Words Matter | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr

John 1:1-18 NRSV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴ in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. ¹² But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷ The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

 

We are still in the Christmas season by the liturgical calendar, so I am still thinking about Christmas words, food, decorations, gifts, even Christmas plays, and I wonder what kind of script you could write for a Christmas based on the Gospel according to John? I believe you’d have a hard time writing a children’s Christmas play based on John’s gospel. John does not talk about anyone going to Bethlehem. There are no shepherds or angels. There are no wise men following a star. Not even a baby lying in a manger: John goes earlier, way earlier, to the beginning, not of birth but of time. John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …”

 

A Christmas pageant based on the gospel of John would be what we call a low budget production. No need for robes or crowns. No manger stuffed with straw. No gold, frankincense and myrrh. You wouldn’t even need actors. All you would need is a single candle. The church bare and dark, no furniture and decorations. The only thing visible would be a small, table. On that table would sit a single, unlit candle. The worshipers would come in and sit for a very long time. They would sit long enough to begin to feel uneasy at the silence — and maybe even a little scared of the dark. They would be waiting on the word…

 

Words are important, words can set the stage for what is to come. A prologue is defined as “the preface or introduction to a literary work” also “an introductory or preceding event or development.” The prologue lets us know what to expect later on, it sets the tempo. I like that the lectionary starts in John 1 at the start of this new year. This biblical prologue in the Gospel according to John gives us the words that set the stage for Christ. The Gospel according to John written around 90-100 CE is called the fourth Gospel, while Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are called the synoptic Gospels. The Disciple whom Jesus loved is credited as the author, John one of the sons of Zebedee. John is different than the other Gospel in many ways. This Gospel covers 3 years of Jesus ministry instead of 1 like the Synoptic Gospels. John does not have miracles in the text but rather signs, Jesus does amazing things in John, however they are called signs instead of miracles because each action has a purpose and that purpose is to point you on the right path, like signs do. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are writing with certain audiences in mind. Mark and Matthew were written with gentiles in mind to let them know that Jesus is our savior, and Luke was written with Jewish people in mind to let them know that Jesus is our savior. John is more focused on theology instead to let everyone know that Jesus is our savior, and that Jesus is God.

 

This passage starts in darkness, darkness in all creation and darkness in our own world.  We start a new year after so many people have died from a sickness that did not have to. The world was ravaged by a virus that showed us people care more about politics than human lives. We start in darkness, recovering from person after person killed by police, my NAACP unit is dealing with one now by the name of Joshua Feast, he was the 94th black man killed by police since George Floyd and that was May 25th so from May 25th to December 9^th, 94 people that look like me have been killed by law enforcement officers, darkness. People have lost their jobs, darkness. People have lost their homes; others will lose their homes once some of the eviction protections end darkness. While our country suffers politicians play a game of chicken with stimulus packages and the federal budget, darkness. Darkness in creation, darkness in our worlds. But that is where John wants to start with the Gospel story, in that darkness, in the beginning.

 

Words matter, and the Word matters, and that is where John begins his story, not with a manger, not with expecting parents, not with wise men coming later but with the word. In the beginning was the Word, the Logos, and the word was with God, and the word WAS God. Words matter, the grass withers and the flower fades, but the word stands forever. When we want to make a promise, we give someone our word. When there is a dispute between two people it is your word against theirs. Even in slang when someone hears something substantial, they say "oh word" or "say word" words matter.  Words matter and the Word brought us the light. The light to cut through the darkness in creation, the darkness separating us from God, the light shine for us all to see.

 

v1-5 The Word brought us the light, the word was there in the beginning and with God so Jesus was always there, the word was God, so we know that Jesus is God from this text. We learn from the text that in Christ is life, whatever dead situation we may be holding on to, we can find life in Christ. Even though there is darkness right now, that darkness cannot overcome the light of Christ.

 

v6-13 We respond to that light, once we get ahold of that light, we cannot keep it to ourselves. We have to testify to it, John saw the word and the light and he testified to it. He was a witness to it and told someone else. There is power in the testimony of others. We have to tell somebody about Jesus. The testimony is powerful, the confession of others has weight. When I watch realistic police shows I see that even if the investigators have forensic evidence, they still want a confession, they still want the person to open up their mouth and say something.

 

v14-18 The Word became flesh and showed us they were the light. Jesus fully human and fully divine, fully divine so that he would have the power to save us, fully human so he could be the perfect sacrifice for us willingly. Not because of anything that we have earned. but by the grace of God.  Jesus is the light in a world full of darkness and we can look to the light and know that we are loved by God.

We may be starting the year coming off a whole lot of darkness, but words matter, and we should use our words to point to the light. The light of Christ, the light that shines through whatever darkness we are facing, sickness, poverty, diseases, unease in relationships. We can bring it to the Word, the word that was there in the beginning, the word that was with God, the word that was God. The word that brings us light, a light that darkness cannot overcome. That light is Jesus Christ. The one who close the gap between creation and creator. The one powerful enough to speak and make worlds, but also knows the number of hairs you have on your head. We need to look to the light.

 

I believe you’d have a hard time writing a children’s Christmas play based on John’s gospel. John does not talk about anyone going to Bethlehem. There are no shepherds or angels. There are no wise men following a star. Not even a baby lying in a manger: John goes earlier, way earlier, to the beginning, not of birth but of time. John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …”

 

A Christmas pageant based on the gospel of John would be what we call a low budget production. No need for robes or crowns. No manger stuffed with straw. No gold, frankincense and myrrh. You wouldn’t even need actors. All you would need is a single candle. The church bare and dark, no furniture and decorations. The only thing visible would be a small, table. On that table would sit a single, unlit candle. The worshipers would come in and sit for a very long time. They would sit long enough to begin to feel uneasy at the silence — and maybe even a little scared of the dark. They would be waiting on the word…

 

Finally, someone would come down the aisle and, light that single candle. The darkness would be pierced, shoved back by the one thing that has power, ultimately, to push all darkness back: the light. The Word would bring the light, and that light would shine.

 

Walk in the light 

Beautiful light 

Come where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright

Oh, shine all around us by day and by night

Jesus is the light of the world

 

What Are These Clothes? | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr

1

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
    and praise spring up before all nations.

Zion’s New Name

62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
    for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
    her salvation like a blazing torch.
2 The nations will see your vindication,
    and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
    a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

During this Christmas season I discovered a lie about myself, the lie was that I didn't care for clothes. Ever since I was a child, I did not want to see clothes under the Christmas tree, I wanted toys and electronic gadgets. Even as an adult I wouldn't spend a bunch of time shopping for clothes, when shopping in person, I go in the store grab my stuff and get out, I look online, I click for my size, click buy now, and wait for my shipping to come I don't care about clothes, or so I thought. I got most of my clothes from three places, Walmart, Target, and Joseph A. Bank. Walmart for socks, underwear, and workout clothes, Target for casual wear, and Joseph A. Bank for business attire. I spent more time in line than picking out my clothes. I didn't want to have to purchase uniforms or have a dress code for meetings. I'm liable to buy the same shirt in a bunch of different colors or have a bunch of the same shirt in the same color. I have dri-fit black polos for days. I only followed a handful of clothing rules, make sure your colors matched, and buy weather-specific clothing from the area you plan to use it. If need a winter coat for traveling up north

But as I found myself in the clothing section again, I realized this time I wasn't in and out, I was looking at the material, seeing how it felt against my skin, reading the label for the style and fit, are these slim jeans, boot cut, athletic, or loose fitting? Is this shirt breathable, and will it protect me from the elements? I was taking longer with the clothes not because of the style, but because of the clothes function, I wanted to be able to function in the clothes so I had to take a little longer in picking them out.  I was thinking about what I had been using the clothes for and what I could use them for in the future at the same time.

Isaiah 61, some scholars call this 3rd Isaiah is a passage just like Psalm 126 that looks backward and forward at the same time. This prophet is speaking for the sake of Jerusalem when he speaks. Our text from Isaiah 61 has the words of a prophet who showed his happiness in God because the Lord had “clothed him with the garments of salvation and covered him with the robe of righteousness.” That sure sounds like protective clothing. And as we read the rest of the pericope, which continues into the next chapter of Isaiah, we gather that the prophet meant his metaphor to be a collective one. God has provided the garments of salvation and robes of righteousness for the whole people of Judah. They had been gathered, following the end of the Babylonian exile, back into their homeland, where now, said God, “for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.”

But why did the people need to be protectively clothed? Because they understood the collapse of their nation and the long exile that followed as judgment from God for their sins. They understood that it was their fault that some of the bad things happened to them. Isaiah said in 2:21 that the people would “enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts in the crags, from the terror of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.”

But by the time of today’s passage from Isaiah, that catastrophe was in the past, in the past their best and brightest were taken away from them and during that time it was hard for the people to even see a vision of what freedom looked like, but it passed.  Now if the people were to recover in any meaningful way, they needed to understand and believe that when God looked at them now, he saw not their sins, but their righteousness. And, according to the prophet, to make sure that happened, God himself, the divine tailor,  gave them robes of righteousness. This was not to make the people fashion statements, but to make them able to survive the “weather” conditions going forward.

Certain clothes require certain behavior, you have to have the right clothing on and you have to treat that clothing right.

This passage is a commitment to praise and prayer for the people of God. The relationship between God and Jerusalem is fertile and as natural as plants growing in the springtime, why would someone have to say that this is natural. Probably because people had been acting unnaturally for so long that the wrong behavior became the accepted norm. Ever let someone borrow something of yours for so long you had to borrow it back. Churches have gotten so far from Evangelism that asking church members to go tell people about Jesus seems strange. John Wesley started the Methodist Movement with tent revivals and firey worship services. Catching the Holy Ghost in the service when the spirit got high used to be called "having a Methodist Fit" but generations have passed and now people see staunch reserved worship and compare that to Methodists. Praise is the proper response to what God has done for the people and praise is supposed to be as natural as flowers and plants growing in the spring.

The word for praise in this passage has no miscommunication, it is a verbal, audible response. The Hebrew is clear for this verse, it is used for verbal praise or singing.  There is no verse where this is used for quiet reflection, open your mouth and tell God and the world how much you love him.

Vindication = Righteousness in the Hebrew passages.

The prophet is so happy that he cannot keep still

Do you love the Lord, do you love the church? Have you told somebody about it? That is what the text means when it says the nations and kings will see the glory and the vindication. This is public praise, not private worship. The nations, everyone will see.

Jesus read from this same scroll when he said that the spirit of the Lord is upon me. 

Yes, Mary Knew | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr

Luke 1:46-55

⁴⁶ And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord

⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,

⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.

⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful

⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

 

Prayer

 

"Mary, Did You Know?" is a Christmas song addressing Mary, mother of Jesus, with lyrics written by Mark Lowry in 1984, and music written by Buddy Greene in 1991. It was originally recorded by Christian recording artist Michael English on his self-titled debut solo album in 1991. At the time, English and Lowry were members of the Gaither Vocal Band, and Greene was touring with them. Others such as Wynonna Judd, Kenny Rogers, Clay Aiken, and Cee Lo Green would record their own versions later.  Some of the lyrics include

 

Mary, did you know? That your baby boy will one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know? That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know? That your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered, Will soon deliver you?

Another verse says:

Mary, did you know? That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know? That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?

Did you know? That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding Is the Great I Am?

Oh Mary did you know?

 

In an interview about the song Lowry said:

“ I just tried to put into words the unfathomable. I started thinking of the questions I would have for her if I were to sit down & have coffee with Mary. You know, "What was it like raising God?" "What did you know?" "What didn't you know?"

None of the questions are answered in the song. Instead, the lyrics poetically invite the listener to contemplate the relationship between Mary and her newborn divine son, even if according to the song, her faith and awareness did not yet include the details of what would unfold. The problem with this song is that it doesn't line up with scripture. I like the song, from time to time I may even sing it, but the song is off when it comes to the Christmas story. Mary knew that the baby boy was prophesied to come in scripture. If by chance Mary didn’t know scripture, an angel told Mary what was going on and that the child, God in human flesh that was coming. I'm not out here to spoil someone's Christmas...this time just want to tell you what the Bible says. There are songs in hymnals that have some questionable theology, there are some old 100s that don't line up exactly with scripture, just like there are some new songs out there that line up with scripture and some new gospel songs that do not line up with scripture. Again, not here to rain on anyone's parade, just to talk about what the Bible says.

 

This preamble to the Christmas story comes from Gospel according to Luke, the first chapter, written by a physician who occasionally traveled with Paul. The Gospel of Luke was written after the Gospel of Mark, and the author was writing to a primarily Jewish audience when he wrote it. Mark gets right down to business, Matthew looks more favorably on the church, and Luke was written so that the Jewish people of the time could hear why we believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the savior. Luke wants to give us an orderly account of the prophecies that a Savior was coming, how that savior is Jesus, and how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies.

 

Earlier in Luke chapter 1, an angel comes to visit Zechariah the priest to let him know that his wife Elizabeth was going to have a child John the Baptist, later on in chapter 1, an angel visits Mary and tells her in verses 30 through 33.

 

³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

 

Plain as day, son of the Most High, he will get the throne of David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever, his kingdom will never end. Mary gets this news and gets scared, she goes to visit Elizabeth and when Elizabeth and Mary meet, the baby in Elizabeth's womb, John the Baptist, leaps for joy. Mary gets so excited that she sings a song. That song she sang is the verses I read. The song is called the Magnificat Latin for "My Soul Magnifies the Lord. Also called the Song of Mary, or the Canticle of Mary, this song/prayer has things in common with another prayer with another young lady before she was pregnant. Mary is a young lady who is desperate and loves God just like Hannah was desperate and loved God, Hannah reached out to God in a desperate situation in 1^st Samuel 2 and Mary is reaching out to God in a desperate situation in Luke chapter 1.

 

Why would Mary be desperate, she is from a small town called Nazareth, a town that people made fun of and asked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Desperate because she is a young woman, not married yet and an angelic being just told her she is about to have a child. Pregnant unwed mothers during the Bible times were not safe, there are old testament scriptures that let us know if the wrong person found out Mary was pregnant, Mary would be stoned. Desperate because even if she was not pregnant, it was hard to be a woman during that time, with no ability to own property, or do certain kinds of work, women could not earn income. Without a man, the women of those times were not able to even support themselves that this why James said for Christians to take care of widows and orphans because they would be unable to take care of themselves legally or financially in these systems.

 

Take away the discrimination towards Mary based on her hometown, take away the mistreatment of women during these times, take away how Mary would be treated if people found out she was pregnant before getting married to Joseph, Mary would still be desperate because during this time because the Israelites were under Roman rule. The Israelites were ruled by King Herod, Roman appointed ruler of Judea. Herod, the one who was appointed King of the Jews even though he wasn't one. Herod, who took control and freedoms away from the Israelites so they couldn't even manage their affairs. Herod who took money away from the Israelites. Herod who built buildings on their land and dedicated them to the Romans. Herod who didn't follow the laws of Moses in the scripture but would pretend to be a believer when it suited him. Herod who used violence and secret police forces advance his agenda and to persecute the Jewish people...why does this sound so familiar?

 

Mary is a poor, young woman, from a small town, not thought highly of. There are proud self-righteous people, oppressive governments, Kings, and rulers looking to keep the status quo, and Mary is about to bring a child into all of this. Mary is scared and desperate.

 

Despite the present situation, Mary visits Elizabeth, when they get together, Elizabeth gets happy, and Mary gets happy. Mary sings and prays to God while with Elizabeth because she knows who she is and whose she is. Mary has a testimony and she has to tell somebody about it.

 

The praise of Mary to God (1:46-56)

1. The testimony (1:46-55): Mary thanks God for six things.

 

a. His observation (1:46-48): God took notice of her. God took notice of a young woman from a small town, God will use anyone to accomplish his will. You cannot look down on anyone the Bible tells us sometimes that we may have entertained angels unaware. We don't know who we are talking to sometimes nor what God has in store for us or them. I hear sports coaches say all the time "availability is the best ability." The fact that Mary was available to be used by God set this whole thing in motion. What have we missed out on by simply not being available, not being open to trying something new, littering our minds with "it can't be done" or "I'm not good enough?" The text says that God was mindful of his servant, she rejoiced because of this fact she didn't shy away from the moment.

 

b. His holiness (1:49): He has done great things for her. The Lord has done great things, the Lord is doing great things, the Lord will continue to do great things. Mary said that despite being from a poor place, despite being a woman in BC times, despite being oppressed by King Herod, she knew where her help came from and she knew her God was holy. The current situation may look bad right now, but the downtime is just half time there is still more of the game to play. God's name is mighty, God's name is great, and greatly to be praised.

 

c. His mercy (1:50): His mercy goes on from generation to generation. This is long-lasting, not a fad or a quick event. That mercy is available to all who want it. This mercy is not something you can earn or something you deserve. God is merciful and loves us. We could never do anything to earn our salvation, but we get it because of God’s grace, God’s lovingkindness, God’s tender mercies. Mary was in a bad situation, but God had help on the way. We are in a bad situation and God has help on the way.

 

d. His power (1:51): He does tremendous things with his power. God speaks and worlds get formed based on his word.

 

e. His sovereignty (1:52-53): He humbles the proud and exalts the lowly. That is why we should worship God and not people in positions. People can be on top one moment and lose whatever status they had the next. We cannot get overly attached to any man, woman, celebrity, politician, company CEO. We must stay focused on God, the grass withers, and the flower fades, but the word of God is forever.

 

f. His faithfulness (1:54-55): He has kept all his promises to Israel. God is not a man that he should lie nor the son of man that he should seek cause to repent. If God says it, that settles it, and it is going to happen. Jesus came to provide us with a path to salvation. Jesus cane to provide us that ruler for all generations. Mary is telling us that Christ was coming and she knew that the baby boy coming through her was going to save the world. She knew Mary knew when she sang that Jesus was coming to change a generation. Hannah prayed and gave birth to a prophet for the nations, Mary prayed and gave birth to the savior for all creation.

I will say it again

Luke 1:46-55

⁴⁶ And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord

⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,

⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.

⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful

⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

 

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A Joy For All to See | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr

A Joy for All to See

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

¹ When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.

² Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

³ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

⁴ Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev.

⁵ Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.

⁶ Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

 

In a survey of more than 700 subjects, Kathy Caprino — a senior contributor at Forbes, marriage and family therapist, and career coach — asked respondents to identify what they most desperately wanted in life. The question was: “If you could say in one word what you want more of in life, what would that be?”

 

I wonder about the church family. How would you respond?

 

In the survey, the number 1 response was happiness. Joy came in at number 5. Money — which, one would assume, would help you grab number 1 or number 5 — was number 2. Other answers were freedom, peace, balance, fulfillment, and confidence.

 

The participants in the survey identified a difference between happiness and joy, happiness is something temporary based on outside factors, joy being a constant stream based on an internal state of being that is not affected by turbulence or troublesome times.  Happiness, while enjoyable, is fleeting. We get all excited and happy when something surprisingly positive happens to us. We tap out text messages flooded with emojis or send GIFs, those small moving pictures of a celebrity fist-pumping. It doesn’t take much to be happy. We win $5 on a scratch-off lottery ticket and go crazy. A parking spot magically appears.

 

Caprino’s audience would rather have happiness than joy. They’d rather have freedom than joy, peace, than joy. Most importantly, we’d rather experience regular short bursts of giddiness than anything else. People don’t seem to want long term sustainable joy, we want the short term good feelings over and over again. Relationships end because one partner can’t seem to keep the other happy. People leave jobs because the job does not make them happy anymore, people leave churches, because the pastor, or the choir, or the music ministry does not make them happy anymore. I’m not saying that people should not be happy, it’s ok to want to be happy, only that when we base our happiness on things that are quick to obtain and temporary, it becomes hard to stay happy over the long run when our situations change. When you have joy, you are not affected by your location or your situation.

 

The people in Psalm 126 had their respective situation change. Psalm 126 is a Song of Ascent, a song made for people traveling up to Jerusalem. Psalm 126 is unique in the fact that scholars could not tell at first if the writer was recalling history or predicting the future. The answer to that question is the same answer I give my wife when she asks if I want bacon or sausage for breakfast...yes.

 

The language is not either/or but both/and. This psalm is a reminder of what God has done and a reason to look forward to what God will do. Psalm 126 is a post-exilic psalm; the author is referring to the recent return of many Hebrews from Babylonian Captivity. The people had to deal with a new reality.

 

The Reality

Israel has been humiliated politically in front of all the neighboring countries. The people are crying real tears, they are in a drought which is bad for a community and society that thrived off of farming. The Hebrew people are planting seeds, in a drought, mentioning a place that is normally dry called the Negev, and the only water around is their tears. The Israelites were deported, the Israelites were out of their homes, away from those they knew, and something not mentioned before, this captivity had happened in front of surrounding nations. Could you imagine your country being embarrassed and the other countries around getting to see this embarrassment happening to your country?

 

The people in the text were crying real tears and the people today are crying real tears. Tears that have come from when you don’t know what to do. Tears that have come from pressure on a job, tears that have come from losing a job, tears that have come from losing a home, tears that have come from having to be the support for a family because everyone else around you is falling apart. I would be willing to bet that there is a pillowcase in someone’s house that has been washed by tears, soaked in a prayer that just repeatedly says; “Lord help me” The people of Israel and the people today were dealing with a new reality.

 

The Response

While in the bad times we can think back to the good times until times get good. But not only think positive thoughts, but we can also do something about it. The Israelites were crying but still planting seeds. Please watch the text, the people are crying but they are still sowing seed. They are emotional about the past but that is not stopping the people from working and moving forward. You can cry but go back to school, and/or get some certifications while you are crying. You can cry but start working out while you are crying. You can cry, but while you are crying, cut some expenses and debt down. You can cry, but while you are crying take up a personal finance class. You can cry, but while you are crying, learn a new skill.

 

I’m not saying you can’t cry, I’m not saying don’t exercise some self-care, I’m saying that the people of God were crying but still planting a seed in the ground while they are crying. You can cry about this while you do some work to improve it.

 

Cry your tears, keep crying, but plant some seeds while you cry. You may not see the harvest just yet, but you will after a little while. I would rather cry and plant the seed while I am crying, than cry and do nothing else. One way will leave you cried out and empty-handed, the other will give you some fruit.

 

Look forward to joy while in sorrow, look forward to peace while in a presently anxious situation the text says they were still sowing, while it was a drought, they were still sowing while they were crying so that they can reap later. We can get stuck crying about what we lost and never move forward. Remembering what God did, is not nostalgia, looking back to the “good ole days” but recalling our previous training. Thank God for what he has done, thank God for what he is doing, and thank God for what he is going to do. Call on God for his transforming power but call on us to be open to its possibilities. We don’t want to just ask God and then sit down; we can have faith and act on that faith, we can plant the seed and let God water it. Our faith in action is required. Sometimes even Jesus wasn’t able to heal people because they lacked faith. It's one thing to talk about what the Lord can do in your life, a whole different thing to believe it and act on it.

 

The Request

When the text says “restore the fortunes” is a call for historical change. The psalmist is speaking of historical change, substantial changes, not just surface level but long-lasting. When the Israelites returned to Jerusalem things had been changed forever more. The way they worshiped changed, the way they interacted with the community changed. This pandemic whether we want to admit it has changed our lives going forward, just like 9-11 changed how we fly on planes, just like the industrial revolution changed labor and travel, the return to Jerusalem by the Israelites changed worship. The text says God has turned things around before and will turn things around again. Even dry places like the Negev will have overflowing waters. The tears that they used to water the land were only a preview, God is going to provide restoration to the people and other neighboring nations will be able to see what God has done, even if they are non-believers. That is what the psalmist is talking about in verse two. Even the non-believers will say the Lord has done. Everyone is going to see the work of the Lord and they won't be able to deny it.

 

We can have joy in bad times because our joy is based internally and not just on the present situation. We can have joy because we know that God is trustworthy

 

My youngest daughter likes to do something new these days, she makes toys out of small items in the house. Did I say small items? I meant my small items. Small items like my earbuds that I use for working out and listening to audiobooks, small items like my wedding band. I like my earbuds; I REALLY like my wedding band. I was happy when I recently found my wedding band, however just because I lose my wedding band from time to time does not mean that I am not married anymore. I still am married, because the promise that I made is more important than the present situation or the item that reminds me of the promise. The people of God may have been in captivity, they may be on their way back to Jerusalem to rebuild what was lost, but the promise of the Lord is stronger than any temporary item. The promise of God is stronger than your current situation, the promise of God is stronger than your current location, the promise of God is stronger than any outsiders looking at you.  Rejoice in the Lord. You went into the place weeping and you will come out singing songs of joy! Joy after heavy sorrow a joy that makes it that much better.

 

Rejoice is not only for this situation but how we are to come into the presence of God, because he has done great things, he is doing great things, he will continue to great things, bless his holy name! We have Joy not only because of these things but we have joy because the Lord is coming, Joy to the world, not just this church the world. Jesus is the reality, Jesus is the response to troublesome situations, Jesus is the answer to our requests, and Jesus is the real reason for Joy in the season.

 

Dreams Do Come True | Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr.

Dreams Do Come True

Isaiah 40:1-11

40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that

her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the

desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall

become level, the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of

the Lord has spoken.”

6 A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their

faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely

the people are grass.

8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

9 You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to

Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah,

“Here is your God!”

10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is

with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to

his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Harlem - By Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore—

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over—

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Langston Hughes, author, poet, and major contributor to the Harlem Renaissance Wrote this

poem called Harlem which took a look at people who have aspirations, dreams if you will and

what happened if they did not come true. How are people affected when their dreams seem to be

taking too long, or don't come true? I'm sure many can relate, this year has deferred a dream or

two, dreams of spending unrestricted time with loved ones, dreams of being able to enjoy things

without social distancing protocols in place. But a dream deferred is not a new concept, prior to

the pandemic people had dreams that may not have come true. When I was younger, I dreamed

of being in the NFL, however that dream did not come to fruition, as hard as I worked playing

football, setting records, scoring touchdowns, it did not come to pass. There are many who had

professional dreams deferred, relationship dreams deferred, even dreams of personal goals

deferred.

In our reading, the Prophet Isaiah was speaking from a place of dreams deferred when he was

writing this book. The first verse of Isaiah chapter 1 speaks of Isaiah's vision, a dream if you will

that God gave to him about the people of God during a time of oppression. God is addressing a

heavenly council and Isaiah gets to listen in on the conversation. The verses I read earlier start a

new section of Isaiah, not just a new chapter. Scholars call Isaiah 40 "Second Isaiah" chapters

1-39 where primarily about God's judgement, it confronted the Israelites about their behavior and

punishment for sins they committed. Now in chapter 40 Isaiah is letting them know that it is not

all bad, Isaiah 40 switches from confrontation to comfort. The people of God are looking for

comfort, 2nd Kings 25 and Lamentation 1 both cover the same time period of Isaiah 40 and in

those books the people say that they have no one to comfort them after the fall of Jerusalem.

The people are suffering,___ the text says that they have suffered "double for their sins." Disaster

and repeated trauma can cause people to be afraid, go numb, and be hopeless. They have suffered

a cultural collapse and communal disaster. God said in Deuteronomy 28 and 2nd Kings 17, that

if the people of God started worshiping other Gods, they would lose their holy land. The

Israelites missed the mark, they messed up, people can be fickle, inconsistent, we can break

promises, and not live up to expectations, no one is immune from this. However because of

Israel's errors, Babylon conquered Israel, deported people, and destroyed temples. As I have said

before they were separated from their community and culture and it hurt. It hurt not to be able to

worship together, it hurt not to be around family, it hurt to be displaced in a foreign land. This

trauma went on for years and years with no relief in sight. Dreams that came and went without

any chance of coming true.

But in the midst of the trouble, there was a breakthrough, Cyrus of Persia came in and conquered

Babylon, so the oppressor became oppressed. The one who was hurting others, got hurt

themselves and with a new leader coming into office, they decided to make some changes and let

the people of God come home. When you are in a bind you can't discount where your help might

come from, you don't know who God will send to get you out of a situation.

God used a man who stutters to tell pharaoh let my people go,

God used a donkey to talk to Balaam,

he made the shepherd boy David, King of Israel,

Peter who denied Jesus three times got the keys to the church when Christ ascended,

Paul who persecuted the church is credited for writing most of the New Testament

You never know who God will use to get you out of a situation so all you can do when your help

comes is say thank you!

A Word of Comfort (v1-2)

Isaiah looks at this opportunity and wants to give the people a word of comfort. Isaiah wants to

initiate a "New Exodus" from captivity and separation back home. Before the people can be

ready to go home, Isaiah has to convince them of two things, that their sins have been forgiven,

and that they can survive the journey back home. They have suffered long enough, doubly

suffered and now God wants to speak tenderly to them. This forgiveness is in spite of what has

happened before, that is what makes grace so special, we all miss the mark. And we all don't live

up to expectations,... but God forgives.

God says they have served, their term and God is now wiping the slate clean for their sins, just

come on home. The text says comfort my people, we are children of God and there are benefits

to being in the family.

A Word of Commission (v3-5)

This word is about preparation, about sending people forth, there is a voice crying out in the

wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord. A place that is separated from the other people but yet

there is a voice crying out from that place. I know it is rough right now, but get ready for things

to get better. Wilderness and desert are not ideal places in the Old Testament, not a place you

would have wanted to live but the people are in the wilderness, the good news is that the

deliverance is in the wilderness as well. Yes, it is rough in the wilderness or the desert, but the

way out is through the desert.

The text says in verse 3 “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the

desert a highway for our God." Go through the desert if you want to get out, don't stay there.

There is a phrase heard from comedian Steve Harvey, politician Winston Churchhill and many

others, “When you are going through Hell, keep going.” When the trouble comes you have got

to keep moving, if you get stuck there you may never get out. make straight in the desert a

highway for our God. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep praying, keep fasting,

keep worshiping, keep meditating on scripture day and night, stopping is how you get stuck,

keep on going. You may not be able to take a bunch of steps forward, but just try to take one. If

you keep taking just one step at a time, before you know it you will have gone further than you

thought you could. Little by little, bit by bit.

You are going to get through the desert, and all the places that are low places you can't get down

to, are going to be made high, and all the high places you can't get over, are going to be made

low. The crooked places are going to be made straight, and the rough places are going to be

made level like a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed.

Something interesting about Hebrew, some of the words in Hebrew can have a positive or

negative meaning depending on how it is used. But not the word used for glory in the text, every

time the word glory is used... it is positive. The word Kabod is used for honor, splendor, noble,

high rank, honorable, wealth, riches, dignity, the word has a weight to it. God's glory is the

heaviest of the heavy hitters and he is coming to show you just how powerful God is.

A Word to Cry Out (v6-8)

Isaiah is then told to cry out, Isaiah asks what should he cry out? All people are grass, the grass

withers, the flower fades, but the word of God is forever.

The Bible is still the bestselling book of all time. People say to write your goals down to help

you accomplish them... Habakuk said to write the vision and make it plain. Proverbs says as a

man thinks in his heart, so is he. People have positive affirmations they repeat, the Bible says I

am the head and not the tail, above and shall never be beneath. Mindfulness teaches us that, and

removing negative thinking to have a better life.We can have positive affirmations on mental

repeat.

In an age where people can forget what they had for breakfast, and the average attention span is

reportedly 7 seconds,What we need is a word, and not just any word but a word from the Lord,

this is what will soothe our doubts and calm our fears. The word will give us power. The word

will keep us from day to day. The word is what will last. This book, these collections of books,

strung together over 1500 years to point us to our savior and show us how to live until our savior

returns, shall never lose its power. The word is more powerful than any person, the word is more

powerful than any principality, the word is more powerful than any prosecutor, the word will

stand forever.

A Word He's Coming Back (v9-11)

God tells Isaiah to get to the mountain top, as high as you can, so everybody can hear you. Here

is YOUR God, the God we have a relationship with. The God who loves us and cares for us, the

God who can forgive us, the God who wants us to come back to him. Come on back home, you

are strong enough to survive the journey, through the challenges of this thing called life. Tell it!

Tell it to all you can, tell it to packed places, tell it to empty places, tell it if nobody says amen,

just tell it. The Lord is coming to us. God is calling us "my people", we are God's people, and we

can trust that God honors his promises and his covenants.

Isaiah said look here is YOUR God, he is coming in strength, he is coming with a reward for his

people. Isaiah made mention of a voice crying out in the wilderness and so did John the Baptist.

John the Baptist echoed Isaiah's words in preparation for Jesus.

Jesus is the one who fulfills the prophecy: “See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm

rules for him. … He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and

carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep” (Isaiah 40:10-11). Jesus, the one who

possesses God’s power but also feeds his flock like a shepherd. Jesus is the one who has the

power to straighten us out, but also the grace and love to restore us.

When the birth of Jesus is celebrated again this Christmas, we should remember the words of

Isaiah: “Here is your God!” Jesus joins Isaiah in bringing us back from exile, wherever you may

be wandering, separated from others in a far-off land. Jesus does the work of restoration,

forgiving you and giving you a new life. He makes the rough places smooth and the crooked

ways straight.

Isaiah dreams for something, and Jesus is those dreams coming true.

Article on Pastors Johnnie and Lataya Simpson

Cross Connection, a publication of The Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church wrote an article on my wife and I, our love of technology and how we came to be a couple. Here is a link to the original article. 

https://www.txcumc.org/newsdetail/clergy-couples-shared-interest-in-technology-brings-them-together-14426562

Here is the article text. 

Clergy couples’ shared interest in technology brings them together

Date Posted: 11/12/2020

By Lindsay Peyton
 
Media ministry and using technology to share the message of the church, initially brought Revs. Johnnie and Lataya Simpson together. Little did they know that what started as a friendship over a shared interest in audio-visual communications would become an enduring love. They also became each other’s support system, as they pursued a new ministry on the pulpit. Now, Johnnie and Lataya are both pastors serving in the Texas Annual Conference.  “Johnnie is truly my partner in ministry and life,” Lataya said. “I’m really glad we get to do this journey together.”
 
They met while attending the same church, Windsor Village UMC, and both working in media ministry. “I was on the audio end, and she was on the video end,” Johnnie said. “We were both making a career in media.”
 
The Simpsons were also both passionate about their work. Johnnie earned a bachelor’s in business management at Prairie View A&M, then an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Prior to becoming a pastor, he worked as an AV/IT field service engineer assisting with designing, installing and supporting technology systems.
 
Lataya earned her degree in journalism at Texas Southern University and began her career working at a local news station in Houston, covering significant stories from behind the scenes. She also worked in publishing sales and owned her own freelance business. In 2006, she also launched a networking agency, Christian Networking Group.
 
When Lataya met Johnnie, she was glad to have someone at church who shared her interests. They kept bumping into each other at outside events too. She especially was impressed with his community service and volunteerism.  “I thought, he’s such a great guy, I should fix him up with someone,” Lataya recalled with a laugh.
 
Johnnie noticed that Lataya was never one to be pessimistic. “There are some people who are negative, who try to bring people down,” he said. “She is edifying. She’s always trying to build people up.”
 
One day, Lataya saw Johnnie in a whole different light. They were talking, and she thought, “I’m going to marry this guy.”  Within a couple of weeks, they began dating. Two years later, they married in 2009.



Called to ministry at a young age
Both were called to become pastors at a young age. Lataya was about 15-years old at the time, but unsure what she would do. She grew up in the Baptist church, where women are not often found on the pulpit. During summer camp, Lataya was with a group of students, when organizers asked if anyone felt called to ministry. At that moment, her heart warmed. “It was like light poured out over me,” she recalled. Lataya raised her hand. They told her, “Do life first. Do ministry wherever you are.”
 
She left feeling uncertain. While she realized that she had been called, she did not see a path ahead. Instead, she focused on sharing scripture with others, teaching Bible studies in high school, and then working in media ministry as an adult.  “I took it seriously,” she said. “Media ministry is as important as preaching the gospel. If no one can hear it, what’s the point?”
 
Still, becoming a pastor was her destiny, a fact that was obvious to others even when Lataya was uncertain. “When I was talking to people about it, not a single one was surprised,” Johnnie recalled. “The only comment I heard was, ‘We knew that was coming.’”  “I’ve had Johnnie to help guide me,” Lataya said. “He was a step ahead.”
 
Johnnie also grew up in a different denomination. “I always knew that my last job would be in ministry, but I didn’t share that often,” he said. “I was always drawn to the church. I love the people. The people I looked up to in life are active in the church and many are pastors. The more I worked in the church, the more I wanted to be there.”
 

After they were married, they both headed to Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology to earn their master’s degrees in divinity. Now, they have back-to-back graduation photos. In the first, in 2017, Johnnie is graduating from Perkins, in his cap and gown, with Lataya by his side and their first two children, Johnnie Simpson III. and Elle Bea Simpson.  Lataya was expecting their third child at the time. In the second photo, it’s Lataya’s turn to graduate, and this time, their new baby, Layla Grace Simpson, is in her father’s arms. Now, Johnnie is 9-years old, Elle, 8, and Layla, 3.
 
Before earning his master’s degree, Johnnie was appointed to his first church Haven Chapel UMC in 2012 in West Columbia, Texas, where he served for three and a half years. Then, he became Senior Pastor at St. Paul’s UMC in Galveston for another year and a half. During both appointments, he continued to work as an audio-visual engineer as well.
 
After graduation, he became a full-time minister and was appointed Senior Pastor at Faith UMC in Dickinson, where he continues to serve.
 
Lataya was first appointed to Wesley Tabernacle UMC in Galveston, while Johnnie was about 13-blocks away at St. Paul’s. Then, she became a chaplain at Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital. Last summer, she was appointed Associate Pastor at Bellaire UMC in Houston. The couple resides in Dickinson Johnnie’s church parsonage.
 
Opportunities to make church inclusive
The Simpsons have endless conversations about being clergy, as well as their continued interest in media. Their understanding of technology has been especially helpful during the coronavirus pandemic as they transferred services online.
 
They also continue to learn more ways to offer church online. Lataya sees opportunities to make church more inclusive. For instance, closed captioning can be added to YouTube videos to reach a deaf or hard of hearing audience. In addition, technology can reach homebound church members or busy families, who struggle to worship in-person. “Even though the pandemic has been awful, we have gained a lot of blessings,” she said. “I have learned so much about how to do church better – and how to live in faith better.”
 
In addition, the Simpsons are both active in social justice and support their local Black Lives Matter chapter. Johnnie is a member of the NAACP. He also serves on the board of directors for the M. I. Lewis Foundation, an emergency assistance program in Dickinson, as treasurer of the Galveston County Long-Term Recovery Group and secretary of the Dickinson Management District.
 
“Johnnie is very engaged in the community,” Lataya said. “He’s out there in the world where God has called us to be.”  Johnnie has been at work on a series of racial conversations, “We Wear the Mask,” with the title based on poet’s Paul Laurence Dunbar work. These Zoom meetings were spearheaded by the South District Missional Discernment Team.
 
Sharing stories to open up conversations about anti-racism
Lataya speaks often about the journey into race relations for adults and children. As a Black woman pastoring a predominately white church, she often shares her own story to open up conversation.
 
The Simpsons have learned how to balance work and life as a clergy couple. Sometimes, that requires turning the phone off, which can be easier said than done, they admit.
 
“We don’t clock in and clock out, but boundaries are important,” Johnnie said. “It’s important to know when to close the shop down and not open it back up when I get home.”  They take time apart, spend time with friends and pursue their own hobbies. “We both have what we enjoy outside of church and we give each other space,” Lataya said.
 


She recommends that other couples approach their relationships with intentionality. “Be intentional about showing love and giving grace,” she said. “Don’t keep a scorecard. Make sure that you are building each other up. Let them know how much you love them. Life is too short to assume they know.”  Lataya also said that self-awareness and spending time on your own pursuits often leads to stronger partnerships, especially when couples support each other along the way.
 
Johnnie advises couples to spend time working on communication. “Don’t let things go unsaid – but also learn how to say them,” he explained. “When things go unsaid, that causes resentment. But don’t blurt things out either. You can create more problems than you solve.”

Lataya said that Johnnie excels at listening. “Everyone needs someone they can confide in, and for me, Johnnie is that person,” she added. “I don’t have to be perfect when I’m with Johnnie. He’s my confidant. You have to have someone in your life that you can talk to about the hard things, where grace can reside.”
 
Johnnie said that Lataya fills the same role for him. “She is also a realistic mirror,” he said. “She’s really good at saying, ‘Let’s take a look at this from a different angle.’”
 
During this challenging period of a pandemic, civil unrest and institutional racism, the couple said there are some thought-provoking conversations around the dinner table and difficult questions raised by their children.
 
“We help each other as much as we can to navigate things,” Lataya said. “I couldn’t do this without him. We can always talk to each other. We get it, and that’s a gift. Together, we can walk through it.”