Look Who's Talking

Scriptures that Keep Us Awake at Night

“Look Who’s Talking”

Rev. Beth Anderson

Messiah UMC

January 29, 2012

1 Timothy 2:12, 1 Corinthians 14: 34

One day after worship here at Messiah, a man who was a somewhat regular visitor stopped me while shaking my hand and said, “Pastor Beth- How do we know the bible is the Word of God?”

We stepped aside and I said, “Mike, This is an awesome question. I believe we look at our faith like a table with four legs—and one of those legs carries the most weight… the strongest leg of the table is scripture, but the other legs also help our faith to stand strong- those other legs are tradition, experience, and reason. The living core of our faith is ‘revealed in scripture, illuminated by our tradition, it is vivified in our personal experience- and it is confirmed by reason.”[1]

For some- the answer is clear- they say—read the bible. There. You’ll find your answer.

Sounds simple? But I don’t think it is. If you really read the bible- you’re going to get more questions…

Scripture will convict you and challenge you—Scripture may just even keep you awake at night.

This week we’re addressing one of the scriptures that you all sent in:

One of you shared that this scripture is one you’ve struggled with-

She said: This is a great idea for a sermon series. Here are my troublesome passages:

1 Timothy 2:12 - I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.

She said, “You could also use this:

1 Corinthians 14:34

women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.

So now- Let’s hear a fuller context of these scriptures:

First: 1 Timothy—you’ll find it in your pew bible on page_1086. This occurs within a section of scripture where Paul is giving instructions concerning prayer—starting at verse 8 he says:

1 Timothy 2:8-15

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Now this has a lot in this- and we’re not going to unpack everything here.

I can guarantee - Not all of your questions will be answered today.

(And thank God for that! Because God keeps growing us and giving us new questions!)

Now Let’s hear the fuller text of 1 Corinthians 14: 26-40 it’s in your pew bible on page_1050

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Good Order in Worship

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church; let them speak to themselves and to God.

29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?

37 If any think they are prophets or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

38 Those who ignore this will themselves be ignored. 39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Both of these texts refer to specific instructions to these communities of faith concerning how they should pray and how they should order their worship.

The Epistles are letters from Paul to the early and growing church.

They teach us how the church addresses its own growing edges—how the church is figuring out how to be church.

We’ve been church for over 2000 years and in many ways we keep learning how we are to be church.

What do we do with scriptures like this - these scriptures that keep us awake at night?

How do we read the bible? Isn’t this the Word of God?

Is it as simple as- the bible says it- that’s it?

One the most important things when reading scripture is to ask ourselves some questions:

What kind of scripture am I reading? Is this a psalm- is it poetic? Is it liturgy for worship? Is it historical? A parable? A prophecy? A letter?

Are we reading the scripture within the proper historical and cultural context?

In 1 Timothy, Paul writes a letter to Timothy regarding his ministry in Ephesus and instructs him on the forms of worship, organization of the church, and various responsibilities of the community of faith.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to the church at Corinth. Paul’s first visit had lasted nearly two years and his converts were mainly Greeks. Sometime before 2nd Corinthians was written he paid them another visit[2] to check some rising disorder[3]. They had also been visited by Apollos[4], perhaps by Peter[5], and by some Jewish Christians who brought with them letters of commendation from Jerusalem[6]. Corinth was the meeting point of many nationalities because the main current of the trade between Asia and western Europe passed through its harbors. It was a place full of activity, rapid growth, and change. Within all this diversity there were also competing false gods and cults distorting and luring people from the truth of the faith. Women associated in the cult of Dionysus wore particular clothing and hairdos and often appeared to go mad or show up in church services. [7] Paul’s instructions come to the church of Corinth in the midst of this diverse context.

While we’re reading Paul’s instructions to these communities- we should make sure that we understand these instructions in accordance with all Paul’s other instructions.

Who was Paul’s intended audience?

What was going on in their context?

Was Paul addressing a specific conflict to a particular group of people or was he giving instructions for all people throughout all time?

Culturally women were second class citizens and did not have the same rights as men. And yet, they had a prominent role with Jesus and in the early church. Christ treated women differently than the culture and set a new standard for how they should be treated.

His letters provide clues that women engaged in various activities to build up the church.

How does Paul feel about women in the church?

St. Paul Welcomes Bishop Praxedis from the Church of St. Praxedis in Rome

In his letter to the Romans, Paul commends women including Phoebe[8], a servant of the church at Cenchreae (SEN-kree-uh), Paul says, “welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well.” Paul greets Priscilla, Junia, Julia, and Nereus’ (NEE-ruhs )sister.[9] He praises Junia as “prominent among the apostles” and she has also been imprisoned with him.[10] Paul praises Mary and Persis for their hard work.[11] In his letter to the Philippians, Paul calls Euodia and Syntyche (Sin-'tee-ke) fellow workers in the gospel. [12]

Within 1 Corinthians Paul has spoken about women in chapter 11 and focused on men and women and how they should pray. Paul gives instructions for women to cover their hair when they pray and prophesy. It is clear that women are praying and indeed prophesying. “Nevertheless, how can a woman pray or prophesy in church when veiled if she is to remain silent in the church?”[13]

In the case of 1 Timothy, scholars such as Gordon Fee have interpreted the Greek and found that “in this context [it appears] that the instruction is against her being ‘up front,’ talking foolishness, or being a ‘busybody’.”[14]

Teaching was where much of the problem in the church of Ephesus occurred.

Paul wants Timothy to help straying elders.

Here, Paul is prohibiting women to teach in what are most likely house churches, but in other churches, they prophesy[15] and likely give teaching from time to time.[16]

Today, we seek to understand what kind of teaching this text is referring to; have some women been taught by false teachers, by cults and are perpetuating errors?

Paul directs that women are not to teach men, which continues the cultural placement of women as “being submissive in every way.”[17]

And we remember this is the same Paul who announced “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”[18]

We also need to take in to account the fullness we know of God when we read scripture.

Does this mesh with everything else in God’s word?

Does this fall in harmony with the person and the life of Jesus Christ?

When we begin at the creation story we remember that God made male and female in God’s own image and they were placed to work together in harmonious partnership. [19]

The Hebrew scriptures are filled with the prophets who call us to justice and to speak out against inequalities- especially we see equality in Joel who says that “all your sons and daughters shall prophesy.”

Women are prominent throughout the Old Testament -women who held power in the faith Sarah, Rachel, Leah, Jochebed (JOK-uh-bed), the daughters of Zelophehad (zuh-LOH-fuh-had), Deborah, Ruth, Abigail, The Shun-a-mite woman, Esther, and many more.

These women were courageous, spoke up, and are vital to the story of our faith.

Powerful, called women are seen in New Testament as we see Mary answer a call that God has placed in her life to have the Word incarnate come to birth through her, Elizabeth, Martha and Mary and many others who are named and unnamed.

Jesus speaks to women, he reached out to them, he eats with them, trusts them, he teaches and disciples them.

The very first person to spread the good news that Jesus had risen was a woman!

Jesus could have chosen to appear to any number of people upon the resurrection, and yet he chose a woman!

He chose Mary Magdalene –to be the first evangelist who preached this good news of salvation!

Hmm…Maybe reading scripture is a little more complicated than- “the bible says it, I believe it..”

I realized I was a United Methodist—in a sense- because of this…

The bible offers us some wonderful inspiring texts, but also some incredibly challenging ones.

Some of the conclusions I heard growing up didn’t seem right given my own reasoning and experience. For a long time, I thought I was alone in this.

Then I wondered into the chapel at Birmingham Southern College and began reading the hymnal, reading John Wesley sermons, and I realized- here was a place where you didn’t check your own mind at the door, where your own story of who God had formed you and was forming you to be-was actually valid and not discounted!

I wasn’t alone- there were others! In fact 2000 years of Christian tradition and 300 years of Methodism--people learning and growing and discerning scripture! It’s a Christian tradition filled with women deaconesses, elders, deacons, missionaries, district superintendents, and bishops… and more on the way!

When I heard God calling me into ministry- I said- there is no way- God is calling me!

Does God know me—and all the baggage I bring?

Yes- God does—for God formed my inmost being and calls me wonderfully and fearfully made and knits me together![20]

Once I accepted that, I discerned that it must be God that God was calling me to be a chaplain in a hospital- to counsel others as I did at the local women’s shelter.

But one day, a year later, as I prepared to speak at a church in the suburbs of Detroit about the bag lunch program I ran—I called to confirm I was their mission speaker, the secretary informed me, “Why yes- we have you! You’re preaching and leading the service that Sunday!” What! Oh – no there has been a mistake- I’m the speaker—not the preacher…. “Oh no,” she said, “the pastor is taking this Sunday off and you are the preacher and worship leader.”

So I prayed and I prayed, and I prepared, and I preached and a powerful thing happened.

I felt the power of the Holy Spirit come over me and I felt God say, “Yes and I am calling you to this too!” The people of the congregation said to me afterwards--- you’d be a good chaplain, but we also see that God has indeed called you to preach.

We read the bible, we research it, we do solid and thorough work, we comb through the tradition and learn, and our own experience and mind work to understand what has God said—what does our faith say- and what is God calling?

I believe God has offered salvation to all, baptism for all, discipleship for all, therefore ministry and the call to preach God’s Word is NOT limited!”

Thanks be to God! Amen!

If you'd like to listen to this sermon you can find it at Messiah UMC's website

---

[1] BOD

[2] 2 Cor. 12: 14; 2 Cor. 13: 1

[3] 2 Cor. 2: 1; 2 Cor. 13: 2

[4] Acts 18: 27

[5] 1 Cor. 1: 12

[6] 1 Cor. 1: 12; 2 Cor. 3: 1; 2 Cor. 5: 16; 2 Cor. 11: 23

[7] Kroeger, Catherine “The Apostle Paul and the Greco-Romans Cults of Women”

[8] Romans 16: 1-2

[9] Romans 16: 3,7,15

[10] Rom 16:7][11][12]

[11] Rom. 16:6,12]

[12] Phil. 4:2-3]

[13] New International Bible Commentary, 1 Corinthians 302

[14] New International Bible Commentary, 1 Timothy, 72

[15] 1 Cor 11:15

[16] 1 Cor 14:26

[17] 1 Timothy 2:11

[18] Galatians 3:28

[19] Genesis 1:26-31

[20] Psalm 139

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the Night Before Christmas at the Preacher's House...
There was a very cool article about how pastor's do Christmas that was floating around Facebook that I thought was pretty good.

For a lot of folks Christmas can be stressful, especially for Clergy, Clergy Moms and Dads, and I believe especially for Clergy Couples. Churches can do a lot to ease the stress off the pastor so that the pastor may be the most effective s/he can be-- especially on the night that is most the most highly attended church service of the year!

I am very very thankful for the amazing church I serve!

Messiah United Methodist Church is an amazing community of faith sharing the joy of Jesus Christ!

I've had both of my babies here. In fact we found out the day after we moved in the parsonage that we were pregnant.

I thought they would just be so disappointed! Here they brought on this young vibrant pastor and I was exhausted.... But no, they never thought or acted this way. Once my church knew that Kevin and I were expecting our first child- they were as ecstatic as we were! Then when sixteen months after our first we had our second, they joyfully welcomed her too!

Messiah has always been wonderful at offering childcare at church events, worship, meetings, etc. They were like this way before I was here.

But here's the huge thing- if I'm the only one who needs childcare at a meeting...it is still made available for me. That is huge! (Some of you will really know this!)

We have wonderful families, but neither Kevin's family nor mine live close by.
At church events, worship, etc, we do not have family who can help with our children.
One year, our children were in the nursery until 12:30am on Christmas Eve!
(We have the most amazing childcare/nursery workers ever!!! They love our children and we love them!)

We are a clergy couple- so we usually both need to be at church at the same time.
Currently, we serve at the same church (which has advantages and disadvantages to child care needs--for ex we once were both leading retreats (me for the Women's Ministry, him for the Youth on the same weekend- Aghh!)

For Christmas Eve this means four services 5, 7, 9, and 11. I lead the 5pm service for children and families. This service used to only have the children's Christmas pageant and children's music.... which is great--but I added a sermon when I came on board. Mostly because I figured that for some folks this may the only church service they attend all year, but also because every opportunity I get, I'm going to preach the Gospel. Dr. Teresa Fry-Brown used to walk into the classroom, shout out a text, and give us 3-5 minutes to preach a 3-5 minute sermon.
Even if I've got only a small window of time...its still an opportunity...

Kevin preaches at the 7pm Youth Service and then we're both at 9 and 11.

For a couple years now, one of our friends who also happens to be a staff member (although this is not part of her job!) has offered to be at our house with our children (and her kids come over too) we turn on the fire and they hang out enjoy watching movies, and our kids get to bed.

They did this again for us this year and it is a huge help- an enormous relief!

So after I finish preaching the 5pm service, I get the kiddos, take them home, get them in their Christmas pjs, and we put out Santa's cookies (milk will come out later).

I am so thankful for our friends helping us with this!

A few other kids have joined in this tradition- folks involved in the music ministry (who are also at church all night) have dropped off their kids.
SO in addition to my two-- our friends watched 2 other families' children!
With a total of 5 kids.
Before we left for church earlier in the afternoon on Christmas Eve-we pulled our pack n play out for one baby and cleaned the guest room up for another child to sleep.
Of course now- it still looks like a tornado hit our house --- post-Christmas....

Also for the past few years, one of the amazing women from our church, a Mom, and a friend, and a leader out of our PoLO's Parents of Little Ones ministry has organized "Christmas Eve Lunch" to be brought to our house on the 24th.

This is amazing and overwhelming, and I fight back tears as swarms of loving folks ring our doorbell bringing food. We were brought, turkey, ham, potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, apple pie, salad, fruit salad, a Breakfast casserole! SO So much food!!! We ate a bit for Christmas lunch... but we are so go-go-go... that we don't tend to fill up too much on Christmas Eve... We really eat this on Christmas Day!
We have nothing to worry about on Christmas Day because of this joyful and kind service! And we are SO THANKFUL!

On Christmas Eve I tried to clean most of the day- we're having visitors coming in town this week... and since folks would be over in the evening of Christmas Eve I wanted things clean and organized... and I just wanted it to look nice for me- especially before the whirlwind came Christmas Day.
I cleaned until around noon ish-- then we ate a bit of lunch and then I put the girls in the bath by 2 ish. Gracie thought it was hilarious that she was taking a bath in the middle of the day!

I got the girls in their dresses, hair done, tights, shoes, and Kevin and I got ready and then we read "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

I wanted to be at church by 3:30 but didn't make it till 4 (still needed to print out my sermon and go over it a bit)-- even when its 5 minutes-- you still want it good! :)

Kevin was going to drop off girls at the Children's Choir room by 4:30 and get them where they needed to be. I had enough time to print sermon, pull my hair up, get my mic, robe, and stole on, put the nursery workers cards and gift cards together (and asked someone to take them down to the nursery for me- yay for delegating!) and got in the sanctuary to greet folks coming.

5pm came and the service went great! I'm pretty sure we had about 1000 folks at the Christmas Eve Service (but that's a "preacher's count" lol) Folks went out to the narthex...

The greatest part of service this year? After preaching my sermon- I sat with my family and together we watched the pageant together. We even got a picture!

Afterwards one of the youth helped Kevin get girls in settled in stroller to go home while I said goodbye to folks. Then I walked the girls home and got them settled with our friends.

I made it back in time to see the 7pm service. I wasn't participating in this service, so I had the great joy to sit in the pew and hear my husband preach!

You might be wondering - do preacher's eat dinner on Christmas Eve? I'm not sure how other's do it-- but I only eat and the other pastors and musicians and those involved in services at Messiah eat because of the love and generosity of the SPRC (for non Methodists- that's Staff Parish Relations Committee --they're like HR) The Staff Parish Committee sets a spread for all of us in the parlor. We have caffeinated drinks (a must), sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres, sweets, etc.. Everything is delicious and we graze all night.

One of the best Christmas Eve's -- it was right before the 11 o'clock service and I said something that sounded really Southern and I laughed at myself and said, "Wow, I'm tired my Southern accent is really coming out!" And Ralph (our Sr. Pastor said), "I hate to tell you this, but you always sound Southern!" We all were rolling! He has an incredible sense of humor!

The greatest part of Christmas Eve is singing "Silent Night" seeing the light of the Christ candle spread throughout the congregation and as the light is spread, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus come up the aisle and stand with the pastors. I love sharing a hymnal with my amazing husband, holding my light high, and seeing the light throughout the congregation knowing that Christ has come!

At the end of singing Silent Night, Pastor Ralph gives this benediction:

"O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today!"

We sing "Joy to the World" and process out of the church with the acolyte leading, then Mary and Joseph, then Kevin and me arm in arm, and then Pastor Ralph and Pastor Jose side by side (they tend not to walk arm in arm!).

I love Christmas Eve! I love being a pastor and a mom and a wife-- and I love that God and my church have called and equipped me in all of the above!

12 Days of Christmas

Its sad to me that most people seem like they are done with Christmas... It is still Christmas! :)
I am seriously not trying to be a liturgical snob here.

Most of us are burnt-out on Christmas because decorations came up after Halloween.

So many people have taken down their trees and decorations. And our tree is looking a bit of a fire hazard and will have to come down soon... and I totally understand the desire to have everything neat and packed away so that vacation time can be enjoyable (as some folks are doing.) But it is Still Christmas! We have 12 days to celebrate the birth of Christ!


The 12 Days of Christmas is not just a song that is played on the radio...
It has real meaning.
Delia Halverson points out in her book, "Teaching and Celebrating the Christian Seasons" that the origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas song was actually a device to teach Christianity.

The meaning behind the song is :
True Love---------------------- God
Me------------------------------ Baptized Christian
Partridge in a Pear Tree--------Jesus (a partridge acts as a decoy to save its babies)
Two Turtle Doves---------------Old and New Testaments, witnesses of God
Three French Hens--------------Faith, Hope, Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)
you know this one its what we read at all the weddings...
Four Calling Birds----------------Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Five Gold Rings------------------Torah of Old Testament (the first five books)
Six geese a-laying----------------Six days God created (Genesis 1)
Seven swans a-swimming--------Seven gifts of Holy Spirit (Romans 12:6-8;
1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
Eight maids a-milking-------------Eight Beatitudes (Matthew 6: 3-10)
Nine ladies dancing----------------Nine gifts of Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22)
Ten lords a-leaping----------------Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 1-7)
Eleven pipers piping---------------Eleven faithful apostles (minus Judas Iscariot)
Twelve drummers drumming------Twelve points in Apostles' Creed


Epiphany does not come until January 6

We still have time to be in Christmas! My husband, Kevin preached a great sermon on Christmas Eve titled, "Doing Christmas" where he shared how we get so caught up in doing Christmas that we do not "feel" Christmas.

Perhaps it has been a rush getting ready for family and Christmas, and gifts, and baking, and cleaning.

Advent and Christmas are quite hectic in my house- but I am thankful for these 12 days. I do not take vacation during this time- I'm usually one of few in the office this week. Kevin and I usually take the first week of January for vacation so that our Senior pastor and Director of Congregational Care can be away this week. I actually love being in the office. It is quiet, I have time to clean, to reflect, to prepare for future sermons. But most of all- this week allows me space to truly BE in the power of these 12 Days of Christmas. To allow space to soak in the power of the Incarnation.

So Merry Christmas!

Prayer for Bullies and those they bully

Lord, soften the hardened hearts of bullies. Tame their harsh tounges when they threaten and puff themselves up. Restrain them in their haste to tear others down. I cry out and wonder why they are the way they are? Help me Lord to be strong, make me a fortress in their assault. I do not know why they do what they do. I do not understand why others follow them. I am hurt and angry by their weapons of intimidation, fear, and manipulation. I teach my children, “Bullies have a hurt in their heart and that is why they hurt others. Maybe we can show them love. Maybe we will teach their hearts to be kind.” And yet, Lord, often” killing them with kindness”, only seems to fuel their agenda. This is too big for me. I give you the pain. I am too small to handle them. I feel too small to shine your light in their darkness. I do not feel equipped. I cannot teach their hearts to be kind. Thank you for your Son, who came for all. Your love came down on Christmas to save us all. Let the love of your Son Jesus Christ dwell in the hearts of all your children. Let bullies cease their desire for a control which creates chaos and disunity. Let your love rule over our hearts, let us let Jesus be our Lord who guides us, let your love unite us all. Amen.