“Humility”

2 Kings 5:1, 8-11, 13-14

Sermon by Pastor Tim Woodard

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“Hear now these words from the second Book of Kings, chapter five, verse one, and eight thru eleven, concluding with verses thirteen and fourteen.”

2 Kings 5:1, 8-11, 13-141 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!

13 But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

“Having heard this account of the ‘might warrior’ with Leprosy and what he had to do, to get healed, how are we to incorporate this lesson into our own life struggles?”

“Humility”

When I was in my twenties, it was July 1974 actually, I had the opportunity to attend one of Billy Graham’s crusades in Missouri with my father; he really is a very impressive speaker.  During one of his ‘many’ public speeches the Reverend Graham tells of a time, during the early years of his preaching ministry, when he was due to lead a crusade meeting in a town in South Carolina, and he needed to mail a letter.  He asked a little boy in the main street how he could get to the post office.  After the boy had given him directions, Billy said, “If you come to the central Baptist church tonight, I’ll tell you how to get to heaven.”  The boy replied, “No thanks, you don’t even know how to get to the post office!” /Author Unknown/

Every now and then, we all find ourselves needing a little humility.  Humility is not the subject that is frequently taught in public schools nor am I aware of it being: commonly taught in our colleges on a regular basis.  There are courses that do speak of humility but for the average student the pressures of achieving the highest possible education, so that they can pursue that desired and sought-after career, are simply more important.  Thus, the few classrooms that do speak to the attributes of humility: are ‘poorly attended and go uncelebrated’.

          For ‘most’ of us… humility is something we have heard spoken about and from time to time we see it in another person, but seldom do we feel the sincere desire to pursue it.  If we truly desired it, we would take the steps necessary to attain a smidgen of it. Even if we do see it as a virtue – we are unclear as to what we might do to make it part of our own personality.

          If you do consider embarking on the journey to acquire some humility consider these words: “Only those who feel little in the eyes of God can hope to be mighty in the eyes of men;” /author unknown/   And also, I urge you to bear this in mind: “What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God.” /Monica Baldwin/

          If humility is such a good thing, why don’t more of us seek it?  Well, part of the reason is because there are some real obstacles in the way such as: pride, arrogance, egotism, and self-importance.  The greatest of these is pride.  Why, because pride is a self-centered preoccupation with, and overestimation of one’s own importance, abilities, or achievements, resulting in an unwillingness to submit oneself to God.  Consider this quote from the mouth of Beethoven: “Nothing is more intolerable than to have to admit to yourself your own errors.”

          So, what is humility?  One definition is that humility is the lack of vanity or self-importance: humbleness, lowliness, and meekness.  It is thought that a humble person is modest, simple, and down to earth.  A modest person does not think they are more important or better than others.  Now, let me stress this: It is important that we do not confuse humility with humiliation.  For humiliation is a verb not a noun and it is an action meant to embarrass someone or to make that person feel ashamed.

          Humility, on the other hand is ‘described as,’ “A characteristic by which a person considering his or her own shortcoming – has a humble opinion of them self – and ‘willingly’ submits to God and to others for God’s sake.” /Webster’s Dictionary/

          This morning’s scripture finds us back in the Old Testament.  We find ourselves in that time-period before Christ, during the realm of Hebrew kings around the Eight Century B.C.  We hear an account of this man named Naaman, who is a commander of the army of the king of Aram.  We are ‘told that he is a great man’, a mighty warrior and is held in high favor with his master. There is just one issue… he has leprosy.

          Leprosy is a chronic and infectious disease.  It produces skin lesions and if left untreated can cause permanent damage to skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes.  As late as 1995 the World Health organization estimated that there were between two and three million people permanently disabled because of leprosy.  Treatment for this illness has been available since the 1940s, making forced quarantines unnecessary.  Yet, leper colonies

Have ‘been reported as’ still in existence today in India, Vietnam, Africa, and the Philippines.

          Treatment was not available back at the time of Naaman’s illness.  Thus, we find Naaman seeking help from the prophet Elisha.  He was known to have the ability to perform miracles and to be in God’s favor.  “So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house.” Naaman came willing and able to pay ‘anything’ asked of him to cure his leprosy.  Yet, the only message he got from Elisha (who did not even come out and greet this great warrior) was this: “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”

          This mighty warrior, who was not a Hebrew and was not a follower of the God of Israel, was not pleased that Elisha did not even come out and greet him.  He had expected that the prophet would place his hand upon him and cure him right there. He was outraged at the perceived insult.  Nor was he inclined to consider going down to the muddy river Jordan and wash himself seven times, not to mention get out of his chariot, lay down his armor, his weapons and his adornments then take the stairway down to the river where common folk washed.

          It seems quite apparent that the prophet felt Naaman needed a lesson in humility.  He was not seeking to humiliate Naaman with these instructions.  He was seeking to instill in this great warrior that he would need to totally submit himself in the presence of God to these simple instructions.  In so doing he would need to set aside his pride and ego and lower himself as a ‘common’ man into the public waterway of the Jordan River.

          It took the bold persuasion of his servants to convince him to humble himself and give Elisha’s instructions a try.  “So, he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.”

          Naaman was no less than nor no more than anyone of us.  He did not naturally seek the path of humility nor do we.  His position in life taught him to rely on his own abilities.   And as he became a great and mighty warrior, he began to give himself credit for his mighty achievements.  He was ‘discouraged from giving’ his Creator credit for his abilities.  In his position of self-reliance and self-importance he had moved away from any honest concern for others around him.  His pride had made him the center of his own kingdom.  It was only his fear of the leprosy that had caused him to move outside his self-centered world.  Without realizing it Naaman had taken a step toward humility.

          There are ‘many’ times in the Bible where we are ‘called to begin’ to find our way to humility.  Look at the words found in Philippians chapter two verses three and four: “Do not be selfish; do not try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself.  Do not look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  Throughout the scriptures we are ‘called-upon’ to humble ourselves.  Hear these words from 1st Peter chapter 5: verse 6: “humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.”  And in the gospel of Matthew chapter 18 verse 4: “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

          It was ‘once said to me’ that: “if you think you are humble then you probably are not.”  I suspect this ‘was said to break down’ the pride and ego that was in the way, at that point in the journey.  Yet, ‘many’ of those around us need to ‘be built up.’  ‘Some’ need to know that true humility is accepting and utilizing all the: ‘God given talents’ and ‘gifts’ that God has given them.

          Naaman took the necessary steps of humility.  He did not find this easy.  He had to set aside those things he had grown to trust for something he was less sure of; the world around him respected his proficiency as a warrior, he prided himself on that.  ‘Many’ have achieved status and recognition in our world for their achievements.  Moving from our worldly positions and becoming ‘right sized’ in the sight of God and those around us: is the hard part.

        Jesus could have ruled the world like no other king that came before him.  Yet, as we are told from the words written in Philippians chapter two verses six thru verse eleven, Jesus: “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.   And ‘being found’ in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.  Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

          What steps are we (what steps are you) willing to take?  Are we (are you) willing to become (a) student(s) in the pursuit of humility?  If the answer is yes, we (each one of us) shall become more intimate with our God.  Do we (you) possess the courage to set aside (your) our pride and ego?  Can we (can you) admit (your) our own errors? 

          The stairway is in front of us.  Let us not be afraid when the steps appear to move downward, as they did for Naaman.  Let us now begin the steps of humility, let us move down the stairway, taking each step one at a time, trusting that this simple act of humility will bring us, step by step, closer to our God.  In true humility… let us begin accepting ourselves as we truly are in the sight God.  

Amen.

“Humility”

2 Kings 5:1, 8-11, 13-14

Sermon by Pastor Tim Woodard

“Hear now these words from the second Book of Kings, chapter five, verse one, and eight thru eleven, concluding with verses thirteen and fourteen.”

2 Kings 5:1, 8-11, 13-141 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!

13 But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

“Having heard this account of the ‘might warrior’ with Leprosy and what he had to do, to get healed, how are we to incorporate this lesson into our own life struggles?”

“Humility”

When I was in my twenties, it was July 1974 actually, I had the opportunity to attend one of Billy Graham’s crusades in Missouri with my father; he really is a very impressive speaker.  During one of his ‘many’ public speeches the Reverend Graham tells of a time, during the early years of his preaching ministry, when he was due to lead a crusade meeting in a town in South Carolina, and he needed to mail a letter.  He asked a little boy in the main street how he could get to the post office.  After the boy had given him directions, Billy said, “If you come to the central Baptist church tonight, I’ll tell you how to get to heaven.”  The boy replied, “No thanks, you don’t even know how to get to the post office!” /Author Unknown/

Every now and then, we all find ourselves needing a little humility.  Humility is not the subject that is frequently taught in public schools nor am I aware of it being: commonly taught in our colleges on a regular basis.  There are courses that do speak of humility but for the average student the pressures of achieving the highest possible education, so that they can pursue that desired and sought-after career, are simply more important.  Thus, the few classrooms that do speak to the attributes of humility: are ‘poorly attended and go uncelebrated’.

          For ‘most’ of us… humility is something we have heard spoken about and from time to time we see it in another person, but seldom do we feel the sincere desire to pursue it.  If we truly desired it, we would take the steps necessary to attain a smidgen of it. Even if we do see it as a virtue – we are unclear as to what we might do to make it part of our own personality.

          If you do consider embarking on the journey to acquire some humility consider these words: “Only those who feel little in the eyes of God can hope to be mighty in the eyes of men;” /author unknown/   And also, I urge you to bear this in mind: “What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God.” /Monica Baldwin/

          If humility is such a good thing, why don’t more of us seek it?  Well, part of the reason is because there are some real obstacles in the way such as: pride, arrogance, egotism, and self-importance.  The greatest of these is pride.  Why, because pride is a self-centered preoccupation with, and overestimation of one’s own importance, abilities, or achievements, resulting in an unwillingness to submit oneself to God.  Consider this quote from the mouth of Beethoven: “Nothing is more intolerable than to have to admit to yourself your own errors.”

          So, what is humility?  One definition is that humility is the lack of vanity or self-importance: humbleness, lowliness, and meekness.  It is thought that a humble person is modest, simple, and down to earth.  A modest person does not think they are more important or better than others.  Now, let me stress this: It is important that we do not confuse humility with humiliation.  For humiliation is a verb not a noun and it is an action meant to embarrass someone or to make that person feel ashamed.

          Humility, on the other hand is ‘described as,’ “A characteristic by which a person considering his or her own shortcoming – has a humble opinion of them self – and ‘willingly’ submits to God and to others for God’s sake.” /Webster’s Dictionary/

          This morning’s scripture finds us back in the Old Testament.  We find ourselves in that time-period before Christ, during the realm of Hebrew kings around the Eight Century B.C.  We hear an account of this man named Naaman, who is a commander of the army of the king of Aram.  We are ‘told that he is a great man’, a mighty warrior and is held in high favor with his master. There is just one issue… he has leprosy.

          Leprosy is a chronic and infectious disease.  It produces skin lesions and if left untreated can cause permanent damage to skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes.  As late as 1995 the World Health organization estimated that there were between two and three million people permanently disabled because of leprosy.  Treatment for this illness has been available since the 1940s, making forced quarantines unnecessary.  Yet, leper colonies

Have ‘been reported as’ still in existence today in India, Vietnam, Africa, and the Philippines.

          Treatment was not available back at the time of Naaman’s illness.  Thus, we find Naaman seeking help from the prophet Elisha.  He was known to have the ability to perform miracles and to be in God’s favor.  “So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house.” Naaman came willing and able to pay ‘anything’ asked of him to cure his leprosy.  Yet, the only message he got from Elisha (who did not even come out and greet this great warrior) was this: “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”

          This mighty warrior, who was not a Hebrew and was not a follower of the God of Israel, was not pleased that Elisha did not even come out and greet him.  He had expected that the prophet would place his hand upon him and cure him right there. He was outraged at the perceived insult.  Nor was he inclined to consider going down to the muddy river Jordan and wash himself seven times, not to mention get out of his chariot, lay down his armor, his weapons and his adornments then take the stairway down to the river where common folk washed.

          It seems quite apparent that the prophet felt Naaman needed a lesson in humility.  He was not seeking to humiliate Naaman with these instructions.  He was seeking to instill in this great warrior that he would need to totally submit himself in the presence of God to these simple instructions.  In so doing he would need to set aside his pride and ego and lower himself as a ‘common’ man into the public waterway of the Jordan River.

          It took the bold persuasion of his servants to convince him to humble himself and give Elisha’s instructions a try.  “So, he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.”

          Naaman was no less than nor no more than anyone of us.  He did not naturally seek the path of humility nor do we.  His position in life taught him to rely on his own abilities.   And as he became a great and mighty warrior, he began to give himself credit for his mighty achievements.  He was ‘discouraged from giving’ his Creator credit for his abilities.  In his position of self-reliance and self-importance he had moved away from any honest concern for others around him.  His pride had made him the center of his own kingdom.  It was only his fear of the leprosy that had caused him to move outside his self-centered world.  Without realizing it Naaman had taken a step toward humility.

          There are ‘many’ times in the Bible where we are ‘called to begin’ to find our way to humility.  Look at the words found in Philippians chapter two verses three and four: “Do not be selfish; do not try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself.  Do not look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  Throughout the scriptures we are ‘called-upon’ to humble ourselves.  Hear these words from 1st Peter chapter 5: verse 6: “humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.”  And in the gospel of Matthew chapter 18 verse 4: “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

          It was ‘once said to me’ that: “if you think you are humble then you probably are not.”  I suspect this ‘was said to break down’ the pride and ego that was in the way, at that point in the journey.  Yet, ‘many’ of those around us need to ‘be built up.’  ‘Some’ need to know that true humility is accepting and utilizing all the: ‘God given talents’ and ‘gifts’ that God has given them.

          Naaman took the necessary steps of humility.  He did not find this easy.  He had to set aside those things he had grown to trust for something he was less sure of; the world around him respected his proficiency as a warrior, he prided himself on that.  ‘Many’ have achieved status and recognition in our world for their achievements.  Moving from our worldly positions and becoming ‘right sized’ in the sight of God and those around us: is the hard part.

        Jesus could have ruled the world like no other king that came before him.  Yet, as we are told from the words written in Philippians chapter two verses six thru verse eleven, Jesus: “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.   And ‘being found’ in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.  Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

          What steps are we (what steps are you) willing to take?  Are we (are you) willing to become (a) student(s) in the pursuit of humility?  If the answer is yes, we (each one of us) shall become more intimate with our God.  Do we (you) possess the courage to set aside (your) our pride and ego?  Can we (can you) admit (your) our own errors? 

          The stairway is in front of us.  Let us not be afraid when the steps appear to move downward, as they did for Naaman.  Let us now begin the steps of humility, let us move down the stairway, taking each step one at a time, trusting that this simple act of humility will bring us, step by step, closer to our God.  In true humility… let us begin accepting ourselves as we truly are in the sight God.  

Amen.

“Trust God!”

Mark 4:35-41, June 18th, 2023

Sermon by Pastore Tim Woodard

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Father’s Day

“Hear now these ancient words attributed to the teaching of Jesus, when he was with his early disciples, from the gospel according to Mark, chapter four, verses thirty-five thru forty-one.” 

Mark 4:35-41

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”  

36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was.  Other boats were with him. 

37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 

38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 

39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace!  Be still!”  Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 

40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid?  Have you still no faith?”  

41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

“Having listened with our ears to this accounting of Jesus calming the storm, let us consider the storms which rage in our own lives.”

“Trust God!”

My Father was an interesting man.  When I was growing up, we lived in a little town called Leverett Massachusetts in the western portion of the state.  It is in the suburbs of Amherst which housed a college, now a university I believe.  Leverett was always a small town and still is, the best I know.  My grandfather was the Minister of Leverett, there was a Baptist church in East Leverett.  Dear dad, he worked most of his life in a machine shop knocking burrs, the edges off fresh cut steal parts, small items such as screws and small hinges and such.  Dirty unrewarding work as a whole.  He had to punch a time clock as he went into work and punch it again when his shift was over.  Thankfully, in his later years he was able to secure a janitor’s position at the then local college in Amherst.  He also became a Gideon and took great pride in passing out Bibles to the students at the college.  Then humbly picked out of the trash the ones thrown away, in hopes he could try to find better homes for those Bibles. 

Dad loved my grandfather Dixon, the Preacher, he just struggled with the theology of us moderate Christians.  He, like myself believed in Christ and the love of God.  It was the details where we struggled.  Only after I went to Seminary did I find the language to talk with him about religion without having to disagree with his understandings, all the time.  He had a smile on his face the last time I saw him.  He loved to pray.  I often remember how long they were and that he would pray anywhere and at any time.  He once told me, when I was learning the art of public prayer, that you just talk to God, but close your eyes and say the words out loud.  Remember to whom you are speaking seems to be the ultimate message he was preaching that day.  His words and practice, practice, practice have caused me to be more comfortable with prayer than I first was; that is for sure.  My father was a man of great faith, as was my grandfather Dixon.  They are both very much a part of my faith journey.

Grandfather Dixon and my father were in many ways alike while being total opposites.  Dad was willing to go to great lengths to help others.  He was always reaching out to the missionaries from the Baptist church.  Offering them a place to stay, feeding them and helping them financially.  My Grandfather founded a summer Christian camp for boys and girls.  Camp Anderson it was called.  One of our members, of this congregation, Mary Lou Dragon, gave me a picture of a cabin she stayed in… back in 1948 at Camp Anderson.  She must have known ‘Old Uncle Herby’ as grandpa was called while at the camp.  He worked countless hours, with no pay, at that church.  He prided himself in getting scholarships for underprivileged children to come to camp.  It was a two-week camp for boys, then yet another, two weeks for the girls.   

The camp is still there, different name, yet still serving the needs of local children.  A tremendously successful ministry he initiated in that region!  Because of his efforts I learned all about Mother nature and God’s nature, in that area, and I learned a lot of games.  Old Uncle Herby was the master of creating children’s games.  Adults enjoyed them as well.

My dad was always trying to teach me the names of the trees surrounding our home.  Grandfather was always teaching me about being selfless and striving to help the underprivileged and needy.  Neither were perfect, nor am I.  Yet, in my heart I can feel the sincere humility of their simple faith and understanding of what it means to walk in the shoes of Jesus, as they strived to live out their faith.  Gramps never saw my struggles as a young adult, yet his example now rings clearly in my heart. 

My relationship with my father was strained during those years of misunderstanding, yet I know in my heart that he and I were at peace before he passed over to the other side.  They both put their trust in God, even during the bad times.  Trusting God, even in the stormy portions of our journey is clearly what our lesson this morning is all about.  But rather than having the backdrop of a small town in western Massachusetts, our scripture takes place in a different time and place.

There are all kinds of storms, like our thunderstorms that are starting to make their way back into our daily forecasts!  When I first moved to Florida, my family and friends back up in New England all warned me of the storms which come in the long, long summers in South Florida.  I took on a ministry, for fourteen weeks, in North Miami.  It was in June, I do believe, when I first started there.  I had only been to the church once when I was living in Boca Raton.  On that Sunday, my first day, I got lost in North Miami.  I was in the middle of a turbulent emotional storm as I tried to find my way.  I finally stopped and said a prayer, asking for God to show me the way.  I made a couple more turns, and low and behold there was the church!  Several people came to my car to help me with my robe and my sermon material and hurriedly rushed me to the back of the church where the choir was awaiting my arrival.  Someone helped me put on my robe and we immediately processed in!  My emotions settled down and that day’s storm passed.  A pinch a faith, a little trust in the Spirit of God and all was well. 

My sermon that first Sunday began with my talking about all the concern my family and friends had for me as I moved to Florida.  It was a beautiful morning in Miami that day, about 95 degrees.  I raised up the front page of the Boston Globe which had been delivered to our home in Boca that morning.  It read: “Heat wave overtakes the Boston area with record highs of a hundred plus degrees.”  The congregation roared that day.  We had a wonderful journey together.  I loved being their pastor.  The summer storms came and went and yes there were many days above ninety-five degrees in Miami that summer.  

I baptized a few babies, did a few funerals that summer.  God had allowed the analogy of stormy weather to coincide with my fluctuating emotions and I began my ministry beyond the boundaries of my training.  The words of the professor that spoke of the difference between the ‘fine’ theology of seminary and the ‘folk’ theology I learned while visiting shut-ins and interacting with the needs of local people of a local church, far, far away from my home and my memories of my grandfather and my dad; the professor’s words took on new meaning for me.  I began to more deeply, understand the depth of the words trust and faith during a storm – truly meant.

When I first came to the Sebastian Florida area, the youth group leader of the church I was serving, wanted us to join them for a boat ride on the river.  Actually.  A kayak excursion.  It sounded like a lot of fun, but Lois and I had never been in a kayak.  He brought a truck load of kayaks and put them in the water – all we had to do was get in one.  It was a beautiful day.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Nice breeze.  Perfect afternoon for an excursion on the river in a kayak.  Lois and I were getting into the same boat.  Lois got in first and I helped her a bit.  Then it was my turn.  The kayak was a few feet from shore.  Karoline Lewis, a trusted theologian, and writer says it so well. 

“The hardest thing is getting into the boat.  You just have to get into the darn boat.” I finally got in.  A bit wet.  But not that bad. 

We saw a lot of beautiful sights that day.  Birds, and such.  A dolphin or two. Just a really nice day.  When we got back, someone helped Lois from the boat.  All I had to do was get out.  I had dried off by then. Well, I slipped and yes, I got really wet.  We got the boat out.  And we all sat in the Gazebo to enjoy some sort of refreshments.  I could not find my phone, not until I walked back down to where I got out of the kayak.  There it was, lying at the bottom in a foot of water.  “All I had to do was get and out of the darn boat.” 

Yup, my cell phone got wet that day.  It was a flip top.  When I went to get it fixed, the fella that listened to my tale said to me, as he pointed to the trash can, “drop it there in the can and pick out a new one, I will be with you in a moment.”  Yes, I had to buy a new one.  That beautiful sunny day… turned into a storm for me.  Yup… I finally got in!

What I got was a deep sense of understanding of those two words, trust, and faith; once I had matured in my journey of ministry, I finally really got it!

Are there storms that come up in my life?  You can count on it!  Are there storms in your life that come up?  Moments when you feel like the disciples in our scripture lesson.  Of course!  We all have moments of chaos or confusion and even fear that come up unexpectedly!  Every one of us has those moments when things happen or situations arise when we do lose our faith, even if only for a moment!  It happens.  Thankfully, you and I, we have that tiny mustard seed of faith from our Sunday school lesson to hold onto!  All you need to do is Pause and Pray.  Take that extra moment to ask God to be with you, to help you in your time, your moment of need. 

Trust me, it works! 

The problem may not go mystically away, but the peace of God can fill you heart and calm your nerves, dispelling your fears in a blink of the eyes!  Trust God – even in a storm!  God is with us and will not forsake us! 

Happy Father’s Day, 

Amen.

“In the Beginning…”

Genesis 1:1-5, June 4^th, 2023

Sermon by Pastor Tim Woodard

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Communion

“Hear now these reflective words from the book of Genesis, chapter one, verses one thru five.”

Genesis 1:1-5

1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,

2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 

3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 

4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 

5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

“Having heard this poetic accounting of the first day of Creation, as written down perhaps as early as six to nine centuries before Christ, let us consider their meaning to us here in the Twenty-First Century after the birth of Christ!”

“In the Beginning”

Being a writer, I know what it feels like to begin with nothing but a blank piece of paper.  It takes creativity and courage to make a beginning!  To make a new beginning takes not only courage but tenacity!  The writer of what is now the first book of the Bible in our Christian Bibles; this masterpiece, was a noble venture to be sure!  To put pen to parchment, to speak of Creation, to speak of an ancient understanding of how the Holy One, the Ultimate Deity came to create humankind out of nothingness, is indeed a bold and spirited venture! 

That, my friends, is the ultimate power of beginning something new!  Out of nothingness came life!  Only the grace of God can accomplish such!  Only someone filled with the very Spirit of God would be able to ‘write’ a book that would give so many… so much inspiration and hope!  Surely, our writer has captured the spirit, the rhythm and flavor of what was known and understood about the Supreme being… and how the earth came to be… and how humankind was formed.  And, most importantly, how our Creator God was involved in it all!

As we ponder all this let me share this thought with you.  Years ago, I got a poster from my sister.  It was a beautiful picture of the Red Wood National Forest, in California.  At the bottom was this caption: “Today, is the first day of the rest of your life!”  Powerful words – if you accept the ultimate meaning of the writing.  Abby Hoffman wrote those words.  He was a graduate of the University of California. He was a political and social activist.  Kind of a rebel in his own time!  His slogans still live on.  Today, today is most certainly the very first day and ‘first’ days are a new beginning into our future.  You and me, we still have the rest of our lives to live into a future history which has yet to be ‘written’!

As we reflect on the inspirational writing of Creation, by a writer way back in the sixth or possible as far back as the ninth century Before Christ, we must recognize that this writing was the first, the very beginning of written documentation; telling us of what early cultures, such as the Israelites used as their stepping off point.  Giving us their understanding of who and what God is and what place God had and has in all of Creation.  It was a start! 

Like any start, by the best of writers, the best of theologians in those early times and in our current times, we must rely on the data collected.  Historically, we rely on what has been passed on to us through both our traditions and our cultures understanding of what our historical context reveals to us.

Thirty-three years ago, this fall, I entered seminary.  In my studies of the Old Testament, specifically Genesis, our professor gave us her understanding of this ancient writing.  She pointed out that in that time period there was not the accumulated knowledge available to writers, as there is today. Yet, there is a vast amount of information we can glean from these early writings!  Our professor spoke of how music and poetry, historically, have done… a fantastic job of capturing the rhythm and heart of what was believed during a given period.  The spirit of understanding, considering cultural realities and situations, was and is seen in such writings.  This is especially true in today’s lesson.  Our writer wanted the listener to know that God, was present at the beginning of time. 

Therefore, our Creator God was a vital part in the formation of this planet which supports life, including human life!  To this day, humankind has found no other like it! 

What is it we know about this accounting, this bold first verses of our Christian Bible?  The writers wanted to express the belief, the understanding that God, was the designer, the lead contractor that set things into motion.  And like any contractor, their understanding of time may not be ours. It seems, from our modern view of things that one day in God’s eyes, could easily be a thousand years give or take a few decades or centuries even!  The critical element is that God was the bold one, the one with the vision and the Spirit filled intuitive and inspired scope of what it would take to create that which we now know as our world!  To do what the Almighty has created took passion, tenacity, and love!  Also, God wanted a place, a place we now call the planet Earth, for humankind to grow and flourish, in the image of God.  This was the beginning!

Now here we are, reflecting on how a writer captured how humankind understood how it all started, on that blank piece of paper that he wrote upon!  As we consider what we do with this writing, let us consider our visions for the future. Surely, you join me in wanting to see some changes in the future.  Clearly things need change and that will take some planning.  New thoughts come from ‘some form’ of vision. The contractor who bought from us ten plus acres of land – they had a vision.  They now have a full community with families living in them.  Their plan to create new homes where new families might live on the land they purchased – has come to be!  There were a multitude of details, but first came the inspiration, then the vision!

We need to be part of the new vision for the community we serve.  Whom do we serve?  Everyone that is hearing my voice and all of us here today, including those who are still follow us on face-book and via our website!  We must include our neighbors living in the surrounding community in which we are a part of. We serve those whom God has placed in our thoughts, our prayers and those whom God sends to us and those we are meant to serve!  Bold words, words which beg us to be diligent and willing to respond to things as they change in front of our very eyes!  We must focus on life: on life’s terms.  This is often not easy and frequently we must ask God to give us serenity for those things we cannot change.  We cannot just wish for a virus to mystically go away.  We cannot just wish or hope to fix a social issue, like racism, to be fixed in a day.  

Ultimately, we must do something!  Even when it seems dauntingly hard, if not impossible we think!  Or we may still believe everything is ok the way it has been and still is.  This seems outrageous to think there are still so many who are unable to grasp the harsh reality of what is being discussed – all around us today!  We may wish to hide our heads in the sand until it passes by, and things go back to what they once were.  If you think that, perhaps you are being naive.  Today is the day, the first day we shall see more clearly… the troubles that need attention, all around our community,

our state, and our beloved United States!  It seems, to so many, a great many of us think that this is way too vast for us to deal with.  How can we make a difference?

Yet, we cannot, and we must not stop our process of discernment, nor can we simply give up!  We must look for those situations where we can make a difference.  We can start with the simple things, things which we do understand and are clear about.  Like having a food drive, supporting a local food bank, helping to feed the growing population of hungry people, all around us!  We can support movements, peaceful, nonviolent protests, that stand for legitimate, genuine, and real social justice causes!  Likewise, we must support our local authorities who are working to protect us from anarchy and violence.  Looting and destroying municipalities and shutting down small businesses will not help solve a social crisis!  We do need to be willing to seek new ways to make a difference in areas of social injustice! 

We need to volunteer to work with other churches who are seeking an ecumenical solution!  Seeking new visions and creating new plans to be part of the solution to old and troubling issues of inequality and injustice in our society!

A new day is upon us, and we need the guidance of the Master.  Only our Creator can give us the wisdom… to know when and how we can take on a cause as a new ministry.  And, likewise, only with the wisdom which comes from God, can we come to understand those things we cannot take on – nor can we, currently change!  Only by following the will of God, made know to us through prayer and thoughtful reflection, can we know when to take-action, and when we need to simply act responsibly and use restraint, praying and seeking God’s input for further clarity.

Our future is that empty sheet of paper we writers struggle with.  Knowing what first thought or action to take is often the hardest to overcome.  All those centuries ago, the writing of the book of Genesis was daunting to be sure.  But there was a first sentence, put to parchment and written down, and a beginning was made.  Thankfully, the concept of God and who God was understood to be was written down.  If not, where in history might the first words have been documented?  Where would those of us who have followed, without this early input into how the world came to be, where would we have turned for the answer?  We each ought to be personally grateful for the book of Genesis.  If we had waited for science to begin explaining how we came to be and what the purpose of life is, well, one might shutter, to think about it.  Let us not put our understanding of life in a test tube.  Surely, life has far more meaning than that!  It is much better for humankind to have a mystical Deity whom clearly, loved the vision of our existence to discuss and debate, then to only have a formula or an explanation of an atom, or our understanding of the effect gravitational pull has on humankind to discuss.

Today is our opportunity to consider what we envision tomorrow will look like.  Let us pray that vision comes from an understand of the concept of God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.  The God of love who envisioned humankind with so much love we were created equally, in God’s own image, both male and female. 

Amen.

“Living in the Spirit”

Acts 2:1-8 & 12-15, May 28th, 2023.

Sermon by Pastor Tim Woodard

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Memorial Day Weekend

‘Communion on Pentecost Sunday’

“Hear now this writing, from Acts, chapter two, verse one thru eight and verses twelve thru fifteen.

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 

 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 

“Having now heard this reading, let us consider how the Spirit of the Living God is moving in our lives and in this community.”

“Living in the Spirit”

Today, we remember the day of Pentecost; a day set aside to remember how the ‘Living Spirit of God’ first came to the disciples and followers of the Risen Christ!  Through God’s grace and mercy, this could be an amazing day!  Pentecost was a time to be, “Living in the Spirit.” Might we also be “Living in the Spirit” as individuals and as a church.  Could it be, that our God, the Living God, the Spirit of Christ, the God of Abraham, and all those who have come before us are now one with us in the Spirit of God. David N. Mosser tells us this could it be that “on this day of Pentecost, God shall take this group here gathered; a group of haphazard, assorted believers and unites us with the precious gift of spirit-language.” Is this not amazing and perplexing all at the same time?  Let us pray the Spirit of Christ is here with us this morning!

John C. Holbert tells us “Many readers of this story focus their attention on the mysterious details of wind, fire, and miraculous speech, and miss the real story Luke is trying to tell.” “Well, what is that?”  You ask. 

One theologian, Nancy Rockwell, states it this way: “This is the promise of Pentecost: now we no longer depend solely on Jesus to be the one who understands.  Now we, too, understand.  And now we, too, can speak and our voices can spread the Spirit of understanding.” This new level of comprehension, and appreciation for one another; this ability to speak and hear from our hearts – without needing to fact check it with some lawyer or resource book.  Today, we shall come together to share from the same table with an understanding which draws us ever more together in community. This, my friends, is the meaning of Pentecost!  No, this is not some chance or fluke occurrence.  This is the Spirit of God working in our midst!  Let us take pause and notice and observe the fulness of God’s awesome power!

The coming of the Spirit of the Living God into one’s life, into one’s church, is meant to comfort yes, but it is more than that!  The Spirit is our advocate, our supporter, our promoter, and our sponsor!  The Spirit also comes to agitate us just a little bit. Sometimes we modern Christians get a little too comfortable, a little too complacent with God’s grace and mercy, we take it for granted!

As we continue our discussion this morning, on this Pentecost Sunday, seeking to glean some of the fruits of the Spirit… which are spoken of within the New Testament lessons that are available to us today, we need to clarify a few essentials before we go further.  Let us acknowledge that Pentecost is on the seventh Sunday after Easter. It marks and celebrates the commencement of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples and followers of Christ.  Our scripture today from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter two, starting at verse one: “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place”. It is very important to recall that everyone there received the Holy Spirit! Not just one privileged group! No ethnic group was excluded. No distinction between men or women was made. All received the Holy Spirit. Hear the next three verses again with this in mind: “And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” /Acts 2:1-4/

In the gospel according to John chapter twenty starting at verse nineteen we are told that: “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked in fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” /John 20:19-22/ The many accounts of the Spirit being bestowed are each focused in making us aware of Christ’s Spirit is alive in those willing to receive it.

The point we ought to grasp is simple:   Allow this message of hope – to rest in our hearts and minds: “The Spirit of the Living God is with us.”  All we need do, to begin is accept, willingly accept this gift which is freely offered to all who are willing to follow – thereby allowing the ‘Living Spirit’ to lead us and empower us to do the will of God!

In contrast in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, (found in Romans chapter 8) he speaks of: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit… For in hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what is seen?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise, the Spirit helps us with our weakness.” 

Paul’s message in his letter to the Romans moves us away from the ‘tongues of fire’ and the drama surrounding the sudden appearance of the Holy Spirit’s power within the ranks of the followers of Jesus.  Now we are moved to begin seriously considering the foundation of what receiving, having available to us the Living Spirit of God, we are moved to seriously consider what this truly means!  Consider Paul’s letter to the Romans, with words of affirmation of all that the Spirit does for us as followers of Jesus. 

The Apostle Paul speaks out to the young church in Rome, a struggling church, much like a great many of us small churches who have been so disrupted by the occurrences of the times we now live in.  Paul exhorts his listeners, which include us in our present time, to be uplifted and filled with new hope, as we have been blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Yet, Paul goes further to remind us of that young group of followers back in Rome that the Spirit is not easily seen, if at all.  Thus, we must constantly rely on our faith to carry us forward during difficult and trying times. “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

/Romans 8:25/

The Apostle Paul likes to get his audiences’ attention – as he wrote his letters.  You see, Paul knew how hard it is to get a ‘reader’ to hear the inflection of his voice, just as you now hear mine as I speak out loud to you today!  Therefore, he often said the obvious over and over and in a loud and precise written manner!  He was also seeking to instill hope for those who were listening and not to discourage them.  Yes, he needed to tell them the truth.  Through Christ we are given the Holy Spirit.  “The good news!”  Yet, we need to fight through our unbelief and accept, to invite, to actively invite the Spirit of God into our lives, even as we strive to work closely and in concert with God’s will for us – as we move forward in our lives!  This is very important! 

We humans often lose our way and forget Jesus taught us, exalted, and exhorted us, thereby urging us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves! 

If you honestly look at history, you can easily see that when humankind focuses on their own wants and desires, rather than the needs of others, it is then that things go bad!   Paul was striving to help those early followers seek out the ways of Jesus’ teachings thus the will of God, rather than rely only on human instincts!

Paul also inserted a gem for us to polish and hold up to the light.  He goes beyond the use of flamboyant language such as that contain in chapter two of the Acts of the Apostles.  Listen carefully to his words to the church in Rome.  “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought,” / Romans 8:26/

Many of us pastors, in our mode of preaching find ourselves continually working to raise the power of prayer.  Oftentimes we forget to point out that talking with God is only truly heard when it becomes a selfless prayer! 

We talked about prayer a great deal last week. 

The main point here is to accept that you, and me, that we all could use a bit of help from the Spirit of God interceding into our thoughts – as we seek to be in communion with the will of God! We continue to need a willingness to follow the Holy Spirits lead, with faith. 

Amen.