Category: Sermons

Year A
Second Sunday of Advent
December 04, 2022

First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7,18-1-19
Second Reading: Romans 15-4-13
Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12

Collect:

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever. Amen 

A New Hope We have in Jesus Christ:

The word Advent means “coming” it is a time to slow down, be quiet and meditate what is the real meaning of Christmas. It is also the beginning of the liturgical year; the season begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on the day before Christmas.

There are three weeks before Christmas and we still have time to prepare our hearts and our minds by preparing our lives as we wait for the coming of Jesus. 

It may be a time for a new beginning for us as Christians, and change is among us, in this time of advent expectation. Many of us may have already experienced the kinds of change that faith can bring, but that does not mean that change is over. 

Yes, a year older, one more year of knowledge, another year in the life of faith. It can also be the season year after year, to challenge our hearts and minds. A season of waiting. and who has not waited? 

Let us focus on the promise, that God made to his people, and how that promise was fulfilled in Jesus.

Christmas gift in advent is the process, as we learn to calm our hearts and minds and focus on Gods promise. The birth of a baby, the savior born in Bethlehem. 

On this second Sunday in advent and our attention is turned to John the Baptist in our Gospel reading today. 

John the Baptist is the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth who preached a message of repentance and salvation, John saw himself as a forerunner of God’s promise of the savior of the world, who will be coming.

John was called by God to prepare the way before Jesus, “to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1: 17)

He is the last of the old covenant prophets, and since he was in his mother’s womb, he was chosen by God…And he has been expecting Jesus for a long time, as a matter of fact, all his life, so why shouldn’t he be the one in advent, to help us prepare the way? 

Second Reading:

Paul’s letter to the Romans gives the Gentiles and the Jewish followers the same Hope of living with each other, he uses words of encouragement and welcomes one another, saying that together one voice will glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He says, those circumcised are part of God’s plan and are included in Christ’s activity. In that Christ’s coming fulfills the promises made to the fathers as well as allowing the nations to glorify the God of Israel. God’s people can worship the God of Israel together, “With one voice.”

He then references, Isaiah “The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him, the gentiles shall hope.”

Our reading in Isaiah: A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1)

Conclusion:

The spirit of God and the branch of a new life, is Jesus, the new life that is coming into the world, becoming incarnate in the womb Jesus is the one appointed King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The world He entered was far from perfect, Jesus born in a few weeks was sent with the promise of a new life of hope. 

Jesus will pay our debt, so that we may have everlasting eternal life by believing in Him.

The Apostle Paul explains it in his letter to the Romans (Romans 15:13) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The advent of Christ is God’s plan for our salvation. The entire Advent story, is the promises made and fulfilled through the birth of Christ, it is the story of God bringing salvation to His people.

Advent and Christmas call us to praise God as we actively await the coming of Christ, prepare our hearts and lives for his arrival, and claim and celebrate the new hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Amen
The Reverend Lola Culbreath

Year C
Last Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 29
November 20, 2022

First Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6
Canticle 16
Second Reading: Colossians 1:11-20
Gospel: Luke 23:33-34  
The Feast of Christ the King the Final Walk

Jesus in his last three years, has been on a walk from Nazareth, Cana, Capernaum to Jerusalem, north to Tyre to Sidon and south to Jerusalem, thousands of miles covered on foot. Sometimes Jesus was in a boat on the sea of galilee or on donkey in Jerusalem. But most of the time he walked, this is the only way he could get his message out to the people, otherwise, they would not have known him. The word spread around the region, he was healing and teaching, and all his disciples followed him everywhere. They did not realize; they were in and on the job training class.

Jesus, was as genuine as the people whom he met. A kind humble man with great strength and courage.  There were times he would go off by himself and pray for long periods of time, He needed that communion between himself and the Father.

But wait, he was different…he was able to change water into wine at a wedding in Cana? I cannot do that! 

Throughout the Gospel’s, His signs or miracles were many. Healing the royal official’s son in Capernaum and healing the paralytic at Bethesda. We cannot forget, He helped a blind man from birth, see for the first time and Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. 

Jesus walked on water and then fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. All the while teaching about love, compassion, forgiveness.

He said to his followers, How the one who sent him, is in him, and in you. And throughout the Gospel of Luke, how to depend on God through prayer and how to pray! Thousands of people witness his miracles and followed him from place to place to see him, to touch him, to ask questions and some were curious and angry and perhaps jealous.

Who is this King? The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of trying to make himself a king. A name that was given to him and a title that hung over him on the cross. He did not claim to be a King, besides, when do we treat Kings or Queens like this?

(John 18:36), Jesus says “My kingdom is not from this world”.

What he is saying is his kingdom is eternal. He is not! The temporal king…but he is an eternal king. And now, Jesus this man believed to be the Son of God and the second Person of the Holy Trinity, has been turned over to Pilate, by some of those people who followed him.

Instead of the leaders and the people who followed him, giving him praise and glory. They are mocking him, taunting him, hitting him, and forcing Pilate to crucify him. 

        His Final Walk:

“When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals one on the right and one on his left.”

But not before he was asked by the criminal who was also suffering in pain, Jesus “remember me when you come into your kingdom” 

Jesus does not hesitate, He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Conclusion:

St. Paul wrote to the Colossians (1:12-13)

Giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the lights.

He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in who we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

Through suffering, redemptive, love and forgiveness, we are led from darkness into the power of light/ Therefore, Jesus’ was sent into this world, because of his death and resurrection, we will find salvation and eternal life. “And now,” we are waiting for, The Prince of Peace to be born.

Next week starts the Advent season. And for four weeks we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ.  It is a time of reflection and a time set aside to renew our connection to Christ.

Many Christians read (Isaiah 9:6) during the time of Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Messiah. The Messiah was God’s anointed, a king who would establish God’s peace. 

We accept Jesus’s call to take up the cross and follow him.

Amen
Rev. Lola Culbreath 

Twenty-First Sunday in Pentecost
Year C
October 30, 2022

First Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-4 ,2:1-4 
Psalm 119: 137-144
Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10

Collect:

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

“The Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost”

Jesus enters and is passing through Jericho. This passage is a subtle reminder that Jesus is nearing the end of his journey to Jerusalem.

Jericho, a wealthy city and because of its location, a strategic position next to the road to Jerusalem and near a Jordan River crossing was an important commerce center. 

They exported date palms and balsam. 

“Zacchaeus, was a chief tax collector…and a very rich supervisor of tax collectors.

The tax collectors contracted with Romans to collect taxes in a particular town or region. 

They are prone to abuse the system, and if citizens rebel, Roman soldiers stand by to back the tax collector.

 Zacchaeus’s neighbors despised him for sharing in the Roman domination and he risks ridicule and perhaps violence out among the crowds. Therefore, he climbed the sycamore tree.

As Jesus enters Jericho,

” Zacchaeus was trying to see Jesus, because of the crowd he could not see him, because he was short in stature. So, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass by that way.”

Trying to see Jesus, we can compare to the blind man in chapter 18, He wants desperately to see and like the blind man, he is limited physically, so that he is unable to see.

When I read this, I pictured a small man, like a hobbit 😊, running in and out of the crowd, trying to get to a place so he could see, Jesus. 

What does he do? He climbs a tree. I do not know about you, but if I was short, there is no way I could climb a tree. The story of Zacchaeus also reminded me, of a Sunday school song. 

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man
And a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in a sycamore tree
For the Lord he wanted to see.
And when the Savior passed that way
He looked up in the tree
And said, “Zacchaeus, you come down!
For I am going to your house today!
For I am going to your house today!

Jesus looks up and sees him, he invites Zacchaeus down from the tree…he tells him to hurry down; for I must stay at your house today.”

Oh, he is so happy, he hurries down to welcome him. Everyone who witness this started to grumble, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”

No one realizes that Zacchaeus was over joyed, to have Jesus in his home. 

Just as Zacchaeus exposed himself to ridicule by climbing a tree, So Jesus exposes himself to criticism by vising Zacchaeus house.  Usually, it is the Pharisees that grumble, but this time it is everyone…they know who he is,  he is the tax collector, he probably over taxes them, just to make himself wealthier. And they do not want Jesus to honor a man whom they regard as their enemy. 

“He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”

Zacchaeus, stands there in front of Jesus, the one who the crowds follow everywhere. 

I am sure he has heard how Jesus has performed many miracles. In todays standards Jesus is famous. He was so surprised that Jesus saw him. 

“Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”

Just being in the presence of Jesus has transformed Zacchaeus, he offers up half of his possessions to the poor and generous offer to anyone he may have cheated and he will give back four times as much as he took.

Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

Conclusion:

 In Chapter 17: 20-21 The coming of the kingdom of God… is not a kingdom that brings material and political benefit, “But” to observe the presence of the kingdom in his ministry.

“The Kingdom of God, is Jesus’ ministry!

SO, Zacchaeus has been transformed in the power and grace of Jesus, just by being in His presence. And Jesus says, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.”

If you all could go back and read Luke chapter 15, Jesus dealt at length in his parables with lost things, lost sheep, lost coins, and lost sons. When they were all found, there was great rejoicing. 

Jesus’ central mission was not to come save those whom were already saved, but to seek and save the lost. 

The word “seek” implies that Jesus takes that step to seek out those who are lost, just as the shepherd took the step to find his lost sheep.

We can be sure that, when Zacchaeus was climbing a tree to see Jesus, Jesus was seeking to see Zacchaeus, so that he might save him. 

This effort befits the entire community, because he gives money to the poor and restitution to those whom he defrauded. 

Zacchaeus, just being with Jesus, is repenting for his sins, by giving back to the poor and those who he might have over taxed. Therefore, Jesus is saying, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 

Good news: 

Who are the lost in our world today? How are we as individuals and as the church called to take part in this ministry” As “sons and daughters of Abraham” all can be restored to the community and are entitled to inherit all God’s blessings.

Amen

Year C
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 23
October 9, 2022

First Reading: Jeremiah 29:1,4-7
Psalm 66:1-11
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 2:8-15
Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

Your Faith has made you well.
A reading from the Paraclete Press.

With the eyes of the Spirit, and with the gift of faith, St. Francis could see Jesus’ presence under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist. 

The same could be said about the way he saw Jesus in others. Francis was able to see Jesus in the leper. He was told to embrace the one he was most afraid of, and turned off by, and he found the real presence of Jesus in that person. 

St. Mother Teresa said the same about the poorest of the poor, and the dying. But it is true of all people. Who are the lepers in our lives? Who are we most afraid of, or turned off by? It is only by embracing them that we find Jesus in everyone.

The Gospel:

Jesus and his disciples are on their way to Jerusalem: 

They are traveling in the border area at the south of Galilee, and this area is where the Samaritans lived. 

He has and is traveling in a racially-mixed area.

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee.

As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. 

Keeping their distance, they called out saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!

Leprosy at the time of Jesus was a terrible disease; a disfiguring skin disease with soars and a difficult disease to cure. Once a person caught this disease and was diagnosed, they were banned from the rest of society. They “could” attend synagogue (but, staying in an isolated area) They must be first to enter and last to leave, and stay at least six feet away.

“The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkept, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’. If he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp” (Leviticus 13: 45-46)

Story:

2000+ years later

Some might remember my brother was diagnosed with HIV in the late 1980’s and later died in 1993. It was in the early years, when not too much information was out about the disease and everyone thought if you were in the same room, you could contract this deadly disease.

He was just sick, but did not have any outward visible signs.  I took him to one of his appointments. His own primary care doctor (there was only one who would treat patients in LV at the time), she was gone for that day and Everett had to see someone covering her practice. We were in the exam room and when this doctor opens the door, he stood near the door, about 6 feet away, to ask questions and do his exam. I do not remember the details of the visit, only that he would not come near us.

Everett often discussed how he and others were treated in those years, the lack of compassion and sympathy that many people and doctors had, send them away! Let them all die; it is their own fault!! but Everett remained faithful to God and our Lord and Savior to the end.

Luke: 17:12-13

“As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him.” 

“They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 

Master= Teacher or Rabbi have mercy on us! In other words, have pity on us! 

You see they cannot come near the Teacher; they must stay back and yell out! Have Mercy on Us!  Have pity on Us! Have pity, a familiar cry that they have been uttering ever since they were diagnosed with leprosy and cast out of the villages.  Having pity, is to have compassion on the lepers. They are not asking to be healed, just asking for mercy, or whatever the Master can give them. 

They know the reputation Jesus has… when it comes to compassion.

They were made clean:

Jesus has compassion and when he heard them and saw them, he said to them.

“Go and show yourselves to the priest.” And as they went, they were made clean. 

As they walk away, they all realized that they had been made clean. This also means they can return to society and be part of society they no longer must live apart from their families.

There were 10 lepers that had been healed and nine walked about to go back to the villages to let everyone know they had been cleansed and were healed. Most likely these nine were Jewish and the one that went back to Jesus and fell on his knees was Samaritan.

“One of them, when he saw, he was healed came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was Samaritan.” (17:15-16)

All ten had cried out for help, but only one has cried out in a loud voice, praising God!

The Central Lessons:

Our first lesson, a letter from the prophet Jeremiah-sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles.

 “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7)

Our second reading. (2 Timothy) 

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

As disciples of Christ, we are to look out for the welfare of others and then we can find our true self. Pray always and give God the praise and Glory. We can learn from others outside our own church. 

 Faith and Compassion for others. 

We are all created by God in his image. What would we do if God stayed 6 feet away from us? 

To maintain the life that God intended us to be, it is important, we continue to move closer to our heart’s desire, where the Holy Spirit lives and dwells.  St. Mother Teresa reminds us about the poorest of the poor, and the dying. Who are the lepers in our lives? Who are we most afraid of, or turned off by?  It is only by embracing them, that we find Jesus in everyone. See Jesus present under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist. Bringing the Kingdom of God to life in the world around everyone. This is an example of how we are to love one another, serve one another, and know that love and compassion is the way that Jesus wants us to be.

Amen
Rev. Lola Culbreath

Year C
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 20
September 18, 2022

First Reading: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
Psalm 79:1-9
Second Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7
Gospel: Luke 16:1-13

Haves and Have Not’s

The reading in Luke today 16:1-13, follows the parable, The Prodigal Son 15:11-32. 

Both lessons are about money and who has the money and who does not. 

When Jesus spoke in parables, he was reaching out to his followers, the believers in Jesus might be able to understand his message more than the non-believers.

However, the Pharisees are listening very closely to what he has to say. 

Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges are brought to him that this man was squandering his property.

 So, he summoned him and said to him,

 “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.”

Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me”

 I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’  

The manager calls all the ones he, has let us say, possibly overcharged, and whatever they owe, he reduces it. What the manager was doing, was securing his future with people outside his work, just in case he was fired or let go. He did not have any other skills to provide for himself. And by doing this he was stacking up favors, that he could possibly draw on later.

The rich man in verses 8-9 goes easy on the manager. 

And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are shrewder in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.  And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

 Is it ever okay to be dishonest? Is it okay to use your skills to get ahead? 

Let us look at a natural disaster.

If you are forced to leave home to avoid the next hurricane that is coming and you and thousands of people all travel in the same direction, guaranteed, the prices for gas is going up, the hotels and motels raise their rates, and restaurants elevate the price of food.

Are they just making a living? Yes, but it is exploiting people to benefit themselves.

I personally do not agree with this. 

A couple of years ago, somewhere in the south, I remember a man who owned a motel, and instead of rising the price of a motel room, he let families stay in his motel free of charge.

He caught the attention of the news and was interviewed on the local and national news, because of his kindness, people from around the county started sending him supplies and money to help care for the people staying in his motel.  

His actions are what God sees and his reward will be greater in the Kingdom of God.

The steward in the parable, was dishonest and he made a mess of his life and he knew he was responsible for his own misery. 

A final interpretation of this parable is forgiveness. At the center of this story is the forgiveness of a debt. The steward forgives. He forgives things that he has no right to even forgive. He forgives for all the wrong reasons, for his personal gain and to compensate for his past. But here he redeems himself.

Luke 11:4 “forgive our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Luke, is telling us in this verse.

 We also forgive because it is recited in our Lord’s Prayer every Sunday. 

Conclusion:

Did the manager hurt anyone when he gave them a break on their bill? 

Do we help others to ensure safety into the Kingdom of God, like the manager to ensure safety in homes? (Hebrews 13:16) Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

 Good news:

When we forgive, we are extending the kind of grace God shows us in every possible way and it can only put us more deeply in touch with God’s grace.

And by the grace of God, everything has been provided for us with all we need, we do not have to be anxious about anything. 

Each person is precious to God, in hard times and in good times, God is with us and will not forget us and we will be taken care of.

By Faith, we realize that sooner or later the time will come when possessing money will cease, and the only thing, we will be focusing on is our salvation and the Kingdom of God. 

Just like in the parable, the Prodigal son, God our father, rejoices when we return to him.

Amen
Rev. Lola Culbreath

Jeremiah continues to warn Judah and Jerusalem of the coming destruction. Jeremiah’s vision of Judgement compares the invasion of Judah to a hot wind” that will sweep down upon the people from the Desert. This wind is a dry and parching wind that becomes unbearable, with suffocating heat. Because God’s people are ignorant and tend to do evil instead of good All creation suffers”.

This is a reversal of God’s act of creation in Genesis 1:1-2: 3, the earth is now a waste and void and darkness prevail in heaven. The mountains quake and the birds are gone. The once fruitful land has become a desert, and the cities are in ruins. The earth itself is mourning. The Lord will not turn back from what is spoken, but there is a glimmer of hope in verse 27, that destruction will not be total.

The destruction of Judah was because it had replaced the covenant obligation of fidelity and obedience with idolatry, Infidelity, and disobedience. They centered their life not on God but instead life around objects to center life on God. They organized life around objects to create life on God and they organized life around objects they thought they could control.

The Psalm today speaks of the foolish and corrupt ones that have rejected the Lord. With a few variations, this Psalm is a duplicate of Psalm 53. As the Lord looks down on human beings and finds that humanity is perverse, and no one does good. Yet God is with the righteous and will be their refuge. There is a hope of joy that God’s people will be delivered.

Chapter 15 Luke

Chapter 15 has been described as the heart of Luke’s gospel; it contains three parables about joy of finding what has been lost, and it also shows us the beautiful expression of God’s grace and mercy. In the opening verse, the Pharisees and scribes are grumbling about Jesus because he “welcomes sinners” and eats with them. Sharing a table fellowship was an indication of social acceptance. How could God’s people be expected to share meals with such unworthy people?

Jesus tells a story about a lost sheep; But. Is it wise to leave 99 sheep to find one lost? To leave an entire flock to fend for itself in order to search for just one? This could be economically irresponsible, However, although Jesus’s story could be bad economics, it is the faith-full shepherding that provides the promise to seek the lost and bring back the strayed, Jesus follows this model. Jesus ends the parable by declaring that the joy in heaven of one repentant sinner is more than ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

Today’s Epistle states the mission “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Paul speaks on his behalf and his own experience, in spite of the fact that he was “Blasphemer, a persecutory and a man of violence. He had no claim to God to be forgiven, after all, he was the worst of the sinners. This confirms, that anyone could come to Christ through repentance.

The Mission of Jesus remains to love sinners into repentance – to relentlessly seek us out, and never give up until the lost is found.

To finish, I want to read a statement from C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity and his note. 

“This repentance, this willing submission to humiliation and kind of death, is not something God demands of you before He will take you back and which He could let you off if He chose it is simply a description of what going back to Him is like. If you ask God to take you back without it you are really asking Him to let you go back without going back. It cannot happen.”

And so, the Gospel message is one of total love, relentless pursuit, and of reunion that leads to joy eternal. In God’s story of redemption, the lost are not only found – they are brought Home.”

Sermon
August 28, 2022
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 17
Year C

First Reading: Jeremiah 2: 4-14
Psalm 81:1,10-16

Second Reading: Hebrews 13:1-8,15-16
Gospel: Luke 14:1,7-14

Humility 

 A leader of the Pharisees, had invited Jesus to his home, to share a meal on the sabbath, watching him closely, they view him with great suspicion, because, “he is always breaking rules and traditions.” 

In earlier chapters, Pharisees have seen him cure someone on the sabbath. 

Jesus has also called them hypocrites! This put them to shame, and the entire crowd rejoiced, when it happened. 

As the Pharisees are watching Jesus, Jesus is watching the guests, choose the places of honor, they are trying to get the best seat in the place.

He takes this opportunity to teach humility.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you, have been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, Friend, move up higher’; then you will be “honored” in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 

In the days of Jesus, gathering around the table sharing a meal and drinks with each other,                             was an important part of their day. The most prominent come first, then… others of less importance, and many were left outside and not invited at all. This is why Jesus points it out. That everyone is important and equal in Jesus’ eyes, and in The Kingdom of God. 

No one should feel marginalized and unimportant.

God has given us all good things, caring for us, helps us to care for others, it also takes our faith to another level.

Being humble does not mean, you are this meek shy person… walking around with your head down, not talking or being assertive. 

Quite the opposite.

Humility comes from the heart, it is how you act towards other people.

A caring and compassionate heart, knowing not everyone can be someone’s favorite, but to make sure that, they feel better about themselves, by putting yourself in a lower position and elevating them to a higher position.

Therefore, to be humble inwardly and outwardly. 

Let’s take the behavior of children and later adults.

We all know what children are like, God calls children a blessing and a gift! Their spirits are filled with innocence, joy and laughter.

Jesus actually tells us to be like children and to come to Him full of “faith” and “trust.”

Children want to be first at everything, they want to be first in line, sit next to grandmother at the table, be the teachers favorite, put dibs on the front seat in the car, or dibs on the window seat.

They, like showing off to their friends… how they can swing the highest and hit the ball the furthest, or climb the highest. 

Story:

This might surprise you, but I was a tomboy (smiling) and I loved to show off, I liked to climb trees and                                   look down on my neighborhood friends.

One day while playing with them, I climbed a tree that overhung the street, I somehow, I got up the tree with a pillow.

 I found the perfect spot, and so I thought! a fork in the limb, awe! Put the pillow there and sit down, perfect! 

Guess what happens when you put a pillow on a forked limb and sit down? You fall through!! Yes, I fell down on the street… on my back, and when I could catch my breath again, I picked up my pillow.                                  Humiliated in front of my friends, and went home. Serves me right!

Pride is not good! as a matter of fact it is dangerous, we need to get “our” minds off of ourselves.

Remember where we’ve come from as children, all the help, correction and encouragement we’ve received from people along the way, it has taught us to be thankful, grounded, and able to help others. 

When you’re a child, it’s common to have these self-indulgent behaviors.

But as an adult your are supposed to grow out of it, what happens to some adults, is they continue to be self-absorbed, never thinking of anyone but themselves. 

Remember this song…… “it’s hard to be humble, when you perfect in every way” 

Jesus said “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Conclusion:

Don’t sit on the highest seat or sit on a forked limb looking down upon the people, take the lowest seat.

True humility… is not having low self-esteem, according to the word, it is the greatest accomplishment of honor and an avenue to glory, it gets real to us when we draw closer to God and grow into God and realize the great gifts, he has given to us.

(Philippians 2: 3-5)

Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own. The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had.

We have all been given talent, serve God with your gifts and talent and then…give God the glory

The greatest way to show how good God has been to us is to help lift up someone else in society.

Amen
The Rev. Lola Culbreath

Sermon
August 7, 2022
Year C
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost:

First Reading: Isaiah 1:1,10-20
Psalm 50:1-8,23-24
Second Reading: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Gospel: Luke 12:32-40

Collect:
Grant to us, Lord, we pray the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Not Being Afraid and Having Faith Go Hand in Hand

Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16

“Now Faith is the Assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

By faith, our ancestors received….by faith we understand…by faith Abraham obeyed by faith he stayed and by faith he received.

The word faith is front and center throughout our epistle reading.
And near the end of the reading, it says… “All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance, they saw and greeted them.”

At least 400 years ago, the people followed what their ancestors were telling them. The only thing they had was their faith. They understood that their worlds were prepared by the word of God and that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

The letter to the Hebrew people, from what the scholars think, is they have written to people who perhaps are giving up, leaving the church, who are leaving the faith. These people have suffered and sacrificed a lot and they can’t see staying in it for they might feel, that things could be better somewhere else.

Gospel: Luke 12:32-40

Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
As priests, we listen and we hear and see the cares and joys of your life, we also hear the concerns you have. Listening is part of our vocation and there are highs and lows to what we do.

Fear can take over your life, emotionally you can feel alone and not know where or who to turn to. Fear is a natural, powerful, and human emotion and we all have fears and anxiety.

In the gospel, Jesus calls them little flocks, a community of people, he uses the metaphor of a shepherd, our shepherd, and do not fear or be afraid, he promises us the Kingdom of Heaven, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

In the Bible, God has given us numerous promises we can claim or hold on to during the seasons of doubt and fear.
We often fear that which we cannot change… and then, funny how we fear change. 😊

We are also reminded that He knows our hearts and our minds and that we are prone to worry, fear, and anxiety.
That is why He speaks to our fears and encourages us to surrender all our fears to Him.

Fear of things comes in all forms, sometimes the things we worry about, are solved or soon forgotten, meaning it wasn’t worth worrying about them at all. But there are true fears that are not something so easily forgotten.

Having to be afraid of something is not because you don’t have faith, you do have faith and knowing… to use the faith you have to overcome the fears.

Conclusion:

Scriptures invite us to acknowledge the reality of fear while not allowing its presence to discourage us from our faith.

A great definition of courage is “the ability to persevere through all emotions.”

Faith, Faith, Faith, we have been given the courage fueled by faith, not the absence of fear but the ability to withstand it.

We from time to time, when faced with fear,
is to develop internal state of strength,
face or fears and redirect our focus,
and rest on the foundation of our faith that was given to us, by the Grace of God.

In the second reading today, the Hebrew people may have been thinking of leaving the church.
I say, stick to church and more people today should be flocking to church.

The church is a place where we practice and see our faith, our faith that relies on the promises of God and the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

Faith, helps us overcome and rebuild relationships. Faith helps us through incredible physical suffering and pain. Faith that we know when we ask God for forgiveness, we are forgiven and that faith can change our lives and others.

One of my sayings lately is that “I keep my knees bent, and my eyes looking up”
God is with us now and forever; we just need to not… be afraid and have faith.

Amen
The Rev. Lola Culbreath

July 3, 2022
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Year C

First Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30

Second Reading: Galatians 6:1-6,7-16
Gospel: Luke 10:1-11,16-20

Collect:

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Your Names are Written in Heaven

Jesus, is making his way to Jerusalem and He is sending out seventy of his followers ahead of him. These are not the apostles; but other followers, they are to travel in pairs of two, to every town and place where he himself intended to go.

He said to them, “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labors into his harvest. Go on your way, See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.” 

They are to remain peaceful, but approach carefully. 

I had family who lived in Oklahoma on farms and ranches. Whenever we would visit as children, we thought it was great fun to be on a farm. Looking out at the pastures, full of cattle, they were grazing along with not a care in the world.

Some of the farm had alfalfa on it rolled up in these huge rolls of hay, some to sell, but mostly to feed their cattle.

My uncles would take us on a tractor ride and show us around. I think I even drove one with my uncle. 

At the time, I didn’t realize how important farms were and when the hay was ready to be cut and rolled up. The timing was important to get it done now. Not later, perhaps after you do other things, but now when the weather was just right, the growing conditions and many other factors. But when the crop was ready, it was harvested.

Time to Harvest

In our gospel lesson this morning from Luke, we are told that Jesus knows that this is the time, that perfect time for the harvest. A time to reap. He sends his followers out in pairs of two. The scriptures tell us, that he had 12 disciples to account for the gospel. We know that there were 12 tribes of Israel. Now Jesus sends out 70 and seventy represent the multitudes of nations beyond Israel.

Jesus says to them “Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace to this house! If someone responds back with peace, your peace will rest upon them.” These disciples, when welcomed into a home, were to stay there, drink and eat what was provided to them. Jesus has given them the power to cure the sick. Tell them that the “Kingdom of God has come near to you” has the ability to cure the sick, to drive out demons.

If evil spirits had been removed from someone, an exorcism, the power of God is invading the evil that exist, expelling the powers of evil. “Kingdom of God has come near to you”. Referring to God’s rule on earth.

He later says again, you might say, drilling it into their heads, yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near. Whoever listens to you, listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” 

The disciples made some progress and when they returned, they are joyful and saying “Lord, in your name… even demons submit to us!

He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lighting.

One of the last scriptures where Satan has been defeated. Jesus did not want the disciples to rejoice, but rejoice that “your names are written in heaven.”

Conclusion:

As we walk this land as disciples of Christ, we have God in our hearts, Jesus on our mind, the Holy Spirit leading the way and we have the bible in hand, this means, God is not absent from this world, He is standing beside us still working to bring His perfect plan to completion.

So, we need not be disturbed by the pictures of chaos, violence, and wars that occupy our televisions, papers, the Internet, and radios. We know that this is the consequence of human sin and evil. 

People have separated themselves and the families from God and the teaching of Jesus Christ about loving your neighbor as yourself.

But never forget: God will speak history’s final word. Every day the world moves closer to the time when Christ will return, Satan will be defeated, and God’s perfect plan will be fulfilled.

No matter how fearful the future is, the Christian knows the end of the story-and it is glorious! Don’t lose heart. The best is yet to be!

Good News:

We can help build the kingdom of God by living righteously. Individuals and families are strengthened by activity in the church. 

We should willingly serve wherever we are, teaching the gospel. Living a Christ life and the Blessings come as we serve in the kingdom of God.

The world is in need to receive peace, to witness universal love and to feel God is close. The world needs what churches offer.

The 70’ followers were not sent out to condemn people, but to offer peace and hope, compassion and love. Last Sunday in our second lesson, Paul’s letter to the Galatians 5:1,13-25

“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another”. 

“The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”.

This is what the world needs and what we are called to do. 
To bring peace to the world. 
We were told they returned to Jesus filled with Joy!
Jesus said, “Your names are written in heaven.”

St. Teresa of Avila’s

Remind us that we now carry on the ministry that Jesus gave us:

Christ has no body on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ looks out to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.

Yours are the hands with which he is to bless others now.

Amen
Rev. Lola Culbreath