Pastoral Perspective of Luke 7:1-10

 The pastoral perspective brings up TWO points worth noting (yes there are probably more but these are the two I am working with).

1. The centurion is speaking on behalf of one who has no voice in society.

A slave in Roman times is different than a slave that we think of from our US history. But still the slave would not have a voice at the table. The Centurion speaks for him. There are many people in the world today that don’t have a voice. They are not heard. There are people right in our own communities that are not a part of the mainstream and their plite is never known to us. So we are challenged as the church of Jesus Christ to find them and help them so they can have the needed assistance and they can learn about Jesus Christ. Unfortunately today many people have figured out how to cheat the system. This makes it difficult because those without voice are harder to find. It can also be discouraging when we discover that the people we are offering charity to really don’t need it. They have learned to milk the system so they never have to work for their livelyhood. But we have to fight the instinct to stop trying. Those who milk the system will pay their dues come judgment day.

2.  Love and commitment are central tenets of accountability to the community

The Centurion loved the people and made a commitment to them by building a synagogue to them. He sends word to Jesus that he is not worthy of being a part of the family of God. Jesus heals his slave because he showed his love and commitment to God. Each of us needs to examine our behavior and determine if we are demonstrating and practining love in our church community and our commitment to the community in which we reside. If the church decides to move in a direction you don’t favor you have several choices. Only one is biblical! That is to remain in love with the members of the community and God and to demonstrate your commitment to the community by putting aside our personal feelings and doing what the community has determined God wants us to do. Anything else is unbiblical!

Homiletical Perspective of Luke 7:1-10

  Imagine that you are invited to an evening party. You received the invitation and when the day came for the event you got dressed up, got into the car, and drove to the address. But you have nevere been to this home before. In fact, you have never been in the neighborhood before. So you use your GPS and it directs you to the house. We know that GPS directions to a specific house number is not accurate. So you get out of the car and you look for house numbers. But you can’t find house numbers. So you go into a house near the GPS location where you see cars parked in the driveway and in front of the house. The front door is open so you walk in. You hear the party atmosphere and smell the treats so in you go.

After a few minutes you realize you don’t know anyone at this party. A person comes up to talk to you who happens to be the host. What kind of greeting would you expect to receive? In today’s world it would be a question of “who are you?” and “why are you at my party?” There would be a distinct feeling you would receive of concern on the hosts part because he or she has no clue who you are. Apprehension also perhaps? Would the host invite you to join the party and then introduce you to the other guests? The answer is 99% of the time not. You would be asked questions about where you should really be. 

So a centurion wants to join the Jesus party. Jesus and his followers were a happy crew and socialized together when Jesus wasn’t teaching them. The centurion sends messengers who are party crashers. But Jesus doesn’t tell them to leave  the party but rather Jesus tells them to join the party. It doesn’t matter that the Centurion helped build the local synagogue. It doesn’t matter that the Centurion is a Roman and the person needing help is a slave. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JESUS’ party.

Guess what, that surprised a lot of Jesus’ guests. Consider the church you are attending in the same way. Sunday morning you worship is a worship party. A new person shows up at the door and wants to crash the party. How do you treat them? Most churches will say that they are welcoming of new people. Are they really? Oh yes they might say hello to you and hand you a bulletin, if that much (I was at a church that totally ignored me when I walked in the door. Imagine their surprise when they learned I was the guest preacher that day!), but then they leave alone. So the guest now sits by him/herself and probably will never return again.

Churches have to learn the lesson of this Gospel story. Jesus’ party is open TO ALL PEOPLE in ALL CHURCHES at ALL TIMES. I have heard the words “yes they can come to know Jesus but not at my church” from church people. Those trailer park people, those low income housing people, yes they  need to know Jesus the church people say but they need to know Jesus at some other church. 

You know church can say this without saying this. How you ask? By how we dresss. By how we talk strangers. By how many things we do in worship that an outsider would not know. By singing ancient hymns. The list goes on and on. Even the preacher has to be careful not to use “inside information” in a sermon because the guest will be lost. 

Jesus Christ is for everyone……  Anyone should be able to walk into any church during worship and feel welcome.

Theological Perspective Luke 7:1-10

How do people become a child of God? Until Jesus you had to be born in a Jewish family in order to be a part of God’s family. This story in Luke’s Gospel changes the landscape by telling us that there are two ways to get into God’s Family. The first way is to be born in a Jewish family Rabbis today would tell you there is more to do than just be born into a Jewish family. The second way is to become a true disciple of Jesus the Christ. But in this story it is important to understand that it is faith that allowed the centurion to become a part of the family of God. It is a privilege to become a part of God’s family.

Today, in general, people have forgotten that it is a privilege to become a member of the familly. It is incorret thinking to believe that because you are born into a home where both parents are Christians that you are automatically in God’s family. Many do believe this because they never come to church! Why go to church and follow God’s laws if you are doing well in the world. That is where Satan rolls in and takes advantage of us.

Jesus was a healer. Jesus was a prophet of Israel. Jesus is the Messiah that Israel hoped for and waited for. Jesus the Messiah is for everyone.

Luke 7:1-10 Exegetical Perspective

  The Scripture for this week is  Luke 7:1-10 which is the story of Jesus healing the slave of a centurion. It is interesting story about a group of elders who come from the town of Capernaum to see Jesus to get him to help. Jesus decides to go to the home when friends of the centurion come out of the house to tell Jesus not to come in. This is an interesting situation telling us that the centurion wanted Jesus’ help but also understood the Jewish culture that the rabbi would not speak with a non-Jew. 

Jesus surprises everyone by walking into the centurion’s home. This story tells abut the universality of Jesus. His message, his healing, his offer of eternal life is not limited to a few persons but rather is open to the world. It does not matter in these Semetic stories who Jesus speaks to or help except that their nationality/religion be anything else but Jewish.

Faith can be defined as both hearing and doing. We hear the Word of God. Of course today we can read the Word of God. In Jesus’ day 99% of the people would have only heard the Word of God. Today we can say hearing/reading and doing the Word of God is what faith is all about. Perfection is available to everyone who hears/reads the Word of God and responds to it. 

Exegetical Perspective of Romans 5:1–5

  The Scripture passage for this week is Romand 5:1-5. I am also adding Romans 1:16. This is my favorite line of Scripture in Paul’s writing. I a not ashamed to say that I believe in Jesus Christ, MY MESSIAH, who was sent by God. The Gospel is the correct way to live under God’s Torah and I will stand before anyone and say this. The hearers of such words may not agree which is fine. For me and my house we follow The Lord Jesus Christ. crucified and Risen. 

There are many things written in the Goapels of Jesus Christ which I am not certain I 100% buy into however if my Lord Jesus said it then I must accept it. It does not matter how fool hardy the concept is. To be a true disciple of Jesus Christ is to accept the Gospel and NEVER be ashamed on it. The Torah of God is explained to us by our Lord Jesus in the Gospels. We are obligated to follow it. Jesus said he came to fulfill the prophets and the Law. 

Shame and honor was a big deal in Paul’s day. One did not want to be publicly humiliated following this new religion. So Paul tells them that will receive ever more public humiliation as time goes by and that it is their endurance of the mockery which came to them. 

I remember developing a good friendship with another couple whose’s one child was the same age as my youngest child. We paled around a bit and one day I told the I was leaving work and going to Seminary to become a pastor in the UMC. That was the last day we saw them. 

That hurt and we endured because Paul tells us in Romans 5 that are to follow Jesus no matter what the rest of the world thinks of us. My heart and soul belong to Jesus Christ. Even when church people try to get me out of ministry my heart, controlled by the Holy Spiit.

Pastoral Perspective Romans 5:1-5

  Here is an interesting thought that I was reading this morning: what if purgatory is not a placee? What if purgatory is a process through which God makes us whole. The purgatory process is our lives here on Earth. After all what happens here while we are in the flesh is a test of whether we are worthy and ready to join God in heaven. 

Is suffering part of the test? I think the answer is yes but I also don’t believe that God sends suffering. The fact that we live in a broken world vecause of the sin that abounds in it gives us plenty of opportunity  for suffering. The whole system we call Earth has flaws in it because of the original sin that allows suffering to occur. The randomness of the world and our ability to have freewill and choice allows us to create situations where suffering abounds. This is good Wesleyan—Arminist theological thinking. We have too much lattitude in deciding what happens in the world which causes the suffering. 

The Great Buddah said that suffering is in the world because of our desires. History is repleat  with countries/empires going to war over some resource or luxury that the other county/empire has. We seomtimes our kindergarten lesson about sharing. We hoard and we don’t share and the other person want what we have. 

Then suffering comes and we have to endure it. We must trust in God that when suffering occurs that through our prayers and His love and grace that we will be healed. Sometimes our suffering requires a simple bubble bath to remove. Other times we need to go through the fire of God and be refined like gold and silver. When we get close to God the Fire of God is a comfort to us. When we distance ourselves from God the Fire of God burns to the touch.

Paul tells us in the section of Romans that we must never waste the suffering. Since we belong to God through Jesus Christ that God’s love is always in our heart and we must call upon the love and grace of Jesus Christ to get us through any suffering and to refine us and if necessary use fire. God is always watching us to see what will are going to do,

Homiletical Perspective Romans 5:1-5

  If pain and suffering an opportunity life gives us? What a strange question to ponder. How can pain give us any kind of opportunity? “No Pain, No Gain!” Has been said by athletic people for years. Now they tell us that is wrong. The pain gain idea was written in a poem titled “No Pain, No Gains” by the 17th century English Poet Robert Herrick: “If little labour, little are our gains; Man’s fortunes are according to his pains.”

Do not deny your pain. From your pain you can find God’s hope and an answering for suffering. Paul tells the church in Rome not to neglect their pain and suffering that responding positively to the pain they will gain the grace and blessings of God. Better way to say it they will recognize all the things God is trying to give to them.

You can’t feel God’s grace and love if you never place yourself in God’s hands. God can’t take away the pain if you don’t let God do it. You have to personalize the pain first and accept it as yours. Then you can give it to God. Understand the Real Peace that can only be offered through a faith in Jesus Christ.

Theological Perspective of Romans 5:1-5

Romans 5:1-5 is the basic Christian message of what Jesus Christ did for us. God came to Earth, His creation, to become just like us. He was born in a humbling way in a manger surrounded by animals. Jesus grew up in a poor family in the city ooooooof Narazeth. Certainly His ministry work was filled with joy but also it had its moments. Of course the worse moment was during Passion Week resulting in Jesus’ untimely death. 

God’s promises to us are fulfilled through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit is made available to us so that we can always feel the love and grace of God inside of our hearts. God is always with us!

REAL PEACE is a GOD-VERB. Real peace comes from placing one’s life in the hands of Jesus Christ. We can have peace on Earth but the mind always wonders without the knowledge that eternal life is with Jesus Christ. 

Life is full of challenges and unanticipated events. How do we get through the rough patches if we don’t have Christ at our side? Endurance is developed through the times we spend on Earth. We are being prepared for the eventual trip to heaven. Our unrefined souls are sent to the Earth so that refinement may occur. Like Gold and Silver which is put into the fire to be refined so we are placed into the fire of this world inorder to be transformed and refined for God’s purpose. 

Pastoral Perspective of Acts 2:1-21

 The creation of community is a key component of Christianity. Sometimes we tend to forget this. In the 1 John Bible study that is currently in progress we learned that fellowship and communion in community is a key to understanding God. God in Trinity is a family showing us how we are supposed to be in community with one another. Instead we seem to be creating balkanization (neat term which means the splitting of a larger society into small groups). Even inside the church we have division. We have thousands of different denominations. If we count the independent churches the number is far greater. 

This is WRONG according to the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Pentecost event is the proof of Jesus’ words. We are to be in COMMUNITY. We are live in COMMUNITY where no one is excluded. A community that deals with differences of opinon and conflict and learns to speak the universal language of love. Pentecost is the reversing of the Tower of Babel story. People of different languages and cultures are commanded to work together for the spreading of the Gospel.

Oh yes, JESUS IS FOR EVERYONE!!! And yes there were people at the first Pentecost who did not believe this. How do I know? Because the comments about the men being drunk with new wine. These men and women were drunk but not by wine but rather by the the love and grace of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. 

Pentecost means the church is ONE BODY! I pray we can learn how to make it work that way!!

Pentecost Worship and Breakfast at Calvary UMC at 8 AM (11 N. Richland Ave York, PA 17404). 10:30 AM traditional and contemporary worship also at Calvary. 10:30 AM traditional worship at St. Paul’s. Shekinah Pentecostal worship at 12:00 Noon at St. Paul’s (128 S. Belvidere Ave. York, PA 17401). 

LICENSING CEREMONY at Shekinah Ministries 4:00 PM Sunday May 19, 2013

God bless your reading of this blog. Pastor Mike

Homiletical Perspective Acts 2:1-21

  The homiletical perspective of Acts 2:1-21 takes us in familiar territory. This day commerates the promise God made to Abraham that he would become a blessing to all people of all nations. God opened the doors not only to his chosen people but to all peoples in the world. 

His ruach (breath, Spriti) was there at Creation and it was there at Pentecost and is continually with us. God’s blessings are extended to all people. It would be wrong of Christians to believe that any group today is excluded. Their religion is irrelevant. Their nationality is irrelevant. The day of Pentecost is a celebration of inclusion and must always considered that way. To see it in any other light is not biblical. 

Marcion, who lived over 1800 years ago, said that only Christians who follow the Christians Scriptures and totally ignore the Hebrew Scriptures are the true followers of Jesus Christ. He believed that Christ’s grace was not available to all people. Wow was he wrong. 

We must not allow Marcion’s ideas to penetrate our churches. Yes it has therefore it is our responsibility to STOP IT NOW. Rid your church of the Marcionites. Condemn them and bring them back into the true family of God. Those who say “they can worship Jesus but not at my church” are as guilty as the Marcionites.  These believers need to be educated into what the faith really means.