This week we have two very dramatic stories from the Scriptures.  We have Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones and the story of the death and raising of Lazarus.

As I begin my ponderings on this passage I am reminded of John 12: 24, “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”   With the bones being “very dry” before being given life, and Lazarus dieing before being raised from the dead, I wonder where the idea of having to be like the grain of wheat and dieing first to be raised.  While in Lazarus case it was a very real, physical death, we could ask ourselves what it means in a spiritual sense.   Sometimes religious thoughts of “dieing to self” have been used to promote a poor self-image, or to allow others to dominate or run rough shod over us.  I do not believe this is what is being called for.  I do believe we can ponder this week what it means to come to a point in our lives where God can truly raise us up and give us life.

• What are ways you have experienced resurrection in your life?
• What would it mean for you to have God raise you up today from some of the dry areas of your life?

Margaret Ebner, 14th century mystic, describes an experience she had.  The Pater Noter she refers to is the “Our Father” or Lord’s Prayer.
“On Friday after St. James’ Day I went into choir and began my Pater Noster. Then the greatest grace overcame me and I knew not how it would end, except that I perceived the grace was so great that I could not finish the Pater Noster. My heart was surrounded by such sweet grace and felt so light that I was no longer able to pray. I held the Name Jesus Christus within me with sweet loving power and from it I perceived wonderful, sweet fragrances rising up within me. “

This week we are going to be reflecting on the wonderful blessings of God’s love and call on our lives.  The Gospel passage is a very familiar passage which has Jesus telling Nicodemus he must be born again and has probably the most familiar New Testament verse of all – “For God so loved the world …”    The Genesis passage is a call of God to Abram to leave his homeland and to go where he is lead.

As we reflect on these passages we might ask how they bring to us a “sweet grace” and how it might bring a sense of a “sweet loving power and from it …(we might perceive a) “wonderful, sweet fragrance”.

How do these verse speak to you of God’s wonderful love and help you move to the mountain top where we draw closer to our God and sense God’s glory.

The Gospel lesson this week is a continuation of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  In this one he delves into a deepening sense of what love is all about.  The love he speaks of involves love and prayers for our enemies.  He begins with his phrase, “You have heard it said …” and takes the eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth notion, into the idea of loving our enemy, turning the other cheek, and praying for them.

The Leviticus passage includes the idea of loving your neighbor as yourself.  This later is included in the statement of the two greatest laws.  The first is to love God.  The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.  Included in this are some strong statements as to how we should treat other people.  In the midst of these statements are the periodic includsion of the phrase, “I am the Lord”

The Psalmist asks God to teach his statutes and show his ways.

These passages give rise to these questions.

1. How does recognizing the God is the Lord effect the way we treat other people?

2. What does it mean to love our neighbors?

3. What does it mean to love our enemies?

The Seasons of the Spirit material talks about our being called together to follow Christ and “choosing to embrace the changes that accompany such choice.”    The concluding paragraph states:

“God’s call often comes through the gradual unfolding of events and experiences in our lives.  This call becomes our invitation to follow in God’s ways, extending the good news of God’s saving love to others.  In what ways do you and your churchr espond to the call to follow Jesus and ‘fish for people’?  How do you support one another in your lives as disciples?”

As I read the lectionary readings I am also drawn to the passage in Psalm 27.   In verse  it says, “One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”

• What does it mean to dwell in the house of the Lord?
• What does that desire have to do with the call to follow God?

These two passages give a wonderful example of God’s glory being revealed.  In Isaiah it speaks of being a light to the nations and that the kings and princes will come and bow before God.

The gospel lesson is one of the stories of Jesus calling his apostles.  In this he is asked, “Where are you staying?”  His reply is not to describe to them where he is staying, but to invite them to “come and see”.

It seems to me that our job isn’t just to describe God, but to “come and see” the living God, and to invite others to “come and see”.    As we approach the annual meeting of the congregation in a few weeks we will be looking at many reports:  the Pastor’s Report, our Team reports, the various organizations of the church have reports.  We will be describing and reading about the programs of the church.  This is a great opportunity to keep us all informed on what has been going on in the church during the past year.  It is also a time to think about our programs for the coming year.  One thing that is important for us to remember in this time of reports is that all of the activities of the church should be centered about bringing ourselves in a deeper relationship with the living God, and inviting others to “come and see” the God whom we worship.

Some questions for consideration:

• What are ways in which our church, through its activities, reveals the living God as a light to the nations?
• What are some new ways we could be a source of that light and help people to “come and see”?
• What are ways, you in your own life, show forth God to the world about you?

The Seasons of the Spirit material, which I use for worship material and sermon guidance has some wonderful thoughts in its introductory and concluding paragraphs.

“As we enter the Season after the Epiphany, the scriptures invite us to wonder about the unfolding possibilities that are opened to us through the revealing of God’s ways in Jesus the Christ.  On this Baptism of Jesus Sunday, we hear God’s Spirit-filled voice speaking new things into action, reminding us that we are God’s beloved children and planting God’s purpose in our midst. …

In the whoosh of a dove’s wings and a Spirit-filled voice, we perceive the vision of God’s unfolding purpose in the life of Jesus.  When we open our hearts to God, we sense the presence of this dove and the power of this voice to reveal God’s unfolding possibilities for us and our world.  When have you sensed God’s Spirit resting on you, as an individual and as the church?  How is your life shaped by being called God’s child and faithful servant?”

What are your thoughts on the questions at the end of this quote?

This week I will be beginning a 4 part series of sermons on the story of the annunciation.  This series will have as its main test the Luke 1: 26 – 38 passage along with an additional scripture passage each week.  This series will be preached on the 2nd – 4th Sundays of Advent and conclude on Christmas Eve.  If you are unable to attend any of these services the audio recording should be available on our website, and I hope to produce a booklet with all four sermon manuscripts.

This series was inspired by meditation and prayer time spent on this passage while on spiritual retreat at the Abbey of Gethsemane in September.  I was praying a Catholic Rosary and meditating on what is known as the Joyful Mysteries, of which the first mystery is the story of the Annunciation.

This week’s sermon will be based on the initial greeting of the Angel Gabriel to Mary when he said to her that she was highly favored.

• What did it mean for Mary to be highly favored?
• How do think Mary felt after hearing this greeting?
• In what ways might we see ourselves as “highly favored”?

In the Season of the Spirit material it begins with this paragraph:

When we feel lost, we may experience a loneliness of spirit that leads us to cry, “Where are you, O God?”  Even as our hearts long to seek after God, God searches for us.  God welcomes us through the friendship of Jesus the Christ, finding those who are lost, welcoming those who are considered outcasts, and lifting up those who are weary.

The passage from Habakkuk concludes with the statement, “the righteous live by their faith”.  This is a verse quoted in Romans 1:17 and became a theme statement for Martin Luther in the reformation.

The Luke passage is the story of Zacchaeus.  He was the man who climbed up in the Sycamore tree to see Jesus, and ended up being welcomed by Jesus, and having Jesus come to his home.  This welcoming by Jesus brought about a real transformation of Zacchaeus’ life.

Here are some questions to reflect on this week:

• How has Jesus’ transformed your life?  What difference does God’s presence in your life make on the way you live your life?
• What does it mean to “live by our faith”?  In Habakkuk it was in a time of difficulty that he said the righteous will live by their faith.  What are times of difficulty in which we rely on our faith for our daily living?

The Gospel lesson is a parable that may seem difficult to understand but I believe has some good thoughts.

One question is dealing with the comparison of God to an unjust judge.  A couple possibilities are that 1) God may seem unjust in that God is not responding to our needs in the timing we desire, but ultimately God will bring about justice; and 2) if the unjust judge will ultimately award justice how much more will God, a good judge, provide the justice we need.

Another question is about the persistent woman in the parable.  Is it right to be so persistent in our requests?  What are times in our world where people suffer injustice and have been persistent in their demands for justice.

This week will be a wonderful time as we worship at the Rotary Performing Arts Pavilion at the lake.  It is always enjoyable to be outdoors and to reflect on the wonder of God’s creation.  Our Scripture lessons this week speak of being in God’s presence.

Psalm 15 asks who can stand in the presence of God.

Colossians speaks of Jesus as the image of the invisible God.

Luke is the story of Martha and Mary, where Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to his teaching.

As we read these passages we will reflect on the ways we can stand or sit in the presence of God.

1. How do you sense the presence of God in nature?
2. What are ways, as a church, we can be found in the presence of God?
3. How can we truly make standing in the presence of God a real pleasure for our lives, as individuals and as a church.