Isaiah 58:1-9

Seeking the Lord is seeking justice.

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.

   Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Declare to my people their rebellion

   and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.”

In this chapter, God calls the prophet to address the problem of false religious observance. The root problem is people who observe spiritual disciplines for selfish reasons (to gain God’s blessings) while ignoring the hunger, poverty, homelessness, and nakedness of those in need.

Isaiah has addressed and tried to explain the Babylonian exile the Israelites had been under for 50 years, within the scope of a divine plan of judgment and restoration. This week’s reading resounds with instruction for people who have returned to rebuild their homeland. In the midst of joyful return, God issues judgment, and the prophet shouts as a trumpet to this indictment.

The prophet interrupts the claims of the people to piety by calling their attention to a series of behaviors: to loosen the bonds of injustice, to share what we have with those who have not, to bring the homeless into one’s house, to give clothing and shelter to the naked, to reconcile with one’s family, to help the afflicted. These are more than one-time actions. These are behaviors with broad social consequences, actions that will restructure relationships.

What kind of fast?

Instead of the traditional fast days, “the fast that I choose,” says God, is a whole new way of life. Isaiah reframes fasting as a practice. The fasting acceptable to God is a daily fast from domination, blaming others, evil speech, self-satisfaction, entitlement, and blindness to one’s privilege. The fast that God seeks calls for vigilance for justice and generosity day in and day out.

The fasting God seeks requires and promises much more. If the people choose the fast God sets before them, then they will have the blessing they seek: light, healing, help, protection, satisfying of needs, and, most centrally, the presence and guidance of God among them. The people, individually and corporately, cannot have a full relationship with God without a just relationship with each other. One’s piety is not disconnected from the rest of everyday life. When right relationship is pursued, God is among the people.

Our JWUMC Media Team is always committed to bringing us the best possible online worship experience. Starting this week, we will be broadcasting our live stream service via Facebook*. The link above will take you directly to the video page for our church. You will use that same link to watch the video after the live service if you aren't able to join us at 10:00 a.m. Thank you to our dedicated Media Team for all their hard work to keep us connected!

*You do not have to have a Facebook account to watch the service.

A Prayer Minister will be available at the back corner of Dunlap Hall, for at least 15 minutes after the benediction. Masks will be worn when requested.

Prayer Minister for this Sunday - Sam Shreve

“You have heard the law that says, Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say, ‘love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?...If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?”

-Matthew 5:43-46a, 47a, 48 (NLT)

Are you as disgusted as I am with all of the violence in the news? Every day it seems there is a new shooting, and the only part of the headline to be changed is the location. The latest was at a Target department store, before that a synagogue in Jerusalem, or another bombing in an unprovoked war in Ukraine. Have you ever thought, “I hope the perpetrators of these evil acts get what’s coming to them?” Have you ever used the word hate in discussing these events or their perpetrators?

David did. In one of my favorites, Psalm 139, David thanks God for his (God’s) omniscience, his inescapable presence, his care and complexity in creating and forming us; His thoughts about us are precious and innumerable. “They outnumber the grains of sand”, he says. In verse 18 which I often use when visiting folks who are about to go into surgery, he exclaims,” And when I wake up you are still with me!”

But then this Psalm takes a dark turn. He pleads with God, “O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. O, Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you? Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.”

Out of David’s own mouth comes both blessing and condemnation in these 24 verses. To his credit, he ends the Psalm by extending an invitation to God to, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Scripture does not tell us how God responded to David’s questions, but I think we can assume the answer is in Jesus’ words to us from his Sermon on the Mount. We are to love our enemies, not hate them. We are to pray for those who despise us, persecute us, even those who would destroy us.

Before he ended this Psalm, I wonder if David remembered his words from an earlier Psalm, Psalm 37, which he begins with these words, “Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

In my devotional two weeks ago, I challenged our Church Council with two questions, the same two questions that I encourage all of us to ponder as we begin a new month in a new year. They are: Will our reaching, touching, and serving demonstrate not only our love for God and our neighbors, but even for our enemies? How will the direction of our ministries (we all have one) fulfill the Great Commission to “Go and make Disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit?”

Have a blessed week and if you can, read Psalms 139 and 37.

Dave

TOMORROW - we will be going out

to serve at Matthew 25 Ministries. We meet at the church at 9:10 a.m. and leave the parking

lot at 9:15 a.m. sharp. We will be back by noon.

Everyone is welcome and chairs are available.

Care Bag Ministry

The care bags will be in Dunlap Hall for the next couple of weeks. There are cards and pens available. While you have a cup of coffee before church, please sign a card for our shut ins. They love getting the cards even if they don’t know you. It makes them realize that they are still in our thoughts even if they can’t come to church. Thank you

3C’s committee would like to thank the congregation for the generous contributions of hats, gloves, and socks on the mitten tree. I lost count of the number but there were at least 200 items. They have been distributed to several organizations. The Butler County United Way will distribute to several organizations in Butler County. The Salvation Army is the second. The third is Cincy 4 Ukraine. Several of us met the organizers at Matthew 25. They were collecting some medical supplies that had been donated by a local hospital. They collect donations until they can fill a crate and send it to an organization in Ukraine. They have a website,cincy4ukraine.org, if you would like to find out more about them.

Thanks again for caring for those in need.

Nancy Shreve

SHARING OUR BLESSINGS IN FEBRUARY S.O.U.L. FOOD PANTRY

Our February donations to Sharing Our Blessings will help the pantry continue to serve our clients with food, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, baby supplies, even a few over-the-counter medications. Your donations of gently-used in-season clothing are also much appreciated by our clients.

Two ways to SHARE OUR BLESSINGS:

1. On Communion Sunday (first Sunday of the month), put your offering in one of the baskets by the doors out of the sanctuary.

2. Any time during February, bring or send a check with Sharing/SOUL on the memo line or cash in an envelope marked the same way and put it in the offering plate.

A special Thank You to all who donated toward Angel Wishes. That allowed S.O.U.L. to meet some very practical needs for all the families in the Caring Center.

Volunteers Needed!

We are in desperate need of Sunday School teachers. I will start volunteering in the nursery and with the media team so Sunday School teachers are needed as I may be serving elsewhere in the church on Sunday mornings.

The sign-up sheet is in Dunlap Hall.

Youth Group

We will be meeting every Friday starting this Friday from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

We will be exploring short videos and discussing them. For the next four weeks we will be looking at a series called "Fire and Faithfulness" by Sadie Robertson Huff.

Come join us for a faith lesson, games, snacks, and fellowship!

The Ohio State University Men’s Glee Club will present a free community concert 4 p.m. March 4 in Wesley Hall. The Glee Club will perform secular and sacred music, as well as campus favorites. Donations will benefit Tri-County S.O.U.L Ministry food pantry and Hamilton Living Water Ministry.

COALITION NEWS!!

For a number of years, John Wesley has participated in a coalition of local churches, along with Augsburg Lutheran and Pleasant Run Presbyterian churches. The pandemic put a halt to many of those activities but we’re once again planning joint activities. As part of our Sharing Our Blessings collections, we support the Community Meal and small food pantry at Augsburg and the Practical Grace Non-Food Pantry.

At this time, Augsburg could use help in 2 ways:

1. Donations of food - Campbell's Chunky Soup, any flavor, and canned fruit, especially canned peaches, pears, pineapple, applesauce (preferably in plastic containers). Place in the grocery cart in the Missions Closet.

2. Volunteers. If you like to cook, they would love to have help planning meals and/or cooking. They have their community meal (in-person and take-out) the third Sunday of each month. If you are interested or have questions, contact Cheryl Harper at 513-829-0936 or [email protected]