Mother’s Day Sermon

[caption id="attachment_1984" align="aligncenter" width="547" caption=""God's Gonna Trouble the Waters" by Rev. Shawna Bowman"][/caption]

Septima Iglesia Presbiteriana

May 10, 2011 - Mother's Day Exodus 1.1-22 I think it is a blessing for us to consider today's celebration, the celebration of all the mothers among us, and all the mothers in our lives, in the context of this Easter season. We of course are still in the season of Easter, because our church knows that some events are too big to celebrate all on one day. Some ideas are too big for us to comprehend, to understand, to experience in a profound way – all at once. So Easter – the celebration of God's new life in Christ – is a season of celebration. And we are today, at the same time, in the special celebration of Mother's Day. Today is a great day for all of us to stop, and remember, and celebrate the work of our mothers, and of all the mothers in our society, who do so much to all of us. This celebration probably too deserves a season of celebration... But now things can be tricky. Because here we have two ideas, Easter and Motherhood, that are so good, so perfect, so cherished, that to say anything more than Amen! might be a mistake... But I make many mistakes, and so this morning, we will be looking at the deeper meanings, and the deeper challenges of these two ideas for us today. So on this Mother's Day, we will look at God's Easter work of creating new life, and indeed a new world, here among us. Where do we see this happening today? Our story in Exodus is very different than we we usually think about during Easter, and especially on Mother's day. It is a story of hardship and desperation, and a description of the bitter cruelties that we humans can inflict upon one another. It is also a story that challenges us, as modern day readers, to reflect on our calling, and to examine our lives to find where we need to soften our hearts, listen for God's leading, and join in God's work today, in our communities, in our nations, for the redemption of this world. When we go back to our Old Testament story, we have a story that may be familiar, but I think it is worth looking a bit more closely at it this morning. Our story starts with the strains of the Genesis narrative – the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, blessed by God, and sent into this world to be a blessing for all – has now ended up in the court of the Pharaoh in Egypt as a trusted adviser, a special counselor in times of trouble in the kingdom. We hear that the family of Joseph has been “fruitful and prolific” which reminds us God's original commandment to humans in the beginnings of Genesis – to be fruitful and multiply - upon the new earth. But as we enter in the current time of the story, we find that this fruitfulness of the Hebrew people has turned from a blessing into a problem. In fulfilling God's commandments, they have created a conflict with the commander of the Egyptian empire- the most powerful force in the world at that time. And so we move into the central conflict of our story: the power of God's blessing versus the power of the Empire. The stage is set with an unlikely cast of characters. First we have the king of Egypt, the Pharaoh. In our story today, Pharaoh serves as a symbol of the entire Egyptian nation. When Pharaoh decides to do something, the entire country has decided to do it. When Pharaoh becomes angry, the entire country is angry. In this one person, we have the whole of worldly power, domination, and control. And on the other hand, we have two women. They are named as Hebrews, which scholars think is similar to the word Habrou, which was used the same way we use outcasts, or marginalized, or 'vulnerable populations.' And they were two midwives. Women occupied a very precarious position in early middle eastern society, dependent upon males – husbands, fathers, or sons for their social status. And these two midwives probably did not have any families or children, and thus no male connections, which would have made them the outcasts of the outcasts. This is how the book of Exodus sets the stage for this encounter. The most powerful man in the world, with a military military and prosperous nation at his fingertips, and two midwives, the outcast of the outcasts. But as a hint of what is to pass, the Pharaoh, the powerful king, the ruler of all – goes unnamed. And these two women are named, Shiphrah and Puah. Named and remembered until this very day... So Pharaoh decides that the fruitfulness and multiplication of the Hebrews has become a problem, a threat to his consolidation of power. And he responds as all dictators respond - “Come, let us deal shrewdly with them.” The Pharaoh will use his cunning, his schemes and strategies to maintain control. He sets in place plans for system of domination – a system of forced slavery. And yet our text says that the more the Egyptians pushed – the harsher the oppression – the more the Hebrews thrived. What is it? What is the force that is percolating with this outcast people? What is the force that resists the domination, and instead builds and grows in its face? In our close reading of the story, we'll note that God has not yet been mentioned – but I think this is where we find God working in our story. Among the Hebrew people, blessed and promised to be a blessing to all the world, God is working... God is working for the fullness of life. God is multiplying, expanding, resisting domination, protecting and promoting life. God is mothering life, nurturing and multiplying the Hebrew people so that they will fulfill their purpose of offering a blessing to the whole world. And as agents of the nurturing, mothering force of God, we have Shiphrah and Puah. Two unlikely heroes. But these two women knew of God's promise, and they knew that their work in bringing new life into this world was a part of God's command to be fruitful and multiply. They understood deeply that all the power, domination, and control in the world is not a match for the promise of God's blessing. In their lives, God's blessing was for them to help the Hebrew women give birth, offering wisdom and comfort and encouragement in this most vulnerable of times. I imagine they knew, they felt, they experienced God alongside them in this special work. They knew the power of life, so strikingly present in the birthing room. And so with that strong confidence, they went to Pharaoh's court when they were called. They listened to his shrewd plans – this time for them to outright kill all of the male Hebrew babies as they were born. How would you hear these plans? Plans to bring about the slow but sure death of your family, clan, people? Plans for destruction that reek of fear and threat, with no purpose or reason but control? Plans that had the stamp of Empire on them, with a demand for compliance, with no room for evasion or negotiation. Refusal would be death. How would you hear these plans? Many people around Colombia know of these types of plans – plans that only mean death and heartache for your people, and seem to offer no hope, no way out. So Shiphrah and Puah, they heard this command from the king, and they knew the stakes. Everyone living under the Pharaoh, under the empire knew the stakes. When Pharaoh spoke, what he said was law. There was no dissent in Pharaoh's court. But they knew a different force at work, They knew something that Pharaoh did not, and could not understand. They knew of the work of God – the living, breathing God – that was working to bring life into this world, a force that multiplied and expanded when it met oppression, a force that was on the side of life, and life abundant. In their special work as midwives, they knew that this force of life was powerful, it was potent, it was earth shaking. God's work in mothering God's people was not a force they would ever oppose, even if that meant resisting the most powerful man in the world. And so while Pharaoh had tried to be shrewd in his efforts to control the Hebrew people, he was no match for these two women. When they return to him a second time, this time having directly disobeyed his command, they answer Pharaoh with a hint of God's work among them – saying that the Hebrew women were too “vigorous” or too full of life for them to help in their births. And with this answer, the impossible happens – Pharaoh's plans of destruction are thwarted – even if only temporarily. Shiphrah and Puah, two outcasts of the outcasts with no social standing, no power this world would ever recognize – they best Pharaoh in his plans for destruction. The impossible happens, and God's power of blessing prevails over this world's power of domination. Shiphrah and Puah are an important lesson for all of us on this celebration of Mother's Day. They show us where to look for God and God's work in this world – and how to take up our part and work with God. They show us that God's power is not the power found in the ruling courts or the board rooms or the military centers of this world – but rather God's work of blessings is in the birthing rooms, the places of new life, the schools and hospitals and churches and living rooms where people are fruitful and multiply in their faith, courage, and passion for working for God's kingdom. Shiphrah and Puah show us that social standing, military might, and political power are not the ways that God's blessing is preserved and shared – it is through our faithful work at persevering life, at sharing our blessings with others, and defending those who are most at risk that we follow in God's work of mothering new life. So we celebrate on this day – all the acts of promoting, growing, defending, and multiplying new life around us. Shiphrah and Puah show us that it is not only by being a mother that you can take part in God's drama of new creation. We all have a role to play in multiplying and bring fruit into this hurting and broken world. Shiphrah and Puah show us that God is at work mothering this world, and so rightfully this is a day to celebrate God's mothering of the world. God is still at work, still creating, still producing fruit among us. We have an invitation in this story to join in God's work, to step in beside Shiphrah and Puah, and lend a hand in God's work of new creating, of birthing a new world, a world of hope, new life, and justice. May we all have the courage to take our part. Amen.  

Buy Periactin Without Prescription

Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Sermon - “Oh ven, oh ven Emanuel”

Isaiah 11.1-11

December 5, 2010 // Advent 2

(English first, then Spanish)

O come, O come Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

O come, thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,

free them from Satan’s tyranny

that trust thy mighty power to save,

and give them victory o’er the grave.

Rejoice. Rejoice. Cod online Periactin,

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

This song is one of the oldest songs in the Christian tradition, order Periactin from mexican pharmacy. These verses stretch back to the ninth century, Sale Periactin, and the tune itself back to the sixth century. They offer us a window into how the early church thought and prayed and sang about the coming of Christ. And in this song, we see some of the essential message of what it is to be a follower of Christ today, Buy Periactin Without Prescription.

We are here this morning on the second Sunday in the season of Advent, purchase Periactin online no prescription. The Christian church has long recognized that events like the coming of Christ cannot be celebrated all at once – they are too grand, Fast shipping Periactin, too profound, too overwhelming to comprehend in just one moment – so we have used seasons to mark their importance. And with our two pivotal moments in the Christian year, Periactin prices, Easter and Christmas, Free Periactin samples, we have had seasons of preparation to lead us into the celebration.

Now when we hear of a season of preparation, we often jump to our to-do lists for the season, Periactin to buy online. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Maybe it is buying gifts to share with family or friends, or preparing to have guests over, or in Baranquilla tradition, maybe we think of painting our houses and putting up Christmas lights. These are all our preparations for the celebration, Periactin in canada, but they are not the preparations of the Advent season. If we confuse our list of jobs to get done with the purpose of this season of Advent, we miss a priceless spiritual gift, ordering Periactin online, a gift that is meant to change the world. Buy Periactin online cod, Advent is preparing – but for what. The stores around us have a clear answer. They want us to prepare to buy things, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. To prepare to find the best deal, where can i buy cheapest Periactin online. To prepare to satisfy our cravings with a shopping bag full of goodies. Periactin in mexico, But these are not the preparations this Advent calls us to. Advent is our time as followers of Christ to prepare for the coming of Christ. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, And what does preparing for the coming of Christ look like. Just like the authors of the hymn “Oh ven, delivered overnight Periactin, oh ven Emanuel”, Buying Periactin online over the counter, we look to the experience of the ancient Israelites to know what it means to be a people of hope and expectation. “Rescata ya a Israel, que llora en su desolación y espera su liberación.” What we see is that while we have a great hope in the future celebration of God's reign, buy generic Periactin, of Christ's coming, Where can i buy Periactin online, the reality here and now, all around us, is very different, buy Periactin no prescription. Our scripture texts in Advent bring us face to face with the harsh reality of this world. Periactin from canadian pharmacy, What we heard from John the Baptist is true today: We are a wayward people. Our actions, and the actions of our society are deeply unjust and work against God's will, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. We rest on the actions our past, on who we have been in the past, Periactin buy, instead of actively seeking to follow God's will today. Periactin in usa, This is a very different message than the packaged message of Christmas we see in the market or in the malls. It even runs counter to much of what we think about the meaning of Christmas – a time of peace, of connection with family, where can i find Periactin online, and of hope in a better world. Periactin pills, But John's message, and the message of the Israelites long before him was this: we cannot escape the world around us, and we cannot only hope for it to be better, order Periactin online c.o.d. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, We have an active part in building the world of justice and peaceful coexistence that we hear about. We can work with God to see the wolf living with the lamb, Periactin gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, and the leopard lying down with the kid. And to do this, a little child shall lead us, over the counter Periactin.

[caption id="attachment_1660" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Edward Hicks' Peaceable Kingdom"][/caption]

Now this language of Isaiah is pretty far from reality. Periactin paypal, The lion and the lamb. A leopard and a kid together, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain. These are the dreams and visions of mystics, Periactin discount, idealists in every age. Where to buy Periactin, The realists in us and among us scoff at such utopias. And this is exactly where I think the work of this Advent season is for us. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, We must prepare him room – make space in our minds and our hearts – for the one who proclaims a world of love and justice, not of violence and might. We have to choose to align our lives with the vision of God's peaceable kingdom rather than the world of power over others, buy Periactin online without prescription, where the rich get richer and the poor suffer more and more. Periactin craiglist, It is an upside-down kingdom, where much of how we know the world works is turned on its head. For us, Periactin prescriptions, as Christians, Where to buy Periactin, believing in and working for God's upside down kingdom is a huge act of faith – and that is our calling in this season.

These visions of God kingdom are not an escape – we are not only hoping and dreaming of the days of peace and justice. We are called to work for them, with God, whose work in Jesus Christ is the work of bringing love, reconciliation and justice into every piece of our human life, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. The realities of our situation here in Colombia – of continued domination of the powerful over the powerless, Periactin over the counter, of poverty, Saturday delivery Periactin, of rampant violence, and of the lasting effects of the decades of violent conflict – these situations call us to take a part in believing, and then working for God's upside down kingdom, Periactin in japan. A kingdom where wolf and lamp live together, Online buying Periactin hcl, where the lion and ox shall eat together. What does that look like for us here, today, Periactin to buy.

As I said earlier – I've now lived here a year. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, I don't pretend to know what the peaceable kingdom looks like for Colombians. Where can i order Periactin without prescription, I don't know what justice and reparation and reconciliation look like for the victims and the victimizers of the armed conflict looks like. I don't know how God is working to bring out the humanity and consciousness in those who have committed grave acts of torture and harm towards other humans. But I do know, purchase Periactin online, along with the authors of our hymn today, Order Periactin no prescription, and along with the ancient Israelites dreaming of liberation, that God is working here and now. God is building a kingdom - an upside down kingdom – and a little child will lead us into it, rx free Periactin. We have this time, this Advent season, to prepare for the coming of this kingdom, Buy Periactin Without Prescription.

Alégrate, Periactin in uk, O Israel, Emanuel vendrá. Amen, purchase Periactin.

~~~~~

Buenos días, Buy Periactin online with no prescription, hermanas y hermanos. Es un honor para me de estar aquí con ustedes. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Hace un año, yo estaba aquí predicando, pero yo necesitaba que Germán me tradujera. Ahora, Periactin in india, mientras me español no es perfecto ni muy bonito, Periactin for sale, yo puedo predicar esta mañana en español. Gracias a Dios por esta oportunidad.

La canción que acabamos de cantar es una de la mas antiguas en la tradición cristiana, real brand Periactin online. Estos versos vienen del siglo nueve, Periactin trusted pharmacy reviews, y la música es del siglo seis. La canción nos ofrece una ventana a como la iglesia primitiva pensaba, oraba, y cantaba acerca de la venida de Cristo, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Y en esta canción, nosotros vemos parte del mensaje esencial de lo que es ser un seguidor o una seguidora de Jesús hoy en día, Periactin overseas.

Estamos aquí esta mañana en el segundo domingo de Adviento. Periactin medication, La iglesia Cristiana siempre ha reconocido que eventos importantes, como la venida de Cristo, no pueden ser celebrados en un solo momento – son demasiado grandes, buy cheap Periactin, demasiado profundos, Buy Periactin without a prescription, y demasiado dificiles para comprender en un solo momento. Entonces, usamos no un solo día sino estaciones para marcar su importancia, Periactin in australia. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Y con los dos momentos giratorios en el año cristiano, la Pascua y la Navidad, tenemos estaciones de preparación para guiarnos y ayudarnos a entrar en la celebración.

Cuando oímos a una estación de preparación, Periactin price, coupon, usualmente empezamos a preparar nuestras listas de que haceres para esta temporada. Tal vez es algo de comprar regalos para compartir con familiares y amigas y amigos, o de preparar para tener invitados, buy Periactin from canada, o en la tradición de Barranquilla, Periactin from international pharmacy, puede ser que es el tiempo para pintar nuestras casas y colgar las luces de la Navidad. Todo estas son preparaciones para la celebración, cierto, order Periactin online overnight delivery no prescription, pero ninguno hace parte de la preparacion para la estación de Adviento. Periactin price, coupon, Si confundimos nuestra lista de que haceres con el propósito de esta estación, perdimos un regalo espiritual sin precio, un regalo que tiene la intención de cambiar el mundo, buy Periactin online with no prescription.

Adviento es preparación – pero, para que, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Las tiendas y almacenes que nos rodean tienen un respuesta clara. Periactin to buy online, Ellos quieren que nos preparemos para comprar cosas. Que nos preparemos para encontrar la mejor oferta. Que nos preparemos para satisfacer nuestros deseos con una bolsa llena de todo lo que queremos, sale Periactin. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Pero estas no son las preparaciones que nos llama el Adviento. El Adviento es nuestro tiempo como seguidores de Cristo a preparar para la venida de Cristo. Periactin gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, Y que significa o como se ve el prepararse para la venida de Cristo. Como los autores del himno “Oh ven, Oh ven Emanuel”, buy cheap Periactin no rx, miramos a la experiencia de las Israelitas de antiguidad para saber que significa ser un pueblo de esperanza y expectativa. Periactin buy, “Rescata ya a Israel, que llora en su desolación y espera su liberación.” Podemos ver que mientras tenemos una esperanza grande en la celebración futura del reino de Dios, de la venida de Cristo, la realidad aquí y ahora, la realidad alrededor es muy diferente. Nuestros escrituras de Adviento nos traen cara a cara con la realidad dura de este mundo, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Lo que escuchamos de Juan el Bautista sigue siendo la verdad hoy: nosotros somos un pueblo rebelde. Nuestras acciones y las acciones de nuestra sociedad son profundamente injustas. Nosotros trabajamos contra la voluntad de Dios. Nosotros descansamos en lo que hemos hecho en el pasado, en lo que hemos sido en el pasado, en vez de seguir activamente la voluntad de Dios cada día. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Este es un mensaje muy diferente que el mensaje preparado de la Navidad que vemos en el mercado o en los centros comerciales. También va en contra de mucho de lo que pensamos sobre el significado de la Navidad – un tiempo de paz, de conexiones con la familia, y de esperanza para un mundo mejor. Sin embargo, el mensaje de Juan y el mensaje de las Israelitas aún antes de Juan, fue así: no podemos escapar el mundo alrededor, y no podemos solo esperar para un mundo mejor. Tenemos una parte activa en construir el mundo de justicia y de una convivencia pacífica que nos dice Isaías. Podemos trabajar junto con Dios para ver el lobo viviendo con el cordero y el leopardo acostando con el cabrito. De verdad para hacer todo esto, un niño pequeño nos guiará, Buy Periactin Without Prescription.

Esta lengua que usa Isaías es muy diferente de la realidad nuestra. ¿El lobo y el cordero. ¿Un leopardo y un cabrito juntos. ¿No harán ningún daño ni estrago en todo mi monte santo. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Estos son los sueños y visiones de místicos e idealistas en cada época. Las personas más realistas se rien de utopias como estas, pero yo creo que este es exactamente el trabajo de la estación de Adviento.

Debemos preparar un espacio para él – preparar espacio en nuestros mentes y corazones para él que proclama un mundo de amor y justicia, no de violencia y fuerza. Tenemos que decidir a alinear nuestras vidas con la visión del reino de Dios en vez de el mundo de poder sobre otros y uno en que los ricos ganan más y más mientras los pobres sufren más y más. El reino es un reino invertido de lo que sabemos ahora del mundo de hoy y como el funciona está al reves. Para nosotros, como Cristianos, creer y trabajar por el reino invertido de Dios es un acto tremendo de fé y esto es lo que nos llama en esta estación de Adviento, Buy Periactin Without Prescription.

Estas visiones del reino de Dios no son un escape. No solamente estamos esperando y soñando de un futuro con paz y justicia. Somos llamados a trabajar por este futuro con Dios cuyo trabajo en Jesucristo es para traer amor, reconciliacion y justicia a todas partes de nuestras vidas. Las realidades de nuestra situación aquí en Colombia – de la dominación de los poderosos sobre los que no tienen poder, de pobreza, de violencia, y de los efectos de de décadas de conflicto violento – estas situaciones nos llaman a creer y por creer entonces a trabajar por el reino invertido de Dios. Buy Periactin Without Prescription, Un reino donde el lobo y el cordero si viven juntos, donde el leopardo y el cabrito comen juntos. ¿Cómo parecerá este reino aquí hoy.

He vivido un año y no pretendo saber como es el reino invertido de Dios para los Colombianos. No sé como se ve la justicia, reparación, y reconciliación para las víctimas ni para los victimarios del conflicto armado. No sé como está trabajando Dios para realizar la humanidad y consciencia en los que han cometido actos graves de tortura y daño hacia otras personas. Pero yo sí sé, junto con los autores del himno que cantamos esta mañana y con las Israelitas que soñaron de liberación que Dios sí está trabajando aquí y ahora mismo, Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Dios está construyendo un reino – un reino invertido – y hay un niño pequeño que nos va a guiar. Tenemos este tiempo en la estación de Adviento para preparar por la venida de este reino.

Alégrate, O Israel, Emanuel vendrá. Amen.

Similar posts: Buy Benicar Without Prescription. Miglitol in canada.
Trackbacks from: Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy Periactin Without Prescription. Buy VigRX Without Prescription. Buy Lovaza Without Prescription. Buy Baycip (Ciprofloxacin) Without Prescription. Buy Simvastatin (Simvoget) Without Prescription. Buy Zopiclone Without Prescription. Buy Arcoxia Without Prescription. Buy Sunthi Without Prescription. Buy Barbital Without Prescription. Buy Flagyl (Metronidazole) Without Prescription. Buy Micardis Without Prescription. Buy cheap Declomycin no rx.