SERMON MATTERS

"You Are My Precious Chick"

2011-05-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

The other night, I was watching an episode of the BBC's Blue Planet with my daughter on "Frozen Seas." It told the story of how female emperor penguins and their chicks can find each other in the midst of a continuously noisy environment of thousands of other penguins squawking away. They have an innate ability to recognize each other's voices. What seemed extraordinary to me was that the chicks could recognize their mother's voices even though they'd never heard it before as the mothers are out at sea when their eggs hatch.

I'm struck by how this image from nature that is in the consciousness of people today because of recent documentaries seems to capture the essence of what Jesus was talking about with the "Good Shepherd" metaphor. "My Sheep Know My Voice" Jesus says.

Questions for devotion and conversation:

Do you know the voice of your Shepherd? What are the recognizable characteristics of Jesus' voice?

John 10:10 states, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

Who are the thieves that Jesus is referring to in this passage? Who are the thieves in our world today that seek to keep us from living into God's abundant life? For that matter, what is the nature of the abundant life that Jesus gives?

Thanks for blogging with me!

In Christ,

Chris Steubing

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! Jesus is alive...Fear Not!

What a great day of celebration for the promise of Easter. I left worship today reflecting on all the ways that the hope of the resurrection can and does impact the way that I think and live as a follower of Jesus today. As I prayed with my daughter before bed tonight, we prayed in words similar to these...

Thanks for Easter
Thanks that we can say I'm sorry
Thanks that we can say I forgive you
Thanks for all your love
Thanks for new life
Thanks that we can start over

What are some ways that the hope of the resurrection can and does influence your daily life?

Or stated in the words of Pastor Randy's comment on my last post...

"What is the deep hope in your life for the kind of message your heart needs to hear on EASTER Sunday?"

Happy Easter!

Chris Steubing

The Road to Emmaus

2011-04-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

As I sit to write this, it is a time of waiting. Good Friday has passed and Easter is yet to come. In between the crucifixion and resurrection stands an eternal chasm. Jesus' disciples were left to feel the weight of that one fateful day when their hopes were dashed. Or were they?

Do you ever wonder if the pain and loss of this life is all we will ever know. Do you ever feel like your life is full of Good Fridays and Easter seems just a pipe dream?

Luke records a story about two of Jesus' followers who were wandering and wondering after the events of Good Friday, carrying a heavy burden of doubt and despair. They were on their way to the village of Emmaus when they encountered a stranger on the road. Readers of Luke's gospel already know, of course, that Jesus has risen and that this stranger is indeed the Lord himself. Without the convenience of texting at their disposal, however, Mary Magdalene hadn't gotten the message to these two yet that Jesus is alive...Jesus has risen! Jesus spends hours with them revealing how the scriptures had been pointing all along to the sacrifice he would make in giving his life away.

They walked and listened but were slow of heart to believe. Their eyes were restrained from recognizing him. It wasn't until he ate with them and broke bread with them that they realized who had been with them all along!

As I anticipate preaching on this passage in the Table worship service on Sunday, May 8th, I wonder how you respond to this passage. Are there times when your eyes are restrained from recognizing the presence of Jesus in your life? Do you ever feel stuck in the despair of Good Friday, unable to grasp the living hope of Easter? What questions do you have? Of Luke? Of Jesus?

As we enter into this Easter season, I pray that our eyes would be opened to recognize Jesus' abiding presence with us on the road of life. Amen.

The Raising of Lazarus

2011-04-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

This week's questions for reflections are:

Where do you need resurrection in your life?

Where are the places that it's hard to believe Jesus can show up with new life?

Where do you see resurrection happening now in our world?

I look forward to hearing from you!

Pastor Chris Steubing

Email Comment

2010-07-15T06:39:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Thank you to all who have commented thus far. It is fun to hear from people about their reflections on the passage and how it connects to their lives.

Peace,

Pastor Chris

P.S. Here's a comment I received by email today for which I received permission to share:

"Thanks for the fresh look at an old story last week. I enjoyed listening and reflecting.

I believe I've been everyone in the story (except the bandit) at one time or another in my life.

I remember in high school when I had a broken ankle, in a cast from toe to thigh, and on crutches. I fell in the hallway, couldn't get up without a helping hand, and many students and even a teacher walked around me, over me, past me.

I remember being a tourist in San Francisco, planning my route for the day, and adjusting it accordingly when there were too many homeless people on the sidewalks to walk around.

I remember helping strangers, usually elderly, with doors, with packages, with high items on grocery shelves, etc. As a single woman, I hesitate to help those on the side of the road, however. Fear and caution outweigh compassion, I suppose.

Thankfully I cannot remember a time being the bandit.

I wish you luck with this exercise, and hope you receive good feedback from others in the congregation. I enjoy listening to you preach. Have a good day."

Good Response

2010-07-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

I have received a good response in the first few days of this experiment. There have been a few comments online but I have also had a great deal of conversation with people about this parable and the message of the sermon which has happened only sparingly in the past.

Here's a comment I received by email which the sender said I could share:

"You asked in your sermon (thank you for your thoughts about hurrying!) about whom we identify with. I have to admit I mostly identify with the Levite who walked on by, but one day a week and on occasion throughout the week I can identify with the Samaritan. That one day I go to 360 Communities and volunteer for the afternoon. The other times through the week are when I occasionally put other people's needs ahead of my own."

I heard from someone after the service who has welcomed a friend into her home while this friend is struggling with depression. Another person told me that while I was preaching and talking about my daughter trying to get my attention, that he observed a father and daughter interacting. The daughter had been tugging at her dad throughout the service and while I was telling that story, he reached around and put his arm around her. Very cool!

I am starting to think that it could take quite a well for the congregation to embrace and engage in this sort of ongoing online conversation on a regular basis but that it would be well worth the effort.

Perhaps it is something that I could do each time I preach. What do you think? Would it be helpful/interesting to you to have the opportunity to engage further with the week's scripture passages used in worship beyond that Sunday? Would it be more helpful to be thinking about the passage the week before the sermon?

Thanks for engaging and commenting!

Peace,

Pastor Chris

Preaching 2.0 - Click on 'Comments' below to Share

2010-07-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome!

Click on 'Comments' below to share how you see the parable of the Good Samaritan at work in the world. Tell which of the characters in the parable you relate to and why. Where do you see mercy in your daily life? Where do you see examples of busyness causing you or others to 'miss mercy'?

I am participating in a seminar over the next year in which I'll be learning more about preaching and how to relate it well to the daily lives and vocation of sermon hearers. I'm very interested in what you think about how well sermons connect with you and how relevant they are to your life. I decided to do an experiment with this week's sermon and invite you to join in an ongoing conversation about how the parable of the Good Samaritan relates to your lives. I've included the passage in the NRSV, which is the version we read in services at Shepherd of the Valley, as well as 'The Message' which is a faithful and engaging paraphrase by Eugene Peterson. Please respond with your insights and engage in the conversation over the next week. Let me know if this is helpful for you in making a connection between Sunday and our one hour of worship to the other 167 hours in your week.

Thanks for your participation!

Pastor Chris Steubing

Luke 10:25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.* ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ 27He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ 28And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 30Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii,* gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ 37He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

Luke 10:25-37 (The Message)

Defining "Neighbor"
25Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"
26He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"

27He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."

28"Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."

29Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"

30-32Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.

33-35"A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'

36"What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"

37"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, "Go and do the same."