By Joel A. Hess –
In the 1980s, some well-intentioned, rich entertainers wrote the Christmas song “Do they know it’s Christmas” to raise money to help those suffering from hunger in East Africa. I was going through my 80s English phase and loved the song and the singers. I mean come on, it was written by Bob Geldolf from Boomtown Rats fame. And it was far better than its American copycat tune, “We are the world.”
By Cindy Koch –
It’s only a week away. Baking, wrapping, and packaging. Mailing, singing, and giving. Parties, church services, and family dinners. Frantically running, exhaustedly buying, tension and family stress is building. Everything is pointing to that final day, December 25, when we will culminate with cries of Christmas joy. But the closer we get, the more frustrated we seem to become. Because all of our attention is pointed at a day that does not last long enough. It is almost more disappointing than joyful. And as soon as Christmas arrives, December 26 follows—and the celebration is over.
By Paul Koch –
We’ve all heard that cliché, “If you really love someone, let them go.” It is the foundation for most of epic love stories. It is the image of the distant admirer who plays the long game instead of seeking immediate gratification. The thought goes, that if it is real love, it will endure. It will happen without clinging too tight or restraining it to keep it close. There is a certain freedom that is inherit in love. In fact, this is one of the things that I enjoy the most about performing a wedding ceremony. The speaking of the vows, “Will you love honor, and keep him in sickness and in health and, forsaking all others, remain united to her alone, so long as you both shall live? Then say: I will.” And no one can make her say it. She must speak the words. In the speaking of the words, in true freedom, love takes physical form as the two become one flesh.
By Joel A. Hess –
Every December, besides Christmas trees and carolers, we can expect a couple other accoutrements of the holiday season. First, someone will freak out over Starbucks cups and store greeters who exchange the word “Christmas” with “holiday.” Second, pastors will moan loudly and publicly about the fact that it isn’t officially Christmas yet. It’s advent!
By Jeff Pulse –
The Old Testament text for this Sunday, December 17, 2017, is from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. The text is Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, which is a major part of the fifth Servant Song of Isaiah. It is interesting to see that that the speaker of this prophecy in none other than the Anointed One, the One who will rule over the Lord Yahweh’s kingdom: the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The words He uses to describe His reign are familiar ones: Preach to the afflicted; bind up the brokenhearted; liberty for the captives; opening eyes; comfort; and provide for those who mourn. Similar language used to identify the Coming One is found in many of the prophets and is used by Christ Himself in His answer to John the Baptist who sits in prison. We also note similarities to the Second Servant Song in Isaiah 49:7-13.
By Cindy Koch –
An emptiness dug a pit in her stomach when she remembered the face of her brother. He had a crooked smile when he had teased her, but he always followed with a strong, loving hug. He often defended her and made sure his sisters were able to hear Jesus’ teachings as often as he did. He was a kind brother, her best friend, and this new reality without him left her alone and empty.
By Paul Koch –
What an insane week. Here in Ventura, we began the week with a certain sense of control and predictability regarding how this week was going to unfold. We had some sort of schedule in our minds about what we were going to accomplish, what tasks were going to get checked off the list, what things we wanted to make sure we had a chance to experience. And then it all changed. Fire and smoke and destruction and great sadness was all mixed in with a sense of helplessness, and all we could do was react to external forces. The fires that tore through our county changed our plans in the blink of an eye as collectively our prayers went up before our God for relief and strength and restoration.
By Paul Koch –
When the power went out around 10:00 on Monday evening, my wife and I decided to go ahead and just call it a day. The kids were all tucked in bed, or at least were in their appropriate rooms, and we went through the usual bedtime routine by flashlight. As my wife went to draw the shade, she couldn’t help but see the red glow that filled the night sky. We went outside and tried to guess how far away the fire was. It was close, that’s for sure, and it was fast. Within an hour, the blaze took up the whole skyline as I looked toward the hills from our front porch. My wife was afraid, and I didn’t know how to reassure her. Shoot, I was afraid and tried to think through our next steps. One thing was for sure: This fire was going to change this great city of ours, and all I could do was watch. Well, I could protect my family, but I couldn’t alter the course of that fire.
By Paul Koch –
The word “advent” is a version of a Latin word that means coming or arrival. So, as we begin the season of Advent in the church we do those things that look forward to and anticipate the arrival, the coming, of something grand. We light an advent wreath each Sunday as each candle counts down to the big day. We have extra services when this body of Christ will gather together in anticipation of what is to come. And what is it that we are looking forward to? What is the big day that we are awaiting? Is it Christmas? It must be Christmas, right? Well, not exactly. I mean Christmas is certainly part of it for what we are celebrating is the coming of the kingdom of God. But that kingdom didn’t just come on Christmas morning. No, as we learn in our text today that kingdom comes whenever Christ himself comes. While Christmas may be the great arrival of our Lord, it is not the only arrival of our Lord.
By Joel A. Hess –
Let’s not kid ourselves. We love to give to the “poor.” Throw an anonymous picture of someone suffering on a poster or TV screen and dollars and coin quickly fill up the collection bucket. There is nothing wrong with that, of course.
By Paul Koch –
When people talk about sheep, when they ascribe the title of being a sheep to a different group of people, it usually isn’t all that flattering. To be a sheep is to just go along with the flow, to not think critically about where you are headed or how you will get there. To be a sheep usually means you are dependent on someone else for your survival. The sheep need a shepherd. People usually don’t want to consider themselves sheep. They want to be the shepherd or perhaps even the sheepdog, but not the sheep. Being sheep has gotten bad rap. We consider them to be stupid and blundering beasts that are good for mutton and wool but that is all. In other words, they are only useful to be consumed.
By Bob Hiller –
What is the image that comes to mind when you think of judgment? Think of our justice system where we say that justice is blind. The idea here is that you have lady justice holding up the scale. She weighs everything to see if she needs to execute with the sword. She is blind to persons or excuses. She simply weighs the evidence on the scale, feels the weight of the law, and executes justice properly.
By Paul Koch –
Gathering in our Lord’s house on Thanksgiving Day is an easy thing to do. It is, after all, a national Day of Thanksgiving. And so, if you are to give thanks this is the place to do it. This is a place where you worship our Lord, a place where he gives to you his great gifts over and over again. If we are to take a day to stop working and shopping and running here and there to say, “Thank you” it is good to begin such a day here. In fact, I think it is a wonderful tradition that our country observes such a day as this. In the midst of all the political pandering and fearmongering and finger pointing, it is worth our time to stop and marvel at the blessings that we have in our lives.
By Graham Glover –
A few years ago, I wrote an article entitled, “I’m Fat.” Unfortunately, I still am. Fat, that is. And with an epic day of gluttony only 24 hours away, I don’t think my fatness is going to change anytime soon.
By Joel A. Hess –
Once again, our national community wails in outrage over the death of innocent people by the hands of some madmen. We mourn. We throw a temper tantrum. We vow to fix it. And we should attempt to do so. Some say gun laws, others better detection and treatment of mental illness. We should strive for a society that has few if none mass killings. It would be inhumane not to desire such an outcome.
By Paul Koch –
Every year as the church celebrates All Saints Day, we turn our attention to our Lord’s words in Matthew Chapter 5. These words of blessing have become familiar to us. We have grown use to their rhythm and their simple beauty. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied…” Over the years we have heard many sermons on these words. We’ve studied them and digested them and wrestled with them over and again. They are a proclamation of blessing spoken by Christ to his disciples as they are surrounded by a great crowd of onlookers on a small mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
By Joel A. Hess –
Who broke that vase? I still remember my mother yelling at the top of her lungs. She was angry. It was her grandmother’s vase. All four of us were summoned into the courtroom of the living room. Our first response, of course, was, “I don’t know.” Next, we pointed fingers. Like Adam blamed Eve, we blamed each other without any evidence. We just didn’t want the blame to land on us. Finally, I fessed up. “I did it! but…” But, but, but. Parents hate these buts. They spank these butts. I unfurled a litany of reasons, excuses, justifications for my trespass. I even blamed my mother for putting it there in the first place. Actually, I was quite proud of my legal work, but my mom was not impressed. For all my arguing, I could not justify my action. I finally gave up. Quite honestly, I was relieved to be done with it. I took the punishment of a smack on the bottom and went on with my day.
By Paul Koch –
500 years ago. Can you believe it? 500 years ago, an unknown monk and professor of theology at a small university in the town of Wittenberg, Germany let his frustrations with the bureaucracy of the church boil over. See, though the church was always a place where the gifts of Christ were given to the faithful, over the years it had become a place marked by systems of penance and work that obscured the gifts of Christ. To continue the growth and strength of the church, monetary payments were attached to your devotional activities. From viewing relics to buying indulgences the Christian was encouraged to ease their conscience and show their repentance by these acts of faithfulness. But this meant that the conscience of the people was always plagued with doubt. Did they give enough or do enough to be sure of their salvation? Where they good enough Christians? Perhaps just one more payment, one more pilgrimage, one more act of penance is needed. In fact, one more is always needed.
By Graham Glover –
“We will pray for peace every day, but at the same time, the U.S. Army will prepare for war.”
(Army Chief of Staff, General Mark A. Milley, 9 October 2017)
These words, spoken by the most senior uniformed Army officer, could have been spoken by a theologian. They might even make for a good introduction to a sermon.
By Cindy Koch –
(The following is an excerpt from a presentation given on October 14, 2017)
I once asked the question out loud, “Have you ever been angry at God?” and I was met with a confusion of quiet stares. On my left I saw a half nod, quickly quieted as her eyes crossed the room. On my right, solemn and serious foreheads wagged stoically, no. A few frozen faces held their breath as the question hung in the air. Yet, for some reason, no one boldly shouted out their yes or no. The question uncomfortably stood before us, naked and embarrassing, and we didn’t know how to answer.
