Solomon's Prayer
Stories
Contents
What's Up This Week
A Story to Live By: "For Pete's Sake" by Richard Jensen
Good Stories: "Solomon's Prayer" by David O. Bales
"The Wiles of the Devil" by Jo Perry-Sumwalt
Sermon Starters: "The Chore of Going to Church" by Terry Cain
"All That Glitters Is Not Gold" by Terry Cain
What's Up This Week
The insidious evil of sin manifests itself in all sorts of human behavior -- both apparent and not so apparent. The stories in this week's edition profile a kaleidoscope of our sinful ways, ranging from the disease of alcoholism, to latent fear and discrimination against foreigners, to deceitful manipulation, to avoiding what we ought to do out of boredom or gluttony. But whatever the nature of our weakness may be, God's unmitigated grace offers us deliverance from the wiles of the devil -- and as this week's stories suggest, God's word, along with the help and support of the church, provides us with the wisdom and strength to find our way in a world fraught with temptation and false promises.
A Story to Live By
For Pete's Sake
by Richard Jensen
"My name is Peter and I'm an alcoholic." That's how you always introduce yourself at meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. Pete O'Meara had been attending AA for about six months. His alcoholism had probably started way back in high school and lasted through college and the first years of his marriage. Six months ago, however, his wife Delores, along with Pastor Bartlett, had staged an intervention on her husband's behalf. She staged it, and it worked. Pete went into treatment. He was doing better now. AA helped a lot. He attended weekly meetings. He did have to make a couple of calls to his AA friends when his urge to take a drink was ready to overpower him. But by and large, Pete was doing okay. That, at least, is how it looked on the outside.
On the inside, however, Peter O'Meara was living through hell. He would just about die for another drink. And how was he going to stop himself? He didn't feel that he had the willpower to resist his need for alcohol indefinitely. He just wasn't strong enough. It helped that at AA you began the recovery program by acknowledging that only a higher power, or God, could help you. Pete believed that. He had been a churchgoer on and off during his life, and he thought maybe God would help him. It just all seemed so vague to him. A higher power is someone or something out there somewhere that is going to help you. Peter needed a God that was more real to his life. He needed a God that he could sink his teeth into, so to speak.
One of the Sundays that Pete did go to church was a communion Sunday. "I'm Pete and I'm a sinner," Pete mumbled to God, imitating his AA confession as he approached the table. Then he kneeled quietly to receive the sacrament. He kneeled down quietly to receive the bread and the wine. He kneeled down to receive the body and blood of Christ. It struck him in a way it never had before that this Jesus of the sacrament was not a vague God who was someone or something out there somewhere. This was a God he could get his teeth into! The "higher power" concept had seemed so distant to him. Peter wanted and needed a God who was very close. He wanted and needed a God who would live inside of him and give him a new life, new willpower, new dedication.
"This is the body of Christ given for you." Peter heard these words and he ate. "This is the blood of Christ shed for you." Pete heard these words and he drank. And then Pastor Bartlett dismissed the table of people with words from the Gospel reading for the day: "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me" (John 6:56-57).
Tears streamed down Pete O'Meara's cheeks at the sound of these words. "That's exactly what I need," he thought to himself, "I need a God who abides in me. Only such a God can give me new life, new willpower, and new dedication." Peter wiped his tears and rose from the table. He rose to the possibility of a new life in Christ who abided within him!
Richard Jensen is professor emeritus of homiletics at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and he also served as the dean of the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program for the Association of Chicago Theological Seminaries. He is also renowned for his decade-long stint as the speaker for Lutheran Vespers, a weekly national radio ministry of the Lutheran Church. Jensen is the author of several acclaimed books on the art of preaching, including the CSS titles Thinking in Story, Preaching Matthew's Gospel, Preaching Mark's Gospel, and Preaching Luke's Gospel.
Good Stories
Solomon's Prayer
by David O. Bales
1 Kings 8 (1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43
Fifteen years of spaghetti suppers and charity golf tournaments. Fifteen years of scrimping on the present to pay for the future. Some years were stronger than others, with church members whipping up support for the building fund and keeping the goal alive. At other times the project languished, needing another person or group to grab the vision and pull the congregation along. The congregation did it, not the pastors. The decade and a half of saving for the down payment overlapped three pastoral terms. Pastors came and went, but the project held together the congregation.
Only one pastor made much of a contribution to the plans. As ideas for the building itself were being garnered during a third capital funds drive, her middle school class was studying First Kings. From that study the group suggested to the long-range planning committee that a Bible quote be painted in the large entryway above the doors. No one had thought of such a thing, and when the middle school class suggested a text from Solomon's Prayer for the Dedication of the Temple, people agreed. Few people read the First Kings passage; besides, the building was yet a long ways in the future. Their text, with a few words omitted and then the periods signifying the ellipses also omitted, was to be painted ten feet high around the entryway, so you had to spin to read the whole thing: "When a foreigner, who is not of your people, comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you" (1 Kings 8:41-43).
By the time the denomination finally granted a loan for the second two-thirds of the total price, everyone's ideas had been pooled into the building design (including the quote from First Kings, saved dutifully by three high school students) -- and the joy of the first shovel turned! Within eight months the congregation moved from their small downtown building, which lacked a parking lot and had too many steps, to their two-acre, one-story campus in the suburbs.
Nineteen months later a group of Hispanic Christians inquired of each congregation in town, requesting a space to rent for worship on Sunday evenings, and maybe a few other evenings too.
The board received the delegation, listening politely and asking a few questions, and would have refused them kindly -- if the group hadn't gotten mixed up by the directions the pastor had given over the phone about where to find the board meeting. They came into the building through the main entrance, and they were overjoyed to read, and report to the board that they'd read, what they assumed was the congregation's mission statement in the large entryway: "When a foreigner, who is not of your people, comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you."
When the group had departed with many thank-yous, the first and principal reason discussed for not renting the church to them was that "sometimes we need the sanctuary on Sunday evenings."
"When?" asked the pastor, who was one year from retirement.
"Sometimes," the board agreed.
"When was the last time? Have we held any Sunday evening events in the sanctuary since we moved into this building?"
No one could remember any. At that juncture someone moved to table the discussion until the next month's meeting, stating the need for prayer over such a matter.
The word zipped quickly through the membership, and few were positive about another group using their church. Three high school students, however, thought it was what the church was for.
Some members might have prayed about it, but the high school students didn't see much evidence of prayer. The students did, however, quote the Bible text in the entryway a number of times, having memorized its abbreviated form. During prayer concerns one Sunday, Drusilla, a high school senior, held the microphone with shaking hands and said, "We need to pray about the Hispanic congregation getting a place to worship." Josh on one side of her and Sarah on the other nodded and said, "Yes!"
After worship the three talked to a board member who said, "I guess we could do it -- if we had proper guarantees, liability insurance, and all."
When they cornered another board member, she said, "Yes, I've been thinking about it. We all have."
No one in the congregation had been a member of a church that rented its space to another congregation, but one couple had been members of a new congregation that had rented space in a school gym until they'd built a church. The discussion was hot at times. Some people changed their thinking, then changed it back, as ideas both for and against renting passed through the congregation.
Finally, after the issue was tabled two months in a row, the board announced it would vote at Thursday's meeting. The motion to rent, with proper guarantees, liability insurance, and all, was made by a member who first quoted Solomon's prayer as it circled their entryway. Another board member said, "Spare the lecture. Let's vote." The board's decision was...
* * * * *
What do you think? [Raise your hand if you think they voted yes. How many of you think they voted no?] When Jesus told such stories he often ended with something like "Go and do likewise." How would you vote, believing as did Solomon when he prayed for the temple: "Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!"
David O. Bales recently retired as the pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Ontario, Oregon. He is a freelance writer and editor for Stephen Ministries and Tebunah Ministries, and is the author of Gospel Subplots: Story Sermons of God's Grace (CSS).
The Wiles of the Devil
by Jo Perry-Sumwalt
Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Ephesians 6:11-13
Sandy Wright felt betrayed. She sat at her desk staring at the papers in her hands, but she didn't see them. Her mind was still reeling from the reprimand she had just received from Ken Martin, her supervisor. But worse than that, she knew that the source of the mistaken information Ken had used to chastise her was Kelly Fox; and she knew that there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.
It had been just over a year since Sandy had joined the design team at InfoTec. She loved her work, and had proven herself good at it. Kelly had signed on just two weeks after Sandy, and while her work was good, it wasn't always on target. She tended to get sloppy when the workload was heavy and to overlook some of the mistakes she could have corrected. Eventually, Ken had teamed Kelly with Sandy, in hopes that Sandy's attention to detail would rub off on her. They had worked closely on several assignments and gotten along well.
It bothered Sandy that Kelly sometimes talked about Ken and other team members behind their backs. Kelly had a way of insinuating things about others which raised questions about their character and motives. While she never actually gossiped, in terms of spreading rumors, her hints at people's possible personal faults was just as damaging. It was a subtle undermining of respect and authority. Sandy's response to these covert attacks was usually to make no comment. However, she noted that if she countered Kelly's ideas, Kelly almost always backed down. In the back of her mind, Sandy knew that if Kelly talked about others in this way, she probably talked about her to others as well. But because they got along well, Sandy didn't dwell on the idea. She resolved to keep their relationship on a friendly, professional basis and ignore Kelly's less appealing characteristics.
Still, Sandy's attention was frequently drawn to Kelly's most annoying tendencies. While Kelly expected respect from others, she often placed herself in a position to receive sympathy. Her father was very ill with emphysema. When Kelly was having a bad day, she would often affect a sad-eyed, wounded appearance. This invariably drew attention from co-workers, who inquired about her father. And even if he was not the source of her current malaise, Kelly reveled in their concern and attention. Other days Kelly was the life of the office, her laughter wafting over the cubicles. On those days Sandy had learned not to expect much of a work contribution from Kelly, because she was too busy socializing. Everyone who passed by Kelly's desk was engaged in some kind of congenial conversation, which always ended in another wave of Kelly's lilting laughter. Kelly used these opportunities for name-dropping, hinting about her expertise in an area, and kissing up to management. The hardest part for Sandy to take, however, was when Kelly turned right around and cast aspersions on the characters of those she had just found so entertaining.
Because it was so easy for her to see what Kelly was really like, Sandy assumed that everyone else did as well. She herself had found a way of maintaining a comfortable work relationship with Kelly by overlooking her idiosyncracies, and so, she assumed, had everyone else. In a few instances their circles of friendship overlapped, but for the most part Sandy separated herself from Kelly in all but their closest work situations. It was not until it was too late that Sandy understood that Kelly's "idiosyncracies" were in fact a dangerous evil.
Sandy took pride in her work. Even when the loads were heavy, she liked to think ahead and be prepared. There were plenty of tasks she would leave until the last minute, but planning, scheduling, and detail were priorities. Part of Kelly's job was to coordinate assignments for the various work teams so that there was true "teamwork" with a minimum of head-butting. Because Sandy paid close attention to detail, she always scheduled her assignments with Kelly well in advance. That was why, when she was called into Ken's office for a meeting with him and another team leader, Sandy was totally unprepared for the anger and criticism directed at her.
"It's been brought to my attention that you haven't been following policy on scheduling," Ken said sternly when Sandy and Mike, the other team leader, had been seated.
"I'm sorry?" Sandy replied, stunned by Ken's authoritarian tone and baffled by his statement.
"He's talking about the way you took over my slot in the May leadership conference and replaced my progress report with your training program," Mike said, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
"There must be some mistake," Sandy said, keeping her voice even. "I scheduled my program with Kelly."
"When I spoke with Kelly a month ago about the time slot for my progress report, she said there was no problem. Then when the memo came out Tuesday with the time schedule for the conference, your program was listed in my time slot. When I checked with Kelly, she told me that you often go over her head and change schedules. I came to Ken because I've heard that complaint from other team leaders too. I thought it was about time that you hear how angry some of us are that you do this."
"It is always my practice to schedule programs well in advance," Sandy insisted. "Perhaps Kelly..."
"Kelly has told me," Ken interrupted, "that you have often blamed her for scheduling errors. I know that I teamed you with Kelly to help her focus her work, but that shouldn't give you the right to blame her if you make mistakes."
Sandy could see that she had been placed in a no-win situation. There was nothing she could say or do. The only option was to back down.
"If I made a mistake, I apologize," she said, struggling to keep emotion out of her voice. "If Mike scheduled his presentation first, then he should have the time slot. I'll just have to make other arrangements for my program."
Both Mike and Ken looked a little surprised at that, and the meeting ended with awkward thanks. Now Sandy sat at her desk, staring at papers she wasn't really seeing and trying to deal with the flood of thoughts and emotions in her head.
How could she have been so naive? Why, when she knew how Kelly treated everyone else, should she have expected to escape that treatment herself? Kelly had set her up to take the fall for her own scheduling mistakes, just as Sandy knew she set up and manipulated others. Why hadn't she anticipated it? And how could she prove anything? There was no proof. She only knew, from her observations and experience, what Kelly was like. What if she was the only one who saw it? Kelly herself was only an annoyance, but her actions were evil. Where could Sandy go with that? And since Kelly had cast doubt on Sandy's character as well, what good would it do? It would only appear to be another attack on Kelly.
But how could Sandy go on working with her, never knowing when or where the next attack would come? She would have to be very careful from now on. She would have to document every move. And she would have to keep her ears open to hear who else had been stung. Perhaps, in time, she could make a case, but for now she would stifle her anger and suffer the humiliation. "Dear God," Sandy prayed silently, "help me handle this mess. Help me keep control of my temper and be there for others. Don't let me be vindictive. Most of all, let Kelly see how much hurt she causes. Help her break away from doing evil things."
* * * * *
Author's Note: In the introduction to his book Evil: A Historical and Theological Perspective (Fortress Press, 1995), Hans Schwarz asks two questions which are addressed by this text and story: "Why is life on earth characterized by the fact that humans make life miserable for each other?" and "Is there a force within and yet transcending humanity that functions, as it were, as a diabolos or as a 'distorter,' continually detracting from the experience of the good in our lives and turning it instead into something negative?" (p. 3).
In Antagonists in the Church: How to Identify and Deal with Destructive Conflict (Augsburg, 1988), Kenneth Haugk describes persons who act out destructively in the church, the way Kelly does in this story. Haugk says: "The spiritual forces that stand in rebellion against God and God's claim on people lie behind (indeed, precipitate) the behavior of antagonistic individuals.... When confronting an antagonist, it must be kept in mind that antagonists play into the hands of forces that are intent upon destroying the healing and caring missions of the church. One dare not sit back and watch antagonists cripple and disfigure a congregational body" (p. 42).
M. Scott Peck observes in People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil (Simon and Schuster, 1983) that in his experience "evil human beings are quite common and usually appear quite ordinary to the superficial observer." He adds: "While evil people are to be feared, they are also to be pitied. Forever fleeing the light of self-exposure and the voice of their own conscience, they are the most frightened of human beings. They live their lives in sheer terror. They need not be consigned to any hell; they are already in it" (p. 67).
Peck believes that evil people cannot be "...rapidly influenced by any means other than raw power. They do not respond, at least in the short run, to either gentle kindness or any form of spiritual persuasion..." (p. 68). "It is not their sins, per se, that characterize evil people, rather it is the subtlety and persistence and consistency of their sins. This is because the central defect of the evil is not the sin, but the refusal to acknowledge it" (p. 69).
Jo Perry-Sumwalt is director of Christian Education at Wauwatosa Avenue United Methodist Church in suburban Milwaukee. She is an officer in the Wisconsin chapter of Christian Educators Fellowship, and is the co-author with her husband John of Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit and Life Stories. Jo and John served as co-editors of StoryShare for three years.
Sermon Starters
The Chore of Going to Church
by Terry Cain
Psalm 84 is a beautiful tribute to God and a wonderful testimony to the joy of worshiping in God's temples! But does it express our honest feelings about going to church?
* * *
Kim had had this conversation with her boyfriend a few times before, but she was not insistent. While she would have liked very much for Jacob to attend church with her, she realized that it would be important for him to really want to go, rather than just to please her. It should mean something to him. However, he had always expressed the view that church was boring -- he simply didn't like to go.
One day Kim and Jacob planned to take his mother out shopping, and Jacob dropped by his mother's house to pick her up. As he entered the house he called out as he usually did, but there was no answer from his mom. Upon entering the living room, he was shocked to find her lying on the floor -- and from her position he immediately realized something serious had happened to her. He rushed over and detected that she was not breathing. His first instinct was to call the emergency 911; but he also felt he should try CPR or some first aid measure to revive her if possible, fearing the emergency service might arrive too late (if it wasn't too late already). The trouble was, Jacob did not know CPR. Like everyone else, he had heard about it -- but he had no idea how to go about it.
Fortunately, Kim had driven up right behind Jacob. He hadn't realized she had arrived, and he was overjoyed when she walked in. Sizing up the situation quickly, Kim sent Jacob to the phone to call the emergency number while she began CPR on his mother. It was not too late -- Jacob and Kim had arrived in time. Kim soon felt Jacob's mother begin to come around. By the time the fire truck (the first emergency unit to arrive) got there, she was conscious and making some communication.
The firefighters took over care of Jacob's mother and prepared her for a trip to the hospital. They commented on how fortunate it was that Kim and Jacob had arrived just when they did. Jacob was sitting on the couch with his hands over his face, very visibly shaken. As Kim reassured him that his mother would be all right, he confessed that he was frightened because he did not know what to do to help his mother. He was so very glad Kim had gotten there when she did.
"But why didn't you start CPR, Jake?" Kim asked. Jacob confessed that he did not know how. Kim was incredulous and reminded him that he had just finished a class in first aid at the Y, where CPR was one of the main topics. She had taken the class earlier, and afterwards had urged Jacob to take it.
He shook his head sorrowfully as he said, "I didn't attend all of the classes because they bored me. I missed the CPR lessons." He continued, "This experience has taught me a lesson about how important something can be, even if we don't like it."
"That's exactly what I have been telling you about church, Jake. We don't like going to the dentist, but it is very important. Some folks don't like school, but we all know how valuable school is. We don't want surgery, but if it is necessary..." she continued. "Exercise and eating a proper diet are no fun, but important. All discipline is difficult, but we need it."
"I know where you are going with this," Jacob replied. "Even if I don't like church, I should go -- it's good for me."
"Church is different," Kim said. "You may not enjoy church at first, but it becomes more important to you as you grow to love the church family, feel a deep satisfaction from worshiping and thanking God, become a part of a worldwide mission, and begin to find significant meaning in theology and its relation to our lives. Believe me, you grow to love the church and truly miss it when you don't go."
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
by Terry Cain
In this week's Gospel lesson (John 6:56-69), we see that some of the would-be followers of Jesus found his teachings too hard (v. 60), or turned away and wouldn't go with him any longer (v. 66). In light of the increasing trend today for members to migrate from smaller churches to other larger, very popular congregations, how does this scripture passage pertain to us?
* * *
Henry had been giving serious thought to what the regional leader had shared at a conference, concerning how their denomination had been losing members the last few years while some other churches (some of which were non-denominational) were growing rapidly and building great new buildings. As one of the leading laypersons in the church, he knew his own minister was beginning to feel as if she had failed in her work because the net change in membership of their local church was a minus. Of course, there are many pieces to the puzzle: people move, the psychology of the building's appearance and location, changing neighborhoods, etc. Still, everyone was concerned and wanted to know how to help the church grow.
After supper, Henry sat down in the living room to finish the remaining few pages of the novel he was presently reading, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. After he finished the book, Henry laid it down and began to ponder the differences between two of the leading characters: Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham. Darcy was universally disliked in the book -- he came across as a very proud, distant, aloof, rude, and unfriendly man. In contrast, Wickham presented a warm, friendly, and likeable extroverted personality. Wickham was well liked; Darcy seemed to have very few friends. However, in the end (I hope I am not spoiling the novel for you by revealing part of the outcome) the real nature of the two men is just the opposite of the first impressions of them. Darcy turns out to be compassionate, caring, honest, helpful, and generous, while Wickham is deceitful and selfish. Henry thought about how surface appearances are deceptive; one needs to dig much deeper for the true picture.
Just then, Henry's two daughters came running into the room, jumped into his lap, and begged to have a bedtime story read to them. They had picked one of their favorite books, Winkie Bunny. Henry read the story to the girls, about how Winkie's mother sent him and his two sisters and brother out one morning to the pasture to gather some clover for lunch and supper. On the way to the field they passed close by a farmhouse with an open kitchen window, where they smelled and spied a big cherry pie fresh from the oven cooling on the sill. Winkie suggested they all go over and sneak a taste of the pie, but his little bunny sisters and brother told him that would only lead to trouble -- and mother rabbit would be unhappy if they did. But the pie was too tempting for Winkie. While his sisters and brother went to the pasture to pick clover, Winkie snuck over and tasted the pie. Neither the farm wife nor her husband were around, and the pie tasted so good that Winkie kept eating until the whole pie was gone! (At the risk of ruining another good story for you by revealing the ending...) That noon the bunny family had a clover salad, but Winkie was too uncomfortable to eat. That night while the bunnies ate clover sandwiches, Winkie was sick in bed. The whole cherry pie was too much for Winkie and not good for his tummy.
Later, before retiring to bed, Henry thought about these two stories in juxtaposition. Darcy wasn't popular, but he was the man with integrity and compassion. Wickham was all show, but no depth. Clover was boring, but healthy for little bunnies. Sugary sweet cherry pie was tasty, but not good for bunny stomachs.
All of the Old and New Testament leaders were unpopular, and some of them angered religious people enough that those people wanted to kill them, as they did Jesus. The message with depth and meaning -- the full gospel -- is not always what we want to hear. It may make us very uncomfortable or even upset at times. Instead of bringing in members in droves, it may drive some away. Henry wondered: Was the church so much different today that God's word was popular, instead of hard and challenging as it was in Bible times? Would a congregation that preached the full gospel of discipline, real sacrifice, and commitment be popular with the majority? Henry knew you could not jump to the conclusion that an unpopular church was closer to the truth and a popular church was skipping over what we really needed to hear but weren't hearing. Yet the message Henry was picking up was that the church must stop being concerned about numbers, and focus more on the real message of Jesus and ministry to all people in our communities. The profile of a significant church might be more diverse -- less like a social club and reaching more of the down-and-outers -- just for starters.
Terry Cain is a retired United Methodist pastor, and the author of the CSS titles Shaking Wolves Out of Cherry Trees and Lions and Cows Dining Together.
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How to Share Stories
You have good stories to share, probably more than you know: personal stories as well as stories from others that you have used over the years. If you have a story you like, whether fictional or "really happened," authored by you or a brief excerpt from a favorite book, send it to StoryShare for review. Simply click here share-a-story@csspub.com and e-mail the story to us.
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StoryShare, August 27, 2006, issue.
Copyright 2006 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
What's Up This Week
A Story to Live By: "For Pete's Sake" by Richard Jensen
Good Stories: "Solomon's Prayer" by David O. Bales
"The Wiles of the Devil" by Jo Perry-Sumwalt
Sermon Starters: "The Chore of Going to Church" by Terry Cain
"All That Glitters Is Not Gold" by Terry Cain
What's Up This Week
The insidious evil of sin manifests itself in all sorts of human behavior -- both apparent and not so apparent. The stories in this week's edition profile a kaleidoscope of our sinful ways, ranging from the disease of alcoholism, to latent fear and discrimination against foreigners, to deceitful manipulation, to avoiding what we ought to do out of boredom or gluttony. But whatever the nature of our weakness may be, God's unmitigated grace offers us deliverance from the wiles of the devil -- and as this week's stories suggest, God's word, along with the help and support of the church, provides us with the wisdom and strength to find our way in a world fraught with temptation and false promises.
A Story to Live By
For Pete's Sake
by Richard Jensen
"My name is Peter and I'm an alcoholic." That's how you always introduce yourself at meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. Pete O'Meara had been attending AA for about six months. His alcoholism had probably started way back in high school and lasted through college and the first years of his marriage. Six months ago, however, his wife Delores, along with Pastor Bartlett, had staged an intervention on her husband's behalf. She staged it, and it worked. Pete went into treatment. He was doing better now. AA helped a lot. He attended weekly meetings. He did have to make a couple of calls to his AA friends when his urge to take a drink was ready to overpower him. But by and large, Pete was doing okay. That, at least, is how it looked on the outside.
On the inside, however, Peter O'Meara was living through hell. He would just about die for another drink. And how was he going to stop himself? He didn't feel that he had the willpower to resist his need for alcohol indefinitely. He just wasn't strong enough. It helped that at AA you began the recovery program by acknowledging that only a higher power, or God, could help you. Pete believed that. He had been a churchgoer on and off during his life, and he thought maybe God would help him. It just all seemed so vague to him. A higher power is someone or something out there somewhere that is going to help you. Peter needed a God that was more real to his life. He needed a God that he could sink his teeth into, so to speak.
One of the Sundays that Pete did go to church was a communion Sunday. "I'm Pete and I'm a sinner," Pete mumbled to God, imitating his AA confession as he approached the table. Then he kneeled quietly to receive the sacrament. He kneeled down quietly to receive the bread and the wine. He kneeled down to receive the body and blood of Christ. It struck him in a way it never had before that this Jesus of the sacrament was not a vague God who was someone or something out there somewhere. This was a God he could get his teeth into! The "higher power" concept had seemed so distant to him. Peter wanted and needed a God who was very close. He wanted and needed a God who would live inside of him and give him a new life, new willpower, new dedication.
"This is the body of Christ given for you." Peter heard these words and he ate. "This is the blood of Christ shed for you." Pete heard these words and he drank. And then Pastor Bartlett dismissed the table of people with words from the Gospel reading for the day: "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me" (John 6:56-57).
Tears streamed down Pete O'Meara's cheeks at the sound of these words. "That's exactly what I need," he thought to himself, "I need a God who abides in me. Only such a God can give me new life, new willpower, and new dedication." Peter wiped his tears and rose from the table. He rose to the possibility of a new life in Christ who abided within him!
Richard Jensen is professor emeritus of homiletics at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and he also served as the dean of the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program for the Association of Chicago Theological Seminaries. He is also renowned for his decade-long stint as the speaker for Lutheran Vespers, a weekly national radio ministry of the Lutheran Church. Jensen is the author of several acclaimed books on the art of preaching, including the CSS titles Thinking in Story, Preaching Matthew's Gospel, Preaching Mark's Gospel, and Preaching Luke's Gospel.
Good Stories
Solomon's Prayer
by David O. Bales
1 Kings 8 (1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43
Fifteen years of spaghetti suppers and charity golf tournaments. Fifteen years of scrimping on the present to pay for the future. Some years were stronger than others, with church members whipping up support for the building fund and keeping the goal alive. At other times the project languished, needing another person or group to grab the vision and pull the congregation along. The congregation did it, not the pastors. The decade and a half of saving for the down payment overlapped three pastoral terms. Pastors came and went, but the project held together the congregation.
Only one pastor made much of a contribution to the plans. As ideas for the building itself were being garnered during a third capital funds drive, her middle school class was studying First Kings. From that study the group suggested to the long-range planning committee that a Bible quote be painted in the large entryway above the doors. No one had thought of such a thing, and when the middle school class suggested a text from Solomon's Prayer for the Dedication of the Temple, people agreed. Few people read the First Kings passage; besides, the building was yet a long ways in the future. Their text, with a few words omitted and then the periods signifying the ellipses also omitted, was to be painted ten feet high around the entryway, so you had to spin to read the whole thing: "When a foreigner, who is not of your people, comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you" (1 Kings 8:41-43).
By the time the denomination finally granted a loan for the second two-thirds of the total price, everyone's ideas had been pooled into the building design (including the quote from First Kings, saved dutifully by three high school students) -- and the joy of the first shovel turned! Within eight months the congregation moved from their small downtown building, which lacked a parking lot and had too many steps, to their two-acre, one-story campus in the suburbs.
Nineteen months later a group of Hispanic Christians inquired of each congregation in town, requesting a space to rent for worship on Sunday evenings, and maybe a few other evenings too.
The board received the delegation, listening politely and asking a few questions, and would have refused them kindly -- if the group hadn't gotten mixed up by the directions the pastor had given over the phone about where to find the board meeting. They came into the building through the main entrance, and they were overjoyed to read, and report to the board that they'd read, what they assumed was the congregation's mission statement in the large entryway: "When a foreigner, who is not of your people, comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you."
When the group had departed with many thank-yous, the first and principal reason discussed for not renting the church to them was that "sometimes we need the sanctuary on Sunday evenings."
"When?" asked the pastor, who was one year from retirement.
"Sometimes," the board agreed.
"When was the last time? Have we held any Sunday evening events in the sanctuary since we moved into this building?"
No one could remember any. At that juncture someone moved to table the discussion until the next month's meeting, stating the need for prayer over such a matter.
The word zipped quickly through the membership, and few were positive about another group using their church. Three high school students, however, thought it was what the church was for.
Some members might have prayed about it, but the high school students didn't see much evidence of prayer. The students did, however, quote the Bible text in the entryway a number of times, having memorized its abbreviated form. During prayer concerns one Sunday, Drusilla, a high school senior, held the microphone with shaking hands and said, "We need to pray about the Hispanic congregation getting a place to worship." Josh on one side of her and Sarah on the other nodded and said, "Yes!"
After worship the three talked to a board member who said, "I guess we could do it -- if we had proper guarantees, liability insurance, and all."
When they cornered another board member, she said, "Yes, I've been thinking about it. We all have."
No one in the congregation had been a member of a church that rented its space to another congregation, but one couple had been members of a new congregation that had rented space in a school gym until they'd built a church. The discussion was hot at times. Some people changed their thinking, then changed it back, as ideas both for and against renting passed through the congregation.
Finally, after the issue was tabled two months in a row, the board announced it would vote at Thursday's meeting. The motion to rent, with proper guarantees, liability insurance, and all, was made by a member who first quoted Solomon's prayer as it circled their entryway. Another board member said, "Spare the lecture. Let's vote." The board's decision was...
* * * * *
What do you think? [Raise your hand if you think they voted yes. How many of you think they voted no?] When Jesus told such stories he often ended with something like "Go and do likewise." How would you vote, believing as did Solomon when he prayed for the temple: "Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!"
David O. Bales recently retired as the pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Ontario, Oregon. He is a freelance writer and editor for Stephen Ministries and Tebunah Ministries, and is the author of Gospel Subplots: Story Sermons of God's Grace (CSS).
The Wiles of the Devil
by Jo Perry-Sumwalt
Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Ephesians 6:11-13
Sandy Wright felt betrayed. She sat at her desk staring at the papers in her hands, but she didn't see them. Her mind was still reeling from the reprimand she had just received from Ken Martin, her supervisor. But worse than that, she knew that the source of the mistaken information Ken had used to chastise her was Kelly Fox; and she knew that there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.
It had been just over a year since Sandy had joined the design team at InfoTec. She loved her work, and had proven herself good at it. Kelly had signed on just two weeks after Sandy, and while her work was good, it wasn't always on target. She tended to get sloppy when the workload was heavy and to overlook some of the mistakes she could have corrected. Eventually, Ken had teamed Kelly with Sandy, in hopes that Sandy's attention to detail would rub off on her. They had worked closely on several assignments and gotten along well.
It bothered Sandy that Kelly sometimes talked about Ken and other team members behind their backs. Kelly had a way of insinuating things about others which raised questions about their character and motives. While she never actually gossiped, in terms of spreading rumors, her hints at people's possible personal faults was just as damaging. It was a subtle undermining of respect and authority. Sandy's response to these covert attacks was usually to make no comment. However, she noted that if she countered Kelly's ideas, Kelly almost always backed down. In the back of her mind, Sandy knew that if Kelly talked about others in this way, she probably talked about her to others as well. But because they got along well, Sandy didn't dwell on the idea. She resolved to keep their relationship on a friendly, professional basis and ignore Kelly's less appealing characteristics.
Still, Sandy's attention was frequently drawn to Kelly's most annoying tendencies. While Kelly expected respect from others, she often placed herself in a position to receive sympathy. Her father was very ill with emphysema. When Kelly was having a bad day, she would often affect a sad-eyed, wounded appearance. This invariably drew attention from co-workers, who inquired about her father. And even if he was not the source of her current malaise, Kelly reveled in their concern and attention. Other days Kelly was the life of the office, her laughter wafting over the cubicles. On those days Sandy had learned not to expect much of a work contribution from Kelly, because she was too busy socializing. Everyone who passed by Kelly's desk was engaged in some kind of congenial conversation, which always ended in another wave of Kelly's lilting laughter. Kelly used these opportunities for name-dropping, hinting about her expertise in an area, and kissing up to management. The hardest part for Sandy to take, however, was when Kelly turned right around and cast aspersions on the characters of those she had just found so entertaining.
Because it was so easy for her to see what Kelly was really like, Sandy assumed that everyone else did as well. She herself had found a way of maintaining a comfortable work relationship with Kelly by overlooking her idiosyncracies, and so, she assumed, had everyone else. In a few instances their circles of friendship overlapped, but for the most part Sandy separated herself from Kelly in all but their closest work situations. It was not until it was too late that Sandy understood that Kelly's "idiosyncracies" were in fact a dangerous evil.
Sandy took pride in her work. Even when the loads were heavy, she liked to think ahead and be prepared. There were plenty of tasks she would leave until the last minute, but planning, scheduling, and detail were priorities. Part of Kelly's job was to coordinate assignments for the various work teams so that there was true "teamwork" with a minimum of head-butting. Because Sandy paid close attention to detail, she always scheduled her assignments with Kelly well in advance. That was why, when she was called into Ken's office for a meeting with him and another team leader, Sandy was totally unprepared for the anger and criticism directed at her.
"It's been brought to my attention that you haven't been following policy on scheduling," Ken said sternly when Sandy and Mike, the other team leader, had been seated.
"I'm sorry?" Sandy replied, stunned by Ken's authoritarian tone and baffled by his statement.
"He's talking about the way you took over my slot in the May leadership conference and replaced my progress report with your training program," Mike said, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
"There must be some mistake," Sandy said, keeping her voice even. "I scheduled my program with Kelly."
"When I spoke with Kelly a month ago about the time slot for my progress report, she said there was no problem. Then when the memo came out Tuesday with the time schedule for the conference, your program was listed in my time slot. When I checked with Kelly, she told me that you often go over her head and change schedules. I came to Ken because I've heard that complaint from other team leaders too. I thought it was about time that you hear how angry some of us are that you do this."
"It is always my practice to schedule programs well in advance," Sandy insisted. "Perhaps Kelly..."
"Kelly has told me," Ken interrupted, "that you have often blamed her for scheduling errors. I know that I teamed you with Kelly to help her focus her work, but that shouldn't give you the right to blame her if you make mistakes."
Sandy could see that she had been placed in a no-win situation. There was nothing she could say or do. The only option was to back down.
"If I made a mistake, I apologize," she said, struggling to keep emotion out of her voice. "If Mike scheduled his presentation first, then he should have the time slot. I'll just have to make other arrangements for my program."
Both Mike and Ken looked a little surprised at that, and the meeting ended with awkward thanks. Now Sandy sat at her desk, staring at papers she wasn't really seeing and trying to deal with the flood of thoughts and emotions in her head.
How could she have been so naive? Why, when she knew how Kelly treated everyone else, should she have expected to escape that treatment herself? Kelly had set her up to take the fall for her own scheduling mistakes, just as Sandy knew she set up and manipulated others. Why hadn't she anticipated it? And how could she prove anything? There was no proof. She only knew, from her observations and experience, what Kelly was like. What if she was the only one who saw it? Kelly herself was only an annoyance, but her actions were evil. Where could Sandy go with that? And since Kelly had cast doubt on Sandy's character as well, what good would it do? It would only appear to be another attack on Kelly.
But how could Sandy go on working with her, never knowing when or where the next attack would come? She would have to be very careful from now on. She would have to document every move. And she would have to keep her ears open to hear who else had been stung. Perhaps, in time, she could make a case, but for now she would stifle her anger and suffer the humiliation. "Dear God," Sandy prayed silently, "help me handle this mess. Help me keep control of my temper and be there for others. Don't let me be vindictive. Most of all, let Kelly see how much hurt she causes. Help her break away from doing evil things."
* * * * *
Author's Note: In the introduction to his book Evil: A Historical and Theological Perspective (Fortress Press, 1995), Hans Schwarz asks two questions which are addressed by this text and story: "Why is life on earth characterized by the fact that humans make life miserable for each other?" and "Is there a force within and yet transcending humanity that functions, as it were, as a diabolos or as a 'distorter,' continually detracting from the experience of the good in our lives and turning it instead into something negative?" (p. 3).
In Antagonists in the Church: How to Identify and Deal with Destructive Conflict (Augsburg, 1988), Kenneth Haugk describes persons who act out destructively in the church, the way Kelly does in this story. Haugk says: "The spiritual forces that stand in rebellion against God and God's claim on people lie behind (indeed, precipitate) the behavior of antagonistic individuals.... When confronting an antagonist, it must be kept in mind that antagonists play into the hands of forces that are intent upon destroying the healing and caring missions of the church. One dare not sit back and watch antagonists cripple and disfigure a congregational body" (p. 42).
M. Scott Peck observes in People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil (Simon and Schuster, 1983) that in his experience "evil human beings are quite common and usually appear quite ordinary to the superficial observer." He adds: "While evil people are to be feared, they are also to be pitied. Forever fleeing the light of self-exposure and the voice of their own conscience, they are the most frightened of human beings. They live their lives in sheer terror. They need not be consigned to any hell; they are already in it" (p. 67).
Peck believes that evil people cannot be "...rapidly influenced by any means other than raw power. They do not respond, at least in the short run, to either gentle kindness or any form of spiritual persuasion..." (p. 68). "It is not their sins, per se, that characterize evil people, rather it is the subtlety and persistence and consistency of their sins. This is because the central defect of the evil is not the sin, but the refusal to acknowledge it" (p. 69).
Jo Perry-Sumwalt is director of Christian Education at Wauwatosa Avenue United Methodist Church in suburban Milwaukee. She is an officer in the Wisconsin chapter of Christian Educators Fellowship, and is the co-author with her husband John of Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit and Life Stories. Jo and John served as co-editors of StoryShare for three years.
Sermon Starters
The Chore of Going to Church
by Terry Cain
Psalm 84 is a beautiful tribute to God and a wonderful testimony to the joy of worshiping in God's temples! But does it express our honest feelings about going to church?
* * *
Kim had had this conversation with her boyfriend a few times before, but she was not insistent. While she would have liked very much for Jacob to attend church with her, she realized that it would be important for him to really want to go, rather than just to please her. It should mean something to him. However, he had always expressed the view that church was boring -- he simply didn't like to go.
One day Kim and Jacob planned to take his mother out shopping, and Jacob dropped by his mother's house to pick her up. As he entered the house he called out as he usually did, but there was no answer from his mom. Upon entering the living room, he was shocked to find her lying on the floor -- and from her position he immediately realized something serious had happened to her. He rushed over and detected that she was not breathing. His first instinct was to call the emergency 911; but he also felt he should try CPR or some first aid measure to revive her if possible, fearing the emergency service might arrive too late (if it wasn't too late already). The trouble was, Jacob did not know CPR. Like everyone else, he had heard about it -- but he had no idea how to go about it.
Fortunately, Kim had driven up right behind Jacob. He hadn't realized she had arrived, and he was overjoyed when she walked in. Sizing up the situation quickly, Kim sent Jacob to the phone to call the emergency number while she began CPR on his mother. It was not too late -- Jacob and Kim had arrived in time. Kim soon felt Jacob's mother begin to come around. By the time the fire truck (the first emergency unit to arrive) got there, she was conscious and making some communication.
The firefighters took over care of Jacob's mother and prepared her for a trip to the hospital. They commented on how fortunate it was that Kim and Jacob had arrived just when they did. Jacob was sitting on the couch with his hands over his face, very visibly shaken. As Kim reassured him that his mother would be all right, he confessed that he was frightened because he did not know what to do to help his mother. He was so very glad Kim had gotten there when she did.
"But why didn't you start CPR, Jake?" Kim asked. Jacob confessed that he did not know how. Kim was incredulous and reminded him that he had just finished a class in first aid at the Y, where CPR was one of the main topics. She had taken the class earlier, and afterwards had urged Jacob to take it.
He shook his head sorrowfully as he said, "I didn't attend all of the classes because they bored me. I missed the CPR lessons." He continued, "This experience has taught me a lesson about how important something can be, even if we don't like it."
"That's exactly what I have been telling you about church, Jake. We don't like going to the dentist, but it is very important. Some folks don't like school, but we all know how valuable school is. We don't want surgery, but if it is necessary..." she continued. "Exercise and eating a proper diet are no fun, but important. All discipline is difficult, but we need it."
"I know where you are going with this," Jacob replied. "Even if I don't like church, I should go -- it's good for me."
"Church is different," Kim said. "You may not enjoy church at first, but it becomes more important to you as you grow to love the church family, feel a deep satisfaction from worshiping and thanking God, become a part of a worldwide mission, and begin to find significant meaning in theology and its relation to our lives. Believe me, you grow to love the church and truly miss it when you don't go."
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
by Terry Cain
In this week's Gospel lesson (John 6:56-69), we see that some of the would-be followers of Jesus found his teachings too hard (v. 60), or turned away and wouldn't go with him any longer (v. 66). In light of the increasing trend today for members to migrate from smaller churches to other larger, very popular congregations, how does this scripture passage pertain to us?
* * *
Henry had been giving serious thought to what the regional leader had shared at a conference, concerning how their denomination had been losing members the last few years while some other churches (some of which were non-denominational) were growing rapidly and building great new buildings. As one of the leading laypersons in the church, he knew his own minister was beginning to feel as if she had failed in her work because the net change in membership of their local church was a minus. Of course, there are many pieces to the puzzle: people move, the psychology of the building's appearance and location, changing neighborhoods, etc. Still, everyone was concerned and wanted to know how to help the church grow.
After supper, Henry sat down in the living room to finish the remaining few pages of the novel he was presently reading, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. After he finished the book, Henry laid it down and began to ponder the differences between two of the leading characters: Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham. Darcy was universally disliked in the book -- he came across as a very proud, distant, aloof, rude, and unfriendly man. In contrast, Wickham presented a warm, friendly, and likeable extroverted personality. Wickham was well liked; Darcy seemed to have very few friends. However, in the end (I hope I am not spoiling the novel for you by revealing part of the outcome) the real nature of the two men is just the opposite of the first impressions of them. Darcy turns out to be compassionate, caring, honest, helpful, and generous, while Wickham is deceitful and selfish. Henry thought about how surface appearances are deceptive; one needs to dig much deeper for the true picture.
Just then, Henry's two daughters came running into the room, jumped into his lap, and begged to have a bedtime story read to them. They had picked one of their favorite books, Winkie Bunny. Henry read the story to the girls, about how Winkie's mother sent him and his two sisters and brother out one morning to the pasture to gather some clover for lunch and supper. On the way to the field they passed close by a farmhouse with an open kitchen window, where they smelled and spied a big cherry pie fresh from the oven cooling on the sill. Winkie suggested they all go over and sneak a taste of the pie, but his little bunny sisters and brother told him that would only lead to trouble -- and mother rabbit would be unhappy if they did. But the pie was too tempting for Winkie. While his sisters and brother went to the pasture to pick clover, Winkie snuck over and tasted the pie. Neither the farm wife nor her husband were around, and the pie tasted so good that Winkie kept eating until the whole pie was gone! (At the risk of ruining another good story for you by revealing the ending...) That noon the bunny family had a clover salad, but Winkie was too uncomfortable to eat. That night while the bunnies ate clover sandwiches, Winkie was sick in bed. The whole cherry pie was too much for Winkie and not good for his tummy.
Later, before retiring to bed, Henry thought about these two stories in juxtaposition. Darcy wasn't popular, but he was the man with integrity and compassion. Wickham was all show, but no depth. Clover was boring, but healthy for little bunnies. Sugary sweet cherry pie was tasty, but not good for bunny stomachs.
All of the Old and New Testament leaders were unpopular, and some of them angered religious people enough that those people wanted to kill them, as they did Jesus. The message with depth and meaning -- the full gospel -- is not always what we want to hear. It may make us very uncomfortable or even upset at times. Instead of bringing in members in droves, it may drive some away. Henry wondered: Was the church so much different today that God's word was popular, instead of hard and challenging as it was in Bible times? Would a congregation that preached the full gospel of discipline, real sacrifice, and commitment be popular with the majority? Henry knew you could not jump to the conclusion that an unpopular church was closer to the truth and a popular church was skipping over what we really needed to hear but weren't hearing. Yet the message Henry was picking up was that the church must stop being concerned about numbers, and focus more on the real message of Jesus and ministry to all people in our communities. The profile of a significant church might be more diverse -- less like a social club and reaching more of the down-and-outers -- just for starters.
Terry Cain is a retired United Methodist pastor, and the author of the CSS titles Shaking Wolves Out of Cherry Trees and Lions and Cows Dining Together.
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How to Share Stories
You have good stories to share, probably more than you know: personal stories as well as stories from others that you have used over the years. If you have a story you like, whether fictional or "really happened," authored by you or a brief excerpt from a favorite book, send it to StoryShare for review. Simply click here share-a-story@csspub.com and e-mail the story to us.
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StoryShare, August 27, 2006, issue.
Copyright 2006 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
