“Treasure in Clay Jars”

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Meditation for Sept. 30, 2012

2 Corinthians 4:1-10

***

   “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ² Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.       

     ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

     ⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

     ⁶ For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

     ⁷ But we have this treasure in clay jars to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:1-10)

    

     Twelve months ago, this room was filled with people who came to witness and celebrate what was a kind of rebirth for me—a once in a lifetime event. 

      A year ago, I was ordained a teaching elder—a minister—in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 

     It was the culmination of more than 5 years of study and preparation that included seminary, a year’s internship, prayer, learning Hebrew and Greek, passing the Presbyterian ordination exams, and serving as a chaplain. 

     It was the day I said, “Yes,” with butterflies in my stomach, to Christ’s call to follow Him.  And, at the same time, “Yes” to this congregation’s call to be your shepherd. 

   Not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at what God has called me to.  I am so blessed! Sometimes, though, I wonder, “Why me?”  Even after a year.  Why would He call someone as ordinary and flawed as me to participate in such an extraordinary thing?

    Because this is an extraordinary work—this ministry God has given us in His mercy.  This household of faith we call Ebenezer Presbyterian in Southwestern Minnesota—3 and ½ miles north of Renville on a tar road.

    As I studied this passage in Second Corinthians this week, I heard in Paul’s words the call to ministry once again, as if it were for the first time.

    And, as it was in the beginning, it was a humbling experience.

     This passage is encouragement to all who seek to serve the Lord with their lives.  I pray it will be an encouragement to you today.

     Paul tells us that ministry is not about me.  It’s not about us.  We aren’t preaching ourselves.  We are preaching Jesus Christ as Lord.

     Ministry requires putting our trust in and holding fast to this “treasure in clay jars.” This all-surpassing power within us is not from us!  We didn’t put it there!  And it isn’t a reward for great things we have done.

     This is God’s gift.

***

    Pottery from ancient civilizations is precious to us—now—because of its age and because it is so rare.  A piece of 2,000- year old pottery is an artifact, something we see only behind glass in museums or in the pages of Smithsonian Magazine and National Geographic. We don’t view pottery from the Apostle Paul’s time the same way we see our own plates, cups, forks and spoons in our kitchen cabinets and drawers today.

    But Paul is not talking about artifacts when he talks about “treasure in clay jars.” The “clay jars” to which he refers are ordinary vessels in plentiful supply that hold liquids stored and poured out every day, liquids such as water, oil, and wine. 

   Clay jars were practical, necessary tools. Functional, not beautiful.

   Clay jars are US.  The Old Testament often refers to God the Creator as the Potter and human beings as His “clay.”  The New Testament speaks of our flesh, our bodies, as vessels of the Holy Spirit.

    In our 2^nd Corinthians passage, Paul speaks of this treasure that is a light—His light—that shines in our hearts and gives us knowledge, understanding, of God’s glory displayed in the face of Jesus Christ. 

    This is the same light that shone in the darkness on the first day of Creation when God said, “Let there be light.”

   This light, this treasure, is not like a “treasure” of this world.  It isn’t the stuff of pirate’s dreams.  It isn’t found with a treasure map, and X never marks the spot. It is revealed only through God’s Word and Spirit and to only those who have been given eyes to see it. Paul tells us that not everyone will see this light because some have been blinded by the gods of this world.

     The Lord reminds me every day when I wake up that He is the light. He is the one who will shine through us in the darkness and enable us to be His loving presence in a broken and hurting world, whether we feel worthy of carrying His light or not.

    So give thanks to God that you can see the light!   And forget about your past. Forget about yourself!!  This is a God thing!

    And God uses ordinary clay jars that He is lovingly shaping with His hands. Ordinary clay jars that He will be faithful to fill up with His spiritual gifts and pour out every day.  If it is your desire to please Him.

***

     A year after my ordination, this is what I hear the Spirit saying:

     To those who have been given much, much is required.  And the Lord has blessed me with much so that I would be useful to Him and a servant to the children of God.

     The Lord is telling us, “Don’t say, ‘I can’t’ when I call you to MY work.  Because I can! You are MY clay jar that I am molding and shaping with my hands. 

     “I will fill you up.  I will pour you out.   I will fill you up again.”

     The Lord assures us, “My treasure isn’t meant for you to hoard or hide in your homes or at your church, lest thieves break in and steal. 

     “My treasure is my Son, Jesus Christ. And you will carry Him in your hearts everywhere you go. And I want you to go to all the nations. It is My light that dwells within you that I want you to give away—and give and give and give.

    “The more you give my treasure away, the more I will give to you to empower you to do what I want you to do.  To build My Kingdom with Me. 

     “My treasure will never run out.

     “My treasure in clay jars.” 

Will you pray with me?

      Holy God, our Creator, thank you for being our Potter and choosing us to be Your clay!  Thank you for your love and patience with us as we struggle with feelings of unworthiness for Your call on our lives.  Help us to trust that it is Your treasure in us, Your light that leads and empowers us to do Your Will.  Remind us that we shouldn’t rely on our own strength or wisdom or take credit for Your work, because Your thoughts are not ours; Your ways are too wonderful for us.  Give us courage to carry Your light that means life to those who are perishing, Your treasure, to all the nations.  Lead us humbly on, following in the footsteps of our Savior Jesus Christ.  In His name we pray.  Amen.

    

"Servant of All"

MEDITATION for Sept. 23, 2012

Mark 9:30-37

 

***

        “Jesus and His disciples went on from there and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man will be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’

     “But the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying and were afraid to ask him what he meant.

      “Then they came to Capernaum; and when Jesus was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’

     “But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

      “Jesus sat down, called the twelve to Him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”

     “Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes or receives one such child in my name welcomes or receives me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’”  (Mark 9:30-37)

***

   

     We tried something new as a church yesterday—or at least something that had not been done in a long time.

     We had a mission yard sale/flea market/bake sale.  And it was a big deal. It wasn’t the auction that we were comfortable with and that our church has done many times.

     There were all sorts of details to address, things to figure out as we went along. We had to answer questions on the fly, such as “where do we put all the stuff people are dropping off before the sale?” We needed to make snap decisions, such as how to place the long tables inside the church lobby when the weather was cooler than we hoped. We needed to get word out to our community. We needed volunteers on the day of the sale to make coffee, set out donuts, wash cups, and clean up. We needed people to sort, price, and display the items, as well as people to collect money and give change.  

     Finally, we needed volunteers to welcome visitors from the community who heard about our sale or saw the signs and the cars in the parking lot—and came.

     And God provided all the people and all the help we needed.  He used us to be a blessing to others.

    Aside from raising money for mission, what was the most important thing about the sale? 

     Christian outreach. The sale provided opportunities for us to meet and build relationships with people who don’t go to our church. People who may not know the love of Christ or have His peace. Our silent auction, though an excellent fundraiser that we enjoy very much, doesn’t go beyond our church walls. It doesn’t draw our neighbors inside our church and invite them to join us in shared mission.

    As Christians who gather in His name, we are all about the Great Commission of Matthew 28. “Go forth and disciple all the nations!” Jesus tells us.  “Teach them everything I have commanded you!”

    As people who want to respond obediently to Christ’s call on our lives, we know more is required of us than giving money to people in need. We constantly look to our Savior’s example to show us how to walk our journey of faith.

    And the Jesus we know had few possessions, not even a home, let alone much money to give away. But the people he ministered to loved Him because He loved them and gave all of Himself as He submitted to God.  He shared words of hope to the hopeless – “Blessed are those who thirst and hunger for righteousness, for they shall be filled! Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted!” He prayed for people and touched the sick when no one else would go near them. He had compassion for them, forgave and healed them.

      He glorified the Father with His words and deeds. And, obeying God, He gave His life so others would have life everlasting—and not perish in their sins. 

     As Christ’s followers, we are called to die to ourselves-- give up our worldly status and identities—and live as new creations in Him.  We set our eyes on the Kingdom of God and not on the things of this world. We aren’t farmers, nurses, teachers, truck drivers or bus drivers.  Not in the Kingdom of God. We are the Body of Christ, His Church, members of Him.

     And He calls us to be, as we learn in Mark chapter 9, “servant of all.” 

***

      The disciples are having trouble understanding this in today’s gospel reading.

       Christ tells them “the Son of Man”—Jesus—will be given into human hands, killed, and raised on the third day. His words shock the disciples; they are too frightened to ask Him what He means. Jesus has taught them through parables—stories with different levels of meaning that teach spiritual truths.  But now, when he speaks to them privately, he tells them straight out, “I am going to be killed! And raised from the dead!”

    No one expects the Messiah to be killed, least of all His disciples who have witnessed the miracles surrounding His ministry. The Messiah has come to bring justice and reign as an earthly king of God’s people.  Or so His disciples think.  They dream earthly dreams of the important roles they will play in Christ’s kingdom. Who is the greatest? Which will have the seat of honor—closest to the throne?

      Yes, the disciples have a little problem with pride and egotism. They are human, after all. Like kids caught scrapping in the schoolyard, they don’t answer when Jesus asks them what they were arguing about as they walked along the road.

    Jesus already knows.  He knows what’s in our hearts.

    Instead of scolding them, Jesus beckons to the 12 to sit with him. Then he patiently teaches with an object —like we do sometimes for the children’s sermon.

    “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all,” He begins. Then he pulls a child into his arms and asks, “You see this child? Whoever welcomes this child welcomes me, and not only me, but the One who sent me.”

      Children were of the lowest status in the Greco-Roman world. They were mere property—not coddled and protected like our children today. Interestingly, the Greek word Jesus uses for “child” is sometimes used for “servant.”  

     So Christ humbles himself to the lowest status in his society when he likens himself to a child.    

    Who is the greatest in the kingdom of God? The One we are called to imitate.

    Jesus Christ, the only One who is truly “servant of all.”

     

     Will you pray with me?  

     Holy God, we give you all glory, honor and praise! Bind us together in love and help us to be a church that is truly “servant of all.” Remove all pride and egotism from us.  Grant us humility and compassion for the outcast and marginalized people of this world. Move us to words and deeds of love, seeking to help and meet needs without expecting anything in return. Give us courage to try new ways to bring the gospel to our community and to join with other Christians in mission to the poor. Give us strength to let go of the control we think we have on our lives and submit all of ourselves to You, without holding anything back. In Your Son’s name we pray.  Amen.

“Patient…as the farmer who waits for rain”

Meditation on James 5:7-11; 13-16

“Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

    Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

      Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.

      The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” (James 5:7-11; 13-16)

***

    My first encounter with the Serenity Prayer was when I was 11 or 12. I was feeling disappointed or frustrated about something, and my mother gave me this prayer on a plaque.

   It went like this:

“God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

        My mom gave me this prayer thinking it would encourage me.

        But I was a fiesty pre-teen who was not ready to hear that I would have to accept some things I didn’t like.  I saw injustice and things that needed changing.

       And there seemed to be too much that was out of my control.

       I wanted assurance that things would change, someday. And that I could bring about some of the changes I thought needed to be made.

      It was before I was living for Christ and seeking to follow Him.  I was looking to change everything except for myself, the one thing that I could have and should have changed.

      I didn’t know to trust that God had planned a wonderful future —if only I were patient and trusted Him.

      I didn’t understand that life wasn’t supposed to be easy—not if you want to live in the suffering, self-giving example of Christ.  The call to pick up our crosses and follow goes against our natural inclination and what the world tells us.

     I didn’t understand that I would have to endure hardship – and learn to persevere in hope.

     I didn’t understand the power of prayer, the wonderful gifts of the Spirit—such as patience—and the peace of submitting to God’s will.

***

    

    The churches that heard James’ letter also needed to learn patience and to persevere in hope, despite suffering.

   James uses an example that would be familiar and understood by his audience—a farmer waiting for rain.

   What could a farmer do in ancient times when his crops needed water?  Well, aside from irrigation techniques that would not work in all places and not in severe drought, a farmer could really do nothing at all. 

    Nothing but wait and hope.

    James tells us that yes—you must wait and hope during trials.  You must persevere in the faith and endure, like the prophets of old endured suffering and hardship.

    But there is something else you can do.

    You can pray.

    And the Lord who is compassionate and merciful will hear your prayer and respond.  The Spirit will even communicate your needs to God for you and give you the words to pray.

    Are any among you suffering? James asks.  They should pray….

    Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders…and have them pray…

     Prayer isn’t just something to do to fill the time while you are waiting!

     James says, “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up.”

     Now this doesn’t mean that if you don’t pray hard enough or with enough faith, God won’t heal the sick. That belief turns prayer into a work!  And it is faith in Christ’s work on the cross that saves us, not our good works.

    The message here in James is encouragement to pray more! That prayer actually does something.  It isn’t just a mental exercise. Prayers aren’t just nice words for Christians to say to help us feel better.

     Prayer in the Spirit will strengthen you and enable you to be patient and endure. 

    When the rain just doesn’t come.  And the wait is so long. And the crops are shriveling up.

    “The prayer of the righteous,” James says, “is powerful and effective.”

***

      Today marks the opening of a fresh season of Sunday school. 

      And what do we do at the beginning of any new work we do for the Lord?

      We pray.  We will commission the teachers and pray the Spirit will fill them and grant them wisdom. We will pray so they will know how to bring up every child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

      And we pray for ourselves—that the Spirit will fill and guide us and that we will give the teachers the support they will need. And that we, too, will work to nurture the spiritual growth of every child the Lord brings to us.

      It is our hope that the children will learn a faith that endures.

     May they discover the power of prayer, the wonderful gifts of the Spirit, gifts such as patience, and the peace of submitting to God’s will.

***

     When preparing for my sermon this week, I discovered that Reinhold Niebuhr was the author of the Serenity Prayer, publishing it in 1951. But before it was published, he included it in a sermon in 1943. The Federal Council of Churches featured the prayer a year later in a book for army chaplains and servicemen.

    Reinhold’s prayer was longer than the simple four-line version I learned.      

    The full prayer goes like this:

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference;

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time; 

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.”

Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father, thank you for assuring us of the power of prayer and encouraging us to pray more. Teach us to pray with faith that you will hear and heal.  Thank you that we can trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. He has redeemed us, dying in our place so that we could come to you with confidence, confess, and receive forgiveness. Give us your gift of patience, Lord, for the work you lead us to do through your church. Give us wisdom to nurture the children the way you want them to go.  And may we learn to persevere in hope despite suffering and trials. In Christ we pray.  Amen. 

“The Green-Eyed Monster”

Meditation for Sept 2, 2012

***

     “Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

     Jesus said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

    ‘This people honors me with their lips,
     but their hearts are far from me;
     in vain do they worship me,
     teaching human precepts as doctrines.’

     You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”

      Then Jesus called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”      

                                                  (Mark 7:1-8, 14-15 and 21-23.)

***

    The child’s drawing was scotch-taped to the wall of my 6^th grade classroom. 

    I still remember how the arms and legs of the creature were going in different directions.  And there was a third eye in the forehead.

   At the top, a title:  “The Green Eyed Monster.”

   During the first few days of school, Mr. Lewis, one of my all-time favorite teachers, told us his classroom rules. 

    On the list was, “Watch out for the Green-Eyed Monster.”  He gestured to the crayon drawing a former student had made.

    This monster was always lurking, waiting to attack some unsuspecting soul—who may have ordinarily been a conscientious hard worker.  Someone who cared about their work and respected their teacher and fellow students.

     But when the monster was finished with his prey, the student was overcome with laziness and negativity.  He or she turned in sloppy, hastily done homework.  If he or she did their work, at all.

     They would tell themselves that no one cared, so why should they? No one would notice if they didn’t do their best.

    And the normally bright, enthusiastic student would suddenly sink to the bottom of the class, like a rock in a stream. 

    “Watch out for the Green-Eyed Monster,” Mr. Lewis warned, with a smile that told us he wasn’t kidding.

    I vowed it would never happen to me.

***

    The Pharisees and scribes didn’t need a Green-Eyed Monster to lead them astray.  They were already on the wrong path and were taking others with them. They had succeeded in transforming the passionate religion of Abraham, one that meant a personal, loving relationship with the Creator, into a religion of rules and regulations.

    Along with the 10 commandments that Moses brought down from the high mountain, Jewish people were taught to follow certain dietary and purity laws.  

   Everything must be thoroughly washed before they ate—foods, cooking utencils, hands, and so on.  Certain foods were forbidden as they came from unclean animals. 

    The religious authorities took pride in their ability to keep the dietary and purity laws. They used the laws to judge and exclude other people from the community.

    Then one day, the Pharisees and scribes see Jesus and his disciples eating without first washing their hands.  And they think, “Ah hah!  We’ve caught them in their sin!” They want to humiliate and discredit Jesus, whom the crowds have begun to trust and respect as having more authority than the scribes and Pharisees.

     They casually ask Jesus, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

     And Jesus, always ready with God’s Word, quotes Isaiah. He calls them hypocrites, who honor God with their lips, but not with their hearts.

      He dismisses the dietary and purity laws, saying there is nothing they can put inside of them that will defile them.

      Only what comes out of a person can defile.

     Fornication. Theft. Murder. Adultery. Greed. Deceit. Pride.

     Where do these sins originate?

     They come from the human heart.  The monster within.

***

   

    Sixth grade was my most enjoyable year of school. That was the year that I discovered some of my gifts and talents. I led the school’s safety patrol unit, and Mr. Lewis was the faculty sponsor.  I also started a school newspaper and became its very first editor, working closely with the principal, Miss Bruce.

    But sometime around January or February, I didn’t feel like working hard anymore.  My work became sloppy—especially the subjects that were not my favorite. Then my grades, which were usually high, started to slide.

   The worst of it was I told myself it didn’t matter. No one noticed what I did, anyway.  I told myself I didn’t care—but I did.  I just couldn’t do anything about it.  I needed help to get out of the hole into which I had slid.

   Help would come.

    One day, in the middle of seatwork time, Mr. Lewis suddenly roared from behind his desk, “Miss Kornspan”—that was my name back then —“do you know you now have a C average in math?!!!”

    The room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop.  My heart was pounding in my ears.  All eyes turned on me—and my classmates’ faces showed their surprise.

   I knew they were thinking, “Not Karen.  It hasn’t happened to her!”

   The Green-Eyed Monster had struck again.

***

   Does this happen to us Christians?  Can we get spiritually lazy?

   Yes. Sometimes even the most faithful Christians can begin to slide away from what the Lord has called them to do.

   On the surface, at least at first, it may seem like nothing has changed.  They are still going to church.  Maybe even to Bible study.

   But in their hearts something is different.  This change may be in response to a falling out with a friend, a disappointment, loss, or illness. They may just be tired from too many activities on their schedule.

  They begin to skip quiet times with the Lord.  They stop reading their Bible and praying, telling themselves it doesn’t matter if they pray or not.  God will always forgive them.

   They might even tell themselves that no one cares about them, so what difference does it make if they come to church or Sunday school? No one will notice.

    No, there isn’t really a Green-Eyed Monster.  But Satan is real.

    And the accuser loves to discourage God’s children.  He is subtle—feeding us negative thoughts until they affect our hearts and minds, without us realizing what has happened.

    That’s why we need to encourage each other and pray for one another. Hold each other accountable.

     Christianity is a religion of the heart. We can’t just act like we think Christians should behave.  We have to care about the Lord and His people! 

    Or we will be like the Pharisees and the scribes who thought clean hands were enough.

    The day my favorite teacher scolded me in front of the class was the day I realized someone did care that I was messing up.

    And so should I!

    It was time for me to have a change of heart.

   For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come. 

   Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father, we need your help!  Lead us to be the people of faith you want us to be! Create in us new hearts, clean hearts, so we may love one another and do your will.  Thank you for your grace, your amazing grace, that covers all our sins. Thank you for your love that never ends and for your Spirit that strengthens us to fight off the attacks of the accuser and any discouragement we may feel along this journey of faith. Bind us together in Christ as a people who need each other to function as the Church and live out your call to discipleship.  In Christ’s name we pray.  Amen.