2022 Sunday Messages Clinton Reese

Our adventures in life are often spawned by events that we prefer would never
happen. Such was the case for the Prophet Ezekiel (Ez 1:1-28).
I tend to think this was the case for Terah, Abraham’s father when he left Ur of
the Chaldeans and ended up in Harran, about half-way to his stated goal of Canaan (Gen
11:27-32).
When God spoke to Abram, the journey continued encouraged by God’s promise
of land, people and blessings (Gen 12:1-5).
As Abram traveled, he listened to God and worshipped. First at Shechem (Gen
12:6-7); then Bethel (Gen 12:8); the Negev (Gen 12:9); Egypt (Gen 12:10); back to the
Negev (Gen 13:1-2); and Bethel (Gen 13:3-4) until quarreling broke out between Abram
and Lot, his nephew over rights to grazing land (Gen 13:5-7).
Quarreling led to family separation (Gen 13:8-13), but continue affirmation to
Abram from God (Gen 13:14-17) and further worship from Abram, this time at Hebron
(Gen 13:18).
When Abram’s faith in God’s promises wavered, he would receive further
affirmation (Gen 15:1-5). Which leads to this pivotal verse: Abram believed the Lord, and
he credited it to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6).
Paul used this verse to undergird his message that salvation comes through faith
(Romans 4:3, 18)
James quotes this verse to support his contention that faith must be supported by
works (Jam 2:23-24).
No matter which side of this controversy you may land, I believe all of us are
called to take a leap of faith, to sail away with Jesus as our captain, to live the adventure
that includes listening and worshipping and action no matter how difficult the path.

Maybe one of the appeals of the Bible is that it is filled with adventure stories,
and the Epiphany, the wise men traveling from the east to Jerusalem and finally
Bethlehem is one of the greatest adventures of all time (Matt 2:1-2).
Many ironies show up in the story. Certainly wisdom from the east is definitely
counter-intuitive for a good Jew (Gen 3:23-24; 4:15-16; Jonah 4:3-5).
That a monster like Herod figuring into the story so prominently is also unusual
(Matt 2:3-8). Should we then be surprised that very difficult people figure into our stories
as well?
For the wise men, the star stopped over Bethlehem (Matt 2:9-10), but maybe our
star is still moving?
No matter, in order to maintain our sense of adventure we need to genuinely
worship and extravagantly give (Matt 2:11).
God expects our best (Gen 22:1-2), and it disheartens us and saddens Jesus when
we give less (Mk 10:17-22). If we don’t have silver and gold, we need to give what we
have (Acts 3:3-6).
One more irony, generally speaking our greatest gift is our deepest pain.

Pastor Tom brings the HPcc Weekly Gatherings to an end.

A tattered flag flies over a nearby Hardee’s, a reminder of how fragile the union it represents? Do we remain indivisible? Is there liberty and justice for all? Is our democracy stable or teetering on the edge?

For many the church has become either irrelevant, misguided, or downright dangerous as it goose-steps behind religious-nationalistic leadership. If a deranged populist says black is white or 2+2=5, heads bow in submission and arms rise in adoration, while others look on with dismay or disgust.

Every autumn growing up, the Andrews family front yard doubled as the neighborhood football field. Boys from all over Pinecrest would gather after school, choose up sides and slug it out until the sun would tell everyone to go home.