New Love, New Mercy: Hesed

     OK, to start let’s begin with a little Bible knowledge test.  What was the language that Jesus spoke?  Hebrew?  I’ll accept that answer, but the language that Jesus spoke was actually a dialect of Hebrew known as Aramaic.  Hebrew was a high, formal language useful for reading religious scrolls and participating in worship services in the synagogue or temple, but Aramaic was what people spoke in their homes and out on the street, what some would call “low” Hebrew. If you want to compare that difference, it would be like speaking this way in a “high” form of English, “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name”, and here’s the low version, “God in heaven, your name is holy”. 

     So when the rabbi in the Jewish synagogue pulled out the scroll and read from the Book of Jeremiah’s Lamentations it was read in Hebrew, but people listening had to do some translating to understand what the words meant in everyday life.  So this morning we’re going to do a little translating.

     Does anyone here know any words in Hebrew?  “Shalom” is one that is well-known.  So when Jesus said “Shalom alechem”, you know he was saying something like “Peace be with you”.  Our choir sang a song from the new Hymn Book a few weeks ago that repeats that word over and over “Shalom Chevarim”, because a song about peace will always be popular in a church because peace is one of our constant prayers in a world where there is too much violence and war.  “Shalom My Friends” is a parting song, but it reminds us that we will be back together soon, in peace. 

     This morning I want to teach you another word in Hebrew.  The word is “hesed”.  Has anyone ever heard that word?  What does it mean?  Did you know that if our worship service was conducted in Hebrew you would have already said that word a dozen times or more this morning?  Take a look at the Call to Worship, “Steadfast love” is what “hesed” means.  “Steadfast Love”.  In our Call to Worship we are reminding ourselves that it is God’s love that has brought us together, and God’s love that sends us out in the world at the end of the service.  The additional word “steadfast” is critical, because in saying “steadfast love” we are acknowledging that God’s love is not fickle or changeable or unreliable.  It is constant, unchangeable, and very reliable. 

     Let’s think about some places where you experience steadfast love.  Would you use steadfast love to describe a song you enjoy?  Maybe, if it’s a song you have loved for your whole life, but if it’s a song that you’ll probably forget by next month maybe not.  Would you use steadfast love to describe a high school boyfriend or girlfriend?  Maybe if you end up getting married and staying together for the rest of your lives.  But if you suspect that you will have a new girlfriend or boyfriend next week, maybe steadfast love isn’t the way to describe that relationship. 

     But we use “hesed”, steadfast love, to describe how God feels about us, because we have come to trust that God’s love is constant and reliable.  Even when we get into a real mess in our life, we trust that God’s love is always there to receive us back when we stray.  The whole Book of Lamentations tells that kind of story:  we mess up again and again, we forget God, we start wars, we ignore the hungry, but even then God’s love is steadfast, reliable, constant, never-changing.  And that is the heart of Jeremiah’s Lamentations, not just a long list of everything that has gone wrong, but at the heart a celebration of God’s steadfast love. 

     I was trying to think of a way to bring together in one sermon the two categories of our 2010 Narrative Budget that we have before us this morning, and I think “hesed is the way to do it.  Section three of the budget, on the front of the page, describes all of the things that we have to do to maintain a home base for the mission that we are committed to doing.  We actually don’t need a building to be Christians because we could worship out in the park every Sunday.  All we would need is folding chairs, a table, and maybe an electric cord to operate Liz’ keyboard.  But it sure makes it a lot easier to gather in a shelter that is dedicated to our mission work in the world, especially during the colder months. 

     Our church building is a fantastic place to gather for worship, for learning, for sharing meals, youth programs, and much more.  We want to be in a place that has a constant, reliable, visible gathering place for Christians in Byron.  And so you can see in the Narrative Budget all of the ways that our Trustees, working on your behalf, maintain and clean and repair our buildings and the surrounding property.  It’s expensive, but we offset a lot of that expense by careful conserving energy and supplies and by using lots of voluntary labor from our church members.  The work we do to care for this building is a demonstration, so that the community around us will always see our building as a sign of God’s steadfast love.  People come and go, the generations rise and pass away, but God’s love is constant, and our building proves it.  Faith is not a building, but we love having a beautiful building in which to celebrate God’s steadfast love.

     Section four, on the back of the page, is a more obvious expression of “hesed”, constant care for the people of God.  A regular budget with a long list of numbers would show one single line for “Deacons $200”, but in the Narrative Budget, you can see for $200 we receive a lot of care from one another in this church, hospital and home visits, cards in the mail, phone calls, prayer shawls, meals, food baskets, and most of all just being with people who are feeling a little lost, a little lonely, a little confused.  This constant love and care may be our most remarkable treasure.  Of course, we have an exciting mission to the world, but we’re also real good at showing God’s care to one another inside the church, too.  And that’s “hesed” brought to life every single day.  Today you might be giving some of that steadfast love, and tomorrow you might be receiving it.

     So this morning we express our appreciation to all those whose steadfast love is demonstrated in the care that they show to this very old church building, and all the creativity and energy that we apply to the task.  It is indeed a labor of love. 

     And we also express our appreciation to all those who like our deacons  have made this church a center of steadfast love and care in the lives of those who need it.   “New Love, New Mercy” is the hope that we offer and the joy in which we receive it.

    Next Sunday during worship we will distribute Stewardship letters and Estimate of Giving cards.  Those not able to be here next Sunday will receive them in the mail. Our Stewardship Committee encourages you to return those cards on the following Sunday, November 8^th.

Steadfast Love

God is Good!  All the Time!

All the Time!  God is Good!

Amen.

A:         Live from Byron, the greatest town in the whole world, it’s the Late, Late, Late, Late, Late Show, starring Eric George.  The show that starts so late that it’s early.  Featuring Gail Radley and the BPC Orchestra.  Special guests, Jim Renfrew and Wayne Marion.  And now … eeeeRRRRiiiiCCC George!  [Applause]

E:         Hello everyone, it’s another beautiful day in Byron   Do you like the traffic in Byron?  You know how it is driving to church on Sunday morning in Byron:  massive traffic jams at the Arrowmart, fighting for the best parking spaces in the church parking lot, lost cows, gridlock, you know what I’m talking about?  Here’s how tough it is driving in Byron:  I got into the car this morning and the navigation lady isn’t speaking to me anymore!  [bada-boom]  Yes, traffic is tough.  And speaking of traffic jams, how about the way those Yankees are running the base paths?  Anyone here a Yankees fan?  Have you seen how many bad calls the umpires have been making?  Woo-doggy!  How about that one with the guy called safe at third when he was a mile off the bag?  It turns out it wasn’t the umpire’s fault, his view of the play was blocked by his seeing-eye dog!  [bada-boom]  No, it wasn’t his fault. 

            Now let’s go right to tonight’s Top Ten List, the topic is “The Top Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Fill Out That Card Next Sunday”.  Certainly a timely topic around here, “The Top Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Fill Out That Card Next Sunday”. 

            Gail, you know what I’m talking about?  That Estimate of Giving card?  It’s that card that we get every year around this time.  I’m never sure how to fill it in;  big number, small number, yesterday’s high temperature, the number of points that Bills are scoring, yen, pounds or pesos, I’m never sure.  Maybe you’ll find a good reference point for yourself as we go through the list.  So here we go:  “The Top Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Fill out That Card”.  Here to read the Top Ten List are three leading members of YOUR Byron Presbyterian Church Stewardship Committee, Marilyn Britt, Harley George, and Jim Renfrew.  Take it away!   “The Top Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Fill out That Card”.

M:        Number ten:  Do I have a pen or pencil handy?  [bada-boom]  You can’t fill out the card if you don’t have a pen or pencil!  If you don’t have one, just shout for help, “Hey, anyone got a pencil or pen?”  Our Stewardship Committee always ready to help you!

H:         Number nine:  Have you prayed about it?  Stewardship is a serious decision and we need all the help we can get as we decide.  Even if you are already almost certain about the number you’re going to write down, pray first! 

J:         Number eight:  Have you talked about your commitment with anybody?  Talk it over with your family.  Think about the blessings you have received, and the blessings you are able to share.  Parents, talk to your children about why you give.  They won’t know unless you tell them.  Children, ask parents about why giving is important, if you don’t ask they might forget to tell!

M:        Number seven:  Have you thought about a percentage?  Think of a percentage, a percentage of something, a percentage of your income, a percentage of your allowance, a percentage increase over last year. 

H:         Number six:  Are you using your imagination?  Picture in your mind all of the smiles that will be produced because of your commitment during the coming year:  Connor Nesbitt ringing the bell to begin our Sunday worship,  Jean Roda making Prayer Chain phone calls, Susie Blair opening packages in Afghanistan, Audrey Blount and Erica Hickey polishing the weathervane on the top of the steeple.   

J:         Number five:  Are you thinking of a Bible verse to guide your thinking about stewardship.  How about “New Love, New Mercy” from Lamentations 3:22.  What new things about God’s love and mercy have you experienced lately?  How can you share them with others?  How about Mark 12:28, the woman with the two coins.  Or see if your favorite Bible verse helps you figure out how to fill out the card. 

M:        Number 4:  Are you only thinking about money?  We’d like you to enter a number on your card, but don’t stop there, think of all the things described in our Narrative Budget that you can join in on, visiting the sick, helping trustees mow the lawn, volunteering to fill school backpacks.  These are the things that we do, using our heads, hands and hearts.  Stewardship is so much more than money!

H:         Number 3:  Yearly, monthly or weekly?  What pattern of giving works best for you?  Some like to give all at once at the beginning of the year, and that gives our Finance Committee a great start as we budget our income and expenses through the whole year.  Some like to give every week, and we like that, too, because we receive a steady stream of support week by week, month by month, spring, summer, winter, fall. 

J:         Number 2:  How generous has God been with you during the past year?  When you get right down to it, Stewardship is not something we invent out of our own heads.  Stewardship is our grateful thanks for what God has done, is doing and will do in Jesus Christ.  Stewardship is our generous response to God’s generosity.  So if you want to know what to write on that card, consider how much God has committed to you!

M:        Number 1:  Have you prayed about it?  Yes, we come back to one of our earlier questions, because it is so important.  Have you prayed about all of this.  Prayed with thanks for what God has done.  Prayed with gladness for this beautiful church and the wonderful people in it?  Prayed with anticipation for the amazing new things that God is leading us to do and be in the coming year?  Imagine that powerful spiritual explosion as we all pray together this week, seeking New Love and New Mercy for our church, for our families, for our community, for the whole world!  

E:         And there you have it, tonight’s “Top Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Fill out That Card Next Sunday”.  Good night from Byron, New York!