Rev. Dustin ParkerA sermon to local pastors
Yesterday, almost 20 pastors gathered at my church for our semi-monthly gatherings, called WInkels. The guest speaker this times was our District President. Prior to the business meeting we started in the sanctuary, for a short service. As I was host, I needed up preaching...This is that sermon
Concordia Lutheran Church
Pastor’s Winkel-mass, May 11, 2010
Hava Negilah – Let’s Dance for Joy!
† In Jesus Name †
May the gift of grace, and even more the relationship it is the means to, cause you to rejoice in the Father’s love shown in the Messiah’s life, death, resurrection and ascension! AMEN?
Easter Journey
We’ve almost completed our Easter journey. Thursday as we celebrate the ascension of Christ Jesus, we move from Easter to Trinity-Pentecost, and to be honest, I am not ready. Our sermon series has been, “Let us Rejoice”, taken from Easter Sunday’s Old Testament reading, which was heard again, a moment ago.
We started with the prophecy of how things would change, when God created a new heaven and a new earth – and how the promise of that would be guaranteed on Sunday, as the tomb was found empty. The word for rejoice is familiar to my congregation – when I bet them $5000 if they knew it – they all agreed they did and refused to bet. Then they realized they did – for they all responded to the notes of the song, from which they learned it. The Jewish victory folk song – Hava Ne Gilah – is Let us rejoice! Or even better “let’s dance with joy!”
Observation –
Is there a Joy, as prophesied as seen in the ascension??
Manufacture it or Ignore it?
I have to admit – as I reflect on the words of the psalm we read this morning, as we sing it during offering – has the joy of our salvation been stolen? Do we need it restored?
I think there are times for us to manipulate or forcibly create the joy – I am probably as guilty as any of this. For example, you will notice my little attempt in the bulletin – as the Amen’s are followed by exclamation points. Because usually AMENs around here sound like a husbands response to something added to his honey-do list. Amen. Ugh people – don’t you realize what you are saying?
The other option is to simply reduce our faith to rote. Have you ever heard a pastor drone, half asleep. “Lift up yourrrr hearts… Response – we liftttt them upp tooo …
DO we settle for this? How do we get them to realize this?
The Challenge
Do we know what we trust in?
Do we grasp the height, depth, breadth and width?
The only way I know of – is to continue to do what we do best – proclaim the presence of God in our midst via word and sacrament, and ensure people understand the doctrine of justification – and exactly what it means! We aren’t talking about someone slipping in a $20 into a birthday card, or even the Boston Celtics winning the NBA crown again.
We are talking about how great the love of God it, its height, its depth, its breadth, its width. All revealed to us, the promises guaranteed at the font, and at the altar.
This should cause us to rejoice – even as the disciples rejoiced as Jesus ascended to heave. It should cause us to worship – as we realize the Holy Spirit is with us.
It should cause us to rejoice knowing that we don’t alone.
Back to Isaiah – verse 19
The Father dances!
Anyone besides me like the Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty films? At the end of Evan, as he realizes that God actually used him, there was a disturbing scene. Evan and the actor playin God are standing in a meadow – under a tree. One says to the other, it’s time, and they begin to dance pathetically. Not the hava negilah – more like the groundhog in caddyshack. But God and man are dancing with joy, because their relationship means something. Bothered me a lot actually – the Creator of all, God Almighty – dancing? With his people? Joyfully?
Look at verse 19 in the OT reading.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people!
Yep _ that’s our God speaking – as He witnesses His new creation, and the fulfillment of the promise, I will be your God, and you will be My people.
He rejoices – Gila – He dances with joy.
Interesting – God reveling in our salvation. God rejoicing. Because of what He accomplished in Christ Jesus.
May the unsurpassable joy and peace of realizing the Father’s love, guard your hearts and minds, and those of your people in Christ Jesus. AMEN?
Concordia Lutheran Church
Pastor’s Winkel-mass, May 11, 2010
Hava Negilah – Let’s Dance for Joy!
† In Jesus Name †
May the gift of grace, and even more the relationship it is the means to, cause you to rejoice in the Father’s love shown in the Messiah’s life, death, resurrection and ascension! AMEN?
Easter Journey
We’ve almost completed our Easter journey. Thursday as we celebrate the ascension of Christ Jesus, we move from Easter to Trinity-Pentecost, and to be honest, I am not ready. Our sermon series has been, “Let us Rejoice”, taken from Easter Sunday’s Old Testament reading, which was heard again, a moment ago.
We started with the prophecy of how things would change, when God created a new heaven and a new earth – and how the promise of that would be guaranteed on Sunday, as the tomb was found empty. The word for rejoice is familiar to my congregation – when I bet them $5000 if they knew it – they all agreed they did and refused to bet. Then they realized they did – for they all responded to the notes of the song, from which they learned it. The Jewish victory folk song – Hava Ne Gilah – is Let us rejoice! Or even better “let’s dance with joy!”
Observation –
Is there a Joy, as prophesied as seen in the ascension??
Manufacture it or Ignore it?
I have to admit – as I reflect on the words of the psalm we read this morning, as we sing it during offering – has the joy of our salvation been stolen? Do we need it restored?
I think there are times for us to manipulate or forcibly create the joy – I am probably as guilty as any of this. For example, you will notice my little attempt in the bulletin – as the Amen’s are followed by exclamation points. Because usually AMENs around here sound like a husbands response to something added to his honey-do list. Amen. Ugh people – don’t you realize what you are saying?
The other option is to simply reduce our faith to rote. Have you ever heard a pastor drone, half asleep. “Lift up yourrrr hearts… Response – we liftttt them upp tooo …
DO we settle for this? How do we get them to realize this?
The Challenge
Do we know what we trust in?
Do we grasp the height, depth, breadth and width?
The only way I know of – is to continue to do what we do best – proclaim the presence of God in our midst via word and sacrament, and ensure people understand the doctrine of justification – and exactly what it means! We aren’t talking about someone slipping in a $20 into a birthday card, or even the Boston Celtics winning the NBA crown again.
We are talking about how great the love of God it, its height, its depth, its breadth, its width. All revealed to us, the promises guaranteed at the font, and at the altar.
This should cause us to rejoice – even as the disciples rejoiced as Jesus ascended to heave. It should cause us to worship – as we realize the Holy Spirit is with us.
It should cause us to rejoice knowing that we don’t alone.
Back to Isaiah – verse 19
The Father dances!
Anyone besides me like the Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty films? At the end of Evan, as he realizes that God actually used him, there was a disturbing scene. Evan and the actor playin God are standing in a meadow – under a tree. One says to the other, it’s time, and they begin to dance pathetically. Not the hava negilah – more like the groundhog in caddyshack. But God and man are dancing with joy, because their relationship means something. Bothered me a lot actually – the Creator of all, God Almighty – dancing? With his people? Joyfully?
Look at verse 19 in the OT reading.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people!
Yep _ that’s our God speaking – as He witnesses His new creation, and the fulfillment of the promise, I will be your God, and you will be My people.
He rejoices – Gila – He dances with joy.
Interesting – God reveling in our salvation. God rejoicing. Because of what He accomplished in Christ Jesus.
May the unsurpassable joy and peace of realizing the Father’s love, guard your hearts and minds, and those of your people in Christ Jesus. AMEN?
