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Good Samaritan United Methodist Church 19624 Homestead Road, Cupertino, California 94087 - 408-253-0751 - goodsam.info |
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Sunday, February 24, 2008
Matthew 12:1-21 Cindy Pellegrino
God is a God of people, not rules. The best time to reach out to someone is when he or she needs help.
I enjoy helping others, like working at the Second Harvest food bank. I do not know all the people they help personally, but I know I feel so much better when I leave after working for a few hours. Each bag you fill and load, you know some one will have food to quiet their empty stomachs, kids will be fed, the elderly will eat. It is a wonderful feeling, to help others. I also like to bring canned food in to our barrels in the hallway. If I can buy a little extra and put the food in the barrels, I feel like I have touched someone with love.
I think it is very important to be aware of all the opportunities around us to reach out and help. I pray that I will always be there to help some one that is in need. If I am able to help I will.
I hope and pray I always will be a Good Samaritan, to be the one that helps and does not look the other way.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Matthew 12:22-50 Sandra Daniels
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY
“Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation.
Words can also be your damnation.” Matt 12:36-37 (from the Message)
We hear these words and we are quickly reminded how words can hurt. Either they have been used to hurt us or we have used words to hurt others. So we carefully choose our words so that we don’t cause pain. But what about the words we speak to ourselves? How careful are we when we choose our words in our self-talk?
In the documentary “What the Bleep Do We Know,” there’s a scene that shows the work of Dr. Emoto. In that scene he illustrates how the molecular structure of water can be changed through prayer and/or positive talk. He took distilled water and taped to the bottom of the bottles words like peace and love. The molecular structure of the water crystallized and it was very beautiful. There was also a bottle with negative words and the molecular structure water was strewn all over.
Two of the characters in the movie were talking and one turned and said to the other, “Our bodies are 90% water. If words can do this to distilled water, then imagine what our words can do.” Studies after studies show that positive self-talk can make a difference in how we see not only the world, but how we see ourselves.
The biggest change we can make in the world is to begin to change how we talk to and treat ourselves. When we believe in our ability to do good and allow ourselves to make mistakes and grow and learn from them…we can see the world in a whole new light. It might be the biggest secret to living longer because we are treating ourselves with love and respect. Like we are reminded in Matthew, “Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Matthew 13:1-23 Carolyn Robbins
This passage invites us to be honest with ourselves. Often, when we read of the four types of people who encounter “the message of the kingdom,” we’re quick to lump our spiritual status in with the triumphant faith the fourth seed symbolizes: “The one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown (v. 23).”
But, all too often, I identify more with the obtuse people in the crowd, who, “though seeing…do not see; though hearing…do not hear or understand (v.13).” My faith tends to mirror that of the third seed, choked by worries about how to meet the demands of each day, as well as how to simply make ends meet. If the crowd (not to mention the disciples), who actually saw Jesus and heard him, still couldn’t “get it,” what hope do I have, with 2000 years’ distance between me and the man upstairs made flesh?
This passage has special meaning for me because it was pivotal in my conversion from atheism. Aha!--I thought to myself—I’ve finally figured out the meaning of life so now I will always be able to perceive instead of just seeing and to understand in lieu of merely hearing. But even then, I now realize, I failed to accurately perceive and understand Jesus’ words. Although he says I will no longer be deaf and blind (v.15a), he never promises that my hearing and vision will be perfect. My senses work—albeit rarely—just enough for my heart to understand a bit more of the message of the kingdom (and for Jesus to continue healing my senses and myself—see v.15b).
Even in the parable of the fourth seed (which I generally try to ignore out of guilt), Jesus seems to be offering hope for people like me. “This seed is great!” Jesus begins. “It yields a hundredfold!” Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think to myself, you’re talking about Mother Teresa and MLK—not about me. “Well…” he continues. “This seed can also yield just sixty times what was sown!” Sixty? Okay, so maybe now you’re talking about pastors or something, but that’s not me, either. “But wait! There’s less! This seed can have a mere thirty-fold yield!” Please, Jesus, I think. Don’t patronize me. You know I’m not thirty-fold caliber….
And it strikes me that Jesus’ acceptance of a 100-60-30 yield decrease is a lot like God’s acceptance of Abraham’s plea that God save Sodom if 50—no 45—no 40—no 30—no 20—no 10 righteous people can be found there (Gen 18:16-32). Abraham stopped at 10. Would God have accepted less?
Maybe Jesus wants me, wants us to be the fourth seed and is willing to accept however low a yield we have. He’ll push us forward, eventually, of course, towards higher and higher yields (whatever that yield signifies), just as God probably wouldn’t have been content with only 10 righteous people in Sodom forever, had it even passed the 10 righteous people test. Maybe we start with a yield of just ourselves, with a mostly deaf and blind faith that keeps persisting, despite getting mired in the weeds of worry for the umpteenth time. And who says Jesus can’t make 100-fold seeds out of us yet….
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Matthew 13:24-58 Margaret Friend
As a parent and sometime teacher, I have often become aware of the differences in the way people learn. Young children often are given sandpaper-covered letters to trace with their fingers or they draw letters in a sandbox. A picture is worth a thousand words for someone who learns best visually. Some students taking a test will call up an answer by picturing the text that they read while others play back the sound of the instructor explaining the material. Some students prepare for a test by writing out part or all of the material they are expected to know.
Here in Chapter 13, where Matthew groups parables related to the kingdom of heaven, it seems to me that we are being given a variety of ways to understand that kingdom. I grew up in farming communities, so the success of crops in the field is something I can relate to, but my children would have no experience that would make this story real to them. Planting seeds in a garden, baking yeast bread or fishing could be everyday activities that would provide a basis, a “jumping-off spot” for insight into God’s plan for the world.
However, these parables make clear that not only must we understand the kingdom of heaven; we must also seek that kingdom at all costs. We must sell all we have to “buy” the land where the treasure is hidden or the pearl of great price. The consequences of settling for less are laid out plainly in these parables. We can be the bad fish that are thrown away or the weeds that are burned or we can commit to God and to his plan for the world and become a part of the harvest and the catch that contributes to the coming and fulfillment of God’s plan.
Let us give thanks that God cares so much about each one of us that He uses a variety of ways to reach us and teach us about His kingdom of heaven. And may we remember that we and our actions may provide the “teaching moment” that will lead others to become part of God’s kingdom.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Matthew 14:1-36 Evelyn Garrioch
This passage had so many different ideas that could be lessons for all of us, so it is difficult to choose one to focus on. I have decided to focus on the account of the supper served to the five thousand.
Even though Jesus was devastated by hearing about John’s brutal death, when the people gathered and brought their sick family members and friends, Jesus healed them. He was filled with compassion and pity for the crowd of people who had gathered to see him, hear him and maybe to touch him. Jesus didn’t have one eye on the clock as if he was anxious to be rid of them. He listened to their tales of woe, --- really listened, and gave each one his blessings.
The disciples, however, noticed that it was getting late and that the people would need food. So they suggested to Jesus that the people should be dismissed so they could go the village for food. But Jesus responded, “There is no need to dismiss them. YOU give them supper”. They were dismayed by his answer because they knew that they had only five loaves and two fish.
Isn’t that like our reactions many, many times when we are asked to do something that we think might be difficult for us to do? We cannot see that if we share whatever resources we have, that will be enough! We must first be willing to share and God will bless what we have whether it is our faith, our finances, our time or our talents. All that we have is on loan from God and we are stewards for all that has been entrusted to us.
We have so many opportunities to share with people such as , time with a lonely person, encouragement to those who are discouraged, a smile for people who need to be recognized as a person, not just a robot who happens to be checking out our groceries. Jesus needs people through whom he can speak and act. Sometimes we struggle, not with not knowing what to do but with finding the strength to do what we already know is right. We don’t give to get but we do get by giving.
“We make a living by what we get.
We make a LIFE by what we give”.
Winston Churchill.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Matthew 15:1-20 Mr. Guo Min Yang
I went for a walk in the park on a Tuesday afternoon. After walking around the grass area a few times, I sat down at a park bench to rest. Soon, two old men came and sat next to me. After greeting me, the two men started a conversation.
The first man said to the second man, “Old brother, how have you been? How do you keep busy lately?” The second man replied, “On Sundays I attend worship at a church.” The first man said, “So you are a Christian.” I was shocked to hear the second man say “I am a Sunday Christian only. I go to church activities to kill some time and meet some friends.”
Of course this man was laughable. But I have seen people in our church that attend the worship, sing hymns, pray, and listen to the scripture lessons: in every appearance looking like Christian. But when they step away from the church, there is no evidence of their faith. Especially in front of non believers, they are too afraid to admit that they are Christian. There are some people who look more Christian than the second man – they are baptized, and claim their obedience of the Lord in church. But outside of church facing real life challenges, they make decisions like one with no faith.
They take their own points of view and look at others with prejudice, working with others without passion. When faced with any conflict, they do not follow the teachings of Jesus. They are not humble, do not seek the others and admit making a mistake, but ask many others to help resolute the conflict. How can this be Christian behavior?
Lord Jesus criticized the hypocrites by quoting scripture:
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain…” They have a relationship only on the surface with God. They only say that they depend on God. They never follow God’s will in their hearts and through their actions. Such behavior is offensive to God. Such false faith to God is unclean, a sin. God values what’s inside the human heart, not what appears on the surface.
Followers of God must face their true feelings: they cannot be believers only on the lips. In Christ there is no Sunday Christian, no lip Christian. We need to love God with all our heart, all our mind, and all our might. Become a true Christian in our heart and in our action, never be a false Christian just on the lips
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Matthew 15:21-39 Mark Teagle
This section of Matthew’s account tells of three different encounters with Jesus. First a Canaanite woman asks Jesus to help her daughter. Then a stream of unfortunates is brought to Jesus for healing. Finally Jesus sees to the feeding of a large group of people. Each one of these encounters shows us another of the many facets of Jesus.
The first encounter is the most difficult to read. One could come to the conclusion that Jesus wanted to ignore this woman on the basis of her ethnicity. Jesus seems even to compare Gentiles to dogs here. What is going on? Could Jesus have been this harsh? It is hard to imagine. Some would try to explain this away, but I prefer to focus on the end result. Jesus does listen to the woman and her daughter is healed. It also gives us one of the hints in the gospels that Jesus’ ministry, while initially to the Jews, is meant for all. It is truly an act of faith for the woman to come to Jesus at all.
The next segment talks about Jesus as healer. In a few words it communicates something of the enormity of Jesus’ healing ministry. Person after person was brought to Jesus and he cured them. The crowd’s amazement led them to praise God. The healings in and of themselves did good. But there was a higher purpose. They served to show people that God was truly with Jesus in a special way. People could take notice of who Jesus was and be more inclined to listen to his words. Healing brings God glory.
In chapter 14 Jesus fed the 5,000. And now, one chapter later, he is again feeding people. The circumstances are similar, the numbers of loaves and fishes and baskets are different. Scholars wonder if this is two traditions relating the same incident or perhaps two separate incidents from the beginning. Perhaps there were even more feedings that we don’t know about. At any rate, we see Jesus’ compassion for the crowd. He knows their hunger and wants to feed them.
He cannot merely feed people’s spirits. Just as in the Lord’s Prayer where we are instructed to pray for “daily bread”, Jesus cares about our eating and other human needs.
As we journey through Lent, we seek our own encounters with our Lord. We cannot settle for seeing just one side of Jesus. We need to see all his facets. May we find him as teacher, feeder, healer, and friend. Amen
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Matthew 16:1-20 Carolyn Bircher
Signs! Signs? We’re always watching for signs from heaven. How do we recognize them? What do they tell us? What is the meaning behind what is happening in our world, our country, our families, our church? Is there a message from God in today’s events? How can we know? Oh, if only heavenly signs were as easy to recognize and understand as the weather.
In this passage Jesus told his disciples to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” But even his closest friends misinterpreted that message. So how can we discern what God is trying to tell us? The media, politicians and evangelists are all more than willing to offer interpretations. How can we know if their messages are truly prophetic or are only “leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?”
In the next scene, we have a clue. When Jesus asked, “Who am I?” Simon Peter hit the nail right on the head. Jesus’ response to Peter was, “flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” So, since I’m only flesh and blood, I won’t try to offer any explanations for what’s happening in our world. Fortunately, we can turn to the same source where Peter got his answers. Through scripture and prayer, we can find answers from God.
We all, at times, have profound experiences that we call “God moments.” Maybe it’s seeing a beautiful sunset, waking from a disturbing dream, having a surprise encounter with a friend, or suffering from a tragic loss. These are all times when we can ask God, “What does this mean?” and receive His answers. God may be offering us comfort,
encouragement to try something new,
power to accept or change a situation,
a reminder to check our behavior.
Thank you, God, for being a personal God and offering us messages of hope and encouragement. Thank you for scripture to help us comprehend your messages. Thank you for our faith community, where we can talk, not only about the weather, but also about how we are experiencing you.