Nathan reads a book online. He is totally engaged.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Christmas Concert
Last night, Lori and I went with friends to the Steven Curtis Chapman and the Mercy Me Christmas concert. It was a nice night. The music was great...SCC in particular was "on his game". And the Excel Energy Center is a great venue for these kind of events.
It was interesting though...Christmas is as much as anything about a sense or a feeling of anticipation. I really enjoyed the music, but for me the vibe wasn't there. I'm not sure why that was. Other years I have walked out of events feeling a stronger emotional connection to the Spirit of the holiday. Not so much last night. Perhaps it's just where I am at emotionally.
Peder Eide is doing his Christmas gig next Sunday night here at Lord of Life. Maybe that will do it for me.
It was interesting though...Christmas is as much as anything about a sense or a feeling of anticipation. I really enjoyed the music, but for me the vibe wasn't there. I'm not sure why that was. Other years I have walked out of events feeling a stronger emotional connection to the Spirit of the holiday. Not so much last night. Perhaps it's just where I am at emotionally.
Peder Eide is doing his Christmas gig next Sunday night here at Lord of Life. Maybe that will do it for me.
Watch, Wait and Wonder
“Watch, Wait and Wonder”
Mark 13:24-37
Todd Buegler
November 26 & 27, 2005
Lord of Life
Grace and peace to you from God our Creator, and from Jesus the Messiah, who comes to each of us. Amen.
Since my ordination as a pastor at the end of September, I really haven’t had a public opportunity to say “thank you” for calling me as your pastor of youth and family ministries. Having been at Lord of Life as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries for over 18 years has been a privilege and an honor. To receive this call to now serve as a pastor is something for which I am very grateful. Over the years, you have been a blessing to me and my family. God is doing amazing things in our community; Thank you for allowing me to continue to be a part of it. My ordination affirmed my call to this congregation and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an added side-benefit, it made my Mom really, really happy.
I have a belief that there are three words in the English language that are among the most difficult for us to say. In a society that expects quick, instant answers, being forced to say these words can put fear into the heart of presidents and kings, generals and business leaders, pastors and parents. What are these three simple words? I don’t know. No…I don’t mean that I don’t know what the words are…I mean that those three words are “I don’t know.”
Saying I don’t know can be an admission of our frailty, or our ignorance, or our ability. And in our hyper competitive culture, those are things we just don’t want to admit, and people will go to almost any lengths to avoid having to say them.
At one large university, it was the last day before the football team was to play its biggest game of the season. Unfortunately, the head football coach had just received the horrible news that his star quarterback had been disqualified by the dean for academic reasons. The coach went running to the dean’s office to protest. The dean said, “We caught him cheating on a major exam this week.” The coach demanded to know how they knew the quarterback had cheated. The dean said, “Well, he sat right next to an ‘A’ student, the best student in the class, and on the first nine questions, his answers were identical, word-for-word to the answers of the ‘A’ student.” Not satisfied, the coach replied, “That doesn’t prove he was cheating. Maybe he really studied this time. Or maybe the ‘A’ student copied from him.” The dean answered, “Actually it was the tenth question that really did it. The ‘A’ student had written, ‘I don’t know’, and the quarterback wrote, ‘I don’t know either.’”
Sometimes we’d just rather make something up, or cheat, or go to other drastic action to avoid finally admitting that we don’t know something. Heaven forbid, someone might see our flaws.
But we often confuse “not knowing” with failing. Not knowing all the answers, not finding the right solution among the choices laid out before you, doesn’t mean you’re a failure. A political pollster asked one person on election day whether he believed our political system was characterized by ignorance or by apathy. The respondent answered, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
But just because you don’t know, doesn’t mean that you don’t care.
Not knowing things can keep you on your toes, keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground. And is there anything more annoying than a know it all? A know it all may think they have all of life’s answers, but they’ll never get any of life’s surprises.
This weekend is the first in the season of Advent. It is the beginning of the season where we prepare for Christmas. Advent is loaded with family traditions. Tonight, Lori, Nathan, Samuel and I will light our Advent wreath. We’ll open the daily advent calendar. In the next week or so we’ll get and decorate our tree. We’ll send and receive Christmas cards. These traditions are important to us. You probably have your own traditions, important to you.
Advent is a wonderful season because it is traditional and familiar. We know what to expect. One of the most popular Christmas songs ever is “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas…just like the ones I used to know.” This little phrase, “Just like the ones I used to know” is the essence of many of our Christmas celebrations. The risk in this is that we tend to view Jesus in the past tense, and forget about the Jesus of the present tense. We become know-it-alls about Advent, about Christmas, about Jesus.
Our Gospel lesson for today rattles our “know it all” cage a bit. Jesus has just identified himself as the “Son of God” for the only time in Mark’s Gospel. And His answer to the question of when He will return is: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son. Only the Father.” Jesus is the Son of God, and his answer is “I don’t know.”? What is that about?
If ever there was someone who knew the answers to all the hard questions, it was Jesus. But his “I don’t know” changed the focus of these Messiah conversations from what may or may not happen, or when these events may occur, to who is always and ever in charge: The Father.
Knowing is over-rated. After all:
Scholars knew that the world was flat.
Astronomers knew that the sun revolved around the earth.
Engineers knew that the Titanic was unsinkable.
Fans and pundits knew that the Vikings would dominate this year.
Our “knowing” is over-rated. And Jesus is showing us that our faith is not about our “knowing” more. It is about “believing” more. It is about believing in the grace of God, even though we do not deserve it. There are things in our world that cannot be known…they can only be believed. The first step in believing is to admit that there are things we just cannot know.
It is only when we approach life from the posture of not knowing that we are stretched, in love, in trust and in faith.
This Advent season, let’s take seriously Jesus pronouncement that no one knows the day, the hour or the place of the Lord’s coming into the world. Advent is a season of heightened watchfulness, of wide-awake expectations, of wide-eyed wonder at what God is doing in our lives, in our church, and in our world.
You see, Jesus has this habit of “showing up” in our world and in our lives. And it’s usually at times and in ways that we don’t expect and that we can’t anticipate. In my life and my ministry I have experienced the presence of God in countless ways that I never would have expected. I was with our church’s disaster relief team to Biloxi a few weeks ago. 30 of us drove down, expecting to work and to serve; and we did. But Jesus showed up for us in ways we weren’t expecting. Jesus was in the face of the people at the local stores, who worked to figure out ways to get the most in basic living supplies with the donation money you sent us down there with. Jesus was in the faces of the pastor and the members of Bethel Lutheran. Though they had suffered damage in their own homes, they took time to welcome us into their community and to serve us.
Jesus was in the face of Eddie, a worker on an off-shore oil rig which was destroyed by Katrina. He asked if he could sleep in a tent outdoors that stored some of the donations and supplies. He stayed to serve at the distribution point. Our team went to Biloxi with the intent to serve; and we were served. We intended to give hope; and we received faith. We intended to love, and we were loved. Jesus showed up in ways I never expected.
And Jesus continues to bewilder me. I don’t know when he’s going to “show up”. I don’t know where he’s going to show up. I don’t know how he’s going to show up. But there is one thing that I do know: Jesus is going to show up. He is going to come to me when I least expect it. He is going to love me when I least deserve it. And he’s going to do the same thing for you. He promises. We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.
The Advent story is about Jesus Christ, being found in utterly surprising, unexpected circumstances.
Christ is born in the world. Christ is born in a nowhere town called Bethlehem. Christ is born in a smelly, dirty, manger. Christ is born a tiny, helpless, poor, powerless baby.
This is the last place we would expect to find the Son of God being born. Know-it-alls never found him in that stable, in the dark, in the manger. It was the shepherds and the wise men who just believed, who made their way to him. All who think they know where they will find the Christ-child will surely miss him. Christians are people not afraid to proclaim with their Lord, “I don’t know.”
Where will I find Christ this Christmas?
I don’t know.
Where will you find Christ this Christmas?
You don’t know.
But we do know that Jesus comes for each of us. With the gift of grace, of love, of eternal life. It is for you. So keep your heart, your spirit and your mind ready. Watch: Jesus Christ is going to “show up” for you, bearing the gift of love and grace.
Amen.
Mark 13:24-37
Todd Buegler
November 26 & 27, 2005
Lord of Life
Grace and peace to you from God our Creator, and from Jesus the Messiah, who comes to each of us. Amen.
Since my ordination as a pastor at the end of September, I really haven’t had a public opportunity to say “thank you” for calling me as your pastor of youth and family ministries. Having been at Lord of Life as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries for over 18 years has been a privilege and an honor. To receive this call to now serve as a pastor is something for which I am very grateful. Over the years, you have been a blessing to me and my family. God is doing amazing things in our community; Thank you for allowing me to continue to be a part of it. My ordination affirmed my call to this congregation and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an added side-benefit, it made my Mom really, really happy.
I have a belief that there are three words in the English language that are among the most difficult for us to say. In a society that expects quick, instant answers, being forced to say these words can put fear into the heart of presidents and kings, generals and business leaders, pastors and parents. What are these three simple words? I don’t know. No…I don’t mean that I don’t know what the words are…I mean that those three words are “I don’t know.”
Saying I don’t know can be an admission of our frailty, or our ignorance, or our ability. And in our hyper competitive culture, those are things we just don’t want to admit, and people will go to almost any lengths to avoid having to say them.
At one large university, it was the last day before the football team was to play its biggest game of the season. Unfortunately, the head football coach had just received the horrible news that his star quarterback had been disqualified by the dean for academic reasons. The coach went running to the dean’s office to protest. The dean said, “We caught him cheating on a major exam this week.” The coach demanded to know how they knew the quarterback had cheated. The dean said, “Well, he sat right next to an ‘A’ student, the best student in the class, and on the first nine questions, his answers were identical, word-for-word to the answers of the ‘A’ student.” Not satisfied, the coach replied, “That doesn’t prove he was cheating. Maybe he really studied this time. Or maybe the ‘A’ student copied from him.” The dean answered, “Actually it was the tenth question that really did it. The ‘A’ student had written, ‘I don’t know’, and the quarterback wrote, ‘I don’t know either.’”
Sometimes we’d just rather make something up, or cheat, or go to other drastic action to avoid finally admitting that we don’t know something. Heaven forbid, someone might see our flaws.
But we often confuse “not knowing” with failing. Not knowing all the answers, not finding the right solution among the choices laid out before you, doesn’t mean you’re a failure. A political pollster asked one person on election day whether he believed our political system was characterized by ignorance or by apathy. The respondent answered, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
But just because you don’t know, doesn’t mean that you don’t care.
Not knowing things can keep you on your toes, keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground. And is there anything more annoying than a know it all? A know it all may think they have all of life’s answers, but they’ll never get any of life’s surprises.
This weekend is the first in the season of Advent. It is the beginning of the season where we prepare for Christmas. Advent is loaded with family traditions. Tonight, Lori, Nathan, Samuel and I will light our Advent wreath. We’ll open the daily advent calendar. In the next week or so we’ll get and decorate our tree. We’ll send and receive Christmas cards. These traditions are important to us. You probably have your own traditions, important to you.
Advent is a wonderful season because it is traditional and familiar. We know what to expect. One of the most popular Christmas songs ever is “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas…just like the ones I used to know.” This little phrase, “Just like the ones I used to know” is the essence of many of our Christmas celebrations. The risk in this is that we tend to view Jesus in the past tense, and forget about the Jesus of the present tense. We become know-it-alls about Advent, about Christmas, about Jesus.
Our Gospel lesson for today rattles our “know it all” cage a bit. Jesus has just identified himself as the “Son of God” for the only time in Mark’s Gospel. And His answer to the question of when He will return is: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son. Only the Father.” Jesus is the Son of God, and his answer is “I don’t know.”? What is that about?
If ever there was someone who knew the answers to all the hard questions, it was Jesus. But his “I don’t know” changed the focus of these Messiah conversations from what may or may not happen, or when these events may occur, to who is always and ever in charge: The Father.
Knowing is over-rated. After all:
Scholars knew that the world was flat.
Astronomers knew that the sun revolved around the earth.
Engineers knew that the Titanic was unsinkable.
Fans and pundits knew that the Vikings would dominate this year.
Our “knowing” is over-rated. And Jesus is showing us that our faith is not about our “knowing” more. It is about “believing” more. It is about believing in the grace of God, even though we do not deserve it. There are things in our world that cannot be known…they can only be believed. The first step in believing is to admit that there are things we just cannot know.
It is only when we approach life from the posture of not knowing that we are stretched, in love, in trust and in faith.
This Advent season, let’s take seriously Jesus pronouncement that no one knows the day, the hour or the place of the Lord’s coming into the world. Advent is a season of heightened watchfulness, of wide-awake expectations, of wide-eyed wonder at what God is doing in our lives, in our church, and in our world.
You see, Jesus has this habit of “showing up” in our world and in our lives. And it’s usually at times and in ways that we don’t expect and that we can’t anticipate. In my life and my ministry I have experienced the presence of God in countless ways that I never would have expected. I was with our church’s disaster relief team to Biloxi a few weeks ago. 30 of us drove down, expecting to work and to serve; and we did. But Jesus showed up for us in ways we weren’t expecting. Jesus was in the face of the people at the local stores, who worked to figure out ways to get the most in basic living supplies with the donation money you sent us down there with. Jesus was in the faces of the pastor and the members of Bethel Lutheran. Though they had suffered damage in their own homes, they took time to welcome us into their community and to serve us.
Jesus was in the face of Eddie, a worker on an off-shore oil rig which was destroyed by Katrina. He asked if he could sleep in a tent outdoors that stored some of the donations and supplies. He stayed to serve at the distribution point. Our team went to Biloxi with the intent to serve; and we were served. We intended to give hope; and we received faith. We intended to love, and we were loved. Jesus showed up in ways I never expected.
And Jesus continues to bewilder me. I don’t know when he’s going to “show up”. I don’t know where he’s going to show up. I don’t know how he’s going to show up. But there is one thing that I do know: Jesus is going to show up. He is going to come to me when I least expect it. He is going to love me when I least deserve it. And he’s going to do the same thing for you. He promises. We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.
The Advent story is about Jesus Christ, being found in utterly surprising, unexpected circumstances.
Christ is born in the world. Christ is born in a nowhere town called Bethlehem. Christ is born in a smelly, dirty, manger. Christ is born a tiny, helpless, poor, powerless baby.
This is the last place we would expect to find the Son of God being born. Know-it-alls never found him in that stable, in the dark, in the manger. It was the shepherds and the wise men who just believed, who made their way to him. All who think they know where they will find the Christ-child will surely miss him. Christians are people not afraid to proclaim with their Lord, “I don’t know.”
Where will I find Christ this Christmas?
I don’t know.
Where will you find Christ this Christmas?
You don’t know.
But we do know that Jesus comes for each of us. With the gift of grace, of love, of eternal life. It is for you. So keep your heart, your spirit and your mind ready. Watch: Jesus Christ is going to “show up” for you, bearing the gift of love and grace.
Amen.
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