Sermon: Win, Lose, Draw – 3/25/12
April 2, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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Sermon: John 3:16 – 3/18/12
March 19, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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Sermon: Where is God? – 3/11/12
March 14, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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VisioNotes: Ask For It – March 2012
March 2, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
Filed under Pastor's Corner
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Ask For It
I never used to listen to talk radio. But a few years ago I was finally convinced to give National Public Radio (NPR) a chance. And I liked it. I could get some news and learn something, too. It turned out that talk radio can actually be entertaining.
One of the NPR programs that I stumbled upon is Car Talk. The hosts of the show are Tom and Ray Magliozzi, affectionately known as Click and Click, the Tappet brothers (don’t ask me why). Every week people across the country call Click and Clack with questions about car maintenance and repair. (You can catch the show on Saturdays at 9:00am on WHAD 90.7 FM.)
I didn’t expect the show to pique my interest. But I was surprised. The show’s hosts are not only knowledgeable and helpful, they are hilarious. Without being mean-spirited or disrespectful, they laugh with others, and they laugh at themselves. And somehow through the topic of our automobiles, they evoke the stories of people’s lives.
On a recent show, a woman called in to discuss a former car situation. Fifteen years ago, she had borrowed her father’s car for a 200 mile road trip to a college party. On the way there, the car started to overheat. She pulled into a repair garage and was advised to quickly get the car to a shop for some serious repair. Against the mechanics advice, the young woman continued her trip and proceeded to go to the party before returning home. The next day her father was driving his car when the car essentially blew up. When the father inquired of his daughter, the young woman denied having had any problems on her road trip.
Evidently plagued by guilt, this woman called in 15 years later in hopes that Click and Clack would absolve her of any wrongdoing. After telling the whole story and answering a few questions, the verdict was clear. Guilty. Click and Clack agreed that the blown up car was her fault. With her somewhat reluctant permission, Car Talk phoned the woman’s father at work and put his friendly voice immediately on the air. Then the intervention began.
Click and Clack explained the situation, and invited the woman to speak the truth to her father. When she said very little, the host brothers didn’t let her off the hook. They encouraged her to actually apologize, to say she was sorry, and to ask for forgiveness. To this the woman hemmed and hawed. “What? Really? Come on.” Yes, they urged. It was your fault, and “there’s no statute of limitations on apologizing to your father.” Without missing a beat, the woman’s father chimed in and said, “and there’s no statute of limitations on my forgiveness.”
We can thank God that this father’s approach to his daughter is the approach that our God takes with all of us. Our God is ready to forgive his children. There are no limitations or conditions. Then why are we so often like the daughter and reluctant to tell the truth. Maybe it was the woman’s pride that held her back. But her dishonesty had festered in her guilty conscience for 15 years. Her failure to confess was hurting her far more than it was hurting her father.
“I’m sorry.” “Will you forgive me?” What if we got better at saying those words? Saying them to God, yes, and also saying them to each other. Even with little, daily situations. Maybe you can be convinced to give it a chance. Like NPR grew on me, honest words of humility can grow on each of us. We know God will be ready to move forward. In the face of sincerity, most of us would be ready to forgive, too. If we get these words in our daily vocabulary, we will be surprised at the life we find through honest, active confession.
Lord, have mercy,
Pastor Matt
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)
Sermon: Godparents – 2/26/12
March 2, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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Sermon: For Whatever Ails You – 2/5/12
February 6, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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Sermon: Sunday Best? – 1/29/12
January 30, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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VisioNotes: Soul Food – February 2012
January 30, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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Soul Food
One sandwich. A bag of chips. A piece of fruit. And two homemade cookies. This recipe made up the basics of the sack lunch that I took with me to elementary school for many years. My meal varied, of course, but this was the core noon-time sustenance that kept me growing for years. Come lunch time, I would bypass the long cafeteria line, use my blue punch card to pick up a cold carton of milk, and settle in to the lunch table with the other cold-lunch-eaters. In my view, we lucky ones got “cold lunch” while the others had to settle for “hot lunch”.
My siblings and I all took cold lunches to school, but I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe it was more economical and nutritious for us. Maybe I was spoiled on my mom’s good cooking, or lacked a sense of adventure with new foods. Mostly I think it was because we feared the unknown school food.
My opinion about hot lunch began to change as I entered middle school. When pizza day came up, I decided to give it a try. And it was pretty good. Then another day’s meal sounded tasty, and I jumped in line again. I paid careful attention to the cafeteria menu and went back and forth between hot and cold lunch. One of my favorite days in the cafeteria was “orange day” – tomato soup, grilled cheese, and cheetos. All orange food! Not the healthiest meal, but it tasted good.
School lunches have been making the news lately. More and more people – including First Lady Michelle Obama – have become concerned about children’s nutrition. Some new statistics have come to light that are quite sad. For instance, 17% of children in the United States are classified as obese.
The USDA just released new standards for school meals which will take effect this July 1. Meals will have to offer more fruits and vegetables, contain less sodium and fat, and include more whole grains. They’re still working out a few debates, like whether to count the tomato sauce on pizza as a vegetable. But health groups overall are praising the new nutrition standards.
The bottom line: it matters what we feed our bodies. Yes, the new regulations will be costly. Nutritious food and balanced meals will require more work and preparation. But these bodies are the only ones we’re going to have in this life, and it’s our responsibility to care for them as best as possible.
An even stronger case can be made for the way that we care for our spiritual health. It matters what we feed our souls. It matters to us and to our families. The care we give to our spiritual lives will carry us through all the days of our lives and will pay dividends into eternity. What is the spiritual sustenance that you rely on to keep growing in faith? Is your spiritual diet balanced and nutritious? Are you spiritually satisfied? Are you feeding your soul the nourishment you need?
While our country struggles with physical obesity, many of us are spiritually starving. Maybe we need to start with the basic building blocks, with spiritual sandwiches and fruit. Or maybe we could benefit from some more variety, or summon the courage to take a risk with our spiritual practices. Caring for our spiritual life involves time and energy. It certainly requires openness and willingness. We will need to overcome fears of what is unfamiliar to us – which might include the Bible and prayer.
There is sustenance for our spiritual hunger. God gives us living water to drink. Jesus Christ is the bread of life who lived, died, and rose from the dead so that our lives and souls would be filled…filled with love, joy, and peace. Come and drink from the fountain of God. Sit at God’s table. Eat, taste, and see that the Lord is good.
With fork in hand,
Pastor Matt
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” – Jesus (John 6:35)
Sermon: Full Participation – 1/22/12
January 23, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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Sermon: Follow, Come, See – 1/15/12
January 17, 2012 by Steve Ver Kuilen
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