November 15th Sermon: “Using our Talents for the Kingdom of God”

INTRODUCTION: 

Today’s Scripture reading is set by the lectionary.  It is a parable that Jesus told, and one writer, describing it, says, “Once more, Jesus has told a story…to shake us out of our lethargy.”*  One way he shakes the modern reader is by using the imagery of a master and slaves.  Slavery is an anathema in a free world, and to our ears, it is hard to hear anything positive coming out of this image.  Our assumption would be that the master, by definition, would be exactly as the third slave sees him:  a harsh man doling out impossible tasks with the goal of punishing those who toiled on his behalf. 

However, for our understanding of this parable, it is important to note that in Jesus’ day, the people listening to his parable would have understood that this characterization of the master was too simplistic.  In Jesus’ day, there were different types of slavery.  Some slaves had managerial responsibilities of the master’s estate, and after a certain number of years of service, they were granted their freedom-- and even given a share of the master’s estate.**  In this parable, the slaves depicted here are the managerial type, and the master is portrayed as very wealthy--and generous. 

Keeping in mind this historical context, let us listen for the Spirit speaking through these words.

Scripture:  Matthew 25:14-30

14“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” 21His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” 23His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” 26But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Sermon:  “Using our Talents for the Kingdom of God”

In my second church, there was a man who was originally from Chelsea, Massachusetts.  This man told me a story about his father, whom I shall refer to as “Mr. Smith,” which is not his real name.  Mr. Smith was a donut maker, and he made a darn good donut.  Everyone thought so.   Mr. Smith had a little bakery shop in Chelsea, where he made and sold his donuts.  Mr. Smith wasn’t wealthy, but he made enough to get by; he was able to support his family.  One day, a friend approached Mr. Smith.  The friend was a coffee maker.  The friend said to Mr. Smith something like this: “I have an idea.  An investment opportunity.  You make the best donuts around.  I make the best coffee.  I’m thinking we combine our operations--we make coffee and donuts in one shop.   It will take some cash to get started; it will be a bit of a risk, but I think it’s gonna be worth it.  I really see this business taking off.  We’ll start with one shop, but with our quality products, we’ll expand in no time.  Pretty soon everyone around will be enjoying our coffee and donuts—it will be great!  Can I count you in?” 

Mr. Smith looked at his friend the coffee maker and said something like this:  “Thanks for thinking of me; I’m flattered, but I’m not interested.  I’m happy with my one little shop.  I’m not wealthy, but I make enough to get by.  I don’t really want to do anything more.”  The coffee maker was disappointed, but he accepted his friend’s decision.  “I’m sorry you feel that way; I guess I’ll have to find another donut maker.”  And he did.  And Dunkin Donuts was born.  And Mr. Smith, who had chosen not to take part in the investment opportunity, kicked himself for the rest of his life.  Sad!

Mr. Smith is a bit like one of the characters in today’s parable—the slave who had received the one talent from his master.  Rather than taking a risk to use the talent, the slave with the one talent opted for security—he went and hid his talent in the ground.  Like Mr. Smith the donut maker, he had very little vision for what he could accomplish with his talent.  He was satisfied with doing the least he could do to get by. 

Let’s look more closely at the parable.  First of all, the word “talent,” as we know it, came into the English language through this parable.  (In Quest of a Kingdom, by Leslie Weatherhead, p. 152.)  The word “talent” in Jesus day referred to a sum of money.  A large sum.  It represented 20 years worth of wages for a day laborer.  (Interpretation Commentary, Matthew, by Douglas R.A.Hare, p. 286.)  So for a master to entrust his slaves with such large sums, it was clear the master would have high expectations and would want the slaves to do something important with the money, to use it wisely.  The master was making a large investment, and he expected a large return. 

Further, one well-respected Biblical scholar that I read--Professor Eugene Boring--looking closely at the wording in this parable, makes a strong case that the master in this story wasn’t simply asking the slaves to invest the money--or put it to use--on his own behalf.  Rather, the master gave the money to the slaves as a gift, as an investment in them, if you will, with the understanding that all the money--the initial investment plus the earnings-- would become the property of the slaves-- if they demonstrated that they were responsible with what they had been given and had used the investment well.  (New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII, p. 453, footnote 536.)   Notice, also, that the scripture is clear that each slave was given an amount “according to his ability”; the master was not being imprudent or Machiavellian--setting his slaves up to fail--no one was given more than he could handle. 

The sad thing about this parable is that the slave who received the one talent completely misunderstood the nature of his master and what his master expected of him.  This slave saw his master as harsh and unfairly demanding.  He saw the talent not as gift from the master, not as an opportunity to do something worthwhile and life-changing; he saw it as a burden to bear, a risk that was too scary to take.  And here’s the saddest part:  because his vision was too small to see his talent for what it really was--a doorway to opportunity, a chance to share in the life-changing work of his master, he missed out.  He missed out on what his fellow slaves experienced—a chance to be in partnership with the master, sharing in his joy. 

My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is what God offers to each one of us.  We are like the slaves in the story.  God has invested in each of us.  Each of us is entrusted with talents—skills and resources and gifts from God, and we are each called to use them wisely, to do something worthwhile and life-changing and joyful with them.  We are not called to play it safe, to bury what we have been given in the ground.  We are called to get out there and take risks and use what we’ve got to build God’s kingdom.  In fact, God is counting on us!  All of us.  Each of us.  God is counting on us to shine the light of God’s love in the world.  Like the slaves in the parable, each of us was given various talents, and the ability to use them, and God expects us to do just that.

Now, some of you listening to this may be feeling a little discouraged about now, thinking something like this, “Maybe some people were given talents by God, but not me.  God must have skipped over me in the talent line.”  If you are thinking that, let me assure you, it’s not true.  Let me read a couple of paragraphs from a book written by Leslie Weatherhead (one of my favorite authors), a minister who was serving a church in England during World War II.  His words may be over 70 years old, but they are still applicable today:

…we must have a wide view of the meaning of the word “talent.”  It is really a misfortune that the word has come to be used in such a limited connotation.  Those people who are my age and older will remember that in our youth the word “talent” was limited to being able to sing when friends came to tea, or being able to embroider … a nice cushion, or to recite a little poem.  But would you rather live with [someone] who can sing, or with [someone] who has a talent for cheerfulness?  Would you rather live with somebody who is a brilliant reciter of somebody else’s poems, or with somebody who can make life itself a poem with love and kindness and cheerfulness.

          Sympathy is a talent.  Can you write a kind letter to somebody in distress?  Or do you say, “Well, of course, I am not gifted.  I can’t do anything to help”?  Tenacity of purpose, tenderness, lovableness, kindness, running a business or an office so that the atmosphere is conducive to the growth of the best things, running a home—a hard task in these days—so that there is joy in it and peace in it and serenity, with none of that noisy, hectic tumult that spells nervous tension for everyone in the house—yes, that is a talent indeed…  There are all kinds of abilities beyond the things that the world has labeled talent.  There is no one who has no talent. 

And then he quotes a verse of poetry by Rudyard Kipling:

          There’s not a pair of legs so thin, there’s not a head so thick,

          There’s not a hand so weak and white, nor yet a heart so sick,

          But it can find some needful job that’s crying to be done,

          For the Glory of [God’s] Garden glorifieth every one.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, out in our community and in our world, there are a multitude of “needful jobs…crying to be done.” And God has entrusted us with talents so that we can do these jobs for the glory of God.  Will we rise to the occasion?  I know that in many ways, we already are.  This church shines the light of God’s love to the people around us in ways large and small.  But are there opportunities for service—maybe some simple ones—that we are missing? 

o   Maybe a neighbor is going through a hard time, and we need to be brave enough to say (if we haven’t said already), “My church has a prayer ministry; would you like me to add your name to the list of people we are praying for?”   

o   Or, maybe an elderly person, who is not adept with technology, would appreciate a phone call to check in. 

This week, I invite you to think about ways you could use your talents to share God’s love in our community, and next Sunday, at our zoom fellowship time, I invite each of us to share a brief story of how we’ve put our talents to use.  God has invested in each one of us.  May we use that investment well, may we use our talents and enter into the joy of our master.  Amen.  

An earlier version of this sermon was first written and preached in York, ME on November 13, 2011.

November 15th Worship

Information about this Sunday’s Livestream Worship

(found on church website Franklinfederated.org and FaceBook page)

“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability…” (Matthew 25:14-15)

ORDER OF WORSHIP (40 minutes)
- Prelude
- Welcome
- Announcements
- Call to Worship
- Hymn #453 "Called as Partners in Christ's service"

- stewardship testimony
- Solo by Scott Kwarta
- Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 (parable of the talents)
- Sermon “"Talents, Gifts and Joy"
- Closing Hymn"This Little Light of Mine”
- Benediction

PRAYER SERVICE (10-20 minutes)
You are invited to type prayer requests into the chat function of the Livestream.
LORD’S PRAYER
POSTLUDE

Hymns for Sunday, November 15th

Click on the hymn to view and/or download the music.
#453 Called as Partners in Christ's Service
This Little Light of Mine

“Do You Love Me?” John 21:15-17

This is one of my favorite Bible passages. I love Jesus' basic message: “Feed my sheep and my lambs.” But another point in Greek is entirely lost in translation. Jesus asks Peter: “Do you love me?” using a form of the Greek word "agape" which we might see as benevolence, Christian love, or selfless love for all creation. Peter replies with the Greek word “philia” which is quite personal. In English, both words are translated “love,” so we totally miss the interplay of Jesus trying to make a point that Peter's love for him should spread out to the whole world, while Peter tries to make it all about his personal relationship with Jesus. Their frustration comes through, but you need the Greek words to really understand the point. When they had eaten, Jesus asks Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) me more than they do?” “Of course, Master; you know I love (philia) you." he replies. "Then feed my lambs," Jesus tells him. Jesus asks him again, for the second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) me?” “Yes, Master; you know I love (philia) you,” he replies. “Tend my sheep.” Jesus says to him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (philia) me?’ Peter was hurt that he had asked him for the third time, "Do you love me?" and he says to him, “Master, you know everything; you know I love (philia) you. Jesus says to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Lyn Pickhover, Translator

Matthew 25 : 1 - 13

Matthew 25 : 1 - 13 " ....Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids .... five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn't take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil for their lamps." (v. 1-3; NLT).

How are you doing? Not what are you doing but, if you'll excuse a little literary license, "how ya doin'?" can be an invitation to far greater depth than its common superficiality. All kidding aside here, although I'm habitually in favor of levity or finding a humorous relevant twist to 'most' things, and not one to demand an answer, I do mean it soberly with the utmost respect and earnest-ness. God knows there's enough to be stressed about without my enumerating the angst-raising list again. And, I don't use that phrase lightly or with any irreverence, because I know he [God] is aware, cares and responds. I'm both wise and unburdened to bring Him my list, and sensibly acknowledge grace that I don't deserve. 'Tis likely that the five virgins who were turned away in the above parable were riddled with pangs of remorse. I'm confident that their neglect wasn't intentional, but did the five fail due to not listening to a still-small-voice? Opportunity looms! Am I habitually making time to broaden spiritual reserves and taking in enough oil? I contend that it takes me at least twenty-five intentional minutes daily to nurture spiritual growth, otherwise I'm treading water, sort of speak. Currently I find myself enlisting God's Spirit related to a prideful damaging inclination as well as a scary reconciliation possibility.

We were blessed by the teaching about 'meditation' and an application of it by our Pastor, Sunday. This is a spirit-connecting method, that is often quite helpful. Even though I admit to brief siesta this time, I'm in the process of learning Psalm 23 using plural pronouns. In a previous life, I was in a group where it was unquestionably okay to doze, as folks pursued spiritual well-being; their catnaps showed they felt safe. Just Monday, I saw our 5-month old grand-child asleep on her back, arms/hands out, palms up; He makes us lie down in green pastures; no fetal posture for little Jada, she was absolutely secure, I surmised and praised Jesus! Meditation is the choice of listening to God. I encourage us all to give this a shot without expectation and detaching from judging success or failure. Admittedly, I had a loyalty issue 25+ years ago, where I felt my allegiance to the 'god' of my understanding was being undermined. Nowadays, I'm over [that] because meditation time is directed at God and focused on His words and precepts; and that has made all the difference! There's a right time to reach out and assist my brethren, but it needn't be all the time. Not sure about you, but I'm better off accepting my lot and what I can and cannot change. I no longer find it necessary to evaluate the five unprepared bridesmaids. We know not the hour of the Son of Man's return, my tank is half-full, what's your gauge reading?

May we all allow our Lord to anoint our heads with oil, Kevin T. for the FCC Deacons.

November 8th Sermon: “Avoiding Burnout”

Scripture:  Matthew 25:1-13

INTRODUCTION:  Our Scripture reading today is set by the lectionary.  It is from Matthew’s gospel, and it is not an easy story to understand or interpret.  May God’s Spirit guide us as we examine these challenging words. 

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Sermon:  “Avoiding Burnout”

Today’s Scripture Reading is one of those readings that, when you hear it for the first time--or even for the twelfth--you scratch your head and say, “What?!”  for a number of reasons, including the following:

·        The marriage custom described here--10 bridesmaids, each holding lamps, waiting hours for the bridegroom to appear--is totally foreign to us. 

·        The parable is short on a lot of details we want to know, such as:

o   Why is the bridegroom delayed until midnight? 

o   Where is the bride; why isn’t she mentioned? 

o   Is the mention of midnight symbolic or literal?

o   If literal, then in the days before 24-hour pharmacies, would shops selling lamp oil really be open for business at midnight? 

·        And, finally, why are the 5 wise bridesmaids so unwilling to share what they have with others?  Doesn’t this violate Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself? 

Because the details in this story don’t make a lot of sense if you take them literally, many commentators suggest that this story was not actually a parable that Jesus told.  Rather, many scholars argue that it was created later--at the end of the first century AD by the writer of Matthew’s Gospel--created as an allegory to address the situation and context of Matthew’s community.*  Which, honestly, makes me tempted to simply dismiss this reading as something we don’t need to pay that much attention to.  EXCEPT for the fact that it is still Scripture, and even though this story probably didn’t originate with Jesus, it can still have things to teach us.  Things that can strengthen our faith. 

As I prayed over this Scripture this week-- about what I/we might be able to learn from it, what my attention continued to be drawn back to    was the refusal of the 5 wise bridesmaids to share their oil with their friends.  I mean, what is up with that?  In other teachings Jesus repeatedly refers to the extravagant generosity of God.  He famously shares 5 loaves and 2 fish with 5000 people on the hillside.  He directs his disciples that if someone asks for your coat, give him your cloak as well.  And even later in this same chapter (chapter 25), Jesus talks about sharing our talents, our time, our food, our drink, our clothing. 

All of which made me wonder, “Is there a limit to what we should share with others?”  When asked by the 5 foolish bridesmaids to give up some of their lamp oil, the 5 wise bridesmaids say to their friends, “No!  there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” 

After reading that surprising response through a few times, a lightbulb--no pun intended--suddenly went off in my head--if the 5 wise bridesmaids had shared their oil, their lamps would have, literally, burned out. 

So, what this story says to me is that there are times when it is not only okay, but necessary, for us to limit our sharing.  Because our reserve of oil--which I invite us to think about as being our inner reservoir of spiritual energy--is very precious.  And if we allow it to burn out, we are doing a disservice to ourselves, our neighbors, and our God. 

Further, it is each person’s responsibility to tend to their own reservoir of oil, their own inner reservoir of spiritual energy, because other people simply can’t tend it for us.  I can’t fill or refill your inner reserve of spiritual energy, and you cannot fill or refill mine.  We each first need to open our hearts to God and ask God to fill it for us. 

I realize I am speaking metaphorically here, so let me switch to speaking very practically.  These are very stressful times we are living through.  I talked about some of the stressors we are all experiencing in last week’s sermon, and I won’t enumerate them all here again.  I am sure we can each name them without thinking too hard.  In fact, I read this week that, “The American Psychological Association warned that [our whole] nation faces a ‘mental health crisis’ in its annual “Stress in America” report released earlier this month. Among several alarming figures, the study found 77% of adults – up from 66% in 2019 – say the future of the nation is “a significant source of stress.” [from WBUR newsletter October 30, 2020]

So, all that to say, I think we can all agree that the stress everyone is feeling is taking a toll on our inner reserves of spiritual energy, and we each need to tend to our own reservoir of oil, so that our lamps do not burn out. 

The question is, how do we do that?  How do we tend our inner reserve of spiritual energy--how do we let God refill it so that we avoid spiritual burn out? 

Well, the good news is that if you are watching this livestream video, you are already opening your hearts to God’s replenishing Spirit.  You are already letting the teachings of scripture, the power of prayer, the ministry of music re-fill your reserve.  Praise be to God!  And I know that many of you have other spiritual practices you do during the week--when you pray, read scripture or other devotional materials, watch other church services or listen to spiritual podcasts, do yoga or take a daily walk. 

And these are such important ways of filling our lamps with oil, of replenishing our spiritual energy! 

Another practice you may also engage in--that I’ve been engaging in more lately-- is meditation.  I thought I would spend a little time explaining this one, as it may be one that we are less familiar with than some of the others I mentioned--because, up until recently, meditation hasn’t been part of mainline Christian practice. 

As you may know, there are many ways to practice meditation.  You can download an app, watch a video on youtube, or simply focus on your own breathing.  Since meditation may be something we associate more with yoga than we do with our Christian faith, I thought I would explain how we can engage in meditation in a way that taps into our own faith tradition.  

Let me start by describing one practical time when I used meditation to replenish my own spiritual energy and reduce my stress.

A few years ago, my dentist told me I needed a root canal.  I had never had one before, and I’d only ever heard bad things about them, so on the day I went for my root canal, I was a bundle of nerves.  I was practically hyperventilating when I sat down in the endodontist’s chair.  The endodontist was very nice.  He had a calm demeanor, explained how the procedure would work, and asked me if I had any questions.  I told him I was really nervous, and wondered if there was anything I could do to be less so.  I was thinking along the lines of taking drugs--medication, I mean. J  He looked at me and said, “You’re a minister, right?  Might I suggest prayer or meditation?”  “Ahhh--prayer or meditation,” I responded with a smile, “Why didn’t I think of that?” 

Truth be told, I had already been praying, but when I started to meditate, it made all the difference!  I started to recite Psalm 23--not out loud, as I couldn’t talk with the cotton batting in my mouth, but in my head.  And I connected it to my breathing.  “The Lord is my shepherd,” I said as I was breathing in, “I shall not want,” I said, as I was breathing out.  “He maketh to me lie down in green pastures” (breathe in); “He leadeth me beside the still waters” (breathe out.)  “He restoreth my soul.”  And so it went.  I breathed through the whole psalm, and when I was done, I recited it again.  And again.  And--I kid you not--I felt most of my anxiety melt away.  My circumstances did not change--I was still there getting a root canal, but my attitude did a 180 degree turn.  And I got through the procedure just fine.  (Without drugs.) 

To end this sermon, I thought I could lead us all in a brief, 3-minute guided meditation, as an exercise in reducing our collective anxiety and replenishing our inner reservoir of spiritual energy.  First of all, let me say, “No pressure.”  If this a guided meditation is not something you want to participate in right now, obviously, you don’t have to.  You can walk away from the livestream for 3 minutes or fast-forward through it if you are watching at a later time. 

But if you’d like to participate in this guided meditation, I invite you to sit comfortably where you are. 

If you are not in a comfortable spot, feel free to move to one.  Sit in a comfortable chair.  Lie down on the sofa.  Find a place where you do not feel confined. 

I invite you to Close your eyes if you wish--or keep your eyes open and focus on an object that symbolizes an aspect of God--maybe one of the candles here or the picture of Jesus, or the cross. 

·        As you sit comfortably, I invite you to focus on your breathing.

·        As you inhale, I invite you to breathe in deeply.  Let your chest and your abdomen expand as your lungs take in air. 

·        Hold in the air for a moment, giving thanks for the gift of breath.

·        And as you exhale, feel your stomach muscles gently contract, helping the breath to exit your lungs.

·        Continue to inhale and exhale, at your own pace, and as you breathe, remember that the Hebrew word for breath, “ruah,” is a word that also means “spirit.” 

·        So, as your body breathes in air, I invite your soul, also to breathe in God’s Spirit. 

·        And as you exhale, I invite your body and soul to let go of any excess tension, stress, you may have been holding.

·        Breathe in God’s Spirit…breathe out stress…

·        Keep breathing… 

·        And, as you breathe in, may you hear Jesus’ words from Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens” --

·        And, as you exhale, hear Jesus finish the sentence, “And I will give you rest.”

·        Inhale… “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,”--

·        Exhale…  “And I will give you rest.”

·        Keep breathing, and as you breathe, feel the Spirit of God replenishing your body, mind and soul. 

·        Inhale… “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,”--

·        Exhale…  “And I will give you rest.”

·        May God’s Spirit give you the energy and strength you need to live in the midst of this uncertain world.  Amen.  

*New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. VIII, p. 449

Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt

Franklin Federated Church

November 8, 2020

(Image from http://www.textweek.com/yeara/propera27.htm)

Scripture:  Matthew 25:1-13

INTRODUCTION:  Our Scripture reading today is set by the lectionary.  It is from Matthew’s gospel, and it is not an easy story to understand or interpret.  May God’s Spirit guide us as we examine these challenging words. 

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Sermon:  “Avoiding Burnout”

Today’s Scripture Reading is one of those readings that, when you hear it for the first time--or even for the twelfth--you scratch your head and say, “What?!”  for a number of reasons, including the following:

·        The marriage custom described here--10 bridesmaids, each holding lamps, waiting hours for the bridegroom to appear--is totally foreign to us. 

·        The parable is short on a lot of details we want to know, such as:

o   Why is the bridegroom delayed until midnight? 

o   Where is the bride; why isn’t she mentioned? 

o   Is the mention of midnight symbolic or literal?

o   If literal, then in the days before 24-hour pharmacies, would shops selling lamp oil really be open for business at midnight? 

·        And, finally, why are the 5 wise bridesmaids so unwilling to share what they have with others?  Doesn’t this violate Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself? 

Because the details in this story don’t make a lot of sense if you take them literally, many commentators suggest that this story was not actually a parable that Jesus told.  Rather, many scholars argue that it was created later--at the end of the first century AD by the writer of Matthew’s Gospel--created as an allegory to address the situation and context of Matthew’s community.*  Which, honestly, makes me tempted to simply dismiss this reading as something we don’t need to pay that much attention to.  EXCEPT for the fact that it is still Scripture, and even though this story probably didn’t originate with Jesus, it can still have things to teach us.  Things that can strengthen our faith. 

As I prayed over this Scripture this week-- about what I/we might be able to learn from it, what my attention continued to be drawn back to    was the refusal of the 5 wise bridesmaids to share their oil with their friends.  I mean, what is up with that?  In other teachings Jesus repeatedly refers to the extravagant generosity of God.  He famously shares 5 loaves and 2 fish with 5000 people on the hillside.  He directs his disciples that if someone asks for your coat, give him your cloak as well.  And even later in this same chapter (chapter 25), Jesus talks about sharing our talents, our time, our food, our drink, our clothing. 

All of which made me wonder, “Is there a limit to what we should share with others?”  When asked by the 5 foolish bridesmaids to give up some of their lamp oil, the 5 wise bridesmaids say to their friends, “No!  there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” 

After reading that surprising response through a few times, a lightbulb--no pun intended--suddenly went off in my head--if the 5 wise bridesmaids had shared their oil, their lamps would have, literally, burned out. 

So, what this story says to me is that there are times when it is not only okay, but necessary, for us to limit our sharing.  Because our reserve of oil--which I invite us to think about as being our inner reservoir of spiritual energy--is very precious.  And if we allow it to burn out, we are doing a disservice to ourselves, our neighbors, and our God. 

Further, it is each person’s responsibility to tend to their own reservoir of oil, their own inner reservoir of spiritual energy, because other people simply can’t tend it for us.  I can’t fill or refill your inner reserve of spiritual energy, and you cannot fill or refill mine.  We each first need to open our hearts to God and ask God to fill it for us. 

I realize I am speaking metaphorically here, so let me switch to speaking very practically.  These are very stressful times we are living through.  I talked about some of the stressors we are all experiencing in last week’s sermon, and I won’t enumerate them all here again.  I am sure we can each name them without thinking too hard.  In fact, I read this week that, “The American Psychological Association warned that [our whole] nation faces a ‘mental health crisis’ in its annual “Stress in America” report released earlier this month. Among several alarming figures, the study found 77% of adults – up from 66% in 2019 – say the future of the nation is “a significant source of stress.” [from WBUR newsletter October 30, 2020]

So, all that to say, I think we can all agree that the stress everyone is feeling is taking a toll on our inner reserves of spiritual energy, and we each need to tend to our own reservoir of oil, so that our lamps do not burn out. 

The question is, how do we do that?  How do we tend our inner reserve of spiritual energy--how do we let God refill it so that we avoid spiritual burn out? 

Well, the good news is that if you are watching this livestream video, you are already opening your hearts to God’s replenishing Spirit.  You are already letting the teachings of scripture, the power of prayer, the ministry of music re-fill your reserve.  Praise be to God!  And I know that many of you have other spiritual practices you do during the week--when you pray, read scripture or other devotional materials, watch other church services or listen to spiritual podcasts, do yoga or take a daily walk. 

And these are such important ways of filling our lamps with oil, of replenishing our spiritual energy! 

Another practice you may also engage in--that I’ve been engaging in more lately-- is meditation.  I thought I would spend a little time explaining this one, as it may be one that we are less familiar with than some of the others I mentioned--because, up until recently, meditation hasn’t been part of mainline Christian practice. 

As you may know, there are many ways to practice meditation.  You can download an app, watch a video on youtube, or simply focus on your own breathing.  Since meditation may be something we associate more with yoga than we do with our Christian faith, I thought I would explain how we can engage in meditation in a way that taps into our own faith tradition.  

Let me start by describing one practical time when I used meditation to replenish my own spiritual energy and reduce my stress.

A few years ago, my dentist told me I needed a root canal.  I had never had one before, and I’d only ever heard bad things about them, so on the day I went for my root canal, I was a bundle of nerves.  I was practically hyperventilating when I sat down in the endodontist’s chair.  The endodontist was very nice.  He had a calm demeanor, explained how the procedure would work, and asked me if I had any questions.  I told him I was really nervous, and wondered if there was anything I could do to be less so.  I was thinking along the lines of taking drugs--medication, I mean. J  He looked at me and said, “You’re a minister, right?  Might I suggest prayer or meditation?”  “Ahhh--prayer or meditation,” I responded with a smile, “Why didn’t I think of that?” 

Truth be told, I had already been praying, but when I started to meditate, it made all the difference!  I started to recite Psalm 23--not out loud, as I couldn’t talk with the cotton batting in my mouth, but in my head.  And I connected it to my breathing.  “The Lord is my shepherd,” I said as I was breathing in, “I shall not want,” I said, as I was breathing out.  “He maketh to me lie down in green pastures” (breathe in); “He leadeth me beside the still waters” (breathe out.)  “He restoreth my soul.”  And so it went.  I breathed through the whole psalm, and when I was done, I recited it again.  And again.  And--I kid you not--I felt most of my anxiety melt away.  My circumstances did not change--I was still there getting a root canal, but my attitude did a 180 degree turn.  And I got through the procedure just fine.  (Without drugs.) 

To end this sermon, I thought I could lead us all in a brief, 3-minute guided meditation, as an exercise in reducing our collective anxiety and replenishing our inner reservoir of spiritual energy.  First of all, let me say, “No pressure.”  If this a guided meditation is not something you want to participate in right now, obviously, you don’t have to.  You can walk away from the livestream for 3 minutes or fast-forward through it if you are watching at a later time. 

But if you’d like to participate in this guided meditation, I invite you to sit comfortably where you are. 

If you are not in a comfortable spot, feel free to move to one.  Sit in a comfortable chair.  Lie down on the sofa.  Find a place where you do not feel confined. 

I invite you to Close your eyes if you wish--or keep your eyes open and focus on an object that symbolizes an aspect of God--maybe one of the candles here or the picture of Jesus, or the cross. 

·        As you sit comfortably, I invite you to focus on your breathing.

·        As you inhale, I invite you to breathe in deeply.  Let your chest and your abdomen expand as your lungs take in air. 

·        Hold in the air for a moment, giving thanks for the gift of breath.

·        And as you exhale, feel your stomach muscles gently contract, helping the breath to exit your lungs.

·        Continue to inhale and exhale, at your own pace, and as you breathe, remember that the Hebrew word for breath, “ruah,” is a word that also means “spirit.” 

·        So, as your body breathes in air, I invite your soul, also to breathe in God’s Spirit. 

·        And as you exhale, I invite your body and soul to let go of any excess tension, stress, you may have been holding.

·        Breathe in God’s Spirit…breathe out stress…

·        Keep breathing… 

·        And, as you breathe in, may you hear Jesus’ words from Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens” --

·        And, as you exhale, hear Jesus finish the sentence, “And I will give you rest.”

·        Inhale… “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,”--

·        Exhale…  “And I will give you rest.”

·        Keep breathing, and as you breathe, feel the Spirit of God replenishing your body, mind and soul. 

·        Inhale… “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,”--

·        Exhale…  “And I will give you rest.”

·        May God’s Spirit give you the energy and strength you need to live in the midst of this uncertain world.  Amen.  

*New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. VIII, p. 449

Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt

Franklin Federated Church

November 8, 2020

November 8th Worship

“…Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.” (Matthew 25:1-3)

(found on church website Franklinfederated.org and FaceBook page)

ORDER OF WORSHIP (30 minutes):
- Prelude
- Welcome
- Announcements
- Stewardship Testimony
- Call to Worship
- Hymn #575 “Come and Find the Quiet Center"
- Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:1-13
- Sermon “Avoiding Burnout"
- Closing Hymn #623 “Woke Up This Morning"
- Benediction
PRAYER SERVICE (10-20 minutes)
You are invited to type prayer requests into the chat function of the Livestream.
LORD’S PRAYER
POSTLUDE

Hymns for Sunday, November 8th

Click on the hymn to view and/or download the music.
#575 Come and Find the Quite Center
#623 Woke Up This Morning

Hebrews 12: 1-3

Hebrews 12: 1-3 "We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose life tells us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. .... Think about Jesus' example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying." (parts of v. 1 & 3; New Century Version).

Hola, this piece went in early Tues. for the Thurs. email blast; so between Sun. worship and election results, thinking that my thoughts could be differently tainted post-election. I intentionally said 'thoughts', and not 'belief', there. Could it be that such anarchy is raised that this never even gets posted? Fact is, that if you're reading this, that all that may have been foretold by media channels did not come to pass, and God is still in charge. And if outlandish (to the "norm") strife and dissonance are the order of the day, God remains on His throne, in command! Our forebears of both country and the faith are testimony that disagreement has existed before and been overcome sans bloodshed pre- 2020.

Now I am not that politically attuned nor savvy. I actually prefer not to be; in fact this writing is about as 'political' as I've ever been. Yet, I will say that over my brief 60-ish years of cognizance of town, county, state or national selection of leaders, I cannot recall this degree of ill-will cast between opponents. Tis very difficult to weed through who to believe, to put it mildly. For me, following Christ [is] so much easier! We don't have to like who's at the helm, but Scripture tells us to support, abide by and pray for government authorities, due to God placing or allowing them to be there, for His purpose. The Hebrews text used this week encourages my gratitude to those who perpetuated faith, while propelling precepts of the Bible into a community like ours at FCC Franklin, MA through the centuries. Maybe it's naiveté or my stage of life, but I'm not finding slander, put-downs or condescension as key teaching tools with grand-kids that'll bode them well, particularly in the spreading mercy and beneficience realms of their maturing. How about you? Are you tired of trying? One can easily be exhausted, for sure. Perhaps, cling to: Titus 3:1-8, which reminds us to be subject to rulers and authorities; to speak no evil; be gentle and show courtesy to all, as we used to be foolish, disobedient, slaves to illicit pleasures, envious, malicious and hating one another till God our Savior appeared by His mercy, re-birthing us through the Spirit of Christ poured on us by His grace that we become heirs to the hope of eternal life (paraphrase of the NRSV)

Blessings & think about asking God's Spirit to pray for you if no alternative appears, Kevin T.

November 1 Sermon: “Celebrating the Saints”

Intro to Scripture:

Today’s reading comes from the New Testament Book of Hebrews, a book that reads like a series of sermons ending with a letter.  The Book of Hebrews was written at the end of the first century A.D., most likely by someone who worked closely with the Apostle Paul.  The book’s main purpose is to encourage church members to persevere through a time of struggle and persecution.  Today’s passage uses the metaphor of running a race and being cheered on by those who have gone before.  Let us listen for God’s Spirit speaking through these ancient words…

Scripture:  Hebrews 12:1-3 (NRSV)

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of* the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.  3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

Sermon:  “Celebrating the Saints” 

So, TODAY is November 1st, and Christians all over the world are celebrating a holy day called “All Saints Day.”  I thought I would review a little of the history behind this holiday, and then we will explore why it might be especially important for us to celebrate this year.

“All Saints Day” was marked on the Christian Calendar in the 4th century A.D., and it began as a day to celebrate those whom the Catholic Church had officially designated as “saints,” especially those who died as martyrs for their faith.

Protestants—that is, the groups of people who protested against certain church practices and broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation in the 16th century— Protestants have a more expansive definition of what the word “saint” means.  In the Protestant Church (and, by Protestant, I am referring to denominations such as ours--Baptist and United Church of Christ--as well as others, like Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, AME, Assemblies of God, etc), in the Protestant Church, we do not restrict the word “saint” to refer only to those officially selected and honored by the Catholic and Orthodox churches down through the centuries.

Protestants go back to the Biblical definition and use the word “saint” the way it was used in the New Testament—to refer to anyone who was a follower of Jesus.  Or, to put it another way, the word “saint,” as it was used in the New Testament writings of the Apostles, did not refer to people whose behavior was exceptionally holy; it referred to flawed human beings who found access to God, forgiveness and love, through Jesus Christ.  So, in the Protestant church, our understanding is that we are all sinners—AND we are all saints.   

So, when we Protestants celebrate all Saints Day, our celebration includes more than just the officially designated saints.  We give thanks to God for ALL followers of Jesus down through the centuries—BOTH those who have been officially recognized AND those who have quietly lived and died and done their best to love God, neighbor, and self without any recognition.  On All Saints Day, we give thanks to God for people whose lives have been an example to us as we go through our own struggles.  We give thanks for people whose memories and spirits cheer us on, like spectators in a race, which is the image used in today’s Scripture Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, chapter 12.

The writer of Hebrews compares life to a race--and not an easy one.  We’re talking marathon here, not a “fun run” or a 5K.  You can tell that the race is difficult, by the words the author of Hebrews chooses to use to describe it.  In verse 1, he talks about “weight and sin that cling so closely”--and one commentator tells us that the Greek words used carry the connotation of encumbrances that “surround, beset, and distract” the runners.  Further, the author of Hebrews uses the word “hostility” in verse 3, which is a translation of the Greek word antilogia, and refers specifically to verbal opposition and abuse.  And twice, the writer speaks of “endurance”--and reminds the people of the pain Jesus went through--not to make the people feel bad--but to remind them they are not alone in their pain.  (New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol. XII, p. 150.)   

Do any of you ever feel like that--surrounded, beset, and distracted by encumbrances that feel like a heavy weight?  Do you ever feel weary and worn out and alone in your pain?  (I won’t ask for a show of hands--or you to click on an expressive emoji.)  But it has been such a tough year, hasn’t it?!--and it’s not over yet! 

·        The pandemic is dragging on so much longer than any of us initially thought;

·        We are grieving the people we have lost to Covid and other illnesses;

·        We are tired of the isolation;

·        We are disturbed by racism and injustice and unrest;

·        We are worried about the election, and we are worried about our finances.

·        And if all that isn’t bad enough, now winter is coming, and as of tonight, it will be getting dark at 4:30 in the afternoon!

It is all very, very hard!!

But we are NOT alone.  Today’s Scripture proclaims that Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, for the sake of the joy that was set before him, endured and triumphed over death, and his spiritual presence is here with us--with everyone who opens their hearts to God’s Love, and his presence gives strength to the weary.  We know what that’s like; we’ve all felt that strength, haven’t we?!

 So “Let us run [this race] with perseverance,” the writer of Hebrews coaches his people--and to encourage them further, he paints a beautiful picture of a “great cloud of witnesses”--spectators who are on the sidelines cheering the runners on.  But the “great cloud of witnesses” is not just a group of spectators.  They are people who were runners once themselves and have already finished the race.  They are people--saints-- who have lived through the ups and downs of life, who have persevered through the struggles themselves, whose faith and hope serve as an example to those of us who are currently struggling.  These witnesses--these saints-- call out to us in words and deeds:

·        Keep going!

·        Don’t give up!  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

·        Joy awaits you--and can be with you now!

·        It’s worth the struggle!

·        You can do it!

·        God is with you!  We’re with you!

And this is why we celebrate “All Saints” Day.  To recognize the people who have gone before us and run the race of life.  To celebrate that their spirits are now joyfully held in God’s everlasting arms.  To continue to allow their memory and their love and their legacy to inspire our lives today, that we “may not grow weary and lose heart.”   

So, in just a moment, I will read through the list of saints--those whose names came in by email, and those whose names you have typed into the comment section of this livestream.  If you came late into this livestream and missed the announcements, please feel free to type in the name--or names-- of a “saint” you want to remember (someone who has passed, particularly in the last year), and as I read each name, Alan will light a candle symbolizing that their spirits live on and their love continues to light our paths. 

And, if you are watching this livestream at a later date, feel free to call out the name of your saint and light a candle at home to honor their memory.

Let us thank God and celebrate the saints…

I will begin by reading a few names that came in by email:

·        Donald Dauley

·        Dorothy Dauley

·        Phyllis Dempsey

·        Ruth Chism

·        Marcia Crooks

Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt

Franklin Federated Church

Franklin, MA

*******

Note:  information for this sermon was gathered from the following internet sources:

1)      www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/default.asp?id=1187;

2)      wikipedia.org/wiki/all_saints

3)      New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol. XII, p. 150

Note:  A version of this sermon was first written and preached by Marlayna in Annisquam Village Church, Gloucester, MA  on November 5, 2006; and another version on nov 2, 2014 in Winchester, MA; and another version on October 30, 2016 in Manchester, NH.

John 13:34-35 & 1 John 4:7-12

John 13:34-35 & 1 John 4:7-12 "No one has seen God, ever. But if we love each other, God dwells deeply within us, and His love is brought to full expression in us -- perfect love!" (a combo of v.12 from MSG & NLT).

Been thinkin' 'bout this for 4 days, ever since the above liturgy was read and our Rev. Marlayna's discussion on swimming against the tide. I'm even taking in the little Phillip Bennett "Let Yourself be Loved" book she mentioned, and trying to present something coherent here, but short of repeating [that], I'm generally drawing blanks.

Although: Do you ever say ''why bother, I'm just one person - what difference would my voice or action make?", or feel that 'love' is such a multi-faceted and all-consuming theme, that I'd never do it any real justice. If you're at all like me, you stay in your lane (metaphorically, not driving-wise out on 495) and rarely go out on a limb. Do you remember the story of the child on a Georgia beach, the 1st Weds. in November 1970-something after a horrific Atlantic storm? The resignation of President Nixon, who had been my Army Comander-in-Chief, was a fresh memory. And little Down-syndrome, 4 yr. old Julianna, bucket in hand, was collecting star-fish, mother Sarah -reading to and feeding J.'s siblings on a blanket nearby. The Election Day hurricane brought thousands of the 5-pointed echinoderms to their low-tide location and Julianna's helping and loving spirit was infectious! This was because, when the journalist told the toddler she'd never save all these thousands, Julianna plunked a second into her pail, waved to Mom and ran toward the ocean, shyly ignoring the guy, yet squealing with delight something about 'helping these 2'. All was and is right with God's world!

Now how well do you and I display love for God and toward those we encounter? I think we'd agree that love is important! I contend that love is a choice and an action; for sure the action-part emanating from yours truly won't ever be perfect. If I'm overly influenced by today's world, which is generally selfish, His love which I know and aspire to continually embrace, will be snuffed out or paltry at best. Lest I'm diligent and not allow discouragement to win, the opposite of love will rear its beastly head. Pour moi, that means time in: prayer, reading & meditating on His word, service, decreasing media input & listening to that still-small-voice more than CNN, enumerating gratitude, discussing the difficult subjects as best I'm able, encouraging socially distant grand-kids, giving away talent & treasure, cognizant of His grace and generally letting love abide....

Love comes from God and rejoices when the truth is revealed...Bless your passing Love on, Deacon Kevin T.

November 1 Worship - All Saints Day

Information about this Sunday’s Livestream Service

(found on church website Franklinfederated.org and FaceBook page)

During our 10 a.m. livestream worship this Sunday, all who are attending virtually will be invited to type the name(s) of someone who has passed away into the comment section of the livestream. The names will be read out loud at the end of the sermon, and candles will be lighted in their memory--to honor this “great cloud of witnesses” whose lives have touched us and inspired our faith.

If you are not able to attend the livestream worship, but would like to remember someone who has passed, please email the name(s) to revschmidt@comcast.net by Friday, October 30th.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1)

ORDER OF WORSHIP (40 minutes):
- Prelude
- Welcome

- Announcements
- Call to Worship
- Hymn #637 “For All the Saints"
- Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1-3
- Sermon “Celebrating the Saints"

- Remembering Those Who Have Passed - Candle Lighting

- Communion of the Lord’s Supper
- Closing Hymn #701 “Shall We Gather at the River"

- Benediction

PRAYER SERVICE (10-20 minutes)
You are invited to type prayer requests into the chat function of the Livestream.
LORD’S PRAYER
POSTLUDE

Hymns for Sunday, November 1st

Click on the hymn to view and/or download the music.
#637 For All the Saints
#701 Shall We Gather at the River

What Would Jesus Do?

I hear all the noise, and wonder what will happen when the shouting is over and the outcome of this hyper-partisan election is known and (hopefully) accepted. How are we going to function as fellow citizens after all the hurtful insults and divisive rhetoric? I find myself asking: “What would Jesus do?” I believe Jesus would have found a way to bring people together. Remember, our custom of open Communion harks back to Jesus’ example of eating with good people and not-so-good people. I suspect the stories of feeding 4000 and 5000 people were made possible by Jesus’ prompting his listeners to share what little they had with friends, enemies, and strangers. (That actually would have been a bigger miracle than a supernatural expansion of five loaves and two fish.)
The story of the Good Samaritan is a another example of Jesus’ teaching to build bridges with those we might regard as enemies.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus instructs that before making an offering in the Temple, one should be reconciled with a friend. My Westar friends think Jesus probably said something similar to this: “You should come to terms quickly with your opponent while you are both on the way (to court).” The passage goes on to threaten that failure to reconcile creates the risk of being jailed until a judgment is paid. (MT 5:25) Whether Jesus was talking about being practical in a local court or protecting your soul in the Heavenly Court, he saw reconciliation as the best approach.
The Matthean gospel writer has Jesus set out the steps for settling disputes: “And if some companion does wrong, go have it out between the two of you privately. If that person listens to you, you have won your companion over. And if he (or she) doesn’t listen, take one or two people with you so that ‘every fact may be supported by two or three witnesses.’ Then if he (or she) refuses to listen to them, report it to the congregation. If he (or she)refuses to listen even to the congregation, treat that companion like you would a pagan or tax collector.” (MT 18:15-17) (N.B. Jesus hung around with sinners and tax collectors a lot.) The Westar scholars did not think Jesus said this, probably because the extreme result would be shunning the offender and possibly tearing apart the congregation. (I was not part of that discussion, so I can only guess.) Nevertheless, this basic method of confronting a dispute is a good one, and this type of dispute resolution is commonly used in our family courts where the best result is that there are no losers. Not long ago, our UCC Central Association formalized a process of restorative justice based on this method of dispute resolution.
Whether as a negotiator or a conciliator, I always find the best approach is to listen and learn what each side most wants and to craft an agreement that gives each side as much as possible of what really matters to him, her, or them. I’m still surprised at how often this works!

In our public and our private lives, may we always strive for amicable reconciliation so that there are no losers, but only winners who have graciously taken less than the whole pot.

Lyn Pickhover, Conciliator

October 25th Sermon: “Swimming Against the Tide”

INTRODUCTION:  Today we have 2 Scripture readings.  The first is from the Gospel of John and talks about a “new commandment” given by Jesus.  The second reading builds on the teachings of the Gospel.  Both readings challenged the churches of the first and second century to live in ways that reflected the love of God.  Let us listen for ways this Scripture might continue to encourage and challenge us in today’s world. 

Scripture:   

John 13:34-35

34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

1 John 4:7-12 7Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Sermon:  “Swimming Against the Tide”

A lack of civility seems to characterize much of our American public discourse these days, especially in the political arena.  We hear about it every week in the news.  But lest we think our day and age is worse than others, a journalist writing about political discourse in American History reminds us that “the early days of our nation saw politicians willing to draw guns to defend their political honor - most famously, of course, the duel between …Alexander Hamilton [and Aaron Burr] in 1804. [In fact] Dueling was so pervasive [back in that day and age] that many states tried to outlaw it, but the practice continued in the South until the mid-1800’s…”  Also, the journalist writes about how “Today we lament the incivilities imposed [especially] upon women in politics. But in the 1830s in Philadelphia, while abolitionist Angelina Grimke spoke …[in] the first public debate between a man and a woman at Pennsylvania Hall, an angry mob armed with bricks and rotten tomatoes gathered outside the doors.  Simply because a woman dared to debate a man in public!  [Angelina managed to escape, but] Hours later, the hall was burned to the ground.”  This kind of behavior sounds so outrageous that it’s almost unbelievable—but then, when we remember that this is truth, not fiction, it’s incredibly sobering, especially in light of the violence we’ve seen erupting in our society lately.  (Quotes are from an article entitled:   Think America is uncivil today? Just look at our past”  By Ben Voth, Published: 23 July 2010, dallasnews.com.) 

These true stories of incivility and violence from our country’s history made me think of this morning’s scripture readings—which call Christians to a MUCH higher standard of discourse and interaction than what was just described.  Jesus says:  “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”  After reading through the Scripture, my next thought was a question:  did any of these historical figures who engaged in incivility and violence purport to follow Christ?  To answer that question, I Googled the religious persuasion of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr—and discovered that both grew up in the Christian faith.  In fact, Aaron Burr even studied for the ministry before becoming a lawyer.  (Christianity today, article by Susan Lim, feb 15, 2016; Adherents.com)  It was a little harder to research the religious persuasion of the brick and tomato wielding mob in 1830, but given that the whole country was in the middle of the Second Great Awakening, it is reasonable to assume that many of them were Christians.  Yet, their incivility and violence fell quite a bit short of the behavioral standard Jesus calls his followers to emulate.   Which leads me to another question:  How can we, as Christians, effectively hold ourselves to the high standard of loving behavior that Jesus calls us to? 

Church consultant, Gil Rendle has written a book called Behavorial Covenants for Congregations, which interim ministers are encouraged to read. It is a book that looks at the dynamics of how people behave in groups in general, and faith communities in particular.  In this book, Rev. Rendle talks about how the culture around us has changed over the years.  He doesn’t go back as far as the 1800’s, but he acknowledges that with each generation, behavioral standards in our country shift. 

In the years following World War II, he says, working together cooperatively in groups was highly valued.  “There was a high demand for order and consensus.”  (Rendle, p. 9.)  In general, people behaved with civility.  So, if you were to pick up a newspaper from, say,1953, you would find more instances of people behaving in concert with Jesus’ commandment to love one another, simply because it fit with the values of the time.  To use a computer analogy, loving one another—or at least treating each other with civility and respect, came more easily back then because it was the “default setting” of the time, the standard that most people understood they should aim for.  (Rendle, p. 19)

However, Rendle points out that as the next generation emerged, the values held by the previous generation were called into question—as they always are.  He’s not saying this questioning was bad in and of itself; he’d be the first to point out that there are the pro’s and con’s in any cultural shift.  What he is saying is that the next generation (the “Baby Boomers,” my generation J) valued individualism over conformity to the group, and in this climate, competition and confrontation began to replace conformity and civility as cultural norms. 

All that to say, our American culture in 2020 is much more confrontational than it was 67 years ago, so it is harder in our society today to find instances of people following Jesus’ commandment to love one another than it would have been in 1953.  Trying to “love one another” in our society today is like swimming against the tide—it takes a lot more effort than it did for our parents and grandparents. 

But, here’s the thing:  even though culture changes, Jesus’ commandment to love one another doesn’t change.  We’re still called to do it, even though it’s hard.  Even though many people around us are not modeling love and civility, we, as followers of Christ, are still called to this high standard. 

But there is good news.  God does not leave us without resources.  Jesus says, “I have given you a new commandment, that you love one another…as I have loved you...”   Interestingly enough, the commandment itself is not new.  We find the same commandment to love our neighbors in the Hebrew Scriptures, in the book of Leviticus, chapter 19, verse 18.  What is new about this commandment given in the gospel of John is that it is based, not on our own strength or stamina, but rather on our relationship with Jesus.  Or, in other words, it is our spiritual connection to the powerful love of God—God living in us, to quote our Epistle reading--that gives us the strength we need to swim against the tide and behave in loving ways toward our neighbors and ourselves. 

The more grounded we are in God’s love, the less we are swayed by the uncivil, unloving behavior of others.

Let me give you an example.  There is a wonderful book I re-read every few years called Let Yourself Be Loved, by a pastoral counselor named Rev. Dr. Phillip Bennett.  In this book Dr. Bennett tells the story of a man named David (not his real name) who struggled with self-esteem and was easily pulled off center by the uncivil, unloving comments of people around him—and even by his own “withering self-judgment.”  (Bennett, p. 22)

David came to Dr. Bennett for counseling, and they worked together to help David see himself differently—to see himself not in a critical light, but rather as a precious child of God, created in God’s image.  Slowly, David’s vision of himself began to change, and      

One day David shared a memory of golf balls he and his brother collected when they were boys.  They lived next to a golf course and spent free time combing the area for stray balls.  David had always imagined that the golf balls were hollow at their core.  Finally he and his brother broke one open, unwinding the rubber bands inside:  [He said,] “It seemed like miles of this rubber-band-like material.  I was sure we would find a hollow center when we unwound this mass of rubber string.  But I was surprised to find this very small but dense core at the center.  [David went on to say] I see that golf ball as a metaphor for myself: I used to be afraid to unwrap all the layers inside me for fear that I would find an empty core.  But instead I’ve found myself, and it’s solid.  It’s such a relief.  I want to tell other people who feel hollow and worthless that they really are worthwhile.  Thank God I’ve finally been able to experience this solid part of myself.”  (Bennett, p. 21)

Dr. Bennett goes on to say that the more we are in touch with the solid center of ourselves, the place where the Love of God resides in our hearts and souls, the less we are affected by the uncivil, unloving behavior of others.  The more we are in touch with the solid center of ourselves, the place where the Love of God resides in our hearts and souls, the more we can, in turn, be loving toward others.

So, my friends, may we too, like David, find the solid core of ourselves, the place where God’s love resides in our hearts and souls.  May we believe that our solid center is good and precious—and if we can’t quite believe it yet—may we ask God to help us believe it in time.  And, unlike many of the behaviors we see in the news, may our behavior flow out of our loving center, and may people say of us that they know we are Christians by our love for each other and the world.  Amen. 

Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt

Franklin Federated Church

Franklin, MA

[A version of this sermon was first written and preached in May, 2010 in York, Maine; another version preached in Manchester, NH on April 24, 2016; another version was preached on April 29, 2018 in Manchester-by-the-Sea.]

Who was Judas?

One year my daughter attended a Christmas Eve service with me.  She was studying Holocaust literature at the time and refused to take part in Communion because the standard liturgy began: "On the night he was betrayed, Jesus..." She saw this phrase as part of Christianity's vilification of the Jews over almost two millennia, which had led to discrimination, pogroms and eventually to Adolph Hitler's attempt to eradicate the people whose history gave us the Old Testament and the source of our faith, Jesus.  So I looked a little harder, and this is what I found. 

Using my Greek-English New Testament, Strong's Concordance, and my trusty Greek dictionary, I found that al of the "betray" words are variations of the Greek word "paradidomi" which means to "hand over" something.  It was a neutral word that could be used for anything:  a gift, a sale or deed, or a prisoner.  "Betray" would be a derivative meaning conveying disapproval. 

Retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong hypothesized that Judas was a character made up sometime between 60 and 70 CE ("Common Era"; you might prefer the old term "A.D.") to represent all of the "Judaioi" at the time when Jesus' followers were trying to shift the blame for the crucifixion from the Romans to the Jews.  Bishop Spong noted that the letters of Paul, the earliest writings we have about Jesus, say nothing about this Judas.  He also noted that the authorities did not need someone to identify Jesus who had been walking around causing uproar all week. [Matthew 26:55]  Also, he saw indications in Matthew's and Luke's gospels [MT 19:28 and LK 22:30] that there were twelve disciples present after Jesus was executed.  (I disagree with this conclusion). 

More recently, we have the publication of the Gospel of Judas, now available online in English translation.  This incomplete "gospel" makes Judas the hero who was doing what Jesus told him to do.  The Gospel of John hints at this when Jesus says to Judas: "Do quickly what you are going to do." [John 12:27] This can be interpreted that Jesus wanted Judas to bring on the Romans. 

I agree with Bishop Spong that Judas-the-betrayer has been used to represent the Jews as "Christ-killers," a designation that the Catholic Church repudiated only in the late 20th century.  I do think Judas -- the brother of James (Jesus' brother or one of his first disciples?) -- existed and was a trusted disciple, perhaps even in charge of this common purse [John 13:29].  His act was necessary for the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.   I don't think Jesus was wrong about his friend, and I think Judas got a bad rap. 

Lyn Pickhover, Unconvinced 

October 25th Outdoor Worship

Information about this Sunday’s Outdoor and Livestream Worship

(found on church website Franklinfederated.org  and FaceBook page) 

  Then Jesus said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  (Matthew 22:21)
 ORDER OF WORSHIP (40 minutes):
- Opening Song “We Come Together"
- Welcome- Announcements
- Call to Worship
- Song “Your Love Defends Me”
- The Sacrament of Baptism for Conor Joseph Kane
- Song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands"
- Scripture Reading:  John 13:34-35; I John 4:7-12
- Sermon “Swimming Against the Tide"- Song “Day by Day"
- Benediction
- Closing Song “Send Me Out”

DETAILS:

• Masks are required.

• Please practice 6’ social distancing from people not in your household.

• Please bring your own “beach” chair.

• Please park on the street (as the parking lot will be our seating area.)

• People with mobility issues may be dropped off at the entrance to the parking lot. 

• Bathrooms will be for emergency use only.
  NOTE:  The worship service will not include a live-stream prayer time.  If you have prayer requests you want included in a “pastoral prayer” spoken by Rev. Marlayna, please email her with your requests by Friday, October 23rd.  revschmidt@comcast.net.

MATTHEW 22: 15-22

MATTHEW 22: 15-22   ".... Pharisees, ... with a few of Herod's followers... ask, 'Teacher, {Jesus} we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion and don't pander to your students' " (v. 15-17, MSG).

     Are you asking God during these uncertain times about things financial, knowing His track record? Money is among the top 10 most frequently spoken of subjects in the Bible! I know its current poignancy to me on a budget decision I'm in the midst of. No wonder I'm feeling a bit scattered this week - I was blaming it on: missing closer interaction with you humanoids. So better yet: am I following Jesus' lead, well aware of His integrity and enlightenment on God's way, relevant to my own stuff? Ya might say, it's right in my face, that His timing is impeccable! Now, you're not my therapist but I am an advocate of truth via: a) journaling if it works, b) admitting it to self, c) bringing it to God and d) sharing it with another person. 

     Although the questioners in the parable above came to the teacher with an ulterior motive, my intent is toward clarifying. In our day and culture there are times and situations that 'feel' like extraneous, need I say superfluous information is introduced for the purpose of convoluting an issue and/or obscuring truth; - which is likely a subject for another day. As students of 'Christianly-thinking', I believe we are fortunate to be truth-seekers, which generally keeps things simpler; though not automatically clearer, things are a bit more straight forward for the most part. We commoners are fairly solid on paying to Caesar or Uncle Sam their due. The, giving to God what's His continues to loom as challenging in the treasure realm for many. Easier said than done you say?; if I don't lose sight of all I've been given and that [it] all belongs to Him, the doing becomes almost as easy as the saying. Now, my humanity can cause me to stride toward bettering my lot, and justifying it because "it's for the family", resulting in second guessing a budget line item that lessens God as my priority. That's what's really happening now in my current personal budget crisis; my pride, jealousy and wants are trying to encroach on Jesus' proven track record and teaching. I was thinking I could pander, rather than aid God, Franklin Federated and our needy community and world.  Thanks for your ear - I originally thought I'd go down the time-talent-treasure path but the Spirit moves mysteriously and this was catharsis in real-time!

     Blessings, people can change - Kevin T. (serving with the Deacons) ....  

October 18th Sermon: “What Do We Give to God?”

INTRODUCTION:  Today’s Scripture Reading is set by the Lectionary and is often read at this time of year.  Sometimes this reading is seen as supporting “the separation of church and state,” but that was not the original intent of these words.  Rather, Jesus was inviting people to consider a larger question about where their loyalties lie. 

Scripture:  Matthew 22:15-22

15Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap [Jesus] in what he said. 16So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.”  And they brought him a denarius. 20Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” 21They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

 Remembering back when you were a kid growing up, did you ever try to get your friends to say goofy things?  Like the old joke that was popular when I was in first grade:  when you’d vaguely point to a place under a table or some chairs in the lunchroom and you’d say to your friend, “Hey, is that your lunch box under there?”  And your poor, unsuspecting friend would say innocently, “Under where?”  And you’d giggle and say, “You just said ‘underwear”!”

This kind of behavior, trying to trap someone into saying something that they are not aware of, can be amusing if it is done in a good-natured manner, especially by giggly first graders, but it’s not so amusing when it is done with malice.  We see that in today’s Scripture reading—when some Pharisees (a group of religious leaders) are trying to trap Jesus into making a statement regarding paying taxes to the Roman government. 

Paying taxes to the government was a hot topic of conversation in Jesus’ day and age, as it has been in every day and age, including ours.  What is the government’s claim on us?  What should it be? 

Before I go too far down this road and get everyone worked up about taxes, let me go back to the Scripture.  The Pharisees ask Jesus a question about paying taxes, and it is a good question!  It’s important to think about what claims government has on us and whether or not those claims conflict with our calling from God.  But here’s the thing—these particular Pharisees don’t really care about the question!  They don’t care about the claims of the government OR the claims of God—they just care about getting rid of Jesus, who is a threat to their power.  They just want him to go away.   And they figure if they can just get Jesus to say something negative about the government, then the Romans will arrest him and their problem will be solved. 

But their plan doesn’t work.  Jesus outsmarts the Pharisees and gets them—and everyone else—to actually think about the question!  He tells them to “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  He turns the question back to them and says, in effect, “What do you think?”  What do we—and what should we--give to the government?  What do we—and what should we—give to God? 

Jesus is inviting each of his listeners—in his day and ours-- to answer these questions for ourselves.

Given that our purpose as a church is to worship and serve God, I propose we focus on answering the second question.  What do we—and what should we—give to God?  The obvious answer is, of course, “everything.”  Our Scriptures teach us that God is our Creator--and that all things in heaven and on earth belong to God.

But what does this mean, practically speaking?  Have you thought about that lately?

When I was a little kid, I went to a YMCA day camp.  It was a requirement, as I believe it is at most camps, to have your name written on everything you wore or brought with you to camp.  Your beach bag had to have your name written on it.  Your sweatshirt.  Your bathing suit.  Your bathing cap.  Your beach towel.  Your sneakers.  Your T-shirt.  Your shorts.  Your underwear.  Everything had to be marked, so that it would all go home with you at the end of the day.  I remember my mother had used a black, permanent magic-marker and had written “M. Schmidt” on everything.  And not discretely.  “M. Schmidt” was written on the heel of my sneakers, the cuff of my sweatshirt.  The outside back of my white Camp T-Shirt.  In big letters.  There were other kids at the camp whose mothers were more discrete than mine.  Some of the mothers had actually bought custom-made labels and sewn them into the lining of their children’s clothes.  So that, if you looked inside the collars of their nicely pressed shirts, there would be a lovely white label with tiny red rosebuds on it that read, “This belongs to Laura Lee Chandler.”  (or some name like that.)  (I was a little jealous...)

But here’s my point—what if everything around us had labels like this?  But instead of saying, “this belongs to Laura Lee Chandler” or “M. Schmidt,” the labels would read, “This belongs to God.”  What if our alarm clock went off in the morning and instead of flashing “6:00 A.M.” It flashed, “This day belongs to God!”  What if--when we sat down at our computer to check our email or do our work—what if our computer flashed a screen that said, “This work belongs to God!”  What if when we took out our credit card to order something on line or to buy something at the store, rather than our own name embossed across the card, it read instead, “This belongs to God.”  Would our actions be any different?

This week I invite us all to think about these things--to think about, in word, stewardship.  Stewardship, as defined by the dictionary, is the job of taking care of something that belongs to someone else.  In the church’s definition of stewardship, the “someone else” is specifically identified as God.  

In this past Thursday’s e-blast, beneath the Scripture reading, I wrote 3 things:  “time,” “talent,” “treasure,” with a line next to each one.  I invite you, if you wish, to print out this page from the e-blast to use as “spiritual homework.”   Or--if you prefer-- just jot down some notes based on the slide that is up in the PowerPoint.  If indeed, everything we have--our time, our talent, our treasure--belongs to God (and we are just stewards, taking care of things for God), I invite you (and me) to think about one new way we could give back to God in each of these categories. 

Taking them one at a time…

What is one new way this week we--you and I--could give some time back to God?   Spend some time serving God?

A couple ideas have occurred to me:

·        Could we take 10 minutes to make a phone call to a neighbor, family member, friend, fellow church member we haven’t talked to since Covid started and see how they’re doing? 

·        Maybe we could invite them to come with us to today’s outdoor concert at 4pm? 

·        Or, another idea of how to spend some time serving God:

·        Could we do what one of my neighbors did early in the Covid crisis?  My neighbor across the street contacted other people on our street and created an email and cell-phone list of the people who live right around us, so that we could stay in touch during the crisis.  And, because of that email/texting list, not only have we gotten to know our neighbors better-- We’ve also shared jig saw puzzles, weed whackers, and extra hand sanitizer.  One neighbor even gave away extra rolls of toilet paper when other people’s supply was running low (back when the stores had run out.)  Some ideas to get us all thinking…

Let me move to the next category: 

What is one new way this week we-- you and I--could use our talents for God? 

A couple ideas have occurred to me:

·        Most of us have gotten better at doing tech things since this crisis started--because we’ve had to.  Maybe we haven’t gotten good enough to think of it as a talent, but perhaps we’d call it a talent-in-progress?  For instance, most of us now have Zoom accounts.  We know how to made video calls from our phones and computers.  We know how to watch livestream worship.  Could we use this new budding talent we are developing to help someone else who hasn’t yet developed it? 

·        For instance, could we make a socially distanced visit and show one of our neighbors or friends how to download Zoom?  Or how to access the church website or FaceBook page? 

·        Another idea:  maybe you have a talent for writing.  I know there are a number of excellent writers in this congregation.  Maybe you could send one of your pieces, poems, essays, stories to someone you think might enjoy it.  Send it out with a little note saying “thinking of you.”

·        Just Some ideas to get us all thinking of creative and energizing ways to give back to God…

Let me move to the next category: 

What is one new way this week we could use our treasure for serving God? 

I realize that the Covid crisis has hit many people hard, and our monetary resources may be somewhat--or even severely--diminished due to this fact.  However, if we are able, are there new ways we could use our treasure to serve God this week? 

A couple of ideas that have occurred to me include:

·        Join FFC’s Missions committee in donating to help put together Church World Service Cleanup Buckets for what our website describes as “what is shaping up to be an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season.”  (You can read about this on the church FaceBook page or our Thursday e-blasts.)  For a limited time, it costs only $25 to fill a bucket.  That’s a third of what it usually costs.  A great deal to help people in need. 

·        Another idea for using our treasure for God:  our Stewardship pledge season is starting.  In the next few weeks all church members will receive their pledge letters and cards.  Speaking on behalf of church leadership, echoing words I heard expressed at the last council meeting, we are very grateful for this congregation’s generosity--not only in years past, but especially in 2020, which has been difficult for everyone.  And still, people have given sacrificially.  And, this year, in addition to your generous gifts, we have also received much needed help with the church budget from the PPP loan, thanks be to God and our government.  Next year, in 2021, we will be back to relying solely on our own sources of income, so our pledges will be very important.  I invite you to join me in prayerfully considering making a pledge to God’s work through Franklin Federated Church. 

May God be with us all in this stewardship season as we contemplate the various ways we can give back to God. 

May we be open to the Spirit’s guidance as we once more commit our time, talent, and treasure to serving God and the world that belongs to God.     Amen.

 October 18, 2020

Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt

Franklin Federated Church

Franklin, MA

An earlier version of this sermon was written and preached by Marlayna in York, ME on October 16, 2011. 

October 18th Worship

Information about this Sunday’s Livestream Worship
(found on church website Franklinfederated.org  and facebook.com/franklinfederated  

Then Jesus said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  (Matthew 22:21)

 If you don't have internet/access to a computer you can CALL IN BY PHONE via Zoom and listen to worship!

Call-in phone number:  929-205-6099
Meeting ID: 837 8512 6321
Passcode: 289999
(If you call in you will be automatically muted so that the sound doesn't affect the LiveStream.) 

ORDER OF WORSHIP (30 minutes):
- Prelude
- Welcome
- Announcements
- Call to Worship
- Hymn #609 “Take my Life"
- Scripture Reading:  Matthew 22:15-22 (Jesus is asked a question about paying taxes) 
- Sermon “What Do We Give to God?"
- Hymn #381 “Take My Gifts and Let Me Love You"
- Benediction

PRAYER SERVICE (20 minutes)
You are invited to type prayer requests into the comments of the Livestream.  
 LORD’S PRAYER
 POSTLUDE

Scripture and Notes for Sunday
Matthew 22:15-22

15Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap [Jesus] in what he said. 16So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.”  And they brought him a denarius. 20Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” 21They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
 Notes (to be explained in sermon):
 Time__________________________________
 Talent_________________________________
 Treasure_______________________________

Hymns for Sunday, October 18th

Click on the hymn to view and/or download the music.
#609  Take My Life 
#381  Take My Gifts 

Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22: 1-14 " .... when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless." (v. 11,12; NRSV).

     Did you get your invitation to the eternal wedding feast?  I know I have, and hope to see and rejoice with you there!  As our pastor & teacher Rev. Schmidt began speaking after Tim D.'s reading of Jesus' telling of the Wedding Banquet parable, I thought I'd jot down words or phrases she used which were contrary to our usual association with wedding receptions. She was coming out with a bunch of them indeed (like: tyrant, excessive violence, disturbing, misuse, self-proclaimed, colonization, horrible, persecuted, minority and violent detail, to list a few) in association with rejecting misuse of the meaning of the parable. Me, I was trying to predict where her sermon might be leading and make connections to wedding occasions I've known. I think my faith took a brief hiatus there; so much for being or staying in the moment, eh? The Covid19 induced fact that we record and make our worship service available to be heard later is truly a blessing, as I was able to listen again and appreciate, glean meaning and have gratitude for both the parable and our pastor's commentary. 

     So, despite the parable above being used erroneously eons ago as a tool to inflict judgement and/or dominance of some kind, what images do weddings and their reception conjure up for you? Obviously the excitement and exhilaration are contagious whether an attendee, parent of one of the couple, or the groom himself! I fortunately have been the groom twice, 5x the father of a participant and once a coerced dance partner of one of those choreographing-brides taking me out of my comfort-zone; so I've reached a high level of wedding-feast happiness.... True joy, however comes from the choice, that someone you helped expose to Godly ideals, is making and the potential JOY that this new community of two is moving toward.

     And, undoubtedly I'm often stymied by the end of the Biblical passage above, where the king has the friend removed who didn't come to the feast in proper dress. Maybe this isn't exactly likening apple to apples, but I've often argued that: it doesn't matter what clothing a child shows up to Church in, as long as he/she gets there.  And, perhaps the concept needs its own forum, but could it be that my latent effort to attend God's eternal wedding feast, will be for naught, without my having "put on every piece of God's armor so I'll be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil" (Ephesians 6:13ff)? ......keep thinking!

     Your invitation is in both hardcopy and virtual formats, Blessings, Kevin (4 th' Deacons)

October 11th Sermon - The Story of the Wedding Banquet

INTRODUCTION:  Today’s Scripture Reading comes from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 22, verses 1 through 14.  It is the third of three parables addressed to religious leaders who have, so far, completely missed the main point of Jesus’ teaching--that the Kingdom of God is open to all who respond to God’s Love and live it out joyfully in their lives.  Parts of this story, as told by Matthew, are rather disturbing to our ears.  Even so, let us listen for the Spirit speaking through these words.

Scripture:  Matthew 22:1-14 (The Message)

The Story of the Wedding Banquet

22 1-3 Jesus responded by telling still more stories. “God’s kingdom,” he said, “is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn’t come!

4 “He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, ‘Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!’

5-7 “They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the messengers and then killed them. The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city.

8-10 “Then he told his servants, ‘We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren’t up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.’ The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled.

11-13 “When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn’t properly dressed. He said to him, ‘Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!’ The man was speechless. Then the king told his servants, ‘Get him out of here—fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn’t get back in.’

14 “That’s what I mean when I say, ‘Many get invited; only a few make it.’”

Sermon:  “Who Doesn’t Love a Good Banquet?!”

In many ways, the “Parable of the Wedding Banquet” is a very disturbing story.  The main character is a hot-tempered, ego-centric king, a tyrant, who resorts to excessive violence--destroying people and leveling whole cities-- when people don’t do what he demands.  Plus, some of the king’s subjects are no better than the king himself--quick to engage in violence themselves rather than obeying the king’s summons to attend his son’s wedding feast.  And if that’s not disturbing enough, we have the traditional, allegorical interpretation of this parable-- that the tyrant represents God, the first set of murderous subjects represent Israel, and the good and bad people pulled in off the streets represent people of other nations who become the church of Jesus Christ.  And then, down through the centuries, we have the actual misuse of this allegorical interpretation!  Self-proclaimed Christian nations and kings have actually used this text and others like it to condone violence against countries they conquer and colonize.  For instance, “During the colonial era,” New Testament Professor Raj Nadella from Columbia Theological Seminary points out that “British interpreters [of Scripture]… routinely employed texts such as this to justify the empire’s oppressive economic and military policies in India.”  (Prof. Raj Nadella, from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=4613)

Which is absolutely horrible!!!  But such interpretations, painful as they are, need to be named so we can acknowledge the pain they’ve caused and not repeat it.  Interestingly enough, most modern scholars believe that the violent aspects of this parable were later additions--composed by the writer of Matthew’s gospel, and not something Jesus ever said.    Scholars believe this mainly for 2 reasons:  1) The other version of this story, from Luke (chapter 14) is missing all the violent details.  2) The violence in the story mirrors the context in which Matthew was writing--he was writing around AD 70 right after the Romans had ransacked and leveled Jerusalem, when followers of Jesus were beginning to be violently persecuted--by both Rome and some of their fellow Jews.  (In Quest of a Kingdom, Leslie Weatherhead, p. 111-112)

So, all that to say, just because Matthew’s historical context led him to add these violent details, it doesn’t mean that we have to accept his view of God.  In fact, with the benefit of 2000 years of history and Biblical scholarship, we can choose to reject the violent details of this story so that we do not normalize violence in our own lives or give our leaders permission to do so.  In the words of Professor Nadella whom I quoted earlier,

“In a cultural and political context where physical violence towards the other—immigrants, racial minorities, and women—has increasingly become commonplace, it is especially important that our interpretations of scriptures do not inadvertently suggest violence as a manifestation of the divine.”

Okay, so if we reject the violent details of this scripture passage as not originating with Jesus, where does that leave us?  Let me propose that it leaves us with the primary metaphor of this parable--God’s kingdom is like a wedding banquet.  And what an appealing image-- because who doesn’t love a good banquet?!  Let’s spend a moment diving into that image.  I invite you to think back to the favorite weddings you have attended.  Maybe it was your own--or your children’s or your friend’s.  What made it your favorite? 

·        Maybe it was the food and beverages:  Prime Rib.  Pumkin Raviolis.  Peaches and Cream wedding cake.  Champagne    or a certain signature cocktail. 

·        Maybe what made the wedding banquet your favorite was the band-- the best Beatles cover band ever--and you still remember dancing to “Twist and Shout”.  Or maybe it was string quartet playing  “Suite for Cello #1.” 

·        Or maybe it was seeing your whole extended family and all of your best friends gathered in one place under one tent and everyone putting their differences aside in order to celebrate a joyous milestone in a couple’s life. 

·        Or maybe it was the acknowledgement that despite all of the bumps and potholes in what a popular song calls the “broken road of life,” God has actually blessed us all beyond measure. 

And this, my friends, is what Jesus says the Kingdom of God is like--the best wedding banquet you have ever attended.  In a word, it is joy beyond measure. 

And speaking of joy, I am reminded of a quote that Tim Danielson, our Scripture Reader for today brought up at the last youth group meeting.  He was quoting a young person, a member of the youth group, who spoke with wisdom beyond their years when describing the difference between Happiness and joy: 

You can experience Happiness alone,

Joyfulness is a shared experience.   [REPEAT]

That’s profound, isn’t it?!  And so true!! 

And isn’t this joyfulness what we experience when we participate in church, in our community of faith?  I think, sometimes, it is.  I say “sometimes” because--of course--the Kingdom of God and our human concept of church are not exactly the same thing.  The Kingdom of God is infinite and eternal and divine and encompasses the entire universe-- and the church is a human construct that seeks to mirror the kingdom of God.  So the church, being a human institution contains human flaws.  But the church is also a vessel for the Spirit of Christ, so it embodies Christ’s joy.  Or it can.  And it should.  Because this joy is what our world is starving for. 

And we have felt this hunger for joy during this pandemic, haven’t we?  When we haven’t been able to meet in person as a faith community and share our joy the way we are used to doing, it has been a HUGE loss.  In other words, we have been missing the wedding banquet that Jesus describes.  In the words of 20th century English Pastor Leslie Weatherhead, “Jesus is saying to us, ‘What you are looking for I am offering.’  Satisfaction, joy, good fellowship, good will, good humor--all of the things that a feast really means are here and ready.”  (Weatherhead, In Quest of a Kingdom, p. 114)

Pre-covid we knew how to find all of these things by walking into our church building and gathering together in person for worship and other activities.  But how do we find them now, when we can’t gather the way we are used to doing.  Does the wedding feast Jesus describes have to go on hold until the pandemic is over?

No it does not.  The joy of the Lord is not thwarted by a virus.  The joy of the Lord is not thwarted by anything. 

But the feast--the expression of the joy-- will take different forms.  And it already has.  We have been experiencing some of those forms lately.  Last week’s outdoor worship, for instance.  How wonderful it was to see 2 young people--Jake and Hannah give their statements of faith and join the church.  How moving it was to see their families gather around them in prayer.  How inspiring it was to hear from their mentors and to welcome them with joy on this step of their faith journey.  How good it was to share in communion together!  (And thank God for creative entrepreneurs who figured out how to make single serving communion cups, mass produce them, and find an affordable way to sell them to churches! J)  How beautiful it has been to praise God by hearing Julie and Kathy and Alan sing together. 

And on days like today when we don’t meet in person but gather, instead, through a virtual platform--how incredible that we have the technology to livestream sermons and music and scripture and share prayer requests in real time--from our homes. 

And what a joy we can gather in small groups--socially distanced in person, and on line-- to write and talk and study together.  And collect food for the pantry.  And refurbish the church kitchen. 

It’s not the same as it was.  We are not currently able to hug or shake hands or even stand close to each other.  And we need to express our sadness and grieve that loss,  which we hope will not be for too much longer.       BUT in the midst of that grief, we need to remember that the wedding feast is still happening, the joy of the Lord is still present, it is just taking different forms.  May God help us be creatively open to the new forms it is taking. 

The English pastor I quoted earlier--Leslie Weatherhead, writes beautifully about the joy of the wedding feast.  What I didn’t tell you is that he was writing and preaching in London during World  War II.  His congregation was made up of people from all walks of life--he describes them as “cabinet ministers and slum dwellers, middle-class Londoners and visitors from all parts of the world.”   Their church building dated back to the 1600’s and had a beautiful pulpit made of marble.  And then one night, in a literal flash, much of the church building was demolished by the Nazis in a bombing raid.  It was a huge loss--the beauty, craftsmanship and history of a 300 year old building could not be replaced.  But the congregation was resilient and joined with a local Anglican church following the bombing.  And Dr. Weatherhead’s ministry of writing books gained momentum; his books were sold worldwide, introducing the joy of the Lord to a much wider audience.  It wasn’t the same as before.  But Jesus’ joy was not thwarted, even in the midst of great loss.

May we allow the joy of Jesus to grow in us as a congregation--despite the very real losses we experience.  May God continue to help us discover and appreciate new ways of connecting in the midst of this pandemic, that we may continue to share Christ’s joy with our neighbors and the world.  Amen. 

Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt

Franklin Federated Church

Franklin, MA

1 Cor. 10:13 & 2 Cor. 5:17

1 Cor. 10:13 & 2 Cor. 5:17   "No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down, he'll never let you be pushed beyond your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it."  & "Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; new life burgeons!"  (The MSG Bible in contemporary language).

      Congratulations Church, you've aided the evolution and growth the of two young Affirmands, to the point of joining the flock! Seriously now, the families of Hannah Burr and Jake Houlihan are the greater influencers of them toward Christianity and church membership, but you the 'body of Christ' have played a role in these two young lives over the past, several years. I haven't been part of these youth's Faith Formation, but their choices of the above scriptures from the apostle Paul's letters to the Corinthian church tell me, that you have [been there]. Collectively, you've helped them come through their awareness, acceptance and decision toward God and new life is burgeoning in them. Their mentors, encouraging and revealing words around character coupled with the youth's readings of their Statements of Faith speak of them grasping what the life of Jesus and our Bible espouses.

     Tis so poignant to yours truly, that Jake and Hannah chose the verses above as their basis of those faith documents. I don't know about you but the valuable reminder that God won't allow me to be stretched beyond my limit keeps me open to His guidance and banking on hope, rather than a despair-like posture. I'm reminded of Niebuhr's original Serenity Prayer, encouraging me to "take as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it".  Like me, you're possibly facing testing in some aspect of your complicated existence, that 'feels' unique or beyond what others have had to endure. Perhaps forced distancing, or changes from normalcy, or a secret deficiency, or apathy or angry disgust toward the current political climate, or sub-conscious participation in systemic racism, or ...?.. whatever, has you isolating rather than speaking or behaving Christianly. We however, who choose to be united to the Messiah distinguish loneliness from chosen alone-ness. I am wise to isolate with God regularly which serves to quell lonesomeness. My weakness can be brought to light and gone; a fresh start can be gotten! I'm grateful to Hannah and Jake for their testimony and refresher course; and for teachers at FFC who stood in the gap shaping young minds toward truth and the greater good that those lives will sow.

     May wisdom, sanity, discretion, knowledge, good counsel & common sense grace your day. Kevin (& Deacons)