You Tube Friday: Meant to Live

Hey folks at Christ Lutheran (and the Lancaster community)!

Last week I decided to introduce to the CELC sermon & devotions blog something that we would do in youth group and worship conference a lot when I was growing up - watching music videos that might have something to say about God or faith.  Anberlin, last week's band, is made up of people who I believe would call themselves Christians but they are not a "Christian band," per se, meaning they don't only sing praise and worship songs.  However, if you listen carefully, you can see their faith coming out in the lyrics. 

This week's band, Switchfoot, is a little more out there with their Christianity.  They've had a bunch of top hits, including this one, "Meant to Live."  Listen carefully, and keep their message in mind when you hear this week's Gospel text on Sunday (Matthew 21:33-46).  What were we "meant to live" for?  What are God's hopes for us?  When we fall short, and we will, what is God's message of grace for us?


But stay tuned - this is just the beginning!  I have officially declared the beginning of YOU TUBE FRIDAY on the CELC sermon & devotions blog.  Each Friday, visit the blog for music, stories, inspirational speakers or things that make you think twice!  And now, without further ado, Switchfoot (lyrics below):

Heaven is all around

God is at work in all of us.  Faith is a gift.  Heaven is all around.  Hard to believe?  Listen to St. Paul, on whose letter to the Philippians I preached today:

Grace marked your heart...

Ok, it's time everyone found out a little secret about me....I love rock music.  It's true.  One of my favorite bands is Anberlin, a band that self-identifies as Christian but wouldn't say that all their music is necessarily "Christian" in theme.  Many of their songs get me thinking about God, but especially this one. 

It's called "The Unwinding Cable Car" and I like this video for many reasons, including that it seems to have been filmed in Philadelphia, on trains that I myself rode quite often when I worked in Center City.

I offer this as something to think about.  What does it mean that in God's eyes we are indeed brilliant?  Have you ever felt like grace marked your heart?  I think that's hard to remember sometimes.  Let me know what you think, and enjoy the video!   The lyrics are posted below:

God chooses to let us in at 5...

We often pay close attention to what is fair or unfair in our lives and society.  Today's parable can be very jarring to us who expect fairness in our lives.  But God grants us many things we have not earned, including our very lives back from sin and death.  God's blessings for us are undeserved, and as such when God chooses to be merciful, we can rejoice!  All receive the same blessings, no matter what they've done, in God's house.

Goodness is Stronger than Evil

Yesterday in our worship, we heard Jesus call us to the difficult task of forgiveness.  I imagine that for many of us, these words were hard to hear as we remembered the tragic attacks of ten years ago.  Yet Jesus' call to us as Christians remains the same.  Our lives are infinitely valuable to God, and on account of Christ we are forgiven all our sins so that we may live free from their power.  We are invited to share this forgiveness with others, opening a world of possibilities in our relationships as God's children.  This goodness of God's love and forgiveness is indeed stronger than evil and the seemingly endless cycle of violence and retribution.

September 11, 2011

This Sunday will mark the 10th anniversary of the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, which claimed thousands of lives here in America and has led to a decade of war which has claimed untold thousands more.  It is a day of remembrance, of mourning and lamentation and of sober reflection upon Christ's call to forgiveness.  It will be a special service here at Christ Lutheran, and I hope you'll be able to attend.  Below I have reposted an article from our September newsletter as well as a litany we will be praying together this Sunday.  Please feel free to add your thoughts and prayers in the comment section below.

Jesus shows up whether we like it or not. And he's bringing love.

Like it or not, Jesus shows up whenever even two or three of us are gathered.  That's good news from our reading from Matthew this week, but it might mean something in our lives that we don't expect.  Here's the sermon for Sept. 4.  How does the love of God in Jesus change your life?

What if we believe God exists?

This is a question that has been asked by many Christians, including a leader of a Christian advocacy organization recently. It's a strange question for most of us who belong to a congregation, call ourselves Christian and show up to church on Sunday. We would say that of course God exists.

But what if we believe God really exists? These words are both challenging and comforting. If God really exists, then nothing is the same.

What about God's powerful calls for justice for the oppressed, for freedom for the captives and unconditional love for all?

What about Jesus' promises that he will never leave us alone? that we will both die and live with him? that we are all infinitely loved?

What does it mean for us that we are disciples of the living, real God in the world?

What does it mean for the world that God is in charge?

Let's talk about this --

God's peace+
Vicar Evan