Vacation Time

Hello everyone.  I'm on a much needed vacation.  I'll be back to posting next week.  Blessing to everyone.

Sunday Sermon - Cup of Cold Water

LECTIONARY 13A                              Matthew 10:40-42                                              David Eck

6/22/11

Jesus said, "Whoever gives even a cup of cold water

---To one of these little ones.

---Truly I tell you

---None of these will loose their reward."

A cup of cold water.

---This is the image Jesus uses

---To describe what it means to serve others

A simple cup of cold water.

---It's not a big commitment on our part,

---However, to the one who receives it

---It can make all the difference in the world!

A cup of cold water

---Can be used to quench the thirst of a weary traveler.

---It can be used to nurture a young seedling.

---It can be mixed with mortar and used to build a house.

A cup of cold water

---Can wash the hair of an elderly person in a nursing home.

---It can be used to help a child paint a water color picture.

Combined with flour and yeast

---A cup of cold water can also make bread for the hungry

A cup of cold water seems like such a simple thing,

---Hardly any effort on our part

---However, God can use this small gesture of good will

---And turn it onto something extraordinary!

II. I am convinced that some people

---Don't get involved with serving others

---Because they think it takes too much time!

They think that service means

---Going overseas to work with impoverished people in Africa

---Or volunteering with the Red Cross in their relief efforts

---After a natural disaster

They think that service means

---Taking a week off from work

---To build a house with Habitat For Humanity

Or make a monthly commitment

---To volunteer with a helping organization

---Such as ABCCM or Manna Food Bank

Yes, it's true service can be done

---On a large scale that impacts a large number of people

---But, truth be told,

---Jesus says all it takes is a cup of cold water

Now, you might think that's silly

---Or trivial or overly optimistic

---But ponder Jesus' words carefully for a moment

One cup may not make a huge difference in and of itself

---However, if you have a cup, and I have a cup

---And the person sitting next to you has a cup

---And we combine our cups together...

We become a force to be reckoned with

---We become a tidal wave of compassion

---That has a significant impact on our community,

---Our nation and our world

III. Let me give you some examples:

---We may only be able to donate

---A small amount of extra funds

---To the ELCA Disaster Response

---To help with earthquake relief in Japan

---And tornado relief in the United States.

---However, did you know that our combined giving

---For these two natural disasters was over $1,600?

This figure does not include the funds we sent

---To Relay For Life, Bus-Pass-It-On

---Or the food that was donated

---To feed the homeless at Pritchard Park.

Perhaps giving a cup of cold water

---Is not a silly notion after all!

Furthermore, I buy approximately two bags

---Of Equal Exchange coffee every month.

---It doesn't seem like a big deal, in and of itself.

But did you know that over 4,300 Lutheran churches

---Participate in the Lutheran World Relief Coffee project?

And if each congregation bought an average

---Of 100 pounds of coffee a year,

---Which our congregation has done and more,

---That's 215 tons of fair trade coffee a year!

Perhaps giving a cup of cold water

---Is not a silly notion after all!

Perhaps it's not trivial

---Or overly optimistic

In fact, giving a cup of cold water

---Is one of the most powerful and moving images

---We have in the New Testament

---That teaches us what it means to serve others.

We are called to give a cup of cold water

---To those in need.

We are called to quench the thirst

---Of those whose hopes have dried up;

---Those whose lives are in need of refreshment.

We are called to be a cool oasis

---In the midst of the desert times of life.

And this does not mean

---We have to do long term mission projects

---With major time commitments on our part

----[Although that is also a holy calling]

---A simple cup of cold water fits the bill quite nicely!

In today's gospel lesson

---I believe Jesus is calling us

---To grow a heart for service.

Jesus' words remind us that service

---Can start with something as simple

---As a cup of cold water.

Sometimes it is the little things

---That make all the difference in the world.

We need to have the faith 

---That God will bless our cups of cold water

---And use them to quench the thirst of those around us.

VII. So what is your cup of cold water?

---What are you passionate about?

---What makes good use of your talents and abilities?

This is what I would like us to ponder

---For the remainder of our time together.

It will come as no surprise to you

---But Abiding Savior is a small church

---With a limited number of people

---And a limited amount of resources.

We cannot do what a mega-church does.

---We cannot offer tons of programs

---And big flashy service projects.

However, this little cup of cold water called Aiding Savior

---Does some pretty amazing things

---On this campus, in our community,

---And in our world.

We will be able to do even more good

---If each of us is willing to put our cup

---Into the bigger cup known as Abiding Savior.

Because of our size, if one cup is missing,

---We feel it more profoundly

---Than a larger church does.

So, if we're going to be all that God is calling us to be

---We need each and every person,

---From the youngest to the oldest,

---To seriously ponder what cup they can contribute

---To the ministry of our congregation.

Here are a few cups for you to consider:

1. We need leadership.

---As I wrote this sermon

---We still had five empty slots to fill on Church Council.

---2 for stewardship, 2 for Family Life and 1 for Outreach.

Without leadership, ministry comes to a halt.

---Without leadership there is no one to plan

---Service projects, community outreach,

---Fellowship events, worship, and the like.

We cannot grow if we do not have leaders.

---Perhaps this is where your cup can best be used.

2. Our church secretary has resigned

---And this week our Church Council

---Has decided not to hire someone else

---But to ask for volunteers to help me in the office.

---Perhaps this is where your cup can best be used.

3. We always have little projects to do around the church

---Such as maintaining the grounds

---And cleaning the church.

---Perhaps this is where your cup can best be used.

4. We have a small group of people

---Who have a passion for service in the community

---And are involved in projects such as

---The breakfast at Pritchard Park,

---Providing desserts for the Fairview Welcome Table,

---Participating in the CROP Walk,

---And other activities like these.

We cannot do more

---Unless we have more people to volunteer.

We cannot have a strong presence in our community

---If other people are not willing to be that presence.

---Perhaps this is where your cup can best be used.

5. We need people who are willing to serve 

---On the Reconciling in Christ Taskforce.

---These folks are essential if our church

---Is going to be strong and vibrant.

---They are going to help us

---Shape our identity as a congregation

---And move us forward into a new era

---Of growth in membership and ministry.

---Perhaps this is where your cup can best be used.

VIII.  We are at an important crossroads as a congregation.

---Our success or failure depends upon

---Everyone's willingness to contribute their cup of cold water

---To the ministry and mission of Abiding Savior.

Each of us needs to move from maintenance mentality

---To mission mentality.

---If we can do this, I believe our future

---Will be bright, indeed.

I believe we CAN grow and we CAN prosper.

---I can see it.  It's right in front of us.

---If everyone can contribute their cup of cold water,

---I know we can get there.

This morning I'd like you to seriously consider

---What your cup of cold water looks like.

---You may think your cup is small

---Or you may already be putting several cups

---Into the Abiding Savior jar.

But no matter what the case many be

---Each and every cup is important.

---Each and every cup counts.

During the two remaining hymns that we sing,

---As well as during communion,

---I'd like you to consider what your cup might be.

When you can identify your cup;

---When you are willing to offer your time and talent

---To serve others in the name of Christ;

---I'd like you to come up to the table

---In front of the church.

I'd like you to take a small Dixie cup of water

---And pour it into the big vessel on the table.

This big vessel is the cup of cold water

---Known as Abiding Savior.

---And it cannot be full

---Unless we all help to make it full.

Each and every cup counts.

---Each and every gift offered to God

---Will be blessed by God.

It will be used to help quench the thirst

---Of those who enter the doors of this church

---As well as those we serve out in the community.

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

---This is a voluntary and symbolic act

---I hope you'll seriously consider what your cup might be.

We all need to do something

---Beyond showing up on Sunday morning

---If our church is going to be strong and vibrant.

Give your cup of cold water today.

---Trust that God will use it

---To bless others in ways you never thought were possible.

AMEN

Judges 19:10-30 - Sodom, Part 3

Judges 19:22-30 - While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a perverse lot, surrounded the house, and started pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may have intercourse with him." And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Since this man is my guest, do not do this vile thing. Here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do whatever you want to them; but against this man do not do such a vile thing." But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine, and put her out to them. They wantonly raped her, and abused her all through the night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. As morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, until it was light.

     In the morning her master got up, opened the doors of the house, and when he went out to go on his way, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. "Get up," he said to her, "we are going." But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey; and the man set out for his home. When he had entered his house, he took a knife, and grasping his concubine he cut her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. Then he commanded the men whom he sent, saying, "Thus shall you say to all the Israelites, 'Has such a thing ever happened since the day that the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until this day? Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.' [NRSV]

Commentary - This text describes a parallel case of wickedness at Gibeah. Both it and Genesis 19 describe how men demand that the male guest(s) be handed over to them so that they may have intercourse with them/him. In both instances, the host offers women (daughters/ concubine) from within the house instead. Both stories conclude with severe punishment against the cities where such horrible sin was perpetrated. In the case of Sodom, the punishment was the utter destruction of the city and its inhabitants. In the case of Gibeah, the Israelites eventually wreaked vengeance on the tribe of Benjamin for its defense of the crime.

It seems to me the same arguments used for Genesis 19 apply here. A man who hands over his concubine to be gang-raped and then cuts her into twelve pieces in the morning is hardly a pillar of virtue by modern standards. To use this text in arguments about same sex relationships seems terribly forced and desperate. It's hardly worth mentioning but some people still use it in their arguments against homosexuality.