"From Gluttony to Grace: How Is What Jesus Did on the Cross Important in My Life" - Faith Talk from Wed., March 28, 2012

From Gluttony to Grace: How Is What Jesus Did on the Cross Important in My Life

   Once upon a time, somewhere between my sophomore and junior years in high school, I gained a substantial amount of weight. It was after I took my last required gym class. Exercise had no part in my plans. My love of food never stopped. I was always shy and quiet. I was never popular in school. I did have my group of close friends. I lacked confidence. Amidst the loneliness I felt, I found my comfort in food. Too much of it. Misplaced hunger.  

   This Lent, we’ve been asking the question, How is what Jesus did on the cross important in our lives? I could go on for days about that. But, the word I want to focus on, why it’s important in my life, is summed up in one word: grace.

   Even though the commercials tell us this, Snickers does not really satisfy. Wherever we may go to try to be fed, nothing will truly satisfy except for one: Grace. Accepting God’s grace and then sharing that grace with others.

   Sometimes, I’m my harshest critic, finding it easier to give grace to others than accepting it for myself. But how can I give grace to others if I don’t give it to myself? On my own merits, I’m not good enough. I never will be. But as Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (NIV). We are justified by him and his blood. I can’t imagine the heaviness that he felt on the cross.

   God loves us and deems us as worthy. Each and every one of us. Accepting that for myself and realizing the need to take care of myself, a year after I graduated from college, I started Weight Watchers and to exercise. When all was said and done, I lost 55 pounds. That’s about ten years ago. I embraced the confidence I was lacking. I enjoyed life more and became more outgoing.

   When I think of the cross, I think of grace. When I think of grace, I think of a gift. Something we haven’t earned or deserved. The minute I have to do something for that grace, then it’s no longer a gift, and it becomes something based on a work. We can never earn it. We need to accept it and pay it forward, as a fruit of our faith.

   Grace gives the ability to laugh when the world thinks you should be crying. It gives you the ability to dance. It’s freedom. Freedom to be the full person God created you to be. Accept it. Realize it. God loves you as you are, sending Christ to die for us, taking our place on the cross. We don’t have to do anything to achieve that. He’s already done the work. As I always say, I’m no surprise to God. He knew what he was getting with me. And you’re no surprise to Him, either.

   In this lifetime, we’re never going to be perfect. Now that doesn’t give us the excuse to do whatever we want: “Well, God’s going to forgive me anyway.” When we truly turn away from sin and turn back to God, “if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Any righteousness, goodness that’s in us comes from Him. Because of our faith, we need to extend that grace to others. We need to. After all, Imagine no Christ, no cross…Imagine if God gave us everything we truly deserved?

   It’s a terrible feeling when grace is withheld. I worked at a corporate job for 8 ½ years. During my last year there, I saw a good friend of mine, who sat across from me for years, get fired before my very eyes. She was never on warning. She made one mistake, and there was no grace given to her. My manager came by to disconnect her phone, shut off her computer, and grab her purse. I was on a phone call, and all I wanted to do was scream and cry. For the rest of that day—actually, for the entire weekend, as this happened on a Friday—I had a horrible sickness in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t eat much. For quite some time, every day when I went to work, I wondered, Is today the day? Am I next? Worry can only get you so far, as it is misplaced faith. I gave it to God. I may never be good enough in the company’s sight, but I will do my best and give it to God. If that’s not enough for the company, then it is what it is. I am deemed worthy by God through Christ, and that’s what matters most.

   I worked there for about another year, when I left on my terms, as they would not be flexible with my school schedule. After 8 ½ years, it hurts when there’s no grace, no flexibility. I was one of very few who left on my own terms. In some places where we may be considered as just a number, we always count as a person with Christ. An opportunity opened for me at Caribou Coffee, so it all worked out.

   Coffee…Now there’s something I probably have too much of from time to time, especially working in a coffee shop. Too much of anything is bad for you. Look at the Deadly Sins we’ve covered this Lent: Sloth—Laziness, too much rest versus the opposite side of the spectrum--overworking…Anger—There’s righteous anger versus anger over every little thing. We need to live in that area of balance. Gluttony is misplaced hunger, trying to fill the void that only Christ can fill. Gluttony can be with food, like it was in my case, or you can go in the opposite direction, and it can be over-exercising. We need to ask, What are we using too much of to fill the void that only Christ can fill?

   Maybe it’s seeking approval from people. I’ve struggled with this one as well, especially after I lost weight, getting accustomed to this new, outgoing self. Some people take kindness for weakness. No matter what you do, not everyone is going to like you. One of my favorites, singer and actress Reba McEntire, was asked about the formula for success. She didn’t have an answer for that, but she said she did know the quickest route to failure, and that was trying to please everyone.

   People may hold grudges, but grace doesn’t. How are we to respond towards people who wrong us or despise us anyway, no matter what we do?

   It’s easy to allow such things to get us mad, wanting to get even…Grace doesn’t do that. Revenge only makes the situation worse. Mother Teresa offers a wonderful quote, and it reminds me of the song “Anyway,” by Martina McBride song, which is really beautiful: “People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

   I saw a dear friend on Friday, Tristan, who is actually my hair stylist—I’ve been going to her for ten years now—and told her about a situation I was having with a certain individual, and she put the Mother Teresa quote in simple terms: “Just give ‘em a biscuit.” There will always be people who are jealous of you, despise you, hate you…Just give ‘em a biscuit. Better yet, give them grace. I try to live by the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and I will continue to do so.

   My Uncle Jim passed away on Saint Patrick’s Day, which is appropriate in a way, as he was born on All Saints Day, November 1^st. He fought cancer with grace for four years, after being told at that initial diagnosis that he had six months. I never heard him complain about others or talk badly about them. He accepted grace and gave it to others. I never heard him complain about the illness, either. The only thing that would’ve come close was a week and a half before he died, when I hugged him, he said, “I wish I had ten more years.” I did, too.

   But because of Christ, the cross, and grace, I know that death is not the end. One day, I will see him again. I will sit next to him on the banks of that heavenly, distant shore, with a fishing pole in each of our hands. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith”…Grace for one, grace for all. Amen.

Caroline Harthun

House of Prayer Lutheran Church - Oakdale, MN

7pm Lenten Service

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

"Who Is the Most Important?" - Sermon from Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Who Is the Most Important?

Text: Mark 10:35-45

   So, who is the most important? Who do we find ourselves listening to? When I was asked about preaching this Lent, and I saw that this passage was one being offered, I jumped at the chance. Well, figuratively not literally. Mark 10:45 is one of my favorite verses: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (NIV).

   What does this mean? And, what’s with James and John? I almost feel like I’m back in elementary school, and the teacher is asking for a volunteer. You had those certain students who always had their arms up in the air before anyone else, saying, “Teacher! Pick ME!” Typically, they do it for the prestige…To get in good graces with the teacher…Some do it out of the goodness of their heart, but for many it is kind of a show, to look good. Actually, you still find people like that in junior high…High school…College…Well, even in the “real world.”

   What are we supposed to take away from this Gospel reading? The concept to think about tonight is that we need to listen to what Jesus is saying instead of listening to ourselves.

   First, a little background to this passage in Mark’s Gospel…Prior to this passage, in 10:17-31, Jesus encounters the rich young ruler who asks how he can inherit eternal life. Jesus shatters his mindset by telling him, in essence, that it can’t be attained by acts of righteousness but it’s a gift to be received. We can’t take pride in what we sacrifice for following Christ. Jesus says in verse 31, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (NIV). That’s one of my mom’s favorite verses. Our sacrifices don’t put us in a higher spot of achievement. So, a question to ask ourselves is, “Why am I truly doing what I am doing? Is it for myself? For Christ?”

   In verses 32-34, as Jesus and the disciples are making their way to Jerusalem, the final journey, he tells them what’s going to happen to him. He is going to be betrayed, condemned to death, and killed. But he will rise in three days. It appears that as Jesus draws near to his ordeal, the disciples are nowhere near to understanding. Are they really listening to Jesus? Jesus is talking about suffering and death, then immediately after this, James and John come up to him with a request. In 9:34, the disciples had been arguing about who was the greatest. Jesus said in 9:35, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (NIV). Hmmm…I don’t know about you, but I’m seeing a pattern develop here.

   James and John act like fortune hunters, wanting the best seats in the house, co-thrones with Jesus. Sitting to the right and the left are positions of power and prestige. After all, they were among the first disciples called, so they want to be the first in glory. Makes sense, right? “C’mon, Jesus! For being among the first, we’re due that.” Wrong.

   Jesus even tells them in verse 38, “You don’t know what you’re asking” (NIV). In verse 40, he tells them that he’s not even the one in charge of the seating arrangements.

   James and John didn’t realize that first Jesus’ tribulation had to come before the glory. How many people are willing to suffer? In society, we want everything NOW. We don’t want to wait. “Take a pill and lose 35 pounds overnight!” Um, no…It takes discipline. Diet. Exercise. Keeping track of what you eat. It takes a lot of work to lose weight.

   James and John didn’t want to be crucified with Jesus. They wanted the power and prestige. Did they truly understand Jesus when he asked if they could drink the cup he drinks or be baptized with the baptism he’s baptized with? They say they can, maybe thinking the cup is one of victory. But, the cup is more like a metaphor for suffering, as is baptism, being plunged into calamity, submerged in suffering and death. Okay, who wants to sign up for that? Obedience is learned through suffering, and even Jesus was not exempt from that.

   Then, in verse 41, the other disciples become livid at James and John, not because of their insensitivity of making such a request after Jesus bares his heart about what is to come, but because James and John beat them to the punch in making this request! Jealousy brings turmoil among people, so we need to be careful and make sure that we are not jealous of one another.

   Jesus gathers them around and explains what it truly means to be “the greatest.” Be great servants of others. It is better to give than to receive. Self-giving service. Jesus needed to be their model and not the rulers of the day. The life of discipleship is loving and humble service.

   This concept of ransom explains why Jesus had to die, and it’s the only passage in Mark that gives us the Why? It’s connected to the idea of cost, as we see Isaiah 53:10-12 give the backdrop for this. Verse 12 says, “For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (NIV). We can’t pay the ransom ourselves. Jesus paid the price that we can’t pay.

   Being ransomed by Christ means that we belong entirely to him…Not partly but entirely. There is no “halfway” in this instance. Your whole life belongs to him. Living compartmentalized lives doesn’t work.

    So, simply put, we need to listen to what Jesus is saying instead of listening to ourselves, like James and John were doing. How? Reading the Word. Praying. Taking that quiet time, journeying with him. Laying our own selfish ambitions at the foot of the cross. Discerning if this is my want or is this Christ’s will for me? We can hear Christ in the voice of the other, as the Holy Spirit speaks through people. Have you ever had someone tell you something you needed to hear at just the right time? That’s a God thing.

   Well, why do we need to listen to Jesus? Because he loves us…He died for us…”Giving his life as a ransom for many”…As an extension of our faith in him, we need to follow him, do what he instructs, therefore becoming more like him. Good works are fruit of our faith, done on behalf of others, our neighbors. If we say that we are Christians or Christ followers, we need to act like it. If we don’t, our neighbors in the world won’t want to know Christ. We hinder his witness.

   We also need to ask ourselves, “If we’re so busy trying to get ourselves into higher positions, who are we pushing out to get there?” Christ is inclusive, dying for the sins of ALL, not wanting anyone left out or pushed out. We need to be aware of when we do this. Everyone matters. Everyone’s gifts count. None of us is greater than the other.

   We are the body of Christ. We are a team, if you will. There’s no “I” in “team.” Although my niece told me many years ago, “Yeah, but there’s a ‘me.’” True…But, there’s also a “mate,” which, if we were in Australia, means “buddy” or “friend.” Of course, we’re more than a team, more than friends or buddies…We are a family.

   Are we listening to one another? If not, we need to be. Truly listening. How many of you have had people say that they’re listening, but you can tell that they’re not? What are some of the signs? No eye contact…Looking around and not at you…Saying, “Mmm hmm”…No response at all. When this happens to me, it’s frustrating. Here I am, sharing my soul, and it looks like you would much rather be doing something else.

   But, I’ve been on the other side, too, and guilty of the not listening. Are we good listeners all the time? It takes work to listen, doesn’t it? But it’s something that we need to make an effort at doing. We need to remember what it feels like when we’re not being listened to.

   As Pastor John mentioned, I assisted with my Uncle Jim’s, Jim Renken’s, funeral today. We have had him on the list of prayers for a couple of years. He passed away Saturday night after his four-year fight with an aggressive form of cancer. When he was diagnosed, he was only given six months. As I was preparing his eulogy, I remembered how good of a listener he was. His presence, listening without judgment. He was always there for my mom when she needed him. He always took care of those he kept near and dear to his heart. And my mom is a wonderful listener, too. Listening is truly a gift for some, but it’s something we can all improve at.

   At the end of February I participated in a half marathon at Walt Disney World. A dear friend of mine ran the race with me. We were in it together. Once you started, there was no turning back. Katy and I didn’t go all the way from Minnesota to Florida to not finish this 13.1-mile race. During the race, we listened to our bodies, walked when we needed to walk. We listened to each other, checking in, to see if one of us needed to slow down or walk. That’s what we need to do: We need to check in with each other. If we don’t, people may feel ignored or lost in the shuffle.

   We need to make sure that our motives align with Christ’s. Our selfish ambitions, having the biggest this or sacrificing the most that, look absurd when placed alongside this passage. We see Jesus telling the disciples about all that he is about to give, his life, and then we see the disciples come with a shopping list of all that they want. How often do we do that? Instead of always telling him what we want, we need to listen to him. It takes time to listen, and discipline, being intentional in listening, but it’s something that we can’t afford to lose. We need to ask ourselves, “Who am I putting first?” Is it God? Others? Myself? May we put Christ first, listening to him instead of ourselves, following him, becoming more like him, laying aside ways to make us look better, being present for our neighbors. Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, but always to your glory and the welfare of your people, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen (“Commitment” Prayer on page 86 in ELW).

Caroline Harthun

Holy Cross Lutheran Church - Oakdale, MN

7pm Lenten Service

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

"Spring Cleaning" - Sermon from Sunday, March 11, 2012

Spring Cleaning

Texts: John 2:13-22 (main focus); Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

   Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from the One who is and who was and who is to come, our living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

   Spring is in the air. Hallelujah! How many of you had the chance to get outside yesterday and enjoy this beautiful weather? While prepping for today, I HAD to get outside and go for a short run. A couple of weeks ago, I was on vacation in Florida, where it was mostly “80 and sunny,” so it was a LITTLE difficult to come back to “30, cloudy, and icy.” But, yesterday helped to make the transition back to Minnesota a little bit better. And, it may be time for spring cleaning.

   As I was preparing this week, adjusting from vacation mode, I could not help but see how rich each of these texts were for this week. We have the Ten Commandments. The first thing that came to mind was Mel Brooks’ movie, “History of the World, Part I.” He comes down Mount Sinai with three rock tablets and says, “I have these fifteen”—CRASH, he drops one, and it breaks to smithereens—“I mean these Ten, Ten Commandments!” I can’t help but wonder what may have been on that third tablet!

   Then, Paul in 1 Corinthians talks about Christ crucified, seen as foolishness by the world. But, “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (verse 25). All I can say is, “Wow.”

   Finally, there’s Jesus, in the temple, doing some spring cleaning, so to speak, demonstrating some of that righteous anger that Pastor Dan mentioned Wednesday night. We don’t see mild, meek, “warm fuzzy” Jesus here, but Jesus laying the smackdown, so to speak, cleansing the temple, reminding people that God is to be worshiped alone and not objects like money. One could easily preach a sermon on each of these passages.

   Today, I am going to focus on John’s text, with some reference to the Ten Commandments, and the concept to think about today is that just as Jesus cleansed the temple, we need him to cleanse each of us, living according to His will and purposes versus our own.

   First, a little background to this passage in John, to set the stage…Prior to this, we see Jesus at the wedding in Cana (2:1-12), turning the water into wine inside of the stone water vessels, which were Jewish purification vessels. Now he enters the temple in Jerusalem, which was a place of sacrificial purification, and he would do a similar symbolic work, with replacement and fulfillment. In verse 21, Jesus is the temple, and his death or destruction and resurrection will make the building of the physical temple pale in comparison. His audience misunderstands him, with destroying and rebuilding the temple, thinking he meant the physical one, which had taken 46 years to build. But, he is predicting his death and resurrection, replacing the physical temple with his body, creating a new covenant with God. Jesus performs these public “signs,” demonstrating his identity.

   After this (in Chapter 3), the Pharisee Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, trying to understand this concept of being born again. By the Holy Spirit, which blows wherever it pleases, as Jesus describes it in 3:8. The Holy Spirit sometimes gets overlooked, but we need to remember that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We need to follow Its leading. Then, we have one of the most-known passages in Scripture, 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).

   One item I hadn’t realized about this temple incident in John is that this story can also be found in the other three Gospels as well (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). There are a few detail differences, but the biggest difference has to do with time. Matthew, Mark, and Luke place the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry, whereas John places it at the beginning. Why? Scholars have debated this issue. Who is to say that there was only one temple cleansing? Or maybe John moved it chronologically for theological reasons, painting this portrait of Jesus and his signs against the backdrop of Judaism. He would be the fulfillment and replacement for Judaism’s institutions and festivals. Soon the physical temple would no longer serve God’s purposes.

   Jesus is committed to remembering Israel’s history and celebrating in the Passover, which is celebrated each spring, retelling the story of Israel’s departure from slavery in Egypt. In Exodus 12, we see the angel of death passing over the doors of those that had been marked by the blood of a sacrificial lamb. Over the centuries, the Passover was a time for Jewish families to come to Jerusalem and participate in sacrifice, a symbolic meal, and study of Israel’s salvation.

   Since people needed animals to sacrifice, Caiaphas, the Roman-appointed Jewish High Priest, allowed for the selling of animals in the temple courts. The temple was transformed from a place of worship to a place of commerce. Jesus took issue with these transactions happening at the temple. He wanted the temple to go back to what it was intended for: worship, prayer, instruction, and sacrifice.

   With this outrageous scene in the public square, one cannot help but wonder why people didn’t object to Jesus’ actions, allowing Jesus to drive them out of the temple? Instead, they simply ask about the basis for his doing it. What allowed him to succeed? It wasn’t the power of the whip but his moral power. The truth he spoke struck the heart of people’s consciences. Many knew he was right about the temple becoming a marketplace. Jesus’ righteous anger and the power of it was over the hurt these people were causing others. We need to ask ourselves: Are we hurting others? How do we respond when we see others being hurt? Excluded?

   So, just as Jesus cleansed the temple, we need him to cleanse each of us. How? Repentance. Turn around. Turn from what separates us and distracts us from God. Turn toward those thoughts and actions that help us experience God more fully. We remember the waters of Baptism. Martin Luther said that Baptism is something to be renewed and experienced every day. We enter the death of Jesus through repentance, recognizing sin, sorrowing over it, and seeking God’s forgiveness. We move from repentance to renewal, for beyond repentance there is resurrection. A renewed life.

   We are to live according to His will and purposes versus our own. What are His will and purposes? We can find them in the Ten Commandments. They taught the Israelites how to live in community, as our lives exist in community. This was a gift given to them by God, after being freed from slavery in Egypt. They proclaim that God is to have first place in our lives. He alone is worthy of worship. When someone or something else takes first place, that person or object becomes an idol, like a god. And we need to be cleansed.

   A question to consider for today: What are we allowing to clutter ourselves, hindering us from true worship and devotion of God? Lay it at the foot of the cross.

   I am currently taking a Worship class at Luther Seminary, and true worship, as defined by Luther, is to the glory of God and for the good of the neighbor. It is about an encounter, where God encounters us, where the Gospel molds and shapes us, toward God and the neighbor. We are formed into the crucified Christ, becoming more like him. The Spirit works however it wills. The “me” does not fit into that definition. Our own purposes will always place us first. If you notice in the Ten Commandments, the first four deal with our relationship with God, and the other six deal with our relationships with others.

   In Mark 12:30-31, when Jesus was asked by one of the teachers of the law as to which of all the commandments was the most important, Jesus summed it all up by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (NIV).

   Jesus came to fulfill the Law with his death and resurrection. So, we do not need the Law in order for us to be saved. As Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (NIV). Our salvation is a gift, something no human effort can attain. We cannot take credit for our salvation. But, these works, these fruits, are done as an extension of our faith.

   A question to ask today and maybe during Lent is, How do we apply grace to ourselves and law to others? What about law to ourselves and grace to others?

   Think about it today as you depart from here and go into the world. Honestly, I think it’s easier to give grace to ourselves and law to others. We crave grace when we have done something wrong. I know I do.

   The other day at work, a woman was very upset, because her drink had been made incorrectly two times. I can understand how that would be very irritating. I apologized and empathized with her, and I took it upon myself to make the drink correctly. No matter what I said, did, or offered to her, she glared with such anger in her eyes, not vocally responding.

   It made me feel crummy, and I had to shake it off. Her anger was strong, and I could feel it. I went in the back, and I admit that I had a flash of anger myself, wanting to tell her that if that was the worst thing that happened to her all day, she needs to considered herself as fortunate. I had my Uncle Jim on my heart, whom I was going to visit after work in an end of life care center in Hastings. The perspective of incorrect drinks versus dying of cancer.

   Now, I don’t want to downplay the significance of receiving two incorrect drinks, and maybe she was having a bad day, as we all have bad days. But, if we were to show each other a little more grace and a little less law, imagine the possibilities. The power of love.

   Maybe we’re afraid to open ourselves up, sacrificing on the behalf of our neighbors? What might we lose? But, what might we gain?

   We reflect on what happened on the cross yet again, on Jesus and his sacrifice of love. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” That power is love.

   A friend of mine posted the following quote on Facebook this week, and I stumbled upon it as I reflected and prepared for this message: “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Now, we do need to take care of ourselves, otherwise we may suffer from compassion fatigue. But, we need to look to each other and our neighbors outside these walls. And sacrifice hurts.

   Two weeks ago today, I participated in a half marathon at Walt Disney World in Orlando. There were five of us from Minnesota who made the trip. All of us had been placed in different starting corrals, labeled A through H. I was placed in G and was the furthest back of all my friends. My friend Katy was placed in A. She could’ve stayed in the fastest corral, but she came down to join me in slow, lowly G. She was going to run the race with me. Words cannot describe how much that meant to me. This was an emotional experience for me already, remembering the passing of my sister two years ago, my grandma last year, and Uncle Jim in hospice. It’s easy to feel lost in the midst of 20,000 people. But, with Katy and I running together, it was iron sharpening iron, encouraging and spurring each one onward. Never give up. It was a lot of fun and really enjoyable. Tears were shed at the finish line with this accomplishment. Katy had been battling some injuries and weeks prior she wasn’t sure she could participate. I had told her at the time that I would walk it with her. But, we mostly ran that 13.1 miles…And, most importantly, we did it together. In 3 hours, 8 minutes, and 43 seconds. In the body of Christ, that’s what we need to do…Leave no one behind. Spur each one onward. Be present. Encourage. No matter the sacrifice. There was even a lady there who held a sign that said, “Yes, I am cheering for you, complete stranger!” How awesome is that?

   I would like to close with a prayer today, written by Martin Luther. The extended version of it can be found on page 87 of the red ELW. I am using the version found in the 40 Days and 40 Nights devotional by Gail Ramshaw. How many of you purchased one? It has been a part of my Lenten journey and study. This Lenten season, just as Jesus cleansed the temple, we need him to cleanse each of us, temples of the Holy Spirit. Cleanse us of whatever may be displacing God from first place in our lives. As Ramshaw states, “The Spirit enables us to live for others while assuring us that Christ has already given his life for us” (page 37). May our hearts burn with love for God and our neighbor. May we not be afraid to respond as Jesus did in the temple, with a righteous anger when we see our neighbors being hurt or wronged. Is it time for spring cleaning? Let us pray:

   “Behold. Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor. At times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether. O Lord, help me. In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have. With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with you. Amen.”

Caroline Harthun

House of Prayer Lutheran Church - Oakdale, MN

8:30am and 10:45am

Sunday, March 11, 2012

From Sermons4Kids: Children’s Message

Theme:	Jesus Cleanses the Temple. 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B
Object:	Some cleaning items: broom, mop, sponges, dust cloth, etc.
Scripture:	In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" John 2:14-16 (NIV)
CLEANING HOUSE Spring is just a few days away. Spring is such a wonderful time of the year. The temperature begins to warm and the world begins to take on a fresh new look. The trees start to put on leaves, the grass begins to turn green, and the flowers start to bloom. Everything is beautiful! There are other things that tell us that spring is here too. For one thing, baseball season begins. Another sign that spring is here is that many people have started their spring cleaning. Mops, brooms, sponges, a dust cloth... what do we use these things for? We use them when we clean house, don't we? Do you ever help your mom and dad with the cleaning around your house? I don't know about your mom and dad, but there were many times when my they thought our house needed cleaning when it looked just fine to me. It looks like I am getting ready to clean house. Do your parents do any spring cleaning around your house? Spring is a good time to give your house a good going over and clean everything up and get rid of a lot of junk that you don't need. Well, how do you know when it's time to clean house? Well here are some signs that will definitely let you to know that it is time to clean house. It is time to clean house when your mother can't find you when she comes into your room to wake you up in the morning. It is time to clean house when the kids in the neighborhood use their fingers to write "wash me" in the dirt on your windows. It is time to clean house when there are more dishes in the kitchen sink than there are in the cabinets. Well, I think you get the idea! I know that your house never gets THAT dirty, but the truth of the matter is, we all need to do a little house cleaning at times. Today we are going to learn about a time when Jesus did some house cleaning. It was time for the annual Passover celebration, so Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. When he arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the temple. He couldn't believe what he saw. Right there in the temple area he saw people who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves to be used as sacrifices in the temple. There were even tables set up where men were changing money so that people could pay their temple taxes. It looked more like a flea market than a house of worship. Jesus did not like what he saw. He was so angry that picked up a piece of rope, made a whip, and drove the cattle, sheep, and those who were selling them out of the temple. Next, he went to the money changers and turned their tables over, scattering coins all over the temple floor. To the ones who were selling the doves he said, "Get out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market." I would say that Jesus did some serious spring cleaning in the temple that day! As we think about Jesus cleansing the temple, we should also be reminded that there is some other cleaning that needs to be done. The Bible tells us that we are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in us. (1 Cor. 3:16) The season of Lent is a good time for us to look inside ourselves and see if there is anything in us that needs to be cleansed. Are there some areas of your life where you need to do some house cleaning? I know there are in mine! Father, help us to remember that we are your temple and that your Spirit lives in us. Help us to keep our lives clean and useful for service to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.