SERMON TITLE: “The Holy Who?”
SERMON TEXT: John 14:15-27 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: June 12, 2022, at First UMC INTRODUCTION There’s an old story about a family that had a pet parakeet. The day came when the parakeet died. Of course, the three small children were quite sad. To help them with their grief, their mother suggested that they have a burial service for the dead bird. The children had recently attended their great grandfather’s funeral, so they had some ideas about how it should be done. The first step was to place the bird in a little box. Their dad helped them dig a grave in a carefully-chosen spot in the corner of the yard. As they solemnly prepared for the interment, the mother guided the eldest child to read a couple verses from the Bible. Next, the middle child held the boxed bird over the grave and made some comments about what a good pet the parakeet had been. Then, the youngest child gave the final blessing: “In the name of the Father, and in the Son, and in the hole he goes.”1 In the “hole he” what? In the Holy who? Most of us don’t say “Holy Ghost” any more. Our 21st century sensibilities prefer the term “Holy Spirit.” But even when we clear that up, we recognize that confusion about the divine spirit isn’t limited to little children. Some of the words we use to describe the Holy Spirit aren’t easy to understand, even for adults. Last Sunday, we read about how the Holy Spirit came with the power of wind, fire, and languages on the Day of Pentecost. But in today’s reading from John chapter 14, Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as a Paraclete. You might think that sounds like parakeet birds or like a pair of cleats you’d wear while playing baseball, but it’s really a Greek word which describes the Holy Spirit. Depending on which translation of the Bible you read, you’ll get a different translation of that Greek word Paraclete. The New Revised Standard Version, which Victoria just read for us uses the word Advocate. The King James Version uses the word Comforter. The New International Version uses the word Counselor. I’d like for us to consider these definitions of the word Paraclete, so we can get a good sense of who the Holy Spirit is. Continue reading
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SERMON TITLE: “Blessed Memories of the Righteous”
SERMON TEXT: Proverbs 10:1-12 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: May 29, 2022, at First UMC INTRODUCTION On Friday, I drove over by Evergreen Memorial Park on Monroe Blvd. I went out of my way just a little bit so I could see the flags and flowers that were accumulating there. If I had been farther south, I would have driven by the Ogden Cemetery on 20th Street or the Aultorest Memorial Park at Leavitt’s on 36th Street. Even though I don’t have any family members buried here in Ogden, on Memorial Day weekends I always feel drawn to cemeteries. The older I get, the more powerful this instinct seems to be. As I think of my aunts and cousins making their annual pilgrimage to our hometown cemetery in Montana, I feel a longing to participate in that great remembrance of people now deceased. Like others adorning plots with flowers and flags, I want to remember and honor those whose names appear on the grave stones. I know Memorial Day was originally intended to be a day for decorating the graves of soldiers who had died in war. But, in my experience, Memorial Day has become a great time for remembering all our loved ones who have passed on before us, whether they died in war or not. No matter how our predecessors lived and why they died, all their lives have interesting stories and lessons to teach us. Sometimes those lessons are positive examples, and sometimes they’re warnings of what we should avoid doing. If we’re willing to pay attention and remember those lessons, then maybe we can put them into practice. By remembering our dead, maybe we can improve our own lives, and someone will have reason to love and honor us when we’ve passed away. This opportunity of learning from our predecessors is exactly what we find in Proverbs 10:1-12. There, in verse seven, we see that “the memory of the righteous is a blessing.” Assuming that all of us would like to be remembered positively, let’s dig into this text and see how we can shape our lives to become a righteous memory that will bless others after we’re gone. Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Robed in White”
SERMON TEXT: Revelation 7:9-17 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: May 22, 2022, at First UMC INTRODUCTION Due to current events in the news about the abortion debate, it’s quite likely that you’ve had a recent thought or two about the U.S. Supreme Court. If you’re like me, you picture them in your mind as nine justices dressed in black robes. If you’re up to speed on those folks, you know that the U.S. Supreme Court currently consists of six men and three women. Of the nine, one is African American and one is Hispanic. Geographically, only two of the nine come from states west of the Mississippi. In regard to religious affiliation, two are Jewish, six are Catholic, and one is Episcopalian. After Justice Stephen Breyer retires in June, and Justice Ketanji Jackson fills his spot, there will be four women, two African Americans, and two Protestants. It isn’t only the Senate Judiciary Committee that is interested in the background of these nine important people. Because their experiences influence their view of the law, and because their rulings determine so much about our American lives, it helps us to know something about who these persons are. Now I want you to make a mental shift. Go from nine people wearing black robes to a great heavenly multitude dressed in white robes. According to Revelation 7:13, it isn’t a lawyer or politician who poses the heavenly question, but an elder who asks, “Who are they, and where did they come from?” Let’s take a closer look at Revelation 7 and see if we can find an answer. Who are these people robed in white? Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Jesus’ Friends”
SERMON TEXT: John 15:5-17 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: May 15, 2022, at First UMC INTRODUCTION On Thursday morning, I drove over to Community United Methodist Church and picked up Rev. Steve Reinhard. We then drove to Salt Lake City, where we met up with 11 other United Methodist clergy colleagues in a restaurant. We had a nice lunch and lots of conversation as we caught up on happenings in our churches and families. One of our group will soon be retiring, one will be moving to a new church in Colorado, and one is becoming the District Superintendent of the Montana West District. So we were also offering congratulations, and wishing our friends well as we sent them on their way. One of the beauties of the United Methodist connectional system is that good-byes are rarely final. The one who is retiring will be moving to Nevada, but I will see him in June at Annual Conference in Helena and maybe at other some annual conferences in the future. And the two who are moving to Colorado and Montana will still be in our Mountain Sky Conference, so there will be lots of opportunities to interact and do ministry with them in the future. We United Methodist clergy have a special bond with one another. None of us are members of a local church. Our membership is with the conference. So, even though we might move from one church to another and even from one state to another, we stay in relationship with our colleagues over decades of ministry. We love our reunions because we are like sisters and brothers and cousins. Most certainly we are like friends. Today’s sermon is on the subject of friendship—specifically, on friendship with Jesus. Let’s check out these verses in John 15 and see what it would mean for us to be Jesus’ friends. Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Mothers of the Church”
SERMON TEXT: Romans 16:1-16 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: May 8, 2022 (Mother’s Day and UWF Sunday) INTRODUCTION The big news of this past week was the leak of the U.S. Supreme Court’s draft decision on overturning Roe vs. Wade. No matter what you think about that, you might be interested to know that 60% of U.S. women who get abortions are already mothers to one or more children. Whether you approve of abortion or not, you can probably understand that those women who are also typically poor have quite often resorted to abortion because they don’t want to further jeopardize the life of the children they already have.1 In the history of humanity, motherhood has rarely been easy. Very often, mothers have to make seemingly impossible choices between short-term needs and long-term plans, between earning an income and spending time with their children, between physical and mental health, and sometimes between life and life. Pregnancies have often occurred in difficult situations and have involved huge sacrifices during the nine months of gestation, for the 18 or so years of child rearing, and for lifetimes of care and concern after that. For sure, motherhood has involved a great deal of risk and heartache, along with significant joy, love, and dedication. Mothers are amazing people who have both sacrificed for us and blessed us. That’s why we celebrate mothers today. And that’s why I’ve chosen for us to consider the biblical text of Romans 16, which is jam-packed with the names of women who were giving leadership in the first decades of Christianity. I invite you to join me in being inspired by some rather amazing mothers of the church. Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Recognizing Jesus”
SERMON TEXT: Luke 24:13-35 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: May 1, 2022, at First UMC INTRODUCTION One of my frequent experiences is that I’ll start watching a movie or TV program and I’ll see an actor or actress who seems familiar. Even if their costume, hair color, whiskers, or time in history is quite different from anything I’ve seen with them before—the sound of their voice, a certain mannerism, or the shape of their nose seems like I should know them. If I can’t figure it out right away, it bugs me until I do. Maybe you’ve had that same kind of experience. It seems that we human beings are hardwired to try to recognize other people. Of course, that doesn’t mean we always succeed. Those of us who have ever gone to a class reunion know that sometimes even little changes can cause us not to recognize people. Weight gain or loss, balding, graying hair, dentures, and glasses are probably the most common changes that throw us off track. A few people might even have gotten a facelift. All those changes can make it difficult to recognize old friends. With that in mind, now imagine what it would be like to see someone who had been raised from the dead. On Easter morning, just outside Jesus’ tomb, Mary mistook Jesus for the gardener. And, on Easter evening, two disciples on the Road to Emmaus had no idea that they were talking and walking for miles with the risen Jesus himself. Only after they heard him explain the scriptures, and only after Jesus broke the bread, did they finally realize who he was. If identifying Jesus was that hard back then, just a few days after his crucifixion, imagine how difficult it is for us today. With all that has changed in language and culture over 2000 years, how can we even be sure we’re worshiping the right one? How do we go about recognizing Jesus? Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Peace Be with You”
SERMON TEXT: John 20:19-31 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: April 24, 2022, at First UMC INTRODUCTION I hope it was meaningful for you to hear the Bell Tones play the Ukrainian National Anthem. When I first read the translation of the lyrics, I almost cried. Those are such powerful words: “Ukraine is not yet dead . . . Our enemies will vanish . . . we . . . will rule in our land . . . [and] we’ll not spare either our souls or bodies to get freedom.” No wonder the Ukrainian soldiers and citizens have such a will to stand up against the Russian aggression. No wonder they want so much to restore their land to peace. Something else in today’s worship music inspired me. You probably didn’t notice this, but the hymn, “Christ Is Risen,” is sung to a traditional Polish tune. I thought that was a nice detail. The violence, chaos, and upheaval in Ukraine has been so horrific for the refugees who have been fleeing, but the generous help of the Polish people has provided tremendous compassion and peace. What the world needs now is peace—in Ukraine, in the Middle East, in U.S. cities where there are endless shootings, and in so many other places. And hasn’t it always been that way—since the first family, when Cain killed his brother Abel? I suppose that’s why Jesus said what he did to his disciples when he appeared to them on Easter evening. In the past few days they had experienced the trauma of his crucifixion, and then Jesus’ body had disappeared from the tomb. Mary Magdalene had reported seeing and talking with Jesus, but the others didn’t know what to make of that. Their thoughts and emotions would have been in a horrible jumble. And, so, they were hiding behind locked doors, afraid for their lives. And that’s when the resurrected Jesus appeared and said, “Peace be with you.” Because we all long for physical, emotional, and spiritual peace, let’s take a look at John, chapter 20. Let’s see how we too can receive the blessing of God’s peace. Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Resurrection Faith”
SERMON TEXT: John 20:1-18 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: April 17, 2022 (Easter) at First UMC INTRODUCTION On Thursday, I read a news article about some Russian citizens who have been punished for speaking out against the war in Ukraine. Those who have tried to raise public awareness have been subjected to arrest, detention, and fines. The Russian government has been trying to suppress and contain any messages other than their official version of events. Like the ancient authorities tried to silence Jesus by crucifying him and sealing him in a tomb, the Putin administration is hoping to lock up and close off any communications of peace and sympathy toward the Ukrainians. One of the persons the Putin government tried to silence was a Russian Orthodox priest who spoke to his tiny congregation “about the pain he felt over people” dying in Ukraine. Somehow the authorities found out, and they fined him 35,000 rubles. The officials hoped that this punishment would silence the priest’s message. Ironically, however, the news of his maltreatment has instead “spread his message far beyond the dozen or so people who initially heard his sermon . . . ‘It’s impossible to call it anything other than the providence of God,’” the priest reported. Because of the government’s reaction, “’The words that I said reached a much larger number of people.’”1 Like Jesus on Easter morning, the truth can’t be contained. Over and over again, God always finds a way to open the grave and restore life. It certainly isn’t easy to see in the midst of bombing and crucifixion. In the days and hours before the stone is rolled away from the tomb, a period of trauma and doubt is understandable. There will be a time of grieving and despair. There may be an interval in which it seems like God is not present or listening. For a while, it may even seem like the powers of darkness and evil are winning the battle. But, deep inside that dark tomb, God is at work, preparing a miracle. On this Easter morning, I invite you to look with me at the story in John 20. Like Jesus’ first followers, let’s see how we today can find assurance and strength in this resurrection faith. Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Meditations on the Cross: The Redemption of God”
SERMON TEXT: Colossians 1:9-14, 19-20 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: April 10, 2022 at First UMC INTRODUCTION Because I’ve been preaching a series of meditations on the cross, Karen Miller brought me a cross that had been given to her as a gift from Sylvia Brooks. You may not be able to see it well from where you are, but this cross is decorated with the treble clef musical symbol. Along with the cross came a cardboard tag that Karen never removed because it holds a Musician’s Prayer that goes like this: When music is a prayer, a sacred melody, it’s like a special love song, a perfect harmony. A heart that’s filled with music, whose love for God is strong, is the heart that’s full of worship, and whose life becomes a song. Music certainly is a prayer of worship. The Psalms, which today we usually think of as something to read, were actually songs that the Jewish people sang. So, on Palm Sunday, as the Passover celebrants waved their branches and processed along the parade route through the gates of Jerusalem, the crowd was also singing Psalm 118: “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!” Those worshipers were singing a traditional song of their faith, and they were praying for God’s salvation to come. We don’t really know what they expected. On that parade day when they hailed Jesus as their savior and king, did they know that they would soon be shouting “Crucify him!”? Did they know that their salvation would come through Jesus’ death on a cross? All through this Lenten season we’ve been pondering what exactly happened when Jesus died. In so many ways, it was a horrific and unjust tragedy. And yet, God was able to take the foolishness of the cross and turn it into the power and wisdom of God. We’ve also seen how the cross offers us salvation through the love of God, the Lamb of God, and the Great High Priest of God. Last Sunday, we talked about how the cross helps us experience the reconciliation of God in our vertical relationship with Christ and in our horizontal relationships with other people. And today, in this final sermon in this series, I invite you to consider our scripture text from Colossians, chapter one. Let’s see how the cross leads us to the redemption of God. Continue reading SERMON TITLE: “Meditations on the Cross: The Reconciliation of God”
SERMON TEXT: 2 Corinthians 5:11 – 6:2 PREACHER: Rev. Kim James OCCASION: April 3, 2022, at First UMC INTRODUCTION This week some indigenous leaders from Canada met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Their meetings started on Monday and continued through Friday. The indigenous people hoped that their many conversations with the pope would lead to an official apology for the harm done to native children in the boarding schools that were managed by the Roman Catholic Church. “The former head of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada” has estimated “that more than 6,000 children died or vanished over the decades that the schools were in operation.” That’s why the indigenous leaders of Canada reached out to Pope Francis and invited him “to join them in a journey for reconciliation.” Pope Francis gave them hope, when he responded to their invitation with the three English words: “truth, justice, and healing.”1 Then on Friday, Pope Francis spoke the actual words of apology that the indigenous people had wanted to hear. Acts of reparation and a papal visit and apology on Canadian soil are yet to come. But this week was a significant step toward reconciliation.2 Since the beginning of Lent, we’ve been focusing our worship services on various aspects and understandings of the cross. As we’ve meditated on the cross from different angles, we’ve asked ourselves, “Why is the cross so important to our Christian faith? And what exactly happened on the cross that makes our salvation possible?” As we’ve read from different biblical passages, we’ve heard a variety of answers. The weakness and foolishness of the cross became the power and wisdom of God. Jesus was lifted up on the cross as a sign of the love of God. Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb of God. And, last Sunday, we heard how Jesus gave himself on the cross as the Great High Priest of God. Today, I invite you to continue this meditation on the cross with me. In his Second Letter to the Corinthians, let’s see how the Apostle Paul understands the cross as the reconciliation of God. Continue reading |
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