2010 LENTEN SERMON SERIES, posted on N-0500
December 6 2009 -"A Visit with Elizabeth" -Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
October 11, 2009 - "It's Hard to be Humble" - Rev. Victoria Ney, posted on N-0400
October 4, 2009 - "Hunger Pangs" - Rev. Victoria Ney, posted on N-0400
"Read the Instructions!" - September 27 2009 - The Rev Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
September 20 2009 - "Pass The Salt" - The Rev Victoria Ney, posted on N-0400
September 13 2009 - "Calendar Confusion" -The Rev. Victoria Ney, posted on N-0400
September 13 2009 - "Calendar Confusion" -The Rev. Victoria Ney, posted on N-0400
September 6 2009 - "Dangerous Jobs" - The Rev. Victoria Ney, posted on N-0400
May 31 2009 -"Spirit Guide for Dummies" - Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
May 10 2009 - The Touch of the Master - Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
May 3 2009 - "More Than Enough" - Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
April 5 2009 - "Being A Christopher" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
March 29, 2009 “Lo-Cal Prayer” - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
March 22, 2009 - “A Costly Bargain” - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
February 1, 2009 - "Fourth and One" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
Januaray 25 2009 - Hooked! - Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
December 14 2008 - How Can It Be? - Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
December 7 2008 -Holidays or Hollow Days?- Rev. Ney, posted on N-0500
November 9, 2008 "You Want Me to Do What?"-Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
"Water Marks" October 12, 2008 - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
July 20,2008 "The Runaway" - Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
"Dare to Be a Daniel" July 27, 2008- The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
July 13, 2008 - "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" - Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
April 13 2008 "There's a Tiger in My Boat!" -The Rev. VickyNey, posted on N-0400
March 9, 2008 - "Running in Reverse" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
March 2, 2008 - "Meet Mrs. Zebedee" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
February 10 2008 - "Who, Me?" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
"That Sinking Feeling" - January 27 2008 - Rev. Ney, posted on N-0500
January 13, 2008 - "Who Are You Wearing?" - Rev. Ney, posted on N-0500
"Wise People" - January 6, 2008 - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
Christmas 2007 Homily - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0500
How Can I Be Sure? - Rev. Ney - December 02 2007, posted on N-0500
"Skipping Christmas" - Rev. Ney - November 25 2007, posted on N-0500
"Thanks and Living" November 18, 2008 - Rev. Ney, posted on N-0500
"Your Money or Your Life!, posted on N-0500
"Taking Goliath Down" October 7, 2007 - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
"When the Ark Got Parked - Oct. 21, 2007 The Rev. Vicky Ney , posted on N-0400
"Looking for Godzilla" -Rev. Vicky Ney Sept. 30 2007, posted on N-0400
"Parked In Dopey" Sept 23 2007 The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
The Rock, The Roll, The Resurrection. Text: John 20:1-18, posted on N-0400
"Does God Go On Vacation?" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
"Perfect Freedom" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
"Talk Like a Pirate" -The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
"A Visit With Martha" - The Rev. Vicky Ney, posted on N-0400
"It All Depends on What You're Listening For", posted on N-0400
Sheep and the Shepherd , posted on N-0400
Following Jesus in a “Hokie” World, posted on N-0400
“A Bout with Doubt” , posted on N-0400
Carpe Diem , posted on N-0400
The Physics of Falling Toast, posted on N-0400

March 2, 2008 - "Meet Mrs. Zebedee" - The Rev. Vicky Ney

March 2, 2008 “Meet Mrs. Zebedee” The Rev. Vicky Ney Text: Matthew 20:20-28 Shalom, everyone. My name is Salome Zebedee. You heard part of my story in the scripture lesson that was read. Listening to that account of what happened—well, I suppose some people might be a little upset with me for what I did. Sometimes people chuckle at my pushy behavior. But I think I’m a typical mother. I only wanted the best for my boys and sometimes mothers have to take matters into their own hands, don’t you think? This wasn’t the first time I had to give advice about their careers. Many years ago, when they were first starting out in the fishing business, I insisted they get their own boat and their own stall in the Capernaum market. My husband Zebedee is more laid-back in his temperament. He’s always been content with the simple life of a fisherman in Galilee, working for someone else, eking out a living. He thought his sons would be fine exactly like him. But I wanted something better for them. They should not have just one boat—but a fleet of boats. I didn’t want them to be ordinary fishermen—I wanted them to be the founders of a fishing dynasty! When it came to my James and John, I wanted only the biggest and the best! That’s why I was so disappointed when they took off without warning. They didn’t even come and talk it over with Zebedee & me. They just dropped everything to follow Mary’s oldest boy—that strange one, Jeshua—you call him Jesus. I know he’s my nephew and I didn’t want to hurt Mary’s feelings and upset the family, so I kept my mouth shut. I don’t know how Mary put up with him. Jesus was a strange even as a child. Long silences, didn’t always play with all the other boys in Nazareth, hung out in the temple, wandered up in the hills all the time, and the constant questions—it could drive you out of your mind! When he left town and went to the desert, I was relieved. There’s no telling about strange people like him. But when he returned he had become some sort of a rabbi, a great teacher, and a miracle worker. My goodness, you should have seen the wonderful things he did—healing people, restoring their sight, making them walk! My boys and everyone else were mesmerized by him. One day, James and John turned their backs on the fishing trade, turned their backs on their father and me, and threw their lot in with Jesus. Zebedee wasn’t as upset as I was. He tried to be philosophical about it. He said, “Well, I guess they’re still fishermen—sort of. Now they fish for people.” But I was angry. After all we did for those boys! Some time passed, and we heard news about Jesus’ growing popularity. It seemed like the whole nation was going after him. Thousands of people would listen to him teach. Then I began to hear things about my boys working right along with Jesus. They were leaders in that band of Jesus’ followers—disciples. My boys even had a nickname—Sons of Thunder! Sounds great, doesn’t it? Has a certain ring to it, don’t you think? People began to say that the kingdom of David was coming into being again. A new nation would rise up and overthrow those awful Romans. Perhaps Jesus was the promised one to set up the kingdom. I thought, “Maybe my James and John could be cabinet officers or something—if only they’d push themselves a little.” I told them, “You don’t get anywhere if you don’t ask. Just look at Simon Peter and his big mouth. He’s already talking like a boss. Don’t wait till everything is settled. Tell Jesus what you want. After all, you’re cousins. We’re family. Go to him today—tomorrow at the latest. If you don’t say something, I’ll go myself!” Naturally, they needed me to push them along. I grabbed them both the next day and pulled them over to Jesus. I said, “Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit at your right and at your left when you’re king.” Jesus became very quiet. His whole face changed. He looked at me with sad eyes and said, “You don’t know what you are asking…” I thought I did. I thought it was so simple. But you know what? Jesus was right. I didn’t know what I was asking—then. Jesus was on his way to be king—to put a new law in peoples’ hearts. But they weren’t the usual laws. They were laws of love and sacrifice. And the path to the throne was to be a path of painful humiliation, suffering and self-sacrifice. To follow him and sit at his side would bring no gold, no glory in the sight of the world—only rejection and, perhaps, a martyr’s death. I didn’t really understand what the Lord meant when he said, “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” I didn’t really understand until I stood beneath the cross. Then it all became clear at last. I stood there with my sister Mary and Mary Magdalene. I heard the words, “Father, forgive.” I heard, “It is finished.” I understood then that was my Savior’s total sacrifice. He came into this world with the sole purpose to give his life to ransom—to pay the price—for each one of us. Jesus turned the truths of this world upside down. It’s not about being important in the eyes of others. It’s about giving love away. It’s about helping others. Those are the marks of greatness. The truth is that the marks of greatness in the kingdom of Jesus are servanthood, humility, a contrite heart, and a spirit of love that turns the other cheek and goes the second mile. I finally understood this marvelous paradox—to be alive in God, you must die to yourself, and the glory of this Christian life is in the love it gives away. We all grow and change. I know I did. Life is not always as it seems We sometimes get another chance to see it correctly. My James spent his life telling others about Jesus. The officials warned him to stop, but he didn’t. He was killed for it. My other son, my John, became a writer and wrote about the love of Jesus. One of Gospels was written by him—along with a few other books. I’m proud of what both of my boys did. I don’t mean in anything they accomplished. But in the way they devoted their lives to telling others about God’s love. Don’t you need love that will never end? You’ll find that love on a stone-cropped hill outside Jerusalem’s walls where Jesus hung, nails in his hands and feet and a crown of thorns on his head. If you ever feel unloved, just go up there. Think long and hard about how much God loves you. If you could have looked into the face of heaven’s only Son, you might remember this: God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us when we were totally unworthy. It could change your life.

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