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