Archive for category: Sermons

Exploring Sabbath: Re-Orienting

One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?”And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” (Mark 2:23-28)

We hear of many rules pertaining to Sabbath-keeping, but the Sabbath was created for far more than what not to do on a particular day. Mark helps us understand that we need to look more deeply into the meaning of Sabbath.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Seeing the beauty of creation, including ourselves, from God’s eyes opens us up to the new and wonderful things God is doing in God’s world.

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.  (Psalm 139:7-10)

Wherever we look, God’s presence can be seen. God creates each of us with love and care, and we are uniquely wonderful.

“I prophesied [to the bones] as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.” — Ezekiel 37:10

Ezekiel has a vision of a valley full of bones receiving life, breath, sinew and flesh after encountering the word of God. When they arise, they receive Spirit and they dance! As Easter people we celebrate the Spirit that continues to give life and breath to our dry bones. We dare to dance in the face of fear, in the face of cynicism, in the face of despair. We dare to dance “as long as we live” for we, like the early Christians, are the recipients of the Spirit of God which intercedes even when we think we can’t make it to the dance floor. In hope we are saved!

“For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace…” — Isaiah 55:12a

The scriptures for this Sunday describe everything in creation offering joyful noises to God. Our joy is complete because the joy of Christ resides within us. We cannot help but break forth. This joy is available to all, realizes the community in Acts. The Holy Spirit finds its way even and especially in what feels like unlikely people and places. Where do we see the Spirit at work and who can withhold the living water and our living praise? No one!