Body

As we move from Easter to Pentecost I find myself thinking about this our body of Christ.  Different times of year we are called to regroup.  Lent and advent come to mind.  Certain times of the year we push forward.  In reality we are always doing these two activities.  Regrouping and pushing forward.  Lives are very similar in many ways.  

A recent TED talk by physicist and entrepreneur Riccardo Sabatini demonstrated that a printed version of your entire genetic code would occupy some 262,000 pages, or 175 large books. Of those pages, just about 500 would be unique to us.  Every variation we have ever seen are contained in those 500 pages. 

Now you know there is an eternity in those 500 pages.  If you will miss just two letters in this position, two letters over 3 billion, you will be condemned to a terrible disease - cystic fibrosis. We have no cure for it. We don't know how to solve it, and it's just two letter of difference.  Darryl Nichols a child of this church I grew up with is gone, but for two letters.

Remembering Darryl Nichols today.  Play D&D, watch Star Wars and LOTR, drink overpriced coffee, talk about religion, paint with acrylics, consider vaccination, and be sure to become an organ donor.  

"Luminous beings are we.... not this crude matter." - Master Yoda.  Been more than nine years.

 

"Prophets, poets and philosophers realized thousand of years ago that being satisfied with what you have is far more important than getting more of what you want. Still, it's nice when modern research - bolstered by lots of numbers and charts - reaches the same conclusions the ancients did. " That is a quote from a favorite book of mine: Sapiens A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.

We have really come full circle in our ability to quantify difference.  Much of what people want in this world is to feel safer.  This also leads directly to security dilemmas that are the basis of many of the difficulties we face.  To be safer we often put ourselves in greater danger.  We are terrible at estimating what 99.9% means.  We walk past it on our sanitizer bottles and think this just some legal warning.

.001% like pizza you cut into 1000 pieces.  We are not very good at cutting things into 1000 pieces.  We lose resolution.  What we see as enormous is miniscule.  We magnify and think we are seeing something different. 

What does that mean to be the body.  It is something overwhelming.  Just to think of the size of the universe required.  More than any idea, required before anything else is possible.  The body is what was created first and the mind doesn't want to hear about it mostly.

There is a great anthem of my generation written by Peter Gabriel.  The words sung by Kate Bush are what come to me something like this message I get from the body.  My body our body.  I don't really know the labels.  Yet I know the message I receive resonates.

 Don't give up

'cause you have friends

Don't give up

You're not beaten yet

Don't give up

I know you can make it good

My experience is that my body always responds.  Put work in and the body will respond.  It is never too late until it is too late.

Don't give up

You still have us

Don't give up

We don't need much of anything

Don't give up

'cause somewhere there's a place

Where we belong

We don't need much of anything

It is a positive message because it is alive.  Negativity is a luxury of the mind. .  I once heard someone talking on the radio, the essence was that even in our worst times, we are mostly healthy.  It is easy to forget the miracle that anything works.

I offer a lot of technical advise in my life.  People naturally come to me with problems.  Most who do have come before.  I always mention something that I don't think anyone really hears.  People always ask me why their electronics are not working.  I always respond that the real miracle is that electronics work at all.  Computer are very sensitive.

We don't have proof, but it is mostly likely that a cosmic ray has killed someone by bit flipping the computer in their car.  One 0 turned to1 and a chain of events.  Computers don't like magnetic fields which we create all around them.  What can go wrong does, but mostly doesn't.  That is the real miracle to me.  We can make quantum computers we just can't stop them from breaking yet.

When I became a vegan I tapped into a deep muscle memory of the body.  It was how I managed the cravings.  Forty years I had eaten everything I wanted when I wanted.  In my family we have this experience. Sometimes you are hungry for something and you make and eat it and realize that was not it.  I have found myself at times at my fourth attempt disappointed.  Most of the time I enjoy what I have.  

This deep muscle memory allows me to say my favorite food is still the oyster.  I loved them raw and two never tasted the same.  This was a food that could kill you.  It had my respect.  I don't miss them at all simply because I find my experience of them not gone.  This is not an idea I have.

The body I will tell you has more memories than any of your ideas of them.  To pray without ceasing does not require words at every moment.  There is this connection.  This geometry.  

From the Amplified Bible 1 Corinthians 12: For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form [only] one body, so it is with Christ. 

So there I was contemplating as I approached out liturgical calendar.  We find several themes this week.  There is one story I will share briefly from Acts 16:9-15 from the Amplified Bible

9 Then a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from [the Roman province of] Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 And when he had seen the vision, we (including Luke) tried to go on into Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11 So setting sail from Troas, we ran a direct course to Samothrace, and the next day [went on] to Neapolis; 12 and from there [we came] to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We stayed on in this city for several days; 13 and on the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the bank of the [Gangites] river, where we thought there would be a [c]place of prayer, and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had come there.

14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple fabrics who was [already] a worshiper of God, listened to us; and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention and to respond to the things said by Paul. 15 And when she was baptized, along with her household, she pleaded with us, saying, “If you have judged me and decided that I am faithful to the Lord [a true believer], come to my house and stay.” And she persuaded us.

Is it too far I wonder that it was a man Paul saw in his vision, but when he came in body to be there it was a woman.  If Paul had seen Lydia would he believed it a message from God.  Did God need to get him there to then know the way.  I wonder do these messages of the body really lead us more.  Most of our ideas distractions.

Purple you should know is a royal color and not for everyone to have.  Had Paul seen this woman in purple in his vision I dare say he would have rebuked Satan.  God I believe knows what is being done.

Our scriptura today John 5:1-9 again from the amplified bible we approach with these messages from the body in mind.

5:1 After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 5:2 Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 5:3 In these lay many invalids--blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5:5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 

Ill for thirty-eight years, mostly healthy, able to push forward, able to regroup.  99.9% the same as you and me and the stranger who just took their first step into our community.

5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" 5:7 The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me."

We don't need much of anything, someone to help us into the pool, even a women in purple would do.  "Do you want to be made well?"

 5:8 Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." 5:9 At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. 

We don't need much of anything, thirty-eight years waiting on Jesus and their he was, we don't have to wait for Jesus for he sent us the holy spirit.  As we find in 1 Corinthians 12 27 Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body, and individually [you are] members of it [each with his own special purpose and function].

I want you to think the next time you are ill, I am mostly healthy.  To hear the messages of your body.  I promise you tomorrow if you change your eating habits your body will hear your message.  We are a conversation more than we are any definition.  Words are limited.  Even the words of God are more.

We know the scripture and we believe we are part of the body of Christ, but this reality is greater than our mind can comprehend alone.  We don't need much of anything because we have so many resources available.  I started a meditation I can not finish.  I can not tell you how it feels, but when we are together I can try to show you

And in 1 Corinthians 13 we find: And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.

There is a line a plane a cube

There is time

Angles lead to different perceptions

Mathematically

I don't always have anything to say

If you ask me I will tell you

Perhaps I should not I will never know

I open up and then I see

People see things different

You say there is no evidence of more than three dimensions

I almost wonder if we each live in our own

Don't give up

'cause you have friends

Don't give up

You're not the only one

Don't give up

No reason to be ashamed

Don't give up

You still have us

Don't give up now

We're proud of who you are

Don't give up

You know it's never been easy

Don't give up

'cause I believe there's the a place

There's a place where we belong

Then we find Psalm 34:18 Amplified Bible

18 The Lord is near to the heartbroken

And He saves those who are crushed in spirit (contrite in heart, truly sorry for their sin).

contrite

adjective

feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.

"a broken and a contrite heart"

If you were a god where would your strength come from? your heart?  We are made in an image.

Lastly John 14:23-29 again from the amplified bible:

Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Let Us Pray

Creator of the Universe,

we keep your words so you will live with us

Please help us move beyond ideas

Please help us move beyond our feelings

Help us see them as two sides of a coin

Help us render un to you

Help us move past into your true reality

We ask in the name of our savior Jesus

Amen

Benediction

Go and talk with friends

Go and talk with strangers

Go and talk with your body

Listen to friends

Listen to strangers

Listen to your body

Hear God

Imagine the reality

Nottingham UMC 5.22.22

Billions

One million seconds twelve days
One billion seconds three decades

Without inflation there would be no billions

We hate what we cannot control

The world for the billions is very small

To us something like Jr High

A safe one where there are few cares only dangers

What they are afraid of is never the cause of rot

They want to do better with all their billions

They cannot is the clear evidence

The Bridge

To go over and to contrast 

Small things can seem big 

Old things can become new 

Old things can come to an end 

There are places we can see 

Where we came from 

Old things can become less painful 

There are places we can not see 

How we got there 

We can see the contrast in our views 

He said they put two bridges together 

So raja won't throw garbage in the river

She sad it would be sad

Vineyards

Again you shall plant vineyards... Jer 31;5  Cultivation is the theme for todays message.  Spending the last ten years in our garden I learned an important lesson.  It is not plants that we grow really it is the soil.  Much like our lives are important beyond our awareness.  The plants come and go.  It is the quality of your community that makes life possible.  We are entwined with the soil more than we know.

To do things the proper way requires great amounts of information.  I after ten years have found the right path.  Now you might say hey we don't need soil to grow plants, which is true, but something needs to provide what the soil provides.  

In the context of our garden we have many challenges.  There is a thick patch of trees that passes right by our garden.  Over the years we have had groundhog issues but we had come to an understanding.  I grew certain things they would eat and certain things they did not like.  Now their tastes change over the years which is surprising for a groundhog.  Lot of fat groundhogs in Cleveland.

The deer are clearly confused.  No real threats to them in the city are causing them to change.  The first time I saw deer this year they looked at me confused why I am there.  The young deer was on top of the wood chip pile while two other deer leisurely wondered the garden.  Most of my life it has been a real pleasure to see deer.

I remember the day me and my Dad walked up on fifty deer in Pennsylvania.  We stood frozen, well my Dad did.  I moved and they were gone faster than I had ever seen anything move.  I watched where they traveled through in disbelief.  My father got a few shots off, the loud noise reminded me that we were hunting.  It seemed we were doing something else.

These deer is Cleveland don't mind movement as I shout at them and let them know they are not welcome.  That not something I should have to do to Deer.  I don't want to, but someone has to tell them.  If they have a predator now it is the ticks.  I wonder as I see young deer running around the vacant lot like a dog how many actually are quite sick.  Like your dog at home you can usually see it in the coat.  Watch when you see them.  You will see sick ones.

Why are they sick.  Well it is a symptom of the brokenness we have created in the world.  They are supposed to live in fear.  Doesn't sound like something to talk about in church, but there is no natural balance for them here in Cleveland yet here they are.  Much like the forgotten orchard trees all through the city forgotten and not thought about.  We have real problems and few solutions.

Our scripture for today is not the only one of focus today.  The liturgical calendar also brings us back to Acts and some of the first consequences of our church.  But first we find ourselves as we often do with Thomas, doubting that there is solution.

John 20, 19-31 from the Amplified Bible:

19 So when it was evening on that same day, the first day of the week, though the disciples were [meeting] behind barred doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “[a]Peace to you.” 20 After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with great joy. 21 Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” 22 And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of anyone they are forgiven [because of their faith]; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained [and remain unforgiven because of their unbelief].”

Where are we? well in verse 18 Mary Magdalene came, reporting to the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.  This last Gospel so unique in many ways.  Possible responses and highlights to be made of the earlier.  We often talk of Mathew Mark and Luke having a supposed lost source.  The so called Q gospel or simply the Q source.  Much of what is new is old.

John is different in many ways but most importantly in his purpose.  We will get to that shortly in verse 30, but where we start in John today is right after Mary Magdalene's report.  We don't find a rebuke of these women here.  Next we just have Jesus appear.  Just as the Q source was available for other writers those rebukes were available for John.  This is personally why I am so drawn to his gospel.    

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve [disciples], who was called Didymus (the twin), was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the marks of the nails, and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

The doubter he is know the world over.  So much of what Jesus teaches is to help us live.  Here we are being taught flatly that it will be more difficult for us.  We will not see in his hands the marks.  Jesus is straight forward with the realities of creation.  We will see later in the first acts of the church they celebrated this fact.  Such strange and wonderous people surely full of the holy spirit.

26 Eight days later His disciples were again inside the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though the doors had been barred, and stood among them and said, “Peace to you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place it in My side. Do not be unbelieving, but [stop doubting and] believe.” 28 Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, do you now believe? Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, and favored by God] are they who did not see [Me] and yet believed [in Me].”

We have not seen and if we believe we can gain strength.  We are witness.  Mary was witness.  Thomas is witness now.  If you were there and doubting Jesus would surely let you touch his wounds, but there were more blessings greater for you to bring you here.

Now that purpose of Writing this Gospel I had mentioned we find quite specifically spelled out in verse 30 and 31:

30 There are also many other signs (attesting miracles) that Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God; and that by believing [and trusting in and relying on Him] you may have life in His name.

John was never trying to tell everything that happened.  Just what needs to be known.  Just like things need to be known in our ministry.  

Spring is here and we are moving ahead with our green space.  If we do things right we will have programing throughout the year.  Currently we offer free internet on the corner.  This summer we will be working with Nottingham Daycare again having lunch Monday Wednesday and Friday.  This will be be an open program and no more grab n go like the last two years.  We might thrive or might be the last year.  I know I have my doubts.

Dave who preaches the second week of the month is working on getting some funding from his work and wants to join our project.  Details are developing.  We have a couple thousand for tables and benches.  He is talking about bringing more resources.  Long term visions include community power generation which is something moving forward in Cleveland.

Imagine in our green space generating energy with solar and wind for use by the church and the surrounding neighborhood.  We can have a real impact on the pocket book of our neighbors.  We can create a joint existence.  I have talked to everyone who will listen about calling the city health department to complain about the thick patch of forest.  Many things make it not safe, not the least the tics the deer bring.  Playing our part they should not be comfortable.  The world may be broken but we don't have to be.

So you can call too and complain.  Hopefully someone will go to the meeting with catholic charities this week and we will move forward with our lunch program.  Perhaps our last.  Perhaps the first of what is to come.  You could be there or you could talk to people who you know could be there.

We would like to also create incubator space to invite people from the community to come and use resources.  There is interest in a renewed civic club in the neighborhood.  Are doors are open and we invite people to worship with us we need to invite people to create with us.  We have done it before and we can do it again.

Last in the long term I would like to see a memorial grove and a vineyard.  A community newspaper Nottingham Vines.

We need to both hold on tight to our ministry and let go.  I know when Dave expressed his interest in working in the garden how I felt.  The way I should and hope to.  I know how it felt after eight years to finally have kids digging in the ground and caring for plants.

As we come through Easter we are naturally drawn to reflect on the early moments of the church.  What happened first.  How did they do something that we are still doing today.  The Sanhedrin knew it was something different from day one and would ultimately take Gamaliel’s Counsel .  Here we find in  Act 5 27-32,  again from the amplified bible, suffering lighting the way.

27 So they brought them and presented them before the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court). The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this [c]Man’s blood on us [by accusing us as His murderers].” 29 Then Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men [we have no other choice]. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a [d]cross [and you are responsible]. 31 God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior and Deliverer, in order to grant repentance to Israel, and [to grant] forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has bestowed on those who obey Him.”

The Sanhedrin had seen many rebel leaders come and go.  Their followers gone as fast as their leaders.  Movements with charismatic leaders often don't even really need to explain themselves.  They never last beyond the induvial leader.  

40b they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them. 41 So they left the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy [dignified by indignity] to suffer shame for [the sake of] His name. 42 And every single day, in the temple [area] and in homes, they did not stop teaching and telling the good news of Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

41 So they left the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy [dignified by indignity] to suffer shame for [the sake of] His name.

Day one, Day today, Day tomorrow, Day till Jesus come again 

Turning point.   Jesus was the turning point.  Thing about turning points you never know they are happening when they do.  They seem less important.  I taught this several times this week and have been fascinated by this phrase.  Looking back they are easy to see.  You might just be in a turning point right now.

With so much broken these times come so often.  I want to close this message to say that two Christian armies are fighting on this orthodox Easter.  Sometimes we agree on the date of Easter.  Much we agree.  The worse part of things is the not knowing how things are going to work out.  With faith we find Jesus the turning point and we pray there has already been one in Ukraine.

Let Us Pray,

Creator of the universe,

We see things broken and not functioning

Let us see with your eyes when we doubt

Let us feel our own wounds and know you also suffered

Let us rejoice that we are dignified by indignity

Let us suffer shame for the sake of your name

Be with each who doubts

Help them feel their own wounds and your comforting presence

We claim a re birth of Nottingham green space

We claim again we shall plant vineyards

We ask in the mighty Name of Jesus our savior to keep us near your will

Amen

Benediction:

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift: teach us to render unto thee all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise thee, not with our lips only, but with our whole loves, turning the duties, the sorrows, and the joys of all our days into a living sacrifice unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Nottingham 4-24-2022

Gen X Android

Funny to me how things go

Apple was always better

Computers are so much better

The advantage of an Apple has reduced

So much hate for the green texts

Twenty years ago I had a critical mission

Bought my mother-in-law an Apple

Her first computer

It was complicated but didn't want it to crash for no reason

It probably still working

Long since she has surfed the windows

I wasn't going to fail her

Maybe things aren't as important anymore

Turn it off and turn it on a much more reliable procedure today

My texts evergreen my favorite color you get the message every time from me

Digital Immortality

 In many ways there is more money focused on the extension of human life than the sustainability of human life.  We stand on the door of quantum computing without any compensation for Heisenberg.  If we Imagine that first scientist, funded by the most demented by money, transfers the essence of a human to an immortal computer what would that person first ask themselves.  It would take a demented mind to think it was them.

We have zero working knowledge of consciousness.  There is something of self preservation.  Something I imagine one day might transfer.  That first question something unknown answers.  

We focus so much on now.  There is very little about us that is now this moment already gone.

Inertia

There are many things we do not know about the universe but there are simple ones we understand. People do better when they are motivated. What motivates people is something very broad. People like to test themselves. It is difficult in this world to know who to trust your soul to.

There is a very simple wisdom that I have never been able to get around. We each have our own. Some people never learn of our savior and some people hear of nothing else. My father and I would have discussions about people who didn't know Jesus or care to follow, but still did good in the world. These were the real wonders of the world. Plenty of people doing bad for plenty of reasons.

Not easy to do anything. To do a thing the right way. If you follow Jesus you believe without God it is impossible. How ever far you go in the world the destination is the same. People do things half way mostly. People take short-cuts everyday. It makes it even harder for those who do things right.

There is no end to the list of things to be concerned about when doing things right. People often get far, or so they tell themselves, by risking all. Things that were never really theirs or something they have done. The biggest impact on my life was the place I was born and the color of my passport. I went out in the world, but not to conquer it, but to share mine. I had more than I needed.

In my younger years I felt I was accomplishing something until I looked to see what it was that I brought to the table. The resources I used the solutions I found I was connecting things in the world. They were not mine.  As far as the universe goes I had no input. Everything was here when I got here.

There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive. That is how Jack London described this realization in the The Call of the Wild. 

We will look now also to our scripture today, The Prodigal Son, from Luke reading the amplified bible.

11 Then He said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger of them [inappropriately] said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ So he divided the estate between them. 13 A few days later, the younger son gathered together everything [that he had] and traveled to a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and immoral living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to do without and be in need. 15 So he went and forced himself on one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to [a]feed pigs. 16 He would have gladly eaten the [carob] pods that the pigs were eating [but they could not satisfy his hunger], and no one was giving anything to him. 17 But when he [finally] came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough food, while I am dying here of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] treat me like one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he got up and came to his father.

When I learned this story as a child I had assumed the son came back because he failed. Today I look at this story differently as I see the world just failed him as it does and why we have and need saving. The story of what happened when he was away was summed up by the words reckless and immoral living.  There is so much there.  Long or short.  Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.) As Walt Whitman said in song of myself. Reckless could be short or long is my point and we each have our own, but we find only one destination.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Could not have agreed more in my youth. This failure his father saw as a refugee. He was lost and was really back to life. We like to think our world is globalized, back then the world was even a scarier place for what they didn't know. Today the world is a scary place for what we know.

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe [for the guest of honor] and put it on him; and give him a [b]ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us [invite everyone and] feast and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was [as good as] dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.

To me it was a story about this son and his failure. Another son perhaps did not fail and there was no story about him, but this is not what Jesus is teaching. Jesus to my mind teaches one lesson for all. The world will let you down. The will of God is the destination. This only feels limiting because of your definition of God like the other son. Is God this thing that you should believe or is it this thing that is. Is it this thing that leads to all other things? Our answer is yes and our definition unlimited.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; and when he returned and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants and began asking what this [celebration] meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But the elder brother became angry and deeply resentful and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.

This part of the story as a youngster I thought I understood the best. Doing good should be rewarded not doing bad.   As a teacher I often feel this way.  As a substitute teacher even more so. When I come in a room and 17 out of 20 are doing what they should I do feel like they have a right to be upset with the 3 that mess everything up everyday. I am not a teacher for one. After many years I recognized myself in those 17. Being good is its own reward. I don't worry about them as much as I used to. Being able to control your impulses is the one lesson we really teach k-5. Those who do have easier lives. That why we teach it.

29 But he said to his father, ‘Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never neglected or disobeyed your command. Yet you have never given me [so much as] a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this [other] son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you slaughtered that fattened calf for him!’

As a child I don't know that there was any part of the bible that made more sense. It is good to put away childish things. Pretty sure both sons were invited to the celebration. I think now if the first son had died the second would not have missed anything. Here is where reality gets harsh and why our savior teaches with such compassion. Not if you will suffer but how and with who.

Matthew 19: 23 - we are reminded And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."

And it is true also biologically. We stress ourselves and we tell our body that we are in danger. The body has time tested ways to deal with stress including stress hormones that take a large toll on our bodies. Our bodies believing us that we need to be stressed. We do good we are not stressed we have less biological cost on our system. It is like the will of God. Being in the will of God has its own rewards. Blessings we can not imagine. The 3 kids always disrupting the class never get to see the rewards of being good. They don't know what they are missing. But we do my friend.  We take deep breaths and we tell our bodies we are safe.  We do need to learn the language of our body.

31 The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was fitting to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was [as good as] dead and has begun to live. He was lost and has been found.’”

The last lesson here is the last one I find in my life as well. Even though our children will have their own. We need to tell them when it is time. And we need to show them when it is time. We need to find ourselves within the will of God to know the difference. It is like a magnetic force in this world. Certain things go together. Certain things people hold together at their peril.

It is amazing to me that as Jesus informs of reality people find reasons to blame God. I think most people in this world would be content with extinction. I don't think most people care about seven generations from now.   It is why it is hard.  God is doing and creating the right way: for all of us.

Neither Son fails.  Their experience did.  God helps those who help God. Inertia is the force that we often identify in charge and it is difficult to get past. God is playing in higher dimensions. So many roads. Very long ones.  So many people.  All to the end of the road.  One destination

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father

We have failed

We have learned

We were loved

Thank you for ours

Thank you for theirs

Help us to navigate to the end of the road in your will.

Our destination and the journey with Jesus.

Amen

Benediction

Go out in the world

See all the roads

See all the people

Know there is one destination

Help somebody see

Celebrate when you should

Nottingham United Methodist Church 3-27-2022