Fasting -- A Message for June 26, 2025

         

Over the summer, Trinity is focusing on practices of faith. Practices of faith are spiritual disciplines that are regularly repeated and help us connect to the Holy Spirit, live in imitation of the life of Jesus, and strengthen our love of God and each other. When we regularly participate in and implement these practices in our lives, we become better equipped in our work to serve God and serve our neighbors.

Over the past weeks, we have talked about testimony and sabbath. Testimony is a succinct summary of our faith we can share with others.  Sabbath is taking time off from our regular activities to restore and rest and reflect on our faith. This week, we are turning to one of the other very traditional faith practices — fasting. Fasting is a part of religious practices in many faith traditions, not just Christianity. Historically, fasting is refraining from eating or drinking for a specific period of time. Many of us have fasted for medical purposes; individuals have fasted for religious purposes over the centuries.

Listen now to one of Jesus’ instructions regarding fasting, as it is recorded in Matthew chapter 6:

Scripture Matthew 6:16-18

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 

17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 

18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray…..

Message Fasting

When I laid out the order of the topics we are focusing on this summer, our “faith practices,” I randomly put fasting on this date….June 29.  LIttle did I realize that I would be preparing this week for an up-coming medical procedure….it is one of those fun procedures people over a certain age have to get on an annual basis…and so, all week, I will be eating a low-fiber diet and avoiding seeds, nuts, and popcorn. And, watching what I eat as I prepare for the big day. So, I am fasting this week, but not for spiritual reasons. :) 

For us, as UCC Protestants, we are not required to fast like many of our fellow followers of God do. Faithful Roman Catholics give up meat on Fridays during Lent. Faithful Greek Orthodox Christians fast on Wednesdays and Fridays year round – they abstain from meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, wine and oil 104 days a year. During Lent and Advent, Greek Orthodox Christians fast every day. Muslim believers fast throughout the year and every day during the 29 days of the annual Ramadan feast. Hindu believers fast throughout the years—it seems like they have fasting holidays quite often. Jewish believers have both ‘major' and 'minor' fast days – twice a year, on Yom Kippur and Tish B’Av, all Jewish people fast for 24 hours. On other days, they fast during daylight hours.

Protestants don’t emphasize fasting. In the centuries since the Protestant Reformation, we have stopped doing many things because they are done by Roman Catholics – some of the things we have let go of are just because we want to be different than our Roman Catholic neighbors. Apparently, early in the Reformation, when Protestants were emphasizing that we are saved by God’s grace and not through our own good works, Protestants were told not to fast….since we couldn’t obtain salvation by doing things like praying a rosary or giving up meat during Lent, we dropped these activities entirely.

But, perhaps we should re-adopt fasting….not because we think we can earn salvation by eating less, but because refraining from things we enjoy, for a time, helps us to focus on our faith without distraction.  We notice when we are hungry. We notice when we are thirsty. We notice when our food is unseasoned or plain. If we adhered to Greek Orthodox fasting practices, and had two days a week without meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, wine and oil, we would become acutely aware of the absence of almost all of the “normal” foods we eat. And, sometimes, when we are uncomfortable, we are more open to the presence of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in our midst.

After his baptism, Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. There, he lived surrounded by wild animals. He fasted. He prayed. He slept on the uncomfortable ground. Jesus spent 40 days preparing his heart for the work he was about to undertake. Jesus was uncomfortable – seriously uncomfortable. During his period of discomfort, Jesus prayed and talked to God. Jesus considered his options – it says in the scripture that he was tempted by the Devil. Even if he wouldn’t have been tempted by the Devil, Jesus had choices to make…he could have bailed out-–he could have decided to return to Nazareth and resume carpentry and get married and start a family and settle down to a quiet, peaceful life. But, he didn’t. Instead, he dedicated his life to serving others, and gave his life for the salvation of many.

Why should we fast? Protestants don’t have to fast, we are under no obligation or mandate to fast. But, Jesus fasted and members of all of the other world religions fast. Sometimes, a bit of discomfort is good. Jesus fasted to prepare himself to do God’s work. When we fast, we are also able to prepare ourselves to do God’s work….Fasting invites us to quiet down our inner voice that wants immediate gratification: that wants hunger to be soothed immediately, that wants boredom to be soothed immediately, that turns to our phones and asks Siri or HeyGoogle to answer every question that pops into our minds. It is important for us to pause and pray and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. 

Fasting helps us to separate ourselves from the demands of our everyday lives and focus on God. We are constantly bombarded with demands on our time and attention. We are busy most of the time. When we take a pause, and quiet down that inner voice that makes demands on us, and take a break from our normal routine of work, food, chores, food, sleep, we are able to focus more on God, listen more attentively to the Holy Spirit, and consider how we are practicing our faith in the world. Jesus fasted to prepare himself for God’s demands on him; we fast to strengthen and prepare ourselves for the opportunity to serve God in our lives. 

Sometimes, it is good to be a little uncomfortable, so that we can hear more clearly God’s Holy Spirit’s voice calling to us to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with our Lord.

Amen. 

Keeping Sabbath -- A Message for June 22, 2025

 

This summer, we are focusing on ways we practice our faith. Each week, we will explore a different “faith practice.” Last week, we focused on testimony – a testimony is when we share a personal story of our own faith. We each have a unique story to tell about why we believe in God and choose to be part of this church.

Today we are turning to practicing sabbath – Sabbath is a time of rest. In Christianity and Judaism, sabbath is also a day set aside for rest and worship. God commanded us to make time for sabbath in the Ten Commandments.  At the end of the first creation story in the book of Genesis, it says: “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Taking a break, a sabbath rest, is woven into the creation of humanity. Taking a sabbath is important spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

The Old Testament Commandment for us to keep a sabbath is found in all three versions of the 10 commandments. In Exodus 20, it is written this way: 

Scripture Reading Exodus 20:8-11

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 

but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen. 

Message Keeping Sabbath

What is the deal? Why did God tell God’s people to keep a sabbath? Why was this so important that it is found in each version of the 10 commandments, mentioned in the first creation story, and then spelled out in several of the Jewish laws? Why would God mandate that we take a sabbath rest?

Maybe because it is incredibly difficult for us to do it….when I talk to friends, or family members, or church folks, one thing that almost everyone tells me is that they feel super busy all the time….they feel like they are jumping from one activity to the next. When you talk to parents of younger children and teenagers, they tell you about all of the sports practices and music lessons and school events and games they drive their children to and from ... .even during summer break, kids have camps and art lessons and swimming classes and soccer practice. When I saw my brother’s family a few weeks ago, each of their 5 kids had different activities every day of the week. They had baseball games and soccer practice and hockey practice and dance classes and dance performances and summer reading and math practice and swimming lessons. I was on edge just hearing the list. The activities were so complicated that the parents and grandparents were all running different kids to different places all of the time.

Even people who don’t have kids in their home are rushing from thing to thing ...  their professional work and doctors appointments and book clubs and hair dressers and volunteer shifts at the food pantry. We are all overloaded and over-extended

And, yet, as part of our faith, we have a mandate to rest. We have a mandate to take time off for sabbath, to rest and worship and breathe in the Holy Spirit.

The first version of the 10 commandments says we should rest on the sabbath because God rested after the 6 days of creation. God spent 6 “days” making the heavens and the earth and the waters and the creatures and then took a break and marveled at all of creation. Taking time off for rest and introspection and observation is helpful for us too – sometimes when I am really puzzled by a problem, the answer comes to me after I step away from my desk and walk around and have a break – some of our most important learnings come when we have a rest and time to synthesize our thoughts. 

Another version of the 10 commandments, the one found at Deuteronomy 5 verses 12 through 15 explains the need for sabbath a little differently – this version of the commandments emphasizes that when the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt they were never allowed to take a break – Deuteronomy 5 says: 

“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 

but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

So, in this commandment to observe a sabbath, God says the people should stop and rest and worship because when they were slaves, they didn’t have the option of stopping and resting. The sabbath day is an opportunity to appreciate our freedom and their release from captivity. We no longer have to do as the slave masters command – we have the freedom to take a break.

We know rest is essential for our health. We must sleep – When we sleep, our immune systems are replenished, our emotional processing is strengthened, our moods improve, our stress decreases, our tissues and muscles are repaired, and our body and mind recharge. And, taking time out of our busy lives for sabbath is also restorative.  We need time to relax, to regroup, to rest and breathe in the Holy Spirit.

When Christians adopted the Sabbath mandate, we changed some things. Jewish Sabbath is from Sundown on Friday night to Sundown on Saturday night. Christians changed our Sabbath day to Sunday, to celebrate Jesus’ day of resurrection. In the early days of the 20th century, when people became more urbanized, factory workers and school children typically were “off” on Sundays. Many people remember the days of Blue Laws, when stores and businesses were closed on Sunday. Many people also remember boredom on Sundays – church in the morning, then quiet afternoons at home, followed by church in the evening.

In the twenty-first century, we have more flexibility about how we follow the sabbath mandate – when Jesus was questioned about the Sabbath, he reminded his followers that following the letter of the law wasn’t as important as doing good. Jesus had been criticized for healing a crippled woman on the sabbath. We aren’t required to take our Sabbath’s on Sunday, and to sit around and be bored all day….that is not the point of Sabbath rest.

The Sabbath time is a time to turn off our phones, pause the running around and the activities and the busy things we are always doing, stop ourselves from checking our emails and our facebook feeds, and to rest. We may rest by taking a nap. We may rest by taking a walk and appreciating the beauty of the earth. We may rest by putting on music and listening and not trying to multitask at the same time.  We may rest by sitting in a swimming pool and soaking up some sun. We may rest by playing with our grandkids or watching a movie or playing catch with our dogs. Worship can be part of our sabbath rest as well – we can praise God and pray and sing hymns and appreciate the good God creates in the world. 

We are mandated to take time for sabbath rest. We are required to take a break. The rest we take looks different for each of us, but the point is to set aside a block of time to rest, to bask in the glory of creation, to pray, to praise God, and to do things that are uplifting and restorative. God understood that taking time off does not come naturally to us, but that it is good for our bodies, our minds, our spirits, and our souls. So, let us follow the commandment to take a sabbath rest.

Amen. 

Testimony -- A Message for June 15, 2025

This summer, we are focusing on testimonies of faith. Over the next few weeks, we will each have the opportunity to share a personal story about our faith in Jesus or God. We can say how we came to have faith, or talk about the influence of a Sunday School teacher or mentor on our faith, or share about a time the Holy Spirit interrupted us and set us on the path to faith. We can say how we found our way to Trinity or why it is important for us to be part of the United Church of Christ. We each have a unique story to share.

The Bible is full of people’s testimonies about their faith. The writers of our four gospels were compelled to share the story of Jesus – they gathered testimonies and stories of Jesus’ sermons and healings and miracles. The Gospel writers wanted to put down on papyrus the story of Jesus so that future generations and new Christians would have access to the Gospel. Their words have been read and pondered over for millenia. 

This morning, we are turning to the testimony the writer of John shared as his introduction to his gospel. We usually read this passage twice a year – on Christmas Eve and on Good Friday. So, we usually read it at night, in a darkened room. But, the reading is about light – the light of God, the truth of the Gospel, is revealed to the world in Jesus Christ.

Let us now hear the word of God as it comes to us through the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses one through eighteen:

The Scripture John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 

He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 

He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 

children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray….

The Sermon Testimony: Trinity Practices Our Faith

John chapter one starts with John’s personal testimony about Jesus. Jesus is part of God – Jesus was with God in the beginning of all things. Jesus is the Word of God – the part of God that communicates God’s vision and love to the world. We can’t see God as God’s full-self, but Jesus came to earth to visibly and verbally make God known to us.

John included in his testimony about Jesus with an introduction to John the Baptist — John the Baptist’s purpose and calling on earth was to prepare people for Jesus’s arrival and announce to others who Jesus is….Jesus is God incarnate in the body of a man who came to earth to help us understand God and God’s calling upon our lives.

John’s words introduce us to the truth about Jesus Christ: “In Jesus was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”. A few chapters later in the Gospel of John, he summed up the Gospel in another few words: “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.”

Testimonies are brief summations of our faith.  They are different than sermons – sermons are longer talks when pastors or preachers explain a passage from the Bible…..we usually try to explain the context and meaning of the scripture passage and then give suggestions for how to apply the passage to our lives. When I was in seminary, we took classes on sermon crafting – we were told to not talk about ourselves. Sermons are written for a congregation, and are not supposed to be about our personal faith journeys. 

But testimonies are about our faith journeys. Testimonies are personal – they are our opportunities to share how we overcame a personal life challenge or theological quandary with the help of the Holy Spirit. Testimonies are about how the Spirit or the Word of God led us to find a new church or stay in an old one. Testimonies are about how God helped us and guided us when we were in need. Testimonies are about how a mentor in the Christian faith or a conversation we had with a stranger triggered in us a faith-ful response.

The Bible has many examples of testimonies – Some of them are so familiar to us we have them written on our hearts. David said: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” In the 23rd Psalm, David describes God’s love, provision, and guidance. After Jesus healed a blind man, he was questioned by the Pharisees – the man answered the questions, and then testified about Jesus by saying: “IF this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” After the Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well and had a conversation with Jesus… “The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?'” And, many of the Samaritans of that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony.

Testimonies are our personal stories that testify to our faith.

Some churches have their members offer testimonies all the time. In Quaker meetings, the congregation sits in silence until the Holy Spirit inspires someone to share a word – the speaker expresses aloud what they have experienced in the silence of the gathering. Apparently, there is a wide variety of sources for the spoken words: scripture, stories of Jesus’ life and teachings, poetry and quotes from other sources, or personal stories from the speaker’s life. The only time I was at a Quaker worship service, it was silent the whole hour.

Some other charismatic and evangelical worship services that are less structured than our worship services invite testimonies during their worship gatherings. People may feel the need to express words or teachings the Holy Spirit is saying to them in the moment – sometimes in the language spoken by the people in the room and sometimes in “tongues.” So, people may sing, share testimonies, offer prayer, ask for healing, talk in tongues, hear a sermon, and sing some more. 

Our testimonies are little, short stories of why we believe in God….why we believe in Jesus. It is important that all of us be able to express, briefly, the “why” behind our belief – “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but shall obtain eternal life.” “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.”

We all came to have faith in God for different reasons. And, we know many people who don’t share our faith. They wonder what our motivation is, what we do in this building, why we feel it is important for us to be here. So, this summer, we are practicing sharing our testimonies of faith. We are practicing sharing the stories of why we choose to believe in God and worship with the people who gather in this room and over this facebook feed. 

I look forward to hearing your stories.

Amen. 

 

Pentecost and the Fruits of the Spirit -- A Message for June 8, 2025

 

This morning, we gather as the people of God for the date in the Christian year that is considered the “birthday” of the Christian church. On the first Pentecost, almost 2000 years ago, the Holy Spirit of God came to earth and filled the followers of Jesus. Jesus was no longer on earth with them, and instead each of them, each of us, are infused with a little bit of the Spirit of God – the power of God – the wisdom of God – the energy of God. The Holy Spirit is the guiding power within each of us that empowers us to act with fierce bravery as we do God’s work in the world.

Our first reading describes how the Holy Spirit first came to earth – our second reading lists the traits and attitudes the Spirit encourages us to embrace. Listen now to the word of God as we read first from the Acts of the Apostles and then from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians.

The Scripture Acts 2: 1-4; Galatians 5:16-23

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 

2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 

3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 

4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 

20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 

21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each otheAmen.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the kingdom of God. Thanks be to God. Amen. 

Let us pray….

The Sermon Pentecost and the Fruits of the Spirit 

When we baptise people at Trinity, we invoke the Holy Spirit – we remember Jesus’ baptism when he was dunked in water and the Holy Spirit filled him, and then we invite the Holy Spirit to bless the baptismal waters. After we pour the water on the person being baptised, the pastor says: “May the Holy Spirit be upon you, child of God, disciple of Christ, and member of the Church.” At this moment, we believe the Holy Spirit enters the person being baptised.

Our baptisms are more about the Holy Spirit pouring into the person being baptised than they are really about the water – the water is the symbol, the Holy Spirit is the real presence of God in our midst and in the person being baptised.

We are Holy Spirit people. Before Jesus came to earth, although the Holy Spirit was present, everyone could not access it. When we read the Old Testament, we read of special people who were Holy Spirit-filled – people like Moses and Abraham and Sarah and Elijah. But, everyone did not have access to the Holy Spirit.

That changed when Jesus came to earth. Before Jesus left his disciples and Ascended to heaven, he told them he was returning to God and the Holy Spirit would soon appear and “be upon them” so they would have the power and authority to take his message to all people of the world.

On the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared to the Disciples who were gathered together, filled them, and gave the the first of the gifts of the Holy Spirit: the ability to speak in new languages. They were the first Christians who were called to share the Good News of Jesus with the world – it was therefore important that they were given extra communication abilities and skills….they needed to know new languages so they could explain the good news to people in a manner they could understand.

The Holy Spirit has been among us since that day. And, some of us are still giving the gifts of languages – some people are able to learn other tongues with ease. 

In St Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians, there is another list of the gifts the Holy Spirit shares with us – the fruits of the Holy Spirit are:  love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Each of these attributes are attributes of God – as followers of God, we are called to reflect God’s fruitful attributes to others – we are called to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. This list is aspirational – we are called to work on embodying these attributes. They are listed after another list of behaviors we are called to avoid – Christians are in the world, and we face the same temptations to misbehave as everyone else. But, we are called to have self-control and work to embody God’s Fruits of better-behavior.

The Holy Spirit came to earth to fill the first Christians so they had the gifts they needed to do the work at hand – they were spreading the word of God to new people every day. They were the first people to live Chrsitian lifestyles – to work to embody God’s Fruits of the Spirit in the world. 

The Christian church may be almost 2000 years old, but we still have work to do. In fact, when we listen to the news and talk to our neighbors, it seems like we have more and more work to do all the time. The Holy Spirit is here in our midst, here in our hearts, and is giving us the courage and the endurance to take on the work at hand. Maybe the work we need to do is very personal – perhaps we need to repair broken relationships, perhaps we need to build bridges with neighbors, perhaps we need to work on forgiving ourselves or others. Maybe the work we need to do is wider reaching – volunteer at the Daily Bread, participate in a fundraising walk or run, travel to help rebuild houses destroyed by a natural disaster. We all have options of ways we can do God’s work with the skills and abilities we have now. 

For almost 2000 years, we have been blessed to have the Holy Spirit present in our midst, in our lives, and in our hearts. Let us work to embody the fruits of the Holy Spirit, live bravely and work to serve God in all the ways we can.

Amen.