The UmBlog

I gave this sermon this morning at my church . Two Wednesday nights ago, four 50 somethings from this area, could not fall asleep again. The previous nights were due to the heat and humidity, but this was humidity on a new level of misery. These Yankees had never experienced a thunderstorm so loud and violent and rain so hard as this one. But then, none of them had ever been in Haiti before, in July. Although this house in Jacmel, on the southeastern coast of Haiti had remained standing after the massive earthquake of January 12th, 2010, it apparently had lost some strength in its roof. With this much water coming down, so hard and so fast, all the cracks in the flat concrete roof let the rain in on the team, who were alone for their first night. So they got up in the night and started to mop out the wet rooms. At least they were on bunk beds off the floor. Compared to tens of thousands of Haitians throughout SE Haiti, they were living in luxury: electricity, flush toilets, showers, ...

I've been asked to speak this weekend at church. We are looking at Proverbs through the summer so that's my jumping off point on the topic of mercy. This is way too much for a 40 minute talk, so I will need to pare it down. This is also intended to address the question of why do we send money to people in need all over the world, like Haiti, when there is so much need in America. All verses are from the NIV. Proverbs 14:21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. 14:31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. 21:13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. What is mercy? Umland’s definition: generosity to the unworthy or desperate Caring for the needy: Parable of the good Samaritan Luke 10:23-37 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life...

Here is the rest of my sermon notes on Mark 9. The first half is here . After climbing a mountain and being affirmed by God the Father, Jesus told Peter, James, and John about his resurrection again, Mk. 9:9, which they still didn't understand, and he pointed to Biblical prophecy in general, but I look at Isaiah 53 in particular. He explained to them that the prophecy they were thinking about, the arrival of Elijah, predicted in Malachi 4:5 in particular, was fulfilled in John the baptizer, Mk. 9:12-13. They didn't understand the death and resurrection talk in the previous chapter either, Mk. 8:31. He is focused on teaching his disciples but life interrupted in the case of a demonized boy. Jesus delivers the boy then resumes his important teaching. 9:30 They went out from there and passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know, 9:31 for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, ...

This is the outline of my sermon I was privileged to give at our church this past Sunday on the Gospel of Mark, chapter 9. Here is part 1. Highlights of Mark 8 Jesus feeds 4000 with 7 loaves of bread and a few fish Jesus heals a blind man by putting his spit on the guy's eyes Jesus and his crew head up north into Gentile territory and Peter declares Jesus is the Christ Jesus foretells his suffering, rejection, betrayal, murder and resurrection Peter rebukes Jesus Jesus rebukes Peter (calls him Satan) Jesus proclaims the way to life is through death and suffering. Highlights of Mark 9 Transfiguration - Jesus is affirmed by God Demonized boy delivered Who's the best? In-or-Out excorcist Don't hurt God's kids Cut it off or go to hell Be holy and be at peace with each other Mark 8 ends on a downer. Jesus tells them he's going to be killed and resurrected, but the disciples don't get any of that, then he calls Peter Satan, then he tells them to take up their cross, ...