{"id":1431,"date":"2015-11-12T08:30:46","date_gmt":"2015-11-12T14:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=1431"},"modified":"2015-11-12T08:30:46","modified_gmt":"2015-11-12T14:30:46","slug":"brokenness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/11\/12\/brokenness\/","title":{"rendered":"Brokenness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/shaLKEDLqcQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/sermons\/?sermon_id=72\">Audio Version<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sunday November 8, 2015<br \/>\nAfter Pentecost<br \/>\nProper 27<br \/>\nYear B<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><i>Old Testament<\/i> 1 Kings 17:8\u201316<br \/>\n<i><\/i><i>New Testament<\/i> Hebrews 9:24\u201328<br \/>\n<i>Gospel<\/i> Mark 12:38\u201344<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><i><\/i>The scriptures we have today are ones that can be easily misused against people.\u00a0 It would be very easy to take both the 1 Kings text and the Mark text and just give a blanket covering of, \u201cTrust in God\u201d.\u00a0 Trust, have faith that God will provide.<\/p>\n<p>The poor, the widows the orphans and strangers might disagree and might even take offense at the idea that they should just trust that God will provide everything.\u00a0 Those words themselves do not put food in the stomach, pay the rent, or a myriad of other things needed each and every day.<\/p>\n<p>We have people all around the world that live on less than we do each day.\u00a0 Just because they can and do, does not make it pleasant, nor right.\u00a0 We have people around us that live on much more that we do.\u00a0 How much is enough.\u00a0 That can be a matter of perspective.\u00a0 A matter of your particular context.<\/p>\n<p>What the scriptures do speak to is the brokenness of our humanity.\u00a0 Why are there so many people that have so little? Why are there so many people that have so much?\u00a0 Why is it that those who have so little suffer so much? I am not advocating for a socialist, communist or even a democratic point of view on how take care of the widows, orphans and poor.\u00a0 I am suggesting we look to the Bible.\u00a0 I am suggesting that God has given us a charge to take care of those who need.<\/p>\n<p>Our God first put a charge to the Jews to take care of those who need.\u00a0 In turn, through Jesus, we too have been given that same charge.\u00a0 Who is it that Jesus came to?\u00a0 Yes, he came to the Jews first but in the end, he shared bread with the least, last, lost, and the sinners.\u00a0 In other words, he was with the poor, the widows, orphans and strangers.\u00a0 Ultimately, He shared himself as the bread of life for all of humanity.<\/p>\n<p>In the 1 Kings text, the poor, note not just a widow, but a poor widow with a child, has nothing left in her life but a handful of meal and a little oil.\u00a0 Her situation is so desperate that she tells Elijah that she is going to prepare a meal for herself and her son, eat it and die. \u00a0All hope is gone for this woman.\u00a0 She has been left in such a predicament, that she has nothing and expects to die.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ocarm.org\/en\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ELIJAH-AND-THE-WIDOW-OF-ZAREPHATH.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ocarm.org\/en\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ELIJAH-AND-THE-WIDOW-OF-ZAREPHATH.jpg?resize=512%2C347\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"347\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Yes, she was able to eat for many days from what little she had.\u00a0 Not because the Jews helped her, not because of neighbor but because God took pity and provided when others would not.<\/p>\n<p>We move to the gospel of Mark.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/laymanointing.files.wordpress.com\/2015\/04\/woman-mite-e1434691074700.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/laymanointing.files.wordpress.com\/2015\/04\/woman-mite-e1434691074700.jpg?resize=473%2C265\" alt=\"\" width=\"473\" height=\"265\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The poor widow who gives from her poverty, all that she had.\u00a0 Yes, there were people who were rich and give large sums.\u00a0\u00a0 Just prior to this Jesus had denounced the Scribes.\u00a0 Not because they were scribes but for what was in their hearts.\u00a0 Jesus is asking what the Scribes\u2019 end game is.\u00a0 Why do they do what they are do, for what end?<\/p>\n<p>There is a couple of things at play here, that Jesus is pointing out to the disciples.\u00a0 It is not about the amount that is given, it is about how and why.\u00a0 Why do we do what we do and how do we do what we do.\u00a0 In other words, what is in our hearts and how do we respond to God.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus gave everything for all of us, once and for all.\u00a0 He put Himself as a mediator between God and us, so that when we die, He has done what we cannot.\u00a0 Jesus provides in the end, for us.\u00a0 When we die, we too are the least, last and lost, the sinners of the past, present and future.\u00a0 Jesus provides in His death and resurrection, what we need.\u00a0 Jesus could have said, no, let the Father do it.\u00a0 Worse yet for us would be that He could have said, let them fend for themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Let them fend for themselves.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that what happened to the widows?\u00a0 They have nothing and are left, at least until God intervenes in 1 Kings, to their own.\u00a0\u00a0 We don\u2019t know what happens to the widow who gives her last two small copper coins.\u00a0 If it goes like we have seen, if it goes like it seems to still go today, here on earth, let them fend for themselves.<\/p>\n<p>We live in this imperfect world and hopefully we attempt to respond to God, to care for the least, the last and the lost.\u00a0 What that looks like for each of us can be very different.\u00a0 Do not let outwards appearances of others fool you.<\/p>\n<p>First look into your own heart and pray to the Father in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Seek guidance in your response to God.\u00a0 How you respond, is up to you.\u00a0 Jesus died for you.\u00a0 Your sins are forgiven, but how do you respond to the One who gave His all for you?<\/p>\n<p>Shall we respond in abundance or out of scarcity?\u00a0 Will we walk the walk and talk the talk or be as the Scribes that Jesus denounces?\u00a0 There are many opportunities to respond to God.<\/p>\n<p>Here at Calvary, we have the nursing home ministry.\u00a0 We also can be the place for those who need a funeral.\u00a0 An opportunity to walk with others and share a meal with them. We have opportunities in doing the readings on Sunday or being part of the alter guild or a host of other things here on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>There is an afterschool program that has a significant impact on the youth in this area.\u00a0 My wife is looking to start a Scarf Ministry, so those that need scarfs this winter, are provided with them.\u00a0 We have the prayer shawl ministry.\u00a0 We have all sorts of opportunities through our synod, the ELCA and inside and outside of the community.<\/p>\n<p>Seek out a way to respond to God\u2019s Son, Christ Jesus.\u00a0 Whatever it may look like, find it in your heart to respond.\u00a0 Seek out a way to help out in our broken world, so that those who are in need can receive help.\u00a0 The least, last and lost, the widows, orphans and poor will always be with us but that does not mean we let them fend for themselves.\u00a0 It means we have opportunities to respond to God and be with God\u2019s children all of the time.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Audio Version Sunday November 8, 2015 After Pentecost Proper 27 Year B Old Testament 1 Kings 17:8\u201316 New Testament Hebrews 9:24\u201328 Gospel Mark 12:38\u201344 The scriptures we have today are ones that can be easily misused against people.\u00a0 It would be very easy to take both the 1 Kings text and the Mark text and &#8230; <span class=\"more\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/11\/12\/brokenness\/\">[Read more&#8230;]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[87,76,29,21,64,78,3,68,10,5,45,36,58,83,44,31,35,46],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-1431","6":"format-standard","7":"category-christ","8":"category-commandment","9":"category-community","10":"category-faith","11":"category-giving","12":"category-gospel","13":"category-grace","14":"category-hope","15":"category-jesus","16":"category-law","17":"category-money","18":"category-promise","19":"category-response","20":"category-sermon","21":"category-stewardship","22":"category-theology-of-the-cross","23":"category-trust","24":"category-wealth"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-n5","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2581,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2021\/04\/26\/trust-in-the-faith-speak-the-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":1431,"position":0},"title":"Trust in the Faith &#038; Speak the Gospel","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"April 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"4-18-2021 Acts 3:12\u2013191 John 3:1\u20137Luke 24:36b\u201348 https:\/\/vimeo.com\/541902542","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christ&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1543,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2016\/05\/22\/the-father-son-and-spirit-are-calling\/","url_meta":{"origin":1431,"position":1},"title":"The Father, Son and Spirit are Calling","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"May 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Click this link for the audio version of the sermon. Sunday, May 22, 2016 \u00a0 After Pentecost Holy Trinity Year C Old Testament Proverbs 8:1\u20134, 22\u201331 Psalm Psalm 8:1-9 New Testament Romans 5:1\u20135 Gospel John 16:12\u201315 Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009).","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Acceptance&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Acceptance","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/acceptance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2312,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2019\/12\/04\/wresting-with-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":1431,"position":2},"title":"Wresting with God","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"December 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday, October 20, 2019 | After PentecostProper 24Year C Old Testament Genesis 32:22\u201331New Testament 2 Timothy 3:14\u20134:5Gospel Luke 18:1\u20138Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2009). https:\/\/youtu.be\/j53KJ0pNjQI","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Attitude&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Attitude","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/attitude\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1443,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/11\/22\/christ-the-king-like-no-other-king\/","url_meta":{"origin":1431,"position":3},"title":"Christ the King &#8211; Like No Other King","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"November 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 https:\/\/youtu.be\/hLBns_5G_V0 Audio Version Sunday, November 22, 2015 After Pentecost Proper 29 Year B Old Testament\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Daniel 7:9\u201310, 13\u201314 New Testament \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Revelation 1:4b\u20138 Gospel\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0John 18:33\u201337[1] Like many Sundays, it seems like there is little to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christ&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/hLBns_5G_V0\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1017,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/12\/respond-step-out-and-trust-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":1431,"position":4},"title":"Respond, Step out and Trust Jesus","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"August 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Audio Link [youtube:http:\/\/youtu.be\/lW2vcgw0pa0] 1 Kings 19:9\u201318 Psalm 85:8\u201313 Romans 10:5\u201315 Matthew 14:22\u201333 Our God comes to us in many shapes and forms.\u00a0 God loves us and wants the best for us always.\u00a0 God loves all of humanity and wants the best for all of God\u2019s creatures.\u00a0 Do you believe that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Evangelism&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Evangelism","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/evangelism\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/lW2vcgw0pa0\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2700,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2021\/11\/10\/multifaceted-giving\/","url_meta":{"origin":1431,"position":5},"title":"Multifaceted Giving","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"November 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"All Saints SundayOld Testament 1 Kings 17:8\u201316New Testament Hebrews 9:24\u201328Gospel Mark 12:38\u201344","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Saints&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Saints","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/all-saints\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1431"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1435,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1431\/revisions\/1435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}