O SAY CAN YOU SEE (THE WAY IN WHICH WE MUST GO)

      In Mark's view, Jesus' disciples never quite "see" who Jesus is. They can sort of see, but they never really see what following Jesus actually means... and this brings us to the first blind man healed in the gospel of Mark. His healing takes place in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22f) when "some people" brought him to Jesus and begged him to "touch" the blind man... which Jesus did, but in a way that was only partly effective. Jesus led the blind man outside of town, where he touched his eyes with spittle. Then he asked, "Can you see now?" and the blind man said something like, "I can sort of see, but people look like trees." When Jesus heard this, he touched the blind man again and the man could see. He went home and Jesus led his disciples down the road. In time they reached Caeserea Phillipi, and Jesus asked his disciples who they believed he was. Peter noted that Jesus was God's Messiah, but when Jesus pointed out that he must suffer and die, Peter couldn't see that suffering was key to Jesus' earthly mission. His followers couldn't see that following him meant embracing those whom others wouldn't embrace and suffering for the sake of justice.

      Then we meet the rich, young ruler (Mark 10:17f) who couldn't see that he couldn't enter heaven on his own terms. After that encounter, we see James and John asking Jesus to give them seats of prestige in his glory... because they're blinded by self-interests. And so it is, that as Jesus gets closer to Jerusalem, his disciples remain blind to what discipleship means. Finally, they reach Jericho, (Mark 10:46-52) where Jesus is encountered by a blind man named Bartimaeus, (Timeaus' son), who knows that his moment is at hand, as he cries out, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Instead of asking for a special seat in heaven, he cried for mercy, and when others in the crowd told him to tone it down, he cried out all the louder. When Jesus stopped in front of him, the Bible says that Bartimaeus threw off his cloak and immediately came to Jesus, who asked Bartimaeus what he wanted from him. I want to see, Bartimaeus said. I want to see! Upon hearing this Jesus said, "Your faith has made you well." You can see now... and Bartimaeus could see! He could see very clearly... and he followed Jesus!

      Our message today is all about seeing. It's about "sort of" seeing and seeing clearly, and it is NOT trapped in history. Indeed, God's word speaks to us whenever we open it and today it is asking each of us about our vision.

1. Do we see the image of God in others- all others?

2. Do we see that we're as good as anyone, but better than no one?

3. Do we see that God is a God of love (period)?

4. Do we see that our neighbors are white and black, Jew and Gentile?

5. Do we see that beauty comes from authenticity and service?

6. Do we see that Christ is inviting us to follow him on the road paved with love and service?

7. Do we see that we're called to repair the world from the wounds of hate and injustice?

8. Will we invite those who don't see clearly to come and see what we've found?

9. Do we see that black people have the right to attend church without being murdered?

10. Do we see that Jews have the right to attend their synagogues... without being slaughtered?

11. Can we see that something is very, very wrong when kids are murdered in their schools?

11. Can we see that this hatred will not stand and cannot endure?

12. Can we see that we must get involved, even if it's uncomfortable or worse?

13. Can we see that enough is enough?

      Today's message is about seeing clearly. It sprang forth from the blind men who appeared in the 8th and 10th chapter of the gospel of Mark, but it can't be left as a story. It must be seen as an opportunity and as an obligation for people of faith everywhere! If we can't see this, no one ever will. I am heartbroken today, knowing that people I love may be murdered because of the color of their skin or the way in which they worship their God. Jesus said that we will be blessed if we mourn for a broken and hurting world, and I'm counting on that in the days ahead. Amen.

O SAY CAN YOU SEE ?

      In Mark's view, Jesus' disciples never quite "see" who Jesus is. They can sort of see, but they never really see what following Jesus actually means... and this brings us to the first blind man healed in the gospel of Mark. His healing takes place in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22f) when "some people" brought him to Jesus and begged him to "touch" the blind man... which Jesus did, but in a way that was only partly effective. Jesus led the blind man outside of town, where he touched his eyes with spittle. Then he asked, "Can you see now?" and the blind man said something like, "I can sort of see, but people look like trees." When Jesus heard this, he touched the blind man again and the man could see. He went home and Jesus led his disciples down the road. In time they reached Caeserea Phillipi, and Jesus asked his disciples who they believed he was. Peter noted that Jesus was God's Messiah, but when Jesus pointed out that he must suffer and die, Peter couldn't see that suffering was key to Jesus' earthly mission. His followers couldn't see that following him meant embracing those whom others wouldn't embrace and suffering for the sake of justice.
      Then we meet the rich, young ruler (Mark 10:17f) who couldn't see that he couldn't enter heaven on his own terms. After that encounter, we see James and John asking Jesus to give them seats of prestige in his glory... because they're blinded by self-interests. And so it is, that as Jesus gets closer to Jerusalem, his disciples remain blind to what discipleship means. Finally, they reach Jericho, (Mark 10:46-52) where Jesus is encountered by a blind man named Bartimaeus, (Timeaus' son), who knows that his moment is at hand, as he cries out, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Instead of asking for a special seat in heaven, he cried for mercy, and when others in the crowd told him to tone it down, he cried out all the louder. When Jesus stopped in front of him, the Bible says that Bartimaeus threw off his cloak and immediately came to Jesus, who asked Bartimaeus what he wanted from him. I want to see, Bartimaeus said. I want to see! Upon hearing this Jesus said, "Your faith has made you well." You can see now... and Bartimaeus could see! He could see very clearly... and he followed Jesus!
      Our message today is all about seeing. It's about "sort of" seeing and seeing clearly, and it is NOT trapped in history. Indeed, God's word speaks to us whenever we open it and today it is asking each of us about our vision.
1. Do we see the image of God in others- all others?
2. Do we see that we're as good as anyone, but better than no one?
3. Do we see that God is a God of love (period)?
4. Do we see that our neighbors are white and black, Jew and Gentile?
5. Do we see that beauty comes from authenticity and service?
6. Do we see that Christ is inviting us to follow him on the road paved with love and service?
7. Do we see that we're called to repair the world from the wounds of hate and injustice?
8. Will we invite those who don't see clearly to come and see what we've found?
9. Do we see that black people have the right to attend church without being murdered?
10. Do we see that Jews have the right to attend their synagogues... without being slaughtered?
11. Can we see that something is very, very wrong when kids are murdered in their schools?
11. Can we see that this hatred will not stand and cannot endure?
12. Can we see that we must get involved, even if it's uncomfortable or worse?
13. Can we see that enough is enough?
      Today's message is about seeing clearly. It sprang forth from the blind men who appeared in the 8th and 10th chapter of the gospel of Mark, but it can't be left as a story. It must be seen as an opportunity and as an obligation for people of faith everywhere! If we can't see this, no one ever will. I am heartbroken today, knowing that people I love may be murdered because of the color of their skin or the way in which they worship their God. Jesus said that we will be blessed if we mourn for a broken and hurting world, and I'm counting on that in the days ahead. Amen.

THERE IS POWER IN BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER

      On Wednesday mornings I meet my friend, Steve, at the Downtown Diner. and, for me, it's a special time because there's something special about breaking bread together. I see Steve at other times, but there's power in the breaking of bread. A table, someone said, is the heart of any home because it's a place of connection, brokenness, and empowerment. It's a place to speak the truth in love and to listen with empathetic ears. Recently Sherry and I joined some of our friends at Obed's and Isaac's restaurant and the evening was filled with laughter and joy! These friends are part of a dinner group that just wouldn't die! They were supposed to disband in seven or eight months and move on to a new group... but they refused to quit gathering. It's been over a decade now, and their bonds have become unbreakable because they've shared laughter, joys, worries, and tears as they broke bread together. One of the most significant ministries in each church that I've served was the bereavement meals that we served following funerals. I always marveled at the work that our volunteers put into this ministry... and at the grace that the deceased person's family experienced as they broke bread together. I read about a man who quit eating with his son after his wife died. They weren't mad at each other, but they went their own ways at dinner time after she died. One or the other would go out with friends or just grab some food on the way home, and it went on that way for some time. Finally, not long before the boy went off to college, his dad said that they should start eating together, and they did. It was awkward at first. The food was second-rate, the conversation wasn't all that deep, and mom wasn't at the table! But they persisted and when the son looked back on that difficult time, he said that eating dinner with his dad was better than anything else that he did!
      Shared meals have power! They have the power to build and deepen relationships. They create trust around vulnerability, honesty, and laughter. And it's always been so in every place and time. When Abraham saw three visitors approaching his tent, he immediately ordered one of his servants to prepare a meal, and as they broke bread together, Abraham discovered that he was breaking bread with his Lord. When Cleopas and his friend finished their sad journey along the Emmaus Road, they invited Jesus to break bread with them... and in the breaking of the bread, they saw their risen Lord! When Jesus wanted to do business with Zacchaeus, he invited himself to dinner and, as they broke bread together, Zacchaeus repented of his ways. When Peter went back to fishing after Jesus was crucified, he and the other disciples were invited to join Jesus for breakfast along the shore. Peter was carrying a heavy burden because he had denied Jesus and because he was nowhere near Jesus' cross. He needed another chance. He needed a new beginning, and it was at breakfast, while they were breaking bread, that Peter was given the opportunity to tell Jesus that he loved him three times. The Last Supper was a holy meal in which Jesus called his disciples to remember him and taught them the essence of servant leadership. After taking the bread, he broke it, and said, "This is my body, given for you. Take, eat, in remembrance of me," and in the same way he took the cup, saying, "This is the new covenant (of grace), sealed in my blood, shed for forgiveness of sin. Whenever you drink it, drink it remembering me." The Lord's Supper was a meal of grace, revelation, and transformation.
      Meals provide kairos moments- moments of laughter, truth, healing, forgiveness, and even transformation. There is power in breaking bread together, but for Christians, Communion is a holy event in which we unite with Christians in all times and places... for supper at the Lord's Table! We're invited to come to His table as the person we are- as Connie, Randy, Larry- but we cannot come to the table alone! It's not about us- it's about grace, renewal and community. So when we come to the Table, we come with those sitting in this room of course...but we also come with those whom we have known and lost, with those who are yet to be, with those we long to see and with others we're surprised to see. We take our seats and worship God in one voice! Some of us are short, some tall; some have money, others don't; some get active in church, some won't; some of us have been Christians from the day we were born, others have been reborn; some of us are Republican, some Democrat;  some of us are white, many are people of color; some of us live comfortably in American, others are persecuted or killed in places like Iraq and Egypt; some of us are Cub fans, and a few are Cardinal fans... but in Christ we are one! Each one of us is invited to the Lord's table by grace alone. None of us can pay for the meal and everyone of us must lay our masks down when we dine with our Lord! We are kin. More than that, we are one- truly one- bonded by grace, even as we bond with one another in Christ's name.
      Today is the day in which we celebrate World Communion Sunday. It is a day for coming together. It is a day in which we celebrate unity and claim our "oneness." We're always connected in communion, but the first Sunday of October has been set aside to intentionally lift up and embrace our connection with Christians throughout the world, World Communion Sunday was started in 1933 at the Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh and it caught on. Today, as we take communion, we take it with millions of Christians throughout the world.. and today we celebrate our unity as Christians within our vast diversity of language, location, religion tradition, skin color, gender, age, and sexual orientation! We come to the Lord's table to break bread together as we praise and remember our Lord. We come to His table vulnerably, joyfully, and hopefully... believing that as we take in His grace and His essence, we will be nourished for our own journey, We come to His table believing- wanting to believe- that we will leave with the grace to see Christ in the people we meet. We come to his Table, struggling with the nagging thought that we're unworthy... and seeking the courage to love the very people whom he lived and died for- the brokenhearted, the marginalized, the doubting, the desperate, those who are shut-in, shut-out, shut-up and shut-down, and even those who are mocking us. When it comes to matters of faith and salvation in Christ, there are no south-going and north-going Zax... because we are all one in Christ. Amen,