Sickness

Revolutionary words are hard to find
The summation of advice I have received

Through the algorithm of my metabolism

Is essentially to care less

Hard to argue with

There is a place that sickness comes from

It is a very bad place

So bad it spreads to all others as fast as it can

It doesn't want to it just does

The thing is we all allow the very worst

The sickness calls us to evolve

To finally identify where it comes

The lab or the wet market both depraved

 Simply put equally sick

Wonder doesn't happen all the time

Both could be the cause

Either way humanity has a sickness

Pro

Promotion production procedure
Procurement protein

Promo product predicament

Prediction Predilection  

Two Years

A long way is a short way
Easier and quicker to go back we all know

All is what defines the universe

We base our society on the fact we know

We do not

A two year trip around the world to die in me

I am the virus killer

Quarantined  endemic enticed

You how many the way you passed on

We have our own responsibility

We have our one reality

They scale not important you will find jets

Racing

Most types enjoyable
No that is not he word
Mostly a blur

The best do not know what they do

Muscle memory is where we store texture

You think you will never win this even I know

But there is one that  I gained a new perspective

Mind racing useless

I was able to observe at a lower resolution

Higher up the birds eye view

Not the eagle

But the nervous sand piper

Co-Christmas

It is hard to be a poet in a pandemic
There is not an easy time to write

Five million already gone

The scientists worked hard or so it would seem

Twenty one months later my response educated

Eight thousand on average dead this week

There are more stories of how we will go wrong than right

The hope of despair

My response educated by more people than I will know

But I can love them

From a molecular point of view quite a remarkable journey

My T cells never heard of Q

Planets

They say there are only eight planets in our solar system

I have lived on more than that

The first I remember had all of my grandparents

They are all gone now

They are all here

When I lost my father it was easy enough to see

I lived on another planet one he would never trod

Tropicana

There was a time when mostly foreigners hung out in the Tropicana in Zenica

We were the only ones who had money to spend 

People remembered carrying a dinning table up a mountain to trade for lunch

Bread there was no bread at the Tropicana, but there was plenty of money

I was young, but there were some thing that looked familiar

Not many people were very happy

Some were very happy

I chose my side

National Day of Mourning

Things change. It is in their nature to. Big part of following Jesus is dealing with change. I grew up on Indian Hills where we celebrated thanksgiving. Fifty years later the people I respect the most now call it slash national day of mourning. How further could things change? Well they go in circles around God.

People think we are so divided in our politics. I find myself laughing. What is really happening is change and we are coming together and it is difficult. Two hundred years ago when this church was founded it would be broken by slavery. We began in Baltimore conference. Baltimore!!! Rockets red glare bombs bursting in air just nine years earlier.  Baltimore!!! 

Methodist Episcopal Church, Nottingham MEC is what we were for most of our history. The largest Methodist denomination in the country itself only founded in 1784. The first nationally organized church in the country. Nice thing about sermons in the modern Methodist Church not a lot of time for fact checking. Everything I mention I invite you to investigate. Most people will tell you things to stop you. Jesus told people things to free them.

Lots of excitement from 1821, I almost lose my point. by 1860 this ME church would be broken.  No longer the largest or the only one organized. Not yet through our first forty years or the Civil War. We have been more divided. People under Jim Crow south laws walked around as if they made sense. We walk around as if our rules makes sense. Our leaders now say 1.5 degrees Celsius is not so bad and there is nothing we can due now anyways. When people ask why I follow Jesus I simply ask who do you follow? Give me a better example.

We need more holidays.   I've talked about celebrating each other's holidays but we need new ones. There was a time when there were none.  People are afraid to take a critical view.   I think this is a natural occurrence.  There is a great truth about problems.  Some of them will solve themselves. Certainly not everyone and the trick is to know which ones. Sometimes the answer is to do nothing.

The first time I experience this and really understood it was in a professional setting.  The job that was in front of me was impossible.  So I started doing what I could knowing that I would not be able to solve every problem I had before me.  Something surprising happened.  Some of the problems took care of themselves.  I looked in amazement and wanted to tell someone.  We don't usually tell people when we solve a problem by doing nothing.  I didn't tell anybody, but I remember that I wanted to.

Well here you are and another thing has taken care of itself.  Hoping problems solve themselves doesn't seem to be much help in my experience.  Like a store where something is sold.  There are people coming there to just spend money.  There are other people that have no idea why they are there.  A good salesman in my mind doesn't get in the way of the first group and deals with the reality of the latter group.  Ice sold to people in the artic in my mind is not a good sale.  

So here we find ourselves in the next two hundred years at Nottingham. This first week of advent this new year for the church soon to be broken again. Sometimes things need to be broken. Jesus sure was.  Behind us we have Christ the King Sunday and ahead of us we have twelve days of Christmas and the rest of our year.

It is nice how we gather in Advent to begin our year.  Almost like we get a head start on the rest of the world.  We are in the first season again on the road to Bethlehem.  None of us the first time around.  Some of us spun around and confused.  These years like the generations mingle through.  I hope to show you here today it is why things are so hard to fix.

Here today in our scripture we have something different from a lesson. Not an example cause this here today we don't have to do just Jesus does. When Jesus talks about his yoke being light I believe this is part of what he is talking about.

Luke 21:25-36 which I read from the Amplified Bible is our scripture for today:

25 “There will be signs (attesting miracles) in the sun and moon and stars; and on the earth [there will be] distress and anguish among nations, in perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting from fear and expectation of the [dreadful] things coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken."

Today we feel like we have been through so much.  That day when Jesus said this people felt they had been through so much.  We have each learned lessons of things then and now that shake at the very powers of heaven.  I would mention the holocausts and maybe the twenty seven million soviet citizens that died for our freedoms.  Something that is never mentioned enough in my mind.

For the contemporaries of Jesus they would not have to think long to come to something that shakes the very powers of heaven, their Temple after all was not their first.  Remembering Egypt was high up there in the their holidays.  

 27 "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with [transcendent, overwhelming] power [subduing the nations] and with great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to occur, stand tall and lift up your heads [in joy], because [suffering ends as] your redemption is drawing near.”

Pretty good way to start the year.  Bit of a spoiler.  It is telling to note where we start this year on the road to Jerusalem celebrating where we will arrive.  Through the shadow of the valley of many things we will come.

29 Then He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they put out leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is near. 31 So you too, when you see these things happening, know [without any doubt] that the kingdom of God is near. 32 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [those living at that definite period of time preceding the second coming] will not pass away until [a]everything takes place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

I don't think I have an answer here because I am not sure there is one.  Mark records this generation will not pass as well.  There are no answers that I like among those who have theories.  People say Jesus must be talking about future generations.  There is also this idea of double fulfillment which is even less satisfying.  Somehow it was a true prophesy for future generation and that generation because the Temple was destroyed a second time.  About the worst thing the contemporaries of Jesus could imagine happening.

Maybe I wonder here if this is why things are so hard to fix: these generations.  When I was younger people seemed older.  Now that I am older people of seem younger.  There was something that I identified early in life: people cycle through and institutions go along with little memory.  Even our church no one who has been here two hundred years.  Some people linger but those in charge today were not in charge yesterday.  The new person that shows up next week will not worry about that.

We go through stages in life.  The year 2021 seemed so far away to me. It did not to my daughter.  We replace ourselves and have been mingling in since the time of Jesus.  This institution of Christianity traces itself directly to the life of this man.  How many people and who were in charge has cycled and circle and almost exhausted itself and in other times did not have enough room for all that wanted to enter.

I'm not sure what exactly is gonna happen in the kingdom the return of Jesus will usher in, but I think what will change most is these generations will be different.  I almost wonder will we have enough people by then.  

34 “But be on guard, so that your hearts are not weighed down and depressed with the giddiness of debauchery and the nausea of self-indulgence and the worldly worries of life, and then that day [when the Messiah returns] will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth. 36 But keep alert at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming].”

It's the generations that mingle through. Why nothing is ever done and how everything is. I noticed this when I was young and saw people retire.  There were certain people that read the news when I first learned that was a thing.  They have all gone.  I think it would be funny for those news readers to see what the current news calls news, but they are all gone or gone quiet.

That first Thanksgiving took place on the land of the Wampanoag Nation, with 30,000 to 100,000 people spread across their land.  They did not eat turkey I can tell you.  They helped them survive to ensure their own demise, well there are 2,800 still there today.  Ignored by the 1.5 million visitors to Plymouth rock.

The Wampanoags, whose name means “People of the First Light” in their native language, trace their ancestors back at least 10,000 years to southeastern Massachusetts, a land they called Patuxet. In the 1600s, they lived in 69 villages, each with a chief and a medicine man.

The Wampanoags were nearly wiped out by a mysterious disease that some Wampanoags believe came from the feces of rats aboard European boats, while other historians think it was likely small pox or possibly yellow fever.  Known as “The Great Dying,” the pandemic lasted three years.

The Wampanoags kept tabs on the Pilgrims for months. In their first winter, half died due to cold, starvation and disease.  By the fall, the Pilgrims — thanks in large part to the Wampanoags teaching them how to plant beans and squash in a mound with maize around it and use fish remains as fertilizer — had their first harvest of crops.

To celebrate its first success as a colony, the Pilgrims had a “harvest feast” that became the basis for what’s now called Thanksgiving. The Wampanoags weren’t invited.  They showed up only after the English in their revelry shot off some of their muskets. At the sound of gunfire, the Wampanoags came running, fearing they were headed to war.

The people who saved them the year before were not invited to the first Thanksgiving.  There would not be something as conventional as war.  

Seneca scholar John Mohawk wrote that according to his culture, “an individual is not smart […] but merely lucky to be part of a system that has intelligence. Be humble about this. The real intelligence isn’t the property of an individual; the real intelligence is the property of the universe itself.”

I think there is something that will happen to the generations to stop this round and round and bring us our memory.  Perhaps this is part of what Jesus is, the word.  We are learning as much about the past as the future.  Things with the possibility to finally be fixed.  Gives us no excuse to break things.  Here on the road to Bethlehem we know the destination.  We fail sometime, but we don't plan to.  

The start of the year is where we find ourselves.  In the second two hundred years of Nottingham, Jesus may come back in them, but if not we plan to still be waiting.  Around the year.  Around the generations.  Now past the end of the year, Christ the king represented by one banner in one corner.  Heading to twelve days of Christmas represented in the other corner.  Here we are in Advent.  So be here in Advent.  I invite you to live each of these weeks Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.

Let Us Pray

From Psalm 63:2-9

O God, you are my God, for you I long;

for you my soul is thirsting.

My body pines for you

like a dry, weary land without water.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary

to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,

my lips will speak your praise.

So I will bless you all my life,

in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,

my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.

On you I muse through the night

for you have been my help;

in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

My soul clings to you;

your right hand holds me fast.

Hold us fast, Hold Nottingham fast

We ask in Jesus' Name, Amen

Benediction

Go out

Go in circles

Keep doing what is right

Until all the roads our lord makes straight

Until all of us are called home

Be the blessing Jesus has for others

Praying that you may have the strength and ability

Nottingham UMC 11/28/2021

I Got No Brakes

I got no brakes

I got no brakes

I got no brakes

Plenty of room to slow down baby

Kind

A group, a quality of being friendly, how you learn about people is their use of words.  You can learn about yourself.  For us here in the church words are sustenance.  There are people of other kinds.  Some that find no value in them.  Some steal with them.

Next week the world will gather for the latest UN Climate Change Conference.  Mostly what they will be doing is debating which words to use in the final agreement.  This process is essentially a continuation of the work that came out of the first Earth Summit in 1992.  Many words have been argued over and the pattern has always been for the weaker words to win.  Everything to date has been voluntary.  We don't really seem to have a way forward.  Our own climate change response has been an open question since 1992.  

The environment first become interesting to me as I saw these pressing questions would have real answers on the scale of a human lifetime.  Specifically my human lifetime.  Earlier in my life the worst weather always seemed to be snow now for me it is rain.  The intensity of the rainfall today is nothing that I am used to.  100 year storms we need new names.  Words sometimes don't work anymore.

We have had an issue of flooding that has thus far stumped our plumbers.  The education wing has flooded several times recently and the best we can figure at this time was it is due to the intensity.  More rain in a shorter amount of time than the drains were designed to take care.  In the past we designed systems to speed up drainage at our own peril.  Best practice today attempts to slow water down.

I don't argue with you about the science, but just to say we have given up on avoiding climate change.  The best we can do is keep it to below +1.5 degrees.  There are slogans of hope to keep it to this level now.  Honestly with my experience in this process I think it would be  a miracle to keep it at this level as we only have promises and little real action.  

The international work reminds me of the long history of the clean water act.  Many people think this is something of the past.  Created when I was 1 year old, they still have not solved agricultural runoff.  They agreed on a wonderful word: exempt.   We have toxic algae blooms in the lake cause apparently there is nothing we can do about this problem.  

In the early 70s it was easy to stop pollution from point sources such as factories with pipes going into the river.  Storm water and combined sewer flows were completely ignored for 30 years.  In 2003 when I graduated from the urban school there was finally a permit system being created for storm water.

In our region the last 20 years we have been building tunnels to store storm water for later treatment.  In my mind it may have been more cost effective to rebuild everyone's home in Cleveland and put a rain garden in the back yard.  Slowing down the water is something we have not done the last 100 years.  Non point pollution is hard and global climate change the hardest example.

There is one point of hope.  This problem has been worked on by more people than any other problem in the history of the world.  Local Agenda 21 since 1992 has involved more people than any other project in the history of people.

We have a unique problem of imagination.  The same intellectual creature that is sending robots with cameras to mars is the one destroying the only habitable place in the universe it knows.  We are a species of contradictions.  We get ahead of ourselves.  

So before we do today, we have a short scripture from Mark chapter 10: verse 46-52. I will read from the Amplified Bible:

46 Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road [as was his custom]. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and say, “Jesus, [a]Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” 

When we find ourselves in crowds we almost become a type of super organism.  We watch each other for cues.  The crowd knows better than us we naturally believe.  Interesting research has shown this to be true.  A crowd guessing the weight of someone will usually be spot on with the average of their answers.  Think about that for a second.  No right answer but on average the right answer.  This is fairly well establish science of the crowd.  Something emergent.

A poll of the general population about the top five environmental priorities and a list made up by experts will match.  This is fairly well established science I have seen in action.  Community holds more than us.

48 Many sternly rebuked him, telling him to keep still and be quiet; but he kept on shouting out all the more, “Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” 

The crowd kind of made a decision.  Maybe not everybody in the crowd had decided what Jesus was yet.  By calling him a Son of David he was telling the crowd his opinion.   These were early days yet.

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, telling him, “Take courage, get up! He is calling for you.” 

Jesus it seems didn't have to yell as the crowd seems to have here.  Quick to rebuke and just as quick to support.  These were followers Jesus could use.  These were followers who could learn on the road from Jericho.

50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni (my Master), let me regain my sight.” 52 Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith [and confident trust in My power] has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road.

I love the way this chapter starts in verse 1: Getting up, He left there (Capernaum) and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; and crowds gathered around Him again and accompanied Him, and as was His custom, He once more began to teach them. As was His custom.

So they were leaving Jericho.  On the road from Jericho to Jerusalem we meet the good Samaritan.  "Good" Samaritan.  You know as a youth when I first heard this story these words told me something different than they do today.  It sounded nice.  The "good" Samaritan.  Didn't really occur to me that it could not.  I was taught about the world from certain angles.

Today it sounds the opposite of what I had first learned.  Jesus used the story to shock his audience and they saw no Samaritans as good.  We often get distracted along the road, but we also can learn the other angles of life.  Why?  To understand the question of free will.

So we are often leaving Jericho.  This crowd passing this outsider.  He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road [as was his custom].   I am reminded of some of my Grand father's words:  

"Our experience of life may seem to us to be of a personal and private character. But they are more than that, they are a passkey into the lives of others. There are three words which describe what our attitude ought to be towards humanity today: the first is "pity", the second is "Compassion", the third is "sympathy". There is a difference between the first of these words and the other two. Pity is an aristocratic virtue: Pity is static, Sympathy and compassion are dynamic virtues. Pity condescends; compassion and sympathy share. The greatest help we get in time of trouble comes to us from someone who can say to us quite simple, "I have endured all that".

We have in those words the secret of the appeal of Jesus to our minds and hearts. He was tempted just as we are. He was hungered and homeless as millions are today. He was misunderstood and rejected and lonely. The greatest thing we know about pain is that Jesus felt it. And for the Christian the significance of these facts rests on the conviction that God Himself is not content with divine and aristocratic pity for his children; but that He has compassion on them and sympathizes with them."

My grand father was preaching about Job as we remember Job 42:10 And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

It is a question of free will.  Many sternly rebuked him, telling him to keep still and be quiet; but he kept on shouting out all the more, when is this ok and when is it not?  “Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!”   Now everyone understood what Bartimaeus was calling Jesus and Jesus knew what he was calling upon him to do.  I imagine Bartimaeus wanted to see, but I imagine Jesus wanted more.  I wonder that this was a lesson for those present and for all time.  I imagine Jesus had things Bartimaeus needed his sight to do.  I imagine there is more involved I can not conceive.

And Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Bartimaeus had an answer because he knew he was blind.  I wonder what I answer, what we answer.  I wonder if we see or if we are blind.  I might ask for the same thing Bartimaeus did.  “Rabboni (my Master), let me regain my sight.”  

Let me not think whole all those things I learned from one angle.

So they called the blind man, telling him, “Take courage, get up! He is calling for you.”  Part of following Jesus is being ready to follow Jesus.  The crowd which had rebuked this man now took up his part.  This might seem problematic to have followers who keep missing the point.  

In school kids often say we did this before.  I explain most of what we do we have done before.  This is a great truth.  We learn in following Jesus to follow Jesus.  I see at this early stage how hard it is to follow and how easy.  We can't all yell out in the crowd, but Bartimaeus did.  Many sternly rebuked him, telling him to keep still and be quiet; but he kept on shouting out all the more, “Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”   Everyone's attitude changed in a moment.

How do I apply this story to my life?  Do I need more faith to solve all my problems.  It is hard to define the problems as I see.  I don't think the lesson is that blind people don't have enough faith.  Not everything God needs us to do requires sight is the best I can figure.  But we have this story.

This story of power.  We have this story of a problem well defined.  Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road.  Bartimaeus was waiting for something and when he saw it he knew it was time.  That is how we know when it it is the right time.  Cause it isn't always.

We are always on the road from Jericho. As we see in 21rst Chapter of John: 22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23 So this word went out among the brothers that this disciple (John) was not going to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but only, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you?”

So this conference next week we can certainly say some prayers that people will work together to use strong words.  Some might think we are at the end times and get a pass.  People have always thought that as long as we have had Jesus.  What is that to you?  We follow Jesus and his way is not destruction.  Not always easy to tell which way Jesus will go, but it is easy to see that we are not doing enough.

Well the first days are the hardest days, don't you worry any more

'Cause when life looks like easy street, there is danger at your door

Like the morning sun you come and like the wind you go

Ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait

Got some things to talk about, here beside the rising tide

Let Us Pray,

Heavenly Father,

We admit we are blind and not living your will

“Rabboni (my Master), let us regain our sight.”

Let us see you in each person that we meet

Help us come together as one community next week

Help us to know when it is the right time to stand

Help us to know when it is ok to be rebuked for your name's sake

Help us to remember your name and shouting out all the more

Help us love as you have taught us

Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on us.

Amen

Benediction:

Go follow Jesus

Go expect to be surprised

Go and change direction when the Lord calls

Stand up when you need to 

Be rebuked when you need to

Nottingham UMC 10/24/2021 

Kind

a group
a quality of being friendly

how you learn about people is their use of words

you can learn about yourself

Skin in the Game

That's what he always used to preach.  Got to get some skin in the game.  Turned church around for me.  Not a place to go.  A place to go from

He said we get together to gather our strength.  It wasn't about what we did there.  We would go and it would be hard.  We would do it.  It would matter.  There was always joy.

We suffered and we celebrated together.  He tried to fill the church the best he could do with his own family.  Certain Sundays his guests would out number members.  He would meet someone once and ask them to come preach to us because Nottingham was where he brought his best.  In truth he brought his best to everything.

We lost Stanley Miller too soon already before here at Nottingham. We certainly have a good idea what it is like.  The best story I know is when he visited the seniors at Euclid Beach.  He asked them, "Dave's Market across the street they must give you something this time of year?"

"No." the seniors answered without delay.  He was across the street before anyone had known what was going on.  It was thanksgiving time.  He spoke to the manager and returned with either frozen turkeys or promises of frozen turkeys.  People didn't often know what to think of him when he was in meetings.  We had this in common too.

He had skin in the game.  Everything he did was important to him.  These ideas did not come from nowhere.  We have so much to draw upon as we look to our future.  This has not been an easy time for anyone.  Life the last few years has been more about death than life it seems at times.  No one alive had the experiences we all have had these last two years.

We lost one of our great leaders, Stanley Miller.  We sure do have skin in the game.  Not something we are ever prepared.  Reminds me of other people I have lost.  We have a story from numbers this week that reminds me of my Dad.  He used to like all the odd stories of the bible.  We discussed many.  He was well spoiled in the word. I didn't really remember this one.

Numbers 11:24-29

 24 So Moses went out and spoke to the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy men from among the elders of the people and stationed them around the Tent (tabernacle). 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took some of the Spirit who was upon Moses and put Him upon the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied [praising God and declaring His will], but they did not do it again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp; one named Eldad and the other named Medad. The Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the Tent), and they prophesied in the camp. 27 So a young man ran and told Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying [extolling the praises of God and declaring His will] in the camp.” 28 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

Where this story takes place is important.  The rabble as they are called are getting tired of eating manna.  The story implies it is the foreign element among them from Egypt that really started the trouble.  There were a good many greedy people as there always are where ever people gather,  Sometimes I put my father in that category when I see how well he was taken care.  Sometimes I put myself in this category.

But here we have quite a story if you remember.  God sends them meat all right.  God talks about sending so much meat that it will be coming out of their ears and nose.  The wind brings quail and the people spend the day gathering.  This was good luck?  God sends a plague against the greedy and we are told they end up in the ground.  

"Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!"  This prayer for the good news and the holy spirit of Moses almost overlooked.  There is a risk of exaggerating the importance of the word of God, but not much.

What a place for this spirit of Moses story.  Moses was doing everything spiritually speaking for his people.  God tells them that he is different because God speaks directly with him because he has this spirit upon him.  He took some of the Spirit who was upon Moses and put Him upon the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied [praising God and declaring His will], but they did not do it again.

It is easy to imagine that there is a good reason that only two of them went and prophesied to the camp.  It often feels when I speak to seventy children one thing I am lucky if two will understand.  We come from different places and we share the same place differently.  We have here something foreshadowed about the holy spirit and the good news.

Something could be shared of this spirit and not lost.  We come with this spirit to look at our scripture reading today Mark 9:38-50 which I read from the Amplified Bible.

38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not accompanying us [as Your disciple].” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he will not lose his reward.

In this first section we see clearly how the disciples before the holy spirit came upon them struggled to see the vision of Jesus.  We hear an echo of Moses.  Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets.  What was it they didn't like?  We often talk about how different times and cultures can be.  Yet what is it they do not like.  Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not accompanying us.

People are at their best when they take ownership, but their shoulders often at their widest.  In all stages and season of life I have found this to be true.  In my students and my teachers.

Outsiders like insiders.  This was more than foreign to them.  A cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ.  Was Jesus getting them ready.  When we say Jesus is a great teacher we do not say that as simple praise.  We say this because we have a record of his methods and we know the outcome, to this very morning.

42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe and trust in Me to stumble [that is, to sin or lose faith], it would be better for him if a heavy millstone [one requiring a donkey’s strength to turn it] were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It is better for you to enter life crippled, than to have two hands and go into [a]hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44 [b][where their worm does not die, and the fire is not put out.] 45 If your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It would be better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, 46 [c][where their worm does not die, and the fire is not put out.] 47 If your eye causes you to stumble and sin, throw it out [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm [that feeds on the dead] does not die, and the fire is not put out.

Could we say here we have a more old testament Jesus.  Someone we are not as comfortable.  No is the simple answer.  Here we are.  This too is good news.  We have to hear this more than a dire warning.  An invitation to the bounty of life.  Being outside is nothing compared to cause to stumble someone you have a chance to help.  Opportunities to serve are missed at your peril.

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good and useful; but if salt has lost its saltiness (purpose), how will you make it salty? Have salt within yourselves continually, and be at peace with one another.”

Salt.  Salt of the earth. Sometimes I sing it in my mind.  One of my favorite teaching we talked about last week.  In verse 35 Sitting down [to teach], He called the twelve [disciples] and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all [in importance] and a servant of all.” 

What if you don't want to be first?  Well I would offer here there is not another answer.  You want to be second? must be servant of all but one.  As we file in we see something of a plan.  If you keep reading in Mark you see Moses is what Jesus talks about next and might wonder I have a plan for this sermon.  If you keep reading you will find a plan for life.

We might hear something of an answer to dire warnings.  The worst you could say is that we really do not have a choice.  But that is easy when you have been properly spoiled by the word.  James 5:13-20 again from the Amplified Bible gives us an answer to this question and many others.

13 Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone joyful? He is to sing praises [to God]. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He must call for the elders (spiritual leaders) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with [a]oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed [b]intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].

We often take it as an article of faith that we all know to pray.  We might pray in phases and get down a long line that God just places a right turn.  We grieve our own life as much as we grieve others.  

We got some skin in the game.  Somethings we can't lose.  We can never lose Jesus.  We can only walk away or with him.  In my mind this is not a choice.  

Somethings we could do without.  Many things in truth we can do without.  Beyond my health and a chance to work hard there is little I can not do.  

As a man the entire world stacked against him.  There was little Pastor Miller could not do.  He faced with a smile I am witness.  He wasn't supposed to succeed.  He somehow never got that message.  There he was.  He was blessed indeed.  His territories were enlarged.

Also lost a friend who lost his way before 40.  His actions it could be said lead directly to death.  There is a finality to a life when it ends.  We don't have to evaluate our feelings about someone anymore.  He had many names actually that people called him, but he only called himself one.  It is not hard to say I love him.

We lost our music director Karen recently as well.  When you start to think of all the death it can lead you to many conclusions.  I remember her one day leaving the church as she talked to herself, "I'm just not praying hard enough."  I smiled and think of that moment often.  I am happy that I knew how lucky we were to have her when we did.

I pray without ceasing but you might not think I am praying.  Another one of those non decisions of mine.  When I am blessed I do not hesitate to ask for the next one.  When I don't get what I pray for I wonder how I am so far off track.

It's not easy.  It matters.  In life we find seasons.  In the end we find abundant eternal life or an end.  Not for lack of love.  How do you feel about things you create? 

Let Us Pray:

Creator of All Thank you for bringing us here.

Thank you for taking us there.

Help us to learn from our great teacher.

Help us to keep your lessons ever near.

Help us to get some skin in the game

Help those who grieve

Help those who sing

We ask for every single one of your blessings in the name of your son, Jesus.

Amen

Benedictions

Go into the world as if it matters

Go into the world as if you matter

Go into the world to serve

Go into the world as if your life depended on it

Let's get some skin in the game

Nottingham UMC 9/26/2021

Skin in the Game

That's what he always used to preach
Got to get some skin in the game
Turned church around for me
Not a place to go
A place to go from

He said we get together to gather our strength
It wasn't about what we did there
We would go and it would be hard
We would do it
It would matter

We got some skin in the game
Somethings we couldn't lose
Somethings we could do without

As a man the entire world stacked against him
He faced with a smile I am witness
He wasn't supposed to succeed
He somehow never got that message
There he was

He was blessed indeed
His territories were enlarged

170

473921304958601

my words even less use

I wish I could talk in numbers

Crime is always about opportunity

We never expect the worst even as it arrives

9/11 sure did give people what to talk about

11/7 I remember just Bosnians always had things to talk about

That day they didn't

Nothing has changed except our interests

I worked a transition project so well funded till it wasn't

The chains of command are long yet nimble

We actually think we know better

We were far from world war II

We gain capitol and rest of world destroyed

We have rested on our laurels and 14 million dead Russians

three Mediterranean staples

Grain, grapes, and olives this was the basis of the Pax Romana.  That peace that the Mediterranean world enjoyed so long it got named.  Palestine, the promise land would go though much in this period.  Here we are talking about a period that was so monumental to our brothers of Abraham.  For us the most important is undoubtedly Jesus for them it was the destruction of the second temple.   

When you look up expulsion of the Jews you really do have to be specific.  After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD they were expelled from their home land.  Families would have members in several cities.  Not because they wanted to, but because any city might expel them and they would have somewhere to go.

They certainly not the only victims of this world.  They are not the only aggressor in this world either. 

So their was this peace based on flour, alcohol and oil.  Alcohol still has a unique place in our society, but to them sketchy water was more the reason.  Alcohol like kombucha would be safe to drink.  Water you would often be taking a big chance in their world.  

We have this interesting scripture from John that over laps with what Pastor Wilma preached last week about the bread of life.  I have been following the liturgical calendar for some time now of our church.  I didn't know that it could over lap. 

Two ways to look here.  The divisions we often see in the gospel are arbitrary.  Preaching is much like cooking: good in good out.  Last week we certainly feasted as we often find ourselves doing with the word.  I think we all know something of what it means to be full of the word.  Even more so because there was a time we were empty.  Interesting how things work out that way.

I was walking through a Serbian village with my family.  We came down by the river side.  There were plastic bags more than there was river it seemed.  Wasn't sure how that could make sense.  I find this need to make sense.  As we talked I learned they had never removed trash from the villages.  How long had there been these villages.  Jesus would be no stranger there.  To the Pax Romana at least.

Now two mysteries why was it not even worse.  How could they have never sent a garbage truck to the villages of the Balkans?  Thing was I remembered from watching my mother in-law there wasn't much garbage.  The citrus rind she would use to make syrup for the winter would grace the most amazing cakes you could imagine.  Something was peeled something was fed or composted.  What we miss of these stories is the sustainability Jesus was sharing with them.  They understood.  They didn't send garbage trucks to their villages.  They only sent transportation for the bounty of the valley.

Seldom happens that I have great mysteries solved with so little effort.  There was no garbage problem in the past because there was no garbage.  Every single time I go and buy the smallest of things people try to give me bags.  I go to places more that listen to me and ask if I want a bag.  Or sell it to me.  What we see as an answer to the Balkan villages is to truck garbage from the villages like we do here.  Progress they say.

The Balkans are closer than we are to what Jesus ate.  They now have big box stores, but you would be surprised you can pickle almost anything.  I didn't even understand it myself when I lived it, but it taught me.  What my mother in-law had most was flour, alcohol and oil.  When my brother in-law returned from Canada he asked her how much her weekly groceries had increased having me my young wife and baby there.  I will never forget her face for two reasons.  One she defended me.  Two she did not understand the question.  She thought in decades not weeks.  She had no idea her weekly cost.  She was ready for ten years and I will tell you it does not take the space we think.

One day we had lunch together.  She started crying.  I asked her what is wrong.  She said she was afraid she would not be able to go to Sara's wedding.  She had been born two or three days before.  She thought in decades.   As American bombs rained down she found it hard to imagine the visa she would one day have.  We last spent extensive time together when my son was born here.  He still loves yogurt.

I grew to understand the Mediterranean diet.  It started with bread.  Bread as Pastor Wilma noted is something we know.  In Bosnia it is funny there really is only one type of bread.  They call the last piece that you use to eat the last scraps off your plate with, "your strength."  I took couple dozen Bosnian kids to the sea side and bought them brown bread.  They did not believe it was bread and would not touch it.  I was witness or I would not have believed it.  They liked to have fun with me they said I spoke Hungarian.  Madjarski, funny we call them Hungarians cause they reminded us of the Huns, us being old English speakers.

As in the time of Jesus and now the rich and elite ate whatever they wanted.  We know there were many vomitoriums built during the Pax Romana.  None for the poor.  They had baths I guess and theater.  The poor mostly flour alcohol and oil.  Bread almost a medium because the oil is what will keep you alive.  Little meat bits here and there more for flavor for the poor.  Remember even our soul food comes from what was left to the slaves.  People make do.  Chicken feet make soup.  They didn't used to have much garbage in the villages.

All this really to get deeper in where we were last week.  Over lapped.  Before we can understand what Jesus is talking about with the bread of life we need to see what the bread alone.  Sustainability.  I do come to this idea that anything can be good for you.  I don't eat meat, but there are people that do in these blue zones identified around the world where people live longer.  Nothing healthier about the pork they have there really, but the culture of making.  All the work involved is almost a balm for the ill effects we feel.

I could go to the store and eat anything I want at any time.  Why this is a goal is a sign of how far we have lost our way.  Entertainment seem headed that way.  We want to be entertained by anything at any time.  I am as I have mentioned before many things and one is a dead head.  A person who enjoys the Grateful Dead.  When I first learned of them there were these tapers who were like key keepers who passed and shared the music.  You needed connections for the music to flow.

I knew at the time eventually there would be satellites broadcasting down the entire library of their music.  Today they certainly do.  I still discover new music of theirs.  A band not together in more than 25 years.  I often think of the tapers.  I only knew two.  The world changes and we are not always prepared.  All the music at my finger tips.  All this garbage flowing from our villages. 

The tapers were like the villages of our community.  Produced real good and no garbage.  Well, even the garbage had a purpose we could discuss what a bad night they had.  If you know anything about the band the worst night they had was probably Woodstock.  We have this community but our villages don't produce anything really.  Our community is a shell of itself and we don't yet know how we will live.  Our river's are chocked with plastic bags.

So here we have today's scripture: John 6:56-69  from the Amplified Bible

56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] remains in Me, and I [in the same way remain] in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, even so the one who feeds on Me [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will also live because of Me. 58 This is the Bread which came down out of heaven. It is not like [the manna that] our fathers ate and they [eventually] died; the one who eats this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will live forever.”

This is where we ended last week contrasting the daily bread with this living bread. 

Now we continue this week.

59 He said these things in a synagogue while He was teaching in Capernaum.

60 When many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about it, asked them, “Does this cause you to stumble and take offense? 62 What then [will you think] if you see the Son of Man ascending to [the realm] where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit [it is of no account]. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life]. 64 But [still] there are some of you who do not believe and have faith.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “This is the reason why I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him [that is, unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father.”

Most commentators here feel Jesus is talking beyond his 12 to all the people who had started to follow him.  In many ways it is like a message we hear in our popular culture.  You are what you eat.  This is something we don't like to hear.  How do I know? they sell a lot of hot dogs.  Mechanically separated swept from the floor.  They are certainly not the only offender.  

Even good choices can be bad.  We have less trans fats in our diet, but we have palm oil in everything now which is great for us.  Not so great for the orangutan.  Monoculture breeds garbage.  Often problem's solution cause more problems.  Trucking plastic to the village and trucking garbage out seems insane.  In many ways we are the beginning of the end.  Our world certainly broken enough to be saved.

66 As a result of this many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve [disciples], “You do not want to leave too, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. 69 We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God].”

Peter foreshadows Paul here even before the comforter arrived.  He must have felt something of the armor of God.  “You do not want to leave too, do you?”  I wonder here if Jesus in this question is really saying to them I need you.  Jesus certainly saved us all, but doesn't ask us to do the same things.  The twelve again perhaps here found their greatest moment.  There would be more disciples but they would never be more than these twelve who did not want to go.

It only takes a spark to get a fire going the song says, I dare say it was this spark.  Even Judas was counted then.  Not sure how much we can say about his role, but then again not sure how much I can say about your role, but I can tell you something Paul said: 

From Ephesians 6:10-20 Amplified Bible

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 13 Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. 14 So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), 15 and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. 16 Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

18 With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people. 19 And pray for me, that words may be given to me when I open my mouth, to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news [of salvation], 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. And pray that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly and courageously, as I should.

Is the lesson of Judas that in any group of twelve humans there will be failure even in the best organization. Can we put failure to purpose.  Garbage to renewal?

There is a story of the village our church comes from shared by Roy Larik during our summer speaker series.  There were many good things about this little area.  Two rivers and these ever so useful natural bluestone outcrops.  You could almost see how the first class at Nottingham might have thought that God was on their side.  Anyways the interesting story is about the mills that sprung up almost at the same time if not just before settlers arrived.

The key infrastructure was the mills that would grind the grain.  They encouraged or maybe brought the people here.  Build it and they will come if you will.  Jesus would feel at home.  They certainly didn't eat anything whenever they wanted.  They ate with the seasons like during the Pax Romana.  We are not really that far removed.  Biggest change this crude oil they first found useful in Pennsylvania.  We have come a long way in a short time.  These bags made from oil choking rivers.  Not so long ago we didn't have much use for that oil.

There is something I haven't mentioned.  There is more of us.  Is that better? Well it is not sustainable what we are.

Garbage from the village is what we truck out more than anything it now seems.  We are in-between.  The Pax Romana is broken.  This is not what we are going to be.  Praise the Lord!

Let us pray:

Give us this day our daily bread and what is more give us this living bread to not only live eternally, but to live the way of our Lord.  Help us to find our way in this complex world.  Let us see why we are here and let us see where we are going.  We ask you to share your will to each of us that we may play our role.  Bless us to be a blessing to someone.  Bless someone to be a blessing for us.  And again and again around that we would go.  We ask in the blessed name of our savior Jesus Christ, Amen

Benediction

Go see then do.

Pray and put on all the armor of God

This world is fear filled, but we are not afraid

Let God's will be done in us and it will be enough

Let God's will be done in them and it will be enough

Let us find one and other together and it will be enough

Thanks be to God, go where you are sent my brothers and sisters

Nottingham UMC 8/22/2021

100 Years

This day I realized my granny was my age when I was born

She would have been 100 years I never really thought of her age

Many times I found myself alone on her side 

Something about these generations we communicated

Sometimes it is hard to remember what to hang on to

Thing about children is we don't remember the best years

I was no different and do not remember more than I do

What I have is more than I will ever have

I think of my friend Karen as she spoke to herself

She said I must not be praying hard enough

I smiled that was not the reason

77 years not round

We are all children

Thing about children is we don't remember the best years

More than we will ever know

200 years a class where nothing new is ever learned

Found in Translation

I thought I had some odd jobs before I worked with the tree people

Did not think work could get stranger 

There are certain statistics that are easy to collect that no one has interest

We talked every week until we had work

The office emptied and filled out of the wood work

The older women showed up so we talked

The younger women started to drive

They would come yell at me cause I would let them

She said she did not ask for all these hardships

I told her no one made her come 

Harun was better than a translator he reminded her "ha"

That was the noise she made he was there

In Kakuma they tell stories

Oppression builds community

Eid al-Adha

Because we can be different things.  I want to start with something different.  A transcendental thought. 

"But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time." RW Emerson

Now what is a transcendental thought?  Transcendentalism is a 19th-century school of American theological and philosophical thought that combined respect for nature and self-sufficiency with elements of Unitarianism and German Romanticism.

I consider myself a Transcendentalist among other things, Walt Whitman one of my favorites.

"He is the Answerer,
What can be answer'd he answers, and what cannot be answer'd
he shows how it cannot be answer'd.
...The words of the true poems give you more than poems,
They give you to form for yourself poems, religions, politics, war,
peace, behavior, histories, essays, daily life, and every thing
else,
They balance ranks, colors, races, creeds, and the sexes,..."

A second idea I want to talk about an informal survey I did this last week among people I came across.  I asked a number of people if they knew what the big Muslim holiday was last week.  I wonder some of you may know.  When I was younger I would assume if  I knew something everyone knew that something.  It took me a long while to learn that not everyone had the interest I had.

Complete disclosure I only know because I served in a Muslim country for the global board of ministries for several years.  Also it is funny to me that we know so little of other people's holidays.  In Islam there are really two big holidays.  The first comes at the end of Ramadan which is the month of fasting.  Makes complete sense to have a holiday after a month of sacrifice.

Interesting at this holiday they give to the poor.  As a young man far from home and family working in the war in Bosnia I was seen as poor so my student's parents would always send me baklava.  Funny how people in the midst of war but in their family can see you the UNPROFORac who came to keep their peace as poor.  I was happy to receive their blessing in any case.

Later in Cleveland when I worked with Muslim refugees it was this holiday that helped them through the year.  Established families in Cleveland would come to the refugee enclave and just give.  Pay rent you name it - was a celebration of sacrifice and joint struggle as I saw it.

But it was the second big holiday that occurred last week.  I think we should know each others holidays.  What they celebrated was something we celebrate.  Abraham willing to sacrifice his son to God.  In a real sense it is what brings us here today.

Pastor Roland Moore, the last elder to serve Nottingham in an official capacity preached last night about a personal relationship with God.  Well it was Abraham's personal relationship with God that brings us here and what they celebrated last week.

Eid al-Adha

This important Muslim festival lasts four days and marks the moment when Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice Ismael, his son, for Allah. Today, most Saudi families celebrate Eid al-Adha by dressing up in their finest clothing, saying special prayers, and slaughtering lambs to share their meat with everyone.

In my time in Bosnia I would see lambs on balconies in the city in preparation for the holiday.  This holiday had a different feel.   My friends couldn't really explain their religion too well.  Many had just recently turned to religion.  Believe me war will make you do that.

I didn't have much better luck.  They asked me what happens if you do something wrong.  I thought about it and said, "well they have to forgive you."  We went in circles like that.

Overall, there are about 2.3 billion Christians in the world and 1.8 billion Muslims. World Jewish population approaching 15 million including my two nephews.  We are the people of Abraham.  It is strange that we know so little of each other.  

One thing I have always believed is the relevance here of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Amplified Bible

9 Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor; 10 for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? 12 And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I believe God has plans on plans.  I have this idea that if God wants to speak to people in different ways then that is how it will be.   There are things we will never know in this life, but patterns are key I think.  The pattern here is we don't know much about the other.  I guess it isn't surprising.  With these two lenses we will look at our scripture today.

John 6:1-21 Amplified Bible

6 After this, Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 2 A large crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (attesting miracles) which He continually performed on those who were sick. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching. 5 Jesus looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming toward Him, and He said to Philip, “Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 But He said this to test Philip, because He knew what He was about to do. 7 Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii (200 days’ wages) worth of bread is not enough for each one to receive even a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down [to eat].” Now [the ground] there was [covered with] an abundance of grass, so the men sat down, about 5,000 in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they had eaten enough, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and they filled twelve large baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign (attesting miracle) that He had done, they began saying, “This is without a doubt the promised Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.

16 When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and they got into a boat and started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had still not come [back] to them. 18 The sea was getting rough and rising high because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed three or four miles [and were near the center of the sea], they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat; and they were [terribly] frightened. 20 But Jesus said to them, “It is I (I Am); do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take Him on board the boat, and immediately the boat reached the [shore of the] land to which they were going.

A couple of points.  The total number of people may have exceeded 10,000. The disciples did not have enough money to buy so much food, and the small villages in the area would not have had a sufficient quantity of bread to sell to them.  Kind of reminds you of impossible problems we face today.

There was once a German and Bosnian talking about their lives.  The German said I make about one thousand marks and my expenses about nine hundred marks and I manage to put away 0ne hundred marks.  The Bosnian replied I make one hundred marks and my expenses are nine hundred and I don't know how I get through the month.  Jesus never stopped feeding the multitudes.

Many times we have the how.  The woman who grabbed Jesus' robe was healed because power came out.  The little girl got up because Jesus told her, that was the how.  Here in John we are told what happened but we don't know how.

Was Jesus bringing bread from nowhere which I am confident he could.  Was he just seeing what was there that everyone else missed.  I guess my question is was this a hard or easy miracle.  I don't think it was the hardest, but the impact was certainly the greatest.

This here was revolution and everyone there knew it.  "But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time."   Everybody there was there and everything everyone had was on offer.

Jesus knew John tells us.  Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.  This is the heart of the story.  This Jesus walking on water was because Jesus saw a better revolution possible that included us.  These people would have easily thrown off Roman rule.  Well that is what I believe is the reason Jesus left.  He had other fish to fry.

Why was this revolution.  Well in our celebration of our two hundred anniversary as a congregation we have talked often about the first class at Nottingham.  Now I want to talk more about schools.  I mentioned earlier that I like to consider myself in the tradition of the transcendentalists.  The root is to transcend.  I have also mentioned casually that I consider myself a communist.  I know that is trigger word for many people.  People who understand very little.

When I studied international relations we did not call ourselves communists anymore.  We are historical structuralists that is we believe there is a structure to history.  We started in small bands in caves and such places.  We built towns.  Then cities.  We were feudal for a long time.  Then came the capitalists which it is true set us free from Kings.  God told Israel long time ago don't bet on kings.  Few listen.

A communist is a academic who believes that there is something that comes after capitalism.  This in contrast to theories supported in the 1990s in New York specifically about the end of history.  Pre 9/11 America was so quaint.  Again we call ourselves historical structuralist because we think there is a structure to history.  Jesus tells us there is one.  In this scripture imagine Jesus had to beat it so the first revolution would not go.

Again what was so revolutionary.  Everyone had.  No one lacked.  Sure people who call themselves communists have lacked.  Lenin was a Bolshevik, he didn't trust the people.  Bolshevik means majority and they ruled as authoritarians.  They wanted to skip history.  Lenin thought he could speed up history.  He might have been able to.  People don't know the last few years of his life he had a bullet in his neck.  He told everybody don't let Stalin rule.  I'm not sure what else he could have done.

His brother was a revolutionary who was killed.  Lenin went to work every day.  The world is complex.  God has plans on Plans.

Our world today is losing its way in so many ways.  In Haiti gun men came into the presidents house and killed the president.   Michel-Rolph Trouillot, a Haitian anthropologist who died in 2012, wrote: “History is the fruit of power, but power itself is never so transparent that its analysis becomes superfluous. The ultimate mark of power may be its invisibility; the ultimate challenge, the exposition of its roots.”

What I personally find distressing is their in no speculation really about motives.  In 1994 when we sent troops to help we signed contracts.  Big contracts for such a small place.  There are ripples from 1994 I am sure and there is exploitation by elites.  Someone was trying to reform. 

 Matthew 5:11 Amplified Bible

11 “Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me.

This is not a political message.  I don't want you to be a communist, but I do want to understand the schools of thought that believe history and History with a big H have a structure.  Mostly because one of those that shows us is Jesus.  Why was it so revolutionary.    Now [the ground] there was [covered with] an abundance of grass, so the men sat down, about 5,000 in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted. 

We don't have any how here, but what do we know?  Everyone there present, above time .  Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.

We marvel at the how and it tells us Jesus is Lord, but we don't have a how here.  Did Jesus find more in us or just give us.  Well yes: We know where John started.  

John 1:1 Amplified Bible

1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

It is interesting to wonder when these people realized that their king had left.  I guess it is also a question of how many of them kept Jesus as their king in the second revolution of Jesus: the new covenant. Many I imagine, but they would tell people they knew Jesus when.  They were ready to take over the world before anyone else.

I don't mean to dismiss the end of the scripture but I almost feel like walking on water gets too much hype as it were.  If there was a preview of a movie of Jesus' life you could do worse then him walking on water.  You wouldn't show him sneaking away from the first revolution.  I think Jesus saw exactly where they would take him, but Jesus was thinking about you and me and the other.   

I think it is very cool that Jesus pulls the plug on the first revolution.  I am a man but I have been something else is how I described it to my son.  It isn't so hard to be a man cause I have been something else.  I have been a boy.  It is hard to be a boy because you have never been something else.  We love to talk about how God knows the number of hairs on our head, but seldom remember the same is true for our worst enemy.  It is a simple faith.  It is a complex world.

We read something else today in Ephesians 3:14-21 from the Amplified Bible again.  And I will try to tie these schools and classes and children of Abraham together.

14 For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father]. 16 May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

20 Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen

This is not a political message.

"But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time." RW Emerson

 They were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king.  Well I will say this we didn't all reject him thank God.  We may not be the most intelligent creature on the planet in the end, but everybody there knew.  And really everybody who hears the story can imagine.  There is no how.

We look for patterns and seeing here and eating here.  There is more to this story.  There is 10,000 people left behind.  The disciples were frightened we hear.  What were all these people.  I imagine they had much to talk about.  I imagine they never forgot that day.  I imagine they saw more in their community then they did before.  Did God give it or make it or did they find it, well yes.  It is a complex world, but it is a simple faith.

Let Us Pray

Eternal God, Creator of the universe, there is no God but You. Great and wonderful are Your works, wondrous are your ways. Thank You for the many splendored-variety of Your creation. Thank You for the many ways we affirm Your presence and purpose, and the freedom to do so. Forgive our violation of Your creation. Forgive our violence toward each other. We stand in awe and gratitude for Your persistent love for each and all of Your children: Christian, Jew, Muslim, as well as those with other faiths. Grant to all and our leaders attributes of the strong; mutual respect in words and deed, restraint in the exercise of power, and the will for peace with justice, for all. Eternal God, Creator of the universe, there is no God but You. Amen.

Reprinted from the World Council of Churches

Benediction 

Help us to remember it is the hairs on all the heads that are counted.

It is the hungry.  It is the poor.  It is the outcast.  It is the politician.

It is the other.  It is the thief.  It is the judge.

Help us to be focused on your will and do our part.

As we pray for all

In the name of Jesus our Lord, Amen

Nottingham UMC 7-25-2021