A Midwife for Mary (Christmas Morning)

Written by Veronica Lassen (2005) 

read during worship at Plymouth Congregational Church in Helena Montana

Christmas Morning - December 25, 2016
(click here for the audio for this story)

Of course I gave him “the look”…you know the look. He’s a man and so often forgets the important parts. He’s a good man. I just give him the look to keep him on his toes.

Right now he was about to skip from this young woman being pregnant to a newborn appearing, as if it is that easy – men. Well I’ve something to add.

When I found out about the woman in labor in the stable I hurried out, found the stable boy (my grandson, a good, hard working boy) and sent him to fetch the Midwife. Turns out she was at another birth. It was up to me to attend this young mother. Luckily I’ve helped the midwife at many a birth, so I knew what to do.

A Shepherd’s Story (Christmas Eve)

a Christmas story written and told by Roger Lynn

December 24, 2016

(click here for the audio for this story)

My name is Jonas, son of Jesse, and I am a shepherd. My father was a shepherd, as was his father before him, and so have I been all my life. The life of a shepherd is sometimes lonely and mostly quiet, without much excitement. Usually the most exciting thing that happens is when a lion tries to get one of the sheep. Then things get pretty crazy for a while, but even then nothing you could call real, honest-to-goodness excitement. You know, the kind that makes a real difference in your life. But I want to tell you about one night, a long time ago, when I was only a boy. It’s funny how some things stay with you, but I can still remember that night as if it were only yesterday. 

The Freeing Power of God’s Love (Advent 4)

Isaiah 7: 14-16 & Matthew 1: 18-24

Roger Lynn

December 18, 2016

Fourth Sunday in Advent

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

In a time of political, social and spiritual turmoil and upheaval, the prophet Isaiah longs for the day when people will trust God and seek God’s guidance, rather than depending on the power of military might and political alliances. Isaiah’s vision is outrageous in its simplicity. He dreams of a time a young mother will be bold enough to trust in God’s presence so completely, to trust in God’s ongoing care so implicitly, to trust in the power of God’s love so totally, that she names her child “God is with us!” In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Isaiah proclaims this vision.

As he attempts to tell the story of what Jesus’ life and ministry was really all about, the writer of the Gospel of Matthew chooses to begin by drawing on Isaiah’s vision. The longing is the same. In Jesus, Matthew sees the fulfillment of Isaiah’s dream. We can get all caught up in discussions about biology, and whether or not the ‘virgin birth’ is literally true. Such debates have certainly occupied the time and attention of a great many people down through the years, and no doubt will continue to do so. And I remain convinced that when we stop there we pretty much miss the point. Matthew is trying to tell us something extraordinary about the profound meaning he finds revealed in the life of Jesus. Drawing on the hopes of Isaiah is one of the tools he uses to accomplish that task. All of the pieces of the story which Matthew tells work together to open us up to the reality that God’s love cannot be contained or understood by conventional wisdom or culturally accepted norms. However we understand Mary’s pregnancy, from the outside looking in it would have been nothing less than a scandal. And yet, Matthew describes it as the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Our Longing for Peace (Advent 2)

Isaiah 11: 1-10 & Matthew 3: 1-12

Roger Lynn

December 4, 2016

Second Sunday in Advent

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

On this second Sunday in the season of Advent, when the theme of the day is “Peace,” we recognize that deep within us there is a longing to live in a world which is shaped by peace. Not simply peace as the absence of conflict, but peace as the harmonious, interrelated connection of all that is. We look around at the brokenness, the pain, the violence which rises up at every turn, and we instinctively know that life was meant to be more than this. We see the suffering, we hear the cries for justice, we experience the divisions, and we want desperately for things to be different. In this season when “Peace on Earth” is proclaimed on everything from cards to banners to songs, the contrast between our longings and our reality can be stark and disheartening.

The writer of Isaiah 11 knew something about this longing. Life was hard. The Hebrew people living in Jerusalem were a people at war. Violence was everywhere. And Isaiah knew that such conditions did not represent God’s plan for humanity. He looks back with nostalgic eyes to the glory days of King David’s reign and longs for such days to come again. He dreams of a ruler who will rise up and bring God’s peace to bear in the midst of the turmoil of life. It is a sweeping, majestic vision of peace in which even seemingly natural enemies will find a way to co-exist in harmony. The vision ends with the amazing declaration which Isaiah boldly dares to speak on behalf of God – “They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of God...” (Isaiah 11:9)

Watching & Waiting for What’s Already Here (Advent 1)

Isaiah 64: 1-9 & Mark 13: 24-37

Roger Lynn

November 27, 2016

1st Sunday in Advent

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Today is the first Sunday in Advent – the season in the Church’s calendar which focuses our attention on watching and waiting and preparing. The theme for the first Sunday in this season is “Hope.” For thousands of years people have been hoping and longing for God to come among them and make a difference in their world. And we know about such desires, for they are our desires as well.

So, when I read today’s text from Isaiah I thought, “Oh my – this is our story – this is the story of our world today.” Maybe not you individually, at least not right here in this moment. But certainly all of us collectively who find ourselves in this tumultuous time in history. The world is a mess in more ways than we can even begin to count, and we want God to “tear open the heavens and come down...” We want God to go face to face with God’s adversaries – certain as we so often are that there is such a thing as “enemies” of God. We want someone to blame. We just get confused about who that might be – sometimes even sounding like children who ever so quickly shout, “I didn’t do it – it’s not my fault!” “You were angry, God, and so we sinned.” OK, yes, we made a mess of things – but it’s only because God left us and we got lost and scared. Where is God anyway? We even know what it is to plead with God as Isaiah did. “Do not be exceedingly angry, O God, and do not remember our iniquity forever. Remember instead that we are your people. Remember that you care for us.” As I read Isaiah’s prayer and reflected also on our own similar prayers, I couldn’t help wondering who he was trying to convince – God or himself?

Remembering to Celebrate

Deuteronomy 26: 1-11 & Philippians 4: 4-9

Roger Lynn

November 20, 2016

Thanksgiving Sunday

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

We forget! We get busy. We get distracted. We get overwhelmed. And we forget to celebrate the blessings of life. The blessings don’t stop coming just because we forget. Indeed, it is my firm conviction that we live abundant lives in an abundant world. The bounteous gifts of God are beyond measure or comprehension. But all too often we forget to notice. And in so doing our experience of life is diminished. Our experience of God is diminished. It’s a bit like starving in a room full of gourmet food because we were too busy or too distracted to look around and notice that the feast was there. Remembering to celebrate keeps us in touch with the fullness of life and helps us integrate the blessings into our living. 

Abundant Giving

Deuteronomy 14: 22-29 & 2 Corinthians 9: 6-10

Roger Lynn

November 13, 2016

Stewardship Commitment Sunday

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Last Sunday I warned you that I was preaching a stewardship sermon, and that I would be preaching another one this Sunday. That warning is still in effect. And this week, in contrast with last week, I will actually be talking about giving. So, consider yourself warned.

There is a long list of things I could say in a stewardship sermon about giving. I could tell you that you should give because the church needs the money. I could tell you that you should give because the Bible says so. I could tell you that you should give because it is more blessed to give than to receive. This list could go on and on, and if you have spent very much time in church down through the years then you have probably heard most of them, just like I have. So you will probably be happy to know that I’m not going to go there. I actually think that when it comes to the subject of giving, “should” language isn’t very helpful. Even the Apostle Paul recognized the need for some other way of approaching the topic. “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) If we are giving because we think we “should,” it might raise some funds in the short-term, but we would be a well-funded church without a soul.

Let me be clear. I firmly believe that giving is important – even vital. I believe that the need to give is built in to the very fabric of our being. But it is not something that can be forced. It is not something that can be compelled. True, genuine, abundant, faithful giving is always a response which flows out of our awareness that we have been blessed with abundance and are thus empowered to share abundantly. When giving is about “have to” then we are far less likely to even recognize the abundance or to experience the joy. When giving is about “want to” then both joy and abundance flow naturally into our awareness. 

Abundant Living

Isaiah 55: 1-3 & Philippians 4: 6-13

Roger Lynn

November 6, 2016

Stewardship Emphasis - Part 1

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

In the interest of full-disclosure, I need to warn you that this is a stewardship sermon. In fact, it is the first of two stewardship sermons. I tell you this now because otherwise you might not notice, since there will not be any references to giving. I’ll make up for it next week, but for now you’ll just have to take my word for it – this really is a stewardship sermon.

“I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly!” (John 10:10) That’s what Jesus says in John’s Gospel. Abundant life sounds pretty good. But what does it mean? If we listen to the many and various messages which come to us in our culture today we are likely to understand abundance in terms of stuff. Abundance has to do with owning a big house, fancy cars, the latest technology, the coolest toys. Abundance and opulence have become synonymous. And, to make matters worse, it often plays out as a game of comparison. It isn’t just how much I have, but how much I have compared to someone else. All of this is summed up pretty well in the response which billionaire J. Paul Getty is supposed to have made to the question,  “How much is enough?” His reply, “Just a little bit more!” 

All Saints: Remembering Our Connections

Luke 6: 20-31

Roger Lynn

October 30, 2016
(click here for the audio for this sermon)

We are connected to God and to each other. It is who we are. It is how we are created. It is at the very heart of what it means to be human. When we remember this most basic of truths we tend to experience the fullness of life – abundance, community, support, hope. When we forget this most basic of truths we tend to experience the darker side of life – isolation, fear, frustration, despair. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus speaks of “blessings” and “woes” – the consequences of how we choose to orient our living. Our blessedness is not determined by the outward circumstances of life, but rather by an awareness of our connection with God and with each other. Whatever comes our way, we can face it when we remember that we do not have to pretend to be brave and strong and self-reliant. We do not have to draw exclusively on our own resources. We are most fully and truly blessed when we catch a glimpse of the bigger picture of which we are a part – when we are open to the amazing fullness of who we are. And the flip-side of the blessings also flows from our choice of life orientation. When we lose sight of our connection and fall into the trap of thinking we are self-sufficient, we effectively cut ourselves off from all the benefits of being connected to God and each other. The blessings are still there, but we can’t see them or access them. It’s as if we are standing in a field filled with sunlight, and we choose to close our eyes and stumble around in the dark. If we believe that meaning and purpose and comfort and strength for our living extend no further than our own skin, then woe unto us – we are in for hard times indeed.

More God – Less Fear

Psalm 23 & Acts 2: 42-47

Roger Lynn

October 23, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Seeking a life filled with Sacred Presence! I believe that in one way or another, whether we recognize it or not, by whatever name or description we choose to use, we are all searching for such a life. When we are in touch with the reality of Sacred Presence in our world and in our lives there is a sense of wholeness, because we are living in the fullness of what is most real. When we are not in touch with this reality there is a sense of longing, or emptiness, because our present awareness is out of sync with the deeper, fuller, richer truth which resonates with the core of who we are. And so we come to church – we pray – we read spiritual reflections – we meditate – we engage in a variety of spiritual practices – we go on sacred pilgrimages. Or we don’t. And I am convinced that the shape of our experience in this life reflects the path we choose. Please do not hear me saying that bad things will happen if you don’t pray, or that life will be nothing but sweetness and light if you go to church. I’m not talking about what happens to us in this life. I’m talking about how we experience what happens to us, and what we do with that experience.

Living With Integrity: Connecting Faith & Action

Matthew 23: 1-12

Roger Lynn

October 16, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Jesus had had enough. He just couldn’t take any more. He had watched while the religious leaders in positions of power and authority presented the appearance of faithfulness without having that faithfulness reflected in the actual living of their lives. They were abusing their power and others were suffering as a result. So Jesus takes the courageous step of speaking the truth to power and warns people not to follow the path of their example. In so doing he joins his voice with the prophets of old, who had spoken similar words under similar circumstances several hundred years before. And all these hundreds and thousands of years later, such words still resonate with us because we still see this reality going on around us (and, if we are honest with ourselves, even within us). There is so much disconnection in our world and in our lives, where the values we hold dear are simply not being translated into action. 

What I find attractive about these words from Jesus is not primarily the ‘someone getting what they deserve’ factor (although there is a certain satisfying thrill which I’m not altogether proud of). What I really find hopeful, and where I want to focus my attention, is the awareness which motivates and drives Jesus and all the prophets who came before him. Behind his words is the understanding that the world doesn’t have to be this way, that it is possible to live with integrity, that faith and action can be connected, and that life actually works better when we live in this reality. If the only thing we find in the words of Jesus is someone yelling at the ‘bad’ people, then we probably need to move on, because there isn’t really much enduring value in that. And, in fact, if that’s all there was to it, he likely would not have bothered in the first place. He was seeking fundamental change for the way things are, and was not prone to giving his energy to lost causes. His words have had staying power precisely because another way is possible. Life can be different.

Connections: Remembering Who We Are

Genesis 2: 18-25

Roger Lynn

October 9, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

In many and various ways we are frequently told that we are separate and alone. And, in fact, we should want to be that way. We should strive for it. Our culture has sayings like “lift yourself up by your bootstraps” and “self-sufficient.” We talk about being independent as if it is a virtue. Many consider “looking out for number one” to be a good thing. Advertisers encourage us to tell our family and friends to get their own box of crackers, because this one belongs to me. Even Mary Tyler Moore, in the opening song from her old self-titled TV show, is told with great hope and promise that she is going to make it on her own. With all of these messages swirling around us, usually just below the surface of our awareness, it is easy to begin believing them. We start living as if “separate and alone” really does define who we are. We begin to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves. We build walls, both literal and metaphoric, and we refuse to let anyone get anywhere close to who we really are, including, most of the time, even ourselves. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. In other times and other places there have been people of heart and wisdom who have envisioned a very different reality for what it means to be human. One such understanding is found in the second chapter of the book of Genesis. A part of the second creation story in Genesis, it has received less attention than the “In the beginning...” story of chapter one. But it is filled with wonderful images of connection and wholeness. 

Living Tradition – Living Faith

2 Timothy 1: 5-7 & 1 Corinthians 11: 23-25

Roger Lynn

October 2, 2016

World Communion Sunday

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Some use grape juice and some use wine. Some use unleavened bread and some use whatever kind of bread they can find. Some do it everyday and some do it once a year. Some understand it to be so holy that only certain special people can do it and some understand it to be so holy that anyone can do it. It happens in beautiful cathedrals and it happens in run-down shacks. It happens in the peace and quiet of monasteries and it happens in the chaos of a battle zone. Sometimes the table is made of hand-carved wood and sometimes the table is made of marble. Sometimes the table is the hood of a farm truck and sometimes the table is a picnic blanket under a tree. The words are in Latin and the words are in English. The words are in French and the words are in Russian. The words are in Swahili and the words are in American Sign Language. Those who come are lifelong Christians and those who come are uncertain what they believe. Those who come are young and those who come are old. Those who come are gay and those who come are straight. Those who come are female and those who come are male and those who come are transgendered. Sometimes it is shared with thousands and sometimes it is shared with two. Sometimes it is shared with intimate friends and sometimes it is shared with strangers. And in the midst of all this wide variety, God continues to meet us and greet us and welcome us at the table.

A New Name for a New Day

Isaiah 62: 1-5 & 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11

Roger Lynn

September 25, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

My name is Roger. That’s what people call me. It is how I think of myself. I’m a “Roger.” I can’t really imagine being a “Jeff” or a “Ted” or a “Jim.” For most of us our name is one of our most important possessions. 

And yet, for all the importance we attach to our names, most of the time they still don’t carry the kind of depth of meaning that has been associated with names in other cultures and other times. In the world of the Bible, for example, names were often understood to be a reflection of the essential nature of that to which the name was attached. Names had meaning. Dramatic changes of circumstance or status were often marked with a change of name. Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah. Simon becomes Peter. Saul becomes Paul. Even today we see remnants of this understanding in places like the Catholic Church, where the person who is elected Pope takes on a new name. 

On The Way

Luke 17: 11-19

Roger Lynn

September 18, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

There is an old saying that life is what happens while we’re waiting for something else to come along. God is at work in the midst of us all the time, but if we don’t pay attention we run a very good chance of missing it. The story of Jesus’ encounter with the ten people with leprosy is a great illustration of this truth. It is so rich and textured and multi-layered. And at each step along the way, paying attention (or not) makes all the difference.

Faithfully Waiting for What Comes Next

Acts 1: 6-11

Roger Lynn

September 11, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

The Church was in a time of transition. What was had come to an end. What would be had not yet taken shape. And so it was that the faithful found themselves gathering together, waiting for what comes next. We know what that feels like. In fact, it is a common human experience. The situation I just described is the first century church from the beginning of the book of Acts but it sounds remarkably fresh and familiar. It can be helpful sometimes to remember that the path upon which we currently find ourselves has been trod by others who have gone before us. We are not alone. We are in good company.

This congregation is also in a time of transition. I’ve been your pastor for a little bit less than a year. We are still getting to know each other, and we are still figuring out what comes next. Unlike those first-century disciples, I don’t think we are experiencing a lot of lost and confused feelings, nor are we particularly sad and overwhelmed, but there certainly is a sense of waiting for what comes next. With that in mind we turn to Luke’s story in Acts to see what we might glean.

Staying Connected to the Source

Jeremiah 17: 5-8 & Luke 6: 17-36

Roger Lynn

August 28, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Driving through the arid landscape of the American west, it is usually easy to tell where the water is located. Just look for the trees. They thrive because they are tapped into the source of that life-sustaining liquid. Without it they simply would not survive.

And we are not so very different. We thrive when we remember to keep our spirits connected to the Sacred Source of life. We give it a variety of names – God, Spirit, the Holy. And by whatever names we use to describe this Sacred Presence, it nourishes and sustains our living. It is always present. It is always available. And yet, surprisingly, we frequently close ourselves off from this empowering reality. Sometimes we do so out of fear, when we get overwhelmed. More often, I suspect, we do so simply by forgetting to paying attention. We get distracted. We allow the inconsequential to overshadow that which has real substance. And the quality of our living suffers as a result. Our lives are less full and rich. Sometimes there is actual damage. When we humans beings get locked into a narrow perspective concerning what matters and a narrow perspective concerning where we draw our strength, we often find ourselves wandering through some unpleasant neighborhoods. 

Living in the Now of God’s Reign

1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a & Luke 4: 14-21

Roger Lynn

August 21, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

In Mark’s Gospel Jesus begins his public ministry by declaring that God’s reign is here, now, in the midst of us. He can make such a powerful proclamation with absolute confidence because he has the insight to recognize that this has always, and will always, be true. That, in summary form, is what Jesus’ ministry is all about – opening our eyes and our hearts and our lives to the ongoing reality of God’s active and loving presence in the midst of us.

Luke’s Gospel uses a different narrative to introduce Jesus’ public ministry, but it is, in essence, the same message. He stands up in the synagogue (the local gathering place for worship and prayer) and reads an amazing passage from the prophet Isaiah. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) And as powerful and profound as those words are, Jesus follows them with an even more amazing proclamation. “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)

Watching for Wonder

Genesis 1: 1-2 & 31 – 2: 3

Roger Lynn

August 14, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

We spend a lot of time and energy trying to find God. And we spend even more time and energy trying to describe what we find. Biblical scholars devote their lives to dissecting the smallest of scriptural details. Theologians write countless elegantly composed books and articles on every imaginable subject. Church leaders fret over intricately worded doctrinal statements. Preachers (like me) spend untold hours preparing weekly sermons on a wide variety of topics. And such efforts certainly have their place. Part of what it means to be human is that we try to make sense of our experiences. We are “meaning-making” creatures.

But I also know that one of the most powerful ways in which I experience God’s presence in my life is by paying attention to what is going on around me all the time. Watching for wonder helps to keep me in touch with a profoundly intimate connection with the Sacred. I discover a sense of who I am and where I fit in the grand picture of God. Experiencing life through the lens of wonder provides some protection against the dangers of becoming overwhelmed by the painful realities which can seem so all-consuming. It offers us another way to approach our living – a path which is filled with meaning and purpose and joy. Jewish philosopher and mystic Abraham Joshua Heschel suffered a near fatal heart attack. As he reflected back over his life he became aware of deep gratitude. His response was a simple prayer. “I did not ask for success; I asked for wonder. And You gave it to me.” (from the Introduction to “I Asked for Wonder: A Spiritual Anthology” by Abraham Joshua Heschel” and edited by Samuel H. Dresner)

Connected to Creation

Psalm 104

Roger Lynn

August 7, 2016

Breakfast on the Pass

(there is no audio this week)

Well, here we are again. We shut down operations in town and moved worship to the great outdoors. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of hassle. We have to make sure the event gets heavily advertised, so that people don’t show up at church expecting to find us there. Some people just can’t make it out here, so they miss church today. Why, then, would we do this? Just because it’s fun is probably not a good enough reason.

One of the primary reasons why I think it is a good idea is to maintain and nourish our connection with creation. There is such a risk in the way most of us live our lives for losing touch with our connection with creation. We live in our climate controlled houses, from which we drive our climate controlled cars to shop in climate controlled stores. Even when we go outside to places like our local farmer’s markets and other urban activities they takes place on pavement in the middle of the city. Please don’t get me wrong. We live where we live and I’m not suggesting that we all need to move back to the farm. And I’m not at all trying to say that we are somehow anti-environment. We simply lose touch. And in a particular sort of way we often run the risk of losing touch with creation when it comes to our spiritual lives. Our formal worship experiences occur almost exclusively in buildings. And when we lose touch with the natural world around us we lose touch with a part of who we are. I spend a great deal of time preaching about the importance of our connection with each other. Community is an essential part of what it means to be human. And in the same way, our connection with all of creation is vital to living as fully and richly as we are meant to live. One of the central convictions of our faith tradition is that everything that is has come into being out the heart of the divine. It is not a matter of finding connection or creating connection. It is a matter of remembering the connection which already exists. 

It Happened at Camp

It Happened at Camp

1 Corinthians 12: 4-13

Roger Lynn

July 31, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

I spent this past week at church camp with thirty two 7th, 8th, and 9th grade youth, fifteen adult volunteers, and the ongoing presence of God’s Spirit. It’s been ten years since I’ve been at church camp, and twenty years since I’ve been with this particular age group. Because I was gone all week, this morning’s worship service had to be planned in advance, including the title of the sermon. A week and a half ago I stepped out on faith and committed myself to the title “It Happened at Camp.” At that point I had no idea what I would say. I couldn’t know, because it hadn’t happened yet. But based on past experience I was trusting that something would happen worth preaching about. And, of course, it did. 

The last time I was on staff for a camp with this age group it was not a pleasant experience. In fact, I swore I would never do it again. And for twenty years that remained true. So when I was asked to serve as chaplain for the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade camp this year I said yes with more than a little trepidation. But I’m happy to report that this past week was totally worth the risk. It was a remarkable experience at so many levels. In fact, it ranks as one of the best camp experiences I have ever had.

A Treasure of Immeasurable Worth

Matthew 13: 31-33 & 44-46

Roger Lynn

July 17, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

In Matthew’s Gospel, many of Jesus’ parables focus on “the kingdom of heaven.” It is a metaphorical way of talking about the reality to which Jesus is pointing us – the reality which stands in contrast with the ways in which we often live our lives – the reality of God’s active and ongoing presence in our lives and in our world. Jesus begins his public ministry by declaring that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. God is right here, right now, in the very midst of us. All we have to do is notice. Jesus then spends the rest of his ministry helping people notice — offering illustrations which assist us in understanding what it means, and encouraging us to step into that reality and begin living as if it were true (because it is).

One of the common threads which runs through Jesus’ parables is the understanding that God’s presence seldom looks like what we expect it to look like. How often do we find ourselves, at least privately in our own minds, thinking, “If I were in charge of the world, I would do things very differently.” And so it is that we get the pair of very short parables which make up part of our reading from Matthew’s Gospel for today. God’s presence in the world is like a mustard seed or a bit of yeast. He could just as easily have said it is like the wind. It might as well be nothing for all that we are able to see it and recognize it. God’s presence is not something to which we can simply point and say, “Here it is! I found it!” Indeed, it is not really a “thing” at all, but the reality which is intimately and wholly interconnected with everything that is. We recognize God’s presence not by seeing it but rather by experiencing the effect it has in us and in the world around us — the mustard seed grows into a tree, the yeast leavens the bread, the wind moves the clouds across the sky. Our lives and our world are shaped by the presence of God. The reality we think we know and understand grows and changes as we become ever more aware of God’s presence.

Expecting The Unexpected

Isaiah 65: 17-25 & Luke 21: 5-19

Roger Lynn

July 10, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

Where in the world is God? Where do we even begin to look? The world can be a frightening and confusing place, and sometimes we just want some assurances that God has not abandoned us. We come to church. We pray. We try to live our lives faithfully. But there are times when it is hard to keep from despairing. So much of what we see going on around us is in turmoil and it only seems to be getting worse. Where in the world is God?

The prophet Isaiah offers an answer when he writes to people who are newly returned from a time of exile, but not yet restored to the life they expected and desired. He speaks of God’s promise to bring all of creation into balance and harmony. It is a marvelous piece of poetry, filled with hopeful images of life as we all want it to be — peace and prosperity and equality for everyone. When the days are dark and threatening it can be comforting to read such words and dream of a time when God will bring such a reality into existence. The only problem, of course, is that most of the time we don’t really see much evidence that it is going to happen any time soon. If God is present and working in the midst of us even now, then why is life like this? When, O God, will it begin to be different? 

Freedom From Independence

Zechariah 9: 9-12 & Matthew 11: 28-30

Roger Lynn

July 3, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

For 240 years now, we Americans have been celebrating Independence Day. Being fiercely independent has become a defining American virtue. Unfortunately, I fear we have wandered way too far down that path. We lift ourselves by our own bootstraps. We don’t need any help from anyone. We protect our own against all our enemies (defined as anyone not just like us). We don’t want to be beholding to anyone. We have become so focused on our independence that all too often we forget about our interdependence. Our vision is so turned inward that we lose sight of the reality which is all around us.

With Arms & Hearts Wide Open

John 20: 19-23

Roger Lynn

June 26, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:23) Wow! That is an absolutely remarkable statement. There is the promise of power and authority. It implies a profound level of trust. And it is spoken to a group of people whose lives have very recently been thrown into turmoil because of the “sins” of people who, even now, would probably arrest them if given half a chance. What an opportunity for paybacks.

In the 2,000 years since those words were first spoken, there have been plenty of examples of both individuals and Church organizations who have read this story and taken it as divine instructions for their mission and purpose. “We have not only the right, but the obligation, to render judgment on God’s behalf. It comes to us straight from the lips of Jesus.” And tragically, the results have been pretty much exactly what Jesus warned them about (for it was, indeed, a warning) – lots of people have spent their whole lives absolutely convinced that they were no good, dirty rotten sinners who were cut off from God as well as from the people around them. After all, that’s what the good folks in the Church kept telling them, so it must be true.

Under Construction: Becoming a House of Living Stone

John 14: 6-14 & 1 Peter 2: 4-10

Roger Lynn

June 19, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to God except through me.” (John 14:6) At first glance this seems both clear and powerful – a path to God. And then upon closer examination questions begin to surface – concerns start to cloud the matter. What does it mean to say that “no one comes to God except through me”? This particular passage in John’s Gospel has been weighed down with centuries of interpretive baggage which seems to make “I believe in Jesus” the only acceptable password that will get us past the front gates of heaven. In the wrong hands it has even led some to violently impose their brand of “faith” on others.

But I’m convinced that it does not have to mean this at all. To begin with, it’s important to remember that all of the Gospels, and particularly John, are really theological rather than biographical in nature. This means that John is using the story of Jesus to present an understanding of who God is and what it means to be in relationship with God. Thus “I am the way...” is about the path to God which is represented by the whole of Jesus’ life and teaching. It’s about what Jesus stands for – loving enemies, washing feet, accepting the outcasts, healing and wholeness, and all the other qualities we see revealed in the picture of Jesus which John paints for us. That is how we recognize God’s presence, John is telling us. And what happens when we come to know God in this way is that we begin to take on those qualities in our own living. “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do...” (John 14:12) Even the part about asking for things “in my name” isn’t about using the name “Jesus” as a kind of magical incantation that will insure our prayers get answered. In the ancient world names were understood to represent the essence of something – the true character of that which is named. So to pray “in Jesus’ name” is to pray with the same character, the same quality of living, which we find revealed in Jesus. In short, we are called to follow the path of faith to which Jesus points us with the whole of his life. It is no accident that from the earliest days of the Church the community of those who are seeking to follow this new way of life are referred to as “the body of Christ.” We are literally called to be Christ in the world.

Being a Neighbor

Luke 10: 25-37

Roger Lynn 

June 12, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

The parable of the Good Samaritan may well be one of the most famous of all of Jesus’ stories – ranking right up there with the Prodigal Son. According to Luke it comes in response to a question from a religious scholar who wanted to know what was required to earn his way into eternal life. In Jesus’ usual style, he doesn’t answer the question directly. Instead he tells a story which illustrates his understanding of the matter. 

One of the difficulties inherent in trying to understand Jesus’ parables, and particularly the really famous ones, is that we have heard them so many times. And we have heard them referred to so many times. In the case of this particular parable, even the title has become so commonplace that there are hospitals and care centers named after it. Here in Helena people shop at the Good Samaritan Thrift Store. When something reaches that level of familiarity we frequently stop paying attention. So it can be a challenge to approach this story with any kind of freshness. But let’s try!

Living The Gospel

Mark 1: 14-28

Roger Lynn

June 5, 2016

(click here for the audio of this sermon)

Jesus arrives on the scene with an amazing message. Amazing in its power and amazing in its simplicity. “The active presence of God is here, now, in the very midst of us, and this is good news!” It is good news because the God who is present is the God of love and grace. It was, and is, a radically inclusive, universal message. And it was, and is, a message which is shared and received one individual at a time.

One of the problems which Jesus faced when he proclaimed this powerful message was that he encountered people who thought they already knew what it meant for God to be in their midst, and they thought they already knew what the person bearing such a message would be like. They had, after all, been watching and waiting for the coming of God’s Messiah for a very long time and they were certain that their particular version of the “truth” was the only one.

But apparently Jesus had other ideas about what it all meant and how best to communicate the message. He didn’t want to be labeled and he didn’t want to be put in a box. Every time someone seeks to hang the “messiah” label on him, he tells them to be quiet. Sometimes he isn’t even very nice about it. “Shut up!” would be a reasonable translation of what he says to the unclean spirit who declares him to be the Holy One of God. Why would he do this? Why would he engage in this business which scholars refer to as the “messianic secret”? I suspect that at least part of the reason was because Jesus understood something about the ways in which labels tend to limit our understanding rather than expand it.

God Calls Us (Camp Sunday)

1 Samuel 3: 1-10 & Mark 1: 16-20

Roger Lynn

May 29, 2016

Camp Sunday

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

God calls us. In fact, God is always calling us. And sometimes we  pay enough attention to hear the call. Sometimes we even pay enough attention to respond.

But what does a call from God sound like? We have lots of stories in the Bible about folks who heard God calling them. And they all seem to be fairly dramatic and unmistakable. Moses hears God calling from a burning bush. Samuel hears God calling in his sleep. Isaiah has a vision of the heavenly throne room and angels with fiery tongs. Most of us, most of the time, don’t seem to experience God calling us in that sort of way. So does that mean it doesn’t happen? Or does it simply mean we need to turn our attention to less obvious forms of call?

After The Wind & The Fire

Acts 2: 1-4  & Revelation 21: 1-5a

Roger Lynn

May 22, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

God has always been about the business of transforming what is into what can be. From Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush which sent him to Egypt to free a captive people, to the prophets’ sense of God which led them to call for social, political and religious reforms, to Jesus’ radical proclamation of an intimate, all-loving, all-inclusive God, to the writer of Revelation declaring that God makes all things new, the history of human faith development is filled with examples of fresh, new insights and expanding awareness leading to a transformational experience of life.

The writer of the book of Acts seeks to capture one such moment of transformation when he tells the story of the day of Pentecost. Jesus is gone. The disciples have remained a small, closed, frightened community. And suddenly something new breaks into their world. They become aware of God’s Spirit in a powerful new way and that awareness transforms them and the world around them by breaking down the walls and eliminating the fear and the barriers which kept them isolated. The second chapter of Acts is filled with dramatic images which speak to us of change and transformation. There is wind and fire and the cacophony of a variety of languages being spoken at once. Something new is happening and it simply is not possible to continue on in the same old ways. Wind and fire are both powerful forces. They are not completely safe and they are not completely controllable. As images of God’s activity among us they are both disturbing and exciting. Our old, tired routines will not endure. Something dramatic and compelling is emerging.