Pastor, Macland Presbyterian Church: Recent Episodes
David W. Jones
Sermons from David W. Jones, Pastor of Macland Presbyterian Church, Powder Springs, Georgia and author of ten books including The Psychology of Jesus.. Latest podcasts can be found at http://macland.podbean.com/
From the Sermon on the Mount, David wonders just how far is our understanding of what a "Blessing" is from what Jesus taught. This sermon is a synopsis of David's chapter three in his book, ENOUGH.
Advent is the time of holy waiting as each Sunday draws us closer to Christmas. The theme of the first Sunday is Hope. We aren't limited by our weaknesses or even our strengths as our ultimate potential comes from God.
Churches, like many people and organizations, can get stuck in the rut of asking "What?" without focusing on "Why?" According to Simon Sinek, author of "Start with Why", those who inspire us start with "Why?" Churches who start with "What?" do what they have always done (convention) or adopt what others are doing (imitation) without developing a mission that clearly answers "Why?" in a way that inspires others.
In the wake of the election, David turns to scripture. But before looking at Jesus' thoughts on government, the deep theological question gets in the way - "Which is real, the Land of Oz or the State of Kansas?" Be careful before you answer. You may not know as much as you think you know.
In the middle of a storm, the disciples feel abandoned. Jesus speaks not only to the storm but to the storm in their anxious minds, saying, "Be still." Then Jesus challenges them, "Don't be afraid," and "Have faith."
Bless Them or Curse Them?, The Choice is Yours - This week's sermon contrasts the prophet Elijah who calls she-bears from the woods to devour youth who insulted him to Jesus who, when presented with children, blesses them one by one. In our era of judging one group after another, when we face others, especially those different from ourselves, will we bless them or curse them? The Choice is Ours, but for followers of Jesus, only one way is like Christ.
Helping others relieves us of our own suffering, in compassion for others we find healing for our own souls, and for the world.
As we get set for the first presidential debate and the election that will follow, this parable in Luke 15 gives me hope. We call it, "The Parable of the Prodigal Son." We label the son who went away and squandered the family money as reckless, irresponsible, and of course, just plain bad. While the other son, the older who stayed home and worked the farm, as loyal, trustworthy, and of course, the good one. How we read the parable tells us something about ourselves, we tend to label people in polar opposite ones. One is good, and one is bad. To have 'good' you need 'bad'. In the case of tonight's debate, the tendency seems toward, 'bad' and 'less bad'. In the parable, Jesus says, "There was a father with two sons." In this parable, both sons are people you'd likely avoid unless thrust together at a family reunion. While the younger is quite prodigal (wasteful), the older is quite rude to his father and casts as much disrespect to his father as his younger brother, even though he didn't have to travel as far away to do it. The good news is, it is The Parable of the Loving Father, also known as, God. Regardless of the outcome of the election, how harshly we judge one another, or what terrible things we do to one another, the consistent one in this story, our stories, and the world is God, the loving parent that keeps reaching out to us hoping we'll come home, and of course, love one another as God loves us. The good news of the gospel and the hope for the world, in election years and every year.
David looks at the miracle story of the feeding of the 5,000 (one of the few miracles in all four gospels). Focusing in the version in John 6, the story with the donor of the meal for the 5,000 in a little boy, David challenges us to be like the boy, to give what we have to see what God might do with us to help others.
Matthew 20, a landowner hires workers at 7:00 in the morning, 9:00, noon, and as late in the day as 5:00. Then he pays them all a full days wage. "That's not fair!" shouted those who worked all day while those who waited all day in the center of town were glad to be able to feed their families. God's ways are clearly not our ways, according to the text. But God's ways can be our ways. The call of the kingdom is right there in the story...
Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis are big words but simple concepts. Orthodoxy is the idea that right thinking leads to right actions. Orthopraxis is that right action leads to right thinking. Shakespeare said, "Assume a virtue if you have it not." William James who said, “If you want to be patient, act like you are, and in time, you will be.” E.F. Schumacher wrote, “An ounce of practice is generally worth more than a ton of theory.” To become an athlete, a husband, wife, parent, or simply a mature adult, action is required.
Why do some churches baptize babies and other's don't? Why do Jesus' words to Nicodemus, "You must be born again!" get immortalized as a path to faith while Jesus' words to the rich young ruler, "Sell everything you own, give the money to the poor, and follow me!" get lost as the forgotten commandment? Just how do you say, "N...A...T...C...H...E...Z?" And finally, what kind of love shapes your life and how you approach others? In Mark, the rich young ruler goes away sad while the children come running to Jesus. What's the difference? David shows how there are two types of love - one that recognizes value, "You're wonderful, I love you." And a type of love that gives value, "I love you, go do something wonderful." What the children get in Mark 10 that the rich young ruler doesn't is that God's love comes because God is loving. As William Sloane Coffin said, "Of God’s love we can say two things: it is poured out universally for everyone from the Pope to the loneliest wino on the planet; and secondly, God’s love doesn’t seek value, it creates value. It is not because we have value that we are loved, but because we are loved that we have value. Our value is a gift, not an achievement."