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Sermon – May 5, 2019

May 5, 2019 By Leave a Comment

“Running on Empty – Regroup“, by Rev. Mike Holly

The Word

1 Kings 19:9-21

At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”

He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” Then Elijah said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?” He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they atea. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

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Sermon – February 17, 2019

February 17, 2019 By Leave a Comment

“The Science of Living Together“, by Rev. John Carl Hastings

The Word

Isaiah 1:12-20

When you come to appear before me,
who asked this from your hand?
Trample my courts no more;
bringing offerings is futile;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation—
I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.
Your new moons and your appointed festivals
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me,
I am weary of bearing them.
When you stretch out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the widow.

Come now, let us argue it out,
says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be like snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured by the sword;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

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Sermon – July 22, 2018

July 22, 2018 By Leave a Comment

“Choose Community“, by Rev. John Carl Hastings

The Word

Hebrews 10:19-25

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

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Sermon – September 17, 2017

September 17, 2017 By Leave a Comment

“We Can Work It Out: Forgive Like God“, by Rev. Mike Holly

The Word

Ephesians 4:25-32

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

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Sermon – September 10, 2017

September 10, 2017 By Leave a Comment

“We Can Work It Out: Bear With One Another“, by Rev. Mike Holly

The Word

Colossians 3:12-15

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

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Sermon – August 27, 2017

August 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment

“Who Am I Becoming? Keep On“, by Rev. Mike Holly

The Word

James 1:1-8

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

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Sermon – January 22, 2017

January 22, 2017 By Leave a Comment

BPUMC_Podcast_Logo“Community On Purpose“, by Rev. Mike Holly

The Word

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

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.

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Week 6: July 12-18

July 24, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Numbers – Community

Ask.

  • What kind of person just really drives you crazy?
  • What have you been told is something that you do that drives a friend or family member crazy?
  • Do you actively try to stop doing it or have they just had to learn to deal with it?

Listen.

During their wandering years in the wilderness, living so close to each other in such difficult conditions created a great deal of tension between the people of Israel. Family and neighbors complained, accused each other of theft or unfaithfulness and gossiped about each other. Many often threatened to turn around and go back to Egypt, claiming that slavery was even better than this. Tempers ran high. There were arguments and even physical violence in the camp of the Israelites. To combat this, God gave Moses and the Israelites very specific rules for how to live in holy community with one another. Some people were put in charge, but not to rule over the others like Egyptians had with the crack of the whip. And other men and women could take special vows to live holy lives of clean living that was even higher than those of their neighbors. They didn’t do this to build themselves up, but to serve as an example for those around them of what was possible if they lived for God and in peace with each other. The priests had to pray for those they guided.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

The Lord life up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

(Numbers 6:22-27)

There were rules, tough rules, for the Israelites. They often seem arbitrary and even cruel by our standards. But they existed to make sure that everyone was living a holy life, not just for themselves and for God, but for the people around them. God would travel with the people. They would see his presence in a great cloud that hovered above their camp. When the cloud moved, they would pack up and follow it. But following God’s command to trust him and love each other would prove more difficult than traveling through an actual desert.

Think.

In our youth group, we repeat the above scripture every week as our benediction on Wednesday nights. We stand in a circle, with right hand over left, holding the hands of those on either side. We look into each others’ eyes and say these words that were first spoken thousands of years ago. Do we say it with the same zeal? Sometimes it is easy because things are going great between us and those around us. And sometimes it’s hard. We may have very good reasons to be upset with those around us. God really expects us to look into the eyes of an ex or a frenemy and say that we hope that God makes their life awesome.

Remember.

The toughest prayers that we lift up are usually not the ones where we are asking for God’s blessing or forgiveness for ourselves. They are the ones when we pray for other people, especially if those people are difficult for us to get along with. These are powerful prayers and they reflect God’s will for our world. Living in community with God and with each other means high expectations. Everyone counts. Everyone matters.

Pray.

In your mind’s eye, see the face of the person who you most cannot stand or who makes your skin crawl. See the face of the person who has really done or said something bad about you. Now pray for them — not for God to knock them down a bit from their high horse, but pray that God blesses them like the blessing in Numbers 6:22-27 says to do.

More.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2_knlv_xw

If We Could See Inside of Others’ Hearts –  Everyone Matters

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Sermon – August 31, 2014

August 31, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Community - Letters to the Church in Corinth“A Community Shares its Resources,” by Rev. Peter von Herrmann

Sermon Series: Community – Letters to the Church in Corinth

Catching up.

For many people, Labor Day marks the end of the summer and the beginning of fall. As summer ends, many church members begin calculating how much they need to give to “catch up” on their pledge. We all intend to give weekly, but during the course of the summer we miss worship on Sundays and then don’t remember to “catch up” until fall begins.

As he writes to the church in Corinth, Paul reminds the church in Corinth to “catch up” on their giving to the offering for the poor in Jerusalem. This offering, which Paul collected from Gentile churches around the Roman Empire, was an important part of creating unity within the Christian church as a whole. The Corinthians had expressed enthusiasm at supporting this offering. Now, Paul was encouraging them to live up to their pledge.

We often make pledges and then, for whatever reason, “fall behind.” Maybe we have pledged to write an encouraging note, maybe to complete a project, maybe to support an important charity. Each moment, though, offers an opportunity to catch up with those pledges. Let’s think about how we can help others, and then not just talk about it, but be faithful to complete the tasks that God has set before us.

—Peter von Herrmann

The Word

2 Corinthians 8:1-14

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you. Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.

I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something— now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.

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Sermon – August 24, 2014

August 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Community - Letters to the Church in Corinth“Healing Relationships,” by Rev. Mike Holly

Sermon Series: Community – Letters to the Church in Corinth

“Make room in your hearts,” Paul writes to the Christians in Corinth. Paul is pleading for reconciliation between the members of the church, a teacher who led them astray, and with Paul and his fellow missionaries. He desires that everyone would again sit at the table in harmony of spirit and singleness of mission.

Have you ever seen the Children’s message or the video clip of a child who is asked to pour a whole pitcher of water into a single cup? Some of the students stop when the cup is to the brim. Others keep pouring as the cup overflows. The message is clear: the cup only holds so much water. Our hearts are a different story. Our hearts have the ability to stretch in the metaphorical sense. Often, we think we know what love is until we are surprised by a gesture of love that is so great we could not have imagined it. We might ask, “how can a person love to that extent?” It is because their heart has been stretched so that the love more deeply and more broadly than before.

Forgiveness and reconciliation have the ability to help stretch our hearts. And I believe that this is what Paul is saying here. He’s not asking them to stop loving others so that there is room for them to love him and his fellow missionaries again. He is asking them to stretch in their ability to love because they have done the hard work of learning to forgive and to be reconciled to one another.

Bluff Park friends, may you never stop making room in your hearts!

—Mike Holly

The Word

2 Corinthians 7:2-4

Make room in your hearts for us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. I often boast about you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with consolation; I am overjoyed in all our affliction.

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