Scripture Readings: Luke 15: 11-12 (yes, short). 

 Big idea:  God calls on people to serve.  I am mindful that the son had a different agenda than serving but what I want to focus on is letting go.  The father let go.  In today’s world, we are served by many and parents, grandparents, friends, have to let go. 

 “In the process of letting go, you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself.”  Deepak Chopra

 Part of our task is know when to let go, and when to hang on. 

Job 23 ... I like Job.  Not easy to preach from but I do think it speaks to us in our humanness.  

Pentecost 16:  18.09.16

Sunday Three of Five Straight RCL Sundays on James

As I indicate in the reflection, the passage was selected in April or May and then the week consumed me with how words had been misused.  It just seemed appropriate to take the events of the week and move them into the reflection.  My purpose was not to be mean, but to educate and learn.  Please try and listen w/o attaching names to the people.  An adventure in missing the point.  

James 3:1-12

¹ Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ² For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴ Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

James 1 and his commentary on faith without works is meaningless.  True.  Context does matter ... 

Ephesians 4: 25-5:2

We are a new creation. 

Through a clear understanding of being that new creation, are now part of the body of Christ. 

Being part of that body calls on us to grow in love, not staying static but instead growing, growing, growing. 

The key is we are a new creation, putting away what we were, and embracing what is new

Ephesians 1: 3-14 

Sermon one of seven from Ephesians.  Will introduce a "rule" per week.  

This week:  "Love your congregation where they are."  

Bishop Karen Oliveto was at Hilltop for the Rocky Mountain Conference United Methodist Women, and we ask her to stay over an extra day, and she graciously consented.  This sermon is drawn from John 15 and the command to love each other.  Let me know if you have trouble with hearing  Bishop Karen uses a wide range of vocal dynamics, and parts may need a little bit of an electronic boost in Garage Band, which is what I use to create this.  

We also sang after the Sermon -- "Draw the Circle Wide" -- which is what Bishop Karen is addressing in her benediction.  

Our Scripture reading was from 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Pastor Mario connected this passage of Scripture back to our series on Luke 15. We looked at our high calling as ambassadors of Christ, and were encouraged to live and lean into the reality of new creation as we live out our ministry of reconciliation. We are comforted by this fact: While it may be hard to see others, ourselves and the world from the perspective of new creation, we can do it. Why? Paul reminds us: He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf so we can become the righteousness of God. We live in a world in need of reconciliation. How will we respond? 

Part III of Pastor Mario's series on Luke 15 gives us a closer look at the younger son and his Father. While the younger son thought he was better off without his Father, the Father patiently waits for him to come to his senses and return home. However, the return home is not without its cost as an unwelcoming ceremony awiaits the younger son. Instead of shame and suspicion, the Father receives his wayward son home by taking on the shame that belonged to his son and recieving him back, not as a hired hand, but as his son. The parable still speaks to us today and invites us all to come to our senses, return home and experience the love of Jesus, who sees us when we are still a long way off. 

The sermon is on the Luke 18: 35 to 19: 10.  I am not 100% sure why we read the passage before except maybe for the forecast of Calvary.  I used this as an opportunity to review where we had been over the earlier four weeks and try, key word - try, to put a cherry on top of those four reflections.