CORINTH

-Sermon Notes-

October 12, 2025

 

 

“Learning from a Maine Lake”

(Jeremiah 29:1,4-7/Psalm 66:1-12/Luke 17:11-19)

 

     We have hundreds of wonderful lakes in our state, very few of them fit into the “stagnant” category.  A stagnant lake is foul smelling and rancid, because there is no (or very little) water flowing in from other sources, and no (or very little) water flowing out of the lake.  With no movement or circulation, the water quickly becomes foul. Moosehead Lake in Greenville serves as a great example of a freshwater lake, with many brooks and streams feeding the lake as Moosehead Lake then feeds other bodies of water, such as the Kennebec River.  This imagery works well when we consider our passages this morning.

     The Jeremiah passage features a letter from the prophet to those who had just witnessed their holy city of Jerusalem captured; now they are living in exile (in Babylon.)  After mourning this tragedy, Jeremiah encouraged people to stay faithful in their relationship with God, and to continue living!  In other words, the time for mourning is over-it is now time to move on with your lives (note vs. 5-6.) In addition, Jeremiah instructed the people to work for justice and righteousness in their new land.  In summary, the people are encouraged to keep God’s presence flowing into their lives, and to enable God’s justice to flow from them into their new community.  With this flow and circulation of God’s presence, the people will not become stagnant.

     From Psalm 66, even though the author is unknown, there is clearly a sense of thanksgiving, of joy being expressed to God.  The psalmist reflects on how God has been faithful in delivering people from great trials (note the reference to escaping through the Red Sea in verse 6.)  Praising God creates a flow; receiving God’s blessings, praising God.  This prevents stagnation in our spiritual lives.

     The Luke passage features Jesus healing 10 lepers.  After crying-out to Jesus, Jesus instructed them to present themselves to the priest (the priest could inspect them and return them to their homes if they were deemed clean of the disease.)  Yet on the way to the priest, just one of the men (a Samaritan) returned to praise Jesus for the healing.  We see in this healed man the model of a fresh, non-stagnated lake; he reached out to Jesus, received healing, and then went to Jesus to return praise.  Inflow of Christ’s healing, outflow of praise; movement, circulation….

     This idea of a fresh water lake vs. a stagnated lake serves as a great model for us as individuals, and as a church.  We need to pay attention to our inflow and outflow; we need to be intentional in opening our arms wide to receive the presence of God through prayer, scripture, music and fellowship.  And once received, we need to be intentional in then turning to allow God’s presence to flood into our relationships, homes, workplaces, communities and into the world.