The Fifth with First on August 31

Plans are coming together for “The Fifth With First”  at the end of August. 

Since the summer temperatures are still too hot for us work with Operation Fix-It (don’t worry, we’ll get back with them in November, I promise!) we’ve reached out to another terrific partner of ours here in the Valley – The Ronald McDonald House! 

For years and years we’ve collected pop tops for Ronald McDonald House, and on “The Fifth With First” on August 31 our Workship Project will have us doing direct hands on service at the Ronald McDonald House in Phoenix. This will include packing lunches for the families that are staying there as well as cleaning up the community room to make it a neat, tidy, beautiful place for the families. 

More details will be forthcoming, but I want to make sure that invitation gets out to everyone! 

For folks who are planning on being a part of the Worship Service here at the church that day we are arranging to have another “Healthy Packs Assembly Line” set up in the Fellowship Hall after worship so that you can be a part of the Outreach Efforts on “The Fifth With First” on August 31 as well.

Whiteboard: More than Crumbs

So that it is a piece of bread with crumbs coming off the bottom corner.

Anytime I have to explain what is drawn on The Whiteboard I feel like I've failed in the endeavor, but to be honest drawing a piece of bread is surprisingly difficult a whiteboard -- the colors are just all wrong!

Anyway, it isn't the bread that it is the important part this week. No, it is the crumbs. The crumbs are the place we need to focus, because the crumbs is where the story (and possibly even Jesus' ministry) takes a significant turn.

To set the stage, Jesus has fed the 5,000, has walked on water, and argued with the Pharisees about their harsh legalism. All of which is to say, now he is on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is to say the Gentile side (remember that "Gentile" is the New Testament way of saying "other" or "different" or "not our people"). So it is no surprise that Jesus encounters a Gentile woman; a Canaanite woman from the region of Tyre and Sidon.

It would appear that word of Jesus (and his miraculous powers and particularly his healing ministry) has spread across the Sea of Galilee into Gentile territory too. The Canaanite woman has a sick daughter, or as they said that back in the ancient world: her daughter is "tormented by a demon."

The Canaanite woman approaches Jesus and even tries calling him by his proper title when she says, "Lord, Son of David." But Jesus ignores her.

Did I mention this was a strange story?

Yes, Jesus ignores her cries at first. And so she keeps crying out to him. In fact she keeps crying out to such an extent that the Disciples pleaded with Jesus to make this woman go away. So Jesus says to her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

Strange story, right? Not what you were expecting Jesus to say. Well, it is about to get stranger.

The Canaanite woman and Jesus start to argue. Jesus talks about why you wouldn't take the children's bread and throw it out to the dogs (which is basically calling this woman and he sick child dogs, right?) and then she counters "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table."

Then something amazing happens. Jesus concedes the point. He recognizes the strength of this woman's faith and commitment and he grants her request.

I've always joked that the easy comeback is sitting right there for Jesus. The Woman says, "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table," and Jesus could have quickly retorted, "Well then the dogs need to stay outside where they belong."

But the point of the story isn't that Jesus is quick with a one-liner, or even that he respects a good comeback when he hears it (plenty of folks make a big deal out of the fact that this is really the only time in the Gospels when someone is able to change Jesus' mind). No, the point of the story is that the kingdom of God is expanding. That this religious movement Jesus is spearheading is getting bigger. That it isn't simply about one religious community hearing the power of the good news of the Gospel, but that it is about sharing it with the world, and particularly sharing it with the outsiders, the foreigners, the people that society tells us aren't worth wasting our time on.

And it isn't just about this one woman, either. The way Matthew tells the story, right after this encounter with the Canaanite woman Jesus continues along the shores of the Sea of Galilee (still on the Gentile side). Soon huge crowds surround him (sound familiar), and Jesus starts to teach and to heal (sound familiar), and with thousands of people around him he tells his disciples to take a few small loaves of bread and a handful of fish to feed the multitudes (no really, this should sound VERY familiar!). It is a mirror image of what Jesus has just done on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, on the more familiar, more comfortable, Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee -- and not his ministry is continuing on the Gentile side, on the foreign side, on the different side, on the side that is filled with people who are "not our people." It is not just crumbs that Jesus offers, it is the fullness of the good news of the gospel, and he offers it to everyone.

So we do too.

-----

Matthew 15:10-28

Things That DefileThen he called the crowd to him and said to them, ‘Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.’ Then the disciples approached and said to him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took offence when they heard what you said?’ He answered, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ Then he said, ‘Are you also still without understanding?Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon.Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

Whiteboard: Risky Business

Peter takes a risk.

He gets scared by the wind and that is what we remember and that is what we make fun of him for, but lets give credit where credit is due: Peter takes a risk.

And that is not easy. In fact, it is the very definition of risk -- doing something that is not easy where the outcome is less than certain.

The disciples are in a boat and after being battered about by the waves they have drifted far away from the shore. So Jesus comes out to them, walking on the water to do so. It is a spectacular scene. One that reminds us that Jesus really does come and find us just as we are, which is a miracle in its own regard. 

Jesus speaks to the distress disciples (who have mistaken him for a ghost) and says, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."

Then Peter, blessed impetuous Peter, responds, "Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." And Jesus does. And Peter steps out of the boat and if you read really closely you'll see that Peter in fact walks on the water too.

Even if only for a moment, even if only until the wind kicks up and Peter gets scared and then he starts sinking and needs saving all over again from Jesus his Lord. 

But Peter takes a risk. He trusts that Jesus is who he says that he is. He believes that he too can follow, and he has faith that Jesus will empower him to do something that he couldn't ordinarily do by himself. 

Which sounds like the challenge of faith, doesn't it? That we are challenged to trust that Jesus is how he says he is, to believe that we too can follow him, and to have the faith that Jesus will empower us to do things that we simply couldn't do ordinarily on our own. 

Faith, it turns out, is risky business. And that is what we'll be talking about this coming Sunday in worship. Step on out of the boat, come encounter the living Christ, and worship with us this Sunday at FCC Scottsdale. 

-------

Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.

25 And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

28 Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’

29 He said, ‘Come.’

So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’

31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

2015 General Assembly

General Assembly (the big old national/international meeting of our denomination) is less that a year away! The General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will be July 18-22, 2015 in Columbus, Ohio. 

Check out this great introductory video and then scroll down for a whole slew of links!

You can register now for General Assembly and save nearly 20 percent off the full registration price. It also spreads the cost over two fiscal years and gives you a chance to make other plans for enjoying Ohio before and after the event. 

If you have never been to an assembly, there is a page just for you. 

Peruse the first bits of information on the website now to see the learning opportunities and scheduled worship speakers.

Youth information is also beginning to be added. 

See you in Columbus!

Whiteboard: Wrestling

This week's Whiteboard picture was surprisingly difficult.

Not because the drawing was hard. No, I found a picture online that I liked and copied it to the best of my (limited) ability.

No, the hard part was deciding what title to write down below the image.

Read over Genesis 32:22-31 and answer me this one question: Who is Jacob wrestling with? (For your convenience you can find the scripture passage at the bottom of this article.)

It's not an easy question to answer, is it?

Christian tradition holds that Jacob was wrestling with an angel. You'll find the image repeated time and again in religious art and architecture -- Jacob in the heat of battle, wrestling with a white-winged creature that has come down unexpectedly from on high.

But Christian traditions also holds that it was God that Jacob was wrestling with. In fact, you can find that title ascribed to the text in the New International Version (NIV), the English Standard Version (ESV), the New Century Version (NCV), and at least a dozen other English language translations. And even though those particular words don't show up in the scripture account itself (remember, those titles are added by editors and publishers, they are not original to the text) you have to admit that the blessing Jacob gets from his foe is at least open to the interpretation that this could be God.

And yet, the text itself simply says that Jacob wrestles with a man. An unnamed, unknown assailant who comes out of nowhere, appears to fight dirty, and yet offers a name-changing and legacy-defining blessing for Jacob, now rechristened Israel.

That is why I struggled with what to write under the image. Do you write "Jacob Wrestles with God" or "Jacob Wrestles with the Angel" or "Jacob Wrestles with Some Random Stranger" or something else? Ultimately, I took the easy way out just used the ellipsis: Jacob Wrestles...

It is a story worth wrestling with, frankly because it reminds us that it is, in fact, a blessing to wrestle. It is a blessing to wrestle with our faith, to wrestle with our beliefs, to wrestle with how we live and who we are, and even a blessing to wrestle with God.

That's what we'll be talking about this Sunday in worship: Wrestling with God -- the God who will not let us go, the God who knows us deeper than we know ourselves, the God who blesses us and opens to us the fullness of life's possibilities. I hope to see you this Sunday in worship!

Three Things from Administrative Council

This past Sunday our Administrative Council did something different.

You see, for the very first time we met for a “Mid-Year Appraisal”.

For several years now Administrative Council has had a special retreat at the beginning of the year to identify our goals and lay out a plan for the year. This year we decided to take an extra step and carve out a special meeting in the middle of the year to see how we are doing, identify the larger issues before us, and spell out our top priorities for the remainder of 2014.

You all know that I like to end every meeting by brainstorming “The Three Things You Should Know…” Well, it just so happens we have Three Top Priorities for the remainder of 2014! So here they are:

1. Strengthen the Education Program at FCC ScottsdaleWe have a special Education Task Force that is already meeting to discuss the educational needs and faith formation opportunities here at the church. Be on the look out for some exciting new things!
   
2. Recruit/Train Leaders for the Coming Year(s)This is about more than filling out the slate for the nominating committee. We are seeking to develop a pipeline of leaders to serve our congregation (and the wider community) for years to come.
   
3. Focus on Financial ResponsibilityIn addition to developing the 2015 Budget and coordinating the Annual Stewardship Campaign, we’ll be looking into developing our Planned Gifts and starting up with the SCRIP Gift Card system. More details to come!

Yours in the Journey, Rev. Brian

Bonus “Fourth Thing” from the Meeting: With Administrative Council’s blessing I have accepted the nomination to serve as Vice Moderator for the AZ Region!

Whiteboard: Sing-A-Long Sunday

This coming Sunday we'll be doing something different in worship.

You see, this coming Sunday is Sing-A-Long Sunday!

Remember a few weeks back when Sandi asked you to fill out that bulletin insert asking you "What is your favorite hymn or praise song?" Well, we took those suggestions (no really, just about all of them!) and built an entire worship service around them!

So we'll be singing praises to God in all sorts of ways. We'll sing old favorites, new standards, and to be honest at least two songs I had never heard of before!

Come and join us this Sunday as we sing our praises to the Lord, celebrate the blessed gift of music, and witness the Kingdom of God breaking in all around us in melody and song!

See you Sunday!

June 29 Workship Photos

Pictures of the Workship Project at Vista Del Camino during "The Fifth With First" on June 29.

Post by First Christian Church Scottsdale.

June 29 Sermon Video

Here is the Sermon Video that we shared this past Sunday at "The Fifth With First."

Post by First Christian Church Scottsdale.

Whiteboard: My Yoke is Easy

Naturally, on the last day before I leave for vacation the assigned lectionary reading for the morning would say, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

No really, I promise it is the assigned gospel reading! I didn't pick it on my own!

I am looking forward to two weeks of vacation. I'll be visiting with family, celebrating my Mom's birthday, seeing old friends, and traveling throughout the Missouri, Oklahoma, and Indiana with my wife and my son. It will be a wonderful time of rest, re-cooperation, and re-connection.

But I'm also looking forward to diving in to this scripture reading on Sunday too. Christ is telling us some powerful truths here in Matthew 11:25-30 -- truths about the ways of the world, about the frustration of looking for meaning in all the wrong places, about the value of our lives, and about how he stands right beside us. That is what the "yoke" is all about, both on The Whiteboard and in the scripture text itself.

The sermon scripture isn't just a prelude to vacation this week, oh no. It is an invitation to journey with Jesus, to be yoked with Christ and work with him on a mission that is truly worth doing.

So come and join us this Sunday at FCC Scottsdale. Come all that are weary, all that are heavy burdened, all that are in need of a break and looking for a life worth living. Come join us as we worship and praise the Lord!

-------

Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’