Church News – Weekly Scripture Reading

From Rev. Dr. Garner Scott Odell
First Congregational Church
2 Samuel 6:1–19

Today our key passage is looking at a celebration that King David had. He was told, ‘The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.’ So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.

David, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

Celebrations are great aren’t they? Here’s the question, when’s the last time that you celebrated something? What was it? I bet you remember. Our lives should be marked by celebrations. Is your life marked by an attitude of celebration? Think of all that you have to celebrate. The God of the universe loves you, and paid the price so that you can live life empowered by Him. That’s the best thing in the world. If He’s in your life there are going to be things that you can celebrate.

We’re thinking today about celebration and we’re looking at one of the greatest times of celebration in the life of David. He has become the king of Israel, he has united the kingdom and made the borders secure. He has been able to take control of Jerusalem and establish his capital there. Life is good. He is thankful for all that God has done, so he decides that he wants to honor God and to do this he wants to bring the Ark of the Lord home, he wants to bring it back to Jerusalem. He wants to do this to honor all that God has done and show that it is God who has done it.

Think about it, at Christmas time have you ever spent a lot of time thinking of the perfect gift for someone. Then you go and get it, it’s something that took some effort. But you’re so excited because you know they’ll love it and they go. “Oh, that’s nice.” and just move to the next thing like it’s no big deal. I mean we hate that. We’re thinking, “Man see what you get next year. How’s a tie sound?” But then we treat God the same way. God moves and we’re just like, “Oh, that’s nice.” What? When the creator of the universe moves in our lives we should get a little excited about it, think about who God is. When we get to come and worship we should come excited about it. Why? Because the choir is good? No! Because we like whoever is preaching? No! Because we’re having lunch after? No! We should get excited because God is going to be here. And when the people of God come to worship, to celebrate all that God is, it doesn’t matter if the choir isn’t very good or if the sermon is so boring that everyone is sleeping through it, when we come excited to worship God, He will show up at our celebration, whether it is in our church, or around our Christmas tree in the living room.

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From Peter Wall
First Congregational Church
Malachi 3:16–4:6

Advent is a season of expectant waiting. But for what? What should I expect? What momentous event is supposed to occur when the time is full and the waiting is done? The Christmas reversal, when our image of God changes from parent to child, is certainly astounding (and deserves more consideration in this age of “helicopter parents”). So too that aspect of the story that we call “incarnation”.

But nobody really hopes on these moments just for the spiritual challenge or the intellectual pleasure of the poetic paradox. The Nativity has always been loaded with a moral and political warhead: the arrival of the Messiah, and the enfleshment of that mysterious “I Am that I Am,” is supposed to change the face of the human world.

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,” says the famous messenger. And exhortations of peace and goodwill echo across the land. The crooked shall be made straight, every valley filled, and every mountain brought low. Radical justice will prevail!

But Malachi in the reading for today makes a different kind of proclamation. It’s one that bothers me, especially in our politically polarized age. After long and patient suffering, Malachi’s “righteous” are claimed and remembered, but the “arrogant” and the “evildoers” are incinerated, reduced to ashes, tread underfoot by the “righteous.” What Malachi expects and hopes for is vindication. And he does it with language that some of us today might condemn as “eliminationist”: not reconciling or understanding, but simply eliminating those others, who are irredeemably evil.

So vindication reveals the dark side of hope and expectation. Filling valleys and leveling mountains is violent, destructive work. An incarnation that packs a moral and political wallop is dangerous. In the words of Jesus, “I did not come to bring peace, but to bring a sword!” Is that what Advent is about? Hoping for vindication? The destruction of enemies, so that good people like me can finally thrive? Something seems wrong about that. Is there a different way to hope?

Fortunately, Malachi describes a path to reprieve from the fire: return to lawfulness, heed the criticism of the prophet, and restore relationships. That sounds to me like a different way to hope. Like maybe the “arrogant” category includes people who just assume without examination that they are not among the lawless, oblivious, individualistic “evildoers.” (And I think of the words of Paul to the Romans: “None is righteous, no, not one.”)
Even the “bad guys” think they are the “good guys.” Malachi’s uncomfortable proclamation tells me to remember that. The sword-work of Jesus does the same thing. This persistent hope for the leveling justice of vindication is dangerous. If I want evil people to be flattened, it should prompt me to ask whether I am one of them, too. I might not like what I find.

Advent is not about the passive hope for vindication, but the participatory hope of reconciliation.

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From Kim Williams
First Congregational Church
2 Kings 2:9–22

Today’s story from 2 Kings is of Elijah’s ascent to heaven, his friend and successor Elisha beside him as it happens. Elisha, knowing that his time with Elijah is drawing to a close, asks for a double share of Elijah’s spirit.

“You have asked a hard thing…”

It’s not an easy task to give 100% of ourselves, but it’s possible. I suspect that even when we say we’re giving 100%, it’s still maybe, 75% tops. We have to stop and eat or rest if a task is lengthy or strenuous. In situations where the fight-or-flight part of our brain kicks in, we probably raise that up to 92%. Elisha is asking for double. Math has never been a strength of mine, but even I know you can only give 100% of anything.

“You have asked a hard thing; yet…”

Elijah, knowing what Elisha will have to take on, finds a way. All he asks is that his friend watch him as he is taken, until he can see him no longer.

Elisha, the faithful friend, watches to the end as his beloved Elijah is whisked up into the heavens in a chariot of fire. As the grief of loss settles in on him, wondrously, so does the mantle of Elijah. Both faithful in their promises to one another, Elisha is ready to accept his role as prophet.

Lord of the double-share and the improbable 200%, help us to serve you as faithfully as your prophets Elijah and Elisha did. When we find ourselves nearing our 92% threshold — especially when we are experiencing grief or loss, strengthen our spirits. Amen.

To download the full devotional, click here. 

From Kim Williams
First Congregational Church
Psalm 125

When the weather cools, for whatever reason, I’m never quite prepared for it. It happens exactly the same way every year here in Fresno—we’ll be cruising along at a flip-flops-and-light-sweater 72°, and then it’ll drop 15° overnight.

This is the time of year that I instinctively begin buying hot cocoa packets, and I make sure my Snuggie is always within arm’s reach in case I need a blanket—with sleeves! Even though the adjustment to wearing real shoes is rough, this is still my favorite part of all of the seasonal transitions. Every sip of tea is a little more warming, every warm cat that finds a lap is a little more appreciated, and every embrace becomes a human fortress against the chill.

In Psalm 125, God’s people are cared for, and it’s prayer asking that God will continue to do good to those who are good at heart. The imagery of the mountains that surround Jerusalem is an allegory for the way the Lord embraces and shields the faithful. Think about us here, in the San Joaquin Valley, mountains hugging us from every angle. On these foggy December mornings we can’t see the Sierra Nevadas, but we know they haven’t moved away from us. They are here, and they’ve always been here*. Same thing with the Lord. And just like the warmth and comfort we feel from our favorite hoodie sweatshirts, we are able to take that comfort in knowing that God is here with us.

Always.

So the Lord surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore. Amen!

*Okay, so they’ve always been here as of like, 4 million years ago. We’re not gonna let a little science ruin the metaphor though, right?

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Behind the Dumpster (Lost in Translation)
From Ara Guekguezian
First Congregational Church
Luke 2:1–7

“…and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

In a manger? What is a manger? Misspelling? Why didn’t autocorrect catch the error? In our urban world, even in places like Fresno, a manger is unknown. Wait a minute, I know what a manger and a stable are. I have seen them in and outside of churches throughout the Valley. And yet, you do not know the smell, the filth, the meaning of being born in a stable and placed in a manger. But I’ve been to the petting zoo. For an overwhelming majority of us, we do not understand. And we must understand if we are to tell the story in all it’s power (not glory, stables are not glorious). For glory, reference the choir of angels and the shepherds (again, foreign images to most of us).

If we were to tell the story today, where would the Christ child be born to make the same point? My vision: Mary and Joseph arrive in Fresno on the night of a huge football game. Every hotel room in town is booked. Tens of thousands have descended upon Bulldog Stadium from elsewhere. Bad hotdogs at the game have caused great distress among hundreds, so the hospitals are full also. Mary goes into labor. They are by a nice hotel. Joseph enters the lobby and is informed there is no room available anywhere in a fifty-mile radius. But there is a safe, quiet, sheltered space where the dumpsters are kept. So Joseph goes outside, rolls one dumpster out a few feet and Mary settles in for the delivery. The newborn babe is placed in a clean box from the Recycling dumpster, cushioned with bubble wrap. Ahhh yes! Now we have the requisite isolation, degradation, and smell that evokes stable-manger situation. God comes to us in the flesh in the humblest circumstance. That we may approach without any impediment except our own pride.

Prayer: God of all, all people and all knowledge, grant us the requisite imagination and intelligence to tell the old, old story in the language of the hearer. That they may know and believe and receive the newborn king. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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The Coming of the End (Not what you think);
The Hopes and Expectations of Advent
From Charles and Sean Barrett
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Matthew 24:1–14

“…the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”

The destruction of the Temple! This was, apparently, a remarkable thing for Jesus to forecast with certainty. The temple and the structures associated with it were built, after all, with permanence in mind. They must have been far more substantial than the ordinary shops and dwelling houses of the city. Here was the legacy of Solomon, the pride of Herod, and the heart of Israel built, this time, to last. Then Jesus tells his followers that it is all going to come down — so far down that you can’t find two rocks still stacked. That is as flat as it gets! To these people, that must have seemed as bad as it can be for this nation, because the temple was apparently the beating heart and breathing soul of its people. The disciples want to know when this is going to happen and how much time, exactly, have they got left. But Jesus tells them that even after the prime symbol of the nation is cast down, it will get worse! War, riots, famine, earthquakes, deception, hatred, persecution, and death will await mankind. Oh, great! Not exactly what anyone wanted to hear. Not exactly what was hoped for or expected.

It’s not what we want to hear either. None of us wish to live through the rise of “false prophets who deceive many people” (verse 11), or face persecution and death for His sake (verse 9). But the Lord goes on to tell us in verse 13 that “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” This was not what the people hoped for. Not what they expected.

They expected triumph over enemies. They hoped for the safety that comes from conquest. They desired a powerful leader to make it come about by force. Instead they got someone who told them to renounce living by the sword, and actually love their enemies. And, as we read in verse 14, this gospel is preached in the entire world the end will come. That will be the reunion with God. The final reconciliation with Him. That will be the universal reign of the Prince of Peace.

Prayer: Oh God of all, grant that we may have the strength to endure, the wisdom to discern deception, and the courage to stand firm. You are our fortress! You are our refuge! You are our strength! As our newborn King is with us, give us the will to stand with him. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

To download the full devotional, click here. 

From Kim Williams
First Congregational Church
Haggai 1:1–15

“My house lies in ruins, while all of your hurry off to your own houses.”

The scene: Christmas Morning with four children under 10 years of age. Glittery Santa Claus wrapping paper wadded up around the living room, gift boxes flung haphazardly in all directions, a mom frantically searching for scissors or a knife, and finally resorting to teeth—anything to swiftly cut the various ties binding a Lalaloopsie doll to her cardboard and plastic prison, while a gift-drunk toddler sits nearby on the verge of tears, eager to have the toy she saw on YouTube Kids in her hands. The other three children have mysteriously vanished, leaving behind only a trail of toy packaging and faint echoes of “No! That’s my Nintendo Switch! Hands off!”

It’s easy for us to imagine a destroyed house during the Holidays.

God is pretty straightforward about the trashed state of the temple with the prophet Haggai. Things have been left in disarray, justified away by a consensus among the people that it’s not quite time for clean-up just yet. Haggai is sent to deliver the message to both the governor of Judah and the high priest’s son, a stern and parental message that also sounds very familiar to us — “You’d better clean up this mess before you do anything else, or you’ll be grounded.” With the warning that the people should tend to the temple before they move on to their own home improvements, God also had Haggai tell the people, “I am with you.” And then, knowing the Lord wouldn’t abandon them over the mess they’d left behind, they took to the task of working on the house of the Lord.

Lord, sometimes we are so busy with our own priorities and concerns — and Paw Patrol playsets— that we forget to take care of the things you’ve entrusted to us.

Help us remember to care for your temple, and maybe even offer to pick up the wrapping paper after we’re done unwrapping the gifts, before we move on to playtime.

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From Rev. David Klingensmith
First Congregational Church
Psalm 126

California has been in a drought for the past several years. During those years I imagine that many farmers planted their seeds in tears, as the Psalm says, wondering if they would get water allocations or would see their plants wither and die. They hoped to harvest bountiful crops but a lot is left up to Mother Nature. Farming is filled with a lot of emotions when you live in an arid area like the Central Valley. You look to the past and know that you got through the tough times. That gives you hope you will get through future challenges as well.

Those who made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem recalled God’s past acts of restoration, chiefly the return from Babylonian exile. They said, “The Lord has done great things for us” and they were glad. Even their neighboring nations were in awe.

As we go through our Advent journey may we, too, recall God’s restorative acts in the past.

May we know that God in Christ Jesus can restore us when we are going through personal crises or crises of spiritual drought.

May we remember and reflect on God’s goodness and know joy, even as we know there will be countless other instances where we will need God’s continued restoration.

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Do as They Say, Not as They Do
From Ara Guekguezian
First Congregational Church
Matthew 23:1–12

We have high expectations of our leaders, even, especially in the church. We hate hypocrisy especially in those that may have an influence on how we live. The Pharisees were just such folk. Jesus implores us not to dismiss their teaching, nor to incorporate their teaching in their way.

Most days as a pastor, I am convicted by this passage. There are days that my hearts breaks as I see my sisters and brothers who know better walk like a Pharisee. I cringe each time a proclaiming Christian speaks and acts like ‘opposite Jesus’.

Each moment I proclaim or testify, I hope I am strong enough, wise enough, and courageous enough to follow through on my speech and my understanding of the Word that is Jesus.

My expectation is frequent failure. My trust is in the unbounded, unlimited, ever available grace of God revealed in the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Christ.

Peace. It is indeed a peace that passes all understanding.

Prayer: Grant me the wisdom and courage to live as I preach, O Lord.

Pastor Ara

To download the full devotional, click here