Treasure....

8/11

St.Perer’s ...the Bronx

This Sunday takes me to the far north east part of the Bronx. Normally a straighpp subway shot wins up a double transfer trip with the 2/3 trains out. The little red board church one of the last vestiges of a  turn of the century Germadn neighborhood. Various inspirations over the years ...including a full immersion Baptist style baptistry have led to what could be called unique configurations. Not all thyroid different. For the liturgy which combines latter day praise songs with old sdhool Lutheran as.  With  er head projector lyrics and a solid old school lutheran qbbbliturgical Music. Traditional lice of God
You don’t mind if I don’t sing all this I ask. Soon enough, scripture read and time for reflection.

Ready to preach

Another one of those weeks.  Dealing with the aftermath of last week's shootings. All the usual efforts to make it sound too complicated.  Or to keep looking at everything but the guns themselves. We've killed more of ourselves than any foreign terrorists  have. And  everything gets sucked into the politics of the day. I had no desire to go to another vigil.  A motorcycle back fires in Times Square and hundreds start yo run and over 20 are hurt in the stampede. We've all got PTSD,

Jesus has a word for us today.  He says "not to worry," to "...not be afraid" and he calls us his Little Flock. We here this morning ....and churches like this all around the country, all around the world....are Jesus' Little Flock...I think of my own Presbyterian  Church..We've got c.13500 Presbyterians...half belong to 5 churches and the other half to 95 churches.   50 of which do not even have pastors. Jesus' Little Flock. Or I think of the Ecclesia services in the parks every Sunday. Including the Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.  A circle of clergy and volunteers fro various churches share communion then a meal every Sunday, regardless of weather. This little flock.....

The Good News?  It is the holy one's pleasure to GIVE us the kindom.   We don't  have to complete a series  of tasks or save up money or anything....it's a free gift...  and to be in that kindom is so enriching that we can sell our possessions and give alms...and maybe the word enrich is wrong, it's more like we are completely reliant on God for our basic survival...we get the why's, the how's may not always be so clear. But the secret is revealed in the word Kin(g)dom..that implies its just not about your individual relationship with God, it's about a community, an extended family, that truly care for one another...that 's where we live and move and have . our being....


Treasure.....treasure....treasure....
What's a treasure look like theses days?  Well according to Bloomberg, the Walton family grows $4 million richer every hour. During the time it takes to read that, they grew by $230000. And the average Wall Mart worker by     $.06 on the way to $11 per hour wage. In all, the world's 25 richest families have $250 billion more this year than last.
Hey
This is the world we live in now. The world in which Jesus asks us to work for "....an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

How many  times have we heard that saying? And how true it is...what we honor, desire, seek....ultimately becomes our heart's desire, and marks our truest values.

And so we come to timing....we have the faithful servants who are up and waiting when the master gets home, and he is soo moved that he in turn serves them. (I'm not sure I've got any real life examples of that one....) and then we're left with the thief in the night story. You know, if you knew what hour the thief was coming, you wouldn't have been robbed. 

Now leave aside for the moment the comparison of the Son of Man and a thief. 

I'm reminded of an old story about a man asking his rabbi if i was important to ask God for forgiveness every day. The rabbi responded, Oh no, oh no. Not at all. Only on the day before you die. The man nodded, then thought and realized the meaning. We literally never know. Life today is so uncertain. 

My brother lived in Dayton for many years. He remembered a favorite restaurant where he would take my dad right across the street form where the shooting took place. I mean these things take place where you would normally feel safe. 

(Central America...) This isn't meant to be morbid. But it is meant to ask if Jesus were to show up at the end of the service today, would we be ready?

IT seems to me that if we put the two parts of the passage together what we wind up with is that if we focus on what we make our treasure, everything else takes care of itself. What is your mind on this morning? Where is your heart? And, little flock, always remember we're in this together....

Amen


















Gospel Luke 12:32-40

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
8/11

Another one of those weeks.  Dealing with the aftermath of last week's shootings. All the usual efforts to make it sound too complicated.  Or to keep looking at everything but the guns themselves. We've killed more of ourselves than any foreign terrorists  have. And  everything gets sucked into the politics of the day. I had no desire to go to another vigil.  A motorcycle back fires in Times Square and hundreds start yo run and over 20 are hurt in the stampede. We've all got PTSD,

Jesus has a word for us today.  He says "not to worry," to "...not be afraid" and he calls us his Little Flock. We here this morning ....and churches like this all around the country, all around the world....are Jesus' Little Flock...I think of my own Presbyterian  Church..We've got c.13500 Presbyterians...half belong to 5 churches and the other half to 95 churches.   50 of which do not even have pastors. Jesus' Little Flock. Or I think of the Ecclesia services in the parks every Sunday. Including the Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.  A circle of clergy and volunteers fro various churches share communion then a meal every Sunday, regardless of weather. This little flock.....

The Good News?  It is the holy one's pleasure to GIVE us the kindom.   We don't  have to complete a series  of tasks or save up money or anything....it's a free gift...  and to be in that kindom is so enriching that we can sell our possessions and give alms...and maybe the word enrich is wrong, it's more like we are completely reliant on God for our basic survival...we get the why's, the how's may not always be so clear. But the secret is revealed in the word Kin(g)dom..that implies its just not about your individual relationship with God, it's about a community, an extended family, that truly care for one another...that 's where we live and move and have . our being....


Treasure.....treasure....treasure....
What's a treasure look like theses days?  Well according to Bloomberg, the Walton family grows $4 million richer every hour. During the time it takes to read that, they grew by $230000. And the average Wall Mart worker by     $.06 on the way to $11 per hour wage. In all, the world's 25 richest families have $250 billion more this year than last.

This is the world we live in now. The world in which Jesus asks us to work for "....an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

How many  times have we heard that saying? And how true it is...what we honor, desire, seek....ultimately becomes our heart's desire, and marks our truest values.

And so we come to timing....we have the faithful servants who are up and waiting when the master gets home, and he is soo moved that he in turn serves them. (I'm not sure I've got any real life examples of that one....) and then we're left with the thief in the night story. You know, if you knew what hour the thief was coming, you wouldn't have been robbed. 

Now leave aside for the moment the comparison of the Son of Man and a thief. 

I'm reminded of an old story about a man asking his rabbi if i was important to ask God for forgiveness every day. The rabbi responded, Oh no, oh no. Not at all. Only on the day before you die. The man nodded, then thought and realized the meaning. We literally never know. Life today is so uncertain. 

My brother lived in Dayton for many years. He remembered a favorite restaurant where he would take my dad right across the street form where the shooting took place. I mean these things take place where you would normally feel safe. 

(Central America...) This isn't meant to be morbid. But it is meant to ask if Jesus were to show up at the end of the service today, would we be ready?

IT seems to me that if we put the two parts of the passage together what we wind up with is that if we focus on what we make our treasure, everything else takes care of itself. What is your mind on this morning? Where is your heart? And, little flock, always remember we're in this together....

Amen


















Gospel Luke 12:32-40

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
35"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

Another one of those weeks.  Dealing with the aftermath of last week's shootings. mAll the usual efforts to make it sound too complicated.  Or to keep looking at emverything but the guns themselves. We've killed more of ourselves than any foreign tehrrorists  have. And  everything gets sucked into the politics of the day. I had no desire to go to another vigil.  A motorcycle back fires in Times Square and hundreds start yo run and over 20 are hurt in the stampede. We've all got PTSD,

Jesus has a word for us today.  He says "not to worry," to "...not be afraid" and he calls us his Little Flock. We here this morning ....and churches like this all around the country, all around the world....are Jesus' Little Flock...I think of my own Presbyterian  Church..We've got c.13500 Presbyterians...half belong to 5 churches and the other half to 95 churches.   50 of which do not even have pastors. Jesus' Little Flock. Or I think of the Ecclesia services in the parks every Sunday. Including the Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.  A circle of clergy and volunteers fro various churches share communion then a meal every Sunday, regardless of weather. This little flock.....

The Good News?  It is the holy one's pleasure to GIVE us the kindom.   We don't  have to complete a series  of tasks or save up money or anything....it's a free gift...  and to be in that kindom is so enriching that we can sell our possessions and give alms...and maybe the word enrich is wrong, it's more like we are completely reliant on God for our basic survival...we get the why's, the how's may not always be so clear. But the secret is revealed in the word Kin(g)dom..that implies its just not about your individual relationship with God, it's about a community, an extended family, that truly care for one another...that 's where we live and move and have . our being....


Treasure.....treasure....treasure....
What's a treasure look like theses days?  Well according to Bloomberg, the Walton family grows $4 million richer every hour. During the time it takes to read that, they grew by $230000. And the average Wall Mart worker by     $.06 on the way to $11 per hour wage. In all, the world's 25 richest families have $250 billion more this year than last.

This is the world we live in now. The world in which Jesus asks us to work for "....an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

How many  times have we heard that saying? And how true it is...what we honor, desire, seek....ultimately becomes our heart's desire, and marks our truest values.

And so we come to timing....we have the faithful servants who are up and waiting when the master gets home, and he is soo moved that he in turn serves them. (I'm not sure I've got any real life examples of that one....) and then we're left with the thief in the night story. You know, if you knew what hour the thief was coming, you wouldn't have been robbed. 

Now leave aside for the moment the comparison of the Son of Man and a thief. 

I'm reminded of an old story about a man asking his rabbi if i was important to ask God for forgiveness every day. The rabbi responded, Oh no, oh no. Not at all. Only on the day before you die. The man nodded, then thought and realized the meaning. We literally never know. Life today is so uncertain. 

My brother lived in Dayton for many years. He remembered a favorite restaurant where he would take my dad right across the street form where the shooting took place. I mean these things take place where you would normally feel safe. 

(Central America...) This isn't meant to be morbid. But it is meant to ask if Jesus were to show up at the end of the service today, would we be ready?

IT seems to me that if we put the two parts of the passage together what we wind up with is that if we focus on what we make our treasure, everything else takes care of itself. What is your mind on this morning? Where is your heart? And, little flock, always remember we're in this together....

Amen


















Gospel Luke 12:32-



32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."