Long ago and far away there was a small town in Palestine called Shiloh. This was long before Jerusalem became a city and it was far earlier than any thought had been given to building a temple in Jerusalem. In fact at the time the territory where Jerusalem sat still belonged to a small Canaanite tribe called the Jebusites. Today, ancient Shiloh would be smack dab in the middle of the Palestinian territory of what we think of as the West Bank. Just south of the modern city Nablus. And, north in what we think of as modern Jerusalem. During the time of Jesus Shiloh was in that despised region known as Samaria. But this story we're talking about today takes place before that account. Long before any of those things happened; long before David ever unified the tribes of Israel; or Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem; or Indiana Jones appeared on your movie screens looking for the lost Ark of the Covenant; long before any of that...in Shiloh there was a small temple to God where the Ark of the Covenant actually rested. And the Priest for that small temple was an old man named Eli. (The old man in the story I just read [1 Samuel 3:1-20]. Years earlier God spoke regularly to Eli, but that was a long time ago. Eli had kind of let himself go and he'd kind of let things at the temple go. Many people contend it wasn't just Eli's eyesight failing when it talks about him lacking vision, they are also talking about Eli's vision for what...

As I've grown older, and especially the longer as I serve as a Pastor, the more simple my view of prayer has become. The more simple my vision of what faith in Christ looks like. The disciples saw Jesus alone one day and they asked Him, "Lord teach us to pray." Teach us to pray like you do. He helped them by teaching them what we think of as the basic structure of the Lord's Prayer. In the simplest language possible, Jesus said when you pray, pray like this, first of all: "Father." Intimately addressing the one we pray to; 'Father, reveal who you are.' In other words, 'Father, you are vast beyond our understanding. Reveal who you are.' 'Father, bring your kingdom here on earth the way it already is in your presence in heaven. Father, provide for my simple daily needs - no more. Provide for my simple daily needs. My daily bread. 'Forgive my debts or trespassers or sins,' and help me make the model of that my model of forgiveness of others. 'Father, keep my eyes from wandering.' Keep me focused on you, and in doing so keep me safe from the evil that exists in the world. Father, your way alone is what matters, so keep me focused as I submit my life to your way. Jesus said, 'That's about it.' He said keep praying like this persistently, asking God to do these things, and He will do them. Just like any good parent routinely tries to do the best for his or her child. What child would ask for a fish and that child's father turn around and give that child a snake? You wouldn't do that, and God wouldn't do that to you either. Ask God to meet your needs and He will meet them. Set aside all your crazy agendas, your lusts, and your...

Jacob is one of the most interesting characters of the Old Testament. From the day he was born he was a rascal. In his culture birth order is extremely important. To be the oldest son is to be privileged with the greatest inheritance. And, with the father's blessing Jacob was the oldest. His twin brother Esau was born first, but in a move that would typify his developmental years, when older brother Esau literally exited his mother's womb, twin number two, Jacob, had a firm grip on Esau's foot. Jacob may not have been the first born, but from day one he made it clear, if given the chance, he would strive to obtain Esau's position and the privileges that went with it. And, he would do that by any means possible. Even his given name 'Jacob' literally means either usurper or ankle grabber. What does your name mean? Normal childhood rivalry was exacerbated as Esau quickly became his father's favorite, and Jacob quickly became his mother's favorite. Early on, through both natural disposition and his mother's coaching and conniving nature, Jacob seeks to undermine and surpass his older brother Esau at every turn. As older teens one day, Esau came home from a long hunt. He is described in the Bible as being big, and vigorous, hairy, and loving to hunt. One day he came home from a long hunt and he was hungry and before he would share food with his brother Esau, Jacob gets Esau to actually trade away his birthright as the privileged first born son. And, he in essence, traded some bread and stew, for Esau's birthright. At the time Esau didn't value his birthright he took it for granted. He gave little thought to what he was giving up. But, what Esau took for granted Jacob coveted. Years later as father Isaac lies on his...

"Cast your bread upon the waters" means do the faithful thing…even if it is costly to you…trusting that in time God will work within those efforts for God’s purposes. When the Deacons give financial assistance to someone down on their luck, we are never expecting to get that money back. We are casting our bread upon the water. Throwing goodness out there and trusting God to work within the circumstances, trusting that what we do will lead to a blessing whether we ever see that blessing or not. When the Church, the Session or PW offers a scholarship, it is the same thing; casting our bread upon the water. We do so not just trying to make the world a better place but we are acting and knowing that we are cooperating with a God who is much greater than we are. Tithing is also casting your bread upon the waters. Because it isn’t about money and it certainly isn’t about control. It is about faith. It is about letting go and trusting God. Cast your bread upon the waters applies to all of our faith disciplines and practices. Sometimes it takes a lot of faith to cast your bread upon the water. But that is the point. Such faith is built on the notion that God is always at work in the world around us, in ways that are often not evident to us, but in ways that we trust God enough that we follow. So you see "casting your bread upon the water" is much more than simply paying things forward.

When Jesus asks, do you love me, what is your answer? When push comes to shove, how will you respond? Do your actions everywhere in your life reflect that answer?
-Is there integrity between what we say and what we do?
-Do we make homes…where the values of Christ are practiced each day?
-Do we practice the faith through consistent worship?
-Through consistent knowledge of the scriptures?
-Through regular participation in communion?
-Are we thoughtful and faithful about how we live out our relationships at home and at work?
-Do we make and honor our marriage vows?
-Do we practice the values of the faith not just by saying the right words on Sunday morning…but by how we think about and treat others throughout the week?
-As a congregation…do we accept our responsibility for children…and for the lost and wandering… in our midst?
-Do we demonstrate integrity between our words here and our actions…at work? At play? And in our most basic relationships?
-Are we willing to examine ourselves and confront our own lapses?
-Are we willing to modify our own behavior…because we know that children…and those new to the faith are watching…and forming their own impressions of the faith…by what they see in us?

Amos 7 begins with God planning a number of judgements against, as we read in the passage, Jacob. But if you'll remember right Jacob is the name of the young man who was then later given the name Israel. SO when it says Jacob it's referring to the nation of Israel and the people that make up that nation. Each time that God is preparing judgement on Israel, the unwilling prophet Amos intervenes. And he asks God to spare people, and for several instances God relents. But after several rounds of this God shows Amos a plumb line in a vision. God says he's holding this plumb line up against Israel and against the people of Israel. And, Israel and it's people are failing the test. Israel is failing to measure up. God is preparing wrath and judgement for this intransigence. So God gives a message to Amos as a final warning to Israel and it's king, Jeroboam, to straighten up. There's another prophet in this story, his name is Amaziah. Amaziah, you might say, has sold out. Amaziah, instead of carrying this message of God has begun telling Jeroboam (the king) whatever it is he [the king] wants to hear. But Amos replies that God is holding a plumb line against Israel, and it's people, and they are found wanting. There will be a judgement for their unrepentant ways, and it will be a harsh judgement. This is kind of a hard passage...