The Messiah is Among You
Matthew 10:40-42
A famous monastery fell on hard times. Once its buildings filled with young monks and its huge chapel resounded with the singing of the choir. Now it was deserted. People no longer came there to be nourished by prayer. A handful of old monks shuffled through the cloisters with heavy hearts. On the edge of the monastery woods, an old rabbi had built a tiny hut. He would come there from time to time to fast and pray. No one ever spoke with him, but whenever he appeared the word would be passed from monk to monk: The rabbi walks in the woods. And, for as long as he was there, the monks would feel sustained by his prayerful presence. One day the abbot decided to visit the rabbi and open his heart to him. After the morning Eucharist, he set out through the woods. As he approached the hut, the abbot saw the rabbi standing in the doorway, his arms outstretched in welcome. It was as though he had been waiting there for some time. The two embraced like long-lost brothers. Then they stepped back and just stood there, smiling at one another with smiles their faces could hardly contain. After a while, the rabbi motioned the abbot to enter. In the middle of the room was a wooden table with the Scriptures open on it. They sat there for a moment, in the presence of the Book. Then the rabbi began to cry. The abbot could not contain himself. He covered his face with his hands and began to cry, too. For the first time in his life, he cried his heart out. The two men sat there like lost children, filling the hut with their sobs and moistening the wood of the table with their tears. After the tears had ceased to flow and all was quiet, the rabbi lifted his head. “You and your brothers are serving God with heavy hearts,” he said. “You have come to ask a teaching of me. I will give you a teaching, but you can only repeat it once. After that, no one must ever say it aloud again.” The rabbi looked straight at the abbot and said, “The Messiah is among you.”
For a while, all was silent. Then the rabbi said, “Now you must go.” The abbot left without ever looking back. The next morning, the abbot called his monks together. He told them that he received a teaching from the rabbi who walks in the woods, and that this teaching was never again to be spoken aloud. Then he looked at each of his brothers and said, “The rabbi said that one of us is the Messiah.” The monks were startled by this saying. “What could it mean?” they asked themselves. “Could he possibly have meant one of us monks here at the monastery? If that's the case, which one? Do you suppose he meant the abbot? Yes, if he meant anyone, he probably meant Father Abbot. He has been our leader for more than a generation. On the other hand, he might have meant Brother Thomas. Certainly, Brother Thomas is a holy man. Everyone knows that Thomas is a man of light. Certainly, he could not have meant Brother Elred! Elred gets crotchety at times. But come to think of it, even though he is a thorn in people's sides, when you look back on it, Elred is virtually always right. Maybe the rabbi did mean Brother Elred. But surely not Brother Phillip. Phillip is so passive, a real nobody. But then, almost mysteriously, he has a gift for somehow always being there when you need him. He just magically appears by your side. Maybe Phillip is the Messiah. Of course the rabbi didn't mean me. He couldn't possibly have meant me. I'm just an ordinary person. Yet supposing he did? Suppose I am the Messiah? O God, not me. I couldn't be that much for You, could I?” They were all deeply puzzled by the rabbi’s teaching. But no one ever mentioned it again.
As time went by, though, something unusual began to happen at the monastery. The monks began to treat one another with a very special reverence. There was a gentle, human quality about them now which was hard to describe, but easy to notice. They lived with one another as brothers who had finally found something. They prayed over the Scriptures together as those who were still looking for something. Visitors found themselves deeply moved by the genuine caring and sharing that went on among the brothers. Before long, people came from far and wide to be nourished by the prayer life of these monks. Young men were asked to become part of the community. The rabbi no longer walked in the woods. His hut has fallen into ruins. But the older monks who learned his teaching still feel sustained by his prayerful presence.
The followers of Jesus, both then and now, are sent to find the presence of the Messiah among us. Today’s reading represents Jesus’ closing comments to his disciples before he sends them out on a missionary journey. Let’s remind ourselves what’s happened in this passage up to this point. First, Jesus gives his followers their mission: preach, heal the sick, raise the dead, and drive out demons. What you have heard from me, Jesus says, shout it from the rooftops. Next, he warns them of the dangers ahead: People will turn against you. They will hurt you. Your family relationships and social network will be destroyed–but God is watching out for you. So do not be afraid. Then Jesus says, take up your cross and follow me.
Jesus concludes his pep-talk by telling his followers what the outcome of all this will be. Even though they have a difficult task ahead, even though they will be rejected by many, there are those who will receive and welcome the disciples as guests. To receive one of Christ’s followers will be just like receiving the master himself. Jewish people would have been very familiar with this concept. The Rabbis used to say, “He who greets a learned person is as if he greeted God.” The Jews always felt that showing hospitality to the ambassador was the same as receiving and welcoming the king who sent him. Now the disciples are being sent as Christ’s ambassadors. Any honor paid to the disciples will also overflow to God the Father through Jesus.
Jesus reminds us that if you welcome a good person who walks in step the will of God, you are agreeing with that person’s basic ideas. You recognize the truth of the message or the truth of the person’s lifestyle, and you make yourself ready to bring about goodness in your own life. You may not be the great prophet. You may not even be the person walking closely with God. But, if you can notice how God is working in others and receive God’s presence in another–if you can welcome and respond to it, then you will be rewarded.
Jesus then turns his teaching to how a follower should treat a person with no status–God’s little ones. Jesus talks about giving a drink to a person who is usually ignored. He’s speaking about giving the smallest imaginable gift to the most undistinguished of people. God notices even the smallest acts of service to those who are dismissed by the rest of the community as inconsequential and unimportant. You know, it’s nice to be recognized by the greatest, but Jesus reminds us that those who respond to the smallest needs of the humblest of his people will also be rewarded.
Wonderfully surprising things can happen when we take some time to look at those around us and notice that the Messiah is among us. Our perspective changes when we take time to see the Christ-like qualities in one another.
This is harder than it sounds. I am likely to find a person’s bad qualities before I look for the presence of Christ. I will think of ways to criticize another, or find reasons to convince myself of how I am better than the other person. I think this attitude saddens the heart of God and stifles the presence of the Spirit. Biblical hospitality is about welcoming the stranger, seeing Christ in the insignificant, and humbling myself in the presence of greatness. The twist is that the greatness I need to recognize in others comes from the presence and calling of Christ, not a person’s social status, family reputation, or job title. My job is to order my inner life in such a way that when I meet any person, Christian or not, I am looking into his or her eyes, walking in his or her shoes, and opening myself up to the possibility that this person is an embodiment of God’s presence for me today.
I’m looking at a person and seeing Christ-like qualities.
· “Wow, that mean old church person really sacrificed something important to so that this could be possible.” OR
· “Every time that person speaks to me, something stirs inside of me and awakens me to the movement of God in my life.” OR
· “I didn’t know that person has such a gentle, giving spirit. I never took the time to find that out.” OR
· “That teen-ager has such an inspiring faith.” OR
· “That child has such spirit-filled, simple wisdom.”
When we reach out and serve one another, we serve Christ. And the environment changes. We receive God’s reward. There will be a gentle, human quality about us which will be hard to describe, but easy to notice. Visitors will find themselves deeply moved by the genuine caring and sharing that goes on among us. We will be nourished by our prayer life together, and our need to explore Scripture together as we are sustained by the presence of God. It all begins with a simple but unnatural act of welcome. Remember, the Messiah is among us. In the name of God the Father who forms us, Christ who calls us, and the Spirit who opens our eyes, ears and hearts.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Sermon for August 12, 2007
Sometimes We Need Snakes
Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14-21
Do you like snakes? Not many do. I can think of no other creature on the face of the planet that so universally brings forth a sense of revulsion and disgust. When we used to live near Boston there was a woman named “the Snake Lady” She adopted sick and crippled boa constrictors and brought them on tour to schools and other groups for education where she would cuddle them and tell the stories of their previous abuse. She came to one of our church picnics once, causing one of the older members of the church to have a panic attack. True or not, many think of snakes as slimy and nasty. And as our Old Testament lesson reminds, snakes can also be dangerous.
It seems that the children of Israel, in the midst of their wilderness wandering, stumbled to a location south of the Dead Sea that was infamous for its lethal snakes. “Big deal,” they no doubt thought. “Why should we expect anything different? This trip has been one big fiasco from beginning to end.” In the Hebrew Bible, our book of Numbers is more accurately entitled, “In the Wilderness.” The account begins about a year after the Exodus. God tells Moses to take a census of the people to determine the NUMBER of men available for combat (thus the name “Numbers”). After the census, the children of Israel set out for the Promised Land.
It did not take long for mutinous muttering to begin. Their diet of manna was becoming stale. God has supplied those small round grains that appeared around the Israelites’ camp each morning. They were ground and baked into cakes or boiled into a bread called manna. But now they were weary of manna . The mumbled, “How about some MEAT, Moses? Egypt may not have been perfect, but at least we had some fish every so often...not to mention cucumbers and melons and leeks and onions, even garlic. Give us some meat.”
So Moses said to God, “Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, ‘Give us meat; we want meat.’ I can’t do this by myself—it’s too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I’ve seen enough; I’ve had enough. Let me out of here.” (Numbers 11:11-15).
Poor Moses. God says that some help would be forthcoming Quail. God says, “Oh, You’re going to eat meat. And it’s not just for a day that you’ll eat meat, and not two days, or five or ten or twenty, but for a whole month. You’re going to eat meat until it’s coming out your nostrils. You’re going to be so sick of meat that you’ll throw up at the mere mention of it.” (Num. 11:19-20a). So there!
The wilderness wandering continues. They arrived at the border of Canaan and were instructed to send in a spy squad for a 40-day reconnaissance run. The spies reported a land “flowing with milk and honey”, but also populated by menacing giants. Again, the weeping and wailing winds up. “All the People of Israel grumbled against Moses. The entire community was in on it: “Why didn’t we die in Egypt? Or in this wilderness? Why has GOD brought us to this country to kill us? Our wives and children are about to become plunder. Why don’t we just head back to Egypt? And right now!” (Num. 14:2-3) They wanted to choose a new leader to replace Moses, someone who would take them back to the Pharaoh.
By now, God is getting steamed. The LORD says to Moses, “How long will these people treat me like dirt? How long refuse to trust me? And with all these signs I’ve done among them! I’ve had enough—I’m going to hit them with a plague and kill them. But I’ll make you into a nation bigger and stronger than they ever were.” (Num. 14:11-12).
Once more, Moses steps in on the people’s behalf, calms God down and promises not to wipe Israel out. But there would be a price: the wilderness wandering would continue for 40 years.
The story doesn’t end there. More grumbling. One outright mutiny against Moses’ leadership ended up costing the lives of almost 15,000 people in a plague. And still the people complain. In today’s reading, the end of the long journey is near. The children of Israel have encamp in this desert region that is infamous for the snakes. The bellyaching begins: “Moses, why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable manna.” Their venomous tongues would be repaid in kind... with more venom. And people began to die. The Israelites come to Moses, finally admitting that they have done wrong: “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you.” Aha! All the twelve-step programs tell us that the only way to correct a problem is to recognize that you have it. They agree that their mouths have gotten them into this trouble. “Now Moses, please, please, please pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.”
So he does. Moses prays and receives this strange command about making a bronze image of a serpent and hanging it on a pole in the center of the camp. Then he is to inform the people that anyone who is bitten will survive if he or she will just cast their eyes toward the snake. Strange. Why not just get rid of the snakes? Was this God’s way of saying that healing will not come until we recognize the disease? So, the prescription was given - Look and Live - and they did. And the grumbling finally stopped.
Jesus recalled the story one night in a Jerusalem garden in a conversation with Nicodemus. “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” It was a wonderful word of love and grace. One might wish that this encounter in the desert with serious venom would have marked the absolute end of venomous complaining and criticizing among God’s people, but we know it did not. Complaining continues, even to this day, despite the fact that it does no one any good. Sometimes we might NEED snakes.
There is a story of three men who live on a ranch out West, the father John, the sons, Jake and Joe. They never had any use for the church until one day Jake is bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor is summoned, but the prognosis is not good. Jake is going to die. The younger son is sent to bring the preacher. When he arrives, the parson is asked to offer a prayer for Jake: “O Father God, we give you thanks that you have sent this snake to bite Jake. It has brought him to seek you. We ask, Lord, that you would send another snake to bite Joe and a really big one to bite the old man, so that they, too, might come to seek you. We thank you for your providence and ask that you send among us bigger and better rattlesnakes. Amen.”
Some years ago, an insightful watcher of the church by the name of Mike Yaconelli, wrote an article called “The Tyranny of Trivia.” Some of his observations remind me of our ancient desert wanderers as well as our own situation. Listen:
Time for the church to get the focus back. To Look and Live. And to remember how contagious that sort of thing is: look up, and everyone else wants to look up with you. What’s the point? This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
Look up and live!
Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14-21
Do you like snakes? Not many do. I can think of no other creature on the face of the planet that so universally brings forth a sense of revulsion and disgust. When we used to live near Boston there was a woman named “the Snake Lady” She adopted sick and crippled boa constrictors and brought them on tour to schools and other groups for education where she would cuddle them and tell the stories of their previous abuse. She came to one of our church picnics once, causing one of the older members of the church to have a panic attack. True or not, many think of snakes as slimy and nasty. And as our Old Testament lesson reminds, snakes can also be dangerous.
It seems that the children of Israel, in the midst of their wilderness wandering, stumbled to a location south of the Dead Sea that was infamous for its lethal snakes. “Big deal,” they no doubt thought. “Why should we expect anything different? This trip has been one big fiasco from beginning to end.” In the Hebrew Bible, our book of Numbers is more accurately entitled, “In the Wilderness.” The account begins about a year after the Exodus. God tells Moses to take a census of the people to determine the NUMBER of men available for combat (thus the name “Numbers”). After the census, the children of Israel set out for the Promised Land.
It did not take long for mutinous muttering to begin. Their diet of manna was becoming stale. God has supplied those small round grains that appeared around the Israelites’ camp each morning. They were ground and baked into cakes or boiled into a bread called manna. But now they were weary of manna . The mumbled, “How about some MEAT, Moses? Egypt may not have been perfect, but at least we had some fish every so often...not to mention cucumbers and melons and leeks and onions, even garlic. Give us some meat.”
So Moses said to God, “Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, ‘Give us meat; we want meat.’ I can’t do this by myself—it’s too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I’ve seen enough; I’ve had enough. Let me out of here.” (Numbers 11:11-15).
Poor Moses. God says that some help would be forthcoming Quail. God says, “Oh, You’re going to eat meat. And it’s not just for a day that you’ll eat meat, and not two days, or five or ten or twenty, but for a whole month. You’re going to eat meat until it’s coming out your nostrils. You’re going to be so sick of meat that you’ll throw up at the mere mention of it.” (Num. 11:19-20a). So there!
The wilderness wandering continues. They arrived at the border of Canaan and were instructed to send in a spy squad for a 40-day reconnaissance run. The spies reported a land “flowing with milk and honey”, but also populated by menacing giants. Again, the weeping and wailing winds up. “All the People of Israel grumbled against Moses. The entire community was in on it: “Why didn’t we die in Egypt? Or in this wilderness? Why has GOD brought us to this country to kill us? Our wives and children are about to become plunder. Why don’t we just head back to Egypt? And right now!” (Num. 14:2-3) They wanted to choose a new leader to replace Moses, someone who would take them back to the Pharaoh.
By now, God is getting steamed. The LORD says to Moses, “How long will these people treat me like dirt? How long refuse to trust me? And with all these signs I’ve done among them! I’ve had enough—I’m going to hit them with a plague and kill them. But I’ll make you into a nation bigger and stronger than they ever were.” (Num. 14:11-12).
Once more, Moses steps in on the people’s behalf, calms God down and promises not to wipe Israel out. But there would be a price: the wilderness wandering would continue for 40 years.
The story doesn’t end there. More grumbling. One outright mutiny against Moses’ leadership ended up costing the lives of almost 15,000 people in a plague. And still the people complain. In today’s reading, the end of the long journey is near. The children of Israel have encamp in this desert region that is infamous for the snakes. The bellyaching begins: “Moses, why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable manna.” Their venomous tongues would be repaid in kind... with more venom. And people began to die. The Israelites come to Moses, finally admitting that they have done wrong: “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you.” Aha! All the twelve-step programs tell us that the only way to correct a problem is to recognize that you have it. They agree that their mouths have gotten them into this trouble. “Now Moses, please, please, please pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.”
So he does. Moses prays and receives this strange command about making a bronze image of a serpent and hanging it on a pole in the center of the camp. Then he is to inform the people that anyone who is bitten will survive if he or she will just cast their eyes toward the snake. Strange. Why not just get rid of the snakes? Was this God’s way of saying that healing will not come until we recognize the disease? So, the prescription was given - Look and Live - and they did. And the grumbling finally stopped.
Jesus recalled the story one night in a Jerusalem garden in a conversation with Nicodemus. “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” It was a wonderful word of love and grace. One might wish that this encounter in the desert with serious venom would have marked the absolute end of venomous complaining and criticizing among God’s people, but we know it did not. Complaining continues, even to this day, despite the fact that it does no one any good. Sometimes we might NEED snakes.
There is a story of three men who live on a ranch out West, the father John, the sons, Jake and Joe. They never had any use for the church until one day Jake is bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor is summoned, but the prognosis is not good. Jake is going to die. The younger son is sent to bring the preacher. When he arrives, the parson is asked to offer a prayer for Jake: “O Father God, we give you thanks that you have sent this snake to bite Jake. It has brought him to seek you. We ask, Lord, that you would send another snake to bite Joe and a really big one to bite the old man, so that they, too, might come to seek you. We thank you for your providence and ask that you send among us bigger and better rattlesnakes. Amen.”
Some years ago, an insightful watcher of the church by the name of Mike Yaconelli, wrote an article called “The Tyranny of Trivia.” Some of his observations remind me of our ancient desert wanderers as well as our own situation. Listen:
There is something wrong with the organized church. You know it. I know it. We all see that something is wrong -- drastically wrong. Just one semi-close look at the organized church - with its waning influence, its corruption, and its cultural impotence -- tells us that something has gone awry. But, the question is, what has gone awry? What IS wrong? I think I know . . .The problem is pettiness. Blatant pettiness.Pettiness proved a problem for ancient Israel. Yes, they focused on the brass serpent when they were supposed to and found healing. They actually held on to that brass serpent for hundreds of years. And, as the years wore on, that brass serpent became an idol to which the people brought sacrifices. Finally, the practice became so outrageous that King Hezekiah smashed the thing to pieces. It’s easy to lose focus.
Visit any local church board meeting, and you will be immediately shocked by the sheer abundance of pettiness. The flower committee chairman has decided to quit because someone didn’t check with her before they put flowers on the altar last Sunday. The Chairman of the Board is angry because a meeting was held without his knowledge. One of the elders is upset with the youth director because the youth director wants to take the church youth group to a secular Rock concert. The Women’s Kitchen committee is up in arms because, at the last youth group meeting (which has mushroomed from 15 kids to 90 kids in six months), the kids took some sugar from the kitchen. The janitor is threatening to quit because the youth group played a game on the grass over the weekend, and now the lawn needs extra work.
I can understand each and every one of the gripes mentioned above. I also understand that the same general argument is always made for each one of these gripes: “If you don’t have order, you have chaos. It sounds like a little thing, but if everyone was allowed to do ‘...,’ think what that would mean.”
Ah, yes, think what it would mean. What WOULD it mean? Probably nothing. And yet, in every church in this country, boards, ministers, and church members -- in the name of “what would this mean?” -- are running around trying to answer that very question. In other words, churches are so preoccupied with the petty, they can’t spend the time required to do what does matter. So, I would like to say what people in church leadership are apparently having a difficult time saying today: there is no excuse for pettiness in the church. Pettiness should have no place at all in any church for any reason. Petty people are . . . people who have lost their vision. They are people who have turned their eyes away from what matters and focused, instead, on what doesn’t matter...
Time for the church to get the focus back. To Look and Live. And to remember how contagious that sort of thing is: look up, and everyone else wants to look up with you. What’s the point? This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
Look up and live!
Sermon for August 5, 2007
The Ark Builders
Genesis 7:11-8:5
You have never heard the story of Noah until you’ve heard it from biblically illiterate Junior Highers. While I was at camp last week, we talked about the story of Noah’s Ark. Sure, we know about the flood and the rainbow, but did you know that there were mermaids and unicorns? When I asked the kids why God flooded the earth, one Jr. High girl told the group, “OK, so there were these evil men who built their house on some sand, and they wouldn’t listen to God so God sent a flood and everyone who built their house on the sand died but everyone who like built their house on the rocks lived, except the flood came over the whole earth, so they died too.” Bet you didn’t know that part! We see pictures of the animals going into the ark two by two that we don’t always pay attention to the details of the story.
I wonder what Noah must have thought after the flood–when he looked back on the months of awesome and fearful events. God gave Noah a surprise announcement that the whole creation would be destroyed by flood because it hadn’t turned out the way it was intended. In the olden days, people would settle any little disagreement with a rock to the head or a flint knife between the ribs. The times were filled with undiluted evil. The whole creation project was a wash out, so to speak, and God cleaned up everyone’s act with a bath like no one had ever seen. But the cure seemed as bad as the disease. God said to Noah, “Build an ark. Collect representatives from creation. Gather your family and you will be rescued. What’s not on the ark will be destroyed.” Noah thought about trying to change God’s mind, but God’s Voice sounded so sad, so very disappointed. It wasn’t long before the beautiful hills and valleys became nothing but dark water. After the fact, when new generations asked Noah how the long the journey lasted he would answer, “Forever.” To that day, when dark clouds rolled in and the smell of rain filled the air, the old feelings came rushing back..memories of being carried along like a single ship on an ocean of time stretching in all directions. He was filled with memories of being saved from death; being given a new chance by a loving God to be his people.
Let’s think about the disasters that surround us on a daily basis.
· We live in a world where people are desperate for spiritual truth, but they feel that they can’t find the answers they need from Christian churches.
· We live in a time when more than 30 million Americans who live in poverty–that’s more than live in the entire nations of Canada or Australia. Even worse, 40 percent of the American poor are children. For every dollar spent on ministries to the poor, a typical church spends 5 dollars on buildings and maintenance.
· In this nation, an overwhelming majority of teenagers feel disconnected from and devalued by adults.
· And we all know people are drowning in despair. Family members are fighting with one another. Our neighbors are isolated. People we know and love are broken, dying in the water, waiting for the next wave to crash upon them.
Thinking about it can give us a headache and a heartache. One thing hasn’t changed from Noah’s time until now. A drowning person can’t save himself. People need a Rescuer
Fortunately the situation is not hopeless. God never leaves people without a rescue plan! God’s solution for Noah’s day was to say, “Noah, build an ark, and be ready to gather those whom I have chosen to save.” Those ark builders did not just build a big boat. They were the vessels that brought life to a new generation. I believe God is calling us here at Trumbull Congregational Church to be ark builders. The God of creation is asking us to build vessels to rescue those who are perishing. I believe God is calling us to be modern day Noah’s–collecting God’s creation from the arms of death and leading them to life in Christ.
We are the ark builders for a new generation. My question this morning is this: What vessels can we use to bring the life of the gospel to a hurting world? What kind of containers can we use that will help people use the gospel to navigate the storms of life?
In the past the church has said, “Come on board and listen to our beautiful music. Hear an inspiring sermon. Talk with some people who care. Join a church board. Come to one of our classes. Become a church member. Come to us and you will find rest and peace.”
I think we got confused somewhere along the line. Don’t get me wrong. I love church. I’m the biggest church advocate you will ever find. But at some point we forgot that there are people around us who are dying. We got thinking that if people really wanted to get their lives together they would come to church. And when they get to church, they had better like organ music and hymns. They better like formality and liturgy, because that’s the way we do it. Where has it gotten us? We live in a time when people are more hungry for spiritual meaning than ever, yet mainline churches are losing members by the tens of thousands every year. The truth is that you can come to church for years and your life can still be miserable. You can sit in these pews week after week and still feel like you are dying inside. You can be sitting in a crowded sanctuary and be the loneliest person on the planet. The problem, as I see it, is that the church needs to cast off from the dock and get wet. Don’t expect people to just come here and get on board. Jesus calls us to weigh anchor and take off into the watery world around us.
Do you have a favorite cup? My favorite cup lately is this big, 30 oz yellow plastic tumbler. I like the way it fits my hand. The interesting thing about this containers is that I can pour water into my yellow tumbler, and the water will take the shape of the container. I can pour the same water into a different shaped cup, and the shape changes, but it’s still the same water–the recipe hasn’t changed. The containers change, but the content remains the same.
It’s the same when I serve communion. I can pour wine from one container to another, from pitcher to chalice. The wine takes the shape of the new containter, but it is still wine.
Every generation needs a container that fits its own hands and soul. Each person needs an ark to sail the storms of life. The truth is that your container might look different from mine. That’s OK. What matters is that the content is still the same. We are leading people to Jesus Christ, and He never changes. If we are serious about being ark builders, we need to be prepared to navigate the flood in vessels that we would never have considered seaworthy in the past. Our task is to offer the gospel to fill all shapes and sizes of containers. We tell the old story in new ways. Our calling is to be ark builders who help everyone, everywhere to negotiate the storm by using whatever it takes–whatever it takes-- to lead the dying to Christ.
As we come to communion this morning, we remember our Savior, Jesus, who emptied his human container so that we could have life. For those of us who have ever felt like we are drowning in the currents of life, let this meal serve as our re-introduction to our rescuer, Jesus Christ. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we respond in thanksgiving to by doing everything possible– EVERYTHING, to present the truth to the world. We are committed because we know that Jesus brings hope, healing, and life to those who are drowning.
Genesis 7:11-8:5
You have never heard the story of Noah until you’ve heard it from biblically illiterate Junior Highers. While I was at camp last week, we talked about the story of Noah’s Ark. Sure, we know about the flood and the rainbow, but did you know that there were mermaids and unicorns? When I asked the kids why God flooded the earth, one Jr. High girl told the group, “OK, so there were these evil men who built their house on some sand, and they wouldn’t listen to God so God sent a flood and everyone who built their house on the sand died but everyone who like built their house on the rocks lived, except the flood came over the whole earth, so they died too.” Bet you didn’t know that part! We see pictures of the animals going into the ark two by two that we don’t always pay attention to the details of the story.
I wonder what Noah must have thought after the flood–when he looked back on the months of awesome and fearful events. God gave Noah a surprise announcement that the whole creation would be destroyed by flood because it hadn’t turned out the way it was intended. In the olden days, people would settle any little disagreement with a rock to the head or a flint knife between the ribs. The times were filled with undiluted evil. The whole creation project was a wash out, so to speak, and God cleaned up everyone’s act with a bath like no one had ever seen. But the cure seemed as bad as the disease. God said to Noah, “Build an ark. Collect representatives from creation. Gather your family and you will be rescued. What’s not on the ark will be destroyed.” Noah thought about trying to change God’s mind, but God’s Voice sounded so sad, so very disappointed. It wasn’t long before the beautiful hills and valleys became nothing but dark water. After the fact, when new generations asked Noah how the long the journey lasted he would answer, “Forever.” To that day, when dark clouds rolled in and the smell of rain filled the air, the old feelings came rushing back..memories of being carried along like a single ship on an ocean of time stretching in all directions. He was filled with memories of being saved from death; being given a new chance by a loving God to be his people.
Let’s think about the disasters that surround us on a daily basis.
· We live in a world where people are desperate for spiritual truth, but they feel that they can’t find the answers they need from Christian churches.
· We live in a time when more than 30 million Americans who live in poverty–that’s more than live in the entire nations of Canada or Australia. Even worse, 40 percent of the American poor are children. For every dollar spent on ministries to the poor, a typical church spends 5 dollars on buildings and maintenance.
· In this nation, an overwhelming majority of teenagers feel disconnected from and devalued by adults.
· And we all know people are drowning in despair. Family members are fighting with one another. Our neighbors are isolated. People we know and love are broken, dying in the water, waiting for the next wave to crash upon them.
Thinking about it can give us a headache and a heartache. One thing hasn’t changed from Noah’s time until now. A drowning person can’t save himself. People need a Rescuer
Fortunately the situation is not hopeless. God never leaves people without a rescue plan! God’s solution for Noah’s day was to say, “Noah, build an ark, and be ready to gather those whom I have chosen to save.” Those ark builders did not just build a big boat. They were the vessels that brought life to a new generation. I believe God is calling us here at Trumbull Congregational Church to be ark builders. The God of creation is asking us to build vessels to rescue those who are perishing. I believe God is calling us to be modern day Noah’s–collecting God’s creation from the arms of death and leading them to life in Christ.
We are the ark builders for a new generation. My question this morning is this: What vessels can we use to bring the life of the gospel to a hurting world? What kind of containers can we use that will help people use the gospel to navigate the storms of life?
In the past the church has said, “Come on board and listen to our beautiful music. Hear an inspiring sermon. Talk with some people who care. Join a church board. Come to one of our classes. Become a church member. Come to us and you will find rest and peace.”
I think we got confused somewhere along the line. Don’t get me wrong. I love church. I’m the biggest church advocate you will ever find. But at some point we forgot that there are people around us who are dying. We got thinking that if people really wanted to get their lives together they would come to church. And when they get to church, they had better like organ music and hymns. They better like formality and liturgy, because that’s the way we do it. Where has it gotten us? We live in a time when people are more hungry for spiritual meaning than ever, yet mainline churches are losing members by the tens of thousands every year. The truth is that you can come to church for years and your life can still be miserable. You can sit in these pews week after week and still feel like you are dying inside. You can be sitting in a crowded sanctuary and be the loneliest person on the planet. The problem, as I see it, is that the church needs to cast off from the dock and get wet. Don’t expect people to just come here and get on board. Jesus calls us to weigh anchor and take off into the watery world around us.
Do you have a favorite cup? My favorite cup lately is this big, 30 oz yellow plastic tumbler. I like the way it fits my hand. The interesting thing about this containers is that I can pour water into my yellow tumbler, and the water will take the shape of the container. I can pour the same water into a different shaped cup, and the shape changes, but it’s still the same water–the recipe hasn’t changed. The containers change, but the content remains the same.
It’s the same when I serve communion. I can pour wine from one container to another, from pitcher to chalice. The wine takes the shape of the new containter, but it is still wine.
Every generation needs a container that fits its own hands and soul. Each person needs an ark to sail the storms of life. The truth is that your container might look different from mine. That’s OK. What matters is that the content is still the same. We are leading people to Jesus Christ, and He never changes. If we are serious about being ark builders, we need to be prepared to navigate the flood in vessels that we would never have considered seaworthy in the past. Our task is to offer the gospel to fill all shapes and sizes of containers. We tell the old story in new ways. Our calling is to be ark builders who help everyone, everywhere to negotiate the storm by using whatever it takes–whatever it takes-- to lead the dying to Christ.
As we come to communion this morning, we remember our Savior, Jesus, who emptied his human container so that we could have life. For those of us who have ever felt like we are drowning in the currents of life, let this meal serve as our re-introduction to our rescuer, Jesus Christ. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we respond in thanksgiving to by doing everything possible– EVERYTHING, to present the truth to the world. We are committed because we know that Jesus brings hope, healing, and life to those who are drowning.
Sermon for July 22, 2007
The Life of Justice
Micah 6:6-8
Have you ever heard someone say something like this: “There’s so much pain out there. I suppose someone’s got to address it, but why should I have to do it? I mean, I’ve got my hands full right now, what with working 60 hours a week and my family and all. Besides, I’ve worked hard to get what I have. Why shouldn’t be able to enjoy it?” That’s what might be called the “I’ve Got Mine” theory of social justice: I’ve got mine; let someone else take care of the world’s problems. It’s not much of a social justice theory, but I hear it a lot.
How about this one as an alternative? “Yes, I know. The world is full of injustice and all. It needs to be corrected, but that will take a better person than I. It will take a Martin Luther King, Jr., a Gandhi, a Mother Theresa. Maybe all three rolled into one. I can’t to that; I’m just an ordinary sort of person” That’s the Great Healer Theory of social justice: It takes a few great people to make a difference, and since I’m not a great person, I’ll wait for one to come along and follow that one. In the meantime, there’s not much I can do. Again, not much of a social justice theory. But I’ve heard it.
A variation on this theory is this: “There’s so much to do I wouldn’t know where to begin. I need someone to tell me. In the meantime, all I can do is wring my hands.” That one at least has the merit that it does not pretend to be anything but an excuse for not getting involved. Still, it has precious little to do with social justice. And it won’t heal any of the pain the world.
The church often uses guilt as a way to motivate people into action. “How can you possibly just stand there and do nothing? The world is falling to pieces all round you, from famine to racism. And if you don’t do anything about it, you are as guilty as those who perpetuate the pain, because your inaction allows the pain to continue and grow.” I know you’ve all heard some version of this. I’ve even preached it on occasion. It has the great virtue of getting a fair amount of social justice work started. Guilt really can motivate people. But there has to be something better, something that really will motivate people to get involved and touch the world with the loving compassion that Jesus demonstrated. This morning we will think about this as we read a word from a Hebrew Prophet.
In today's reading, God and the people of Israel are in the middle of a lawsuit. They have come to court to see who is at fault in their fractured relationship. Israel has ignored God. The people have forgotten how God saved them from the land of Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land. In choosing not to remember their own exodus and the struggles leading up to liberation, the people grow indifferent. They are all too willing to bargain, to bribe, and to buy off their neighbor and their God. On the stand, Israel comes up with a clever defense. “What can we bring before the Lord to make up for what we’ve done? Maybe God would be happy if we took a valuable yearling calf and sacrificed it. No. . .God will want more. Maybe we should raise the value by sacrificing not one, but a thousand rams, and then smother it with rivers of precious olive oil. Then would God be pleased? What if we sacrificed our firstborn children to pay for the sins of our souls? Then would God forgive? Tell us the cost, and we will pay.”
The urgent cries of Israel don’t sound very different than our own laments today. We mess something up, and we have an urgent compulsion to clear our consciences. We want a sign that God forgives us and still loves us. We cry, “God, what do you want from me. What can I do to make up for what I’ve done? Will you be happy if I promise to go to church every Sunday for a month? How about a year? What if I make good on my stewardship pledge? I’ll even put a little extra in? Then would you be pleased, God? How much do I need to give in order to secure your love? Do I need to find the people and things that are most valuable to me and offer them to you, Lord? Then would you forgive? Tell me the cost, and I will pay.” WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE?
Micah gives a surprise answer. If we think we can buy God’s love, then we have missed the point. God doesn’t want stuff. God wants you. God doesn’t require sacrifice of physical objects. God wants your heart. Micah says that if you want to experience God’s presence, then do justice, love mercy, and walk in humility with your God. Let’s think about this for a minute.
First God says do justice or do what is right. God cares deeply about people and how we treat one another. If we could see the world through the eyes of God, we would be looking through eyes of compassion. God cares about our needs, our hurts and brokenness. In Micah’s day, most of the county’s leaders were caught up in their own comfort and prosperity. But Micah saw the suffering of the general population. He knew that justice would not come from the state or the power structure. Justice rises from people who dare to envision dynamic alternatives to their current unjust conditions. To do justice is not a romantic ideal nor an abstract concept. Rather, justice means hard work. A life of justice asks us to work together, to analyze the present unjust system and to find ways to change the system. Justice is able to disrupt, dismantle, break down, disarm, and transform the world when we dare to see what is really happening without growing cynical. Living a life of justice means being willing to risk seeing another person’s suffering as our own.
Doing justice is hard because it means that life has to change. And many of us have a strong allergic reaction to change of any kind. We also have a strong revulsion to the church getting involved in politics. The important decisions in our time – whether there will be peace or war, freedom of totalitarianism, racial equality or discrimination, homophilia or homophobia, food or famine –all these are political decisions. Not every political issue of the day demands a decision from the churches. I don’t think churches should pursue political goals that are self-serving. I hate to see Christians try to legislate their convictions on divorce or abortion into sate and federal law. I hate to see Christians fight the ACLU to keep crèches on public greens, or prayer in schools, or evolution out of schools. I love to see Christian speak up and act up on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged, to fight for housing for low-income families, for decent health care for the aging, for fair treatment of all people. Jesus pointed to the outcasts of the world—those who were handicapped, those who were poor, those who were in prison, those who were considered “the least”—and said, in effect, “Those people are just like me. If you love me, then you will also love them.” Anyone can love the healthy, the successful, and the glamorous. There’s little nobility or courage in that. But God calls us to a higher standard—to love and serve the world just as he does – to understand that when one suffers, we all suffer. When one person is given dignity, we are all brought a little higher. In these times that are neither safe nor sane, I love to see Christens risk maximum fidelity to Jesus Christ when they can expect to see minimal support from the culture around them. The churches have to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless. But they also have to remember that the answer to homelessness is homes, not shelters. What the poor and downtrodden need is not piecemeal charity, but wholesale justice.
Micah also mentions kindness. Showing kindness means choosing to recognize and respond to the needy among us. In his book, The Power of the Powerless, Chris deVinck wrote about his brother Oliver who was severely handicapped, blind, and bedridden. No one was sure whether Oliver was aware of the world around him, although he did eat when he was fed. Though he lived to be over 30, feeding him was like feeding an eight-month-old child. He required 24-hour care, which his mother gave him until the day he died. Chris remembers it like this:
If you want to live in God’s forgiving grace, then walk in kindness, meeting the needs around you with the compassion of God.
Micah also mentions humility. A story is told about a doctor at a mental institution who made his rounds one evening. She heard someone shouting from one of the rooms. “I am the King of the Universe. I am the Ruler of the World! From now on everyone will do what I say because I am the Supreme Commander of the Galaxies!” The doctor investigated, opening a door to find a man in his underwear, standing on a chair, beating his chest and yelling, “I am the King of the Universe!” The doctor shouted, “Harry, get own off that chair! And quiet down! You’re disrupting people who are trying to sleep!” “I am the King of the Universe!” “Harry, your are not the King of the Universe!” “Yes I am!” he cried all the louder. “And just what makes you think you are the King of the Universe?” asked the doctor. “God told me I was King of the Universe!” shouted Harry. Just then, a voice erupted from another patient’s room down the hallway: “I did not say that!”
Humility means recognizing that the universe doesn’t revolve around us. In fact, it means serving others in a way that doesn’t even draw attention to the good deeds we do. It means that we do acts of justice and kindness with quiet simplicity.
Justice. Kindness. Humility. Honestly, it would be a lot easier to buy God off. But new life in Christ means living in ways that make life better for others. It’s risky and uncomfortable.
The life of justice is a response to God’s goodness. It refuses to back down in the face of evil. It never relents shining the light of grace into the dark place sin the world. Do you want to experience God’s presence? Do you seek tangible evidence of the New Life? Then live for God by living for justice, kindness, and humility.
Let me suggest some beginning steps in living such a life:
· Write a kind or encouraging letter, perhaps to someone who is struggling with a decision, or a failed marriage, or disappointment. Or write notes of encouragement to our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world who are persecuted for their faith.
· Volunteer to help at a food bank.
· Guard the reputation of another person. Refuse to take part in discussions that focus on fault-finding or gossip.
· Look for injustice and address it. Ask yourself, “Am I doing something that oppresses someone else? Have I taken advantage of another person? By examining yourself, you will be able to see the injustice around you.
· Take a stand. All around is there is racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. You have the power to make a difference in Jesus’ name.
The life of justice is a life of sacrifice–but a much different kind than we may think. God doesn’t want stuff. God wants you. God has shown you what is good, and what does the Lord require of you. To do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:6-8
Have you ever heard someone say something like this: “There’s so much pain out there. I suppose someone’s got to address it, but why should I have to do it? I mean, I’ve got my hands full right now, what with working 60 hours a week and my family and all. Besides, I’ve worked hard to get what I have. Why shouldn’t be able to enjoy it?” That’s what might be called the “I’ve Got Mine” theory of social justice: I’ve got mine; let someone else take care of the world’s problems. It’s not much of a social justice theory, but I hear it a lot.
How about this one as an alternative? “Yes, I know. The world is full of injustice and all. It needs to be corrected, but that will take a better person than I. It will take a Martin Luther King, Jr., a Gandhi, a Mother Theresa. Maybe all three rolled into one. I can’t to that; I’m just an ordinary sort of person” That’s the Great Healer Theory of social justice: It takes a few great people to make a difference, and since I’m not a great person, I’ll wait for one to come along and follow that one. In the meantime, there’s not much I can do. Again, not much of a social justice theory. But I’ve heard it.
A variation on this theory is this: “There’s so much to do I wouldn’t know where to begin. I need someone to tell me. In the meantime, all I can do is wring my hands.” That one at least has the merit that it does not pretend to be anything but an excuse for not getting involved. Still, it has precious little to do with social justice. And it won’t heal any of the pain the world.
The church often uses guilt as a way to motivate people into action. “How can you possibly just stand there and do nothing? The world is falling to pieces all round you, from famine to racism. And if you don’t do anything about it, you are as guilty as those who perpetuate the pain, because your inaction allows the pain to continue and grow.” I know you’ve all heard some version of this. I’ve even preached it on occasion. It has the great virtue of getting a fair amount of social justice work started. Guilt really can motivate people. But there has to be something better, something that really will motivate people to get involved and touch the world with the loving compassion that Jesus demonstrated. This morning we will think about this as we read a word from a Hebrew Prophet.
In today's reading, God and the people of Israel are in the middle of a lawsuit. They have come to court to see who is at fault in their fractured relationship. Israel has ignored God. The people have forgotten how God saved them from the land of Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land. In choosing not to remember their own exodus and the struggles leading up to liberation, the people grow indifferent. They are all too willing to bargain, to bribe, and to buy off their neighbor and their God. On the stand, Israel comes up with a clever defense. “What can we bring before the Lord to make up for what we’ve done? Maybe God would be happy if we took a valuable yearling calf and sacrificed it. No. . .God will want more. Maybe we should raise the value by sacrificing not one, but a thousand rams, and then smother it with rivers of precious olive oil. Then would God be pleased? What if we sacrificed our firstborn children to pay for the sins of our souls? Then would God forgive? Tell us the cost, and we will pay.”
The urgent cries of Israel don’t sound very different than our own laments today. We mess something up, and we have an urgent compulsion to clear our consciences. We want a sign that God forgives us and still loves us. We cry, “God, what do you want from me. What can I do to make up for what I’ve done? Will you be happy if I promise to go to church every Sunday for a month? How about a year? What if I make good on my stewardship pledge? I’ll even put a little extra in? Then would you be pleased, God? How much do I need to give in order to secure your love? Do I need to find the people and things that are most valuable to me and offer them to you, Lord? Then would you forgive? Tell me the cost, and I will pay.” WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE?
Micah gives a surprise answer. If we think we can buy God’s love, then we have missed the point. God doesn’t want stuff. God wants you. God doesn’t require sacrifice of physical objects. God wants your heart. Micah says that if you want to experience God’s presence, then do justice, love mercy, and walk in humility with your God. Let’s think about this for a minute.
First God says do justice or do what is right. God cares deeply about people and how we treat one another. If we could see the world through the eyes of God, we would be looking through eyes of compassion. God cares about our needs, our hurts and brokenness. In Micah’s day, most of the county’s leaders were caught up in their own comfort and prosperity. But Micah saw the suffering of the general population. He knew that justice would not come from the state or the power structure. Justice rises from people who dare to envision dynamic alternatives to their current unjust conditions. To do justice is not a romantic ideal nor an abstract concept. Rather, justice means hard work. A life of justice asks us to work together, to analyze the present unjust system and to find ways to change the system. Justice is able to disrupt, dismantle, break down, disarm, and transform the world when we dare to see what is really happening without growing cynical. Living a life of justice means being willing to risk seeing another person’s suffering as our own.
Doing justice is hard because it means that life has to change. And many of us have a strong allergic reaction to change of any kind. We also have a strong revulsion to the church getting involved in politics. The important decisions in our time – whether there will be peace or war, freedom of totalitarianism, racial equality or discrimination, homophilia or homophobia, food or famine –all these are political decisions. Not every political issue of the day demands a decision from the churches. I don’t think churches should pursue political goals that are self-serving. I hate to see Christians try to legislate their convictions on divorce or abortion into sate and federal law. I hate to see Christians fight the ACLU to keep crèches on public greens, or prayer in schools, or evolution out of schools. I love to see Christian speak up and act up on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged, to fight for housing for low-income families, for decent health care for the aging, for fair treatment of all people. Jesus pointed to the outcasts of the world—those who were handicapped, those who were poor, those who were in prison, those who were considered “the least”—and said, in effect, “Those people are just like me. If you love me, then you will also love them.” Anyone can love the healthy, the successful, and the glamorous. There’s little nobility or courage in that. But God calls us to a higher standard—to love and serve the world just as he does – to understand that when one suffers, we all suffer. When one person is given dignity, we are all brought a little higher. In these times that are neither safe nor sane, I love to see Christens risk maximum fidelity to Jesus Christ when they can expect to see minimal support from the culture around them. The churches have to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless. But they also have to remember that the answer to homelessness is homes, not shelters. What the poor and downtrodden need is not piecemeal charity, but wholesale justice.
Micah also mentions kindness. Showing kindness means choosing to recognize and respond to the needy among us. In his book, The Power of the Powerless, Chris deVinck wrote about his brother Oliver who was severely handicapped, blind, and bedridden. No one was sure whether Oliver was aware of the world around him, although he did eat when he was fed. Though he lived to be over 30, feeding him was like feeding an eight-month-old child. He required 24-hour care, which his mother gave him until the day he died. Chris remembers it like this:
When I was in my early 20s, I met a girl, and I fell in love. After a few months I brought her home for dinner to meet my family. After the introductions and some small talk, my mother went to the kitchen to check the meal, and I asked the girl, “Would you like to see Oliver?” for I had, of course, told her about my brother. “No,” she answered. She did not want to see him. It was as if she slapped me in the face. In response I mumbled something polite and walked to the dining room.
Soon after, I met Rosemary—a dark-haired, dark-eyed, lovely girl. She asked me the names of my brothers and sisters. She bought me a copy of The Little Prince. She loved children. I thought she was wonderful. I brought her home after a few months to meet my family. The introductions. The small talk. We ate dinner; then it was time for me to feed Oliver. I walked into the kitchen … and prepared Oliver’s meal. Then, I remember, I sheepishly asked Roe if she’d like to come upstairs and see Oliver. “Sure,” she said, and up the stairs we went. I sat on Oliver’s bed as Roe stood and watched over my shoulder. I gave him his first spoonful, then his second. “Can I do that?” she asked with ease, with freedom, with compassion. So I gave her the bowl, and she fed Oliver one spoonful at a time.
Which girl would you marry? Today Roe and I have three children.
If you want to live in God’s forgiving grace, then walk in kindness, meeting the needs around you with the compassion of God.
Micah also mentions humility. A story is told about a doctor at a mental institution who made his rounds one evening. She heard someone shouting from one of the rooms. “I am the King of the Universe. I am the Ruler of the World! From now on everyone will do what I say because I am the Supreme Commander of the Galaxies!” The doctor investigated, opening a door to find a man in his underwear, standing on a chair, beating his chest and yelling, “I am the King of the Universe!” The doctor shouted, “Harry, get own off that chair! And quiet down! You’re disrupting people who are trying to sleep!” “I am the King of the Universe!” “Harry, your are not the King of the Universe!” “Yes I am!” he cried all the louder. “And just what makes you think you are the King of the Universe?” asked the doctor. “God told me I was King of the Universe!” shouted Harry. Just then, a voice erupted from another patient’s room down the hallway: “I did not say that!”
Humility means recognizing that the universe doesn’t revolve around us. In fact, it means serving others in a way that doesn’t even draw attention to the good deeds we do. It means that we do acts of justice and kindness with quiet simplicity.
Justice. Kindness. Humility. Honestly, it would be a lot easier to buy God off. But new life in Christ means living in ways that make life better for others. It’s risky and uncomfortable.
The life of justice is a response to God’s goodness. It refuses to back down in the face of evil. It never relents shining the light of grace into the dark place sin the world. Do you want to experience God’s presence? Do you seek tangible evidence of the New Life? Then live for God by living for justice, kindness, and humility.
Let me suggest some beginning steps in living such a life:
· Write a kind or encouraging letter, perhaps to someone who is struggling with a decision, or a failed marriage, or disappointment. Or write notes of encouragement to our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world who are persecuted for their faith.
· Volunteer to help at a food bank.
· Guard the reputation of another person. Refuse to take part in discussions that focus on fault-finding or gossip.
· Look for injustice and address it. Ask yourself, “Am I doing something that oppresses someone else? Have I taken advantage of another person? By examining yourself, you will be able to see the injustice around you.
· Take a stand. All around is there is racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. You have the power to make a difference in Jesus’ name.
The life of justice is a life of sacrifice–but a much different kind than we may think. God doesn’t want stuff. God wants you. God has shown you what is good, and what does the Lord require of you. To do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Sermon for July 15, 2007
Promoting Social Righteousness
Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 5:43-48; 7:12
Ready for your morning theology lesson? There is a brand of theology called Dominion Theology. It is a belief that society, particularly in the United States, has seriously fallen apart, and must be totally rebuilt to biblical standards. Dominion Theology works on the assumption that God calls us to subdue the earth (Gen 1:28). Therefore, God’s moral Law, as stated in the OT, should dominate all aspects of society. This would mean that Christians would be obligated to keep the entire OT Law except in a case in which the NT specifically cancels a command, such as the sacrificial system. If the Kingdom of God is to gradually take dominion over the earth, it only makes sense that Christians must change the laws of the land, elect Christians to office, and bring our country to obey the Law of Moses. Just think about the possible consequences. If the Law of Moses was substituted for the law of the US federal government, there could be many changes. For instance, the OT prescribes:
· The use of the death penalty for adultery, blasphemy, heresy, homosexual behavior, idolatry, prostitution, and evil sorcery. Presumably that would be done by stoning people to death or burning them alive, as the Bible requires.
· An individual who does not accept the Law of Moses is an idolater. Idolatry is punishable by death.
· The status of women would be reduced to almost that of a slave as described in the Hebrew Scriptures.
· The prison system would be eliminated. A system of just restitution would be established for some crimes. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The death penalty would be practiced for many other crimes. Sound familiar? It should sound a little scary. It is the Christian version of the Taliban.
The church does have the mission of living out God’s moral law in order to transform society. But, what is the moral law, and how exactly do we live it out? That’s what we are going to explore today.
What is the moral law? The moral law is God’s way of molding our lives to outward honesty and right spiritual living. God’s moral law speaks to body and soul. It teaches us how to conduct our public lives and how to order our private spirituality. We grew up being taught that God’s moral law is best summed up in the 10 commandments. In the gospels, Jesus says that he has come to fulfill the moral law. He doesn’t do away with it, but he strengthens it. The moral law becomes the Christian’s rule of life.
So, when we talk about the church’s mission of promoting social righteousness, we’re talking about fulfilling the requirements of the moral law as it has been taught to us. Many of us heard preachers and Church School teachers tell explain it similarly to this: God has set his standard of conduct in the Bible. Scripture gives as rigid set of dos and don’ts that guide our conduct. If the law is broken, God will be disappointed and punish us. Bad things happen because it’s God’s way of teaching us to be holy. On the other hand, if you want to avoid punishment, strictly obey God’s law. After all, doesn’t Jesus say to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect? (Mt 5:48) Let’s take a moral issue of today and think through how this kind of application of the moral law affects it.
Nothing is talked about more in our churches today than the role of homosexuality. Many of us were taught that acting on one’s homosexuality is a sin. For many, gays are society’s untouchables. They have also become the enemies of the church.
Churches of various denominations have taken stands that say, “unrepentant gay men and women are not allowed to worship at our church.” They say it’s tough love. God hates sin but loves the sinner. The best way to show God’s love is to uphold the integrity of God’s law. Until gays are willing to humbly repent of their sin, they are excommunicated from the fellowship of believers. The same law and punishments apply to all kinds of sexual sinners like adulterers, unmarried couples who live together, women who’ve had abortions, and unmarried pregnant teenagers. The purity of the church is maintained and God’s moral law is strictly and carefully applied to judge error.
If we can just follow God’s moral law to the letter, God will favor us and bless us. We will be able to stand before God on the final judgment day and present God with a perfect slate. Of course, you can only maintain this position you are willing to live a flawless public life. For some this is a very attractive religion. It sets absolute standards on conduct. There is right and wrong, in and out, loved and not loved. It makes living out our faith seem very simple.
It’s an attractive religion -- if you want to be a Pharisee. The Pharisee believed that keeping the law perfectly made him more pleasing to God. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day filled their lives with rituals and outward gestures that were supposed to breed holy people. When Jesus came along, he exposed them as judgmental, mechanical, and as uncharitable toward others as they were of themselves. They were the very opposite of the holiness they aspired to. In fact, they were so aware of their spiritual purity that they crucified the Messiah. Remember, Jesus did not die at the hands of muggers, drug dealers, or thugs. He fell into the well-scrubbed hands of deeply religious people–society’s most respected members. Pharisees insist on the overriding importance of the rule of law. The basic dignity and needs of their fellow humans are irrelevant. The Pharisee’s way leads to outward perfectionism but ignores matters of the heart.
Pharisees are alive and well in our churches. Each of us has our own judgmental, intolerant Pharisee that flaunts its moral superiority over others. Jesus obviously had a problem with this attitude. Jesus knew that the way Pharisees apply the moral law is a burden. Pharisees have a vague uneasiness about ever being in a right relationship with God. They want to feel safe with God, so they strive for moral perfection. But it’s impossible. There will always be failure. Failure means risking disappointment with God. Shame. Self-contempt. Harsh judgment on self and others. Jesus must have another system for applying the moral law and promoting social righteousness.
Principle #1 -- Love. Matthew 5:43-45. I received and Email about a group of professionals who asked children between 4-8 this question: What does love mean? Here’s what some of the kids said:
« “Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way.”
· “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.”
· “Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him to make sure the taste is OK.”
· “Love is hugging. Love is kissing. Love is saying no.”
· “Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.”
· “Love cards like Valentine’s cards say stuff on them that we’d like to say ourselves, but we wouldn’t be caught dead saying.”
· “You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”
· “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.”
To me, this is a summary of the law that Jesus knew. Jesus said it differently, of course. He said, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. This sums up the law.” Let’s get back to our example of our preoccupation with sexuality in the church.
Is it really best to cast out gays from the fellowship of the church? How many people have felt abandoned from the love of God because of the hatred of the church? Love says, “You know what? You are welcome in this place because God loves you. NO matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” Enough of these fixed certainties that we use to club other with. When we do it in the name of God, it’s blasphemous. Enough hatred and punitive judgments about other people. Before we condemn someone else, let’s listen. Let’s learn. Let’s read and pray. None of this is easy. The challenge is to show tenderness and constancy in caring the honors Christ’s love for each of us.
Principle #2 -- Live joyfully. In her book Amazing Grace, Kathleen Norris confesses that she dreaded hearing the 10 commandments read aloud in church. To her they seemed overwhelmingly negative. She tells about her grandfather who gave up alcohol and chewing tobacco when he became a Methodist minister in the 1920’s, but he still kept a box of cigars in the house. He didn’t dare smoke them, as the lingering smell would have given him away. But he would chew on them as he worked on his sermons. Even this would have gotten him in trouble if he were discovered, so for years his wife and children were sworn to secrecy. Earlier in his career, he was fired from one of his churches for playing hymns on the banjo with the youth group and teaching them how to play dominoes. Tobacco, banjo, and dominoes are not forbidden in the Law of Moses. But, we’ve become experts at taking the moral law of the Bible and applying it to just about anything we don’t approve of. When we focus on external matters instead of matters of the heart, we become legalists. Pharisees. This is not the kind of law Jesus wants to impose on us. Following God is supposed to bring joy. The law is not meant to be a burden, but a reminder that a holy God offers us the grace to find forgiveness when we’ve gone astray.
We will always have a choice to make in how we apply the moral law. Make no mistake, the law is constant. God’s expectations don’t waver. But we can be Pharisees or disciples. The law can be a back-breaking burden or a pathway to joyful living. We can be legalists or those who freely, and lovingly apply the law to ourselves. Promoting social righteousness can turn people away or bring them into the arms of their God. Which way appeals to you?
Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 5:43-48; 7:12
Ready for your morning theology lesson? There is a brand of theology called Dominion Theology. It is a belief that society, particularly in the United States, has seriously fallen apart, and must be totally rebuilt to biblical standards. Dominion Theology works on the assumption that God calls us to subdue the earth (Gen 1:28). Therefore, God’s moral Law, as stated in the OT, should dominate all aspects of society. This would mean that Christians would be obligated to keep the entire OT Law except in a case in which the NT specifically cancels a command, such as the sacrificial system. If the Kingdom of God is to gradually take dominion over the earth, it only makes sense that Christians must change the laws of the land, elect Christians to office, and bring our country to obey the Law of Moses. Just think about the possible consequences. If the Law of Moses was substituted for the law of the US federal government, there could be many changes. For instance, the OT prescribes:
· The use of the death penalty for adultery, blasphemy, heresy, homosexual behavior, idolatry, prostitution, and evil sorcery. Presumably that would be done by stoning people to death or burning them alive, as the Bible requires.
· An individual who does not accept the Law of Moses is an idolater. Idolatry is punishable by death.
· The status of women would be reduced to almost that of a slave as described in the Hebrew Scriptures.
· The prison system would be eliminated. A system of just restitution would be established for some crimes. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The death penalty would be practiced for many other crimes. Sound familiar? It should sound a little scary. It is the Christian version of the Taliban.
The church does have the mission of living out God’s moral law in order to transform society. But, what is the moral law, and how exactly do we live it out? That’s what we are going to explore today.
What is the moral law? The moral law is God’s way of molding our lives to outward honesty and right spiritual living. God’s moral law speaks to body and soul. It teaches us how to conduct our public lives and how to order our private spirituality. We grew up being taught that God’s moral law is best summed up in the 10 commandments. In the gospels, Jesus says that he has come to fulfill the moral law. He doesn’t do away with it, but he strengthens it. The moral law becomes the Christian’s rule of life.
So, when we talk about the church’s mission of promoting social righteousness, we’re talking about fulfilling the requirements of the moral law as it has been taught to us. Many of us heard preachers and Church School teachers tell explain it similarly to this: God has set his standard of conduct in the Bible. Scripture gives as rigid set of dos and don’ts that guide our conduct. If the law is broken, God will be disappointed and punish us. Bad things happen because it’s God’s way of teaching us to be holy. On the other hand, if you want to avoid punishment, strictly obey God’s law. After all, doesn’t Jesus say to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect? (Mt 5:48) Let’s take a moral issue of today and think through how this kind of application of the moral law affects it.
Nothing is talked about more in our churches today than the role of homosexuality. Many of us were taught that acting on one’s homosexuality is a sin. For many, gays are society’s untouchables. They have also become the enemies of the church.
Churches of various denominations have taken stands that say, “unrepentant gay men and women are not allowed to worship at our church.” They say it’s tough love. God hates sin but loves the sinner. The best way to show God’s love is to uphold the integrity of God’s law. Until gays are willing to humbly repent of their sin, they are excommunicated from the fellowship of believers. The same law and punishments apply to all kinds of sexual sinners like adulterers, unmarried couples who live together, women who’ve had abortions, and unmarried pregnant teenagers. The purity of the church is maintained and God’s moral law is strictly and carefully applied to judge error.
If we can just follow God’s moral law to the letter, God will favor us and bless us. We will be able to stand before God on the final judgment day and present God with a perfect slate. Of course, you can only maintain this position you are willing to live a flawless public life. For some this is a very attractive religion. It sets absolute standards on conduct. There is right and wrong, in and out, loved and not loved. It makes living out our faith seem very simple.
It’s an attractive religion -- if you want to be a Pharisee. The Pharisee believed that keeping the law perfectly made him more pleasing to God. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day filled their lives with rituals and outward gestures that were supposed to breed holy people. When Jesus came along, he exposed them as judgmental, mechanical, and as uncharitable toward others as they were of themselves. They were the very opposite of the holiness they aspired to. In fact, they were so aware of their spiritual purity that they crucified the Messiah. Remember, Jesus did not die at the hands of muggers, drug dealers, or thugs. He fell into the well-scrubbed hands of deeply religious people–society’s most respected members. Pharisees insist on the overriding importance of the rule of law. The basic dignity and needs of their fellow humans are irrelevant. The Pharisee’s way leads to outward perfectionism but ignores matters of the heart.
Pharisees are alive and well in our churches. Each of us has our own judgmental, intolerant Pharisee that flaunts its moral superiority over others. Jesus obviously had a problem with this attitude. Jesus knew that the way Pharisees apply the moral law is a burden. Pharisees have a vague uneasiness about ever being in a right relationship with God. They want to feel safe with God, so they strive for moral perfection. But it’s impossible. There will always be failure. Failure means risking disappointment with God. Shame. Self-contempt. Harsh judgment on self and others. Jesus must have another system for applying the moral law and promoting social righteousness.
Principle #1 -- Love. Matthew 5:43-45. I received and Email about a group of professionals who asked children between 4-8 this question: What does love mean? Here’s what some of the kids said:
« “Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way.”
· “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.”
· “Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him to make sure the taste is OK.”
· “Love is hugging. Love is kissing. Love is saying no.”
· “Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.”
· “Love cards like Valentine’s cards say stuff on them that we’d like to say ourselves, but we wouldn’t be caught dead saying.”
· “You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”
· “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.”
To me, this is a summary of the law that Jesus knew. Jesus said it differently, of course. He said, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. This sums up the law.” Let’s get back to our example of our preoccupation with sexuality in the church.
Is it really best to cast out gays from the fellowship of the church? How many people have felt abandoned from the love of God because of the hatred of the church? Love says, “You know what? You are welcome in this place because God loves you. NO matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” Enough of these fixed certainties that we use to club other with. When we do it in the name of God, it’s blasphemous. Enough hatred and punitive judgments about other people. Before we condemn someone else, let’s listen. Let’s learn. Let’s read and pray. None of this is easy. The challenge is to show tenderness and constancy in caring the honors Christ’s love for each of us.
Principle #2 -- Live joyfully. In her book Amazing Grace, Kathleen Norris confesses that she dreaded hearing the 10 commandments read aloud in church. To her they seemed overwhelmingly negative. She tells about her grandfather who gave up alcohol and chewing tobacco when he became a Methodist minister in the 1920’s, but he still kept a box of cigars in the house. He didn’t dare smoke them, as the lingering smell would have given him away. But he would chew on them as he worked on his sermons. Even this would have gotten him in trouble if he were discovered, so for years his wife and children were sworn to secrecy. Earlier in his career, he was fired from one of his churches for playing hymns on the banjo with the youth group and teaching them how to play dominoes. Tobacco, banjo, and dominoes are not forbidden in the Law of Moses. But, we’ve become experts at taking the moral law of the Bible and applying it to just about anything we don’t approve of. When we focus on external matters instead of matters of the heart, we become legalists. Pharisees. This is not the kind of law Jesus wants to impose on us. Following God is supposed to bring joy. The law is not meant to be a burden, but a reminder that a holy God offers us the grace to find forgiveness when we’ve gone astray.
We will always have a choice to make in how we apply the moral law. Make no mistake, the law is constant. God’s expectations don’t waver. But we can be Pharisees or disciples. The law can be a back-breaking burden or a pathway to joyful living. We can be legalists or those who freely, and lovingly apply the law to ourselves. Promoting social righteousness can turn people away or bring them into the arms of their God. Which way appeals to you?
Sermon for June 17, 2007
Lessons from the Saints: Solanus Casey
Psalm 84
Tuesday, March 27, 2001 R SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER.
A bizarre criminal odyssey began at a 7-Eleven store in Lake City when police say a man wielding a pair of scissors and claiming to be Jesus tried to rob a garbage truck. It ended a short time later in front of the Bank of America Tower in downtown Seattle with the man’s arrest. Police say that the 25-year-old Seattle man couldn’t get the garbage truck he initially had tried to rob into gear. So the suspect car jacked a pickup truck, then led patrol officers on a short chase. When I read this story, I thought of the love of Jesus. Sounds odd, doesn’t it? After all, what does a homeless man who steals garbage have to do with the Savior of the world? Bear with me as I tell you another story:
David Harris speaks softly and eloquently, each word chosen with the care of a true poet. This beautiful voice does not fit the rest of the picture. His face is dark and weathered with carefully guarded eyes. His large glasses are held together with a safety pin. An oversized jacket covers multiple layers of sweaters and shirts. More telling is the defeated hunch in his shoulders, his hesitance to make eye contact. David’s intelligence and kindness are never realized by most of the world because he is homeless. David grew up in a middle class home in Maryland, complete with middle-class American values. He would go to work in DC every day, uncomfortably passing by homeless people on his way to work. David eventually had a stroke that left him unable to speak for a while. Since he had no health insurance, the enormous medical bills were too much for him to pay. He decided to move to the streets of D.C. with the city’s 117,000 other homeless people. Even if he got two 40-hour/week minimum wage jobs, David probably would not have enough money to afford housing in D.C. and pay for insurance. He told me about the people who helped him along the way, from a homeless woman he used to look down on, to a caring social worker at a shelter. David was a poet in his previous life in the working world. He is writing again. Listen to one of his poems:
This drunken bum
Looked into my eyes
Into a place inside me …
No words passed between us,
Only a steely glare.
Just five words burned
Along the edges of my mind:
“I am not like you.”
Can we ever understand people like David as God’s children instead of as problems to society? Can a homeless man teach us about the love of Christ.
There are a lot of titles for Jesus in Scripture, but there is one that doesn’t get mentioned much. Jesus was a homeless garbage man. Jesus himself said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58) It was Jesus who took the sins of the world upon himself as he was crucified near the city garbage dump.
When we look to see the face of Christ in those around us, we begin to see that God does not just reach out to the privileged. In Christ, God has dared to dwell with the “rubbish” of society. Quiet often we, as children of God, seem to separate ourselves from each other by determining some as garbage and others as not. Some here today may even think of themselves as worthless garbage. Are you ready for some fabulous news? God is the ultimate “garbage” collector! God likes the job so much that we are invited to join along. Those who believe themselves to be unworthy of God’s love and grace belong in the welcoming embrace of God’s of arms. We are called to challenge those who are determined to set barriers between people. We confront those who want to keep grace and love away from certain kinds until they change or prove they are worthy of God’s amazing love.
Meeting David Harris reminded me that there are times when we all feel alienated. We all have times when we realize that our lives are overflowing with emotional trash. Sometimes we are emotionally and spiritually separated from those whom we love. We’ve all felt shame over events of the past and done things to deflect the gaze of God to avoid the embarrassment of our poor choices. At one time or another, we feel like people don’t understand us. We’ve felt rejected, powerless, and unjustly criticized. When we’ve wanted someone to reach out to us in love and concern, we’ve felt that all we’ve gotten cold shoulders, icy stares, and condemning criticism. As difficult as this all can be, it can be a positive condition. As Christians, we remember that this world is not our final home. The Bible refers to God’s people in many ways: strangers in the world … pilgrims … exiles. We journey through this world to find our home in God. Like David Harris, we are homeless as far as the world is concerned.
The good news is that we are homeless, but we have a home. Let me tell you about one of my heroes of the faith. His name was Barney, but the people of Detroit knew him by the name he took when he joined a monastery: Solanus Casey. When he joined the priesthood in 1904, his knowledge of theology was judged to be too week. Church officials didn’t think he had what it took to be a full priest. Officials realized he had high moral character, though, so they ordained him as so that he could perform duties in a monastery. Even though he was a priest, Solanus Casey was never allowed to preach or hear confessions. After seminary, he took a job as a porter, first in NYC and then in Detroit. That means his job was to open the door of the monastery to visitors. Guests to the monastery soon realized that Solanus Casey was the best person to visit. People waited in lines just to speak to Father Solanus. He shared in their concerns and worries. He prayed for them, and inspired them, and spread the message of God’s love. All could sense his wisdom and his special gift of prayer. Father Solanus spent his entire ministry at the front door of the church.
This Summer marks the 50th anniversary of his death. On July 31, 1957, Father Solanus died in Detroit. The whole city seemed to mourn his passing. His funeral Mass was celebrated in the chapel of St. Bonaventure Monastery where Father Solanus had lived for some 20 years. The chapel was packed. The streets outside were closed to traffic and a spillover crowd jammed the sidewalks and streets in front of the monastery. As mourners gathered, people realized that he never complained about his lowly position at the monastery or his treatment from church officials. Throughout his life, Father Solanus kept extending God’s welcome, showing generosity, and being God’s doorkeeper.
Solanus Casey and David Harris remind me of the words of Psalm 84. We all have a home in the presence of God. Listen to where to psalmist has found his home:
· Verse 1–how lovely is your dwelling place. My soul faints the courts of the Lord.
· Verse 4–happy or blessed are those who live in God’s house.
· Verse 10–one day in God’s house is better than a thousand in any other place. I would rather be a doorkeeper at the gates of the Lord than live with the wicked.
Our home is in the presence of God. God sends us people homeless poets like David Harris to remind us that he all have times when we feel like restless wanderers without a home. God sends us humble doorkeepers like Solanus Casey to remind us that God always turns on the lights, throws the door open, and welcomes us into the warmth of God’s. Just ask, and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened.
God sent Jesus, our homeless Savior, to remind us that God loves us so much that God sent the Son to live among us. He experienced our pain. He felt our shame. He died for our sins and failures, symbolically nailed to a cross in the town dump, surrounded by the evidence of wasted lives. Yes, it took a homeless garbage man to remind that God has a home prepared for us, if we would only accept this gift of grace.
As this week unfolds, may we be constantly reminded that no matter what happens, we have a home in God’s presence. That is where we belong. We have a God who takes the trash away from us and gives us a new start. We have a God who warmly welcomes us, even when we feel like we don’t belong anywhere. We can find a new joy in seeking God’s presence, instead of feeling alone. Remember, we are homeless, but never without a home.
Psalm 84
Tuesday, March 27, 2001 R SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER.
A bizarre criminal odyssey began at a 7-Eleven store in Lake City when police say a man wielding a pair of scissors and claiming to be Jesus tried to rob a garbage truck. It ended a short time later in front of the Bank of America Tower in downtown Seattle with the man’s arrest. Police say that the 25-year-old Seattle man couldn’t get the garbage truck he initially had tried to rob into gear. So the suspect car jacked a pickup truck, then led patrol officers on a short chase. When I read this story, I thought of the love of Jesus. Sounds odd, doesn’t it? After all, what does a homeless man who steals garbage have to do with the Savior of the world? Bear with me as I tell you another story:
David Harris speaks softly and eloquently, each word chosen with the care of a true poet. This beautiful voice does not fit the rest of the picture. His face is dark and weathered with carefully guarded eyes. His large glasses are held together with a safety pin. An oversized jacket covers multiple layers of sweaters and shirts. More telling is the defeated hunch in his shoulders, his hesitance to make eye contact. David’s intelligence and kindness are never realized by most of the world because he is homeless. David grew up in a middle class home in Maryland, complete with middle-class American values. He would go to work in DC every day, uncomfortably passing by homeless people on his way to work. David eventually had a stroke that left him unable to speak for a while. Since he had no health insurance, the enormous medical bills were too much for him to pay. He decided to move to the streets of D.C. with the city’s 117,000 other homeless people. Even if he got two 40-hour/week minimum wage jobs, David probably would not have enough money to afford housing in D.C. and pay for insurance. He told me about the people who helped him along the way, from a homeless woman he used to look down on, to a caring social worker at a shelter. David was a poet in his previous life in the working world. He is writing again. Listen to one of his poems:
This drunken bum
Looked into my eyes
Into a place inside me …
No words passed between us,
Only a steely glare.
Just five words burned
Along the edges of my mind:
“I am not like you.”
Can we ever understand people like David as God’s children instead of as problems to society? Can a homeless man teach us about the love of Christ.
There are a lot of titles for Jesus in Scripture, but there is one that doesn’t get mentioned much. Jesus was a homeless garbage man. Jesus himself said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58) It was Jesus who took the sins of the world upon himself as he was crucified near the city garbage dump.
When we look to see the face of Christ in those around us, we begin to see that God does not just reach out to the privileged. In Christ, God has dared to dwell with the “rubbish” of society. Quiet often we, as children of God, seem to separate ourselves from each other by determining some as garbage and others as not. Some here today may even think of themselves as worthless garbage. Are you ready for some fabulous news? God is the ultimate “garbage” collector! God likes the job so much that we are invited to join along. Those who believe themselves to be unworthy of God’s love and grace belong in the welcoming embrace of God’s of arms. We are called to challenge those who are determined to set barriers between people. We confront those who want to keep grace and love away from certain kinds until they change or prove they are worthy of God’s amazing love.
Meeting David Harris reminded me that there are times when we all feel alienated. We all have times when we realize that our lives are overflowing with emotional trash. Sometimes we are emotionally and spiritually separated from those whom we love. We’ve all felt shame over events of the past and done things to deflect the gaze of God to avoid the embarrassment of our poor choices. At one time or another, we feel like people don’t understand us. We’ve felt rejected, powerless, and unjustly criticized. When we’ve wanted someone to reach out to us in love and concern, we’ve felt that all we’ve gotten cold shoulders, icy stares, and condemning criticism. As difficult as this all can be, it can be a positive condition. As Christians, we remember that this world is not our final home. The Bible refers to God’s people in many ways: strangers in the world … pilgrims … exiles. We journey through this world to find our home in God. Like David Harris, we are homeless as far as the world is concerned.
The good news is that we are homeless, but we have a home. Let me tell you about one of my heroes of the faith. His name was Barney, but the people of Detroit knew him by the name he took when he joined a monastery: Solanus Casey. When he joined the priesthood in 1904, his knowledge of theology was judged to be too week. Church officials didn’t think he had what it took to be a full priest. Officials realized he had high moral character, though, so they ordained him as so that he could perform duties in a monastery. Even though he was a priest, Solanus Casey was never allowed to preach or hear confessions. After seminary, he took a job as a porter, first in NYC and then in Detroit. That means his job was to open the door of the monastery to visitors. Guests to the monastery soon realized that Solanus Casey was the best person to visit. People waited in lines just to speak to Father Solanus. He shared in their concerns and worries. He prayed for them, and inspired them, and spread the message of God’s love. All could sense his wisdom and his special gift of prayer. Father Solanus spent his entire ministry at the front door of the church.
This Summer marks the 50th anniversary of his death. On July 31, 1957, Father Solanus died in Detroit. The whole city seemed to mourn his passing. His funeral Mass was celebrated in the chapel of St. Bonaventure Monastery where Father Solanus had lived for some 20 years. The chapel was packed. The streets outside were closed to traffic and a spillover crowd jammed the sidewalks and streets in front of the monastery. As mourners gathered, people realized that he never complained about his lowly position at the monastery or his treatment from church officials. Throughout his life, Father Solanus kept extending God’s welcome, showing generosity, and being God’s doorkeeper.
Solanus Casey and David Harris remind me of the words of Psalm 84. We all have a home in the presence of God. Listen to where to psalmist has found his home:
· Verse 1–how lovely is your dwelling place. My soul faints the courts of the Lord.
· Verse 4–happy or blessed are those who live in God’s house.
· Verse 10–one day in God’s house is better than a thousand in any other place. I would rather be a doorkeeper at the gates of the Lord than live with the wicked.
Our home is in the presence of God. God sends us people homeless poets like David Harris to remind us that he all have times when we feel like restless wanderers without a home. God sends us humble doorkeepers like Solanus Casey to remind us that God always turns on the lights, throws the door open, and welcomes us into the warmth of God’s. Just ask, and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened.
God sent Jesus, our homeless Savior, to remind us that God loves us so much that God sent the Son to live among us. He experienced our pain. He felt our shame. He died for our sins and failures, symbolically nailed to a cross in the town dump, surrounded by the evidence of wasted lives. Yes, it took a homeless garbage man to remind that God has a home prepared for us, if we would only accept this gift of grace.
As this week unfolds, may we be constantly reminded that no matter what happens, we have a home in God’s presence. That is where we belong. We have a God who takes the trash away from us and gives us a new start. We have a God who warmly welcomes us, even when we feel like we don’t belong anywhere. We can find a new joy in seeking God’s presence, instead of feeling alone. Remember, we are homeless, but never without a home.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Sermon for June 3, 2007
How Far Will You Go?
2 Corinthians 4; 1 Samuel 17
Have you met Goliath? Goliath is that immense giant of an obstacle that seems unbeatable and impossible to defeat. Goliath is that one huge problem that just might be your undoing -- a difficulty so great that it has you entertaining the thought that you are close to giving up.
Have you met Goliath? Perhaps you have met him in the past. Or maybe Goliath is troubling you even now. Sooner or later all of us have to face the giant. Maybe it is a giant sickness that threatens life, or a giant wound that festers in a broken heart. Maybe it’s a giant wedge in a relationship that keeps you trapped in lonely silence. Maybe it’s a giant amount of work that stands between you and your dreams, or a giant injustice you have to confront The question is: how do you respond? Are you going to give up the call to live as a person of faith and let Goliath win, or are you going to take a stand?
Have you met Goliath – the enemy who robs your life of hope and joy? 1 Samuel 17 contains some ideas we can use to confront and overcome giants. There can be power in this story if we can let it play out on the backdrop of our imagination. As you listen to the story, imagine Goliath as a symbol of the giants you face.
Setting the Scene
For most of his life, King Saul of Israel had been fighting for every inch of the Promised Land. Even though the land was “Promised,” it did not come easy. Most promised lands are that way - we have to work and struggle for them. Lately, the Philistines had been gaining the upper hand. King Saul grew old and weary and the battles with the Philistines had taken a turn for the worse. The Philistines unveiled their “secret weapon” - a nine foot nine inch giant named Goliath. Every day, this powerful, fearsome gargantuan taunted the Israelites, issuing a challenge that had King Saul’s army cringing behind their shields. There wasn’t a soldier in the camp who wanted to take on Goliath. Fear and despair took hold in the camp and ate away the courage of every soldier. Each day Goliath looked bigger and King Saul’s army felt smaller. On one particular day, Goliath began shouting insults to the soldiers of Israel and he challenged them to a fight. Let’s pick up the story in 1 Samuel 17:8-11.
Goliath stood and bellowed to the ranks of Israel, “Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you’re all committed to Saul, aren’t you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!” When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine's challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.
After hearing these threats, an adolescent shepherd boy named David looked around and asked, “Who is this person who is insulting the armies of God?” You see, David wasn’t afraid of the Philistine giant.
King Saul sent for David and this is the conversation they had:
David said to Saul, “Don’t give up hope, King. I’m ready to go and fight this Philistine.” Saul replied, “You can't go and fight this Philistine. You're too young and inexperienced—and he's been at this fighting business since before you were born.” But David said to Saul, “I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I'll do the same to this Philistine who is taunting the troops of the Lord. GOD, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 17:32-37).
Instead of putting on armor and a sword, David chose to dress casually, carrying only a sling in his hand, with five smooth stones that he collected from the stream. He was ready for war.
Listen to what David said when he confronted Goliath:
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down. Today I will serve up the carcasses of the Philistine army to the crows and coyotes, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and God will give all of you into our hands” (vs. 45-47).
David took out a stone, and slung it and it struck Goliath on the forehead and killed him. The young, weak boy defeated his Goliath.
FIVE SMOOTH STONES
Goliath is going to stand before you in life. And not just once. When one conflict is over, another will come. Goliath will stand in your way and mock you. I need you to know something. When Goliath stands in your way, GOD will never leave you. When David fought Goliath, he didn’t put his trust in the standard resources of war. David believed that God would defeat Goliath. If David had bought into the standard thinking, he would have been killed.
When we come to those times of confrontation with Goliath, our first line of defense is our relationship with God. We must trust in God’s strength...no matter what others may consider the best way out of our difficulties. No matter what giants we may be facing, our problems can be solved by using the tools God has given us to defeat giants. God gives us five smooth stones.
What are your five smooth stones? What resources has God given you to fight Goliaths? I’ll tell you mine with one reservation. I don’t want you to assume that my resources will work for you. Yours may be different. Or, you might find that these work for you . . .
1. The stone of trust - trust not in my own power, not in the world’s weapons, but in God.
2. The stone of calling. When I get discouraged, I take time to reflect on my call to ministry. God chose me for a special purpose, in this special time and place. No one else gets to define that calling. It comes from God. I was given a distinctive Christian identity in the waters of baptism. God nurtures my identity at the Communion Table, and God continues to direct my steps.
3. The stone of outrageous hope - Emily Dickinson got it right when she wrote that hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.
4. The stone of courageous confrontation - understanding, studying analyzing discussing debating isn’t enough. There comes a time when courageous action is called for – a decisive moment when we take our stand.
5. The stone of contagious creativity. We are created to be co-creators with God. Being in touch with me creativity helps me come up with ways to face the giants
A PBS program on the Library of Congress some time ago revealed something very interesting about one of our former Presidents. Daniel Boorstin, the Librarian of Congress, brought out a little blue box from a small closet that once held the library’s rarities. The label on the box read: CONTENTS OF THE PRESIDENT’S POCKETS ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 14, 1865. April 14, 1865 was the night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. There were five things in the box: A handkerchief, embroidered “A. Lincoln,” a country boy’s pen knife, a spectacles case repaired with string, a purse containing a Confederate $5 bill and some old and worn newspaper clippings
The clippings were concerned with the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln. And one of them actually reports a speech by John Bright proclaiming Abraham Lincoln as “one of the greatest men of all times.” Today that’s a common assumption. It wasn’t common knowledge then. In fact, Lincoln had more than a few critics during that time. He received an overwhelming amount of discouragement and ridicule. Lincoln carried around with him a few clippings from a few people who just happened to believe that he was not a failure.
Here are Lincoln’s five smooth stones. A few clippings in his pocket to remind him of who he was and what he could do. What are your five smooth stones when you face the giants?
God does not leave us to face challenges alone without something to help us. That’s why The Apostle Paul can say what he did in our first scripture reading: We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best! We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life . . . We’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without God’s unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever (The Message).
2 Corinthians 4; 1 Samuel 17
Have you met Goliath? Goliath is that immense giant of an obstacle that seems unbeatable and impossible to defeat. Goliath is that one huge problem that just might be your undoing -- a difficulty so great that it has you entertaining the thought that you are close to giving up.
Have you met Goliath? Perhaps you have met him in the past. Or maybe Goliath is troubling you even now. Sooner or later all of us have to face the giant. Maybe it is a giant sickness that threatens life, or a giant wound that festers in a broken heart. Maybe it’s a giant wedge in a relationship that keeps you trapped in lonely silence. Maybe it’s a giant amount of work that stands between you and your dreams, or a giant injustice you have to confront The question is: how do you respond? Are you going to give up the call to live as a person of faith and let Goliath win, or are you going to take a stand?
Have you met Goliath – the enemy who robs your life of hope and joy? 1 Samuel 17 contains some ideas we can use to confront and overcome giants. There can be power in this story if we can let it play out on the backdrop of our imagination. As you listen to the story, imagine Goliath as a symbol of the giants you face.
Setting the Scene
For most of his life, King Saul of Israel had been fighting for every inch of the Promised Land. Even though the land was “Promised,” it did not come easy. Most promised lands are that way - we have to work and struggle for them. Lately, the Philistines had been gaining the upper hand. King Saul grew old and weary and the battles with the Philistines had taken a turn for the worse. The Philistines unveiled their “secret weapon” - a nine foot nine inch giant named Goliath. Every day, this powerful, fearsome gargantuan taunted the Israelites, issuing a challenge that had King Saul’s army cringing behind their shields. There wasn’t a soldier in the camp who wanted to take on Goliath. Fear and despair took hold in the camp and ate away the courage of every soldier. Each day Goliath looked bigger and King Saul’s army felt smaller. On one particular day, Goliath began shouting insults to the soldiers of Israel and he challenged them to a fight. Let’s pick up the story in 1 Samuel 17:8-11.
Goliath stood and bellowed to the ranks of Israel, “Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you’re all committed to Saul, aren’t you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!” When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine's challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.
After hearing these threats, an adolescent shepherd boy named David looked around and asked, “Who is this person who is insulting the armies of God?” You see, David wasn’t afraid of the Philistine giant.
King Saul sent for David and this is the conversation they had:
David said to Saul, “Don’t give up hope, King. I’m ready to go and fight this Philistine.” Saul replied, “You can't go and fight this Philistine. You're too young and inexperienced—and he's been at this fighting business since before you were born.” But David said to Saul, “I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I'll do the same to this Philistine who is taunting the troops of the Lord. GOD, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 17:32-37).
Instead of putting on armor and a sword, David chose to dress casually, carrying only a sling in his hand, with five smooth stones that he collected from the stream. He was ready for war.
Listen to what David said when he confronted Goliath:
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down. Today I will serve up the carcasses of the Philistine army to the crows and coyotes, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and God will give all of you into our hands” (vs. 45-47).
David took out a stone, and slung it and it struck Goliath on the forehead and killed him. The young, weak boy defeated his Goliath.
FIVE SMOOTH STONES
Goliath is going to stand before you in life. And not just once. When one conflict is over, another will come. Goliath will stand in your way and mock you. I need you to know something. When Goliath stands in your way, GOD will never leave you. When David fought Goliath, he didn’t put his trust in the standard resources of war. David believed that God would defeat Goliath. If David had bought into the standard thinking, he would have been killed.
When we come to those times of confrontation with Goliath, our first line of defense is our relationship with God. We must trust in God’s strength...no matter what others may consider the best way out of our difficulties. No matter what giants we may be facing, our problems can be solved by using the tools God has given us to defeat giants. God gives us five smooth stones.
What are your five smooth stones? What resources has God given you to fight Goliaths? I’ll tell you mine with one reservation. I don’t want you to assume that my resources will work for you. Yours may be different. Or, you might find that these work for you . . .
1. The stone of trust - trust not in my own power, not in the world’s weapons, but in God.
2. The stone of calling. When I get discouraged, I take time to reflect on my call to ministry. God chose me for a special purpose, in this special time and place. No one else gets to define that calling. It comes from God. I was given a distinctive Christian identity in the waters of baptism. God nurtures my identity at the Communion Table, and God continues to direct my steps.
3. The stone of outrageous hope - Emily Dickinson got it right when she wrote that hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.
4. The stone of courageous confrontation - understanding, studying analyzing discussing debating isn’t enough. There comes a time when courageous action is called for – a decisive moment when we take our stand.
5. The stone of contagious creativity. We are created to be co-creators with God. Being in touch with me creativity helps me come up with ways to face the giants
A PBS program on the Library of Congress some time ago revealed something very interesting about one of our former Presidents. Daniel Boorstin, the Librarian of Congress, brought out a little blue box from a small closet that once held the library’s rarities. The label on the box read: CONTENTS OF THE PRESIDENT’S POCKETS ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 14, 1865. April 14, 1865 was the night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. There were five things in the box: A handkerchief, embroidered “A. Lincoln,” a country boy’s pen knife, a spectacles case repaired with string, a purse containing a Confederate $5 bill and some old and worn newspaper clippings
The clippings were concerned with the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln. And one of them actually reports a speech by John Bright proclaiming Abraham Lincoln as “one of the greatest men of all times.” Today that’s a common assumption. It wasn’t common knowledge then. In fact, Lincoln had more than a few critics during that time. He received an overwhelming amount of discouragement and ridicule. Lincoln carried around with him a few clippings from a few people who just happened to believe that he was not a failure.
Here are Lincoln’s five smooth stones. A few clippings in his pocket to remind him of who he was and what he could do. What are your five smooth stones when you face the giants?
God does not leave us to face challenges alone without something to help us. That’s why The Apostle Paul can say what he did in our first scripture reading: We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best! We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life . . . We’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without God’s unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever (The Message).
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