Sun. Feb. 26, 2012 (Michael Thomas)

On our first Sunday of Lent, Michael Thomas (Centre resident, singer in Abendmusik, Regent graduate student in theology) suggested that since Christ's walk to the cross began with his baptism, we should look at Lent through the lens of baptism. We can begin by reflecting on our own baptism, and then on how Jesus' baptism led him directly into the 40-day experiences of the 'desert' of his intellectual life of faith and action. Early Anabaptists saw baptism as a public initiation into the broader assembly of believers and as a public acceptance of the call to go through the wilderness of life. Some were martyred by drowning--their third baptism. Baptism includes the mark of forgiveness, but we are also baptized by our future pain, difficulties and sorrows into a heavenly citizenship. Conrad Grebel's accusers (Martyr's Mirror) tried to show that he was suffering for a mistaken cause. This can plant the seed of uncertainty, reminding us of Psalm 25, "Let me not be put to shame", i.e., reassure me that my faith in you is indeed right. [JEK]

Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, February 26th, 2012 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sun. Feb. 19, 2012 (Veronica Dyck)

The Gospel of Mark is self-described as being about 'good news' (Mark 1.1). John prepared some in society for a new way of thinking, and then baptized Jesus, who continued John's work. Mark's stories illustrated how difficult it was for people to grasp these new ideas. Last Sunday, Veronica Dyck reviewed how Jesus initially attracted supportive crowds (Mark, chapter 1) but then almost immediately (Mark 2) also attracted hostile criticism. Our morning's lectionary reading (Mark 2.1-12) took place in Capernaum, a home base for Jesus in Galilee. In this story, a lame man was somehow presented to Jesus by being passed through the house roof. As if this was not unusual enough, Jesus then further startled everybody by declaring that the man's sins were forgiven (possibly playing on the Jewish thinking that illnesses resulted from sins). Jesus did not claim to be the one forgiving, but instead left that part sufficiently ambiguous to make people think. Nobody (including Jesus) could actually prove this declaration since the forgiveness of sins is invisible, so Jesus then went one step farther and healed the man, something which was very visible indeed. (We have to wonder whether the real healing was spiritual. For instance, we can say that we are "healed" even though we are not physically cured.) The crowd was "amazed", but that observation does not imply belief. Throughout Mark's stories, Jesus is shown performing acts of external healing as a way of demonstrating the possibility of inner invisible healing. The message of God (forgiveness) receives priority in these stories, often followed by demonstrable physical healing. We used to have very clear notions concerning sin, but now societal thinking is changing. Some, for example, think that crime is merely the result of behavioral problems, not sin. We are now forced to ask ourselves, "What is sin?" Veronica also noted that, like the lame man and his onlookers, we need to learn how to accept forgiveness. These were the very same questions Jesus asked his contemporaries to contemplate. [JEK]

Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, February 19th, 2012 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sun. Feb. 12, 2012 (Jon Nofziger)

Jon Nofziger showed us a number of photos--light coming into a dark room through a crack, a flower blooming in a harsh desert, a tiny urban garden planted on a pile of rubble in Haiti, a Jew who received a heart transplanted from a generous Palestinian donor. We have our own desert blossoms in our time's of crisis, reminding us that God's purposes can shine forth at all times. Naaman (2 Kings 5) was at the height of his military and political career when his self-image was ruined by a distasteful skin disease, meaning that he no longer 'looked the part'. An unnamed Jewish slave girl was a flower in his desert, offering him hope of a cure. Naaman was slighted when the prophet did come to see him; do we think God must personally look after us according to our expectations? Naaman tried to purchase healing; a black criminal market supplies human organs world-wide as transplants, no questions asked; do Christians with resources expect to receive better health care than others? Naaman was not healed by faith alone but had to act. How do we experience of the reality of God in our lives, light entering in cracks in the darkness of our lives? [JEK]

Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, February 12th, 2012 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sun. Feb. 5 (J. Evan Kreider)

Evan Kreider spoke about the sensual poetry of the Song of Solomon. This book, written either by, for, or about Solomon, has been a challenge to scholars for centuries. It has been viewed allegorically (describing God’s love for his people), as a wedding song, a mortuary hymn (love is stronger than death), and as secular love poetry of a king seeking to woo a young farm girl. Some see the account of the girl in the song as a prototype of the virgin Mary and “breasts” represent the new teachings of Christ. Evan suggested that the song points out that love – including sexual love - is a wonderful gift from God and it’s okay to talk about it. The song celebrates lovers coming together and articulates the anguish of being apart. In the discussion it was noted that as readers we bring meaning to the text and often project onto the text what we want it to say. The song celebrates love and the ecstasy of intimacy. (HN)

Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday, February 5th, 2012 using your browser's preferred media player.