you will be here in all of the fullness of this place.”
For some, it would seem a hard kind of love. There was an AA meeting
every night. There were prayer meetings and bible readings. There
were community meals and community singing. There was job training
and adult education and parenting classes and literacy programs. And
in all of this, there was a place for being. To be at Alma’s house
was to “work the program,” no exceptions, no excuses.
From the outside, the inside often looks strange and forbidding, but
from within Alma’s house, deep in the flames of God’s burning
passion, there was always laughter and love. For those who
struggled, for those scarred creatures who screamed, “What shall we
do?!” there was always encouragement, always those who would wrap
their arms around you and gently whisper, “You can do it. God loves
you. You are safe here. Call on me and I will carry your burden.
Call on me and I will hold you when you are afraid, or weak, or
hurt, or angry, or sick. Come to me and I will wipe your face and
dry your tears. I’ve been there, in the pain, in the loneliness, in
the gutter. I am with you.” In every small victory, there was
celebration. In every day of sobriety there was an offering of
thanks. In every life lived there was grace proclaimed and hope
restored.
Such love is so intense, hard to receive by those so damaged. Some
didn’t stay. Usually they would leave in the night. They would
gather up their things in the darkness and quietly slip away, back
to the streets, back to the bottle or pills or powder, back to their
lostness, back to hell. And for each one who left, there would be
prayers offered and tears shed. In each winnowing of a broken soul,
in each surrender to the demons of despair, loving grief would flow
from the broken community washing outward into the world, a baptism
of hope, a claim that even in the streets, even in the midst of the
demonic, even in the darkness of addiction, God IS.
Not long ago, in the clutter of the morning’s paper, there was a
small article, only a few paragraphs. Few would notice it, this
short compilation of facts. It seems that a group of homes where
addicts had once lived were being torn down. The houses were not in
good shape and besides, the woman who had run this place had gotten
old. She was in poor health, and the article noted that she was
probably suffering the ill effects from an earlier life of
alcoholism. She had retired and there was no one else willing to
reside in the chaos. A new store was to be built on the property and
it was hoped it would lead to revitalization some upscale
development.
We, the good, well-scrubbed, middle-class church folk knew that it
was a good thing for something needed to be done with that “bad part
of town.” Perhaps one day, there might even be condominiums built so
that young urban couples could enjoy the life of the city. And who
knew, in what had been a space for addicts and street-people, some
day there might even be space for life. Anyway, it was all like so
much chaff. “Perhaps,” we exhorted, “there might be some good news,
after all.”
Shalom, Nail-Bender in NC
I was hoping a few seasoned preachers might help me here. I am
wondering if its normal to go through periods in preaching when the
inspiration seems to be lost and the very idea of sitting down at
the computer can seem like more than a burden than a blessing. All
of a sudden I feel like I am coming across predictable and boring
and flat from the pulpit, and I'm sure alot of this is really all
about my own 'junk' but is it normal to be in a slump every now and
again?
A New Pastor on the Jersey Shore...
As I look at John's answer to the questions, "What shall we do?" It
strikes me that all of them have to do with relationships to other
people. The question implies what to do to take of self. The answer
is to take care of others.
Nebraska Intern
New pastor,
Yes, we all reach those points. That is why it is important for us
to "Be" in places like Alma's house. You see, my friend, we don't
give away our cloak so we might heal the other, we give away our
cloak so that we, ourselves, might be healed. Go to Alma's house and
there, you will discover new life and strength and hope. You will
find her where ever there are ministries in the deepest brokenness,
where the pain of Christ and the love of Christ meet.
Shalom, Nail-Bender in NC
New Pastor, From one who is a new pastor myself, (just over a year
in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, eh?) just wanted to let you know that
there's plenty of room in the preaching dry spell boat. Know that
you're not alone in experiencing doubt and staleness. Know also that
God will use even what we feel to be repetitive, empty, or over-used
words and thoughts. The desert holds an incredible amount of life,
it's just a lot harder to see sometimes. My prayer for you is that
you will know God's inspiration and love as you seek renewal and
refreshment.
Peace, Mike in SK
New Preacher Sometimes, even inspired, well thought out and profound
sermons are a task to write and come accross boring. It is not "how"
it gets accross but "what" gets accross. Be a pastor to your
community, be a preacher when you need to be and allow God to be
with you. God Bless From Texas.
I like that question "what should we do?" While it's true that often
the "doing" is an excuse to avoid ministries of "being" and
"teaching" and "proclaiming" and even of "believing," it goes
against the new conventional wisdom to have the question "what
should we do?" be answered directly.
"Give a coat away, share your food."
There's wisdom in the AA adage, "Fake it 'till you make it." Behave
like you care and sooner or later you will.
Notice also the "doing" is not about following the Law. It's not
about adhering to a prescribed dogma. It's not about attending
worship or UMW or tithing. It's about caring. It's about being
baptized by water and looking to be baptized with fire.
Sally in GA
I like the musings on "chaff." I still think, however, that only the
wheat can be ground into the flour that will make the bread.
I'm reminded also of two things (for what it's worth):
I'm a musician and we sang a song that was new to me at our concert
recently. It was attributed and played in a Caribbean style, but I
think it's an African American spiritual. "There's a pretty little
baby/ Look in the manger, look in the manger, look in the manger/
there's a pretty little baby/ look in the manger, behold, believe,
and be baptized."
That's what we DO - behold, believe, and be baptized.
Then, as a French literature minor, I know of a novel by Mauriac
called "La Noed de Vipers," directly translated into English, it's
the Knot of Vipers, but "brood of vipers" would be the more common
phrase. It seems that I remember Phillip Yance, in "What's So
Amazing About Grace" quoting this book, if you'd like to look it up.
Anyways, the basic thread is a young man's search for spirituality -
and his crush and childhood friend becomes a rather severe
institutional Christian, who wears an amethyst cross (purple -
suffering, cross - redemption). The irony is that she can't
distinguish redemption from suffering and he can't see the need for
the suffering and he suffers all the more for it. (been awhile since
college, but I think that's the gist - 1983)
Mauriac, though disenchanted with the institutional church (happens
to be RC), still demonstrates an existential yearning that many
share.
OK, so getting up into a pulpit and quoting Mauriac will leave
everyone looking at you like you're nuts, but the book points out a
paradox: we need both/and.
KHC - as always, your comments have really "zinged" wiht me.
Sally
A minor correction: The hymn "In the Bulb There Is a Flower" is by
Natalie Sleeth (not Smith).
dlmc
John's handing out prescriptions for the newly-baptized brings to
mind an image of people lined up in front of a guru. They present
themselves to the guru, the guru gives them a quick answer, and off
they go.
We all know it's not that easy. And we all know we'd rather be the
ones giving the advice rather than taking it.
Getting a late start, still suffering some burn-out, and still have
jumbled thoughts.
My sympathy, Eric, on the loss of your dad.
Sally
New Pastor -- that "predictible, boring" feeling comes and goes --
we are all familiar with it, I'm sure.
Sally -- thanks.
Nail Bender -- where ya been? (Or am I the one who hasn't been
around much?)
Blessings, Eric in OH
"In the Bulb There Is a Flower" is in the UMHymnal under HYmn of
Promise.
Also, a reminder the same plant grows the chaff and the wheat. I am
going with the assumption that all are wheat we need to get rid of
the chaff the stuff that keeps us from following Christ and doing
the work of the Kingdom. Nancy-Wi
Mike in Sunshine,
I'm pretty sure that Nancy meant "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do
You See?" -- which is by Eric Carle and VERY findable.
Squeeze
MMMM! We need chaff to grow but to be mature, we must move beyond it
and venture out and be vulnerable to being the wheat for someone
elses dinner.
Incidently, I am using peanut in the shell to illustrate this with
the children... yes I know about allergies so they will get to take
a sucker back to the pew instead. Nancy-Wi
Dear New Pastor,
I have a pastor friend who keeps reminding me that sometimes we
preach because we have something to say and sometimes we preach
because we have to say something. Having said that, I have found
that the sermons I think were the hardest to write, struggling to
find what it is that I'm supposed to be lifting out of that
particular scripture ... those are the ones that people will come to
me, days later, and mention specifically how meaningful it was and
why.
I reiterate what's been said before: it isn't just you preaching,
but the congregation listening and the Holy Spirit working through
you in that place.
Actually, that is one of the reasons I come here, to this site.
Sometimes it's fun or for focus or for different viewpoints, but
sometimes it's been to spur me on to see something new that my tired
eyes simply cannot see without help that day.
Hey, not all sermons can be perfect. That's why we get the chance to
do it again the next week! Hang in there, know you are not alone.
MM in PA
