I haven't been able to post my sermons like I had hoped. Somehow, I haven't had that leisure time that folks talk about during pandemic time. Like many of my colleagues, there have been webinars on technology and finances early on. Then there were meetings and meetings and meetings.... on ZOOM, of course. Then there have been the constant attempts to stay in touch with people. Even now, in my Conference, in my denomination, the focus is on re-gathering. I don't share all this in a complaint format, but rather an explanation that there isn't as much leisure time for some of us during these days.
Having said that, I have still made time for hammock time, for hiking, and recently, for two weeks now, for biking (the self powered kind). I have needed "be" time in order to continue to lead and serve. Once can not give what one does not have.
Here is the sermon from the last Sunday in June. It is the last Sunday in my first year of my 2nd appointment. I will share the transcript, the links to the YouTube and the SoundCloud.
Maybe there is something here for you.
May the adventure continue,
Rev. Deb
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“A Cup of Cold Water”
Matthew 10:40-42 (CEB)
June 28, 2020 (4th Sunday after Pentecost/John Wesley’s
Birthday)
St. Elmo UMC (FB Live)
Matthew 10:40-42 (CEB)
40 “Those who receive you are also receiving me, and
those who receive me are receiving the one who sent me. 41 Those who receive a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s
reward. Those who receive a righteous person as a righteous person will receive
a righteous person’s reward. 42 I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to
these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded.”
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THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF
GOD.
THANKS
BE TO GOD.
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Today’s passage is a short one. There are only three
verses in it. We might tell ourselves,
therefore, that because of that, there isn’t much to see or learn here.
Let’s not be deceived by the length of the passage.
Last week I mentioned lectio divina “sacred reading” as a way of allowing the text to
read us, rather than us reading the text.
A shorter passage such as this one is a great
passage to practice lectio divina. An
easy way to remember the process of this practice is to remember the 4 R’s:
*Read
*Reflect
*Respond
*Rest or Remain
*Read the passage through slowly to get an idea of
what the passage is saying. Read it
again, listening for words or phrases catch your attention?
*Read it a 3rd time, pausing on the words
or phrases that get your attention.
Think on them and how they apply to you.
*Read the passage again a 4th time,
considering how God has spoken to you through
it and how you will respond to God.
*Rest / Remain in God’s presence.
You have heard today’s passage once already. Hear it again.
40 “Those who receive you are also receiving me, and
those who receive me are receiving the one who sent me. 41 Those who receive a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s
reward. Those who receive a righteous person as a righteous person will receive
a righteous person’s reward. 42 I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to
these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded.”
What words/phrases stand out to you?
Take a moment and type them in, whether you are
watching on FB or YouTube. This is a
great interactive moment, where we can share with one another.
As you are typing your words and phrases that stood
out to you, another interactive moment will happen after today’s service. Cath Shaw Truelove is hosting a ZOOM
gathering for folks to come together and visit after the service. Nothing formal. It’s a way to connect with one another, say
hello, wave, share, etc. Thanks, Cath!
As I read and reflect on today’s passage, here are a
few words/phrases that stand out to me:
The word “receive” (or a form thereof) stood out to
me…. It is in there 8 times.
In verse 40, it is found 4x as well as 4x in verse
41. In the NRSV, 6 of those 8 “receive”
terms are “welcome”. Both “receive” and
“welcome” convey a sense of hospitality, which is the meaning of the Greek word
here, dechomai, ‘to receive in hospitality.’
The word “reward” stands out to me. It is mentioned 3x in some form.
The phrase “a cup of cold water” stands out to me.
I hope you took a moment to jot down some things
that stood out to you. And if you
haven’t already done so, I hope you’ll take some time at some point to reflect further
on why they caught your attention and respond to God in some way.
Before we go any further, what is the context of
today’s passage? Let’s back up and take
a look at that.
Today’s passage is found at the end of the section
in which Jesus has called and commissioned the disciples to go out and do the
kingdom work they are called to do. He
has given them their sending orders, their instructions. This last little bit here is to let them know
that those who receive them are receiving him and thus receiving the one who
sent him, God. Jesus mentions that being
received as a prophet or as a righteous person will bring rewards of a prophet
or a righteous person to those who receive.
The last reward that Jesus mentions is not named,
but connected with a cup of cold water.
Jesus says, “I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold
water to these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be
rewarded.”
After Jesus finished telling the disciples about the
rewards, he went on to teach and preach in the cities of the disciples (chapter
11)
I want to share a memory with you that ties together
today’s key words for me of “receive” and “cup of cold water” and how I
experienced a true act of hospitality.
It was 5 years ago on the next to last Sunday in
June that we attended a church on one of the few Sundays before I would start
preaching as a pastor. When we got
there, we learned that their air conditioning wasn’t working. They handed out fans and had the doors opened
up. That wasn’t going to deter me from
worshipping there. I had been there
before to hear the preaching and singing, and in no way was I going to miss an
opportunity. The people at this church
are always hospitable. As the service
got going, sometime in the middle maybe, I noticed that some of the members had
gotten up and were making their way through out the congregation, offering cups
of cold water to everyone. That got
me. They were being Jesus in true
hospitality. It was such an act of love,
of servanthood. I took notes on the
preaching and singing that day too. But
what stands out to me is the cup of cold water.
Washington Hills UMC has always had my heart, but that day, in that
moment, they sealed the connection. You
might wonder how such a little thing as a cup of cold water could mean that
much to someone, how it could connect me so deeply with the people in that
congregation.
I felt welcomed.
I felt received. I felt the
hospitality of the givers. Not only did
I know and feel it from them, I knew it was an extension from our God, the one
created us all. The act of hospitality
connected us as a community of faith, as one, as we are meant to be in the
kingdom, as followers of Jesus.
Matthew 18:5 uses the same word for hospitality
(dechomai) that is used in today’s passage.
It reminds us: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
Jesus says in today’s passage in verse 42: “I assure
you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to these little ones
because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded.”
Giving that cup of cold water to the children of God
that day connected the disciples, connected the body.
Will it always be a literal ‘cup of cold
water’? Maybe not. But it can very well be.
Think for a moment.
What do you need most today? These days? If someone were to offer you something, what
is your spirit craving? What is the ‘cup
of cold water’ that you need to quench your thirst?
Seriously, take a moment and think about it. Write it down. If you desire to share it with someone during
the service, share it in a message. Or, plan
to join the after service ZOOM with Cath and maybe share there. The bottom line is, think about sharing it
with someone in the near future. If
you’re not sure with whom to share it, then you can always share it with me.
Once you’ve considered what you need, then think
about what you can offer others.
What is the cup of cold water that you are called to
share with others?
That might change from day to day, but overall,
there will be something that comes from your giftedness that you are able to
share. What is your spiritual gift? Are you an encourager? A giver?
Is faith your gift?
Someone might just need to hear your voice, to get a
call from you. Or a card, a text, a
message, etc. Who knows?
Listen to the nudges of the Holy Spirit when a name
comes to mind. You might just have the
‘cup of cold water’ that the person needs.
In our Disciple’s Path class we just finished a book
called Stretcher Bearers. It’s about how
friends carried their friend to Jesus and lowered him through a roof so he
could be healed. The cup of cold water
they offered their friend that day was a layered one. They had to go get him. They carried him through the streets. They found the house where Jesus was. They had to get on the roof. They tore a hole in the roof. They took off their sashes to tie onto the
stretcher to lower him down into the room.
They took risks in order to help someone else.
As you listen to the Holy Spirit speak to you, know
that you are likely going to be called out of your comfort zone as you offer
hospitality, a cup of cold water to someone.
Don’t let that stop you.
Embrace the opportunity. Yes, there is risk involved.
I guess we ask ourselves the question: ‘is the
reward worth the risk?’
For me, the reward of growing in my relationship
with the One who created me—YES. The
reward of getting to grow in my love of God and love of others—YES.
For me, it is worth the risk to offer others a cup
of cold water.
I don’t know what you need today, but God does.
How may I serve you?
[Offer a cup of cold water.]
Will you pray with me?
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Taking some of the questions from the sermon for reflection:
*What do you need most today? These days? If someone were to offer you something, what is your spirit craving? What is the ‘cup of cold water’ that you need to quench your thirst?
*Once you’ve considered what you need, then think about what you can offer others. What is the cup of cold water that you are called to share with others?
*Is the reward worth the risk?
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