Brewing Theology With Teer Teer Hardy

Acts 2:1-21
Pentecost
At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was once again set loose on creation, setting the church in motion, filling Peter with words to proclaim, setting us loose, and filling us with the cosmic-breaking power of God not so that we would retreat to the Upper Room. No, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, we, like Peter, point to the One who was present when that “wind from God swept across the face of the waters,” and there was light. Pentecost is proof that God is not silent. God is not content to leave us without a word to proclaim.


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May 12, 2024
Ascension Sunday
Luke 24:44-53
Because Jesus gave the disciples everything they needed to turn their doubts and fears into praise and worship – peace, revelation, assurance, and blessing – we can rest assured that when we are in need, Christ will give us what we need. Recently, I noticed that when someone approached Jesus with doubt, he did not rebuke them. “Doubting Thomas” was not rebuked. Even those who doubted Jesus and sought to challenge him were given what was needed that they believed.
“You need proof? Physical, tangible, empirical proof? Cool. Touch my skin. Feel my bones. I’m hungry. Pass me some of that fish and watch me eat.”
We are here this morning not so that we will have all of our suspicions answered or to have confirmed what we already know. The stories we read, the songs we sing, and the prayers we pray are common knowledge even for those who are not here on Sunday morning. So, I ask again, why are we here? We are here because, like the first twelve, we as witnesses to Christ's works in the world. Perhaps the real test of a Sunday morning is not how or why you arrived but how you will leave.


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May 5, 2024
Galatians 3:23- 29
It is sinful to say that someone is "incompatible" because of who God made them to be.
To those who have been told they and their families are “incompatible,” you have never been incompatible.
It is sinful to put barriers in place to prevent or discourage those called by God from responding to their call.
It is sinful to cherry-pick scripture to fit an agenda that is outside of God's grand plan for making all things new to push a political agenda within Christ's body.
Because of our proclivity to sin, the truth of the matter is that all of us are incompatible, which is why the cross and resurrection are not just moments in history but rather God’s cosmic reversal.


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April 28, 2024
John 21:2-18 Easter 5
The light of the resurrection pulls us out of shame and guilt and invites us into a new life in Christ. Jesus did not repeat his line of question to Peter to shame the Rock upon which the Church would be built but rather to be crystal clear that not only has Peter been absolved of his sin but also that shame and guilt are no longer necessary.
In the face of Peter’s public denial, Jesus gives Peter a great responsibility – “Feed my sheep.” A moment for which many of us would prescribe guilt or shame, Jesus prescribed grace.
The resurrection of Christ is not just a historical event; it is a living reality, the living hope that continues to transform lives today. Through the faithfulness of our resurrected Lord, the burden of shame and guilt has been lifted from our shoulders. No longer do we need to wallow in self-condemnation, for in Christ Jesus, we find forgiveness, restoration, and a fresh start.
When we return to our fishing nets after the Easter celebration, we can hold fast to the truth that our worthiness of love and belonging is not determined by our past mistakes or present imperfections. Instead, it is rooted in the unconditional love of God, demonstrated through Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection.
The burdens of shame and guilt are lifted, knowing that our gracious Savior truly loves, forgives, and accepts us. And we now live in the light of resurrection hope, let us respond to Christ's call with joy and gratitude, eagerly proclaiming his love to a world in desperate need of redemption.


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Psalm 23

When I saw that the Revised Common Lectionary assigned Psalm 23 this week, I thought, “Challenge accepted!” For many of us, Psalm 23 is reserved for funerals and memorial services. Every funeral and memorial service I have officiated has included Psalm 23. The other readings might vary, and the preacher may not even include the psalm in their sermon, but Psalm 23 stands as a bulwark in our times of grief. The psalmist assures us that our dearly departed family or friend “shall dwell in the house of the Lord”[i] while we dwell in grief.
But does the psalm more familiar to mid-week and Saturday memorial and funeral services provide us with a glimpse into the good news of the resurrection? Does Psalm 23 have anything to say to us today when we do not find ourselves gathering to grieve but instead are gathered to proclaim Christ resurrected?
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures; The Lord leads me beside still waters, The Lord restores my soul.”[ii]
Our physical bodies require more attention and resources than we realize. I was shocked to learn this week that in 2022, in The United States, we spent $4.5 trillion, or $13,493 per person, on healthcare.[iii] This money was spent on keeping us healthy and alive: flu shots, appendectomies, in-grown toenail removals, and heart bypasses. When it comes to cosmetic procedures, we spent over $26 billion on being nipped and tucked.[iv] Add on gym memberships, visits to the barbershop, cosmetic products, and other odds and ends; we spend a fortune on ourselves.

The physical nature of your body is just one way you were created in God's image. God cares about the image you were made in more than the amount of money we spend maintaining or attempting to “perfect” what God deemed “good” long before we discovered Botox, facelifts, and hair dye.
 After hearing myself preach for nearly seven years, I can hear where it might be easy for some to say that I would argue that God has little interest in our physical wholeness. After all, I can sound like a broken record preaching the same old song of God’s grace. Yes, God loves you just as you are right now, but God loves you too much to leave you just as you are. The beauty of God’s grace is that God is unwilling to leave us as we are. God is interested in everything, whether our soul or physical body. Your whole self is what God loves, not this piece or that piece of you.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, emphasized the importance of holistic well-being, advocating for a balanced approach to spiritual and physical health. He believed that the pursuit of holiness encompassed spiritual disciplines and stewardship of our physical bodies. It is easy to think of the Church as only concerned with the eternal care of our community, but the reality is that because we proclaim that the Kingdom of God is already here, our physical bodies matter as much as our souls. Wesley’s words echo through the ages, urging us to embrace a lifestyle that nurtures both body and soul.
Nadia Bolz-Webber, a contemporary theologian, beautifully articulates the intrinsic worth of every human being in the eyes of the Divine. She reminds us, “What God claims to love, do not deem unworthy of that love. What God has called good, do not call anything other than good. What God has animated with God’s breath and endowed with a soul and God’s image, do not treat with anything less than dignity.”
It is easy to think that we are the only ones worried about the physical nature of this life. We spend so much time and effort on ourselves that we can forget that the Lord indeed cares for us.
Psalm 23 makes clear – through green pastures, still waters, and overflowing cups – that God is not only interested in making sure our physical bodies are raised

April 14, 2024
Romans 12:1-10
Look, I get it; change is difficult. Renewal is even harder. But I am thankful that God has not left me with the faith or theology I had when I was younger. I give thanks every day that God is renewing my faith. God makes me see people in my midst, truly see them in ways that my prejudices would otherwise prevent. Because Christ’s Grace and faith are reckoned to me, my understanding of others is transformed. This is a transformation of the church as a body.
Through the renewing of our minds, God is inviting us to a spiritual transformation. Spirituality is not a some product that can be marketed or consumed. Not a yoga retreat and not by the church. Not even ours. Instead, spirituality is a new life, a transformed life. It is a human response to seeing “the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror.”Practices like prayer, worship, the study of the scriptures, and other spiritual disciplines are all ways God nurtures us as an act of spiritual transformation.
Being conformed and transformed by God, is part the spirit of our Methodist DNA. John Wesley was engaged in spiritual renewal within the Church of England. Wesley upset many in the church, but he always viewed his work as being part of the established church, being part of Christ’s body, not apart from it.
To be “metamorphosized into God’s image,” as Paul writes, is not something we do. There are no intellectual accomplishments by which you can make this happen. The transformation we experience is something God is doing to us. It is the byproduct of being encountered by the living God. How good is the news that you are transformed, redeemed, and saved by the Risen Christ? Why would you want your mind to be conformed to this world when you could experience Christ’s transforming grace?


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