The Well

Pastor Laura's Blog

 

In Jesus' time, the town well was the place where people gathered and shared news and ideas. It was also the place they could be refreshed. In the book of John, chapter 4, the town well was where Jesus offered his living water to the Samaritan woman. In this blog, I will offer some reflections on sermons I just preached, and some thoughts on upcoming sermons and Scripture passages. I welcome your thoughts, questions and insights in conversation with me. Your feedback will help me as I pray about what word from God I can bring to people in the sermon. Please check in weekly and send me your thoughts via email through our Contact Us form.

September 25, 2006

So yesterday was the first Sunday I haven't been at Living Water in 14 months. For some reason, I felt lots of anxiety about that. My husband and I had planned a much-needed getaway, and I knew that there were plenty of responsible, able people to make sure that things at Living Water went fine. But I realized that I felt the same way I felt when I first left my newborn baby with a sitter. I knew everything would be fine, but it was still difficult to hand her over to someone else. This was an important lesson for me, because pastors tend to think that the church will fall apart if we aren't there to always make sure everything goes perfectly. The truth is, things don't go perfectly even when we are there, and God never intended for a whole church to rest on the shoulders of one person. Besides, I had spent many months neglecting to nourish my marriage, and God certainly didn't want one part of my life to suffer for the sake of another. In the end, all was well, God was praised, and Clif and I got some much-needed time together. We also had a fantastic time visiting another church (which I may blog about later).

Next week is World Communion Sunday. For some churches, this is not a big deal. At Living Water, we like to celebrate this special day by singing songs from other countries and displaying art and items from other countries. It's all to remind ourselves that America is not the only place in the world where Christians exist. We have many, many brothers and sisters all around the world, some of whom live out their faith very differently from us. But we are all united in the body of Christ, and we celebrate and pray for those who are connected to us around the world. It will be a great day!

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September 18, 2006

I really wish that Sunday mornings, the time leading up to worship, would be filled with quiet prayer and centering my thoughts and my heart on God. But alas, most Sunday mornings involve lots of scurrying to get everything ready for the worship service. I usually have some quiet moments early in the morning, and I have found ways to pray as I run around, but it's not the peace-filled time leading right into worship that I hope for. Yesterday was especially stressful as we realized we had not brought the movie Whale Rider with us to church. At that point, worship started in an hour, and it was an hour round-trip back to the house. Most Sundays, I would have said, "Never mind, we'll do the service without the movie clip." But since our current series is about faith and film, my sermon was based around two scenes in the movie. There were moments of panic and prayers for divine intervention as we tried to figure out how we could make this work. Fortunately, God was gracious and provided a nearby movie rental place that had the movie. It was just another reminder to me that, ultimately, the worship service is God's domain. The planning and preparation are important so that people can feel comfortable and welcomed, but whether the technology works or doesn't work, God's presence is all we really need to have worship. I'm just glad God was able to provide His presence and a copy of the movie yesterday!

Next week we'll look at the Return of the Jedi (my husband says this is the best of the Star Wars movies). We'll see if science fiction can illustrate the concepts Jesus tried to teach us 2,000 years ago. And this time, we'll make sure we have the movie before we leave the house!

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September 11, 2006

I don't like to think about the crucifixion. It is depressing and it makes me sad. But I can't pretend it never happened. In fact, if it hadn't happened, I would not be able to come before God with my sins forgiven. So I knew I would have to preach on it from time to time. Using the movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe gave me a way to talk about what Jesus did for us without bringing up images of the crucifixion. For some people, the sacrifice scene in the movie was so strong that it helped them see Jesus' death more clearly. I also showed a picture of some artwork in a seminary in Korea. The huge nail with dripping blood bothered and offended some people, but others found it very moving. We all had some new things to think about after worship yesterday. As we remember the anniversary of the attacks on September 11, it has given me a deeper understanding of how much God must love us to die for us.

Next week we will look at clips from one of my all-time favorite movies, Whale Rider. If you haven't seen it, go rent it right now! It is a beautiful story of love and complicated relationships. We will see how the Biblical story has some of those same themes. We will also discover that God works in surprising ways!

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September 4, 2006

Prophets are often misunderstood and feared. We saw that in the life of the prophet Jeremiah, and we also saw it in the life of Simon Birch, our movie hero. Simon knew that God had a purpose for him, that he was supposed to do something important. He thought his contribution would be some great heroic act. In fact, God used Simon's life to bring a message to people who were asleep in their faith. Simon was a prophet, telling the people to wake up and start thinking about what their own purpose was. In the book of Jeremiah, we see that God had a plan for Jeremiah's life before he was even born. Have you given much thought to what plan God has for your life? I can be a scary thought, asking God what He wants us to do, but it's the best question we'll ever ask.

Next week we'll use the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to explore the concept of sacrifice. What do we mean when we say Jesus died for us? How do we gain by his death? The movie will help us understand at least two of the Biblical explanations for how Jesus' death brings us life. It will help us put the complicated concept of atonement into some concrete terms that we can discuss. Come join the discussion!

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August 28, 2006

Yesterday was such an exciting morning at Living Water! We had more people than we've ever had, and we'll have to find some new ways to create more room for people. That's a great problem to have! We wrapped up our Adventure of the Treasure Seekers series with the story of Jesus appearing to the disciples in John 20:19-22. This was amazing because I had just finished being in a production of Godspell where it is Jesus' life and death that form the disciples into a community that goes out into the world. That's not the way John tells it! He shows us the disciples cowering behind locked doors after Jesus' death. I believe it wasn't until they saw the risen Jesus that the disciples became the courageous people that we find in the book of Acts.

Next week we're starting a new sermon series based on where we can find spiritual themes in movies. Each week, we'll show the entire film during Oasis on Friday nights at 8 pm, and then we'll show brief clips in worship on Sunday mornings. For each of the films, we'll see where some of those same themes are addressed in Scripture. It will be an interesting way to engage the culture and find places where our faith connects to what is portrayed in film. I tried to select a variety of films so that people could see some films they might not normally see. If you're a movie buff, don't miss this series!

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August 21, 2006

I had never really given much thought to what it meant for Jesus to be the Good Shepherd. I hadn't considered the loneliness a shepherd experienced, or how living a normal life might be difficult when you're frequently in the fields with your sheep. I also hadn't considered how dangerous is was to be a shepherd and how your life could be in danger from the same predators who attacked the sheep. It was especially thought-provoking to consider how I would recognize my shepherd's voice when he called. To go along with our Vacation Bible School theme, I gave the sermon as a shepherd myself so that we could all learn what a shepherd's life was like.

 

Next week is our last week of Vacation Bible School. We'll see how surprised and overjoyed the disciples were when they saw the risen Christ. I'm sure we'll have some more fun surprises as we discover this story together. It will be interesting to celebrate Easter in August!

 

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August 14, 2006

Doing this Vacation Bible School curriculum in worship has created some challenges, but it has also opened up some new possibilities for creativity. Yesterday I retold the story of the anointing of David, using some of our men to portray the good-looking sons of Jesse. It was funny to think about the prophet Samuel going from one attractive son to the next, waiting for God to tell him which one was supposed to be the next king (and I thought it was a recent phenomenon to look for only attractive political candidates!). In the end, God chose the least-likely son, the youngest, to be king. Over and over again the Bible tells us that God is not interested in outward appearances, but in the heart of the person. We still struggle with getting past outward appearances, however.

Next week we'll think about what Jesus was teaching us when he called himself the Good Shepherd. We aren't familiar with how a shepherd tends sheep, so we'll learn more about it. I wonder what creative ways we'll come up with to experience this story...

 

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August 7, 2006

So I tried something a little different for the sermon yesterday. Since we are doing an all-ages Vacation Bible School on Sunday mornings, and since our story for the day was about Ruth and Naomi, I decided to tell Naomi's story from her perspective. I even put on a rudimentary costume as I became Naomi. I had fun trying something different, and I was able to keep the kids' attention through the whole sermon. Hopefully the adults learned a few things about the story as well. It is such an amazing story of love - both the extraordinary love Ruth had for Naomi and the incredible love of God that sustained them both through some very difficult times. Our promise for the day was "God loves us." It sounds so simple, and it's usually the first thing children learn about God. But it is also something we adults tend to forget as we become more involved in "religion" and less mindful of our God who walks with us through our very difficult times because He loves us so much.

Next week we'll look at the story of the anointing of David. This is another great story for us to explore, although I don't plan to dress up like David this week! During Act(s) II, one of our older kids is doing a little puppet show for us about our Adventure of the Treasure Seekers themes. This adventure is a fun way for us to wrap up the summer, hear some wonderful Bible stories, and remember that God has given all of us promises that we can keep forever as treasures.

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July 31, 2006

With the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, I had always jumped immediately to the punchline - you know, the Pharisee is the bad guy with the bad prayer and the tax collector is the good guy with the good prayer. But when we do that, we miss the genius of Jesus' storytelling. The Pharisee really was the good guy, and the tax collector was a dirty lowlife who would sell his own mother for a few bucks. The original audience instantly understood that, but we have had 2,000 years of biblical interpretation telling us the punchline before we really let the absurdity of the situation sink in. Interestingly enough, I am currently rehearsing for a production of Godspell and this parable is in the play. As soon as the cast hears that the story is about a Pharisee, we boo! When the tax collector is introduced, we say, "Awww" with a sense of pity! Since I can't rewrite the play, I'll have to do my best as a pastor to help people understand that it really should be the other way around. It's only their prayers that are mixed up - the point Jesus was making.

 

Next week we're going to try something new (which we try to do as often as possible)! Instead of having a Vacation Bible School that is a separate thing from our Sunday morning worship, we decided to incorporate it. So, for the month of August, all of us will be going on The Adventure of the Treasure Seekers. We'll have some fun elements in worship for the kids, and I'll preach on the themes so all of us can learn and know God's promises - the real treasures. The first story is about Ruth and Naomi. Kids of all ages are invited to join us for this adventure!

 

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July 24, 2006

I found it really interesting in the parable of the workers in the vineyard how my attention was immediately drawn to the first workers hired. I could feel their outrage when they saw that others, some of whom only worked one-twelfth as long, got paid the same amount as they did. I would be grumbling, too. My human nature just took me right there. But I missed the wonderful part of the story about the landowner going back to town over and over again, continuously looking for more workers. When I realized how happy those last groups of workers must have been to be hired that day - long after they had given up hope of being hired - I saw the graciousness of God in this parable, not the "injustice." Isn't it interesting that whenever we focus solely on our own issues, we miss out on some of the amazing things God is doing around us?

 

Next week is our last week in the parables. We are finishing with the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. This is another parable that has a high "ouch" factor. I always hate being reminded how much I am like a Pharisee. And humility is such a difficult virtue to maintain. The teachings of Jesus are a good way to deflate our pride when we get too puffed up. They are good medicine for the soul!

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July 17, 2006

I really prefer preaching on Scripture passages that make God seem all warm and fuzzy. It's so easy to skip over any sections that say that God expects me to change what I'm doing - and that there will be consequences if I don't! That's what we found in the parable of the unmerciful servant. Sure, in the beginning of the story the king (the God figure) is all forgiving and compassionate. But when the forgiven servant turns out to be a jerk, the king hands him over to the tormentors until the debt is paid. And just to make sure we get the point, Jesus says, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother and sister from your heart." I find it interesting that the thing that made the king so angry is not that the servant said or did anything bad to the king, but that he failed to forgive another person. This is one of those passages that is so difficult because it's so clear!

 

Next week we'll look at the parable of the workers in the vineyard. This is a story that all of us can understand. The first workers that were hired got the short end of that stick. No wonder they are upset. I would be, too. But perhaps God's sense of fairness and justice goes beyond our comprehension. Maybe this parable will give us a glimpse into the mind of God. Join us as we ponder the meaning of fairness next week!

 

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July 10, 2006

There are two accounts of the parable of the great feast - one in Luke and one in Matthew. I chose to use Luke's version for my sermon, but we looked at Matthew's version in Act(s) II. It is much more difficult to understand, and much more violent. Matthew seems to have a different skew on the story, and I felt like it was important for us to focus more on Luke's point that our excuses can cost us a seat at the table. And, oh, how easy it is for us to come up with excuses!

Next week we'll look at the parable of the unmerciful servant from Matt 18:21-35. We will spend some time looking at what Jesus has to teach us about forgiveness - both God's forgiveness of us and our forgiveness (or lack of it) of others. In this one simple parable, Jesus shows us volumes! Join us for this lesson we must hear over and over again.

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July 3, 2006

It's always a little tricky to figure out what we should do in worship on these holiday weekends like the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc. I know that many churches make a big deal out of the 4th of July and have lots of special music and guest speakers. Some honor the current and former members of the military in the service. Some do a reflection on politics and try to line it up with the Bible. I admit that I'm always a little uncomfortable in worship services that feel more like a political rally than a sacred ceremony. Yet, I know that much of what we know about God and the world is shaped by the country we live in, and we are a very blessed nation. So, our service was mainly our usual order of worship, and the sermon was the parable of the wheat and weeds - part of our summer sermon series. But we did offer prayers for our country, for the people serving in the armed forces, and of course, we prayed for a end to conflict so that those people could return home to their loved ones. We also sang America the Beautiful as we looked at pictures of the beauty of this great country. Could there be a better prayer than, "And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea"?

Next week we'll look at the parable of the wedding feast. When I was a kid, I learned a song about this parable. The chorus went like this:

I cannot come

I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now

I have married a wife, I have bought me a cow

I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum

Pray, hold me excused, I cannot come

Of course, being kids, we couldn't resist switching some words around in the third line and singing instead:

I have bought me a wife, I have married a cow

We'll take a look at some of the excuses people offer when the host of the feast invites them to come dine!

 

January-March 2006 archive

October-December 2005 archive

August-September 2005 archive

June-July 2005 archive

Who is Pastor Laura? Pastor Laura Guy, Living Water Christian Church

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