http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons The weekly sermons and announcements from the Bear Creek United Methodist Church. Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:35:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 en © webmaster@bcumc.org () webmaster@bcumc.org() 1440 The weekly sermons and announcements from the Bear Creek United Methodist Church. webmaster@bcumc.org No no http://www.bcumc.org/Photos/RSSart.jpg http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons 144 144 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/17/getting-help-from-god/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/17/getting-help-from-god/#comments Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:30:22 +0000 Dave http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=709 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/17/getting-help-from-god/feed/ 14:32 David Orendorff, Matthew 15:21-28 When Jesus says to the Canaanite mother, "O woman, great is your faith," what is he talking about? What makes her ... David Orendorff, Matthew 15:21-28 When Jesus says to the Canaanite mother, "O woman, great is your faith," what is he talking about? What makes her faith so great? As far as we know she never lead anyone to Jesus or God. She doesn't start a church. She doesn't even belong to the right religion. There is no report of her saying, "Thank you." We never even hear of her again. So what is so great about her faith? All she really has going for her is that she so loves her daughter that she will not be denied help. I have first hand experience of such a mother. I have Vickie's permission to tell this story. Vickie is great a mother to our daughters. You have heard the advice, "Never come between a sow and her cub." I tell you, the same is true for Vickie, and, I imagine, for most mothers. Do not, I repeat, do not come between Vickie and her child. One example is enough. We went on vacation leaving Erika, who was high school age, behind for a week. We were then to meet her at Taco Bell in Missoula and continue our vacation. We got to Taco Bell and waited. We waited an hour, but Erika did not come. We got worried. It was raining and all kinds of awful thoughts came to our minds. Vickie could wait no longer. She began to call places in Helena where Erika might be. The phone was exposed to the rain. Vickie didn't care. When she tried to reach the house in which Erika was staying the line was busy. She waited 5 minutes, tried again, and again, and again; still busy. She called the operator. The operator refused to help. Suddenly US West found itself between Vickie and her cub. Vickie called the operator again. She was angry and relentless. She wanted help, not a recital of company policy or law. She wanted help and she knew these people could give it. I tried to say something about patience and understanding. I was then between Vickie and her cub. I went back to the car. Finally Vickie got the help she wanted and we learned that Erika thought we were meeting the next day. The Canaanite mother near Tyre and Sidon is no less a lover of her child than Vickie. And though the disciples and Jesus refuse to help, she will not give up. She knows Jesus can help if he will. She expects results, not some silly religious and racist rules. She knows that she cannot heal her daughter because she has tried everything. She is so desperate and so determined that she, a woman, approaches men in public; that she a Canaanite approaches Jews. When insulted and called a dog, she loves her daughter so much that if she must be a dog then she will have the crumbs under the table. This anonymous woman teaches us four things about having a great faith. First she knows that she cannot help her daughter. A great faith admits it needs help. Secondly, she knows God can help. A great faith expects God to act where suffering needs healing. Thirdly, she asks God and anyone who will listen for the help her daughter needs. A great faith asks for the help needed. And finally, she turns the control of healing over to God. A great faith accepts what God gives. This sermon may not be for everyone here. It is written for those among us who know we need help; who cry for mercy; those whose children suffer, those whose parents suffer, those whose friends suffer, those who suffer. This sermon is for those crying for help. All others may take a nap. But to those who suffer I offer this good news, this gospel; God helps. It is no more complicated than that. The good news of Jesus Christ is that God cares (read loves) us and helps us with our lives. It would seem obvious that the people who show up here on a Sunday morning would be the ones who believe this simple truth. But it has been my experience, both in conversation and in honest self reflection, that believing and trusting God to help is difficult for many of us. It doesn't seem to be so much an intellectual difficulty as it seems to be an emotional d Sermons webmaster@bcumc.org no No http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/worship-whisperings-for-sunday-august-17th/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/worship-whisperings-for-sunday-august-17th/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:34:21 +0000 Dave http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=710 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/worship-whisperings-for-sunday-august-17th/feed/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/youth-group-news-13/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/youth-group-news-13/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:27:10 +0000 the webmaster http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=713 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/youth-group-news-13/feed/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/weekly-announcements-for-august-17th/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/weekly-announcements-for-august-17th/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:25:43 +0000 the webmaster http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=712 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/weekly-announcements-for-august-17th/feed/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/pastors-message-19/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/pastors-message-19/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:22:01 +0000 Dave http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=711 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/14/pastors-message-19/feed/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/10/rock-littlefaith/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/10/rock-littlefaith/#comments Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:30:40 +0000 Dave http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=699 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/10/rock-littlefaith/feed/ 26:54 Matthew 14:22-33, David Orendorff There is an old, old story about a Lutheran pastor, who had been in town 25 years, and a Presbyterian pastor, ... Matthew 14:22-33, David Orendorff There is an old, old story about a Lutheran pastor, who had been in town 25 years, and a Presbyterian pastor, who had been in town 15 years, who, to welcome the new young United Methodist pastor, took him fishing. They were not in the boat long when the Lutheran said, "I forgot my tackle box" and climbed out of the boat, walked across the top of the water to shore, to the car, got the tackle box, walked back across the water and got into the boat. The Presbyterian pastor seemed to hardly notice, but the Methodist was astounded and in awe at the piety of this Lutheran. But since the Presbyterian said nothing, he said nothing. They drifted for awhile, not having much luck, and then the Presbyterian said, "I forgot my coffee thermos" and he climbed out of the boat, walked across the water, onto the shore, went to the car, got his thermos, walked back across the water, and got into the boat. This time the Lutheran seemed to hardly notice, but though the United Methodist was again astounded he said nothing. His mind was working. "If they can walk on water then surely I can walk on water." And so he said, "I brought some snacks, anyone hungry?" Being traditional clergy they were always hungry and so the United Methodist lay down his rod, swung his feet over the side of the boat, hopped out and quickly sank. When he came up the Lutheran and Presbyterian grabbed his hands and pulled him back into the boat. Sputtering the United Methodist said, "I thought if you could walk on water, then I could walk on water. I am embarrassed by my little faith." To which the Lutheran replied, "It's not about faith. It's about knowing where we put the stepping stones." There are those who would make the point of today's scripture the power of Jesus to walk on water. But the science and reason of Jesus' day wouldn't see this as the point at all. Walking on water was what many magicians could do. It denoted unusual power but such power was only slightly uncommon. If the main emphasis for those first hearers was not the miracle of walking on water, then what was it? This is a teaching story full of symbols for those initiated into the faith. Jesus plays himself and God. The boat is one of the church's earliest symbols of itself. The disciples in the boat are the people of the church. The sea is life. Sometimes life is smooth and the fishing is good. This is how we like it. But life is also rough with the wind and the waves threatening us and our boat. When the sea is calm and the fishing good then life in the boat is joyful. But when it was dark and stormy then life is difficult, frightening and destructive. This teaching story is about what happens to us and our community when we are threatened by the storms that toss our little boat. It's about what happens when it's deep in the night and we are afraid of dying. This is a story about what happens when the doctor says, "There's cancer;" when there's a pink slip with the pay check; when a spouse says, "Divorce," when our children go to war. It is about all those times we fear for our lives and the lives of others. The Disciples are frightened. Then it gets worse, they see a ghost coming for their souls. Not only are the elements of life out to get them, the spirits of life are also now chasing them. They cry, "It's a ghost" and start screaming. It is kind of funny strange, isn't it? Those in the boat are the fathers and mothers of the faith. They are the ones Jesus has handpicked to continue spreading the word when he is gone. They are the first generation of whatever future the way of Jesus has in the world. And when life gets frightening they start screaming. The early church had a great sense of humor about itself in its awareness of its own fragility and humanness. Jesus says three things, "Take heart; It is I; Have no fear." "Take heart" is a command that can mean take courage, or be confident, or be b Sermons webmaster@bcumc.org no No http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/new-york-aids-ride-starts-this-weekend/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/new-york-aids-ride-starts-this-weekend/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:59:21 +0000 the webmaster http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=706 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/new-york-aids-ride-starts-this-weekend/feed/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/youth-group-news-12/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/youth-group-news-12/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:56:47 +0000 the webmaster http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=704 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/youth-group-news-12/feed/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/weekly-announcements-for-august-10th/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/weekly-announcements-for-august-10th/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:54:50 +0000 the webmaster http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=703 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/weekly-announcements-for-august-10th/feed/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/pastors-message-18/ http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/pastors-message-18/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:52:55 +0000 the webmaster http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/?p=702 http://www.bcumc.org/Sermons/2008/08/07/pastors-message-18/feed/