Sunday, November 27, 2011
Christmas is About Emmanuel
The Christmas we -- and the world around us -- celebrates really has little to do with the Christmas that is so much a part of our faith history.
It may surprise you to know that for over 300 years nobody celebrated the birthday of Jesus.
The stories and pictures that you and I value about the birth of Jesus and all the events around that — simply were not important to the early Christians.
For 300 years they did not worship a baby.
They worshiped an adult "Emmanuel" —
through which they kept havinq encounters with the holy.
These encounters were important to them.
It was the basis of their new faith.
First Sunday in Advent
Isaiah 40:3-,9
Luke 3:1-11
Today is the First Sunday of Advent —
a time the church has set aside for us to prepare for the coming of Christmas.
Christmas is the most universally loved holiday of all the church holidays.
It's hard not to get caught up in the "Christmas Spirit", [isn't it?] as the markers go up that announce to everyone that the holiday is approaching:
The Thanksgiving Day parade,
the shopping frenzy known as Black Friday,
carols on the muzak,
decorations on the street poles
lights in the yard,
lights on the house,
lights on the roof,
lights on the chimney,
lights in the trees,
Santa at the mall,
Santa at MacDonalds,
TV specials,
TV commercials, and, of course,
catalogs galore!
Everywhere you look you are reminded that Christmas will soon be here.
And the unannounced task is that "you'd better get ready."
For the most part, we like the feeling that comes with this season, don't we?
We like to see the smiles on children's faces.
We like to receive cards from people we haven't seen in ages.
We like to give gifts to special people in our lives.
We like to share time and meals with people we just don't seem to have time for at other times of the year.
For the most part, Christmas is a happy time.
But the Christmas we -- and the world around us -- celebrates really has little to do with the Christmas that is so much a part of our faith history.
We say, Christmas is for children, and sol it has become in our American culture.
It may surprise you to know that in most cultures in the world, Christmas is not primarily a day for children.
In fact, throughout our faith history Christmas is for adults.
It may surprise you to know that for over 300 years nobody celebrated the birthday of Jesus.
But, there is ample evidence that Christians have always recognized and celebrated the specialness of Jesus — universally called the Christ — and identified in Matthew as Emmanuel — God With Us.
Each Sunday, from now until Christmas, I intend to look at how those earliest Christians celebrated Emmanuel —
and look for clues as how you and I can have the very best Christmas ever this year,
celebrating the Presence of Christ, God With Us, Emmanuel.
When we sing one of the most ancient of all our songs, 0 Come, 0 Come, Emmanuel, we place ourselves squarely alongside Christians through the ages who approach this season with a profound faith.
Of course, we all know (intellectually, if not out front)
that none of our New Testament was written at the time of Jesus.
No one was going along taking it down in Gregg Shorthand – or what ever they had in those days.
No one was observing events all day and writing in a diary at night.
All of the writings we have about Jesus were written some years after Jesus was killed.
The very earliest writings we see in our New Testament are the letters of Paul.
The very earliest of these letters – I and 2 Thessalonians –
were written around 25 years after Jesus was killed.
The very earliest Gospel we have is Mark -- which can be dated to around 50 years after Jesus was killed.
All the other writings were later than that.Since the Bible was codified, we have discovered a whole slew of other writings of the time – you have heard about some of these found among The Dead Sea Scrolls or other places in the desert within the last 40-50 years.
The earliest non-cannonical gospel that has been found has been recently published as The Gospel of Thomas.
So, curiously, when we ask the question: what do these very earliest writings say about the birth of
Jesus?
The answer is: Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Zero. Nothing at all.
It was of no importance to them.
The fact that is was important to three of the Gospel writers is what we will be looking at in the weeks to come.
But, today, these very earliest writings — say nothing about the birth of Jesus.
They say nothing about the birth of Jesus, but they all write about the specialness of Jesus —
that through their experience with Jesus, they were sure they were experiencing the holy — Emmanuel — God With Us.
It may be a surprise to you to know that no one celebrated Christmas at all for over 300 years after Jesus died!
It just wasn't done.
This was the time of the Roman Empire.
And Israel was part of the Roman Empire.
You know the Romans had a whole slew of gods
that were important to their life —
and each of the conquered territories usually came
with a whole slew of gods the indigenous people worshiped.
There were pagan gods everywhere.
To the Jews, and we need to remember, these early Christians were Jews,
these pagan gods were not even close to the One they knew and
experienced through a thousand year history.
And so, we have discovered writings from around 200 years after Jesus was killed, that deal with the fact that because the pagans celebrated the birthdays of their gods, it would be wrong for Christians to celebrate the birthday of Jesus.
Jesus was special.
Jesus was God with Us.
Jesus was Emmanuel.
But, Jesus wasn't like the pagan Gods.
And shouldn't be treated as such.
No birthdays for Jesus. (Out of principle.)
Of course, another issue was that nobody knew when Jesus was born.
Again, there were no records kept.
No one was around filling out forms to be filed.
We have no mention of the Disciples ever celebrating Jesus' birthday,
so we assume that it was not of great importance to Jesus.
Apparently, he didn't tell anyone when his birthday
was — and apparently no one asked.
But, as you can guess, that didn't keep folks from speculating.
Some 150 to200 years passed, people starting figuring it out.
One popular writer that Jesus must have been born on May 20.
Others presented convincing arguments that Jesus' birthday must be April 18,
others favored April 19,
others thought it more likely was May 28.
Within a few years it became a popular pastime to speculate on the date of Jesus birth.
The well-known Hippolytus thought, for sure, that Jesus was born on January 2.
But others carefully figured it must be November 17, or November 20, or perhaps March 25.
In 243 it was promoted that Jesus' birth should be celebrated on March 21, because that was believed to be the date on which God created the sun.
The debate went on for over a hundred years.
There was no agreed on date of Jesus' birth.
There was no celebration of Jesus birth.
In fact, it was the year 336, when the Christian church first celebrated Christmas –
and it was on December 25.
This was one of Constantine's first acts to make Christianity the religion of the empire.
So many other pagan religions already had some sort of celebration at this time, that it was natural to
tell the people, "you are to stop these other celebrations to these other gods, and make this one
common celebration of the birth of Jesus."
As one theologian wrote in 320 about December 25: "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made the sun."
And, so for nearly 1700 years now most Christians celebrate the birthday of Jesus on December 25. [Except for the Armenian Church and some Orthodox Churches —
the birth of Jesus is important to them, but it is celebrated on January 6 along with his baptism and Pentecost.]
As we look at these earliest writings reflecting the faith of the very earliest Christians, we find some common threads that speak to us and give us clues as to the kind of celebration that is appropriate for us.
First of all, it is clear that people had extraordinary encounters with this Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus "connected" the people who encountered him with a life other than they knew --
where downtrodden were lifted up,
where the lame walked,
where the blind could see,
the lonely befriended,
transgressions forgiven.
Through encounters with this Jesus, people experienced "the Holy".
(Was it encounters of a third kind?]
Was it encounters with Yahweh — Jehovah — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — the Great I Am?
And, these encounters with Jesus - this experience of the Holy - didn't stop with Jesus' death.
The "People of the Way" still had "holy" encounters
with and through this man they knew as Jesus.
They could explain it as "Emmanuel".
For them, Jesus was "God With Us".
For those that encountered him, Jesus was Emmanuel.
The heart of Jesus teaching was that anyone could -
and would - encounter Emmanuel when certain things were done.
For me, a crucial part of what we celebrate here at Christmas is Emmanuel
That our celebrations are just not complete until we go looking for Emmanuel.
It's kind of like those children's books, Looking for Waldo.
You and I are called to go looking for Emmanuel.
As we do, we need to put a few things aside:
first of all, forget what you think Jesus looks like.
Forget the pictures of Jesus.
Some of you will remember that man who ambled around Haverford for several months a few years ago -- dressed in a white robe, barefoot, with long flowing hair and dark beard — everyone knew he was Jesus.
When asked, he would only say "you say I am."
Again, we don't know what Jesus looked like.
No one was there to take video of his birth or ministry.
No one was there to take a photograph.
No one was there to sketch a portrait.
Again, it wasn't important to them.
But, not only are we called to look for him, we are called to minister to him.
And we are given some very specific instructions.
This is what Matthew 25 is about.
Christmas can be truly special if we are purposeful about our decorations
purposeful about our trappings
purposeful about the stories we tell and read
purposeful about the movies and videos we see.
Christmas is really about encountering the holy.
But the truth of the matter is, that most of what we do —
most of what we will do between now and Christmas Day —
has nothing to do with encountering the holy at all!
My favorite Christmas Stories are ones in which the hidden Christ is revealed:
stories about encounters with ordinary people that turn out to be encounters with the holy —
So, stories and pictures that you and I value about the
birth of Jesus and all the events around that —
simply were not important to the early Christians.
For 300 years they did not worship a baby.
They worshiped an adult "Emmanuel" —
through which they kept havinq encounters with the holy.
These encounters were important to them.
It was the basis of their new faith.
And, as they found out, anyone could have these encounters
by feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked,
tending the sick.
That's how they found Emmanuel.
That's how they knew Emmanuel.
And, today, that's where — that's how — you and I will know Emmanuel.
May this Christmas be your best ever.
Amen.
The congregation of Christ Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, heard these words during a worship service on the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
You Can Live Your Life to the Max - Its A Matter of Prayer
God surrounds us with love every moment of our life.
There is power in this love.
And there is a standing offer of friendship and communication on God's side.
All we have to do is risk believing in the offer and open ourselves to God's welcoming Presence. When we do that, we have begun to pray.
Enjoying something fully –
even something as basic as food, drink, a bath or shower, a hug, a nap –
if it is done with an awareness of God, can be prayer.
From the Ancient Texts: Habakkuk 3:2,17-19
From the Early Church: James 5:13-18
There you go, James said it:
The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
The Apostle Paul said: Pray Unceasingly.
Jesus said: When you pray, do not be ostentatious, like the hypocrites!
Do it in private and don't use a lot of meaningless words.
(God already knows what you need before you ask.)
If you forgive others, you will be forgiven.
Maybe you saw the cartoon in the funny papers:
Two little kids were standing there in their pajamas beside their bed with a toy telephone between them.
One is instructing the other in the finer arts of saying their bedtime prayers.
He says: "Now, remember you don't have to worry about God being too busy when you call, because he has "Call Waiting".
And you don't have to worry about him not being home, because he has "Call Forwarding".
And remember, it's always a Toll Free Call.
And God never puts anyone "On Hold."
"Don't hang up, your call will be answered in the order in which it is received.
And Operators are standing by ready for your call." And that's about it, isn't it?
Some time ago, I was intrigued by a report of a study that was done by health-care researchers.
They surveyed a lot of people over a long period of time and asked them various questions over the years – questions relating to their life-style and to their health.
One of the life-style questions concerned whether or not they went to church recently, and how often.
And you know, one of the completely unexpected conclusions of that study was that people who go to church regularly were healthier, over all, than people who did not.
And people who go to church regularly, lived longer, over all, than people who did not.
Now, I thought that was really interesting, and it confirmed what I have observed in many churches over quite a few years now,
and I had some hunches why this may be so.
And so, for some twenty years or so, I have been engaged in a low-impact research project:
reading reports,
collecting data from studies in several fields of inquiry,
cataloging anecdotal evidence from a myriad of sources,
and studying what literature may be available on the subject.
Because, while it may be that we take a lot of these things for granted,
there are a lot of folks who never darken the doorway of this church,
who may like to hear what we have to say,
and may be seeking what we have to offer.
So I put together this series of sermons to share with you the results of some of this research – sermons that having been focusing on living the max-life that Jesus said he came for, after all.
Now, I don't mean to suggest that people who go to church, don't get sick, we do.
And I don't mean to suggest that people who go to church won't die, we do.
Going to church is not a guarantee,
it is more like an insurance policy that pays dividends on a daily basis,
and promises an ultimate payoff in the end.
Today, I want to talk about the power of prayer.
James proclaims, what most of you know: The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
To date there have been nearly 1000 scientific studies on the effects of prayer.
Over half of these studies show that under laboratory-controlled conditions, prayer does something truly remarkable.
While the belief that prayer heals is older than recorded history, you should know about some of this research of the last few years.
One study at the University of Virginia, showed that orthopedic patients in the hospital that were visited by chaplains needed less medical care than those that weren't visited by chaplains.
They made two thirds fewer calls to the nurse for help,
and they got out of the hospital an average of two days earlier than those who didn't receive spiritual support.
And those same patients needed 66% less pain medication, than those who never saw a chaplain.
Another study was done among more than 700 coronary patients in a VA hospital near Boston. Patients were undergoing care for heart attack and chronic heart disease, and endured bypass operations, valve replacements, and open heart surgery.
An experimental group was selected randomly to receive daily visits from a chaplain.
The other group received less frequent visits, or none at all.
Again, those who received regular care from a pastor, went home one or two days sooner than those who did not.
Now, the VA attached some dollars and cents to this study, and concluded that providing a chaplain visit for a patient cost no more than $100 a day, and resulted in savings as much as $4000 a day.
Total savings from a robust and prayerful chaplain's program could amount to several million dollars a year for each hospital.
Another study was done at San Francisco General Hospital of about 400 people who were admitted to the coronary care unit suffering congestive heart failure, heart attack, low blood pressure and other heart problems.
Half of these patients were assigned to a group of regular churchgoers who were asked to pray regularly for the health and recovery of the patients – whom they never met.
None of the patients, none of the doctors, none of the nurses, knew they were on anyone's prayer list. And what they found out was startling:
the patients that were prayed for were far less likely to require antibiotics,
they had fewer infections from their surgery.
A dozen of the patients who were not prayed for required mechanical breathing support following the surgery,
and remarkably, none of those who were being prayed for needed help with breathing.
(Fewer of those chosen for prayer died – but the difference wasn't statistically significant.)
The results of this study caused quite a stir when they were published in the Southern Medical Journal.
One physician at the time wrote: "Maybe we doctors ought to be writing on our order sheets, 'Pray three times a day.'"
I am sure that if this study went one step further, and told the patients they were being prayed for, the results would have been even more dramatic.
As some of you know, from your experience, there is something invigorating knowing that you are being prayed for.
Knowing that you are connected to a network of prayers is bouying to your soul – and it brings peace and confidence.
Prayer works.
The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
Measurements show that a hospital visit by a pastor reduces stress hormones, produces a calming effect, and stimulates the production of endorphins in the patient.
Now, understand what is being said here.
Bad things happen to good people.
Good people get ill.
Bodies wear out.
Accidents happen.
Good people die.
But, prayer lets you face your illness squarely, actually producing a strength in your body and psyche to face your situation and get through it. Prayer prepares you for what is to come.
The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
It may not change the situation we find ourselves in and may not give us the miracle we want,
but what happens is,
prayer changes us.
As one writer put it well, "Through prayer, we find inner resources of strength and hope and courage we didn't know we had.
Through prayer we are no longer facing our fears and pains alone;
God is there beside us, renewing our spirit, restoring our soul, and helping us carry the burden when it becomes too heavy for us to bear."
Prayer has a powerful affect: on our bodies, on our minds, on our lives.
To really clue in,
to really experience change,
to really know what prayer can do for us,
Paul tells us, to "Pray unceasingly."
What does that mean?
Standing at a prayer wall all day from morning to night?
Kneeling at the foot of the cross 24 hours a day?
Reciting a mantra over and over and over again?
No.
Pray unceasingly means to live in a state of prayerfulness.
Wherever you are,
whatever you are doing,
whatever is going on around you,
know that God is with you,
and is in conversation with you –
helping you through the events,
guiding the way,
providing strength and support you know you never had alone.
Do you remember Fiddler on the Roof?
In this marvelous story, you remember the old man, the papa, Tevye, was constantly talking to God.
(Tevye is my prayer mentor.)
There was a comedic effect as he constantly was getting his Bible facts confused,
but here he is in constant prayer with the Almighty.
He prayed when he delivered his milk,
he prayed when his wife got on his nerves,
he prayed when he rejoiced with a daughter,
he prayed when he met people.
Prayer helped him get through the difficulties and tragedies and joys of his life.
O, for sure, God didn't "smite him with riches" as he jokingly talked to God about, but Tevye didn't really expect that to happen.
The point is: There was never a moment when Tevye did not know that God was with him.
Tevye was sure and certain of his relationship with God.
And gives clues to us as well.
There is an ancient parable that speaks to our situation.
There were a bunch of fish swimming in the sea. And this rather young fish swam up to an older and wiser looking fish and asked, "Pardon me, but I have heard of this wonderful place called the Ocean where all manner of living creatures and colorful things live?
I have decided to go there where life is much richer. I have been searching everywhere.
Can you help me find the way?"
The older fish said, "Son, This is it!
You're in the ocean now.
It doesn't get any better than this.
This is the ocean."
The young fish put his nose up, and said, "Silly old man, what do you know. This is only water.
I'm looking for the ocean."
And off he swam to continue his search.
It takes a wise fish indeed to perceive the ocean in which it lives.
Not knowing a life outside the ocean, it is hard for it to see the environment in which it lives.
Like the fish, whose relationship with the ocean is a given, so is our relationship with God.
God surrounds us with love every moment of our life.
There is power in this love.
And there is a standing offer of friendship and communication on God's side.
All we have to do is risk believing in the offer and open ourselves to God's welcoming Presence. When we do that, we have begun to pray.
As Tevye did.
As James did.
As Paul did.
As Jesus did.
Prayer can take many forms – sometimes we attempt to communicate in a communal way, like we do here in church;
sometimes we attempt to communicate in a personal way behind closed doors;
sometimes we attempt to communicate in a traditional way by using words that have inspired people through the ages.
But, praying unceasingly means doing it right in the midst of our daily activities.
Whether we are writing a letter,
playing golf,
talking with someone on the telephone,
bandaging a a bruised knee,
or challenging an unjust policy,
we make it all prayerful by recognizing the presence of God with us in what we do,
when we do it,
where we do it.
Our prayer can start from our work,
the important relationships of our lives,
the things we wonder at,
the restlessness and loneliness of our hearts,
our experiences of success and satisfaction,
a painful conversation,
a recent gift of love.
We meet God daily in all we do and all we see.
Our prayer rises spontaneously in the presence of mountains or sea,
in park or woods,
at sunrise or sunset,
on fishing and camping trips,
at the sight of beautiful flowers, birds, animals, or persons.
Enjoying something fully –
even something as basic as food, drink, a bath or shower, a hug, a nap –
if it is done with an awareness of God, can be prayer.
If you feel at a loss as to where to start a prayer, ask yourself what you enjoy,
what you marvel at,
what you struggle with,
what you suffer from.
God is in the depth of things.
Whenever movement and energy is in our lives is where engagement with God is taking place.
Pray unceasingly.
Sometimes prayer is spending time with a friend.
We are made for a relationship with God, and the hunger for this relationship lurks in our souls as a yearning.
If we take this yearning seriously, we turn to prayer as naturally as a flower turns toward the sun or reaches it roots for water.
The heart of prayer is the awareness that the Source of our lives supports us right where we are. We are loved.
And the gift of life, moment to moment, is a lover's gift – and an invitation to friendship.
Now, in case you haven't gotten it yet, write this down and take it with you: Prayer is simply being together with God.
Acknowledging that you are always in God's presence.
Prayer is mutual awareness and the quiet exchange, as when two friends sit before a fire.
Prayer involves exchange.
Just knowing that the power of the infinite surrounds us in all we do, we offer an effort to live a good life.
We give to God our human loves and our daily chores.
We give to God our small efforts to create a better world.
We share with God all our concerns,
for that is what friends do, isn't it?
Most of us live busy lives, and when we pray unceasingly, much of our prayer takes place on the run.
Whether we operate machinery,
change diapers and wash dishes,
or grapple with problems at a desk or on a phone, we too can have those moments of heightened awareness and greater exchange with the Mystery that is always right where we are.
We have people, concerns, and appreciations to hold up to God as we bathe and dress,
as we drive from place to place,
as we stand in the line at the bank or grocery store, as we wrestle with our responsibilities,
and as we relax with our friends.
Friends, the prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
In God we live and have our being, and prayer is as natural as breathing.
We come as we are.
God is already present.
As soon as we tune in, the exchange begins.
It is usually quiet and low-key, but something profound is happening.
Many of you in this room can attest to the veracity of the words of James: The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
Prayer has an affect on others,
and prayer changes you.
Pray unceasingly.
Experience for yourself, the healing power of prayer.
And you will be well on your way to living a fuller life – a max-life.
Amen.
The congregation of Christ Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, heard this sermon during a worship service November 13, 2011.
There is power in this love.
And there is a standing offer of friendship and communication on God's side.
All we have to do is risk believing in the offer and open ourselves to God's welcoming Presence. When we do that, we have begun to pray.
Enjoying something fully –
even something as basic as food, drink, a bath or shower, a hug, a nap –
if it is done with an awareness of God, can be prayer.
From the Ancient Texts: Habakkuk 3:2,17-19
From the Early Church: James 5:13-18
There you go, James said it:
The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
The Apostle Paul said: Pray Unceasingly.
Jesus said: When you pray, do not be ostentatious, like the hypocrites!
Do it in private and don't use a lot of meaningless words.
(God already knows what you need before you ask.)
If you forgive others, you will be forgiven.
Maybe you saw the cartoon in the funny papers:
Two little kids were standing there in their pajamas beside their bed with a toy telephone between them.
One is instructing the other in the finer arts of saying their bedtime prayers.
He says: "Now, remember you don't have to worry about God being too busy when you call, because he has "Call Waiting".
And you don't have to worry about him not being home, because he has "Call Forwarding".
And remember, it's always a Toll Free Call.
And God never puts anyone "On Hold."
"Don't hang up, your call will be answered in the order in which it is received.
And Operators are standing by ready for your call." And that's about it, isn't it?
Some time ago, I was intrigued by a report of a study that was done by health-care researchers.
They surveyed a lot of people over a long period of time and asked them various questions over the years – questions relating to their life-style and to their health.
One of the life-style questions concerned whether or not they went to church recently, and how often.
And you know, one of the completely unexpected conclusions of that study was that people who go to church regularly were healthier, over all, than people who did not.
And people who go to church regularly, lived longer, over all, than people who did not.
Now, I thought that was really interesting, and it confirmed what I have observed in many churches over quite a few years now,
and I had some hunches why this may be so.
And so, for some twenty years or so, I have been engaged in a low-impact research project:
reading reports,
collecting data from studies in several fields of inquiry,
cataloging anecdotal evidence from a myriad of sources,
and studying what literature may be available on the subject.
Because, while it may be that we take a lot of these things for granted,
there are a lot of folks who never darken the doorway of this church,
who may like to hear what we have to say,
and may be seeking what we have to offer.
So I put together this series of sermons to share with you the results of some of this research – sermons that having been focusing on living the max-life that Jesus said he came for, after all.
Now, I don't mean to suggest that people who go to church, don't get sick, we do.
And I don't mean to suggest that people who go to church won't die, we do.
Going to church is not a guarantee,
it is more like an insurance policy that pays dividends on a daily basis,
and promises an ultimate payoff in the end.
Today, I want to talk about the power of prayer.
James proclaims, what most of you know: The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
To date there have been nearly 1000 scientific studies on the effects of prayer.
Over half of these studies show that under laboratory-controlled conditions, prayer does something truly remarkable.
While the belief that prayer heals is older than recorded history, you should know about some of this research of the last few years.
One study at the University of Virginia, showed that orthopedic patients in the hospital that were visited by chaplains needed less medical care than those that weren't visited by chaplains.
They made two thirds fewer calls to the nurse for help,
and they got out of the hospital an average of two days earlier than those who didn't receive spiritual support.
And those same patients needed 66% less pain medication, than those who never saw a chaplain.
Another study was done among more than 700 coronary patients in a VA hospital near Boston. Patients were undergoing care for heart attack and chronic heart disease, and endured bypass operations, valve replacements, and open heart surgery.
An experimental group was selected randomly to receive daily visits from a chaplain.
The other group received less frequent visits, or none at all.
Again, those who received regular care from a pastor, went home one or two days sooner than those who did not.
Now, the VA attached some dollars and cents to this study, and concluded that providing a chaplain visit for a patient cost no more than $100 a day, and resulted in savings as much as $4000 a day.
Total savings from a robust and prayerful chaplain's program could amount to several million dollars a year for each hospital.
Another study was done at San Francisco General Hospital of about 400 people who were admitted to the coronary care unit suffering congestive heart failure, heart attack, low blood pressure and other heart problems.
Half of these patients were assigned to a group of regular churchgoers who were asked to pray regularly for the health and recovery of the patients – whom they never met.
None of the patients, none of the doctors, none of the nurses, knew they were on anyone's prayer list. And what they found out was startling:
the patients that were prayed for were far less likely to require antibiotics,
they had fewer infections from their surgery.
A dozen of the patients who were not prayed for required mechanical breathing support following the surgery,
and remarkably, none of those who were being prayed for needed help with breathing.
(Fewer of those chosen for prayer died – but the difference wasn't statistically significant.)
The results of this study caused quite a stir when they were published in the Southern Medical Journal.
One physician at the time wrote: "Maybe we doctors ought to be writing on our order sheets, 'Pray three times a day.'"
I am sure that if this study went one step further, and told the patients they were being prayed for, the results would have been even more dramatic.
As some of you know, from your experience, there is something invigorating knowing that you are being prayed for.
Knowing that you are connected to a network of prayers is bouying to your soul – and it brings peace and confidence.
Prayer works.
The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
Measurements show that a hospital visit by a pastor reduces stress hormones, produces a calming effect, and stimulates the production of endorphins in the patient.
Now, understand what is being said here.
Bad things happen to good people.
Good people get ill.
Bodies wear out.
Accidents happen.
Good people die.
But, prayer lets you face your illness squarely, actually producing a strength in your body and psyche to face your situation and get through it. Prayer prepares you for what is to come.
The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
It may not change the situation we find ourselves in and may not give us the miracle we want,
but what happens is,
prayer changes us.
As one writer put it well, "Through prayer, we find inner resources of strength and hope and courage we didn't know we had.
Through prayer we are no longer facing our fears and pains alone;
God is there beside us, renewing our spirit, restoring our soul, and helping us carry the burden when it becomes too heavy for us to bear."
Prayer has a powerful affect: on our bodies, on our minds, on our lives.
To really clue in,
to really experience change,
to really know what prayer can do for us,
Paul tells us, to "Pray unceasingly."
What does that mean?
Standing at a prayer wall all day from morning to night?
Kneeling at the foot of the cross 24 hours a day?
Reciting a mantra over and over and over again?
No.
Pray unceasingly means to live in a state of prayerfulness.
Wherever you are,
whatever you are doing,
whatever is going on around you,
know that God is with you,
and is in conversation with you –
helping you through the events,
guiding the way,
providing strength and support you know you never had alone.
Do you remember Fiddler on the Roof?
In this marvelous story, you remember the old man, the papa, Tevye, was constantly talking to God.
(Tevye is my prayer mentor.)
There was a comedic effect as he constantly was getting his Bible facts confused,
but here he is in constant prayer with the Almighty.
He prayed when he delivered his milk,
he prayed when his wife got on his nerves,
he prayed when he rejoiced with a daughter,
he prayed when he met people.
Prayer helped him get through the difficulties and tragedies and joys of his life.
O, for sure, God didn't "smite him with riches" as he jokingly talked to God about, but Tevye didn't really expect that to happen.
The point is: There was never a moment when Tevye did not know that God was with him.
Tevye was sure and certain of his relationship with God.
And gives clues to us as well.
There is an ancient parable that speaks to our situation.
There were a bunch of fish swimming in the sea. And this rather young fish swam up to an older and wiser looking fish and asked, "Pardon me, but I have heard of this wonderful place called the Ocean where all manner of living creatures and colorful things live?
I have decided to go there where life is much richer. I have been searching everywhere.
Can you help me find the way?"
The older fish said, "Son, This is it!
You're in the ocean now.
It doesn't get any better than this.
This is the ocean."
The young fish put his nose up, and said, "Silly old man, what do you know. This is only water.
I'm looking for the ocean."
And off he swam to continue his search.
It takes a wise fish indeed to perceive the ocean in which it lives.
Not knowing a life outside the ocean, it is hard for it to see the environment in which it lives.
Like the fish, whose relationship with the ocean is a given, so is our relationship with God.
God surrounds us with love every moment of our life.
There is power in this love.
And there is a standing offer of friendship and communication on God's side.
All we have to do is risk believing in the offer and open ourselves to God's welcoming Presence. When we do that, we have begun to pray.
As Tevye did.
As James did.
As Paul did.
As Jesus did.
Prayer can take many forms – sometimes we attempt to communicate in a communal way, like we do here in church;
sometimes we attempt to communicate in a personal way behind closed doors;
sometimes we attempt to communicate in a traditional way by using words that have inspired people through the ages.
But, praying unceasingly means doing it right in the midst of our daily activities.
Whether we are writing a letter,
playing golf,
talking with someone on the telephone,
bandaging a a bruised knee,
or challenging an unjust policy,
we make it all prayerful by recognizing the presence of God with us in what we do,
when we do it,
where we do it.
Our prayer can start from our work,
the important relationships of our lives,
the things we wonder at,
the restlessness and loneliness of our hearts,
our experiences of success and satisfaction,
a painful conversation,
a recent gift of love.
We meet God daily in all we do and all we see.
Our prayer rises spontaneously in the presence of mountains or sea,
in park or woods,
at sunrise or sunset,
on fishing and camping trips,
at the sight of beautiful flowers, birds, animals, or persons.
Enjoying something fully –
even something as basic as food, drink, a bath or shower, a hug, a nap –
if it is done with an awareness of God, can be prayer.
If you feel at a loss as to where to start a prayer, ask yourself what you enjoy,
what you marvel at,
what you struggle with,
what you suffer from.
God is in the depth of things.
Whenever movement and energy is in our lives is where engagement with God is taking place.
Pray unceasingly.
Sometimes prayer is spending time with a friend.
We are made for a relationship with God, and the hunger for this relationship lurks in our souls as a yearning.
If we take this yearning seriously, we turn to prayer as naturally as a flower turns toward the sun or reaches it roots for water.
The heart of prayer is the awareness that the Source of our lives supports us right where we are. We are loved.
And the gift of life, moment to moment, is a lover's gift – and an invitation to friendship.
Now, in case you haven't gotten it yet, write this down and take it with you: Prayer is simply being together with God.
Acknowledging that you are always in God's presence.
Prayer is mutual awareness and the quiet exchange, as when two friends sit before a fire.
Prayer involves exchange.
Just knowing that the power of the infinite surrounds us in all we do, we offer an effort to live a good life.
We give to God our human loves and our daily chores.
We give to God our small efforts to create a better world.
We share with God all our concerns,
for that is what friends do, isn't it?
Most of us live busy lives, and when we pray unceasingly, much of our prayer takes place on the run.
Whether we operate machinery,
change diapers and wash dishes,
or grapple with problems at a desk or on a phone, we too can have those moments of heightened awareness and greater exchange with the Mystery that is always right where we are.
We have people, concerns, and appreciations to hold up to God as we bathe and dress,
as we drive from place to place,
as we stand in the line at the bank or grocery store, as we wrestle with our responsibilities,
and as we relax with our friends.
Friends, the prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
In God we live and have our being, and prayer is as natural as breathing.
We come as we are.
God is already present.
As soon as we tune in, the exchange begins.
It is usually quiet and low-key, but something profound is happening.
Many of you in this room can attest to the veracity of the words of James: The prayer of a good person has a powerful affect.
Prayer has an affect on others,
and prayer changes you.
Pray unceasingly.
Experience for yourself, the healing power of prayer.
And you will be well on your way to living a fuller life – a max-life.
Amen.
The congregation of Christ Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, heard this sermon during a worship service November 13, 2011.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
You Can Live Your Life to the Max - Its A Matter of Forgiveness
Anger, resentment, hate have tremendous power to affect our psyche, to affect our minds, to affect our bodies.
Seemingly, in and of themselves, they have an ability to cripple, maim, and kill.
They are insidious, self-destructive killers.
And, curiously, a proven antidote to these killers is forgiveness.
In point of fact, forgiveness is often the only antidote with long-term affect.
From the Ancient Texts: Daniel 9:4-7a,18-19
From the Early Church: Matthew 18:21-35
I miss Calvin and Hobbes.
It has been twenty years since Bill Watterson stopped drawing the comic strip.
But, I still love to read it – and undoubtedly find something to support a sermon idea every time I look at some.
You remember: Calvin is a little six-year-old with a very vivid imagination whose purpose in life seems to be to drive his parents batty –
in fact, he seems driven to drive all adults batty.
Calvin has a stuffed tiger he has had for a long time, ever since he was a kid.
He calls his stuffed tiger Hobbes,
and in his imagination Hobbes comes to life and is, in fact, his best friend and accomplice.
In one memorable episode, the mother of the little girl across the street has arranged for Calvin's mother to watch her for a couple of hours after school one day.
Well, being six years old, Calvin has fits that this "girl" is coming into his domain.
And, he is simply outraged that his stuffed tiger doesn't do something about it.
After reading Hobbes the riot act, they go downstairs and discover Suzie sitting at the table with a pencil, and paper, and a book.
Calvin looks puzzled, and asks, "What are you doing?"
Little Suzie replies, "My homework."
Calvin says, "What? Your homework?
We just got home from school.
There's lots of daylight left.
We haven't had dinner yet.
We haven't watched television yet.
We haven't been told its bed-time yet."
Little Suzie says, "I know. I like to get my homework out of the way, and do it right after I get home from school while things are fresh in my mind."
The last scene has Calvin walking away with his stuffed tiger, shaking his head, and mumbling,
"I used to think she was smart."
In one of my all-time favorite episodes, that was repeated at least twice, Calvin is playing some kind of game in the driveway with his make-believe friend, Hobbes.
After a while, Calvin stops and says, "You know we would have much more room to play if this car wasn't here."
Hobbes says, "Do you think you could get your mother to move it?"
Calvin says, "Naw. Now why would I bother her with a little thing like that?
We would just be a bother to her. I can do it."
Calvin opens the door of the car, climbs in the front seat, and manages to put the car into neutral and releases the emergency brake.
He then gets out of the car, puts his little six-year-old body in front of the car and pushes with all his might.
In his imagination, he gets his tiger Hobbes to help.
And, much to their amazement, the car starts to move.
They are ecstatic as the car begins to slowly roll down the driveway.
Then, suddenly, they realize they haven't figured out a way to stop the car.
And they stand there watching the car slowly roll down the driveway,
into the street,
across the street
and into a ditch alongside the road.
Well, Calvin is mortified.
His mother is surely going to kill him for this. Together, they can only think of one solution: run away from home.
But, before they go, they sneak around the house, run through the back door into the kitchen, and make a few peanut butter sandwiches.
Meanwhile, his mother, in the front room, looks up and notices cars stopped in the street, and people milling all around, and she wonders what all the commotion is all about.
Then, she notices a car in the ditch,
then she realizes it is her car in the ditch,
and runs out the door screaming, "Calvin!!!"
He's nowhere to be found.
She looks everywhere: in the car, under the car, behind the car. No Calvin.
Nobody's seen a little boy.
She is beside herself.
And begins to expand her search to the yards of neighbors.
Meanwhile, Calvin sneaks out the back door of his house with his peanut butter sandwiches and his stuffed tiger, and runs to the park.
There, he decides he is far enough away, and besides he is tired and hungry.
So, for safety's sake, he climbs a tree and starts to be afraid of the situation he has gotten himself in this time.
His mother has every right to clobber him on the spot.
His mother finally gets to the park and notices him sitting on a branch about five feet off the ground, with tears streaming down his face.
She runs over and says, "Calvin, are you all right? Are you OK? Are you hurt?"
Calvin responds, "I'm not hurt. Why should I be hurt?"
His mother says, "Thank God, come on down out the tree, and let's go home."
Calvin, stops sobbing long enough to pause and with some apprehension in his words, says,
"Before I come down, first I think I would like to hear you say you love me."
Forgiveness is something we all need to hear sometimes, isn't it?
[Maybe some of us, more often than others, huh?]
And forgiveness is at the heart of our faith, isn’t it?
The story of Jesus is the story of forgiveness.
In Christ all barriers between God and us are broken down, and makes possible for our adoption as children of God.
Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly – a fuller life, a max-life."
And the practice of forgiveness is one crucial element that contributes to that max-life – that abundant life.
There is healing power in forgiveness.
We know some of the causes of many of our illnesses today.
Many of the illnesses which plague our world: stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, some cancers,
many of the psychological disorders,
are linked to things like anger, hate, resentment, even jealousy.
Anger, resentment, hate have tremendous power to affect our psyche, to affect our minds, to affect our bodies.
Seemingly, in and of themselves, they have an ability to cripple, maim, and kill.
There is no mistake about it: anger, resentment, hate, and jealousy are insidious, self-destructive killers.
And, curiously, a proven antidote to these killers is forgiveness.
In point of fact, forgiveness is often the only antidote with long-term affect.
Aside from an abundance of antidotal evidence, we now have hard cold facts that prove that forgiveness has great value in physical and emotional health –
and forgiveness training can be effective in reducing hurt and stress.
Researchers at Stanford University's Center for Research in Disease Prevention are currently involved in a large study on the implications of forgiveness for health care and education.
The director of the Center suggests that the time will come soon when forgiveness will be offered as part of primary health care programs.
The health care professionals are coming to realize what we have known for a long time:
There is healing power in forgiveness:
in forgiving yourself,
in forgiving others, and
in being forgiven.
Professional counselors know that often for psychological healing to take place, a person needs to identify, or name, a particular problem, and then to forgive themselves.
There is real therapeutic value in forgiving yourself.
Often when a person feels deep and massive guilt for his or her own shortcomings, or mistakes, or transgressions,
we simply do not hear words of forgiveness from God or anyone.
Sometimes this guilt literally cripples a person.
No matter what you may have done to another person, or yourself, one of the crucial ingredients for healing is to forgive yourself.
One of the twelve steps of recovery programs is the forgiveness of oneself after confession and affirmation of faith,
and willingness to let go and let God.
We see on a basic level, there is healing power in forgiving yourself.
And this is one of the things you are taught to do in church, isn't it?
There is therapeutic value in forgiving others, too.
This is overtly a basic part of Jesus' message to his followers.
No less a stellar apostle than Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, if my brother keeps on doing me wrong, how many times do I have to forgive him?"
A fair question, isn't it?
A question we ask all the time – in one form or another.
Often we say, "I just can't forgive that person, don't even ask me."
Often we feel that we can't, or don't want to, forgive even one time, don't we?
Jesus told a story about a certain person who had a certain debt forgiven,
and then went on to confront another person who owed him a debt which he just couldn't forgive.
That person was sentenced to horrible punishment. And Jesus concluded his story with this tag line: "That is how my father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from the heart."
He couldn't have been clearer on this.
The Kingdom of God is available for you ...
You who forgive.
"Fine, Lord, but just how many times must I forgive this person who keeps sinning against me?"
It's hard enough to do it once, isn't it?
But, for a repeat offender ?
Notice what Jesus does not say.
Jesus does not say, well forgive him once and give him a warning.
Forgive him again.
And, if he does it again, all bets are off.
Three strikes and you're out.
Jesus did not say that, did he?
How many times am I to forgive this Bozo, anyway?
Once, twice, three times, five times, seven times?
Jesus said, "No. Don't be absurd.
You must forgive him not one time, not two times, not three times, not five times, not seven times,
but seven times seventy times.
If you fail the test of not being able to forgive a person an infinite number of times, you simply do not get it.
You simply do not know.
You simply will never know the Kingdom of God."
Now, that's a radical concept – that simply can blow away everything you may have worked for all of your life,
blow away everything you may have saved for,
blow away everything you may have believed.
You won't find this in the political debates in Washington.
You won't find this in the President's Crime Bill.
You won't find this in welfare reform.
You find this in the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.
You find this in the Kingdom of God.
You find this in the Body of Christ –
this church in Drexel Hill,
in churches throughout the Delaware Valley,
in churches all over the world.
People who forgive others live healthier than those who don't.
People who forgive others live longer than those who don't.
People who forgive others experience the abundant life Jesus talked about – a fuller life, life to the max.
There is healing power in forgiving yourself.
There is healing power in forgiving others.
And there is healing power in being forgiven...
A leading theologian of the past generation wrote about the overwhelming power a person experiences at the moment that the realization comes that he or she is fully, and unconditionally, accepted by God – accepted just for being who they are, and what they are.
In our service each week, we try to recreate that moment –
after our corporate and personal prayers of confession we hear an assurance of our acceptance,
an assurance of our forgiveness.
And many people actually feel that that is the liberating moment for them during the entire worship service.
No matter what I may preach about,
no matter what we may sing,
no matter what we hear,
nothing is more important than that one moment.
That one moment when you may realize that no matter what has happened in the past,
no matter what you may have done,
no matter what you may have said,
when you sincerely ask for forgiveness, you get it.
It's a whole new ball game.
There is a whole new slate to write on.
A whole new world begins.
There is a whole new life ahead.
And, more than any other, that kind of healing is what we are about here at Christ Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill.
A best selling book a while back is called: "Forgiveness: the Key to the Kingdom."
He talks about the power of forgiving someone, and of the power of forgiving your self:
He says, "that's really the key to the kingdom.
It not only opens the door,
it's the hinges on the door,
it's the key to the door,
and it's also the little bell that rings and lets you know that door has opened."
Paul wrote to the Ephesians that one of the marks of the true church,
one of the marks of a real Christian,
one of the marks of an authentic soul,
is forgiveness.
In the midst of one of the most horrible miscarriages of human justice, entrapped in the bonds of sin, captured by the throws of death, Jesus uttered those words that haunt today: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
Our God forgives us, even when we do not know what we do.
Our God forgives us, even when we do know what we do.
Our God forgives us, period.
Paragraph.
End of story.
The beginning of a new story.
The first day of the rest of your life.
As some of you well know, there is real authentic healing power in forgiveness.
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
When you pray, say, Our Father, ...forgive us our wrongs, as we forgive those who wrong us.
Forgive your brother and sister from the heart ... seven times seventy times [if need be]...and you will know the Kingdom of Heaven.
Friends, a key to abundant living,
a key to a full life,
a key to life to the max,
a key to the Kingdom of God,
is forgiveness.
May you know it.
May you experience it.
May you express it.
Amen.
The congregation of Christ Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, experienced this sermon during a regular worship service November 6, 2011.
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