Sleeper, Awake! A Call to the Light

Epistle Lesson : Fourth Sunday in Lent (Year A)
Ephesians 5:8-14 (Text from the NRSV)

5:8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light-

This is the epistle lesson for Lent 4 (Year A). The theme of light and darkness ties it to the Gospel lesson (John 9:1-41) and gives us a picture of what it means to “live as children of the light.” The early church associated baptism with enlightenment (φωτισμός) and these passages (along with the Gospel text) are often connected to Baptism.

5:9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.

Perhaps the fruit of the light is synonymous with the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). One group of manuscripts actually reads “fruit of the Spirit,” but, probably as an attempt to harmonize the verse with Galatians (Barth, p. 567). What fruit is evident in our lives? Jesus and John the Baptist both speak of the necessity of bearing fruit (Matthew 3:8,10; 7:20; 13:23; John 15:2,8,16). The Apostle Paul speaks of bearing fruit for God that leads to sanctification (Romans 6:22; 7:4).

5:10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.

By living as a child of the light and producing the fruit of the light we will learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And as we discern those things that are pleasing to the Lord we will learn better what it means to walk in the light.

5:11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Here, “the unfruitful works of darkness” is contrasted with the fruit of the light in verse 9. Indeed, we are not to only not take part in them, we are to expose them. Darkness is vanquished by light. By shining our light into those dark places in our lives we can expose them. But, expose them for what? The ASV (American Standard Version, 1901) reads “reprove them.” Perhaps it is by exposing these works in the full light of Christ that we are in a position to correct them. First, we work to correct that darkness that remains in our own lives before we can turn our attention to our neighbor (as Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:3-5).

The way we expose these works of darkness in the lives of others is by the contrast with our own life. Let our own lives demonstrate how dismal the alternatives are (Barth, p. 571).

5:12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly;

As children of light we prefer the light to darkness. Formerly (see verse 8) we may have been like cockroaches scurrying for cover when the light shines in our direction.

5:13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,

The choice then is to give up the darkness and live in the light, or to return to darkness.

5:14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

The commentaries suggest this may be part of a baptismal liturgy, perhaps spoken after the newly baptized emerged from the water. We can't help but to hear the echo from the prologue of John’s Gospel...

⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. (John 1:9-10, NRSV)

Then as the newly baptized Christian comes up out of the water as a child of light, we hear...

Sleeper, awake!

Rise from the dead!

And Christ will shine on you!

Now we see.

Resources

Barth, Markus. Ephesians: Translation and Commentary on Chapters 4-6: Anchor Bible 34a. Doubleday, 1998.

Martin, Ralph P., Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon (Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), Westminster John Knox Press, 1992.

Simpson, E.K. and F.F. Bruce, Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians (The New International Commentary of the New Testament). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975.

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The Man Born Blind

The Healing (verses 1 to 7)

Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem. As they walk they see a man who is blind — indeed, one who has been blind from birth (verse 1). The disciples of Jesus demonstrate a real point for us: Jesus doesn't select the most sensitive or the most intelligent, or the most loved people to be his disciples. The disciples here betray their narrow-mindedness in assuming that someone's sin must have caused this man's blindness (vs. 2). This is in spite of the fact that we have works such as the book of Job to teach us the contrary. Jesus tells the disciple that this man's blindness is there to demonstrate the glory of God (vs. 3).

This raises an interesting point about the way Jesus sees tragedy. Too often people see tragedy as the result of divine displeasure. To the contrary, Jesus says it exists to demonstrate the glory of God. Instead of referring to damages from hurricanes and tornadoes as acts of God, the response of God's faithful people is the real act of God. When God's faithful people surround someone stricken by illness, that is the act of God. It is in this context Jesus reminds us that he is the “light of the world” (vs. 5).

⁴We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (ESV, English Standard Version)

Jesus makes some mud and rubs it on the eyes of the man (c.f., Matthew 9:28-29) and instructs him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam — which mean sent (vss. 6-7). The significance of this is not only that the man is sent by Jesus to the pool, but that Jesus himself is sent (John 3:16-17) and he sends his disciples to “reap where they have not sown” (John 4:38).

The man is obedient. He does as instructed. He washes in the pool and is able to see. Perhaps this is John addressing the place of Baptism in the Church. Baptism in the early church was often associated with the idea of enlightenment (Brown, pp. 380ff; Barrett, p. 355)

First Transition — The Neighbors (verses 8-12)

What are we to make of this. Was this a man who was born blind and can now see? Or was this a man who has been playing us for years? Imagine the reactions of those who have always known him as a man born blind (vss. 8-9). So they confront him directly (vs. 10).

This man says he is indeed the man who had been born blind, but now he can see. He has been healed by a man named Jesus! He recounts the incident (vss. 11-12) and they want to know where he is. This is precisely the kind of thing Jesus doesn't want. He doesn't want people following after him because of some miracle or some promise of possessions in this life. He has seen what happens when people follow him for food but fail to see the significance of what he is truly offering (c.f., John 6:66).

The Interrogation of the Blind Man by Religious Authorities (verses 13-17)

The neighbors and people who knew the man born blind take him to the religious authorities (vs. 13). Perhaps they are not satisfied by the answers. Maybe they are frightened by what they see as the implications. It is at this point where it is parenthetically mentioned that Jesus performed this act on the Sabbath (vs. 14).

In the exchange that follows (vss. 15-17) the authorities demand a recounting of what happened. The man simply replies “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see” (vs. 15, ESV). The authorities insist that Jesus cannot be from God because he does these things on the Sabbath (vs. 16). This creates a division among them. On the one side there are those who cannot imagine someone from God doing these things on the Sabbath. On the other hand, surely only someone from God could do these things. For example, Nicodemus made this assertion (John 3:2).

The religious authorities are judging the man born blind, but really they are seeking to judge Jesus through him. Of course, the irony is that even behind this they themselves are judged from their failure to see (c.f., NET Bible, see the study note on verse 16).

The Interrogation of the Parents by Religious Authorities (verses 18-23)

Not satisfied with the responses from the man, the authorities seek out his parents to interrogate them (vs. 18-21). Now, here is a tragedy: These parents who have cause to rejoice are afraid to do so because of the possible consequences. They are threatened with the possibility of excommunication because of the miracle that has taken place in their child's life (vs. 22). They report that their son had indeed been born blind, but how he could now see they did not know (vs. 21).

Have you ever considered what it must have been like for that first generation of Christians? To accept Christ meant abandoning the orthodoxy of the faith you grew up believing. These parents were stuck between the love of their child and the faith they believed in. The confrontation with the religious authorities only made it worse.

The parents decide to avoid the issue by turning the authorities back to their son: “Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself” (vs. 21, ESV).

The Second Interrogation of the Blind Man by Religious Authorities (verses 24-34)

Having been turned away from the parents without satisfaction the authorities return to the man who had been born blind and insist he give glory to God for his restored sight (vs. 24). At the same time they insist that Jesus is a sinner. This creates a disconnect for the man. Yes, he does give glory to God for what has taken place in his life, but surely this Jesus must be a man sent from God — how else could have done this wonderful thing: “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (vs. 25, ESV). Surely, “God does not listen to sinners” (vs. 31).

The man is clever and witty in the way he responds to the second interrogation:

I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples? (vs. 27)

Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. (vs. 30)

In the end, the man is denounced. “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” (vs. 34). Then he is excommunicated — cast out of the congregation.

Jesus and the Man Who Had Been Blind (verses 35-41)

Now here is this man. He has been rejected by his neighbors. He has been rejected by his family. He is rejected by the very faith he grew up with. All of his traditions have abandoned him. Now Jesus comes to him and asks him about the Messiah. “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (vs. 35). Of course he does. But there have been so many confusing images of this Messiah. Just who is this Messiah? Jesus says, “It is he who is speaking to you — you have seen him!” (vs. 37). The man is immediately ready to proclaim his faith because his eyes have been opened. Not physically, but spiritually. What is significant is not the gift of physical sight, but the enlightenment he now has because of Jesus. He professes his belief and worships Jesus (vs. 38).

It is the religious authorities who are blind. They are the ones who fail to see. They fail to understand. Even with the light right before them, they remain in darkness.

Resources

Barrett, C. K., The Gospel According to St. John, Second Edition, Westminster, Philadelphia, 1978. ISBN 0-664-21364-2

Brown, Raymond E., The Gospel of John I-XII, Second Edition, (The Anchor Bible, Volume 29), Doubleday, 1966. ISBN 0-385-01517-8

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1983. ISBN 0-8028-3407-8

NET Bible, First Edition, Biblical Studies Press, 1996-2005. ISBN 0-737-50100-6

Sloyan, Gerard, John (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), John Knox Press, Atlanta, 1988. ISBN 0-8042-3125-7

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Oops! I Made a Mistake in Yesterday's Sermon

Wow! What do you do when you make a blunder of epic proportions? I guess you just acknowledge it and move on. I made such a blunder in yesterday's sermon. Did you catch it? This past Sunday I preached on the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

If you haven't listened to the sermon yet, go ahead and listen to it then read the rest of this entry to see if you figured out the blunder.

I said that Jesus was on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem when it was actually the other way around. In the Synoptic Gospels, there is a record of Jesus making one trip to Jerusalem late in his ministry. In John's Gospel there is a different chronology. Jesus makes three trips to Jerusalem. This past Sunday's text (John 4) takes place as Jesus is returning to Galilee from his first journey to Jerusalem.

There is no excuse for me making the mistake. I did so because I was rushed last week and I didn't do all of the background work I should have done in preparing for the sermon. Just reading the entire 4th chapter of John would have quickly cued me into my mistake. Fortunately it was not a mistake that really changes the important points of the sermon.

The second reason is that I have been approaching Lent from the context of the Synoptics. Jesus turns his face to Jerusalem and then leaves Galilee to never return. Well, lessons learned. First, I will make mistakes. Second, don't rely to much on my memory as I work week to week on my sermons.

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The Faithful Life (Sermon)

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The Third Sunday in Lent

Texts: Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42

On his way to Jerusalem from Galilee, Jesus decides to take the disciples straight through Samaria. On the way he stops by the town of Sychar where he has the encounter the Samaritan woman by the well. In the change that takes place in her life, she goes on to bring transformation to an entire village.

What follows is the outline I used to preach from.

Act 1 — Jolene
    Life in a small town
        scandal, gossip
    Avoiding others / A life of Exclusion
Act 2 — Messiah
    Encounter
    Living Water (of Puns and Metaphors)
    “Sir, I perceive you are a prophet”
    Arrival of the 12
Act 3 — Harvest
    Testimony of Jolene
        from avoiding to confronting
        A life of Inclusion
    Invitation to stay 2 days
    Faith through another / Faith personally
        [[ Baptism / Confirmation ]]
    “Savior of the World”
    The fields are white and ready

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Jesus Confronts Sin

Texts for Lent 3, Year A

A couple hundred years ago, in the city of London, there was a man in his early fifties who had seen better days. He was a composer and he had been famous for writing Italian operas. People had enjoyed his operas. But in recent years there was a new phenomena in London and that was the French plays. People weren’t much interested in opera at that time. So he was a little bit down on his luck, feeling a little bit of what it was like to be poor. He felt forlorn and lost. As he returned home one evening, he discovered some notes from a friend left in his door. The notes suggested to him that he write a new piece. One that focused on the words that he had found while reading the Bible — “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people saith your God.” So George Frederick Handel wrote The Messiah, and there found in that work a renewed source of strength and life in his relationship with Jesus Christ.

We’ve been looking at the journey of Jesus as he travels to Jerusalem. On the way to Jerusalem he confronts many people. We saw his confrontation with the devil. We saw his confrontation with Nicodemus. This week we see his confrontation with a woman of Samaria at a well outside a little town called Sychar. The story begins with him coming to this well. He remains seated there while he sends his disciples on into town. They are to do some shopping. Maybe a grocery list or two to get together. While he is seated there this woman comes from in town. Now you have to remember that the custom of this time is that women would come to this well and get water early in the morning while it was still cool. Here is a woman who chose to come in the hottest part of the day to avoid people. Whether or not she minded the heat she apparently did not want to be with other people.

So she comes to the well and she notices that there is one man sitting at the well. A Jewish man, he is not from Samaria. When she comes up to the well she prepares to draw the water and he asks her for a drink. She is doubly astounded, doubly astounded because she is amazed that a man would even speak to a woman at all and secondly she is amazed that any Jew would speak to a Samaritan. Yet he asks her for a drink of water. She expresses her astonishment. She says to him, “Why would you ask me for water?” Jesus said, “If you knew who I was, you’d be asking me for water.” The woman says, “You have no bucket, how can you get water?” He says, “The water that I have is living water and if you drink this water you will never thirst again.” He tells the woman to go and get her husband. This woman in the middle of the day, in the heat is perhaps feeling a little more honest than usual and she says, “Sir, I have no husband, I’ve had five and the man that I am living with now, well he’s not my husband.” Jesus says, “Well you know your right, you’re right to say that you don’t have a husband.” She says, “Sir I perceive that you are a prophet.” She immediately goes into questioning him about religious matters.

Well now I can relate a little bit to that, I know that experience myself. Back when we lived in Goldsboro. I’d go into the barber shop that wasn’t too far from the church. But it’s a big enough town that you would go in and anonymously sit there and listen to the men around you talk. The talk was always a little rough with the men using language you wouldn’t want your children to hear. The barbers, of course, knew who I was. They’re going along, playing along with all this and they wait twenty, thirty minutes till it’s my turn and I go up and I sit down in the chair. The barber who cuts my hair, he clears his throat just a little bit and says, “Well preacher, how’s it going?” As he says that at the top of his lungs, it gets real quiet in the barber shop. All those red faced people look over at you seated in the chair and they start talking about North Carolina State, or fishing and immediately their language has changed.

So here is this woman, maybe she feels caught. She says, “Sir I perceive that you are a prophet.” So immediately she shifts the topic to discuss religion. I know what that is like too. When people find out that you are a preacher they want to talk about religion. You can be talking about cars, you can be talking about wood, you can be talking about fishing, you can be talking about anything in the world and they find out you’re a preacher and they say, “well, uh, preacher what do you think about something in the bible, that, uh...” and immediately the conversation goes off in that direction. Sort of like the barber shop kind of experience. So perhaps she feels a little uneasy so lets turn the topic to religion. I perceive that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain but you, being a Jew, believe that God is to be worshiped in the temple in Jerusalem. Who is right? Jesus says, “I tell you the day is coming when you’ll not worship God on this mountain or in the temple in Jerusalem. You will worship God in spirit, for God is spirit and those who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.

In the Epistle lesson this week, the apostle Paul writes to the Romans. We started reading from Romans last week and we will have some more readings during this Lenten season. Here in the fifth chapter he writes to the Romans about this newfound peace you have in God. It’s a result of our justification. Therefore since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God. He goes on to talk about this relationship we have because of Christ. He says that God sent his son to die for us, while we were yet sinners. He said why one would hardly die for a righteous person. Would you just go out and die for sinners? Would you be willing to go out and die for a righteous person? The apostle Paul was so moved by the implications of that he tells the Romans, “Look, this is the proof that we need. God loves us this much that he sent his son to die for us when we were undeserving of it. Because of this we are free, we know , we know we are free from the wrath of God”. That’s what peace is, being free from the wrath of God. Knowing that we are free from the wrath of God. Knowing that there is no love greater than the love he has for us. The love that he demonstrated in his son who came and died for us while we were yet sinners.

Jesus spoke to that Samaritan woman about living water. She seemed a little confused about it. We remember last week how Christ would confuse Nicodemus by using puns. I said the problem with these puns and the Greek language is that they don’t translate well into English. Well he uses a pun that does translate somewhat well into English, at least if you come from the mountains like I do. Where we often use the expression ‘living water’ to refer to mountain streams and creeks. Water that often flows rapidly down, gurgling and bubbling. It’s clear. You can see the bottom. It’s not like this muddy water that we’ve been reading about in the paper, the Neuse or Cape Fear river, it’s clear water. Cold water.

I tell you if you ever go swimming in that mountain water, it’s an experience. Living water. Perhaps that is what this woman was thinking of when Jesus was talking about living water and she looked around and she realized that all we have here is a well, and it’s deep at that. She doesn’t understand the higher meaning of the words that Jesus is using. Because like with Nicodemus, Jesus uses this word ‘water’ to name something else. There is a well there burbling with living water but it’s not one that she can see. Not one that is part of this well or that you can see outside of the well, it’s a source of life giving springs that wells up within your own soul from God. “Oh give me this water that I may never thirst.” We are told that she runs back to the village, this woman who is afraid of people, this woman who doesn’t want to be seen runs back to the village and she immediately goes up to people and she tells them of this experience that has just happened to her. “I met this man out by the well and he told me everything about myself. Everything about myself. Could he be the Messiah?”

The people in the village were so moved by her testimony that they went out to see who this man was, in the heat of the day by that well. They talked to him and they begged him to stay with them longer. We are told that Jesus stayed there in Sychar in Samaria for two more days. At the end of that two day period they would come up to him, listening to him and after he had gone they went to the woman and they said, “You know we believed first because of what you said but no more. Now we believe because we have seen and have spoken with him ourselves. We know that he is the Saviour of the world.” It’s the first time in the bible that Jesus is called Saviour is right here. The first time that anybody calls Jesus the “Savior of the world” is right here in this little town in Samaria. Where because of the testimony of a woman with a scandalous past, people had an encounter with the Messiah and they knew the Messiah to be the savior of the world.

We have a challenge today. A challenge that affects every one of us. Because of how holy or righteous that we may seek to live our lives, whether or not we learn to trust on the grace of God, whether we try to live on our own merits and our own righteousness, whether we are holy or unholy people, sinners or saints, we know that we are people that fundamentally have erred and strayed. We are people who depend upon the grace of God. So like that woman of that village, we are to be set back in community we live in and we’re to find people and tell them — I’ve met a man who knows everything about me, he is the Messiah. Come and meet him.

Maybe people will hear and believe because of what we say to them, but their faith won’t remain at that point, they too will come and know and converse with Jesus, and know him to be the savior of the world. Would you do that this week? I want you to close your eyes right now and to bow your heads and I want you to think of some people. I want you to think first of all of somebody who is close to you at work or in your family, somebody for whom you have a great deal of concern. Think about that person now. I want to think about what you could do to share with that person the peace of God. Now I want to think of another person. Someone who has done you wrong. Somebody who has hurt you and brought pain into your life. A person maybe you try to avoid like the Samaritan woman tried to avoid people. I want you think now what you could do to bring peace, the peace of God to this person’s life. I want you to pray for these people this week and consider how God is calling you to be his servants, his ministers to reach these people.

Father, we thank you that you have given us so great a calling. A calling that we have not because we deserve it but quite simply because we responded to your love and to your grace. There is no greater calling that we have Lord than to take this peace that we have and freely share it with others. Help us in reaching this person that we’re concerned for. Help us as we show peace and love and care for this person who has wronged us. We ask for your strength in these matters Lord to help us to be faithful to this calling. All this we pray in the name of Christ our Lord and our Savior. Amen

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Worship Planning Calendars

Worship Planning Calendars: “These planning calendars for 2008, 2009, and 2010 contain the Revised Common Lectionary citations for every Sunday and major day of the church year, as well as United Methodist observances and special days and holidays from the secular and civil calendars.”

These calendars are made available by the Board of Worship of the United Methodist Church. These calendars contains the lectionary readings and special Sunday information pertinent to the United Methodist Church.

These calendars provide a good starting point in your sermon planning for the years ahead.

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The Risk of Faith (Sermon)

Listen to the Sermon.

Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-4a; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17

In our texts today we consider the challenge of Jesus call to discipleship. When he challenges us to follow him, we have to do so without being weighted down by our pasts. How is that possible? We have to let go of the past.

Additional Notes and Scripture References for the sermon. (These notes will not make much sense by themselves. They are meant as references to check while listen to the sermon - or after having listened to the sermon).

I recently went back to Pennsylvania and it was an experience that was quite unique for me. It was the first time I had been back since my grandfather had died. For the first time I would see my grandparent’s home since it has been sold to another family. This house that was built in 1945 and served as a childhood home for my father’s generation and my generation would no longer be home. There would be no going back.

The tie to the past — the tie to land.

Abraham’s call to leave his home — his land: “Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘;Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.’” Genesis 12:1 (NRSV)

Forgetting what lies behind...

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:12-14 (English Standard Version)

“Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” Luke 9:62 (ESV)

Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night because he doesn’t want to jeopardize his ties to his past.

Letting go of the past can be healing.

“Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.”. Hebrews 3:6 (NASB)

Jesus warns that a life of discipleship will not be easy...

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22 (ESV)

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Looking Back, Looking Forward

blog.swartzes.com: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Here are some very preliminary thoughts about where I am heading this Sunday.

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Alan, Jo Anne, Cam West at Kevin and Helen's Wedding

Alan, Jo Anne, Cam West at Kevin and Helen's Wedding
Originally uploaded by apswartz.

This Polaroid^TM shot is a blast from the past. The other pastor with me is Cam West. He was the founding pastor at St. Francis UMC in Cary NC. My parents and brother were charter members of that church. When my brother (Kevin) decided to get married (to Helen), I was invited to take part in the wedding service (which was held at Cary First UMC since St. Francis didn’t have a sanctuary at the time).

What I really want to point out is the person in the front. That is Jo Anne. She is my wife. She is always singing or playing the organ or piano wherever I go. We have always been partners in ministry since we became partners in marriage. I just wanted to post an expression of thanks to my wife for Valentine’s Day.

Jo Anne, I love you — thanks for always being there for me and with me.

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Jesus Confronts Darkness

Gospel Lesson for February 17th

So it is that the Spirit of God blows where and when that it will. I’m reminded of the story of three preachers who got together each week for coffee in a small cafe. They were sitting around the table enjoying their coffee and inevitably talk would turn to things about the church. This day their attention turned to sermon preparation. The first preacher said, “I have all my sermons outlined a year in advance.” The second preacher said, “That is amazing, I manage to get my sermons outlined for about a month in advance.” The third preacher was just absolutely astounded. “A year? A month? What in the world do you guys do during the anthem?”

Some people wait for the Holy Spirit to move at the last moment to bring inspiration and guidance. Today we have an illustration if you will, a story in John’s gospel about a man who was seeking some type of inspiration and he does so at night. Last week we looked at how Jesus has begun this journey to Gethsemane. Along the path to Gethsemane he has many confrontations or encounters with people. Last week he had an encounter with the devil. This week he has an encounter with a man named Nicodemus.

Now Nicodemus is a righteous man. He’s a Pharisee. He’s an intelligent person, you have to be to be a Pharisaic rabbi, to go through the training. A very well educated man and yet he knows there is something special about this rabbi, he’s not quite certain what it is. He knows that Jesus must be from God because he sees the wonderful things and hears of the wonderful things that Jesus can do. So he wants to know more, he wants to shed light on his ignorance. But it is interesting to note that he chooses to do so under the veil of darkness. He goes to him at night. He asks him some questions, quite natural questions. Jesus shares with him some answers. They are really quite extraordinary answers.

Now here we get into some of the difficulty of the text. You see the Gospel of John presents a real challenge to Bible translators. The problem is that the Gospel of John contains many puns. You know words that have more than one meaning. But as you can well imagine a pun does well in the language in which it originates but it is hard to translate a pun. How can you translate a word that has different meanings in one language to another language where they use different words for those different contexts. It just doesn’t work. The translators have to choose one word and try to make it fit. Personally I think that the translators of the NRSV did a very poor job at this point, where they translated the phrase of Jesus, “That you must be born from above.” That is the most literal translation, that is true. But it misses the pun, it misses the point of the joke that Jesus is having upon Nicodemus. You see the word that Jesus uses there is a word that can be translated as ‘above’ or can be translated as ‘again’, ‘anew’. You must be born anew. You must be born again. It’s in that more physical sense that Nicodemus hears and understands this word. Even though Jesus clearly meant that you must be born from above, the meaning of the word in that context is completely lost on Nicodemus who sees things only in this unspiritual sense. Only in this darkness in which he comes to Jesus can he understand this phrase, “You must be born again.” He is absolutely astounded, ‘What in the world can this Jesus be talking about? Born again? Can a man who is fully grown be born again? Can a person come from his mothers womb a second time?” This Jesus is speaking in riddles.

I don’t know what Jesus exact response is at that point whatever it was it must have been unspoken. Maybe it was just a little smile. You know here he is. He is with Nicodemus, a man who is very well educated, a man who should get the pun of the joke but he doesn’t. So Jesus goes on a little further, he throws another pun at him. He talks about how the wind blows where it will. You don’t know from where it comes or where it goes. He says so it is with children who are born of the spirit. Now in the Greek the word ‘spirit’ and the word ‘wind’ is the same word. It is also the same word as ‘breath’. As a matter of fact the Greek word is pnuema from where we get pneumonia, and this is the word that Jesus is using all throughout this conversation.

You can imagine that Nicodemus is sitting there scratching his head trying to figure out what he is talking about. The wind blows where it will so it is with the children of the wind. The spirit of God blows where it will, so it is with children who are born of the spirit. Or is he talking about the breath? What is he talking about? Astounding, think about it. It’s astounding. You think that Jesus is content to let it lie there? No he goes one further. He says something even more cryptic, because he says something that Nicodemus would have no way of understanding. Indeed the disciples would have no way of understanding. Indeed it points to something that is rather obscure in the history of Israel. But he says, “Just as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness so must the son of man be lifted up.” Now you might be familiar with that story about what happened in the wilderness, or maybe not, let me just recount it quickly for you.

You remember how Moses was sent by God into Egypt, he led the children of Israel out of slavery and they passed through the Red Sea after God had parted those waters and they came into the wilderness where they wandered around for forty years. During their wanderings God took care of their needs. When they were hungry he gave them manna. When they were thirsty he provided water. But they came across a place in the wilderness where they were plagued with fiery serpents. We are told that their bites were very fiery. Apparently they were some type of poisonous snake and people were being bitten and they were dying from the snake bite. They didn’t like that very much. You know I wouldn’t either if I were wandering around and had to worry about snakes biting me all the time.

You know there is a National Forest down by the coast, the Croatan National forest and there is a trail that goes right the middle of that and when you look in the trail guide for North Carolina that trail is listed as best used in the winter time because it says that there are five species of poisonous snakes along this trail. Well I imagine that if I were to hike that trail, I would choose the winter time too so there would be less likelihood of coming across of those five species of snakes. But they didn’t have that luxury. Here they are out in the wilderness, they’re walking along and they get bit by a snake. What are they to do?

Moses was told by God to fashion a bronze serpent and to put it on the end of a long pole and he is to hold up that pole. The people of Israel who are bitten by the snake, who have that venom within them, will look upon the snake, gaze upon the serpent and God will cure them.

I know that it sounds a bit of the hocus pocus, but this is the way that God chose to heal those people who were out in the wilderness. They had no other means of healing. Just as God miraculously fed them with manna, miraculously supplied them with water so he miraculously gives them this cure, that when they feel the fiery bite of the serpent, Moses can lift up the bronze serpent upon the pole, they gaze upon it and they are healed.

Now when Jesus mentions that in passing to Nicodemus, you know that Nicodemus must be again thoroughly confused. How could he possibly understand what is meant. Jesus hasn’t come to the point of his own crucifixion yet. The disciples are bewildered by his talk every time he talks about how the son of man must suffer many things and killed and on the third day raise up from the dead and yet here he is sharing this news with Nicodemus.

Nicodemus who has come in this darkness, has come in this veil of secrecy by night to hear these great things of God and all he hears to him are riddles. Then Jesus says something quite plainly for a change, “For God so loved the world that he sent his only son and whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son.

You know a lot of times we go to Jesus in darkness. Sometimes we go seeking some sort of answer and maybe we get an answer from the Lord but because of the darkness that we live in it just doesn’t make sense. Yet the answer is there. The message is there. While it may seem confusing and puzzling at the time we need to trust that it will work itself out. That God’s Holy Spirit will be at work in our spirits. That our spirits will be able to hear and to understand. But if we are a bit too much like Nicodemus, if we’re a bit too unable to understand what he says, we can trust in that simple assurance that he gives at the end, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.”

Jesus is lifted up, lifted up on the cross, not for people who are bitten by snakes, but for people who have felt the fiery bite of sin. Jesus is lifted up for us, for us to gaze upon for our healing. That wasn’t something done like so much hocus pocus, but it was something that was done out of God’s great love for us.

The apostle Paul writes to Timothy, “the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world while we were yet sinners, that proves God’s love toward us.” Isn’t that wonderful news? Isn’t that a precious message to get? Even if the particulars seem difficult or vague or dark to our understanding, hear that, that God has sent his son for us and for our salvation.

Christ had many confrontations along the road to Gethsemane. Last week we spoke of his confrontation with the devil. Today we see his confrontation with Nicodemus. But on this road to Gethsemane maybe Jesus will have a confrontation with us. As we stand before him seeking answers, will we hear the message of his salvation? Will we be able to respond, to leave the darkness Nicodemus came in and to walk in the light that Christ has brought? That’s a question for you to take with you today. When Christ confronts you will you gaze upon him and receive life?

Amen

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The Holy Observer: Local Waitress Rejoices Over Promotion

The Holy Observer: Local Waitress Rejoices Over Promotion

This is from a couple of years ago, but I just came across it and I wanted to highlight it because it demonstrates what we know all too well: Christians don't do a very good job at exhibiting the generosity shown them by God. If we are people who have experienced the mercy, forgiveness, grace, and generosity of God, can't we offer the same to other people. Why are we so stingy with what God has given us?

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Jesus Confronts Evil

According to George Gallop, most Americans believe in God. Also, according to George Gallop, far fewer Americans believe in Satan. Indeed when Americans were asked in a survey about whether or not they thought they were going to heaven, the majority, the vast majority of Americans said that they were. But when asked if they thought that their neighbors would be going to heaven a fewer number of them could be as certain about their neighbor. Some people suggest that Satan is irrelevant in our society, that we really do not need to spend too much time talking about Satan. They say he is a myth or that it is a name that was taken to help us put a handle on evil, and that Satan is nothing more than the personification of an abstract but yet real evil that affects us in our lives. Indeed most people would probably say that they have no inkling of any personal experience with Satan. Probably because we live in an age that is not marked for its spirituality. We live in an age where people aren’t especially being challenged to a life of holiness. We live in an age where people do not really expect to be made perfect through this life, even through the grace of God.

During a Bible study someone asked me about that question that Methodist clergy are required to take upon being ordained. They ask us before they ordain us, “Do you expect to be made perfect in this life?” Well you might think that the humble answer there might be, “Oh no, no way.” But if you say that, they won’t ordain you. The answer that they are looking for is, “Yes. I expect to be made perfect, by the grace of God.” But one thing about the grace of God, is that while it is freely given, too often it is not freely received. Part of the wonder of the gift of God is not only that it is given, but that we reach out to receive that gift given so wondrously by our Lord Christ.

Our lessons for the first Sunday of Lent speak on theme of sin and disobedience and on the theme of salvation: what it means to confront sin and temptation in our lives. We see how in the beginning God created Adam and Eve. They were in the garden. They were told they could eat the fruit of any tree but one, that grew in the center of the garden. Of course one day Adam and Eve were there when the serpent came and struck up a conversation with Eve. He said, “Look at that fruit. It looks mighty good. Oh yea it does. Nice and shiny, I bet it tastes good. Yea, I bet it does. God told you that you couldn’t eat of any fruit in this garden.” “Oh no, that’s not true. He just told us that we couldn’t eat of this tree. If we eat it we will die.” And the serpent said, “That’s not true. You eat it and your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.”

We’re told that both Adam and Eve ate of the fruit. You know what? Their eyes were opened and they saw their nakedness and they sewed together figs leaves to make loincloths for themselves. You may wonder by looking at the story, well wasn’t the serpent telling the truth? Didn’t the serpent say the truth to Adam and Eve in the garden? They weren’t struck dead in the garden. Indeed their eyes were opened and like God they recognized for themselves right and wrong, good and bad. They even saw their own nakedness for the first time, and sewed together fig leaves. But we have the advantage of hindsight when we look back at the story and we see that at that moment they surely did die. That at that moment it was a spiritual death and the physical death was to follow years later.

So we are told by the apostle Paul, in his letter that this one act of disobedience introduced sin unto all creation. It affected not just humanity and who we are but it is a sin that affected all creation. The apostle Paul talks of how all of creation longs for redemption, that it is in a state of decay. He says that this one act of disobedience brought sin into the world and even so one mans act of obedience can bring life and salvation. That turns our attention to the gospel lesson for the First Sunday of Lent (Year A). The story of Jesus being led out into the wilderness after his baptism. He’s about 30 years old when this takes place. We don’t know anything about what has been going on in his life, he just appears by the river Jordan when his cousin John is preaching a baptism of repentance. Jesus responds to his message and is baptized and the Holy Spirit descends upon him like a dove. People hear the voice of God saying, “This is my Beloved Son.” We are told that the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. There he fasted for forty days and forty nights.

We are told at the end of the forty days Satan came to Jesus. It’s interesting to note that he didn’t come on the first day or the second day. He didn’t come during the first week or the second week. There’s Jesus in the wilderness, fasting and praying and preparing and all this time Satan doesn’t appear to him until the very end when he completes his fast. He’s ready to return and there he is. What does Satan say to him? “You see those stones? Why don’t you make them into bread, you’ve got to be hungry.” You know during this fast last Friday, I thought I heard Satan saying the same thing, except I knew I couldn’t make stones into bread so it wouldn’t do any good to try. “You see these stones, turn them into bread.” Now we might wonder at first, what’s the harm in that? He’s been fasting for forty days, he’s getting ready to go home, he’s going to be breaking his fast anyway. Why not go ahead and do it now? Because he had already committed to this act of obedience and to break it would be disobeying God. He couldn’t do that.

Notice, too, that Satan waited until Jesus would be at his weakest, when he was most likely to succumb to temptation. Perhaps why so many people do not have any awareness of the reality of Satan in this life is because they are already so easily coasting down a path to hell that Satan does not need to provide them any help at all. No, it’s when you turn your attention to your own life, it’s when you examine who you are, and what God desires for you. It’s when you take a look deep within yourself and know yourself as Jesus must have done during that forty days that Satan will begin to get worried. It’s when you earnestly and honestly commit yourself to growing in your spiritual life that Satan will take an interest in what your doing and seek to stop it.

During this time of Lent, I encourage you not to be satisfied with where you are. I encourage you to set aside time to be in communion with yourself. To get to know who you are. To listen to the spirit of God as he reveals to you those things in your life that you ought to change, those things in your life that you need to nourish. Spend time during this season of Lent listening, but also be warned that it is at a time of such earnest development in spirit that you will also be faced with the greatest temptation.

We take our lesson from Jesus today and the apostle Paul speaks of the weapons of the Spirit. The three that I want to mention just quickly to summarize are the power that we have in the word of God, the power that we have in the presence of God’s spirit and the power that we have as the gathering of his saints. These three great resources are ours to draw upon the word of God, to experience and to live in the power of the Holy Spirit and to be together for each other. To be a source of strength and comfort and accountability for the spiritual pilgrimage that we are all on. Focus on this during this season of Lent and may it be one that is holy and filled with blessings. This I lift up in my prayer in the name of Christ my Lord. Remember who you are.

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Facing the Temptations of Our Day (Sermon)

Texts: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

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Today we take a look at the temptations of Jesus. These three specifically mentioned temptations address both patterns of ministry rejected by Jesus and temptations we continue to deal with today.

The first temptation: turn these stones into bread. One of the temptations we struggle with is the desire to possess and own things we do not have. We have built tremendous shrines to this desire. We call them department stores. Jesus rejects a model of ministry where he will be a savior who simply provides for people's desires.

When Jesus does supply for physical needs and desires it usually results in people who follow him for what he provides rather than people who wish to be disciples - followers of Jesus. Jesus will not be a Savior who is there to cater to the needs and desires of people. This stands in sharp contrast with some preachers of today who offer a Gospel of Wealth. This is not the Gospel of Jesus.

The second temptation: Satan takes Jesus to a high place of the temple and challenges him to throw himself down and let God send his angels to lift him up. This would certainly make Jesus famous. Remember, Jesus is unknown at this point. But, Jesus rejects a model of ministry that depends on fame. Even when he touches the lives of people and brings them wholeness and healing he tells them to keep silent about it. When his fame does spread he again attracts people who follow him in an attempt to seem something miraculous - a show. When the people demand to see signs, he jrejects their request.

We, too, deal with a desire to be famous. The dream of so many young people is to be the next superstar: the next big quarterback or rock star. Auditions for shows like American Idol (the title is telling) gathers hundreds of people who certainly must know they have no talent whatsoever - but they come anyway.

Jesus rejects a glitzy style of ministry that seeks to attract people with show.

The third temptation: Satan finally takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world and offers them to Jesus if he would only bow down and worship him. After all, hasn't Jesus come to lay claim to the lives and souls of people? But this promise of power and a coersive claim over our souls is rejected by Jesus. He rejects a model of ministry that is based on power. He rejects an opportunity to claim souls by force. Jesus comes to offer life.

We deal with the temptation for power as well. How many times have we seen individuals, institutions, and nations impose their will on others for what is best.

After Jesus rejects these model he moves on with his ministry. He begins by walking along the shore and calls out to some fishermen. “Come and follow me and I will make you fishers for people.” He begins by gathering a small group around himself. People he will commit himself to. People he will prepare for continuing the work of his ministry.

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The Defeat of Satan

When I was a small child we would often travel to visit my family in Florida. Growing up in the mountains in Pennsylvania where the soil was always full of clay and rocks and everything, it always amazed me when we traveled down south to Florida to visit with my mother’s family how sandy the soil was. I would just want to go out and run in it barefoot but of course my mother always made me wear shoes and those shoes would fill up with sand that I would drag into the house and dump on the floor at every opportunity. I’ll never forget one hot, sunny day in the summertime. I was standing out by the road and I saw a snake slithering across that hot asphalt road. About the same time a car was going down and that car just ran right over that snake. Two tires hit that snake and sent it rolling. I watched that snake. That snake was wiggling and squirming and rolling around, just striking out at the air. It was quite frightening to me as a little boy to watch it and I ran away. In a few hours I went back and looked and behold there was the snake and it was still squirming, still wiggling. I thought surely it must be dead by now, after having been run over by that car, but it was just wiggling away. Toward the end of the day, before I knew that my mother would be calling me in to get a bath and crawl into bed, I went out and looked at the road for one last time. I saw the snake lying there in the road, it’s tail just barely twitching. All day long it was in the throes of agony and pain. All day long it’s defeat had been certain. Yet all day long it still could have been very dangerous for somebody to reach out and try to touch that snake. It could still bite. Finally, it was dead.

That’s the sort of picture we have of the writings of the New Testament. That’s sort of picture that is painted for us, if you will, by the words of the Holy Spirit given to the apostle Paul and to the writers of the gospels. The pictures they paint of the Evil One. The one with whom that we must be on our guard against. I am reminded of the hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. Remember the verse where we acknowledge that we know that we live in a world that is filled with devils. We also know that one word shall fell them. That God has chosen his man who would be our hope, our life, and our salvation. None other than Jesus Christ our Lord, who on the cross brought the death, the certain death of that serpent. But even though the death of the serpent is sure, it still squirms and wiggles and strikes out in the air. Even though it’s defeat is sure it can still be dangerous for anyone to reach out and to touch it.

The apostle Paul is very much aware of that reality as he writes this closing letter to Timothy. He realizes that not only is he getting old but he’s been in prison for a while. Things are not looking good. The Lord has already spared him once to continue proclaiming the message to the Gentiles. But I imagine that he knows that the day of his own death is coming quickly. He writes to that young man Timothy. He says, “I know that the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Amen.” and Amen to that. We know that we are indeed fighting a fight and running a race and we rejoice with the testimony of the apostle Paul who was able to complete, who was able to complete that race, who was able to keep that faith. You see the watchword of this text for us today is perseverance. The apostle Paul writes that he knows that the Lord will rescue him from every evil attack. The Lord will rescue him from every evil attack. He doesn’t say that the Lord will eliminate those evil attacks. He doesn’t say that the Lord will prevent Satan from throwing his fiery darts. No, what he says is that the Lord will be there to rescue him. That the Lord has been there to aid him in the past. The Lord has been his strength and his shield, his sword and his helmet and his breastplate. The Lord has been there for all his needs.

Much earlier before he went to Rome, he wrote to them a letter. He wrote to the Corinthians something very similar. To these churches he reminded them that our war was against principalities, and rulers and authorities. In using that same language he asked the question, “What can separate us from the love of Christ? What can separate us from the love of God?” But he says, “Nothing, not authorities, not principalities, not rulers, not angels, not height, not depth, not even death itself can separate us from the love of God and Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Perseverance, maintaining the faith.

The apostle Paul also alludes to a time as he was arrested. He says, “When I came to my first offense”, he said, “all here abandoned me.” You know he could have just started listing names. He could have been vindictive and spiteful. He said, “These are the people who could have come to my defense and did not. These are the people who turned and ran.” But he did not. All he did was, he said, “May it not be held against them. May it not be counted against them.” You see the apostle Paul did not want any division, any cause, any reason to be put against the children of God for any failing or any weakness they may have shown.

There is the text in Nehemiah where Joshua, the high priest, is shown before God by Satan and Satan is making charges against the people of Israel and he’s pointing to that high priest and he says, “Look at him. He is wearing filthy garments, they cannot come in your presence.” But the Lord says, “I will strip off his dirty clothes and I will put clean garments upon him. No more will that be an excuse to separate me from my people.” You see sometimes Satan can be a legalist and a moralist. He likes to point out those thoughts. He likes to put those seeds of doubt in our mind. `I’m not worthy. I can’t do it. I’m unable to. I’m not holy enough. I don’t pray enough. I don’t study the Bible enough.’ Whatever those seeds of doubt are that are being planted in your mind, he knows that he can push those and make you just give up completely. The response of the Lord is the same. “I can take off your filthy garments and dress you in clean garments.”

Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Keep the faith. Know that in every attack, the Lord is our strength. The Lord is our shield, and may he go with you. Amen

May God’s blessings be upon you.

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We Remember: Saying Goodbye to One Who Is Loved

Today we gather to remember and to celebrate the life of
Alfred Milton Hartley, III .

We gather with his family. With his wife Bea. His children, Robin and John, Jill and Rob, and other family members like Judy to pray that even in the midst of this time of pain they may experience God’s grace and comfort.

I don’t know why Al Hartley, or anybody else, has to endure the pain and discomfort of disease. I understand at an abstract level, but it becomes very different when you look at it on a more personal level.

Billy Graham said, “I have been asked on hundreds of times in my life why God allows tragedy and suffering. I have to confess that I really do not know the answer totally, even to my own satisfaction. I have to accept, by faith, that God is sovereign, and He is a God of love and mercy and compassion in the midst of suffering.”

Indeed, Al expressed this grace at work in his life all through his illness only really showing the debilitating effects of this awful disease in recent weeks. Just a number of weeks ago, John’s parents stayed overnight with Bea and Al, and were amazed at how well Al was getting along.

Al loved his morning coffee, newspaper, and crossword puzzle while listen to Fox and Friends in the background. He was always sure to check the sports page for any information on the Phillies. As much as he enjoyed North Carolina and his new home and being able to sit out on his back deck, he would miss the coverage of his dear Phillies.

He loved to read — especially suspense and espionage. This carried over into his choice of TV shows. When he wasn’t watching Fox News or listening to talk radio, he was watching shows like 24.

Al loved the computer and the Internet. This fed into his love of trivia, information, maps — if a question came up he would search until he had an answer.

As a man who loved food, especially soup, he would find eating out to be a wonderful experience of exploration. Indeed, it he had his way he might spend the time moving from table to table sampling other diner’s choices and discussing the merits of each dish.

He was man who was more comfortable with ideas and information than he was with hammers and shovels. This inquisitive, inquiring nature, along with his discomfort of physically demanding activities led to him being known as the the “Check it Out Man.” If somebody said something was broken he would respond with, “Let’s check it out.” I can just see him now, poking and prodding at the broken item and then announcing, “Yep, it’s broken all right!”

His family imagined him having his own Can’t Fix-it TV show — Check It Out with Al Hartley .

But, it is precisely these kinds of quirks and peculiarities that help define us. They make us the person others love. They are the traits that make people light us when they are around. They are the things we miss when they are gone.

Al, the big Pelican, was also big Pop-Pop to his grandchildren. He loved his grandchildren: Abigail, Delaney, Tiernan, Ryan, Ethan.

He enjoyed playing with them. He played their card games. He played their board games. I don’t know how much he may have realized it, but he has certainly blessed them by his very presence and involvement in their lives at this level.

Physically he could be quite awkward and heavy stepping — a bull in a china shop if you will. But while he may not have been that physically graceful, he was graceful in spirit. And let’s face it: which is the greater blessing to others?

It is said that “The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.” In a way, Al’s battle with cancer in his 40’s was a blessing, or at least a catalyst for one. I often say that God doesn’t cause tragedy, pain, or hardship in our lives, but He is able to take and redeem that things that often seem bent on evil. In this way Al was able to take a hard look at his life and his personal demons and work to expel the demons and turn his life around. Robin speaks about how much they have all been blessed by this man Al Hartley, and how much of that has been the Al Hartley who emerges at 44 years of age: an Al Hartley who was thoughtful, considerate, genuine, accepting and non-judgmental.

Oscar Wilde said “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.” Al Hartley definitely fell in the first category. He was personable and neighborly.

He was easy to talk to because he was a good listener.

He had a remarkable ability to remember a conversation and days, even weeks later, he would bring up items and concerns expressed from earlier conversations and ask about them.

As I listened to Bea, Robin, Jill, and Judy talk about this man I couldn’t help but feel diminished that I didn’t have a chance to know him as well.

In the Gospel of John there is a story about Jesus stopping at a well to rest while his disciples go into a village looking for food. They are in Samaria and the Jews and Samaritans weren’t known for getting along to well. As he rested there in the heat of the day a Samaritan woman comes to the well to draw water. The fact that she came when it was hot is significant. It means she was deliberately avoiding the well during the cooler parts of the day when other women would be present.

As she draws water out of the well, Jesus asks for a drink. This Samaritan woman is amazed that this Jewish man would speak to her. But Jesus continues to engage her in conversation. She is amazed at how well Jesus knew and understood her, warts and all, and yet seemed to be so genuinely loving and caring.

I believe these are the characteristics of our Lord, that Al sought to live out in his life. He sought to live a life that was genuinely loving and caring. He was indeed, Al Hartley, a man who was thoughtful, considerate, genuine, accepting and non-judgmental.

Now we entrust Al to Our Lord, to be received as a Disciple to his Master, a Lamb to his Shepherd.

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Most Popular Sermon

I was looking at the statistics on archive.org (where I store my sermons) and the most popular sermon (the one most listened to) is "We Have a Faith that Works" from September 24, 2006. You can listen to it here.

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Mountaintop Light in the Valley of Shadows (Sermon)

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1. Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet

2. Jesus said "I am the Light of the World"

3. Jesus said "You are the Light of the World!

      You put a light on a stand that all may see
     A City Built on a hill cannot be hid"

4. How are you a Light in the Valley?

The Power of Your Witness -- A Life of authenticity!

Exemplifying the Godly Act of Forgiveness!

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Alan Swartz at Salemburg UMC

Alan Swartz at Salemburg UMC
Originally uploaded by apswartz.

Here I am at my first appointment at the Salemburg Charge. I served three churches on that charge: Andrews Chapel, Beulah, and Salemburg. I came to this appointment after a year of marriage to Jo Anne. While I was here I attended Divinity School at Duke University. While we were here we had our firstborn son, John Mark. During our four years here we had experiences that would mold and even mark us for years to come.

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When You Lose Someone You Love

When you lose someone you love, remember this...

Update: You can read the story here.

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