�The Stained Glass Windows of Latimer Memorial"

Stain glass windows and I have a long-standing love hate relationship. The church I grew up in had beautiful stain glass windows. They told the story of Jesus� life. The started in one corner with the birth and ended with the resurrection. And above the pulpit was a window of Jesus the Good Shepherd. When the service got boring or the sermon went over my head, I would turn to look out the window and instead of day dreaming about playing, I was greeted with an image of Christ. I dare say that some Sundays I learned more about the faith from those windows than from the service or sermon.

When I was a freshman in college Bethany, my home church, built a new sanctuary and they decided to buy a new set of windows that told the story of Jesus� life as in the old sanctuary. One day I was talking with a Presbyterian minister that I looked up to. I was telling him about the new beautiful expensive windows at Bethany. He said that when they build the church he served they decided not to go to the expense of stained glass windows. He told how the congregation decided that the money would be better used helping the needy and spreading the Gospel overseas.

There is a part of me that sympathizes with that line of thinking. Imagine how many street children in Brazil could be fed, housed, and educated for year at the cost of one stained glass window? How many children in Africa could be immunized for the cost of one window? How many hungry people here in America could be fed for the cost of one window much less 1, 2, 3 � 18? But I also am aware of the power of images to communicate the Gospel. So I balance the above questions with the question: How many people are influenced to give their lives to God or to serve God because of one window?

It seems to me that stained glass windows have their place. And that place is not to be a mere decoration or status symbol. If these windows are nothing more than a decoration or status symbol, then they are a waste of money. But if these are statements of faith proclaiming the Gospel to all who see them, then they are not a waste. That is what leads me to today�s sermon and a series of sermons to follow. I will endeavor to take one of the symbols present in one or more of these windows and preach a sermon on it. That way whenever you look at these windows they will preach to you.

Luke 12:22-31

I want to begin with one of the most prevalent images, "The Lilies of the Field." Jesus said, �Consider the lilies of the field they neither sow nor reap yet Solomon in all of his glory was never arrayed as such as these.� This is part of Jesus� teaching not to worry. Jesus said, "do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing." Then Jesus used the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as examples.

If there is ever a message that people today need to hear, this is it. We seem to live in an age of anxiety. We have greater wealth than in any other time in history, yet we are always anxious. We are worries about the economy, about our jobs, about our health. We worry about the past and the future. I even know people who worry because they are afraid they are not worrying enough.

But the anxiety that Jesus is talking about is over having the material things we need to live, the basics of life. Some people get anxious if they don't have the clothes that fit the trend or a car that is better than their neighbor's. Some worry if someone else is smarter or faster or prettier than they are. Some get anxious if they don't have control over other people. Some worry about being left behind by life.

So Jesus tells us not to worry. And he uses the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as examples. They don't worry, so why should we? But I am not a flower or a bird! Of course birds don't sow they can't comprehend agriculture. And flowers have no knowledge of textiles or even hand to sow so it's no surprise that they don't.

I on the other hand am a higher order of being. I have a developed brain that is able to grasp concepts of farming and clothes making. Anyway, if I don't do either I will be hungry and naked. I need the things I toil over to keep me alive and healthy. Furthermore, I am able to plan for the future and even the Bible says that I am created in the image of God.

Yet Jesus, without reservation, compares me to a bird and a flower! And furthermore, most people just nod their heads in acceptance. The say, "How poetic Jesus said, 'consider the lilies of the field,' ahhhh." But If I am going to consider them as an example of why I should not worry, I need to know one thing. What do I have in common with a bird and a flower?

Perhaps a closer look at what Jesus said will help us out. Jesus said, "Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! He later goes on, "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!" So the birds and the flowers don't worry because God cares for them! And if God will care for these lower forms of life and provide for them don't you think God will also care for human who are created in God's own image.

This is our basis for not worrying: God! God made us and he didn't make us to just let us perish. So back to the question what do I have in common with a bird and a flower? The answer is: "I am dependent on God." Like the lilies of the field God clothes me and therefore I don't have to worry.

I am dependent on God. That is a statement that most people can't accept. Christians will say they believe it but they don't live by it. Instead of depending on God, we tend to depend on ourselves.

Now I don't think that Jesus was saying that we should stop sowing or weaving. We still need to grow food and make clothing. But we need to realize that it is not our activity that feeds and clothes us. It is God's love and grace that feed and clothes us.

Jesus said, "Consider the lilies of the field." But somehow I think maybe he was talking about more than earthly food and physical clothing. Jesus began by saying, "For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing." I think he was pointing to something more than food and clothing, something deeper.

So let's consider the lilies. They nether toil nor spin yet God clothes them in such beauty. What is the purpose of a flower? The poet would say its purpose is to be beautiful. A theologian would say its purpose is to inspire worship and praise of the Creator. The scientist would say its purpose is to attract insects so that the plant can produce seeds. (Which incidentally feed the birds of the air.) The clothing of colors that God provides for them empowers them to do all these things. Perhaps that is why we like the image of the "Lilies of the Field." The are beautiful in their completeness and wholeness and we feel so incomplete and lacking.

But what about humans, what is their purpose? We were created in the image of God to reflect the greatness of God and enjoy the glory of God. And like the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, God grants all we need to fulfill that purpose. God gives us the spiritual food and the robe of righteousness that we need to reflect God's great glory. Through the Bible and the Holy Spirit we are fed and given strength just as the seeds and insects God provides feed the birds. Through Jesus' death on the cross we are forgiving, and through that forgiveness we are clothed in righteousness. And God has given it all. Just as the flower cannot cloth themselves, we cannot make ourselves righteous. And just as the birds cannot grow their own food, we cannot sustain our spirits with our spiritual food from above.

Again we get back to dependence on God. The flowers are not anxious because they can't clothe themselves yet God does. We, on the other hand, get anxious because we think we can clothe ourselves and we forget that God has already supplied all the clothing we need. We already have a robe of righteousness bough with Jesus blood, but too often we continue to walk around in the rags of our own good works. And too many people think that these rags actually cover their spiritual nakedness.

Are you anxious? Many people are. They are worried they won't get to heaven. Maybe they are worried they are not saved. Some worry that they have strayed too far from God. Many worry because they feel empty and incomplete.

Consider the Lilies of the field. They don't toil or spin. God supplied their every need. So like them simply trust in Jesus and he will supply your every need.

Like the lilies, depend on Jesus. He will wash away your sin. He will clothe you in righteousness. And he will supply the food that your empty spirit is hungering.

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John 6:35-51

Today I want to focus on the symbol in the window in the back right hand corner of the sanctuary. It shows stalks of wheat bound together and it says, "I am the bread of life." I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy. When Melissa and I first got married and we were still getting used to each other's different ways, I cooked us dinner one time. It was a meat and potatoes meal. Melissa looked at the table and said, "Where's the bread." I said we don't need bread we have potatoes. She got up and went to the kitchen and got herself a piece of bread.

It just wasn't a meal for her without bread. I guess that is what Jesus is getting at. Back in his day bread was the main staple of people's diet. Sure they had fish and dates and olives and other nice things to eat, but those were the extras. People basically lived on their daily bread; that is what sustained them.

So when Jesus said, "I am the bread of Life" he was saying a lot. He was saying that he was the giver of life. He was the main staple of God's people. You might find fish and dates and other nice things, but without him you will die.

When Jesus said, "I am the bread of life," he made it clear that he was not talking merely of the death of the physical body. Back at the beginning of chapter 6 in John Jesus fed 5,000 people. I am sure there were people from that crowd listening to Jesus when he said "I am the bread of life." When they heard that, they probably thought about the bread he had multiplied for them. As human beings they probably thought, "Sure he is the bread of life. He can feed us every day and we will never be hungry again."

But Jesus was talking about more than bread for the stomach. He told them, "You ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and they died but those who believe in me have eternal life." Jesus was not talking about being a constant supplier of wheat and pumpernickel. Jesus was talking about being a supplier of eternal life.

You know some people still misunderstand Jesus to this day. They come to Jesus thinking that he is merely a supplier of the things we need for physical life. Jesus does care for our physical welfare just as he cared for the 5,000 hungry people when he multiplied the loaves. But Jesus is more than that! He is the source that feeds our souls and gives us eternal life. In the same way that earthly bread feeds our bodies, Jesus feed our souls. Without bread our bodies will die and without Jesus our souls will die.

But People back then couldn't accept that. How could he, the child of Mary and Joseph a Galillean, give them eternal life? He is just another human being. Sure he is a prophet and can work wonders. Sure his teachings are insightful and from God. But how can he give us eternal life.

Many people today say the same thing. They see Jesus as just a great thinker and teacher and spiritual leader. They like his teachings about love and such, but they don't see how he and he alone can save. They acknowledge that following his teaching can make life better, but they don't see how even a great man can give eternal life.

This is something that the church struggles with. Too many Christians see Jesus as their example, but not their redeemer. Like some of the people in the crowd, they listen intently to Jesus and try to put his teachings to practice in their lives. But they don't embrace him as their redeemer. Jesus said, "This is indeed the will of the Father that all may see the Son and believe and have eternal life." To have eternal life we must not merely embrace Jesus' teachings. We must accept him as Lord and Savior.

That is what Holy Communion tries to embrace. Jesus said, "I am the living bread that comes down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever; And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." When he instituted Communion at the Last Supper Jesus said, "This is my body, given for you." And through the actions and symbols of the communion service we are not only reminded of Jesus death for us, but we participate in a kind of drama and reenactment in the breaking of the bread. And then we take that bread into ourselves, accepting it as a part of us. You have heard is said, "You are what you eat." Well communion takes that to a spiritual level. In the same way that we take the bread into out bodies we must accept Jesus into our hearts to be fed by him.

If Jesus' teachings were all that mattered then we would come here and just hear a preacher every Sunday. But just hearing and heeding Jesus' moral teachings is not enough. We must accept Jesus.

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life," and "Whoever eats this bread will live forever." It is too bad that this window is back in the corner. I wonder if only the ushers and sound technicians ever get a really good look at it. I think sometimes we Protestants do the same thing to communion: we stick it in a back corner of our religious life. But it is important because Jesus and his death on the cross to give us eternal life is central to our faith. So come, eat of the bread of life. Come to the Lord's table and accept Jesus into your heart!

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Christ: The Lamb of God. The words just seem to roll off the average Christian's tongue. But do we really know what they mean. Just take a look at the image of the lamb in that stained glass window. It is standing there with its head held high holding a cross with one leg and there is a banner on the cross. I'm sorry but in real life sheep don't do that. You put a real life sheep on a tuft of green grass and its head will go down and it will eat. And I highly doubt a sheep is capable of holding up a banner the way that one is.

But of course the image is trying to do more than depict a lamb. It is trying to express something of the truth of Christ. Perhaps we need to take a close look at the image. Take it apart and see its meanings. Then put it back together to understand it.

And I promise you that you will never call Christ "the Lamb of God" again without some pause. And you will never see that window in the same light.

First of all there is the lamb. In ancient Israelite religion the lamb was an animal used for sacrifice. It was killed not only for its meat but also in praise and worship to God. But it was also sacrificed to pay for sins or to buy back or "redeem" something. A significant part of the ancient Jewish religion was the belief that all life came from God. And so God declared that all first born belonged to him and people had to buy back even their first born sons. So a family would "redeem" their first born from the Lord by making sacrifices.

This was all wrapped up in a neat package in the events leading to the exodus. After a series of plagues, through which God demonstrated his authority to tell Pharaoh to let his people go, God sent a final plague. It was a plague on the first born of all of Egypt. All first-born animals and people would be destroyed. But those who believed in God could "redeem" and save their children and themselves from destruction.

The process was simple. Sacrifices a lamb, roast it and eat it. Then place the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of your house. When the angel of death came to destroy, all that were in that house would be spared. Have you ever heard someone say that they were "under the blood of the lamb?" Well this is where that expression originated. Everyone in one of the Israelite houses with the blood in the lintel and doorposts had literally passed under the blood of the lamb and was protected. So the lamb was an object for sacrifice. Its blood sacrificed to God was the means by which sins were forgiven, people were "redeemed" and the first born of the earth were protected from harm.

The second part of the image is the cross. The cross was invented by the Persians. But its use was perfected by the Romans. The purpose of the cross was not to kill a person. It was to torture them while displaying them for all to see. In short it made an example of the person being crucified.

The means of death was a combination of exposure and asphyxiation. The posture of being hung by ones arms, as on the cross, slowly cause the lungs to fill with water. It also made it hard to breathe so a person would have to pull of push up to take a breath. A person might die in a matter of an hour if there were not a small ledge for the victim to push up on to take a breath. A person could be tied to a cross but then it could take days for them to die.

That is where the nails came in. By driving nails through the hands and feet the Romans made the process of pulling up to take a breath excruciating. From loss of blood, dehydration, and exhaustion the victim would eventually stop pulling up and die. The victim was also stripped to publicly humiliate them. And the charge was posted above them so that others who might commit the same crime would think twice.

The final part of the image is Christ Jesus. Through tradition we know that this image of a lamb doing something as unnatural as holding a cross is an image of Jesus. Jesus whom the Bible tells us is the first born of creation - the image of the invisible God. In him the fullness of God dwelt and walked among us. He was a full participant in the creation of the world. He is King of kings and Lord of lords and the head of the Church.

Jesus is also the Lamb of God. He was slain on a cross for our redemption. He was slaughtered so that we could be redeemed from slavery to sin and death. His blood bought us back from death. And because we believe we are under the redeeming, sin cleansing power of his blood.

This is where the banner comes in. The image of the banner connotes some battle won - a victory. Christ: the Lamb of God has fought a battle with sin and death and has triumphed. And so he raises the standard of the cross and we are under the authority of that banner of salvation. Christ Jesus: the Lamb of God has died and risen again to conquer death!

That is what that one little picture says. It says that Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins and the blood of our redemption from death. It says that through his death on the cross we have victory. Because Jesus, the image of the invisible Almighty God, humbled himself to die, because the purest and holiest man who ever lived died like a common criminal, because of that; we have eternal life.

Do you believe that? Do you believe in Christ: the Lamb of God? Have you given your life to Christ? Are you under the blood of the lamb?

If you answered �yes� to all those questions then are you living for him? Are you living in you life what that picture shows us? Is the image of Christ: the Lamb of God reflected in the way you live? Are you teaching other through your actions and your words the way of sacrifice? Are you dying daily to self so that other may be lifted up?

If not, then take a good long look at that window. Listen to it with your eyes and your heart. See through its glass to the sacrifice of Jesus: the Lamb of God. Then reflect the truth you see in your life.

Genesis 8:1-12

Noah had never wanted to be a sailor. He was probably a farmer by trade. After all the Bible identifies Noah as a man of the soil who was the first to cultivate grapes.(Genesis 9:20) I imagine that for 600 years, or so the Bible says, he had probably been farming when God called him first to be a boat builder and then a barge captain. Might I also include a Zoologist as well. But here he was. For over a month the water fell and for months it subsided.

It was only a matter of time before the food ran out. The extra food animals would run out and extinction would be only one lion's meal away. Would they ever see terra firma again, and when they did, would it be ruined? Had all the plants been destroyed as well? Would Noah farm once again or would he float on this barge of doom for the rest of his life, which at that time could be another 300 years?

Noah yearned to see what had become of the once green earth. He couldn't see much from the portholes of the ark except water and maybe a distant mountain top. So he sent out a dove. He knew it would fly until it found a place to land or it would come back. The first time he sent it out it came back. All hope seemed lost. The earth was unredeemable.

But after seven days he sent the dove out again. This time it came back. But it had an olive leaf in its beak! A green living leaf from a real tree that bears fruit! There was life on the earth, praise be to God! There would be life after the Ark! Seven days later he sent the dove out and it didn't come back. It had found a place to nest!

Like many of the stories in the Bible, the tale of Noah and the ark is about more than ancient events. It is a story that reveals something about the here and now. Like Noah we all face floods in our lives. They may be actual floods of water that wipe out all that we have built. Deluges that obliterate the landscape of our homes and lives. Or they may be floods of other types.

We all face tragedies in our lives that can be characterized as floods. Some people face the death of loved ones. Some face long term illness both physical and emotional. Some face economic tragedies. Some face the break up of their families.

But all these tragedies hold several things in common with a flood. Like a flood they change the landscape of our lives and threaten to destroy all that we have and cherish. They also seem to have no end. Like Noah on that ark we seem afloat in the waters of our tragedies for months and years. A person's death may only take moment but the pain remains for a lifetime. It may take years to move on in life after a divorce. And like the flood we wonder what will be left when the waters recede. When the illness is cured will there be enough strength left to enjoy life. When the emotional turmoil is finished will enough of the family remain to be a family. So the story of the flood is really about the floods in our lives.

The dove with the olive branch shows us that when the flood is over life will go on. Things will be different however. The old landscape will be destroyed. But there will be a new landscape. Things may be bleak for a while but things will grow again in the soil of our lives.

The dove with an olive branch is a symbol that shows us a reason for hope. Noah never gave up hope. Month after month he looked at the skies hoping the water would subside. When it did subside he hoped that the earth would become green again. And so he sent out the dove. He was disappointed at first but he sent it out again.

And when it came back the second time it had a green leaf in its beak. A sign of life growing once again. It was a confirmation of the hope he had held out against hope. If Noah could hope in his situation then we can hope too.

I have seen the same story repeated over and over again. A woman and her family are shattered by a diagnosis. The doctor says it is cancer. They operate and confirm that it is malignant. They try chemo and radiation. All her hair falls out and for months she is fatigued and sick. Then one morning she notices hair growing once again where it had fallen out before. A sign of life that confirms her hope that life will go on.

A family goes through a painful divorce. The parents worry about the children. The separation and the emptiness follow the members of the family everywhere. Then in some ordinary everyday event, they find joy. It is small but it is a sign that life goes on after the tragedy.

A woman battles depression for years. Every thing is in a gloom. All of life is gray and colorless. Even food seems odorless and tasteless. Then one day when all seems to be lost she sees a painting. Suddenly she is struck by its beauty. Its colors seem to spill out into her life and all of a sudden she can see the beauty around her once again.

And I could go on.

I don't know what the flood was or is or will be in your life. It might be one of the things I have mentioned today or it may be completely different. But we all face tragedies that threaten to destroy the world as we know it. And we can get so swept up in those things that we lose all hope. But Noah didn't lose hope. He kept looking to the skies.

You do the same. Just as Noah sent out the dove in the hope of a sign of life, you send up your prayers. Perhaps they will seem to come back empty just as the dove came back. But keep hoping and praying. Put your faith in the one who made both doves and floods.

Then it will happen one day. The dove will come back with a leaf in its beak. Life will not be the same, but by the grace of God it will go on!

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The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who had a son. One Monday morning he gave his son a list of chores to do. He also told his son he could whatever he wanted to after he was finished, but not to ride his father's horse because it was too temperamental and would throw him. When the child finished his chores he was so proud of the work he had done. He thought he was big and strong like his father. So he decided to ride his father's horse to prove to himself and everyone that he was big enough.

Well the horse threw him right into a mud puddle. He was not physically hurt but when his mother saw him she knew what had happened and she told him he could not go to the fair Saturday because he had disobeyed his father. The boy moped around the farm for a couple of days contemplating his fate. By Wednesday the mother and father had decided to ease his burden.

They called the boy in. "Son," the father said, "here is a list of extra chores. We have decided to let you go to the fair Saturday. So you do these chores to show us that you know how to obey us.

When I started this series of sermons I thought that when I got to this window with the Ten Commandments it would be s simple task of preaching a sermon on the Ten Commandments. But it's not that simple. As I looked at the window I realized that there was something else in the picture besides the Ten Commandments. There is something in front of the Ten Commandments. It took me a while to figure out what it was. It's a flaming sword.

The only place in the Bible where a flaming sword appears is in the story of the fall in Genesis. Adam and Eve had disobeyed God. God had given them the job of caring for the garden. They could eat any of its produce except for the fruit of one tree: the tree of good and evil. Well, you know the story. They ate the forbidden fruit and were thrown out of Eden.

But when they were thrown out God placed an angel with a flaming sword to guard Eden. It contained a tree that could give eternal life. And God had sentenced them to death by old age. So God prevented them from eating of the Tree of Life lest they live forever.

In essence the flaming sword is a symbol of the human condition. We are separated from God because of our sin. Because we disobeyed God we have been banned from the presence of God and the eternal life that comes from God.

The other part of the image in this window is more familiar. It's the Ten Commandments. You know them. Don't worship other gods. Don't make idols. Don't take the Lord's name in vain. Keep the Sabbath. Honor your parents. Don't murder. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Don't lie. Don't covet.

We usually think of them as God's top ten rules, but they are more than that. A historical footnote: In the image on the window there are five roman numerals on one tablet and five on the other. We often assume that since there were two tablets half of the commandments were written on each. However scholars tell us that both tablets probably contained all Ten Commandments. You see the Ten Commandments are a contract, an agreement, or as the Bible calls it a covenant. And as with any agreement there are two parties and each party keeps a copy of the contract for future reference. That's why there are two tablets: one is God's copy of the contract and other is Israel's copy.

But what kind of agreement is this? When we think of contracts we usually think of purchase agreements. The store promised to deliver a certain good or service. The buyer promised to make certain payments. If either party fails to keep their end of the bargain the contract is broken. But the Ten Commandments are not written like that. God didn't say, "I will save you, if you keep these commandments" like a customer would say, "I will pay you, if you deliver the goods." God said, "I have saved you so keep these commandments." If it were the other way around God would have sent Moses to the people in slavery and said keep these commandments and I will deliver you from Egypt. No, God delivered Israel then said; "Keep my commandments." Remember the story at the beginning of the sermon? The parents didn't say, "If you obey us you can go to the fair." They said, "You can go to the fair, now obey us."

The Ten Commandments are written like a treaty between and great king and a lesser kingdom. God is saying, "I delivered you from Pharaoh so now you will serve me." There is no statement that if they don't God will give them back to Pharaoh. But here is a sense that they must serve God and keep their part of the bargain in good faith. If not, God may not save them next time. In other words God will protect them, but if they decided to serve another god that is their decision.

So why are these two images paired together in this window? I believe that they are an attempt to tell the whole story of God's people. The whole story is that, like the boy in the story I told, the human race disobeyed God the Father. The punishment for this disobedience is separation from paradise just as the punishment for the boy was not being allowed to go to the fair. But God lovingly delivers us from our bondage and exile just as the parents delivered the boy from his sentence. And that is a gift of grace.

We often think of God's commandments as burdens. Like a young person who wants to stay out past midnight we think our Heavenly Father is just trying to keep us from having any fun. But in fact God's commandments are a sign of God's grace in saving us. God does not say do these things and then I will save you. God says I have saved you, now serve me.

God's love came first. Long before any of us were born, God came for us. He came for us in Jesus Christ and on the cross delivered us from slavery to sin and death. Is it too much for God to ask us to keep a few commandments? In gratitude for what God has done for us can't we love God and our neighbor? Not grudgingly or legalistically. Not while trying to find loopholes, but in good faith.

"Hear, O Church, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your hearing this day, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us on Mt. Calvary. Not with our ancestors did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive this day. The LORD spoke with you face to face in his Son Jesus Christ. He said: 'I am the LORD your God, who saved you from sin. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Psalm 119:105

A few year back there was a movie. It was about a man who learned almost in the same day that he was going to become a father and that he was going to die. The doctors only gave him 6 months to live. He might never see his first child. But more importantly he would never be able to pass on to this child the wisdom he had gained.

So he set out to video all that he could think of. He made videos in which he gave his unborn son advice on everything from dating to shaving. His son might never see him except in these pictures. So he diligently went about recording all he could.

The Bible is like those videos. We have a Heavenly Father who we cannot see. So God has given us a record of who he is and of the direction he wants to give us. A book of guidance and support. That book is the Bible.

"The B I B L E yes that's the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God the B I B L E," but what is the B I B L E? We see it pictured in three different windows in this church and we place it prominently on the Altar table. It has been called the Book of books. I had a Bible Study teacher who called it "God's love letter to the human race." It has been called "inspired," "inerrant," "infallible" and just plain "true." It has been called "the least read best seller in history."

If you get ten Christians together you will have at least a dozen different opinions on the Bible. For that matter if you get ten Methodists together you will have a dozen different opinions about the Bible. Some will say it is the words of God, or that it is the "Word of God," or that it contains the Word of God, or it is a testimony to the Word of God. The official stance of the United Methodist Church says that the Bible contains all that is sufficient for salvation. It reveals the Word of God, and it is our primary source for knowledge of God.

But at the basis of all these opinions is the idea that it is a communication from God. That somehow and in some way God speaks to us through it. We Christians may disagree on how that happens. Did God pick the very words that were written down or did God pick the message and inspire the messengers to write it? Christians will argue over those finer points, but what remains is that God speaks to us and reveals truth through the Bible.

If God speaks through the Bible then let's see what the Bible says about itself. The Old Testament Psalmist said that the God's Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. There is a story about a young person who was distraught and confused. This person wisely chose to turn to the Bible. However they chose to do so in a peculiar manner. This young person closed their eyes opened the Bible and pointed to a verse then looked to see what it said. It said, "And he hanged himself."(Matt. 27:5) Deciding that this was not what God wanted, he tried the same process again. He closed his eyes and pointed. Then he looked down. The verse said, "Go and do likewise."

The Bible is a source of guidance from God. This young person had that much right. But it is not magic. Its words are not incantations that conjure things up. The mere presence of a Bible will not ward off evil. And it is not some kind of Divine Ouija board or crystal ball.

For the God's Word to be a lamp it must be read. We need to ponder the Bible and study its meaning. Some people keep their Bible on a shelf gathering dust. You might as well put it in one of those glass cases and with a little hammer and a sign that says "break glass in case of spiritual emergency." The Bible is not a spiritual fire extinguisher it is a heavenly lamppost. And you should try turning it on daily so you can see where you are walking. If you wait until you've fallen and can't get up it is too late to turn on the light. That is what the Psalmist said isn't it, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet." But what good is a lamp if it is never turned on?

While the Old Testament speaks of God's word as a lamp the New Testament gets into more detail. It says, "All scripture is inspired by God." Now at the time that was written the word "scripture" referred to what we call the Old Testament. Some people think the Old Testament is outdated and that only the New Testament has any meaning. I even know a Christian who had a Bible with he Old Testament in the Back and the New Testament in the front. He thought the Old Testament was just an appendix that gave the historical background for the New. But the New Testament says "all scripture is inspired." I also know some Christians who try to pick and choose Scriptures I will be the first to admit that there are some difficult passages in the Bible. I wish I did have the option of just ignoring some parts of the Bible. But if "all" scripture is inspired, then I need to wrestle with those troublesome passage and not write them out.

But what do we mean by "inspired." The word translated inspired in the Greek literally means "God breathed." The word for "breathed" in the Greek is based on the root for "spirit" So there is the connotation that God breathed the Spirit into the Bible. There is the sense not only that it is true, but that through it God's Spirit works. Almost as if the Bible were alive.

But this all seems rather mystical while the rest of the verse is rather practical. After saying the Bible is "God breathed" it says, "and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness so that everyone who belongs to God may be equipped for good works." So the Bible is like a training manual for the Christian. It tells us how to live the Christian life. It is useful for correcting our wrongs and directing us in what is right and good. Through it God empowers us to serve him and love our neighbor.

God's Word is truly a lamp just as that window with the lamp on a Bible shows us. And that is so important for the world today. One of the realities of our world today is that people don't know what to believe. You can't believe the government, you can't believe industry, you can't believe the experts. So people are seeking and grasping for some truth. And they have been told by all the professors and experts there is no truth; that all is relative.

But the Bible is the truth. It is a beacon of truth in a world of darkness. In a world where people think they can make up their own morality, it is a voice clearly declaring absolute truth. Truths like "love your neighbor," "seek just and love mercy," "God is love," Jesus is Lord," "As you do so unto the least of these ye do so unto me."

Is God's word a lamp unto your feet? Is it the source of authority you look to to make decisions in your life? Do you read it regularly and meditate on what it says? Don't wait until it gets dark to turn the light on. Turn on the light of God's word now!

Every musician has heard the story. A man gets off the train in New York City. He asks a passer by "How do I get to Carnage Hall?" The passer by says, "Practice, Practice, Practice." I had a flute professor in college who had actually played at Carnage Hall. She said the story isn�t true. When you get off the train just hail a cab and they will take you to Carneigie Hall.

So how does one become King of the universe? Many have tried different ways. Alexander tried conquering the known world with military might. Hitler tried using hatred and prejudice to subvert society. The soviet block tried propaganda. And countless industrial leaders have tried technological superiority and economic muscle. The disciples tried using their friendship with Jesus to gain political position and power.

But Jesus tried a different route. Jesus left his throne in heaven and became a common carpenter. Jesus refused to use his powers for personal gain, but only to heal and raise others. He could have demanded worship from the religious leaders but instead he accepted their rejection. He could have required his disciples to bow to his every whim, but instead he bowed to wash their feet. Instead of coming to be served, Jesus came to serve. And because he humbled himself, even to the point of dying of the cross, he has been highly exalted. And at the name of Jesus everything in Heaven and Earth will bow.

That is what this image of the Cross and the Crown proclaims. You can see it in two different windows. It is the juxtaposition of two images. The cross which signifies Jesus suffering and death for the sins of the world, and the crown which symbolizes royal power. In Jesus these two things are combined.

They are combined in that Jesus' obedience and servanthood led to his exaltation. The ultimate example of Jesus servanthood is his death on the cross for the sins of the world. Through it he defeated sin. His blood served as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. And all who accept him are cleansed of their sin through his blood. The Devil thought he had conquered the human race. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and because of that we were all chained by sin. But Jesus liberated us from sin through his obedient death on the cross. That obedience which led to his death also led to his resurrection. And through his resurrection we have eternal life. We who have died to sin in Christ shall rise again with him. The Devil through he would have the last word because all people die. But Jesus brought us eternal life.

So because of his obedient death on the cross Jesus is rightly King of Kings and Lord of lords. Because of Jesus� death on the cross we have forgiveness and eternal life. By the cross we are saved from sin and death. And because he saved us we praise him. And God has given him the title "Lord of the Universe." And God has declared that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. Because he died on the cross Jesus has a crown of glory.

So the cross and the crown symbolized Jesus' sacrifice and glory. But it also gives us an example to follow. Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Let this same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." That mind of course is the spirit of servanthood and sacrifice which led to Jesus exaltation. But that is easier said than done. Even the disciples had trouble doing it. They just couldn't get it. They wanted to have power and privilege while Jesus was calling them to suffering and sacrifice.

If the disciples who walked, talked, and ate with Jesus on a daily basis for years didn't get it, it�s no surprise that Christians today have trouble getting it. Too many Christians come to church to be served and not to serve. It is great to look for a church where one can serve and grow. But too often people shop for the church that can serve them best. And their attitude is that the church exists to serve them, not to serve God and their neighbor. So when they are asked to make a sacrifice of time or money, they are shocked.

And how often do Christians jockey for positions of privilege and prestige. Even in the church some people want titles and positions, not so they have an area of serve but so that they can have power. And when Christians go out into the world do they have the attitude of servanthood found in Christ. Too often we don't. We enjoy the privileges we have and end up thinking that we are better than others are. We may live by the motto "The first shall be last" in the church, but in the world of business our attitude is "lead, follow, or get out of the way."

The cross and the crown of Jesus show us another way. Through his death on the cross Jesus earned the praise he already deserved. Through washing his disciples' feet and then their souls he not only saved us but also gave us an example to follow. And if we follow that example he will exalt us. If we willingly accept the last position on earth we will be the first in heaven. If we will bow to serve we will be exalted.

You have heard the phrase "No cross, no crown." It applies to us. We must take up the cross to receive our crown of glory. We must die to sin and be raised again in Christ. We must crucify our pride to be raise to a life of servanthood and sacrifice.

Do you have that mind that attitude that spirit that was in Christ? Do you sacrifice your wants and wishes for the sake of others? Or do you demand your own way in things? In truth I guess we all do to one extent or another. Take a look at the cross and the crown. Learn from it and the example of Christ it shows us.

John 15:1-17

"It's not what you know it's who you know." Have you ever heard that saying before? Sometimes it is used as a pessimistic remark about favoritism in high places. But when applied to spiritual matters it has a different sound. We could never know enough to pass any theology test devised by God. So all he requires is that we know his Son: Jesus. So getting into heaven is not about what you know but whom you know.

In a sense that is what the metaphor about the vine tells us. But it goes beyond that. It not only says that we must have a relationship with Jesus it describes what kind of relationship. It tells us our place and role as well as God's place and role. It also tells us how Jesus fits into it all

Jesus' little discourse about the vine and the branches is an extended metaphor that has three parts to it. First there is God who is the farmer, the caretaker, of the vine. Then there is Jesus who is the main part of the vine. And finally there are the branches, which are the followers of Jesus.

But what does it all mean?

First of all there is God: the vine grower. The role of the vine grower is to care for the vine so that it is able to produce fruit. Jesus says that every branch that bears no fruit he removes. Such branches simply sap energy from the branches that are producing fruit so God removes then and thrown them in the trash heap. There were a lot of fruitless branches on God's vine in Jesus' day. The Sadducees and the Pharisees were not serving God and they were among the ones that God would cut off.

So if God cuts off the fruitless branches God must pamper the fruitful ones, right? Wrong! Jesus says that God "prunes" the fruitful branches. Ouch! What's the difference between pruning and removing? As I studied this passage I discovered that apparently to care for a grapevine one has to prune it. If the branches are not pruned they produce little or no fruit. However if they are properly pruned they produce much fruit. In the next verse Jesus says that you have already been "cleansed" by the word I have spoken to you. There is a play on words here. The same root word is used for both "prune" and "cleanse" in the Greek. So through Jesus' teachings we are being pruned so we can bear fruit. Have you ever read the Bible or heard it preached and felt a twinge of pain from it. Maybe it spoke to your heart about some way that you were not serving God as you should. When that happens to some people they think, "Well I must not have been a very good Christian or I wouldn't be feeling convicted of that sin or lack of faith." On the contrary, if you were unfruitful you would not feel that twinge. You would have been cut off from God and your heart would have been hardened to the Spirit convicting you. But because you feel that twinge God is pruning you to make you more fruitful. The fact that the Spirit is working on your heart proves that you must be producing fruit for God. It also shows that God foresees you producing more fruit!

It is like a parent who places demands on a child. The parent makes the child study and do their homework. The parent makes the child take responsibilities. Many times the child doesn't like it but it is done in love. It the parent cared less they would not train or discipline the child at all. In the same way God loves us and sometimes that love includes telling us we are wrong or allowing circumstances to change our lives. God does not want to hurt us. God simply wants to cleanse us of those things that are keeping us from producing more fruit.

That is God's role in caring for the vine, but what about the vine and its branches. Jesus said, "I am the true vine." The purpose of the vine is to carry water and nutrients to the branches. Without those nutrients the branches would die. They need what the vine supplies to live and to grow and to make fruit.

Jesus also said, "you are the branches." "Abide in me and I in you, just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me."(15:4) Without the water of life and the spiritual nourishment that Jesus provides, we would die. We need Jesus, the vine, to provide those things.

And what do we need those things for? To bear much fruit! What does this fruit look like? Some people Jesus is speaking only of leading people to Christ. And that is part but it is much more. The Old Testament uses the image of Israel as a vine that God transplanted and built a vineyard for. (Jer. 2:21) It was supposed to produce justice and righteousness. God's purpose for Israel was to be an example of holiness to the nations. The New Testament speaks of the fruit of the Spirit being: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."(Gal. 5:22-23) These are the things that our lives should produce as a result of being in Christ.

That is part of what I think the image of the vine in the window is trying to say. Do you see how that large bunch of grapes is draping off that vine? That is how we should be. We should be connected to Christ so that we produce fruit for the kingdom. Peace, patience, gentleness, kindness... should be hanging off our lives just like the grapes in that picture are hanging off the vine.

But the vine and the grapes are just part of the picture. The grapes are sitting in a chalice. The chalice of course calls to mind communion, the Last Supper. Jesus took the cup and said, "This is my blood." And those actions proclaim Jesus' death for our sins until he comes again.

So what is the connection between the vine and the chalice? Well, both involve grapes. It just so happens that Jesus had just instituted the Lord's Supper and was on his way to the Garden of Gethsemane when he said the words "I am the true vine." Is that all there is, or is this window trying to say more?

I have an idea! Jesus' whole point in his sermon about the vine is that we need to be connected to God. If we are not connected our lives are fruitless. If we are connected we produce the fruits of the kingdom, and God makes us more fruitful. But do we connect with Jesus? One might begin by saying "Giving your life to Christ!" That is a necessary first step. You must be born again to have eternal life. You might say we connect with Jesus by reading the Bible and praying. That is important too.

But what about communion? Through Holy Communion we proclaim Christ's death and we recall how that death gives us eternal life. You know John Wesley called communion a saving sacrament. He believed that people could experience Jesus in communion and be led to salvation through it just as through an evangelistic sermon or testimony.

Many Christians have lost touch with that aspect of Communion. For some it is only a chance to remember Jesus' death or the Last Supper. We have forgotten that in this we meet Christ. And in meeting Christ at the communion table in the bread and the grape juice we are fed. We the branches are connected to the vine in the sharing of the communion cup.

When you come to the communion table today come to be connected to Christ. Let him be the vine in your life that connects you to God. Then go forth to be branches that produce much fruit.

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Genesis 6:11-22

Today I will be focusing on the image of the Ark in the back. Noah's Ark, how big was it? The Bible gives the measurements in cubits: 300 x 50 x 30. A cubit is the distance from the elbow to the tip of your finger. So it is hard to tell exactly how big a cubit was for Noah. If he had long arms it could have been 2 feet. But on the average a cubit was probably about 18 inches.

Assuming a cubit of 18 inches the ark would have been 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. It had three decks and a roof. The decks would have been about 15 feet apart. It had no sail or rudder. But it did have a door that was big enough to let the animals and people in!

All those measurements are fine but I wanted to get a feel for how big it actually was. So I took some measurements. It is about 75 feet from the front door to the back of the pulpit area, so that is about how wide the ark was. It is about 15 feet from the floor to the ceiling so that would have been the height of one deck on the ark and there would be two more like it above. Now you can see that part, but to get an idea of it length you have to pretend this wall to your left isn't there. Now picture a structure that is as wide as this sanctuary is long and imagine it extending out in that direction for 1 and a half football field lengths. Or through the parking lot beyond the old Winn Dixie Store and right up to the back of the shops on the square. That is about 450 feet.

While that is much larger than this church we all have been in buildings larger. But this was made entirely of wood. And you couldn't go to the lumber yard and buy pressure treated plywood back then either. The massive planks used to built this structure had to be hand cut with bronze age tools. They didn't have power tools or epoxy tipped nails driven in by an air hammer either. They probably didn't even have nails. It was probably held together by pegs and faith.

A few weeks ago Josh went up in the attic above the sanctuary to find a leak above the choir loft. I went just far enough to see the inside of the area above the sanctuary. The main part of this structure was built before the invention of power tools and it is amazing how much wood was used. Imagine how massive the timbers had to be to not only support the weight of the ark itself, but also large animals and a stormy sea! The ark would be a massive structure in our day, but It must have been utterly amazing to the people of Noah's day.

So why all this talk about the size of the Noah's ark? As you might have guessed it has a religious significance. You see the ark is a symbol of the church. Back in Noah's day "the world was corrupt in God's sight and the earth was filled with violence."(6:14) We live in the same situation today. The world we live in is corrupt and full of violence.

Back in Noah's day God sent Noah to build an ark. The purpose of this Ark was to save the animals and as many people as would enter the ark from the wickedness of the world and the coming destruction. 2,000 years ago God sent his Son to draw people unto himself and build a church. Not a physical structure made of wood like the ark, but a spiritual structure made of people who have given their lives to Christ. And this church is designed by God to be big enough to carry us through the storms of this world; to save us from its corruption and violence and the coming judgment.

Just like the ark it has exacting specifications. God told Noah to make to ark of cypress or gopher wood. This was no ordinary wood. It was the highest quality of wood. In the same way God calls us to build the church out of people. But not every person will do. Only those who have given their lives to Christ are suited for being built into the church. We are called to be strengthened by the prayer and study to do the Job. Most importantly God told Noah to make the ark big enough to hold all those who needed to be saved from the flood. And the door had to be big enough to let them in. In the same way God calls us to make the church big enough to accommodate all who will be saved and the door must be wide enough to let them in. The ark had no sail or rudder. Noah and his family were told to simply seal themselves up in it and float. They were to trust God to guide them through the wind and the waves. In the same way we are called not to control the church but to trust God to guide us in the direction. That doesn't mean we make plans and try to carry them out. It means that we realize that our plans need to be God's plans or they are useless. And that ultimately it is God who will guide us through this world of violence and corruption.

I assume Noah followed God's specifications when he built the ark. I assume that because it worked! The problem is we don't always follow God's specification for the church. We give ourselves to God to be built into his church without properly dedicating ourselves to his service. God needs Christian who are spiritual redwoods, but most of us are spiritual balsa woods. Now you can't change balsa wood into maple, but a spiritual light weight can grow closer to God and become stronger. Once we have surrendered to God's will, then we will suitable for the church of Christ.

We also fail to make the church big enough. Now I am not talking about the physical structure but the spiritual and social structure of the church. Too often we scale down the church to fit our designs. We either actively or passively exclude people who fit God' specs but not ours. Sometimes it is people who don't dress well enough or who dress too well, or people who are not well educated or are too well educated. Sometimes we exclude those of different races of who have different accents. Sometimes we try to exclude those who have different theologies or ways of worshipping.

But perhaps our biggest failing is in the area of sails and rudders. We try to control the church. We try to control where the church is going. It is one thing to try to discern the direction God is calling us it is a, but it is another to try to decided where we want the church to go. Like Noah we have to seal ourselves up in the ark and trust God to guide the way.

I hope you will take a chance to look at the picture of the ark in the stain glass window in the back. One of the things I like about it is the sea. It is less a picture of the ark as it is the sea tossing the ark about. If we would realize that this is the real picture of the church it would clear a lot things up. If we understood that our world is a chaotic and violent place, then we would realize that a sail and rudder will only get us in trouble. He can't control the direction we are headed any more than we can control the wind and the waves.

This picture of a lone boat in the vast sea might make us realize that we Christians are all in the same boat. We were all perishing in the chaotic and violent waves of this world when Jesus rescued us and pulled us into his boat. And it doesn't matter what our socio-economic or ethno-political background is, we are all in the same boat. It doesn't matter what our theology or our preferred mode of worship is. What matters is that Jesus reached out a hand to save us and we accepted it. In a life boat there are no princes and paupers. We are all survivors!

The church is a life boat. It is an ark designed by God to save all who will but enter it. Let us remember that God will destroy this world. Not with a flood this time but with fire. And we who are in the ark will be saved while those who aren't will perish!

"When Israel was in Egypt's land, let my people go;

Moses was minding his own business. Or rather he was minding his father-in-law's business, when the call of the Lord came. Moses was keeping his father-in-law Jethro's flocks. He had put Egypt behind him. Sure he had felt called to lead his people in the past. He had imagined that he could deliver them from bondage.

But all that was 40 years ago. He had tried to lead his people out of bondage. He had even killed an Egyptian for beating an Israelite. Then he ran. He ran from the possible death sentence. He ran from the responsibility of being a deliverer.

Moses had a new life now. He was married and had a son. He was going to take over the family business: "Jethro's Shepherding, Inc." Just like us he was probably going about his business and wondering if the Braves would make it into the World Series this year.

That's when it happened. Right there on the mountain of God. Moses saw a burning bush. It was on fire but it didn't burn up. Moses said, "I gotta check this out." Little did Moses know that the bush was just an attempt by God to get his attention.

Once Moses was there and alert, God spoke. He called, "Moses, Moses!" Moses responded, "Here I am!" "Don't come any closer and take off your shoes you are standing on holy ground." The God when on, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." At that Moses hid his face for he was frightened. He thought he was in trouble 40 years ago in Egypt, but he was really in trouble now!

Yet, when the Lord spoke it was not to judge Moses who had failed in his earlier calling. It was to call Moses. It was to give him authority and power to go and free his people. God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush to send him to tell Pharaoh "Let my people go!"

You know the rest of the story. Moses went to Egypt. He told Pharaoh to let the people go. God sent some plagues and parted a sea. And Israel went to the Promised Land a free nation.

The image of the burning bush in this stain glass window is a reminder of that call. But it is a symbol of our calls too. Like Moses most of us go through our lives just takin' care of business. We go through our 9-5 grind week in and week out. We are just minding our own business.

Then something happens that gets our attention. Perhaps we, or someone we know, gets sick or has a serious accident. Perhaps a baby is born and suddenly we are responsible for a whole new generation. Perhaps a carrier reaches it end and as that door closes another opens. Perhaps we just wake up one day and see the beauty of a sunrise or of the mist on a field.

And when God sees that he has our attention he speaks. God calls us by name. Maybe not an audible call but God touches our hearts and souls in a personal way. And he calls us to his work. He sends us to comfort the distraught, to heal the broken, to free the oppressed, to bring light to those who dwell in darkness.

That is what that window is showing us. It's not so much Moses' call as it is ours. God is calling you. That calling may be of many different kinds. He may be calling you to salvation; to give your life to Christ. He might be calling you to make a commitment to serve him. He might be calling you to baptism or to join the church.

God may be calling you to devotion. To study of the Bible and prayer. It may be to service in the community or in the church. It may be preach and teach.

I don't know what it is for each individual. But I do know God is calling you. Just as God came to Moses in his everyday life God comes to us. Just as he got Moses' attention God gets our attention. And just as God spoke to Moses God speaks to us.

The burning bush reminds us that God is calling. Are you listening? Are you listening for God's direction. If you stopped most people on the street and asked them if God was calling them, they would laugh. Yet in Christ God calls all people to salvation. Ask most Christians if God has called them and they would say "Who, me?" Yet Jesus calls us all to love God and our neighbor.

Most people think God just calls preachers and prophets like Moses. But when God called Moses he was just a sheepherder. And when God called me I was just a kid in the 4th grade who liked telescopes and music. God calls ordinary people.

And God calls churches too! God is calling Latimer Memorial. Are we listening? God is trying to get our attention so he can tell us something. He wants us to go heal the sick, lift up the fallen, give sight to the blind, light the darkness, and free the oppressed. Just like Moses, our people are slaves to a Pharaoh called Sin. And God is calling us to go to Pharaoh Sin and say, "God Almighty says, let my people go."

God is calling - are we listening?

The word "harp" or "harps" appears in the Bible 32 times. The word "lyre" or "lyres" appears 46 times, for a total of 78. The picture on the stain glass widow could be called either a harp or a lyre. Almost every verse that mentions harps or lyres is about praise. Stringed instruments were a regular part of praising God.

When we think of church music we usually think of organs and pianos. But the lyre or harp was often the instrument of choice. In fact the inscription above 7 of the psalms specifies that a lyre be used in playing it. Some of these churches that use guitars for their worship music think they are doing something new. Actually they are just resurrecting an ancient practice of using stringed instruments to praise the Lord.

And when you think of heavenly music what comes to mind: the harp. In fact the passage I read form Revelation tells us that John saw people with harps praising God in heaven. So the harp or lyre is a symbol of praise. It represents the songs and other acts of praise that God's people lift up. It is a symbol of the praise offered not only by the church on earth but also by the choirs of angels and saints in heaven.

The Westminster confession begins by asking: "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever." One of the main ways that we glorify God is through praise. So through praise we realize our chief end in life. By praising God we fulfill our main reason for existing.

Too often we fail to recognize the importance of praise. And yet the Bible tells us over and over again to praise the Lord. We recognize the importance of spreading the Gospel, passing on the faith, helping the needy, and lifting up the downtrodden. But too often "praise" is seen only as a tool toward the end of winning others for Christ or passing on the faith or moving people to help the needy and downtrodden. Too often praise is not valued as just plain praise.

I think we Methodists are especially bad at this. We love to sing and the Wesley brothers, who started the Methodist movement, pioneered the use of hymns in worship. But read some of Charles Wesley's hymns. They are so full of theological meat and biblical references that they are often used to teach people. And much of the church music developed since then is designed to call people to the altar or to action.

But there is a new kind of music coming into the church now. It is called praise music. It is not revival music or social action music or teaching music. It's goal is not to do any of those things. It's purpose is to simply praise God!

Often times it is looked down upon. It lacks theological sophistication. It often repeats the same phrases over and over. It doesn't motivate people to go in to the world and find the lost or lift up the fallen. It simply praises God.

Here's an example: "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's something about that name! Master, Savior, Jesus! Like the fragrance after the rain. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Let all heaven and earth proclaim: Kings and Kingdoms will all pass away, but there's something about that name!" That's the whole song! It's not the first verse. That's it! In worship a congregation will sing those same words over and over. Why? Because it praises and glorifies God!

Why is praise important in and of itself? Why does the Bible tell us to praise God and why are Christians led to praise God just for the sake of praising God. I believe that praise fulfills one of our basic needs if not our only basic need. It is that need to glorify God. When we praise God we are doing what God created us for in its purest form. That is not meant to downplay the importance of serving others or passing on the Gospel. It simply recognizes that when this world is over and all the souls and will be saved have been saved and no one is any longer ignorant of the Gospel and all the downfallen have been lifted up: in other words when we all get to heaven, praise will continue after all these other things have ceased.

When we praise God we open our hearts to God. In that moment we are joined with the hosts of heaven. Now stick with me I am going to get a little theological here. John said he saw the elders in heaven praising God and each had a harp and a bowl of incense that is the prayers of the saints. In other words when we praise God here on hearth the "sound" of that goes to heaven and joins with the praise of the angels and the saints in heaven, just as the smoke from those bowls of incense in Revelation went up.

In a sense praise opens the gates of heaven. When we praise God here on earth, we are also before the throne of God in heaven. In praise, pure adoration of God, heaven and earth intersect. And we, without leaving the building are at that same moment in heaven.

Now a few things about praise. We often think of praise as being musical. And the harp a musical instrument is the symbol of praise that we are reflecting on today. But some praise is not musical. Praise can be visual. These banners are a praise to God. These stain glass windows are a praise to God.

Praise can also be movement. In the Bible David danced before the Lord in praise to God. In churches today people do interpretive or "liturgical" dance to praise God. In college I was involved in clown ministry which used pantomime to praise God. The motions in our service are praise to God.

Praise is anything whose main purpose is to glorify God. Praise can even be silent and still. One can praise God by shouting "Amen" and "Alleluia." One can also praise God in the silence of ones heart. Praise can also come in the silence of a tear shed because of the beauty of God's creation.

Praise. "Praise God from whom all blessing flow." "Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of creation" Praise is more than music. It is the opening of a heart to God. It is adoration in its purest form.

Try praising God. Just hum a tune for the purpose of glorifying God. Give God a little glory. If you are feeling down or troubled, try praising God. Let that praise be an affirmation of your faith.

Praise need not be complicated or complex. In fact the simpler the better. Like the Psalmist said, "Let everything that breathes praise the Lord."

Matthew 26:36-46

"Oh, that's the church with the window!" That's what they said. When I was about to be moved here the members of my churches down in Abbeville asked where I was going. It told them, "Latimer Memorial in Belton." They thought for a moment and then one of the ladies said, "Oh, that's the church with the window."

She had driven by the church on her way to Greenville at night. It was probably when her husband who was dying of cancer was in the hospital or again when her son was in the hospital being treated for cancer. It doesn't matter when it happened, but she drove by and she saw the window of Jesus praying in the Garden and it made an impression on her. Of all the things one could remember about a church that was the one thing that most impressed this passer by.

And I think that's good. If the image of Jesus praying is the one image we leave with people, then that is fine by me. One gets a sense of Jesus' humanness and his ability to understand our pain from the look on his face and his posture. But despite the distressed look on Jesus' face, he is looking up and a ray of light from heaven is shining on him. I imagine that for a woman driving herself to the hospital late at night that image was very comforting. I personally have left the funeral home across the street at night and seen that window lit up. I am sure it makes an impression on many.

The image of Jesus praying in the garden is a good image to characterize this church. I read the full story behind that image this morning. Jesus is getting ready to die. He had already instituted Holy Communion. He had spoken to the disciples about the coming trial. He had even prayed for them. Everything that needed to be said was said and all that was left was the waiting. Waiting for Judas to arrive with the soldiers to take him to trial and the cross.

Jesus called on Peter, James, and John to wait with him and to pray. These three were special. They had been with him on the Mount of Transfiguration. They had even claimed they were willing to drink from the same cup as him (20:22). Now Jesus called them apart to pray with him as he awaited his betrayal and death.

But they didn't wait with him. They fell asleep. Instead of praying with Jesus in his agony, they took a nap. In contrast to their disobedience Jesus prayed "Not my will, but thine be done." Even though he prayed that the cup of suffering would pass from him, he still remained obedient to God's plan.

Isn't that the way it has been ever since? Jesus calls the church apart from the world to watch and pray. To be alert for his return and the coming judgment. To be alert for the time of God's salvation to come upon all creation. To pray for and with those who are persecuted on account of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And what do we do? We sleep. We say, "Well Jesus hasn't come in two thousand years surely we can rest for a decade or century and we will not miss him." And the church closes first one eye and then the other. And before we know it we are off in dreamland totally oblivious to what is happening in the world around us.

Oblivious that is until Jesus opens our eyes to our failure. And we rub our eyes and with the best of intention pray for those with us in pain. But eventually our human frailty and sleepiness takes over. And once again Jesus' disciples slumber while he obediently prays.

In stark contrast to his disciples there is the example of Jesus. Jesus had plenty of time to get a step ahead of the law. But he obediently chose to wait for them to come. He truly dreaded the torture he would undergo. Luke even says that he sweat drops of blood. Some might think that because he was the Son of God, Jesus didn't dread the coming crucifixion. The Bible says otherwise.

In fact Jesus prayed that "this cup might pass from me." Yet he ended by praying "Your will be done. This is an example for the church. We are called to pray in the face of suffering. And as much as we may pray that the suffering would not come upon us, our final prayer should be "Let thy will be done."

This is how this window characterized this church. I feel that even though we have fallen asleep our fare share of times, we have also tried to follow Jesus' example. This church has tried to address the suffering of the world around us. We do it through ministries of compassion. By collecting food for the hungry. By providing Bibles and religious literature for Patrick Harris Hospital and Kairos. By helping to support a missionary in the Ukraine. By baking cookies for Kairos. And we continue to pray for the suffering of the world. The prayer breakfast is an example of that. I know that not everyone is free to go to church at 7 am in the morning. But the fact that a few do demonstrates the support of the whole church. And people who can't come let those who can know about people in the community who need our prayers. In a sense we are kneeling in prayer beside Jesus in the Garden whenever we pray for those in need.

"The church with the window." At night that window is the most visible and distinguishing characteristic of this church building. I like that. When people in the darkness look at the church they see Jesus. They see him in the midst of his suffering. But they also see him turning to his Heavenly Father in faith and obedience.

It's my pray that what is true for the church building would also apply to the congregation that meets here. It is my prayer that when those who dwell in the darkness would see Christ when they look at us. And not just Christ but his faith and obedience.

As I conclude this series of sermons I want people to see this church as the church with the Stained glass windows. Not because the are pretty, yet they are. Certainly not because they are a status symbol! But because they proclaim truths of the faith. And I pray that people will see those truths not only reflected in the wondows but also reflected in us.