"Anything Different?"
“Anything Different?”
January 8, 2006 CCUM
Rev Carolyn Waters
Welcome back! It’s really good to see you! It’s really good to be here!
Welcome back! Back from the holidays! Back from trips here and there! Perhaps back from taking a little time off from the regulars of your life…………..Welcome back!
But especially I say welcome back to the routine, to the things in your life that are regular!
If there is such a thing!
It’s January, a good time to lie dormant and reflect on what is. A great time to finish up indoor projects, an appropriate time to hope for a snow day. In the tradition of the church year, or the liturgical calendar, we are in Epiphany! The season when we remember the light of the star that guided the Wise One’s on their new spiritual path. The season when we rehearse the baptism of Jesus and are asked to remember our own baptism. And its just early enough in a new calendar year to be challenged to set new goals for ourselves or to make changes for the year ahead. I like this month more and more.
Last week I went to get a new driver’s license. As I was answering those familiar questions of height, weight, eye and hair color something happened to me that had never happened before. I’m not talking about a sudden desire to tell the truth about my weight, rather the shock came when the young woman behind the counter ask for hair color. I said brown. Then I said, “or is it grey?” She just looked at me and smiled! Then I said, I’ve never put down grey, what do you think?” She smiled again and said with a sheepish grin, “I think maybe it’s grey!”
Great! Now I have grey hair instead of brown! I still think I have a long way to go to catch up with some of the rest of you, but it’s a significant change for me!
If change and transformation are not a part of what pushes or pulls you into a new year, then you are missing a wonderful opportunity for self-assessment and reflection.
In the reading from Acts Paul questions the disciples who are with him and asks: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” A number of things can be read into that question, but the one that I think makes the most sense to reflect on would be this, “Since you became believers, is anything different?”
Paul was checking out the source of their baptism or the point of their becoming believers, to make sure they knew about Jesus. And further, he wanted to make sure that if they were baptized, then something about their life had changed. It would not have been possible to have “received the holy spirit,” and stay the same person as you were before receiving the holy spirit.
The question I take from Paul’s encounter with the followers is simply, “Is anything different?” Is anything different about your life now than it was before? Is anything different today than it was a year ago? Is there any part of life that because you say you believe in Christ, has changed?
In a scene from “Walk the Line” the current film portraying the life of Johnny Cash; young Cash goes into a small recording studio in Memphis a shy young man with a dream to sing but with little confidence or passion about life. The experienced recording producer, that has young Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Louis pictures on his wall, listens to JR Cash sing an old gospel tune. He stops Cash and asks if there is anything else he could sing. Johnny is offended that the man doesn’t want gospel music. The producer says, “you have to sing it like you believe it.” Johnny was insulted again, feeling this man was accusing him of not believing in God, which may have very well been the case. The producer kept pushing Johnny, “sing me a song and make me believe you believe what you are singing.” And then he said something to the effect of, “It doesn’t matter if you believe in God, what matters is whether or not you believe in yourself.”
Cash was angry, and he started to sing. He started to sing with passion, with conviction, with a purpose and meaning. On that day, he recorded his first record.
I have always believed that life lived without passion is flat, kind of like the absence of the Holy Spirit! And I also agree that the content of our belief is not the most important aspect, rather the importance of our belief has to do with the extent to which our belief shapes and changes us, transforms us into “new beings” or grounds us in our own convictions. And from that grounding place, from that baptismal place, what we say we believe is reflected in who we are………………and who we are is reflected in whether or not we believe enough in ourselves to live out the unique spark of who God created and gifted us to be.
So my question to you; is there anything different about who you are since the last time you said that you are a believer?
Much like the question Paul asked the disciples, is anything different, has anything changed, have you received the Holy Spirit? Or are you in the process of undergoing transformation? Is you hair getting grey?
A book called Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman the ever-popular author of the children’s book More Spaghetti, I Say! is a delightful read about her life path taken after a divorce in her 40’s. For the past eighteen years she has lived as a nomad in the world without a permanent address and no more possessions than she can carry on her back. Midway through her story she says this:
"As a kid I sought spirituality in the synagogue, but I found words, music, social events, and fundraising. The rituals, the social stuff, and the camaraderie were great, but I never felt spiritual."
"I have also looked in Protestant, Catholic, Unitarian, and Quaker church. I looked in Nicaragua at the First Communion of Marco’s daughter. The setting was right: the chapel was dimly lit, the voice of the priest was soothing, and the sun-illuminated stained-glass windows told me that this was a holy place. But I didn’t feel anything spiritual. Not inside or outside. Any my Israeli experience wasn’t even close."
"In Palenque, considered by many to be a particularly spiritual place, I felt the presence of the ancient Mayans, but it was the dramatic history of the people that set off my imagination, and not really anything spiritual."
"Little do I know, as my plane flies over the Pacific Ocean, how deep and intensely spiritual my Bali experience is going to be."
p. 136-137
Rita Gelman tried to find spirituality in all the right places, but finally found her spiritual life deep within herself, with the help of a wise teacher that taught her how to look, to listen, to reflect, and to be open.
I tremble with trepidation at the thought of being responsible for your ability or inability to touch the holy that is all about you. I also tremble with the responsibility as a pastor and preacher to do the best job I know how to awaken and open you to what is already in front of you.
Paul asked his disciples if they had received the Holy Spirit. I ask you if your faith journey has made any difference in your life, if you are living in a world of change and transformation from the inside out.
What are you living for? What are you moving towards? How do you love? In what ways do you give? How have you changed? What have you learned? What difference does your life make? And is there any desire within you, to see beyond this day to something new, something challenging, and something that will awaken your soul, a journey that could change your life?
Who will go with you? Who are the people who you will tell your story to and create new chapters with?
It’s a new year. Is anything different?
January 8, 2006 CCUM
Rev Carolyn Waters
Welcome back! It’s really good to see you! It’s really good to be here!
Welcome back! Back from the holidays! Back from trips here and there! Perhaps back from taking a little time off from the regulars of your life…………..Welcome back!
But especially I say welcome back to the routine, to the things in your life that are regular!
If there is such a thing!
It’s January, a good time to lie dormant and reflect on what is. A great time to finish up indoor projects, an appropriate time to hope for a snow day. In the tradition of the church year, or the liturgical calendar, we are in Epiphany! The season when we remember the light of the star that guided the Wise One’s on their new spiritual path. The season when we rehearse the baptism of Jesus and are asked to remember our own baptism. And its just early enough in a new calendar year to be challenged to set new goals for ourselves or to make changes for the year ahead. I like this month more and more.
Last week I went to get a new driver’s license. As I was answering those familiar questions of height, weight, eye and hair color something happened to me that had never happened before. I’m not talking about a sudden desire to tell the truth about my weight, rather the shock came when the young woman behind the counter ask for hair color. I said brown. Then I said, “or is it grey?” She just looked at me and smiled! Then I said, I’ve never put down grey, what do you think?” She smiled again and said with a sheepish grin, “I think maybe it’s grey!”
Great! Now I have grey hair instead of brown! I still think I have a long way to go to catch up with some of the rest of you, but it’s a significant change for me!
If change and transformation are not a part of what pushes or pulls you into a new year, then you are missing a wonderful opportunity for self-assessment and reflection.
In the reading from Acts Paul questions the disciples who are with him and asks: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” A number of things can be read into that question, but the one that I think makes the most sense to reflect on would be this, “Since you became believers, is anything different?”
Paul was checking out the source of their baptism or the point of their becoming believers, to make sure they knew about Jesus. And further, he wanted to make sure that if they were baptized, then something about their life had changed. It would not have been possible to have “received the holy spirit,” and stay the same person as you were before receiving the holy spirit.
The question I take from Paul’s encounter with the followers is simply, “Is anything different?” Is anything different about your life now than it was before? Is anything different today than it was a year ago? Is there any part of life that because you say you believe in Christ, has changed?
In a scene from “Walk the Line” the current film portraying the life of Johnny Cash; young Cash goes into a small recording studio in Memphis a shy young man with a dream to sing but with little confidence or passion about life. The experienced recording producer, that has young Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Louis pictures on his wall, listens to JR Cash sing an old gospel tune. He stops Cash and asks if there is anything else he could sing. Johnny is offended that the man doesn’t want gospel music. The producer says, “you have to sing it like you believe it.” Johnny was insulted again, feeling this man was accusing him of not believing in God, which may have very well been the case. The producer kept pushing Johnny, “sing me a song and make me believe you believe what you are singing.” And then he said something to the effect of, “It doesn’t matter if you believe in God, what matters is whether or not you believe in yourself.”
Cash was angry, and he started to sing. He started to sing with passion, with conviction, with a purpose and meaning. On that day, he recorded his first record.
I have always believed that life lived without passion is flat, kind of like the absence of the Holy Spirit! And I also agree that the content of our belief is not the most important aspect, rather the importance of our belief has to do with the extent to which our belief shapes and changes us, transforms us into “new beings” or grounds us in our own convictions. And from that grounding place, from that baptismal place, what we say we believe is reflected in who we are………………and who we are is reflected in whether or not we believe enough in ourselves to live out the unique spark of who God created and gifted us to be.
So my question to you; is there anything different about who you are since the last time you said that you are a believer?
Much like the question Paul asked the disciples, is anything different, has anything changed, have you received the Holy Spirit? Or are you in the process of undergoing transformation? Is you hair getting grey?
A book called Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman the ever-popular author of the children’s book More Spaghetti, I Say! is a delightful read about her life path taken after a divorce in her 40’s. For the past eighteen years she has lived as a nomad in the world without a permanent address and no more possessions than she can carry on her back. Midway through her story she says this:
"As a kid I sought spirituality in the synagogue, but I found words, music, social events, and fundraising. The rituals, the social stuff, and the camaraderie were great, but I never felt spiritual."
"I have also looked in Protestant, Catholic, Unitarian, and Quaker church. I looked in Nicaragua at the First Communion of Marco’s daughter. The setting was right: the chapel was dimly lit, the voice of the priest was soothing, and the sun-illuminated stained-glass windows told me that this was a holy place. But I didn’t feel anything spiritual. Not inside or outside. Any my Israeli experience wasn’t even close."
"In Palenque, considered by many to be a particularly spiritual place, I felt the presence of the ancient Mayans, but it was the dramatic history of the people that set off my imagination, and not really anything spiritual."
"Little do I know, as my plane flies over the Pacific Ocean, how deep and intensely spiritual my Bali experience is going to be."
p. 136-137
Rita Gelman tried to find spirituality in all the right places, but finally found her spiritual life deep within herself, with the help of a wise teacher that taught her how to look, to listen, to reflect, and to be open.
I tremble with trepidation at the thought of being responsible for your ability or inability to touch the holy that is all about you. I also tremble with the responsibility as a pastor and preacher to do the best job I know how to awaken and open you to what is already in front of you.
Paul asked his disciples if they had received the Holy Spirit. I ask you if your faith journey has made any difference in your life, if you are living in a world of change and transformation from the inside out.
What are you living for? What are you moving towards? How do you love? In what ways do you give? How have you changed? What have you learned? What difference does your life make? And is there any desire within you, to see beyond this day to something new, something challenging, and something that will awaken your soul, a journey that could change your life?
Who will go with you? Who are the people who you will tell your story to and create new chapters with?
It’s a new year. Is anything different?
posted by Rev Waters | 8:08 AM
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