West Yarmouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ

06/13/2026

06/11/2026

Justified!
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”
Romans 5:1

The theory of justification by faith is one of the cornerstones of the Apostle Paul’s theology. Simply stated, a person is found to be just, or justified, solely based on their faith in Christ. To expand that thought out further, being justified by faith means that one does not have to perform works of merit to be justified or saved. This does not mean that a person of faith can sit back and lounge in the comfort of God’s grace. We are still expected to do good works. However, the motivation for those actions should arise from our gratitude for our salvation. In other words, we serve others not to fulfill an obligation, but instead to glorify our Lord.
In many ways I view the theory of justification by faith the same way I consider, confession, repentance, and redemption. It can become simple to rest on one’s laurels, so to speak, if you believe that you will be forgiven of your sins simply through confession. When we leave worship on Sunday, having confessed before God and each other, we should be starting with a clean slate, right? That does not mean that we have carte blanche go out into the world and conduct ourselves in any manner that we wish. Confession, repentance, and redemption are an ongoing process, not a one-time achievement. It is like that with justification.
We cannot profess our faith, fold our arms, give a nod to the heavens and go about our business. There is certain degree of change that should come over us as we live out our faithful lives. That transformation may not take place overnight; it may take years for us to mature in our faith. Our justification is not a lifetime reward either, we can fritter it away through bad actions or total inaction.
So, how can we continue to exist in state of justification? In keeping with the paraphrased words of our friend the Apostle Paul, we must keep the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7) Prayer, study, works for the common good are all ways in which we can continue to have an active and vital relationship with our Lord. Is that not what faith truly is? Being in connection with the Lord and each other! May we seek to keep the faith each day!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

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06/10/2026

But When?
“Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.”
Proverbs 24:19-20

Our verse for Proverb’s Wednesday addresses the age-old issue of evil in the world. While much of the writing found in Proverbs is attributed to King Solomon there are sections that are noted as being, “words of the wise.” This is thought to be an indication that Solomon may not have authored these sayings but may have complied them from other sources. Our verse today comes from one of those groups of sayings.
The reader is told not be concerned about how evil people operate in the world. They also should not envy whatever benefits the wicked derive from their vile behavior. While the malevolent may receive some short-term gain from their actions, they will get their comeuppance in the end. Their hope will be taken from them and their lamp will be extinguished. Perhaps it is just my interpretation, but these words once again remind me of the story of the rich man and Lazarus as related by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.
It is human nature to want success for ourselves and our loved ones. However, the way we measure accomplishments and the means we undertake to accomplish them define how ethical we may be. If our actions to advance our societal status or income cause harm to others, we must rethink our path. We may look at others and admire the trappings of success in their lives, but we also need to consider how their enviable situation was achieved. We should admire only those who first aspire to enhance the greater good as they move through the world.
The author of this verse points to the fact that whatever gains a wicked person finds are only temporary. At some point there will be an accounting for a person’s actions, both the good and the evil. At that time, we will be asked to justify how we acted in our allotted time on this earth. May we always be able to stand proudly before the Lord and know that the works of our lives will glorify our Lord and the teachings of our Savior, Jesus!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

06/09/2026

Road (to) Destruction!
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14

The manner in which I select verses for these reflections is nebulous at best. Some days that are based upon verses that are part of our upcoming worship services. Other times I open our Holy Scripture and put a finger on a page and start from there. I view this morning’s choice as being guided by the Holy Spirit. Earlier today, Church President Linda Clinger and I attended a meeting about the wastewater project currently under way here in Yarmouth. Much of our reason for attending had to do with how road construction in our area will affect access to the church. I returned to my office, fired up my trusty laptop and read this morning’s emails. After I deleted all the scams and nonsense, I found the daily verse from Bible Gateway that is shared above. As it speaks about a road that led to destruction, I figured this must be destined for us to discuss.
Jesus words here are of course about the need to choose a more difficult way of life. He portrays a life that is devoted to following the Lord is not for everyone as it is not easy. The road that leads to life is narrow and the gate is small. There is some degree of self-sacrifice that is required to navigate this path and most people are not willing to give up the comforts that can be found on the easier path. That path is wide and is easily trod by many. However, as easy as it may seem, when one reaches the end of the journey, they are surprised to find that destruction awaits.
Several weeks ago, we discussed the parable of the rich man and Lazarus as part of our sermon series on being a good neighbor. In that parable the rich man, who lived in luxury, discovered that his life of ease was not a guarantee of eternity indulgence. The beggar who lived by his gates, named Lazarus, was comforted after his death. The message in this parable was that the rich man had taken the easy road. At any point he could have stopped outside his gate and offered Lazarus assistance, but he chose not to. It was easier just to pass Lazarus by as if he did not exist. The rich man’s choice of the easy road ultimately resulted in his agony.
Living a life in the manner that Jesus expects of his followers often requires us to travel the narrow road. It may not always be comfortable; at times we may have shimmy sideways or pull over to let others pass. But the rewards for following Jesus closely are not limited to end of the path. There are springs of living water found along the way and those are the times when we can be refreshed and renewed as we seek to find a way to glorify our Lord by how we live our lives. May we always seek the path that leads to Christ, however twisting or challenging it may be!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

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06/08/2026

Stop “Yoking” Around!
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
2 Corinthians 6:14

I came across this morning’s devotional verse in my email inbox this morning. It is the verse that this morning’s Daily Devotional from the UCC is based on. Normally I avoid piggybacking on the Daily Devotional verse as I do not want it to appear that I might be repackaging (i.e.) plagiarizing a colleague’s message. But this verse really spoke to me so, with a nod to the author of today’s devotional, a former classmate, Rev. Matt Laney, I will take the next several paragraphs to reflect on this verse.
The apostle Paul, the author of 2 Corinthians is urging the righteous believers in Corinth not to be “yoked” to unbelievers. He goes on to question what connection righteousness and light have in common with wickedness and darkness. Paul seems to believe that the righteous might be influenced or perhaps led astray by an unbeliever if they get to close to the “darkness” so to speak.
Where I struggle with this image arises from the fact that we who do believe exist in the world side-by-side with unbelievers. Not all of those who do not share our believes are wicked or evil. One might even venture to say that there are those out there who claim to be “believers” whose hands are not entirely clean. In addition, are we not called as disciples to seek to reach out to those outside the faith with the good news of Christ’s love and acceptance? How can one do that if they are seeking to distance themselves from the very people they are seeking to share the good news with?
Perhaps the answer to this conundrum is found in Paul’s use of the word, “yoked.” This word is used to describe the joining together of objects. For instance, oxen are joined together to pull a plow by a wooden device called a yoke that goes around their necks. They are yoked together and cannot be separated by their own actions. So, Paul’s words against being yoked to an unrighteous person is a warning against letting them drag you down even as you seek to care for them. Do not become so entangled with darkness that you cannot free yourself. Viewed in that perspective we may gain a greater understanding of how we need to continue to work as a disciple without getting trapped by the darkness of those who refuse to acknowledge our faith.
There has been, and most likely always will be, a source of darkness in human hearts. We must seek to oppose it in the world even as we strive to avoid falling prey to it. However, quite often, in order to extinguish a fire, one must get close to it. May we continue to seek to spread the good news of Christ’s love for all people in spite of the challenges we may face in our world today!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

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06/04/2026

Little Rascals!
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14
“Children should be seen and not heard.”
Old English Proverb

This morning’s devotional verse comes from our Gospel for this coming Sunday. This week we are celebrating, “Children’s Day.” This is a Sunday in June where the children play a leading role in our worship service. The good news is that this means that there will be no sermon this week. (That alone may cause a spike in attendance.) So, I thought I might offer a brief reflection on these oft quoted words spoken by Jesus after the disciples had attempted to shoo the children away from Jesus.
The second verse quoted above is a saying that my father used to offer up at times when one of his offspring might be a bit too boisterous. The origin of this saying reputedly comes from Victorian England, a time when children were expected to be quiet and reserved when adults were present. It seems the disciples held with this axiom as well. When people brought the children to Jesus to be blessed by him, the disciples tried to ward them off. Apparently, they thought Jesus was too busy and important to occupy himself with mere children. Instead, Jesus redirected the disciples by reminding them that the children were also deserving of being part of the kingdom of heaven.
When the subject of children in worship arises, you find many opinions. Some people believe that children can be loud and disruptive at times and so we should offer programs in which they are not in the sanctuary. Others believe that children are important to the vitality and growth of a church and we should seek ways to include them as much as possible. My personal belief is that children of all ages in worship are an indicator of the vitality of a church. The noise they may make is an indication of the joy they can bring to us and to help us have a greater understanding of Jesus’ message about the kingdom of heaven belonging to everyone.
This Sunday we celebrate the children of our church, their families, and the people of our congregation who give of their worship time to help our children grow in their faith. May the Lord continue to bless us with the vitality, faith and spiritual growth that we can witness in the faces of our church children!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

06/03/2026

How Long is a Moment?
“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.”
Proverbs 12:19

The Book of Proverbs is thought to have been written and assembled sometime in the 10th century BC. In other words, a really long time ago. Certainly, many thousands of years before the Federal Trade Commission was founded in 1914. One of the tasks of the FTC is to oversee advertising claims to ensure that they are accurate. Based upon the current track record of the FTC I am not sure that they would have issue with Solomon’s words about lying tongues lasting only a moment. I can think of many instances where lying tongues have endured for longer than a moment. We can all remember Milli Vanilli, right?
So that leads me to the title of today’s devotional. As we seek to define what a moment really is we need to first consider whose timetable we are using as a measuring device. For you or I, a moment may be a few seconds, a minute or two, or perhaps the length of an average sermon? But when we consider the perspective of the Lord a moment might be as along as a human lifetime. Enduring the chaos created by a lying tongue for a lifetime could be a hardship that even the hardiest soul would find difficult to endure.
It seems that, over time, our society has become numb to untruthfulness. We almost expect certain people to lie to us. If you do a quick check of several surveys listing professions that are perceived as untruthful or unethical you find the usual suspects. Elected officials, lobbyists (cannot have one without the other), car salespeople (ouch!), attorneys, and telemarketers (no, I did not apply for that personal loan) are amongst the leaders in the clubhouse of untruthfulness.
As we have noted before, Proverbs gives a nice glimpse into the human condition centuries ago. Lying, cheating, swindling, and unethical behavior happened then too. There are many Proverbs about tampered scales and measurements designed to benefit one person while defrauding another. So, perhaps we should not be surprised when we realize that cannot lease that Toyota Tacoma for $299 per month. (did you read the fine print?)
Instead, we must be wise, discerning, and alert in our dealings with each other in the world. While this may sound jaded or cynical, it is simply how to best protect our interests as we navigate the larger world. But even as we do this we are reminded of the first words of today’s devotional verse, “truthful lips endure forever…” May it be our task on our journey to do our best to be truthful with all others as we seek to hold ourselves to our higher standard than our society may expect of each other. Our reward for our ethical words and actions will endure far beyond a moment, however you define it, stretching even to eternity!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

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06/01/2026

Two Weeks’ Notice?
“Come and follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.”
Matthew 4:19-20

This morning’s devotional verse is part of the story of Jesus’ calling of the first of his disciples. According to Matthew’s account of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, things happened with alacrity. He was baptized in the Jordan by John (the Baptist). He was then immediately led into the wilderness to be tempted. After passing the tests of Satan, Jesus returned to Galilee and began to preach saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Mt. 4:17)
Next, we find Jesus strolling beside the Sea of Galilee. There he spots two fishermen, Simon aka Peter and his brother Andrew plying their trade. He calls to them, telling them if they follow him, they will become fishers of men. This must have been a powerful statement as we are told they left their nets and followed him. HMMMM! Next, Jesus comes across another pair of brothers, James and John. They are in a boat with their father, a man named Zebedee, preparing their nets for a day of fishing. Jesus calls these brothers and they immediately leave their boat and their father and follow Jesus.
It is the immediacy of the response of these men that has always struck a chord with me when I have read this passage. Once Jesus called to them, they dropped everything, literally, and went off to follow him. I wonder how poor old Zebedee felt about this. One minute his sons are helping him with the family business, next they are wandering off with some itinerant preacher/carpenter. Who is going to help Zeb launch his boat, cast his nets, and haul in the day’s catch? His kids did not even give him two weeks’ notice! I hope he did not give them a nice severance package.
The suddenness of the young men’s reply is enhanced by their desire to follow this charismatic individual who was offering them a chance to make a difference in their world. There must have been a void in their existence that they felt Jesus could help them fill. No matter how many fish they caught, how successful Zebedee and Sons LLC became, there would still be a desire that they needed to fulfill. They believed that Jesus would offer that life-changing experience that they longed for.
To be a follower of Christ often requires self-sacrifice to some degree. You may not be called to make a career change, but you may have to make some alterations to how you live your life. Those changes may come gradually as you begin to find your way of faith. For some the call to follow Christ carries a bit more urgency. No matter how you have come to where you are on your faith journey, may you continue to grow and evolve in your relationship with the Lord.
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

05/14/2026

Seeking One’s Own Honor!
“It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.”
Proverbs 25:27
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth, someone else, and not your own lips.”
Proverbs 27:2

I decided to double up on Proverbs this week. Usually on Thursday I ruminate on the first Scripture reading from the coming Sunday service. But as I will not be here Sunday, I decided to go a different route today. In poking around in Proverbs I found two verses that touch on a similar issue, but from different directions. That subject is vanity, or self-promotion if we were to expand our view a bit.
Our first verse (25:27) starts with a reminder that eating too much of a good thing is not desirable. While the initial taste of honey may be sweet and satisfying, too much of it will give you a stomachache. In the same way, it is not good to attempt to seek praise. It is fine to accept recognition you deserve, but you should not go about prodding others to speak honorably about you or your works.
In that same manner, Proverbs 27:2 reminds that us that worthy praise only comes from another’s mouth. Speaking of our efforts in a way that is self-praising is off-putting and can be viewed as conceited and self-serving. Rather, if someone is moved to speak positively about you, without prompting, you may receive that praise gratefully. However, you should let humility rule the day and not go about broadcasting someone’s else’s praise for you for all to hear.
If we look to the words of Jesus regarding the subject of humility, we will find that he speaks of this character trait several times. Most notable in the Gospel of Matthew he states, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Mt. 23:12) Those concise words from the Christ are a clear call for us to strive to be humble servants if we wish to follow Christ in a more complete manner.
Being humble and seeking to glorify oneself does not mean that we are to be shrinking violets, or allow ourselves to be ignored or dismissed. As disciples we are expected to speak up when we see injustice and work hard to honor all people. However, even as we do these things we must understand that our efforts are done not to glorify ourselves, but instead to glorify our God and lift up our neighbors and our world. If we are able to humbly serve the Lord the gratification we can enjoy can be found in knowing that we have advanced greater good even as we have honored our Lord. May it be so for us today!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck

05/13/2026

Sounds Simple Enough!
“It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the innocent of justice.”
Proverbs 18:5

This morning’s devotional verse for Proverbs Wednesday falls into the “obvious things we should know” category. The writer of this verse, thought to have been King Solomon, reminds us of something that we should already be aware of. We should not be partial to, or give support to, someone who is not nice. OK, maybe not nice is an inadequate description of the person who we are to shun. Perhaps evil, vile, or to quote Sylvester the Cat, “despicable” may be a better portrayal of the bad person Solomon writes about.
Of course, the other side of this verse speaks about the need to make sure the innocent receive justice. Perhaps this is a warning to the judges of Solomon’s time? Who else might be in a position show partiality to one and deprive the other? Surely an average Israelite of the time does not have it in their power to even the scales of justice and make sure each person receives a fair adjudication, did they?
As we read this ancient verse we might think to ourselves how society has not changed much. We as Christians read these words and think that Solomon’s message makes perfect sense. However, when we look at the world around us, we are forced to admit that the wicked often go unpunished and the innocent may still be crying out for justice. Perhaps we might feel helpless in difficult times, wondering what we, as ordinary people of the world, can do to ensure equal justice for everyone.
But the reality is that this push/pull between right and wrong has gone on for centuries and will continue on as well. So, we can do what good and righteous people have always done. We can do our best to resist the workings of the wicked among us even as we strive to lift up the oppressed. This may not be a battle we will win in our lifetime, but it is victory we still must work to achieve. May it be so for us today!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck