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Friday's thoughts

2008-05-16T08:50:00.002-06:00

"When Life is a Fire Drill"

There are three things I would like to say this Sunday in the worship service and in the sermon:
1. Life is a fire drill; to live is to be in crisis. There is no aspect of life; no stage in life that doesn't have its own trauma. When we wake up in the morning there is a crisis and we are called upon to face it and deal with it.
2. We have been given authority to deal with the crisis points of our lives. There is nothing we will face that we cannot handle.
3. We are never alone as we face the hard times; there are others who have gone before us whose memory inspires us; there are friends who will stay with us and give us support; and there is God who is most evident to us when things are difficult. We remember the words quoted in the Gospel of Matthew as Jesus sent them out. He said, " Be assured, I am with you, even to the end of time."

What crisis are you facing and how have you come to face it?
What sense of authority do you have that allows you to know you can face it?
How is it you realize you are not alone?

If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net

If you are willing to allow others to see your responses click on the box below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Wednesday's thoughts

2008-05-14T14:37:00.002-06:00

"When Life Is A Fire Drill"

The two Biblical texts from which the sermons is drawn are Psalms 8 and Matthew 28:16-20. Both of these texts deal with the authority we have been given from God to work and to live and the New Testament text reminds us of Jesus' promise to be with us as we work to "make disciples".

As I have thought about the crisis situations of life I have come to realize to live is to be in crisis. We need not concern ourselves about the inevitable crisis as it comes because every new day we face is potentially a crisis and every stage of life has its own crisis within it.

Life is a fire drill and the question is not "how will we face it?" the question, rather, is "what will we learn from it?"

This is to acknowledge that there are moments in our lives that seem more dramatically powerful than others and that require a more decisive response. Those moments are the ones we prepare for every day. They are not to be avoided or feared. We were made for those moments. They call from us our best and they bring to us our greatest gift.

The fire drill aspect of life includes the following:
1. A reduction of our ability through accident, illness, or age.
2. A failure of security in which we come to realize our vulnerability.
3. A breakdown of our resources that results from an inability to anticipate the unexpected.
4. The destruction of something of value to us and we have come to lose something we had counted on or taken for granted.

Sunday we are going to have a fire drill. In the 9:15 service after the sermon someone will pull the alarm and we will have to evacuate the church building. We will have to vacate the sanctuary, our classes will have to go outside, and our children and youth will be asked to go. We will meet in the south parking lot until the whole building is accounted for and then we can return.

How do we face the fire dills that are not simulation or practice? How do we engage the challenges and how do we respond?

If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. if you are willing to have others read your response click on the box below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

2008-05-11T07:29:00.002-06:00

Sermon for Sunday May 18th.

"When Life is a Fire Drill"

At 9:15 after the sermon we are going to, actually, have a fire drill. There is a group of staff and church members who have been working up a disaster response plan. In light of some of the terrible things that have happened in all aspects of society and especially in churches we decided it is important to prepare ourselves in case something happens in our church that requires an evacuation on Sunday morning.

After the sermon at 9:15 the alarm will go off and we will be asked to move to the south parking lot.

It makes me think about how life is now with bombings and school and church shootings; with fires and mass panic; with all kinds of strange things going on. What do we do with all this? How do we live in a world in which the unexpected can happen anytime or anywhere?

How do we prepare for the unexpected? How do we handle the tragic events that have come to some and could come to us?

I have seen pickets in the churches I have served. I have had people get up in the middle of a sermon and dispute a part of the sermon. One church I served had to be evacuated on Easter Sunday because some youngster pulled the alarm. The fire trucks came and we had to clear out of the church. The members of the church thought I set that up but I didn't.

We live in a world that is dangerous. As Christians it is important how we learn to deal with it.

Do you have thoughts on this? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net or click on the bottom of the page so others can read your thoughts.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Friday's thoughts

2008-05-09T13:52:00.002-06:00

Ruben Job, in his book Three Simple Rules develops the idea of "doing no harm, doing good, and staying in love with God" with the following observations:

"The rules are simple, but the way is not easy. Only those with great courage will attempt it, and only those with great faith will be able to walk this exciting and demanding way. There are many other options for us to choose, but they are all lesser options and lead to lesser results that range from poor to disastrous. The question from Jesus for each of us, 'My daughter, my son, do you love me?' and of course there is only one answer that we want to give, 'Yes Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.' The next question then becomes, are we ready to choose the costly way that involves these three simple rules as our way of living? I believe many are ready to make that high and holy choice today, and I shall always pray that I and all who read these pages will make that choice new every morning."

There comes a time in every life when we have to figure what it means to get it together. There comes a time when we have to know we are on a path that is the right path and that we have chosen to be on that path. It isn't the one our parents put us on and it isn't the one we chose when we didn't know what else to do. It is driven by intentionality and purpose. It is driven by the knowledge of the fact that there is a limit to our years and we need to make the most of them.

We want to do no harm and if we are doing harm we want to stop doing it. We want to do good and we want the good we do to be the best we can do. We want to be able to love with God as we struggle to determine who and what God is.

Ruben Job is right to suggest that this is both simple and difficult. How do we get it together and what does it mean to strive in the manner John Wesley suggests?

If you have thoughts on this subject please write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.
Also, click on the box below to allow others to read your comments.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Wednesday's thoughts

2008-05-07T13:27:00.002-06:00

How do we get it together?

Following up with the Mother's Day/Pentecost theme I am thinking of the factors that help us get it together and I begin with family, then I move to church, and finally I reach into the sense of the holy.

One of the guidelines that came to the delegates of General Conference was instruction from John Wesley.
He said, "Do no harm"
He said, "Do good."
And he said, "Stay in love with God".

I thought most of us were instructed to do no harm from our mothers. I thought the church was one of the places we are continually reminded to do good. The final sense of getting it together comes when we move in our lives to pattern of living that is in love with creation and the creator. It's an approach to life that allows us to trust the future. It's an means of addressing the days of our lives with the expectation and hope for something better to come and something new to experience.

We get it together when we strive to do no harm, to do good, and to stay in love with God.

At least this is how I'm seeing it on this Wednesday afternoon.

It's good to be back home.

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Monday's thoughts

2008-05-04T13:54:00.002-06:00

"How Did We Get It Together?"

One of the most important days in the life of the church is Pentecost. It is called the birthday of the church, and Luke presents it as if it were the coming together of the disciples after Jesus' death on the cross. The disciples were prepared to go about their separate ways. There seemed to be nothing else to do. Jesus had been crucified and there seemed to be no reason to continue. Luke (Acts 2) tells a compelling story of a Jewish celebration 50 days after Passover (Pentecost) when the disciples came together and the Holy Spirit fell upon them and the were so moved by the event that their lives were changed. They began to think of the Risen Christ as the church and they went out to establish churches all over the world. We believe they paid a dear price for their witness. They were martyred for their courageous stand and for their efforts to build the church.

There is another reason to celebrate Sunday, May 11th. This is Mother's Day this year. Pentecost and Mother's Day don't often come on the same Sunday but they do this year.

I am going to try to blend the two celebrations and to deal with what it means to get it together. Mother's Day and Pentecost both represent forces and factors that help get it together.

If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you would like to share your thoughts with others you may click on the box below.

It's good to be back home from General Conference and it was great being back at church this Sunday morning (when this report was written).

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Thursday's Thoughts

2008-05-01T12:03:00.002-06:00

Well, things have gotten a little interesting since I last wrote. There have been two protests and the Conference is in some confusion about its future. We are struggling with what to do about the non-US churches and how to move into the future with them. We may have to establish regional Methodist Conferences so each country can write a book of rule that will pertain only to their country's churches.

I finally was able to get on the floor to say something to the 1000 delegates. We were working to remove the language in the Discipline that says, "Homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." I wanted to state in the Discipline that some people in our church believe that but others disagree with it. I pointed out that four years ago Bill Hinson (conservative pastor of First Church in Houston) and Bruce Robbins (liberal pastor of Hennipen Avenue Church in Minnesota) put together a joint declaration that stated we were in disagreement about homosexuality but we were not going to stop being a United Methodist Church. The vote was close but what I wanted to happen didn't happen. In other words the statement will still be in the Book of Discipline saying "Homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching."

If our church can ever move beyond this we can do wonderful things together. Some progress has been made but there is more to be done.

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Monday's thoughts

2008-04-27T21:04:00.002-06:00

Report from General Conference
By Charles Schuster

Well, we are half way through the meeting and so far there have been some interesting moments. One of the unofficial groups in the denomination (The Good News Group) purchased cell phones for all the non-US delegates so they could "text-message" information as to how they should vote. Since the non-US delegates comprise 30% of the 1000 people that is not a small issue. Some of us consider this activity over the edge and inappropriate.

The worship services and sermons are wonderful and the debate has been friendly and we have been able to be agreeable with each other so far.

I don't think they will change the legislation on gay clergy and will continue to prohibit their ordination. We might take the phrase "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching" out of the book of law but I suspect it will remain.

We are struggling with budget issues and what to do about declining income. I think they will allow bishops to remain as bishops until they are 72 years old and they may extend the retirement age for clergy as well.

Most of the really interesting legislation has not come to the floor of the Conference. It has all been done in legislative committees of about 100 members. My legislative committee had three Russians, one Angolan, a man from Denmark (who knew all about the Marcusan Organ company), and several from several other African countries. The international aspect of this meeting is dominant.

Tomorrow (Monday) things will begin to get interesting. I will try to write on occasion so you can have some idea what's happening.

If you have questions about General Conference or anything else send me an email. I will be happy to hear from you.

Charles Schuster

Next Sunday is Youth Sunday. I return Saturday and will be in the Samaritan Class to talk about this event. I look forward to coming home.

Friday's thoughts

2008-04-18T09:31:00.002-06:00

What does it mean to be a saint? a royal priesthood? God's own people?
Two things:
1. It means we know we haven't arrived. We are in the process of arriving. We are moving on to perfection but we are not perfect. We know we have work to do but we are encouraged to do the work that needs to be done. We know who we are and we are aware of whom we can become. So much religion is a put down. I think the intent of Christian nurture is to lift up; to cause to move forward.
2. It means we have developed the tenacity to persevere. We keep on keeping on and we never quit. We work hard and when we are discouraged that just means we work a little harder. We know that we're in it for the long haul. It's a marathon; not a sprint.

We are a royal priesthood. The saints who have gone before us have paved the way for us. They have made our path a little easier to travel. They have taken on some of the battles we won't have to face.

We are a royal priesthood; we are probationary saints. Sometimes it seems others have made footprints in the contreet ; while we see ourselves as running barefoot through wet cement.

Out my window is the columbarium where the ashes of some of the saints are interred. On the other side of my office is the church sanctuary where hundreds of probationary saints meet every week trying to determine what can be learned from the people who have gone before us; trying to be patient with ourselves and working to persevere to the end what we had started in the beginning.

If you have thoughts on this subject I'd be pleased to hear from you. Contact me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Wednesday's thoughts

2008-04-16T14:42:00.002-06:00

"And Yet Those Saints Keep Marching On"
"God, Give Me Patience, Now"

There are people who have gone before us who have made footprints in the cement. The Grauman's Chinese Theater established this tradition of having their movie stars put their footprints in the cement. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were the first to do that but the tradition continues to this day.

The saints, who have gone before us, have made footprints in the cement, but we are leaving so little of a permanent nature in the chronicle of time. It's as if we are running barefoot through wet cement.

There is a Biblical text that says, "We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. God's own people, in that we may proclaim the mighty acts of God who called us out of darkness into God's light. Once we were not a people, but now we are God's people; once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10).

What do we do with the fact that there are people who have made such a difference in their lives, and we seem not to have done much?

How do we praise them for their accomplishments and have patience with ourselves so that we will have a chance to make our accomplishments?

The issue Sunday is patience, and praise, and meaning in life.
Have you done 1. great things? 2. good things? 3.nothing? 4. bad things?

How do our lives stack up as compared to the saints who have gone before us?
If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you would like to be in a public conversation with me and others click on the box below and your response will be able to be viewed.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

2008-04-13T06:50:00.002-06:00

Sunday, April 20th

"And Still The Saints Go Marching In"

I want to have us take a look at what it means to live out, to the fullest extent, the essence and meaning of the Christian faith. I want to have us think about the people who have been an example for us of what that has been for them and what that is for us.

There are two biblical texts that speak to us on this subject.

The first one is from Acts 7 and it is the story of the murder of Stephen. Stephen was one of the first Christian martyrs. A martyr is a man or woman who witnesses his or her faith. In this case Stephen was stoned for his faith and as he died he forgave his killers. One of the people who was involved was Paul. Paul held the coats of the people who murdered Stephen. We would have to imagine that witness was a huge influence on Paul. And Paul became one of the most important heroes in the expression and the expansion of the Christian faith. His conversion was noted as he walked the road to Damascus but I wonder if the witness of Stephen didn't play an important role as well.

The other text is from 1 Peter 2. It is that section that calls us a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, and God's own people". The saints keep marching in when we realize that the obligation comes to us and the examples we have from the people who have gone before us provide incentive for us to follow in their footsteps.

Sunday, I want us to think about the people who have been role models for us and how we have been given direction in our lives by their example.

Who did that for you?
Who were the saints of your past?
How does their example inform your action?

Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net or click on the blog at the bottom of the page to add your thoughts to these comments.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Wednesday's thoughts

2008-04-09T09:05:00.002-06:00

Sunday, April 13th is Confirmation Sunday. This is the day the youth who have been part of the Confirmation Class join the church. Joel may be putting something about the sermon and the service on the 'Build a sermon' or he may not be able to find time to do that. He is busy writing his sermon and meeting with each member of the class.

Our Confirmation Class process is one of the best I've seen. They have been meeting over a period of time and have had an opportunity to explore issues of faith in depth. They have studied our church, its structures, our worship. They have explored theological issues and have been challenged to deepen their faith. They have looked at the broad view of how the United Methodist Church works and have considered some of the struggles we have as a denomination.

I had the privilege of meeting with the Confirmation class a few weeks ago. I presented some of the General Conference petitions to the class and had them debate and vote on them. I was impressed with the careful approach to the questions I gave them and the processes they used to arrive at their conclusions. They would have made great delegates.

We are very fortunate to have Joel working with our confirmation youth. They are receiving a wonderful theological foundation and will enter into membership with an approach to religion that has substance and depth.

If you would like to learn more about the Confirmation Class write Joel at jkershaw@fcfumc.net

Charles

Friday's thoughts

2008-04-04T08:23:00.004-06:00

"I am neither for or against apathy"
Apathy is one of the biggest problems we have. I leads to an unreflective life; and it leads to all kinds of problems in society and in the world when people allow things to happen and do not make any effort to take responsibility.

Apathy also leads to boredom in life. It leads to an attitude that allows us to live through our days and merely exist; not really live.

Three things will help us with apathy:
1. To wake up to something new by moving away from the routine we accept.
2. To open up to the possibility that there is more we can give than we know we have to give.
3. To participate in a community of faith, and to find a way to realize that everything we do has rammifications. We can make things better in the world if we work together.

Apathy is an important and serious problem.

How do you confront apathy in your life. Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

2008-04-04T08:23:00.001-06:00

Wednesday's thoughts

2008-04-02T14:50:00.002-06:00

"We Stand Neither For or Against Apathy"
This sermon will try to address a major problem in our faith. It is the issue of drifting through life; of waiting for things to happen and doing nothing to make them happen.

An argument could be made that Jesus viewed his mission as confronting the issue of apathy. He was more concerned with what happens when we allow our lives to fold back into nothingness and meaninglessness. Life is to be lived; not tolerated. It is to be savored; not just allowed. You could link apathy with sin; you could link it with injustice; you could link it with evil.

Someone said once that evil isn't the result of bad people doing bad things; it is the result of good people who become indifferent to the bad things that happen.

The sermon will take off on three directions and it will be based on three things Jesus said to people with frequency:
1. He said, "When you think we're all in the same boat, get out of the boat".
2. He said, "When you think you don't have anything worth giving, reach into your pockets; it's more than you know."
3. He said, "When you are looking for spiritual food, let's go over to your house and have dinner."

Apathy can be confronted if we are willing to risk, and if we are able to give of ourselves, and if we are prepared to listen to the "still small voice".

How do you confront apathy in your life and how do you think our faith prepares us to confront it?
Write me at Charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. You may want to respond to this blog with a comment that others could see by clicking on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

2008-03-30T09:26:00.002-06:00

"Walking Barefoot Through Wet Cement"

Most of the people who have been influential in our lives have been subtle in their influence. It usually isn't dramatic and bold but soft and quiet. It isn't something that is overwhelming but it comes to us almost as a whisper.

The disciples, for example, recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. It wasn't what he said. It wasn't how he looked. It wasn't anything of a bold clue they picked up on. It was the way he broke the bread. It caused them to remember the last Supper when he took the bread and gave thanks and offered it to them.

I will think through with you next Sunday, April 6th, the influences on our lives and the ways in which we have influence on the lives of the people around us.

Who have been the people of influence on your life and how was that influence brought about?

If you have thoughts about this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you would like others to read your response see the box below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Tuesday's Thoughts on the sermon

2008-03-25T08:41:00.001-06:00

This Sunday our scriptures will be John 20:19-21 and John 21:1-14.
This is a follow-up of the Easter message, with an emphasis on the struggle for Jesus to be believable after his resurrection. I will emphasize the several appearances of Jesus to his Followers and Disciples, and their disbelief in his being real and alive.
How would we have reacted had we been there for the many events of Holy Week and thereafter? It is so easy to just read the story, to keep it at a distance, to NOT live it. What would we have done after the crucifixion? Where would we have gone? What would we have thought and felt? And, would we have been in denial that Jesus, whom we saw crucified, is now walking on the road to Emmaus with us, or knocking on our door and saying, "Peace be with you", or shouting at us while we are on the Sea of Tiberius trying to catch fish?
It he is real and alive, then how do we "be the message"?
Some ideas will be forthcoming on Sunday. Hope to see you.
David

Friday's thoughts

2008-03-21T10:35:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking about the meaning of Easter and what it does for us. In reflecting on the resurrection of Jesus and the "radical" regrouping of the disciples after the crucifixion, it seems to me that a part of the Easter message is unfinished until we complete it. It is not fulfilled until Christian believers act upon it.

There has been much made of the words of Pastor Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's minister. It seems that the pastor said some things in a context and to a congregation that seem extreme and inflammatory. It is evident that that has had an influence on the candidacy of Barack Obama. It will be interesting to see where that leads and what that damage that does.

I've been thinking about three Reverend Wright's and what they have said:

The first Reverend Wright was the father of two boys and he heard a speech delivered by a college president who said he was confident the human race was capable of wonderful things. He imagined that human beings would be able to fly like birds. Reverend Wright objected to this outlandish notion and said, "Flying is reserved for angels and we shouldn't be taking such nonsense." Reverend Wright had two sons, Orville and Wilbur. They proved him wrong at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

The second Reverend Wright is a Biblical scholar. He was thinking about the resurrection and he wrote, "The message of the resurrection is that this world matters. God is not prepared to tolerate such things." N.T. Wright is a New Testament scholar who sees the imperative that Easter presents to us about how the world is and how the world is supposed to be.

The third Reverend Wright is the pastor of a church here in Fort Collins. He wrote an article in the Coloradoan in which he said, "Jesus taught a terror-filled people that God's love - inclusive unconditional - casts out fear, makes room for differences and conversations, and transforms relationships of brokenness, indifference, and domination." Jeff Wright is pastor of Heart of the Rockies Disciples of Christ Church.

There are ideas people have about various things including the meaning of Easter. We may debate what happened and how it might have happened. We may disagree about what is important and what is not important related to the fact that some think the resurrection is physical and others see it as a spiritual presence. What we cannot ignore or get away from is the fact that Easter is not something we witness, but something that calls us to participate. There are no spectators at the empty tomb. Something if being asked of us.

Exactly what is being asked of is we will have to determine. I hope to work with that in the two sermons on Easter Sunday. If you have thoughts write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net

Easter Sunday worship 6am Sunrise in the Parlor facing east.
Easter Worship in the sanctuary 8:00, 9:30, 11:00

I look forward to seeing you or hearing from you at my email address.

Charles

Wednesday's thoughts

2008-03-19T13:52:00.002-06:00

This week there are two sermons I'm writing. One of them for the 6am sunrise service and the other for the three remaining services on Sunday morning. The services in the sanctuary are at 8, 9:30, and 11:00.

There are two thoughts I have been working through this week. The first comes from the reading in Luke 24:1-12. "When Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James told the apostles (that they had seen the Risen Christ), the story appeared to them to be nonsense, and they would not believe them". One of the translations suggest that the Easter story is "an idle tale". I want to look at that. I want to consider the Easter story as an idle tale or as nonsense. What makes Easter credible? What makes this story something we can embrace. It seems to me important that if we approach Easter with the attitude that says, "it is what it is", we won't get much out of it. But if we approach it with the attitude that says, "it is more that what it appears to be" we will see things we would otherwise miss. In that sermon (the one at 6am) I'm going to look for seeing if we can find more than it appears to be.

The other services on Easter Sunday draw from the text in John 20:1-18. We find this exchange between Mary and Jesus (the Risen Christ). "Thinking it was the gardener, she said, 'If it is you, sir, who removed him, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.' Jesus said, 'Mary!" She turned to him and said, 'Rabbuni' (which is the Hebrew word for My Master). Jesus said, 'Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to God.'"

What is happening here is important. Jesus is telling Mary, and all of us, not to hold onto him. He is encouraging us to think about Easter as a time when we look beyond him and his life and death on the cross and begin to be about the work that was his. Jesus will only be resurrected from the dead if the people who follow him stop holding onto him, and get about doing the things he tried to accomplish.

Those two texts and those two sermons are the source of the effort this week. Is it an idle tale and a lot of nonsense? What does it mean to refrain from holding onto him?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

2008-03-16T16:35:00.002-06:00

Easter Sunday, March 23rd

Easter is the high point of the year. It is a time when the church and all of us Christians realize there are forces and factors above us and beyond us that we must give due notice.

I have the privilege of preaching two sermons Sunday; one at 6am, and the other at 8, 9:30, and 11:00. It will be a special Sunday, as usual. We will have the flowering of the cross in the final two services, we will have a church full of people, and we will, once more, heat a message that is central to our faith. We will hear it in the readings; in the scripture, in the hymns, the anthems, and the sermons.

When I was in Divinity School we had to select an area of study and I chose homiletics (preaching). We were required to write a major paper in our area and I selected to write my paper on the great professor of homiletics, Edmund Steimle. Steimle taught at Union Theological seminary in New York. He was a great preacher and a great teacher. His sermons were some of the best I ever read or heard. I got hold of as many of his sermons as I could and as many of his books as I could find and from his sermons I extracted where I thought he was theologically. I really enjoy doing that project and my advisor at Duke was very complimentary and encouraging.

Several years ago Dr. Steimle's wife died on the Saturday before Easter. On Easter Sunday he went to church. Someone asked him why he had gone to church at such a difficult time. His answer is what Easter is all about. He said, "On that Easter Sunday, after my wife died, I wasn't sure I believed in the resurrection. I went to church, not because I believed in the Easter message, but I wanted to be around people who believed it."

Easter provides a contagion of belief that is supported only be a community of faith. What we each have to doubt others will be quick to affirm. The message is this:

1. There is no death that is stronger than love.
2. There is no despair that can defeat hope.
3. There is no defeat that is total as long as there is faith.

"Christ the Lord is Risen Today" : Charles Wesley wrote it
Sunday we will sing it.
On Easter we will all believe it (one way or another)

See you on Easter

If you have thoughts about Easter Sunday write me at Charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Friday's thoughts

2008-03-13T16:02:00.002-06:00

Jesus as the 'son of David'

The implications of this are many. The realization that Jesus was in the lineage of David gives us the benefit of the heroics of those who have gone before us. They are our primary example for how we live a life of courage. David facing down the giant Goliath may have influenced the courage Jesus found to take his stand in Jerusalem. He was, after all, the son of David and David did, after all, stand up to the giant in battle.

Secondly, the sense that those who have gone before us have flaws is not waisted on us. We know our heroes are not perfect, and it is important to understand that while we can find courage to do as they did, we can find the wisdom to avoid making the mistakes that they made. David gave into temptation when he saw Bathsheba on the roof. He arranged for her husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle so he could be with her. It was a national scandal. Jesus was of the 'house of David' and he knew this sad chapter in David's life. When he was tempted in the wilderness he did not give in. He remained faithful to his values; faithful to doing what he thought was right. He rejected the idea of political power, and he turned away from the power of magic. He was to live his life as a suffering servant not a conquoring combatant.

Finally, Jesus was witness to the good that David did and he saw his task to fulfill it in his life. David and Jesus were part of the flow of goodness and mercy that filled their lives and transcended their time on earth.

There are people who have gone before us. We are the following people. They have shown us courage, but they were not perfect. They have given us the sense that something more is being asked of us and we can pick up where they left off and move forward the cause of peace and love and hope.

There are other influences David had on Jesus' life. I submit that it is something we want to pay attention to in order to see how one life influences another, and to look at our own lives to see what has influenced us.

If you have thoughts about this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Wednesday's thoughts

2008-03-12T11:28:00.002-06:00

What I've been working through in my mind this week is the comparison between Jesus and David; how they are alike and how they differ.
This is some of what I've found:
1. David was a military leader who made many conquests for his people, and Jesus was a peace maker who worked to bring people together and who tried to help people learn of love their enemies.
2. David had many wives and there was a part of his story that involved Bathsheba. It was a national scandal. David had many offspring. Jesus never married although there is some speculation that Jesus did marry Mary Magdalene. I don't see much credible evidence in that.
3. David was brave in conquest. He stood up to Goliath, a frightening foe, and he defeated him with a sling shot. Jesus was brave in confrontation. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He came with only weapon; the truth of the Gospel.
4. David lived to an old age. He made a name for himself. Jesus died at age 33. His death was premature. He, too, made a name for himself.

There are other similarities and differences between David and Jesus. When it is said that Jesus is the "son of David" it is a statement about the lineage and influence of Israel's greatest hero on the author of the Christian faith.

Do you see other similarities or ways in which the influence is compelling? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Monday's thoughts

2008-03-09T12:19:00.002-06:00

"Jesus Davidson"

In the sermon for Palm Sunday I want to look at what it means for Jesus to be known as the "Son of David". As he rode into town in a donkey in one of the Gospel accounts people were shouting, "Hosanna, blessed is the Son of David".

I want to look at what that means that Jesus is in the lineage of David. I will take a look at the story of David and Goliath. I will have us think about the courage of Jesus and the courage of David, and the subtle influence it had on Jesus to be in the family tree that led back to David.

David was a fighter and a military leader. David was a leader of large numbers of people. Jesus was a peace maker and his influence steadily decreased the further along he got in his ministry.

What about our heritage influences us; knowingly or unknowingly? Does it matter if there are well known people in our family tree? Do we try to emulate them?

I'd like to know what you think about this. If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.

If you would like others to view your message you can indicate that by responding below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Friday's thoughts

2008-03-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

"Jesus was the "son of Mary"
The implications of this are less clear than they might be, and I have tried to take a scan of some of the ways in which Jesus and Mary's lives intersect. The temptation is to make Mary a saint to the point we don't deal with her seriously. I want to avoid that.

There seem to be three times in Jesus' life when he and Mary's lives were united and determinative and influential to each other.

a. When the Madonna thought about the Messiah. It is probably true (I wouldn't know, of course) that every mother thinks her child is the solution to the problems in the world. Mary heard voices. She thought Jesus would do wonderful things for his people. Did she knew where it would lead for him? I doubt she knew it would lead to the cross.

b. When he was thirty-years-old they went to a wedding at Cana, and they ran out of wine. Jesus really hadn't taken off with his life at this point. Mary was a "mother" and Jesus was "the master", and Mary without hesitation began ordering her son around, and you could tell from the dialogue he was annoyed with her. She wanted him to get on with the purpose of his life.

c. The final scene was one that was stark and sad. Mary stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus had made his witness in Jerusalem; he was the martyr. Jesus was the "martyr" and Mary was the "mourner". I have been surprise that, as vocal and bossy as she was at Cana when she told Jesus to turn water into wine, Mary was silent when Jesus made the decision to go into Jerusalem and she said nothing while she stood at the foot of the cross.

Some writers have thought Mary had come to see she could do nothing about the crucifixion, but she could do something about the factors that led to it. Some have imagined Mary spent the remainder of her life trying to confront hatred, anger, jealousy, meanness, prejudice, and dispair.

Maybe that's why we are inclined to make Mary a saint. She spent her life trying to make certain Jesus was the last person ever crucified.

What do you think?

If you have a response to this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles