SCRIPTURE: Romans 14:1-12 & Matthew 18:21-35
WHAT IMMEDIATELY COMES TO MIND WHEN I READ THIS PARABLE IS THE LORD’S PRAYER. THAT’S RIGHT, THE LORD’S PRAYER. WHEN WE PRAY THE LORD’S PRAYER WE ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE FORGIVE THE SINS OF OTHERS. WE ARE BASICALLY SAYING, “GOD, YOU FORGIVE ME IN THE SAME WAY I FORGIVE OTHERS.”
NOW I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WHEN I THINK OF THE TERRIBLY INADEQUATE IN WHICH I FORGIVE OTHER PEOPLE I BECOME TERRIFIED THAT GOD REALLY DOES DEAL OUT THE SAME PITIFUL AMOUNT OF FORGIVENESS THAT I DO. BUT IN MY HEART OF HEARTS I KNOW THE DIVINE NATURE TRANSCENDS HUMAN NATURE BY A GREAT MARGIN—THANK GOD!
AND WHAT THE LORD’S PRAYER IS TRYING TO TEACH US IS THAT WE ARE TO GROUND OUR ABILITY TO FORGIVE IN THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE GRACE OF GOD’S PERFECT FORGIVENESS, WHICH IS BESTOWED UPON US FROM THE DAY OF OUR BIRTH.
HUSTON SMITH IS A NOTED SCHOLAR OF WORLD RELIGIONS. I HAVE ONE OF HIS BOOKS ON MY SHELF AND I REFER TO IT OFTEN WHEN I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM, HINDU, BUDDHISM, JUDAISM – ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FAITH EXPRESSIONS. IT’S AN EXCELLENT BOOK. SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME TO READ SMITH’S PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT EACH OF THE WORLD RELIGIONS.
SMITH GAVE A LECTURE AT DUKE UNIVERSITY A FEW YEARS AGO, IN WHICH HE COMPARED THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD. AND WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE HE LIFTED UP AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FOCUS OF CHRISTIANITY?
…FORGIVENESS. HE SAID CHRISTIANITY IS UNUSUAL AND DISTINCTIVE IN ITS FOCUS UPON AND DEMAND FOR FORGIVENESS. AFTER ALL, JESUS DIED FORGIVING THOSE WHO KILLED HIM. OVER AND OVER AGAIN, JESUS BLESSED PEOPLE BY TELLING THEM, “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.”
AND HE DEMANDED THAT HIS FOLLOWERS PRACTICE EXTRAVAGANT, “SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES” FORGIVENESS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
NOW LET’S LOOK AT THAT EXTRAVAGANT FORGIVENESS FOR JUST A MOMENT.
IN TODAY’S STORY PETER COMES TO JESUS, I’M SURE, WITH THE OLD JEWISH KNOWLEDGE OF FORGIVENESS IN MIND. IT WAS TRADITION IN THE ANCIENT JEWISH WORLD THAT A PERSON NEEDED TO BE FORGIVEN ONCE, TWICE, EVEN THREE TIMES—BUT NEVER FOUR! WHEN PETER PUTS OUT THE ARBITRARY FIGURE OF SEVEN TIMES I’M SURE PETER THOUGHT HE WAS GOING OVERBOARD. I’M ALSO SURE PETER NEVER EXPECTED THE ANSWER HE RECEIVED.
ACTUALLY, THE GREEK WORDS CAN BE TRANSLATED EITHER “SEVEN TIMES SEVENTY” OR “SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES.” BUT THE POINT JESUS IS TRYING TO MAKE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EXACT FIGURES. THE PERSON WHO WOULD COUNT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEVENTY-SEVEN AND FOUR HUNDRED NINETY HAS NOT REALLY FORGIVEN AT ALL.
WHAT JESUS IS TRYING TO SAY IS THAT FORGIVENESS GOES ON FOREVER.
WE MUST FORGIVE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT IS A HEAVENLY KIND OF MATH, IF YOU WILL. AND IT GOES BACK TO THE LORD’S PRAYER.
OUR GOD NEVER STOPS FORGIVING US, AND THIS IS THE BASIS UPON WHICH WE ARE ASKED TO FORGIVE THE PEOPLE AROUND US. WILL WE RESPOND IN THE WAY WE ARE ASKED TO RESPOND?
IN THIS PARABLE JESUS GIVES US INSIGHT INTO OUR HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND CHALLENGES US TO LIVE BEYOND OURSELVES. JESUS TELLS A STORY ABOUT A KING AND A SERVANT. THE DEBT THE SERVANT OWED THE KING WAS VIRTUALLY NOT PAYABLE. TEN-THOUSAND TALENTS IS JESUS’ WAY OF SAYING “MYRIAD”—THE LARGEST NUMBER, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE SERVANT FIFTEEN YEARS TO EARN JUST ONE TALENT. AND BY THE WAY, THE ANNUAL REVENUE FROM THE TERRITORIES OF HEROD THE GREAT WAS NINE-HUNDRED TALENTS PER YEAR. I THINK YOU CAN SEE HOW PEOPLE WOULD NOT EVEN FATHOM AN AMOUNT CALLED TEN THOUSAND TALENTS.
THE AMOUNT WAS BEYOND HUMAN IMAGINATION. AND ANOTHER INTERESTING DETAIL ABOUT THIS PARABLE IS THAT THE SERVANT ASKING FOR MERCY WAS USING BEHAVIOR CONTRARY TO WHAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED, GIVEN HIS SITUATION, THUS MAKING THE KING’S GIFT OF COMPASSION AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT.
NOW THE SECOND SERVANT WHO IS INDEBTED TO THE FIRST OWES A DEBT THAT DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO COMPARE. HIS DEBT OF ONE-HUNDRED DENARII IS WORTH ABOUT ONE-HUNDRED DAYS OF WORK FOR AN ORDINARY LABORER. SO THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE WAY THE FIRST SERVANT IS TREATED BY THE KING AND THE WAY THAT SERVANT TREATS THE SECOND SERVANT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS. ONE IS REASONABLE (SERVANT TO SERVANT) AND THE OTHER DOESN’T EVEN COME CLOSE TO BEING REASONABLE (KING TO SERVANT). THIS PARABLE IS DISORIENTING, TO SAY THE LEAST! BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, MOST INTELLECTUAL INDIVIDUALS WILL GET THE POINT THAT FORGIVENESS IS A GOOD THING. AND THE CLOSER WE ARE TO GOD’S KIND OF FORGIVENESS THE BETTER OFF WE WILL BE.
I ONCE HEARD A STORY ABOUT AN ELOQUENT SCHOLARLY LECTURE, GIVEN AT NOTRE DAME, ON THE SUBJECT OF CHRISTIAN FORGIVENESS.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LECTURE, A NUN WEARING THE FULL NUN’S HABIT STOOD UP TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE LECTURE HALL AND ASKED, “DOES YOUR THEOLOGY OF FORGIVENESS MEAN THAT THE IRISH ARE EXPECTED TO FORGIVE THE BRITISH?” THE LECTURER REPLIED, “WHY, YES, YES IT DOES.”
“NEVER!” SHOUTED THE NUN AND SAT BACK DOWN.
I WOULD CALL THIS STORY RATHER CUTE AND POIGNANT AT THE SAME TIME.
IT GIVES US AN HONEST LOOK AT HOW VERY DIFFICULT IT IS TO EVEN TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE OF FORGIVENESS.
IN ALL ACTUALITY, FORGIVENESS CAN BE SOMETIMES NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.
CAN A RAPE VICTIM FORGIVE HER PERPETRATOR? CAN TWO PEOPLE WHOSE MARRIAGE HAS ENDED IN AN ANGRY DIVORCE FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER?
CAN PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS AT COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL FORGIVE ERIC HARRIS AND DYLAN KLEBOLD? CAN THE SHEPERD FAMILY EVER TRULY FORGIVE THE YOUNG MEN WHO ATTACKED AND KILLED THEIR SON MATTHEW FOR THE SOLE REASON THAT HE WAS GAY? CAN THE CATHOLICS FORGIVE THE REFORMATION? CAN THE WORLD FORGIVE THE CHRISTIAN CRUSADES? CAN ANYONE FORGIVE A TERRORIST ATTACK?
IN A BOOK CALLED PRACTICING OUR FAITH DOROTHY C. BASS TELLS THE FOLLOWING STORY. “A TWELVE YEAR OLD BOY NAMED JOHN WAS PLAYING ONE DAY WITH THE NINE YEAR OLD GIRL WHO LIVED NEXT DOOR.
HER NAME WAS MARIE. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY FOUND A LOADED PISTOL IN A DRESSER DRAWER AND BEFORE LONG THEIR MAKE-BELIEVE GAME TURNED INTO A TRAGIC NIGHTMARE AND LITTLE MARIE WAS DEAD.
EVERYONE IN TOWN ATTENDED THE FUNERAL OF THE LITTLE GIRL—EVERYONE EXCEPT JOHN, WHO COULD NOT FACE ANYONE AND REFUSED TO TALK TO ANYONE.”
“THE MORNING AFTER THE FUNERAL, MARIE’S OLDER BROTHER WENT NEXT DOOR TO TALK TO JOHN. ‘JOHN, COME WITH ME,’ HE SAID. ‘I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO SCHOOL.’ JOHN REFUSED, SAYING, ‘I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANYONE AGAIN. I WISH IT WAS ME WHO WAS DEAD.’ THE BROTHER INSISTED AND FINALLY PERSUADED JOHN TO GO WITH HIM. THE BROTHER TALKED WITH THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND ASKED HIM TO CALL A SPECIAL ASSEMBLY.
FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHT STUDENTS FILED INTO THE GYMNASIUM.
MARIE’S BROTHER STOOD BEFORE THEM AND SAID, ‘A TERRIBLE THING HAS HAPPENED; MY LITTLE SISTER WAS ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY ONE OF YOUR FELLOW CLASSMATES. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TRAGEDIES THAT MARS LIFE.
NOW I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT MY FAMILY AND JOHN’S FAMILY HAVE BEEN TO CHURCH TOGETHER THIS MORNING AND WE SHARED IN HOLY COMMUNION.’ THEN HE CALLED JOHN NEXT TO HIM, PUT HIS ARM AROUND HIS SHOULDERS AND CONTINUED, ‘THIS BOY’S FUTURE DEPENDS MUCH ON US.
MY FAMILY HAS FORGIVEN JOHN BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM. MARIE WOULD WANT THAT. AND I ASK YOU TO LOVE AND FORGIVE HIM, TOO.’ THEN HE HUGGED JOHN AND THEY WEPT TOGETHER.
I’M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. BUT I KNOW THE KEY TO THIS STORY IS THE FACT THAT THE TWO FAMILIES HAD TAKEN COMMUNION TOGETHER. GOD CAN HELP US DO WHAT WE CANNOT DO OURSELVES. THIS IS WHY WE WERE GIVEN THE GIFT OF JESUS CHRIST.
AND THIS IS WHY WE SHARE COMMUNION AT THIS TABLE AS OFTEN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND GOD’S GIFT OF FORGIVENESS—GIVEN SO FREELY TO US—THE MORE WE WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOW GOD TO FORGIVE THROUGH US.
YOU SEE, FORGIVENESS NEVER COMES SEPARATE FROM THE POWER OF GOD.
THE SOONER WE KNOW THAT WE CANNOT FORGIVE WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD, THE SOONER WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. AND THEN FORGIVENESS WILL HAPPEN.
NOW YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT I BELIEVE IT BEARS REPEATING. CORRIE TEN BOOM TELLS HOW SHE AND HER SISTER BETSY WERE INTERNED AT THE NAZI CAMP AT RAVENSBRUCK. BETSY DIED THERE, AND CORRIE DREADED THE DAY WHEN, AFTER THE WAR, SHE MIGHT ENCOUNTER ONE OF THEIR CAPTORS. WELL, IT HAPPENED ONE DAY IN MUNICH, WHERE CORRIE WAS GIVING HER TESTIMONY AT A RALLY.
THERE WAS A FORMER S. S. OFFICER THERE WHO HAD STOOD GUARD AT THE SHOWERS IN THE CAMP. CORRIE LOOKED UP AND SUDDENLY HE WAS FACING HER. “HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR YOUR MESSAGE, FRAULEIN,’ HE SAID.
“TO THINK THAT, AS YOU SAY, HE HAS WASHED MY SINS AWAY!”
THE MAN THRUST OUT HIS HAND TO CORRIE, BUT SHE COULD NOT TAKE IT.
SHE FELT SHAME AND GUILT COURSING THROUGH HER BODY.
“LORD JESUS,” SHE PRAYED, “FORGIVE ME AND HELP ME TO FORGIVE HIM.”
BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO WARMTH OR FORGIVENESS IN HER.
AGAIN SHE PRAYED, “JESUS, I CANNOT FORGIVE HIM; GIVE ME YOUR FORGIVENESS.” STRUGGLING WITH HERSELF, SHE TOOK THE MAN’S HAND.
AND AS SHE DID, SHE SAYS, “THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING HAPPENED.
FROM MY SHOULDER ALONG MY ARM AND THROUGH MY HAND A CURRENT SEEMED TO PASS FROM ME TO HIM, WHILE INTO MY HEART SPRANG A LOVE FOR THIS STRANGER THAT OVERWHELMED ME.”
MY FRIENDS, THE GIFT OF BEING ABLE TO GIVE FORGIVENESS IN THE WORST OF SITUATIONS IS, INDEED, A GIFT FROM GOD. IT DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN QUICKLY, BUT WHEN WE REALLY WANT IT AND WE PRAY FOR IT, IT DOES HAPPEN. AND I BELIEVE THIS, BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN MY LIFETIME. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO TIMES IN MY 53 YEARS WHEN I HAVE BEEN HURT BY A BETRAYAL SO BADLY THAT I THOUGHT MY HEART WOULD STOP BEATING AND MY SOUL WOULD TURN DARK FOREVER.
AND TWICE IN MY 53 YEARS I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME KIND OF GRACE SO APTLY DESCRIBED BY CORRIE TEN BOOM. IT DIDN’T HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY IN EITHER CASE. IT TOOK MONTHS AND YEARS OF PRAYER AND STRUGGLE, BUT IT DID HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE IN MY HEART OF HEARTS—AND THROUGH MY GRUELING EXPERIENCES—WHEN WE OPEN OURSELVES UP TO THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH PRAYER, GOD WILL RESPOND. GOD GAVE ME THE GIFT OF BEING ABLE TO FORGIVE TWO VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. AND IN THE GIVING I WAS FORGIVEN MYSELF. IT IS THE LARGEST GIFT OF WHOLENESS AND GRACE WE CAN EVER RECEIVE AND IT IS ALWAYS THERE, JUST FOR THE ASKING.
IS THERE SOMEONE OR SOME THING YOU NEED TO FORGIVE TODAY?
PRAY ABOUT IT. GIVE THE POWER TO GOD. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE LIKE THE FIRST SERVANT IN OUR PARABLE. GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU AND ME FOR EVERY DEBT, BOTH GREAT AND SMALL. AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO MELT OUR HEARTS INTO COMPLIANCE WITH GOD’S WISHES. GOD WANTS FOR US TO BE FORGIVING AND TO BE FORGIVEN—SEVENTY-SEVEN TIMES. MAY IT BE SO FOR YOU AND FOR ME.
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 11:1-9, Romans 8:14-17 & Acts 2:1-21
I WONDER IF GOD EVER LOOKS IN ON THE DIVISIONS OF THE WORLD AND CURSES HIMSELF OUT FOR THE MISTAKE MADE AT BABEL?
GOD WAS JUST GETTING USED TO THIS HUMAN CREATURE “THING” HE HAD CREATED, AND WE ALL KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING IMMATURE BEINGS CAN BE—LIKE A PUPPY WHO THINKS YOU’RE PLAYING WHEN YOU’RE REPRIMANDING OR A BABY WHO STARTS WALKING AND GETTING INTO EVERYTHING! WITHOUT EVEN TALKING TO THE CREATURE, GOD INTERVENED TO CORRECT THEIR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, TUMBLING THE TOWER AND TAKING AWAY THEIR ABILITY TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER THROUGH DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. WHAT A MISTAKE TO MAKE HUMAN BEINGS UNABLE TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER! ISN’T IT THE INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE THAT IS CLEARLY ONE OF THE WORST PROBLEMS OF CONTEMPORARY LIFE?
JUST THINK HOW MUCH EASIER OUR HUMAN EXISTENCE WOULD BE IF WE ALL SPOKE THE SAME LANGUAGE! EVERY TIME I GO TO NICARAGUA I BECOME MORE AND MORE CONSCIOUS OF HOW DIVISIVE IT IS FOR ME TO NOT KNOW THE SPANISH LANGUAGE. YES, THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COMMUNICATION THAT HAPPENS WITHOUT LANGUAGE. I WORK WELL ENOUGH WITH THE NICARAGUAN PEOPLE TO BUILD WONDERFUL HOUSES. THEY LEARN MINIMAL ENGLISH WORDS AND I KNOW JUST A FEW SPANISH PHRASES BUT I NEVER LEARN THE DEPTH OF WHO THEY ARE. THEY NEVER KNOW WHAT REALLY MAKES ME TICK.
WE CAN’T EVEN PRAY TOGETHER AND KNOW WHAT IS BEING SAID.
I KNOW WE ALL LOVE GOD AND I CAN CATCH A “JESUS CHRISTO” WHEN IT COMES UP, BUT I ALWAYS COME HOME AWARE OF THAT WHICH SEPARATES US AS WELL AS BEING GRATEFUL FOR THE HUMANITY THAT WILL ALWAYS CONNECT US IN A UNIVERSAL WAY.
AT ANY RATE, I HAVE A HARD TIME NOT THINKING THAT GOD MADE A MISTAKE AT BABEL, WHICH STANDS IN DIRECT ODDS WITH MY UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S DIVINE PERFECTION. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR GOD TO MAKE A MISTAKE?
ACTUALLY, I DON’T REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A THOUGHT ABOUT GOD BEING ABLE TO GROW IN UNDERSTANDING.
MY HOMEGROWN THEOLOGY HAS COME TO ME OVER THE YEARS AS I HAVE COME TO SEE THE BIBLICAL STORY AS ONE WHOLE PIECE FROM GENESIS TO THE REVELATION OF JOHN. AND IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO ME THAT THE BIBLICAL STORY DETAILS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND GOD’S CREATION – HUMAN BEINGS.
ACTUALLY, IT’S KIND OF LIKE A MARRIAGE. THE FIRST YEARS CAN BE RATHER TUMULTUOUS AS YOU LEARN TO LIVE WITH ONE ANOTHER. THERE ARE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS ON ALL SIDES – PLENTY OF SPATS AND DISAGREEMENTS. THEN SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE YOU EITHER LEARN TO LOVE EACH OTHER WITHOUT INAPPROPRIATE EXPECTATIONS, OR YOU GO YOUR SEPARATE WAYS, OR YOU CONTINUE TO LIVE TOGETHER WITH LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OR CONNECTION.
SO THE STORY IN THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE SEEMS TO ME TO BE THE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BOTH PARTIES GROW IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF ONE ANOTHER, AND LIFE CONTINUES ON IN AN ENHANCED MANNER. I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF JESUS AS THE GIFT OF GOD LOVING HUMAN BEINGS ENOUGH TO WANT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BE INCARNATED OR EMBODIED, IF YOU WILL. SO GOD COMES TO EARTH IN THE EMBODIMENT OF JESUS LONG ENOUGH TO GROW DEEPLY IN HIS COMPASSION FOR THE HUMAN CONDITION. I HAVE TO BELIEVE GOD, AFTER HAVING PUT ON HUMAN SKIN, NO LONGER GROWS ANGRY AND IMPATIENT WITH HIS CREATION.
I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THE GIFT OF JESUS ON THE CROSS IS GOD’S APOLOGY FOR HOW DIFFICULT THE HUMAN CONDITION IS. I HAVE TO BELIEVE GOD GROWS IN A DIVINE AND PERFECT WAY, SEEKING TO BE EVER CLOSER TO US, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST. AND LIKE ANY REALLY GOOD LOVER GOD LEARNS FROM THE MISTAKES THAT ARE MADE RATHER THAN PULLING AWAY IN DESPAIR.
I FEEL THE RELATIONSHIP THE DIVINE HAS WITH US AS A CIRCULAR MOTION THAT CONSTANTLY MOVES US ALL FORWARD. AND I BELIEVE THE PENTECOST STORY IS THE FULL CIRCLE OF THE CIRCULAR MOTION THAT MOVES HUMANITY FORWARD FROM THE POSSIBLE MISTAKE OF THE TOWER OF BABEL.
THE LANGUAGES ARE WHAT SEPARATED US AT THE BEGINNING AND NOW, ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST THE LANGUAGES ARE A SIGN AND A SYMBOL OF OUR UNITY. THERE IS CLEARLY SOME SORT OF MOVEMENT, BUT WHAT DOES THE MOVEMENT MEAN? HOW DID WE GET THERE?
ON THAT FIRST DAY OF PENTECOST GOD WAS SEEKING TO EMPOWER THE DISCIPLES TO GO INTO THE WORLD WITH THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST.
NOTICE WHAT A STRIKING DIFFERENCE THIS IS TO THE WAY GOD SOUGHT TO TAKE AWAY THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE AT THE TOWER OF BABEL.
AND THEN IT STRUCK ME. GOD DIDN’T MAKE A MISTAKE AT BABEL.
RATHER, GOD MADE A POINT THAT DOESN’T GET COMPLETELY CONCEIVED UNTIL THE FIRST DAY OF PENTECOST.
YOU SEE, WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THE PEOPLE OF BABEL WE CAN SEE THAT THEY WERE STRIVING FOR A POWER THAT WAS BENEFICIAL ONLY TO THEM—IT WAS A SELF-SERVING POWER OF GREAT MAGNITUDE. THEY WANTED TO BECOME LIKE GOD. THEY WANTED TO BUILD A TOWER THAT WOULD REMOVE THEM FROM THE WHOLE OF CREATION AND SET THEM APART. THEIR UNITY HAD MADE THEM FULL OF THEMSELVES, WITHOUT RECOGNITION THAT A UNITY OF DIVERSITY IS WHAT GOD MEANT TO CREATE IN THE BEGINNING!
AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FIRST PENTECOSTAL CELEBRATION WE CAN SEE THAT THE POWER COMES FROM A DIVERSITY THAT IS UNITED.
THE DISCIPLES SPEAK MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ON THAT DAY, BUT THE SPOKEN LANGUAGES ARE A TOOL SO THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE MESSAGE—MORE PEOPLE WILL BE GATHERED INTO THE WHOLENESS GOD LONGS FOR.
REMEMBER IN THE STORY HOW THE BYSTANDERS THOUGHT THE DISCIPLES WERE DRUNK ON CHEAP WINE BECAUSE THEY ALL BEGAN SPEAKING IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES? “THEY COULDN’T FOR THE LIFE OF THEM FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND KEPT SAYING, ‘AREN’T THESE ALL GALILEANS? HOW COME WE’RE HEARING THEM TALK IN OUR VARIOUS MOTHER TONGUES?’”
WELL, THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS SIMPLE. THE MESSAGE OF THE LOVE AND GRACE AND OPENNESS OF JESUS CHRIST IS A UNIVERSAL MESSAGE, IT IS MEANT TO BE TOLD TO THE WHOLE OF CREATION AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE. AND GOD STAKED HIS CLAIM ON HIS INTENTION FOR DIVERSITY FROM THE BEGINNING. AT THE TOWER OF BABEL GOD WAS MAKING A DECISIVE MOVE ON BEHALF OF DIVERSITY AND DIFFERENCE. AND THE SPIRIT’S ACTION ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST AFFIRMED WHAT GOD DESIRES FOR US. WE’VE COME FULL CIRCLE AND I AM REMINDED OF THAT GREAT LITTLE POEM BY EDWARD MARKHAM:
HE DREW A CIRCLE THAT SHUT ME OUT HERETIC, REBEL, A THING TO FLOUT.
BUT LOVE AND I HAD A WIT TO WINWE DREW A CIRCLE THAT TOOK HIM IN.
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW VERY DIFFICULT HONEST CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IS? WHEN WE BELONG TOGETHER IN ONE CHURCH FAMILY WE CAN EITHER BE LIKE THE FOLKS AT THE TOWER OF BABEL OR WE CAN BE LIKE THE DISCIPLES AT PENTECOST. WE CAN EITHER BE DIVIDED BY OUR LANGUAGE OR WE CAN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER THROUGH THE LANGUAGES. I THINK AN OFTEN UNTENDED REALITY OF OUR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ALL TEND TO SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
IN SOME CASES WE SPEAK ACTUAL DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. BUT EVEN IN CONGREGATIONS WHERE WE ALL SPEAK ENGLISH, WE STILL SEEM TO SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
ONE SPEAKS CONSERVATIVE WHILE ANOTHER SPEAKS LIBERAL. SOME PERSON SPEAKS JUSTICE AND SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT SPEAK MISSION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SPEAK DISCIPLINE AND LAW, BUT JUST ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT SPEAK FREEDOM AND GRACE. I THINK YOU GET MY POINT.
THERE IS NO WAY TO BE AN AMERICAN CHRISTIAN WITHOUT EVERYONE COMING TO THE COMMUNITY WITH A SENSE OF INDIVIDUALISM. OUR AMERICAN TRADITION TEACHES US TO VALUE THE INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS OF A PERSON WHILE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY DEMANDS THAT WE BRING THESE STRENGTHS TOGETHER, NOT ONLY IN A PEACEFUL AND LOVING WAY, BUT ALSO IN A WAY THAT THE STRENGTH OF ONE WILL BUILD UP THE STRENGTH OF ANOTHER. AND RIGHT FROM THE TOWER OF BABEL TO THIS VERY DAY GOD SHOWS US THAT EXPERIENCING THE DIVERSITY AND DIFFERENCES OF OUR HUMANITY IS THE ONLY FAITHFUL WAY TO CELEBRATE OUR ONENESS WITH GOD.
YOU SEE, EVEN THOUGH WE TEND TO SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES IN OUR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES, WE ALSO SHARE A UNITY THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM US. WE ALL HAVE FAITH IN A LOVING GOD. WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. AND THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS WE KNOW THERE IS A TRANSCENDENT POWER ALIVE AND WELL, WORKING IN OUR WORLD.
IN THE NEW INTERPRETER’S BIBLE TERENCE FRETHEIM SAYS, “DIFFICULTIES IN COMMUNICATION CAN OFTEN LEAD TO DIFFICULTIES IN RELATIONSHIPS, BUT THIS USUALLY INVOLVES THE FAILING OF PEOPLE WHO SEEK TO COMMUNICATE RATHER THAN THE REALITY OF DIFFERENCES IN LANGUAGE AS SUCH.” PENTECOST WAS THE BIRTHING OF THE CHURCH AND THE BIRTHING OF OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT DIFFERENCES DO NOT KEEP US APART.
WE KEEP OURSELVES APART.
THE CHURCH – THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY – IS ALL ABOUT BEING WITH ONE ANOTHER, TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO SPEAK A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, AND STAYING WITH ONE ANOTHER UNTIL THE DIFFERENCES ARE TRANSCENDED.
WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME WE CAN BE GOOD CHRISTIANS BY SITTING AT HOME AND READING THE NEW YORK TIMES ON A SUNDAY MORNING I HAVE TO TAKE EXCEPTION. CHRISTIANITY IS ALL ABOUT MIXING IT UP. CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. GOD DIDN’T COMMUNICATE AT ALL IN THE GENESIS ACCOUNT, BUT BY THE TIME WE MADE IT TO PENTECOST GOD HAD SPOKEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN JESUS THE CHRIST. GOD GREW MORE INTIMATE WITH HUMANITY IN CHRIST. THEREFORE, IT STANDS TO REASON THAT A PERSON SIMPLY CANNOT BE A WHOLE CHRISTIAN WITHOUT ACTING UPON HIS/HER FAITH THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF GOD’S CREATION. AND AS WE LEARN FROM THE FULL CIRCLE AFFECT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE PASSAGES, GOD INTENDED DIVERSITY FOR THE WORLD AND GOD INTENDED UNITY.
THERE IS NO THEOLOGICAL CONCEPT I AM FONDER OF AND MORE INFORMED BY THAN THE IDEA OF A DIVERSE UNITY, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE WHILE LOVING AND RESPECTING ONE ANOTHER ALWAYS.
THIS, MY FRIENDS, IS THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST AS WE CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY TODAY. AND FOR OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY WE GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE!
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:16-34 & John 17:20-26
WHEN OUR SOCIETY WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WWJD FAD I ALWAYS FOUND MYSELF RATHER IRRITATED AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT ACRONYM.
IN CASE YOU DON’T REMEMBER, WWJD STANDS FOR WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
AND I JUST GET SO IRRITATED AT THE IDEA THAT ANY ONE KNOWS FOR SURE WHAT JESUS WOULD DO. I, FOR ONE, AM QUITE SURE THAT I DON’T KNOW WHAT JESUS WOULD DO, BUT I’M ACTUALLY PRETTY SURE IT WOULD BE SHOCKINGLY WONDERFUL!
BUT YOU KNOW, AS I PONDERED TODAY’S GOSPEL LESSON I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT WWJD BECAUSE THIS IS ONE SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE THAT TELLS US EXACTLY WHAT JESUS DID DO, ALONG WITH GIVING US A VERY CREDIBLE GLIMPSE AT WHAT JESUS MIGHT DO!
THE 17TH CHAPTER OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IS A PRAYER. IT IS JESUS PRAYING TO GOD AS HE READIES HIS DISCIPLES AND HIMSELF FOR THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM. PREVIOUS TO CHAPTER 17 JESUS HAS BEEN GIVING THE DISCIPLES LAST MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS, SO TO SPEAK. JUST AS A PARENT WOULD TELL A 16 YEAR OLD TO TURN THE OVEN OFF AFTER DINNER AND MAKE SURE THE FRONT DOOR IS LOCKED BEFORE GOING TO BED, JESUS TOLD THE DISCIPLES MANY THINGS THAT WERE MEANT TO HELP SHAPE THEIR MINISTRY AFTER HE IS NO LONGER WITH THEM. BUT IN CHAPTER 17 JESUS IS NO LONGER TALKING TO THE DISCIPLES. JESUS IS TALKING TO GOD. AND THE DISCIPLES—RIGHT ALONG WITH YOU AND ME—ARE LISTENING IN ON THIS INTIMATE CONVERSATION.
NOW THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE, EVEN AFTER IT IS TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL GREEK AND ARAMAIC. READING JOHN, EVEN IN ENGLISH, MAKES ME KIND OF DIZZY! AS YOU, FATHER, ARE IN ME AND I AM IN YOU, MAY THEY ALSO BE IN US.” (VS 21) IT SOUNDS LIKE A PSYCHOLOGIST’S WORST NIGHTMARE OF FAMILIAL ENMESHMENT. WE CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JESUS AND GOD AND THE COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS.
BUT WHERE THAT LACK OF BOUNDARIES WOULD BE DISASTER IN ANY HUMAN FAMILY, HERE IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE VERY BEST PART OF THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST!
JESUS’ PRAYER TO GOD IS ALL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS BEING INFUSED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD SO DEEPLY THAT GOD’S LOVE IS KNOWN BY WATCHING THEM…ACTUALLY, BY WATCHING US! WE ARE THE CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS, AND THIS INTIMATE AND INCREDIBLY GENEROUS PRAYER IS WHAT JESUS TRULY WOULD DO.
HE PRAYS FOR US. AND THE PRAYER HE PRAYS IS SUCH THAT WE WILL LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND THE WORLD BY WATCHING THE LOVE THE SON HAS FOR THE FATHER AND THE FATHER HAS FOR THE SON. THE WORLD IS MEANT TO SEE THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH US—BY WHAT THEY SEE IN US.
THE WORLD IS MEANT TO KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD BY KNOWING US. I THINK IT WAS THE ANCIENT HISTORIAN FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS WHO FIRST SAID, “SEE THOSE CHRISTIANS, HOW THEY LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” HE RECEIVED THE TANGIBLE MESSAGE JESUS WAS PRAYING FOR. HE COULD SEE THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE COMMUNITY – IN THE FIRST CENTURY ANYWAY!
MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT BEN KINGSLEY STARRED AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN THE MOTION PICTURE GANDHI. HE SPENT MONTHS PREPARING FOR THE ROLE, VISITING THE VARIOUS INDIAN LOCALES GANDHI HAD FREQUENTED.
HE EVEN LEARNED TO SPIN COTTON THREAD ON A WOODEN WHEEL WHILE HOLDING CONVERSATIONS AS GANDHI DID. THE PHYSICAL RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN GANDHI AND KINGSLEY WAS ALMOST STARTLING. AFTER FILMING A SCENE IN A VILLAGE SOUTH OF DELHI, KINGSLEY STEPPED OUT OF A CAR, AND AN ELDERLY PEASANT KNELT TO TOUCH HIS FEET. EMBARRASSED, KINGSLEY EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS MERELY AN ACTOR PLAYING GANDHI.
“WE KNOW,” REPLIED THE VILLAGER, “BUT THROUGH YOU HE WILL SURELY LIVE AGAIN.”
HAVING SEEN THE MOVIE GANDHI SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE TO SAY THAT GANDHI WAS TRULY “LIVED AGAIN” THROUGH BEN KINGSLEY. THERE IS A TRANSCENDENT POWER ABOUT THAT MOVIE. IS THERE A TRANSCENDENT POWER ABOUT THE WAY WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST – THE COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS IN TODAY’S WORLD? IF THE WORLD IS TO KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH US, THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, WHAT, THEN, DOES THE WORLD KNOW?
IT SEEMS TO ME THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS A BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN ONE WOULD THINK. YOU SEE, THERE IS THE BIG PICTURE THAT THE WHOLE WORLD SEES ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS, AND THEN, AGAIN, THERE IS THE INDIVIDUAL SNAPSHOT.
I’M AFRAID THE BIG PICTURE IS WHAT THE WORLD SEES THROUGH THE LENS OF THE MEDIA WHEN THEY REPORT ABOUT THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH.
CASE IN POINT IS AN ARTICLE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW THE PRIVATELY FUNDED INSTITUTE ON RELIGION AND DEMOCRACY IS SEEKING TO CONTROL THE THEOLOGY OF MAINLINE PROTESTANT CHURCHES. WHEN THE WORLD LOOKS AT US FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE I DARE SAY THEY SEE DIVISION AND CONFLICT, A LOT OF MEANINGLESS RITUAL, A RATHER LARGE POWER BASE FROM WHICH TO MAKE A STATEMENT OR POSSIBLY EMPOWER A SOME KIND OF ACTION.
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE LENS OF THE MEDIA TENDS TO DISTORT THE PICTURE TO THE POINT THAT THE LOVE THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE SON BY THE FATHER CANNOT BE RECOGNIZED. THE SMALL INDIVIDUAL PICTURES OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF BELIEVERS ARE A FAR MORE ACCURATE DEPICTION OF WHAT JESUS WAS PRAYING TO GOD FOR. THE BEST NEWS ABOUT THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IS RARELY REPORTED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWSPAPER OR ON THE SIX O’CLOCK NEWS. THE TRUE COMMUNITY FOR WHOM JESUS PRAYS IS GATHERED TOGETHER HERE, THIS MORNING, SEEKING TO PLACE GOD’S BLESSING UPON ANOTHER CHILD OF GOD – AMANDA KATE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM IS NOT JUST ANOTHER MEANINGLESS RITUAL – ALTHOUGH SOME IN THE WORLD MIGHT SEE IT THAT WAY. THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF GOD’S LOVE. IT IS ABOUT ADOPTION. IN BAPTISM WE ARE ADOPTED INTO GOD’S GRACIOUS LOVE.
AND WHAT BETTER WAY FOR THE WORLD TO KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD THAN BY EXPERIENCING AN “OUTWARD SIGN OF AN INWARD GRACE,” WHICH IS HOW MARTIN LUTHER DEFINED THE SACRAMENTS SO MANY YEARS AGO?
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM IS ALSO ABOUT INCLUSION. WHEN WE BAPTIZE A PERSON WE GATHER HER INTO THE CIRCLE OF CHRIST. AMANDA IS NOT BAPTIZED A PRESBYTERIAN TODAY; SHE IS BAPTIZED A CHRISTIAN – A LOVED CHILD OF GOD. AND WE KNOW GOD LOVES HER BECAUSE OF THE LOVE THAT IS REALITY THROUGH GOD AND JESUS AND US. YOU SEE, AMANDA’S BAPTISM IS RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY, NO MATTER WHAT DENOMINATION. AMANDA WILL NEVER NEED TO BE BAPTIZED AGAIN. SHE IS ONE WITH US AND WE ARE ALL ONE TOGETHER. BECAUSE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BAPTISM IS ALSO ABOUT UNITY.
EVEN THOUGH SOME WOULD CHOOSE TO ARGUE ABOUT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF BAPTISM, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS COME TOGETHER AROUND THIS RITUAL. OUR LOVE IS AS SIMPLE AS THIS.
JESUS WAS BAPTIZED BY JOHN IN THE JORDAN RIVER AND SO WE BECOME A PART OF HIM WHEN WE ARE BAPTIZED IN HIS NAME. AND THERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THE DIVINE ENMESHMENT THAT MAKES US ONE WITH PURE LOVE – ONE WITH GOD.
NOW IT IS MY OPINION THAT LOVE IS AN OVERUSED WORD IN TODAY’S SOCIETY. WE USE THE WORD “LOVE” SO MUCH THAT WE TEND TO LOSE TRACK OF THE INTENSITY OF ITS MEANING. WE ALSO TEND TO FORGET THE POWER OF ITS INTENTION.
THIS WEEK I RECEIVED A WONDERFUL EMAIL LISTING CHILDREN’S THOUGHTS ON LOVE. SOME OF THE THOUGHTS WERE CUTE AND FUNNY, BUT SOME WERE INCREDIBLY INSIGHTFUL AND THEY REMINDED ME OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THIS GOD-GIVEN WORD. LET ME SHARE SOME OF THEM WITH YOU…
CHRIS IS SEVEN YEARS OLD AND SHE SAYS, “LOVE IS WHEN MOMMY SEES DADDY SMELLY AND SWEATY AND STILL SAYS HE IS HANDSOMER THAN ROBERT REDFORD.”
SEVEN YEAR OLD DANNY SAYS, “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.”
BUT NIKKA, WHO IS SIX YEARS OLD SAYS, “IF YOU WANT TO LEARN TO LOVE BETTER, YOU SHOULD START WITH A FRIEND WHO YOU HATE.”
AND SEVEN YEAR OLD BOBBY SAYS, “LOVE IS WHAT’S IN THE ROOM WITH YOU AT CHRISTMAS IF YOU STOP OPENING PRESENTS AND LISTEN.”
BUT I THINK THE BEST OF ALL IS FROM FOUR YEAR OLD BILLY WHO SAYS, “WHEN SOMEONE LOVES YOU, THE WAY THEY SAY YOUR NAME IS DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW THAT YOUR NAME IS SAFE IN THEIR MOUTH.”
WHEN SOMEONE’S NAME IS SAFE IN OUR MOUTH, THIS IS WHEN THE WORLD SEES THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH US. THIS KIND OF ACTION DOESN’T MAKE THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWS, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
WHAT THE WORLD KNOWS ABOUT THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH US HAPPENS IN THE LITTLE THINGS – THE THINGS THAT GO UNANNOUNCED AND UNNOTICED ON A DAILY BASIS.
THE LOVE OF GOD IS KNOWN THROUGH US WHEN WE TAKE FRUIT TO THE BREAKFAST PROGRAM IN SPRING VALLEY VERY MONDAY MORNING.
THE LOVE OF GOD IS KNOWN THROUGH US EVERY TIME WE STOP OURSELVES FROM SAYING SOMETHING CRUEL OR THOUGHTLESS ABOUT ANOTHER PERSON. THE LOVE OF GOD IS KNOWN THROUGH US EVERY TIME WE SIT WITH ANOTHER AND SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE. THE LOVE OF GOD IS KNOWN THROUGH US EVERY TIME WE PICK UP A PIECE OF GARBAGE BESIDE THE ROAD RATHER THAN LEAVING IT THERE TO SPOIL THE ECOLOGY.
THE LOVE OF GOD IS KNOWN THROUGH US EVERY TIME WE QUELL OUR ANGER AT THAT CRAZY DRIVER WHO HONKED HIS HORN AND SHOOK HIS FIST AS A COMMENTARY ABOUT MY DRIVING. THE LOVE OF GOD IS KNOWN THROUGH US EVERY TIME WE GATHER TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF CHRIST AND STUMBLE CLOSER TO A TRULY OPEN AND LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. IT’S NOT THE BIG, SPLASHY, PERFECT THINGS WE DO THAT SHOW THE LOVE OF GOD, IT’S THE QUIET UNPRETENTIOUS MOMENTS WHEN WE ARE SO EMPTY OF OURSELVES THAT WE CAN BE FULL OF CHRIST. THESE ARE THE TIMES WHEN THE REST OF THE WORLD SEES THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH US. AND MY FRIENDS, THIS IS THE COMMUNITY FOR WHOM JESUS PRAYS.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 & Acts 9:36-43
ONE OF THE COURSES I TOOK AS A SEMINARIAN WAS A COURSE ON WOMEN’S HISTORY. AS A PROJECT FOR THAT COURSE I NEEDED TO WRITE A HISTORY OF PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN USING SOME KIND OF CHURCH RECORDS.
NOW I WAS A STUDENT MINISTER AT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WHIPPANY, NJ AT THAT TIME, SO THE WHIPPANY PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION ALLOWED ME TO USE THEIR RECORDS THAT WENT BACK AS FAR AS THE LATE 1800’S. WHAT A TREASURE IT WAS! IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING TO READ THOSE RECORDS, HANDWRITTEN IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SCRIPT AND SPOKEN IN THE VERY PROPER VERNACULAR OF THE DAY. THEY COULD MAKE THE MOST TEDIOUS JOB SOUND LIKE A GLORIOUS MISSION, ORDAINED BY GOD, FOR THE BUILDING UP OF THE CHURCH.
OUR SCRIPTURE STORY FOR TODAY ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF THAT PARTICULAR WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION BECAUSE IN THE LATE 1800’S THEIR ORGANIZATION WAS CALLED THE DORCAS SOCIETY. THEY ONLY BEGAN TO BE KNOWN AS THE WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION LATER ON IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
THIS GROUP OF WOMEN GOT TOGETHER TO SEW AND KNIT, AS WELL AS STUDY THE BIBLE. THEY MADE CLOTHES FOR THE NEEDY, QUILTS TO GIVE AWAY TO THE HOMELESS, AND BAKED PIES AND CAKES AND COOKIES TO SELL IN ORDER TO MAKE MONEY TO DONATE TO FOREIGN MISSIONS.
THEY WERE THE DORCAS SOCIETY, NAMED AFTER THE WOMAN IN THIS STORY WHOM THE WIDOWS MOURNED AND PETER BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.
DORCAS, THE ONE OF WHOM THE BIBLE SAYS SHE WAS “DEVOTED TO GOOD WORKS AND ACTS OF CHARITY.”
I OFTEN WONDER WHETHER THIS STORY IS MORE ABOUT DOING “GOOD WORKS” OR BEING RAISED FROM THE DEAD. AND THEN IT STRUCK ME.
THESE TWO ARE PRETTY MUCH WOVEN TOGETHER AND OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE. GOOD WORKS ALWAYS SEEM TO BRING A SENSE OF NEW LIFE AND JOY TO THAT WHICH SEEMED MOMENTARILY DEAD.
NOW I’M GOING TO DIVERT US FROM THE STORY OF PETER AND DORCAS FOR JUST A MOMENT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THE GOSPEL LESSON – THE STORY OF JESUS BEING CHALLENGED BY THE PEOPLE TO STATE CLEARLY WHETHER OR NOT HE IS THE MESSIAH. THE PEOPLE WANTED A SIMPLE “YES” OR “NO” ANSWER, BUT WHAT THEY GOT WAS SOME PRETTY TYPICAL “JESUS TALK” THAT IS MOST COMMON TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. IN RESPONSE TO THEIR QUESTIONS JESUS SAYS, “THE WORKS THAT I DO IN MY FATHER’S NAME TESTIFY TO ME.” IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT YOU SEE AND FEEL IS WHAT YOU WILL BELIEVE. IF WE SEE AND FEEL GOD IN JESUS, THEN WE WILL KNOW HE IS THE MESSIAH.
AND IN ANOTHER “JESUS TALK” PHRASE WE HEAR JESUS SAY, “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE. I KNOW THEM AND THEY FOLLOW ME.” TO KNOW JESUS IS TO KNOW THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE AND UNDERSTAND THE NUANCE OF HIS LANGUAGE. IT IS VERY TRICKY STUFF TO UNDERSTAND JESUS AS THE MESSIAH.
AND THIS PASSAGE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN REMINDS ME OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN A LITERAL INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE AND A FREE INTERPRETATION THAT VALUES THE HISTORICAL/CRITICAL CONTEXT IN WHICH ALL OF SCRIPTURE WAS WRITTEN. THE PEOPLE WHO WANT FACTS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SAY, “ARE YOU THE MESSIAH? ANSWER US ‘YES’ OR ‘NO’.”
BUT JESUS SAYS, “YOU NEED TO INTERPRET WHAT YOU HEAR AND WHAT YOU SEE.” JESUS DRAWS PEOPLE IN TO A FREE INTERPRETATION, WHICH REMINDED ME THAT HOW WE READ THE STORY OF DORCAS AND PETER HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE WISDOM WE GAIN FROM IT.
IF WE READ THIS STORY AS HISTORICAL FACT, THEN WE FOCUS ON THE MIRACLE OF THE RESURRECTION PETER WAS ABLE TO PRAY UPON DORCAS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY THIS STORY OF PETER RESURRECTING DORCAS FROM THE DEAD MAKES NO SENSE TO ME AS HISTORICAL FACT. I PERSONALLY CANNOT GO THERE.
BUT IF WE READ THIS STORY AS AN ETERNAL TRUTH THAT IS OPENLY REINTERPRETED WITH EVERY PERSON WHO READS IT, THEN WE CAN INTERPRET THE RESURRECTION STORY TO REPRESENT ANYTHING THAT GIVES AND BRINGS LIFE. SEEING THE RESURRECTION OF DORCAS AS METAPHOR FOR LIVELINESS RATHER THAN FACT OF LIFE IS LIKE HEARING THE VOICE OF JESUS AND RESPONDING OUT OF AN INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE BELONG TO HIM. PETER SAYS, “GET UP.” AND DORCAS COMES ALIVE.
SO IT ACTUALLY SEEMS TO ME THAT PETER WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT DORCAS AND SEE HOW MUCH GOODNESS THERE WAS IN HER. PETER KNEW HER BY EXPERIENCING HER WORKS – BY SEEING ALL OF THE CREATIVITY AND COMPASSION DISPLAYED BY THE OTHER WIDOWS WHO WORKED WITH DORCAS. IT WAS LIKE PETER HAVING AN INTUITIVE SENSE OF THE LIVELINESS IN HER THAT GAVE DORCAS HER LIFE BACK.
AND TO TAKE THE METAPHOR JUST ONE STEP FURTHER I BELIEVE PETER REPRESENTS THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL THROUGHOUT THE AGES AS MUCH AS HE SPEAKS FOR HIMSELF. AFTER ALL, BIBLICALLY SPEAKING, PETER WAS THE ROCK UPON WHICH THE CHURCH WAS TO BE BUILT. IT DOESN’T TAKE TOO MUCH OF A LEAP TO SEE THAT PETER COULD REPRESENT THE CHURCH AND IT’S MISSION BY HOW HE CAME TO THE DEAD WOMAN AND BROUGHT HER BACK TO LIFE. WOULDN’T IT MAKE SENSE THAT THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IS TO GIVE LIFE WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NONE?
NOW I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT THE LIFE AND WORKS OF THE PEOPLE OF NAURAUSHAUN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE BEEN A PETER TO SOME MANY DIFFERENT DORCAS’ THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. I GOT TO THINKING AND I BEGAN TO GET A SENSE OF RESURRECTION THAT I HADN’T THOUGHT TOO ABOUT MUCH BEFORE. I BEGAN TO THINK OF THE PLACES WHERE THERE SEEMED TO BE DEATH AND NOW THERE IS LIFE.
ANGUS SAMPATH FIRST VISITED OUR CHURCH AS A GRIEVING WIDOWER.
ANGUS WAS LOOKING FOR LIFE FOLLOWING THE DEVASTATING EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING HIS BELOVED WIFE DIE. AND I THINK NPC SPOTTED THE SPIRIT IN ANGUS. I THINK IN MANY WAYS WE WERE PETER TO ANGUS, PRAYING FOR HIM AND SAYING “ANGUS, GET UP.” AND HERE HE IS A VIBRANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AS TODAY’S LITURGIST AND HAVING SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DEACONS FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. THE TWINKLE IS BACK IN HIS EYES AND THERE IS DEFINITELY LIFE THERE.
JACKIE AND LISA AXT-OHANNESYAN CAME TO US WITH SORROW IN THEIR HEARTS. THEY HAD GONE TO OTHER CHURCHES IN THE AREA, LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO BE A PART OF A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AS WELL AS A PLACE TO BAPTIZE AND RAISE THEIR SON EVAN. THE DEATH THEY HAD EXPERIENCED WAS THE SLAMMING OF SEVERAL CHURCH DOORS IN THEIR FACES BECAUSE THEY ARE A LESBIAN COUPLE. NPC HAS BEEN PETER TO JACKIE AND LISA AND EVAN. WE HAVE PRAYED FOR THEM AND SAID, “JACKIE AND LISA, GET UP.” WE HAVE BROUGHT OUT A LIVELINESS BY OPENING OUR DOORS TO THIS LOVING FAMILY. WE SEE LIFE AS WE WATCH EVAN GROW. WE SEE LIFE AS WE ELECT JACKIE TO BE ORDAINED A DEACON. WE SEE LIFE WHEN LISA LEARNS SOMETHING NEW ABOUT THE BIBLE AND IS SO DELIGHTED IN THE LEARNING.
THERE IS LIVELINESS THERE; SEE THE SMILE ON THEIR FACES?
I WISH YOU ALL COULD HAVE MET THE RODRIQUEZ FAMILY FROM MASAYA, NICARAGUA. THIS IS THE NAME OF THE FAMILY WE HELPED TO BUILD TWO HOMES LAST SUMMER. ROSA IS THE MATRIARCH AND SHE RUNS QUITE A QUEENDOM. MATRIARCHS ARE UNUSUAL IN NICARAGUA. USUALLY WOMEN ARE NOT GIVEN A POSITION OF POWER AND CONTROL, BUT IN THIS SITUATION WE ALL KNEW THAT ROSA WAS THE MAIN WOMAN.
ROSA AND HER TWO SONS AND HER DAUGHTER, ALONG WITH HER DAUGHTER’S HUSBAND AND CHILDREN ALL LIVED IN ONE LITTLE CORRUGATED TIN HOUSE. AND WHEN I SAY “HOUSE” I PRACTICALLY CHOKE ON THE WORD. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE THAT WAS PROTECTIVE ABOUT THE PLACE THEY LIVED, NEVER MIND CLEANLINESS AND DESIGN. IT FELT LIKE THE DARKNESS OF DEATH WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THEIR LITTLE SHACK WITH A HARD DIRT FLOOR.
BUT A GROUP OF 11 PEOPLE, MOSTLY FROM OUR CHURCH, WENT TO NICARAGUA WITH FAIRLY STRONG BACKS AND VERY WILLING HANDS TO HELP THE RODRIQUEZ FAMILY BUILD TWO NEW HOUSES. THERE WAS ONE FOR ROSA AND ONE FOR ROSA’S DAUGHTER. IN A WAY WE WERE PETER TO THIS FAMILY. BY OUR WORKS WE WERE THE PRAYER AND THE COMMAND TO ROSA AND HER FAMILY TO “GET UP.” AND THEY DID! WE SAW A SPIRIT IN THEM THAT WAS LIVELINESS. OUR WORKS HELPED TO BRING ABOUT A MOMENT OF RESURRECTION, AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF PICTURES TO PROVE IT.
NOW THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES OF SPOTTING THE SPIRIT OR SEEING LIFE SPRING FORTH WHEN THE SORROW AND THE SADNESS AND THE DEATH IS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF RESURRECTION BELIEVERS.
IT’S JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE CHURCH BEING ABLE TO SEE A CERTAIN QUALITY THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD CANNOT. IT’S JUST A FEW OF EXAMPLES OF SPOTTING THE SPIRIT, AND I’M SURE YOU CAN THINK OF PLENTY MORE SPOTTINGS COMING OUT OF YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, EVEN AS I SPEAK.
SO REMEMBER, FOR CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANS PETER CAN REPRESENT THE CHURCH FOR US. NOT ONLY OUR OWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BUT THE ENTIRE WORLD LOOKS TO US TO BRING LIFE WHERE THERE HAS BEEN DEATH.
DO WE SEE OURSELVES IN THAT SAME WAY? DO WE THINK OF OURSELVES AS SPOTTERS OF THE SPIRIT? DO WE THINK OF NEEDING TO KNEEL IN PRAYER AND THEN DEMAND OF THE WORLD “GET UP,” – LIVE AGAIN?
THIS POWER – THE POWER TO SEE LIFE WHERE OTHERS CANNOT – IS AN EXTREMELY WONDERFUL THING. THIS POWER IS THE RESURRECTION POWER; IT IS THE POWER OF TRANSFORMATION. THIS POWER IS WHAT TURNS DARKNESS INTO LIGHT; IT TRANSFORMS SORROW INTO JOY. THIS POWER IS WHAT TURNS DIVISION INTO A PERFECT WHOLE; IT TRANSFORMS HATRED INTO LOVE. THIS POWER IS WHAT TURNS POVERTY INTO WEALTH; IT TRANSFORMS SELFISHNESS INTO GENEROSITY.
NOW SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER GWEN ENTWISTLE – A TRUE SAINT OF A WOMAN. I WAS PRIVILEGED TO RECEIVE THE FINEST COMPLIMENT OF MY PASTORAL CAREER FROM GWEN. IT WAS DURING THE PERIOD BEFORE HER DEATH, DURING ONE OF THE VISITS I MADE TO HER IN THE HOSPITAL.
I CAN REMEMBER THE EXACT SPOT WE WERE IN WHEN SHE TOLD ME THAT I HAD BROUGHT THE SPIRIT BACK TO NPC. WHAT SHE WAS REALLY SAYING WAS THAT I HAD SPOTTED THE SPIRIT THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE.
GWEN WAS SAYING TO ME THAT I HAD BEEN PETER TO NPC. I HAD SEEN THE GOODNESS AND SAID, “GET UP!” I HAD PRAYED FOR GOD TO BRING LIVELINESS OUT OF THE DARKNESS THAT HAD DESCENDED UPON NPC DURING PREVIOUS YEARS, AND THE LIVELINESS RETURNED, THE TRANSFORMATION HAPPENED, THE RESURRECTION BECAME REAL—NOT BECAUSE OF ME, BUT BECAUSE OF GOD.
AT THE TOP OF THE BULLETIN I HAVE QUOTED FROM JACK SPONG’S BOOK RESURRECTION. IN CLOSING I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE HIM AGAIN, AND I THINK THIS STATEMENT RATHER SUMS IT ALL UP FOR TODAY. HE SAYS, “AS I GIVE MY LIFE, MY LOVE, AND MYSELF AWAY NOW, I HOPE THAT OTHERS CAN BE CALLED INTO DEEPER LIFE, GREATER LOVE, FULLER BEING, AND THAT BY EXPANDING EACH OTHER, WE ENTER THE INFINITY OF WHAT PAUL TILLICH CALLED THE ‘ETERNAL NOW.’ TO LIVE IT, NOT TO EXPLAIN IT, IS MY TASK AND, I BELIEVE, THE TASK OF THE CHRIST IN THIS WORLD AND THEREFORE THE TASK OF THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DARE TO CALL THEMSELVES THE BODY OF CHRIST.” (PG. 293)
MAY IT BE SO – AMEN.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4-8 & John 20:19-31
SOMETIMES I THINK THE CHURCH FORGETS OUR TRUE REASON FOR BEING.
WE FORGET THAT FROM THE VERY MOMENT OF INCEPTION WE WERE MEANT TO BELIEVE THE TREMENDOUS DIVINE AND UNIVERSAL FORGIVENESS THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE WORLD IN THE RISEN CHRIST. AND NOTHING REMINDS US OF THIS MISSION BETTER THAN THE STORY OF WHOM TRADITION HAS COME TO NAME “DOUBTING THOMAS,” EVEN THOUGH THE WORD “DOUBT” IS ACTUALLY NOT A PART OF THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE; BUT WE’LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT.
IT’S EVENING ON THE DAY OF THE RESURRECTION AND THE DISCIPLES ARE GATHERED BEHIND LOCKED DOORS—AFRAID. I’M SURE THEY WERE AFRAID THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO JESUS COULD HAPPEN TO THEM.
BUT INTO THE MIDST OF THEIR FEAR STEPS JESUS, DECLARING THAT PEACE IS WITH THEM AND SHOWING THEM THE SIGNS OF HIS CRUCIFIXION IMPRINTED ON HIS HANDS AND IN HIS SIDE. THE DISCIPLES ARE FILLED WITH JOY AND CELEBRATION, BUT JESUS IS THERE FOR SOMETHING MORE THAN A PARTY. JESUS ANNOUNCES THE PRESENCE OF PEACE AGAIN, AS IF TO DISSIPATE THE FEAR. AND THEN HE BREATHES HIS SPIRIT INTO THEM IN MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT GOD BREATHED LIFE INTO ADAM AT THE BEGINNING OF HUMAN LIFE ON EARTH.
JESUS REMINDS THE DISCIPLES THAT THEY ARE SENT INTO THE WORLD BY GOD IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE WAS SENT INTO THE WORLD BY GOD.
TO BE A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE OF CHRIST MEANS TO REMOVE ALL LOCKS FROM THE WINDOWS AND DOORS. THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST TAKES PLACE OUT THERE; OUT IN THE REAL WORLD.
NOW THOMAS WASN’T WITH THE REST OF THE DISCIPLES WHEN THEY WERE FIRST VISITED BY THE CHRIST. AND HE ISN’T ABOUT TO BELIEVE THEY HAVE SEEN THE LORD UNTIL HE GETS A CHANCE TO TOUCH THE WOUNDS HIMSELF AND SEE THE PRESENCE OF HIS GOOD FRIEND.
A WEEK LATER, JESUS MAKES HIS PRESENCE KNOWN AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DOORS ARE SHUT RATHER THAN LOCKED. THE DISCIPLES ARE SLOWLY LOSING THEIR FEAR.
AND SUDDENLY JESUS APPEARS AMONG THEM, BRINGING THE PRONOUNCEMENT OF PEACE AND OFFERING THE GIFT OF TOUCH AND SIGHT TO THOMAS, THE ONE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE.
NOW AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IF WE LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF THIS PASSAGE WE WILL NOT FIND THE GREEK WORD FOR DOUBT. WHAT WE FIND IS A DIFFERENT WORD THAT IS LITERALLY TRANSLATED “NOT HAVING TRUST OR FAITH OR CERTAINTY.” AND TO ME THIS IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT KETTLE OF FISH THAN DOUBTING. THE LITERAL TRANSLATION PUTS THOMAS INTO THE REALM OF QUESTIONING RATHER THAN DOUBTING, AND QUESTIONING IS A DEEPLY IMPORTANT PART OF FAITH DEVELOPMENT.
RABBI JACOB NEUSNER HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ENTITLED A RABBI TALKS WITH JESUS. IN THIS PROFOUND LITTLE VOLUME HE PLACES HIMSELF IN THE POSITION OF MEETING JESUS FACE TO FACE. AND THEN HE TELLS US HOW HE WOULD ARGUE WITH JESUS. HE TELLS US WHAT HIS QUESTIONS WOULD BE AND WHY HE COULD NOT BELIEVE IN JESUS AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A WISE MAN. ONE OF THE MANY THINGS I LEARNED FROM READING NEUSNER IS THE FACT THAT QUESTIONING IS A LARGE PART OF THE JEWISH FAITH.
HE SAYS, “…WE REGARD THE USE OF THE MIND, THE INTERCHANGE OF THOUGHT, PROPOSITION, REASON, EVIDENCE, ANALYSIS—WE REGARD ARGUMENT AS AN EXERCISE IN THE USE OF WHAT WE SHARE WITH GOD, WHAT MAKES US LIKE GOD, WHICH IS OUR MINDS.” (PG. 30)
NEUSNER’S IDEAS HAVE DRASTICALLY ALTERED MY INTERPRETATION OF THIS EXCHANGE BETWEEN JESUS AND THOMAS. WHERE I USED TO IMAGINE JESUS AS ALMOST ANGRY AT THOMAS FOR HIS UNBELIEF, I CAN NOW SEE JESUS – THE RABBI – AS QUITE ENGAGED IN THE EXCHANGE AND DELIGHTING IN THOMAS AS HE SEARCHES OUT A TRUE FAITH. THOMAS IS USING HIS MIND AND HIS INTELLECT TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WILL CHANGE THE REST OF HIS LIFE. THOMAS IS AT A CROSSROADS. WHAT WILL THOMAS BECOME?
SO JESUS IS SAYING TO THOMAS, “DO NOT BECOME UNBELIEVING, BUT BELIEVING.”
“DO NOT BECOME UNFAITHFUL, BUT FAITHFUL.”
“DO NOT BECOME UNCERTAIN, BUT CERTAIN.”
AND IN THAT MOMENT THOMAS BECOMES THE ROLE MODEL FOR CHRISTIAN FAITH DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE GENERATIONS.
HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE TO TOUCH JESUS TO ANNOUNCE, “MY LORD AND MY GOD.”
BECAUSE OF HIS QUESTIONING MIND THE LIFE DECISION IS MADE, AND THE STORY CONTINUES.
NOW, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, JESUS DOES NOT COME TO THE DISCIPLES FOR A PARTY. JESUS COMES TO THEM WITH A SPECIFIC MISSION IN MIND.
IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN JESUS MAKES THE POST-RESURRECTION VISITS TO THE DISCIPLES IN ORDER TO DEFINE THE MINISTRY THEY WILL BE ABOUT AS THEY GO INTO THE WORLD. AND THAT MINISTRY IS DEFINED BY TWO VERY TROUBLING STATEMENTS. FIRST, JESUS SAYS, “IF YOU FORGIVE THE SINS OF ANY, THEY ARE FORGIVEN THEM; IF YOU RETAIN THE SINS OF ANY, THEY ARE RETAINED.” AND SECOND, HE SAYS, “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE COME TO BELIEVE.”
NOW I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THE KIND OF POWER TO FORGIVE OR RETAIN SIN SEEMS LIKE JUST A BIT TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME.
I DON’T REALLY WANT TO BE BESTOWED WITH THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS IN THAT WAY AND I OFTEN WONDER WHAT THE DISCIPLES MIGHT HAVE BEEN THINKING. WHAT COULD JESUS POSSIBLY BE SAYING? WHAT DOES HE MEAN?
IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND JESUS AT THIS POINT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE AUTHOR OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. YOU SEE, JOHN’S GOSPEL DOES NOT SPEAK OF SIN AS A MORAL OR BEHAVIORAL TRANSGRESSION. FOR JOHN SIN IS MORE OF A THEOLOGICAL FAILING. IT’S WHEN WE FAIL TO SEE THE REVELATION OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST. SO THAT FORGIVING THE SINS OF ANY IS ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT NOT ALL PEOPLE WILL PERCEIVE GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AND RETAINING THE SINS OF ANY MEANS NOT TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS. WHEN WE DON’T SHOW OUR BELIEF WE HELP PEOPLE TO CONTINUE IN SIN BY NOT SHOWING THEM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD. AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE OF WHOM JESUS SPEAKS WHEN HE SAYS THE SECOND TROUBLING STATEMENT, “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE COME TO BELIEVE.”
THIS ISN’T JESUS PLACING A JUDGMENT UPON UNFAITHFUL CHRISTIANS IN A POST MODERN WORLD. RATHER, THIS IS JESUS CALLING ALL WHO HAVE COME TO BELIEVE TO A SPECIAL MINISTRY OF SHOWING THE WORLD WHAT JESUS’ LIFE AND TEACHINGS WERE ALL ABOUT. THIS IS NOT US FINDING FAULT WITH THE BEHAVIOR OF FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS AND CONDEMNING THEM. THIS POST RESURRECTION VISIT FROM JESUS IS ALL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS CONTINUING TO ACT IN THE SAME WAY JESUS HAS ACTED. THIS IS A CALL FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD. IN THE WORDS OF JOHN 3:17, “INDEED, GOD DID NOT SEND THE SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT IN ORDER THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED THROUGH HIM.” AND IN THE POST RESURRECTION VISIT JESUS IS TELLING DISCIPLES OF EVERY AGE THAT THE JOB IS NOW OURS. WE ARE NOT TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, WE ARE TO SAVE IT. WOW!
NOW YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TITLE OF MY SERMON IS A LITTLE BACKWARDS. USUALLY WE SAY “SEEING IS BELIEVING” WHICH IS WHAT WE NORMALLY ACCUSE THOMAS OF; NEEDING TO SEE IN ORDER TO BELIEVE.
BUT MY SERMON TITLE FOR TODAY IS “BELIEVING IS SEEING.” THE ACTION HAS SWITCHED PLACES. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS OUR DEPTH OF BELIEF THAT HELPS US TO SEE THE FULLNESS OF THE TASK WE HAVE BEFORE US AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST. WE BELIEVE BEFORE WE SEE, AND IT IS THROUGH OUR BELIEF THAT OTHERS COME TO SEE.
MY FRIENDS, GOD NEEDS TO BE REVEALED THROUGH US IN THE SAME WAY THAT GOD WAS REVEALED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AND THE ONLY WAY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IS FOR US TO BELIEVE SO DEEPLY IN THE RESURRECTION THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE THE BELIEF IN US, AND COME TO BELIEVE IN GOD’S GREAT GIFT OF PEACE AND LOVE AND FORGIVENESS BY SEEING IT IN US.
CASE IN POINT BEING THE DISCUSSION WE HOSTED IN OUR PARLOR ON PALM SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST IS A MOVIE THAT HAS CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF CONFLICT TO ERUPT WHEREVER IT IS BEING SHOWN. PEOPLE HAVE VERY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT IT, BOTH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE. I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYONE SAY THEY WERE NOT EMOTIONALLY TOUCHED BY THE PASSION’S CONTENT. AND MOSTLY THE DISCUSSIONS AROUND THIS MOVIE HAVE BEEN HEATED AND EMOTIONAL.
BUT THE PEACE OF CHRIST WAS QUITE PALPABLE AS JEWS AND CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS GATHERED TOGETHER IN OUR CHURCH PARLOR TO LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND A VIEWPOINT DIFFERENT FROM HIS/HER OWN.
THE MOST PERSONALLY STIRRING MOMENT FOR ME WAS WHEN A WOMAN, WITH ROOTS IN BOTH JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY, BEGAN TO TELL US THE HISTORY OF PASSION PLAYS IN GERMANY AND AROUND EUROPE DURING THE MIDDLE AGES. SHE REMINDED US THAT THE PASSION PLAY WAS INVENTED AS A WAY TO TELL THE STORY OF THE SUFFERING OF JESUS TO A POPULATION OF BELIEVERS WHO COULD NOT READ. AND SHE ALSO REMINDED US THAT FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION OF THE PASSION PLAY, ANGRY SPECTATORS WOULD OFTEN RAID THE JEWISH GHETTOS IN ORDER TO EXTRACT PUNISHMENT UPON THE JEWS WHO “KILLED JESUS.” I HAD NEVER HEARD THIS PIECE OF HISTORY BEFORE, AND REALIZED IMMEDIATELY WHY ANY PRESENTATION OF THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST WOULD BE PERCEIVED AS ANTI-SEMITIC. AND I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THE NEARLY 70 PEOPLE GATHERED IN OUR PARLOR ALL HEARD AND CAME TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL.
IT WAS AS IF JESUS HAD ENTERED THE ROOM AND STOOD BEFORE US WITH HIS WOUNDED HANDS REACHING OUT FOR US TO SEE AND TO TOUCH.
“PEACE IS WITH YOU,” HE SAID. DON’T YOU THINK THE LAST THING JESUS WOULD WANT US TO DO IS ACCUSE THE JEWS OF KILLING HIM?
WAS JESUS EVER ABOUT REVENGE; ABOUT ATTACKING SOMEONE OR SOMETHING JUST TO TAKE CARE OF HIS OWN ANGER? ABSOLUTELY NOT—THAT’S NOT WHAT HE BELIEVED! AND IT’S NOT WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT HIM, EITHER. IT IS BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEF IN THE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF CHRIST THAT JESUS COULD BE SEEN AND BELIEVED IN THAT GATHERING ON PALM SUNDAY. PEACE WAS WITH US AND IN US.
NOW THIS IS ONLY ONE EXAMPLE OF THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH OUR BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTED CHRIST WILL CAUSE GOD TO BE SEEN THROUGH US.
I’M SURE WE CAN ALL THINK OF MANY OTHER EXAMPLES. SO I WOULD CHALLENGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO BELIEVE. WE NEED TO BELIEVE OUR WAY INTO SEEING AND FIND THE MULTITUDE OF WAYS IN WHICH GOD CAN BE SEEN BY THE WORLD THROUGH US.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, I Corinthians 15:19-26 & John 20:1-18
THERE WERE THREE BLONDES WHO DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN.
WHILE THEY WERE STANDING AT THE PEARLY GATES, ST. PETER TELLS THEM THEY MUST ANSWER ONE QUESTION IN ORDER TO COME INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM. AND SO HE ASKS THE FIRST IN LINE, “TELL ME WHAT EASTER IS ALL ABOUT.”
WELL, SHE LOOKS SURPRISED – THIS IS GOING TO BE EASIER THAN SHE THOUGHT! AND SO SHE TELLS ST. PETER THAT EASTER IS AN AMERICAN CELEBRATION WHERE FAMILIES GATHER TOGETHER TO GIVE THANKS, EAT A HUGE MEAL OF TURKEY AND STUFFING AND PUMPKIN PIE AND THEN WATCH FOOTBALL FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.
ST. PETER SHAKES HIS HEAD AND WITH A SAD LOOK ON HIS FACE HE SAYS, “NO, THAT’S THANKSGIVING YOU’VE DESCRIBED. PLEASE STEP OVER TO THE SIDE.”
SO THE SECOND BLOND TAKES A STEP FORWARD AND ST. PETER SAYS, “TELL ME ABOUT EASTER.” WELL, SHE ANSWERS QUICKLY – SHE’S ALL PREPARED, “EASTER IS A WONDERFUL FAMILY HOLIDAY CELEBRATED AROUND THE WORLD. IT’S WHEN FAMILIES GET TOGETHER AND EXCHANGE GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN WRAPPED AND PLACED UNDER A DECORATED TREE. THERE’S ALSO GIFTS FROM SANTA AND A HUGE MEAL OF TURKEY AND STUFFING AND APPLE PIE, AND THEN THEY WATCH FOOTBALL FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.”
AGAIN, ST. PETER SADLY SHAKES HIS HEAD AND SAYS TO HER, “THAT’S CHRISTMAS YOU ARE DESCRIBING.” SO SHE STEPS ASIDE.
WELL, THE THIRD BLOND STEPS FORWARD – CONFIDENT AND EAGER TO ENTER THROUGH THE PEARLY GATES. SO ST. PETER SAYS, “TELL ME, WHAT IS EASTER ALL ABOUT?” TO WHICH THE THIRD BLOND TAKES A DEEP BREATH, PUFFS UP HER CHEST A BIT AND SAYS, “EASTER IS A CHRISTIAN FESTIVAL COINCIDING WITH THE CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER, A JEWISH FESTIVAL.”
WELL, ST. PETER IS BESIDE HIMSELF WITH JOY AND GETS A BIG GRIN ON HIS FACE AS HE THINKS, “FINALLY, SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT SHE’S TALKING ABOUT!
THE BLOND CONTINUES, “EASTER IS THE CULMINATION OF HOLY WEEK, WHICH BEGINS WITH THE CELEBRATION OF PALM SUNDAY, WHEN JESUS RIDES ON A DONKEY INTO JERUSALEM AND THE CROWDS CHEER HIM.
BUT THEN HIS IS BETRAYED BY ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES, FOUND GUILTY OF BEING THE KING OF THE JEWS AND HE IS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY AND DIES.
ST. PETER NODS HIS HEAD AND SAYS, “GO ON.” SO THE BLOND SAYS, “WELL, AFTER HE DIED THEY TOOK HIM OFF THE CROSS AND LAID HIM IN A TOMB…”
“YES,” SAYS ST. PETER, LEANING FORWARD FOR THE CLIMAX OF THE STORY.
“GO ON!”
AND THE BLOND FINISHES WITH A FLOURISH, “AND ON THE THIRD DAY THE STONE IS ROLLED AWAY FROM THE OPENING OF THE TOMB AND JESUS IS RAISED FROM THE DEAD! THEN HE WALKS OUT OF THE TOMB, AND IF HE SEES HIS SHADOW IT MEANS THERE ARE SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER!”
IT’S GOOD TO LAUGH AFTER THE DARKNESS OF HOLY WEEK, ISN’T IT?
THERE IS EVEN A CUSTOM IN SOME OF THE EASTERN CATHOLIC TRADITIONS TO TELL JOKES ON EASTER SUNDAY IN ORDER TO IMITATE GOD’S LAST LAUGH ON SATAN. SATAN THOUGHT HE HAD WON THE BATTLE WITH THE DEATH OF JESUS, BUT GOD LAUGHS LAST BECAUSE LIFE, RATHER THAN DEATH IS THE FINAL WORD. ALLELUIA! AMEN!
IN SOME WAYS I FEEL AS IF LENT HAS BEEN DARKER AND LONGER THAN NORMAL, WITH ALL OF THE COLD WEATHER AND LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF OUR HUMAN EXISTENCE HAS ONLY DEEPENED THIS YEAR WITH THE CONSTANT NEWS OF INCREASED VIOLENCE AROUND THE WORLD AND THE DAILY ANNOUNCEMENT OF HOW MANY HAVE DIED IN IRAQ. WILL THE PAIN EVER END?
IN A WORLD WHERE HOPE SOMETIMES SEEMS JUST BARELY OUT OF REACH, IT IS INDEED WONDERFUL TO WAKE UP THIS EASTER MORNING AND GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR THE GIFT OF HOPE THAT IS ALWAYS ABSOLUTELY WITHIN OUR REACH BECAUSE OF JESUS.
YOU SEE, THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE MESSAGE OF HOPE.
WHY? BECAUSE IT REMINDS US THAT DEATH IS NEVER THE FINAL WORD.
PAIN AND SUFFERING CANNOT OVERWHELM US IF WE TRUST IN THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION. SO WHAT IS EASTER ALL ABOUT? EASTER IS ABOUT GOD’S FINAL ANSWER OF LIFE AND HOPE. AND NOTHING TELLS THAT STORY MORE VIVIDLY THAN THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.
DO WE KNOW THAT STORY? DO WE KNOW IT IN OUR HEART AND SOUL?
AT THE DAWNING OF THE DAY, AFTER THE SABBATH REST, MARY GOES TO THE TOMB WHERE JESUS WAS LAID. WE DON’T KNOW FOR SURE WHY SHE IS GOING, BUT ONE CAN ASSUME SHE GOES TO MOURN THE LOSS OF ONE SHE HAS LOVED DEEPLY. AND WHEN SHE ARRIVES SHE DISCOVERS THAT THE STONE HAS BEEN ROLLED AWAY FROM THE OPENING OF THE TOMB, WHICH IS MORE LIKE A CAVE THAN WHAT WE THINK OF AS A FINAL RESTING PLACE.
BECAUSE THE STONE HAS BEEN ROLLED AWAY, MARY RUNS TO TELL PETER AND THE OTHER DISCIPLES. YOU KNOW, IT WASN’T UNCOMMON FOR TOMBS TO BE ROBBED IN THOSE DAYS. I WONDER IF MARY WAS AFRAID THAT JESUS HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO REST IN PEACE, EVEN IN HIS DEATH.
ANYWAY, AS PETER AND ANOTHER DISCIPLE RAN TO THE GARDEN THEY ENTER THE EMPTY TOMB AND DISCOVER THE LINEN WRAPPINGS JESUS’ BODY HAD BEEN PRESERVED IN, LYING THERE EMPTY. AND PETER SEES THE CLOTH THAT HAD BEEN OVER JESUS’ FACE, BUNCHED UP AND THROWN INTO THE CORNER LIKE THE DIRTY SOCKS OF A KID WHO’S HAPPY TO GO BAREFOOT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE SPRING.
DO WE KNOW THIS STORY? DO WE FEEL THE MEANING OF IT RIGHT DOWN TO OUR TOES? WELL, THE UNNAMED DISCIPLE DOES. HE SEES THE EMPTY TOMB AND THE ABANDONED BINDINGS OF DEATH – AND HE BELIEVES! HE BELIEVES ALL THAT JESUS HAD BEEN TEACHING THEM. JESUS SAID IT WOULD HAPPEN AND IT DID, SO THAT ONE DISCIPLE BELIEVES IMMEDIATELY.
I WISH FAITH CAME THAT EASILY FOR ME, BUT IT DOESN’T. AND MAYBE THE SAME IS TRUE FOR YOU. EVERY EASTER WE STAND BEFORE THE EVIDENCE, ONE MORE TIME, AND WAIT TO BE HIT BY THE LOGIC OF IT. BUT THERE IS NO LOGIC WHEN IT COMES TO FAITH; THERE IS ONLY A GIANT LEAP THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
ACTUALLY, I THINK I HAVE MORE OF A TENDENCY TO BE LIKE PETER. I SEE THE EVIDENCE, BUT HESITATE TO EMBRACE THE SWEET MYSTERY OF IT. I WALK AWAY WITHOUT SAYING MUCH AND WAIT FOR FURTHER PROOF.
IS THAT WHAT YOU DO? IT’S VERY HUMAN OF US, YOU KNOW. IN OUR HUMANITY WE ARE OFTEN SLOW TO TAKE IN THE FULL RICHNESS OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US.
TAKE MARY AS AN EXAMPLE. MARY LINGERS AT THE TOMB, CRYING AND CONFUSED. IN HER MISERY SHE NEARLY MISSES THE MOST PRECIOUS MOMENT OF HER LIFE, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE VERY PRESENT MOMENT SHE IS IN. BECAUSE HER MIND IS ELSEWHERE, AND SHE IS WORKING SO HARD TO FIND AN ANSWER, MARY ALMOST LOSES THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE RESURRECTION, EVEN WHEN IT IS STANDING RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF HER. SHE FINALLY COMES TO HER SENSES WHEN JESUS CALLS HER BY NAME. SHE LETS GO OF HER MISERY AND FINDS TRUE JOY. MARY IS ABLE TO GO TO THE DISCIPLES AND SAY, “I HAVE SEEN THE LORD.”
FRIENDS, DO WE HAVE EARS TO HEAR WHEN JESUS CALLS US OUT OF OUR WEEPING AND SORROW TO IDENTIFY US AS A CHILD OF GOD? DO WE HEAR OUR NAME, OR DO WE MISS THE MOMENT? YOU KNOW, IF WE MISS THE MOMENT WE MISS THE JOY. BUT IF WE HEAR OUR NAME AND KNOW GOD’S LOVE FOR US THEN WE, TOO, CAN SAY “I HAVE SEE THE LORD” IN THE SAME WAY MARY DID SO MANY YEARS AGO.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE LEARNED IN THE KERYGMA BIBLE STUDY WAS THAT THE BIBLE IS REALLY A STORYBOOK.
IT’S A STORYBOOK ABOUT HOW GOD RELATES TO US – GOD’S HUMAN CREATION. AND MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS STORY IS THAT IT CONTINUES ON, EVEN AFTER THE BOOK IS CLOSED. I GUESS THE BEST GOOD NEWS TO COME FROM THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION IS THAT GOD WILL NOT STOP RELATING TO HUMANKIND – NO MATTER WHAT. THE HOPE THAT IS GIVEN TO THE WORLD THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST IS THE HOPE THAT GOD WILLS LIFE FOR US AND NOT DEATH. THROUGH ALL OF THE WARS, AND THE HATRED AND THE INJUSTICES AND THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS, GOD SPRINGS FORTH WITH NEW LIFE.
ON EASTER GOD LAUGHS AT SATAN, AND IN HONOR OF GOD’S LAUGHTER I HAVE ONE MORE JOKE.
AN IRISH GIRL WENT TO LONDON TO WORK AS A SECRETARY AND BEGAN SENDING HOME MONEY AND GIFTS TO HER PARENTS. AFTER A FEW YEARS THEY ASKED HER TO COME HOME FOR A VISIT, AS HER FATHER WAS GETTING FRAIL AND ELDERLY.
SHE PULLED UP TO THE FAMILY HOME IN A ROLLS ROYCE AND STEPPED OUT WEARING FURS AND DIAMONDS. AS SHE WALKED INTO THE HOUSE HER FATHER SAID, “HMMMMM, THEY SEEM TO BE PAYING SECRETARIES AWFULLY WELL IN LONDON.” THE GIRL TOOK HER FATHER’S HANDS AND SAID, “DAD, I’VE BEEN MEANING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING FOR YEARS, BUT I DIDN’T WANT TO PUT IT IN A LETTER. I CAN’T HIDE IT FROM YOU ANY LONGER. I’VE BECOME A PROSTITUTE.”
HER FATHER GASPED, PUT HIS HAND ON HIS HEART AND KEELED OVER.
THE DOCTOR WAS CALLED, BUT THE OLD MAN HAD CLEARLY LOST THE WILL TO LIVE. HE WAS PUT TO BED AND THE PRIEST WAS CALLED. AS THE PRIEST BEGAN TO ADMINISTER EXTREME UNCTION, WITH THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WEEPING AND WAILING, THE OLD MAN MUTTERED WEAKLY, “I’M A GONER, KILLED BY ME OWN DAUGHTER! KILLED BY THE SHAME OF WHAT YOU’VE BECOME.”
“PLEASE FORGIVE ME,” HIS DAUGHTER SOBBED, “I ONLY WANTED TO HAVE NICE THINGS! I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SEND YOU MONEY AND THE ONLY WAY I COULD DO IT WAS BY BECOMING A PROSTITUTE.”
BRUSHING THE PRIEST ASIDE, THE OLD MAN BOLTED UPRIGHT IN BED, SMILING. "DID YE SAY PROSTITUTE? I THOUGHT YE SAID PROTESTANT!!!!”
REMEMBER, GOD LAUGHS AT SATAN TODAY! AND THE STORY CONTINUES…
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Philippians 2:5-11 & Luke 19:28-40
DID YOU NOTICE WHAT IS MISSING FROM LUKE’S GOSPEL STORY OF JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM?
WHAT’S MISSING IS ANY WORD ABOUT PALM BRANCHES OR LEAFY BRANCHES OR EVEN BRANCHES FROM THE FIELDS. THERE IS NOTHING IN LUKE’S STORY THAT EVEN BEGINS TO TIP A HAT AT THE CONTEMPORARY NAME FOR THIS DAY – PALM SUNDAY. ACTUALLY, LUKE’S FOCUS HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE TENSIONS OF THE EVENT THAN THE CELEBRATION OF THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY.
LUKE POINTS OUT AN UNDERCURRENT OF CONFLICT IN THE CROWD BY HAVING JESUS CONVERSE WITH THE PHARISEES. THE PHARISEES SAY TO JESUS, “TEACHER, ORDER YOUR DISCIPLES TO STOP.” AND JESUS REPLIES, “I TELL YOU, IF THESE WERE SILENT, THE STONES WOULD SHOUT OUT.”
IN OTHER WORDS, THE TIME HAS COME; AND THE TIME IS NOW. GOD’S EXTREME MESSAGE OF LOVE AND PRESENCE IS ABOUT TO BE ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD. SOME WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR THE MESSAGE AND OTHERS WILL NOT. AND THE CONFLICT AND TENSION THAT IS CAUSED BY THE OUTRAGEOUS NATURE OF THE MESSAGE WE RECEIVE THROUGH THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS GOES ON THROUGHOUT EVERY GENERATION.
NOW THE MESSAGE ABOUT JESUS HAS BEEN TOLD THROUGH THE GENERATIONS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. AT FIRST THE STORY CAME BY WORD OF MOUTH. AND THEN PAUL BEGAN TO WRITE HIS LETTERS SO THAT THE WORD WAS SPREAD IN WRITTEN FORM.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE PASSAGE FROM PAUL’S LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS USES TWO DIFFERENT METHODS OF SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT JESUS.
THE LETTER IS OBVIOUSLY WRITTEN FORM, BUT WITHIN THE LETTER PAUL QUOTES A HYMN IN WHICH HE TELLS THE READER ABOUT HOW JESUS EMPTIED HIMSELF AND BECAME A SLAVE OF OBEDIENCE TO THE POINT OF DIEING ON A CROSS. BUT DEATH IS NOT THE FINAL WORD BECAUSE GOD EXALTED JESUS BY RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD. AND AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BEND AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS HIM LORD.
SO THE STORY OF JESUS BEGAN TO SPREAD THROUGH MUSIC AND LITURGY; THROUGH ALL MEANS OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP. AS SOCIETY EVOLVED OUR MEANS OF TELLING THE STORY GREW. WE BEGAN TO USE THE ARTS – PAINTING AND SCULPTURE – TO COMMUNICATE THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST.
AT THE MOMENT I AM READING FROM IRVING STONE’S THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY ABOUT MICHELANGELO AS HE CREATED THE FAMOUS PIETA.
I AM CONVINCED HIS WAS A DEEP FAITH AS HE SOUGHT TO EXPRESS THE DEPTH OF LOVE MARY HAD FOR JESUS IN THAT PROFOUNDLY TENDER MARBLE CARVING. HAVING SEEN THE ACTUAL STATUE, I CAN TELL YOU THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS’ SPECIAL GIFT IS ALMOST PALPABLE WITHIN THE CAREFULLY CHISELED FACES OF MARY AND HER SON.
NOW IN TODAY’S WORLD WE USE EVERY GENRE WE CAN THINK OF, FROM OPERA TO BROADWAY TO RAP MUSIC IN ORDER COMMUNICATE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST. SO ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOOD NEWS OF THE LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, OUR CONTEMPORARY MEDIUMS ALSO SPEAK OF THE BASIC CONFLICT OF LUKE’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY AS JESUS MADE HIS ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM. AND JUST AS THE GOOD NEWS CONTINUES, THE TENSION CONTINUES TO THIS VERY DAY.
ON THIS PALM SUNDAY I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE AWARE OF HOW CHRISTIANITY WAS FOUNDED UPON CONFLICT AND TENSION. AND WHEN WE DESPAIR FOR THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF THE UNENDING CONFLICT THAT PLAGUES OUR EXISTENCE WE DO WELL TO REMEMBER LUKE’S PROPHETIC TELLING OF THE PALM SUNDAY STORY. THE DIVISIONS WERE THERE TO BEGIN WITH, AND IT HAS BECOME QUITE OBVIOUS THE DIVISIONS AREN’T GOING TO LEAVE US QUICKLY.
THIS SPRING I HAD A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE OF JUST ONE OF THE TENSIONS WE LIVE WITH IN OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IN TODAY’S WORLD. I WENT TO SEE THE MOVIE THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST ON ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND THE MOVIE MIRACLE ON THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY AFTERNOON. IT WAS MIND BOGGLING!
JUST IN CASE YOU’VE BEEN SLEEPING THIS PAST MONTH, LIKE RIP VAN WINKLE, I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. THIS IS A MOVIE ABOUT THE LAST 12 HOURS OF JESUS’ LIFE. THE TITLE OF THE MOVIE IS NO ACCIDENT, FOR IT IS INDEED FOCUSED ON THE PASSION – THE PAIN OF CHRIST. IT BEGINS WITH JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND ENDS BRIEFLY AFTER JESUS’ DEATH ON THE CROSS. THE MOVIE IS DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL TO WATCH, WHETHER YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST OR NOT. THERE IS NO WAY TO ESCAPE THE CRUELTY OF JESUS’ ADVERSARIES OR THE POWER OF HIS ABILITY TO WITHSTAND THE SUFFERING. AT THE VERY CORE OF THIS MOVIE’S INTENTION IS A MESSAGE OF GRACE. HUMAN BEINGS DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DESERVE THE LOVE THAT POURED FORTH AS JESUS SAID, WITH HIS DIEING BREATH, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.” THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST IS A MOVIE ABOUT GOD’S GRACIOUS GIFT IN JESUS CHRIST.
NOW THE OTHER MOVIE I SAW, MIRACLE IS A MOVIE ABOUT THE U.S. OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM THAT WON THE GOLD MEDAL AWAY FROM THE RUSSIANS DURING THE OLYMPIC GAMES AT LAKE PLACID IN 1980. THERE WAS PASSION AND PAIN IN THIS MOVIE AS WELL. YOUNG MEN FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO PLAY ON A TEAM FOR THE USA. THIS SOUNDS LIKE PUTTING A TEAM TOGETHER FROM THE VERY BEST (AND WHAT COULD BE EASIER?) UNTIL YOU REALIZE THEY HAVE ALL LEARNED THEIR HOCKEY SKILLS BY PLAYING ON TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER FOR YEARS. NOT ONLY DO THEY NEED TO CONDITION THEIR BODIES, BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY AS A TEAM. THEY NEED BASIC TRAINING IN FORGIVENESS, LOYALTY AND HUMILITY. AND THE MAN FOR THIS INSURMOUNTABLE TASK AS TEACHER AND COACH IS HERB BROOKS, A HOCKEY PLAYER HIMSELF WHO BECAME A COACH.
COACH BROOKS WORKS HIS TEAM TO THE POINT THAT YOU WANT TO SHOUT “STOP IT” MUCH THE SAME AS I WANTED TO DO WHILE WATCHING THE ROMAN HENCHMEN FLOG JESUS. BROOKS WORKS THEM HARD BUT ALSO LEADS THEM TO VICTORY. IT WAS NOT AN EASY WIN BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, BUT IT WAS A WIN NONETHELESS. AT ITS CORE, THE MOVIE MIRACLE IS ABOUT WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE HOLLYWOOD TAGLINE FOR THIS MOVIE IS “IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.”
DURING THE WEEKS FOLLOWING MY VIEWING OF THESE TWO MOVIES I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THE TENSION BETWEEN WORKS AND GRACE. IN MY HEART OF HEARTS I BELIEVE IT IS A GOOD THING FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO WORK HARD TOWARD ANY GOAL WE SET FOR OURSELVES.
NOTHING DISTURBS ME MORE THAN LETHARGY; THE OLD “I DON’T KNOW AND I DON’T CARE” ATTITUDE.
AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO BELIEVE IN MY HEART OF HEARTS THAT GOD’S GRACE IS THE GREATEST GIFT THERE IS AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WORK OR WORKS I CAN DO TO GAIN IT. I MAY TRY TO WORK FOR THE GIFT OF GRACE, BUT IT NEVER TURNS OUT THAT WAY. I ONLY FEEL THE GRACE OF GOD WHEN I STOP WORKING AT IT SO HARD.
WORKS AND GRACE; THESE TWO GOOD THINGS ARE A CONSTANT TENSION FOR ME, AND I’M WILLING TO BET THEY ARE FOR YOU AS WELL. IT SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PART OF THE CONTEMPORARY HUMAN CONDITION. AND WHAT DOES ONE DO WITH THIS KIND OF TENSION?
WELL, WE RECOGNIZE IT AND LIVE WITH IT IN AS HEALTHY A WAY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. I WOULD EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT WE MOVE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO. WE WORK HARD TO ATTAIN A GOAL, BUT THEN WE SIT BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MUCH OF THAT GOAL WAS GIVEN BY THE GRACE OF GOD. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THE TENSION IS TO BRING WORKS AND GRACE TOGETHER RATHER THAN SPLIT THEM APART. AND IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT AS TIME GOES BY WE BEGIN TO DO THE WORKS OUT OF A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE FOR THE GRACE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US ALL ALONG.
I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST AND MIRACLE WERE AT DIRECT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER. I THOUGHT THE CONFLICT WAS TOO MUCH AND COULD NEVER BE RECONCILED. BUT AFTER CAREFUL THOUGHT I CAN SEE HOW THE TWO ARE LINKED TOGETHER. I SEE THE WORKS OF JESUS AND I KNOW THERE WAS GRACE IN THE WINNING MOMENT FOR HERB BROOKS AND HIS HARD WORKING TEAM. TO STAND WITH THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST MEANS IT IS OK FOR US TO SUFFER A BIT AS WE WORK HARD TO REACH AN HONORABLE GOAL. AND AT THE SAME TIME WE NEED TO NEVER FORGET THAT THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR WORK AND OUR STRUGGLE AND OUR SUFFERING IS THAT FREE GIFT OF GOD’S LOVE THAT IS GIVEN THROUGH THE LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS THE CHRIST.
IN CLOSING I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A STORY THAT COMES FROM THE THERAVADA BUDDHIST TRADITION. IT IS TOLD BY A MONK AND HE SAYS, “ONCE AS I TRAVELED THROUGH THE HIMALAYAS, THERE WAS A GREAT FOREST FIRE. EVERYONE WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIGHT THE FIRE, BUT I NOTICED A GROUP OF MEN STANDING AND LOOKING UP INTO A TREE THAT WAS ABOUT TO GO UP IN FLAMES. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT, THEY POINTED UP AT A NEST FULL OF YOUNG BIRDS. ABOVE IT, THE MOTHER BIRD WAS CIRCLING WILDLY IN THE AIR AND CALLING OUT WARNINGS TO HER YOUNG ONES. THERE WAS NOTHING SHE OR WE COULD DO, AND SOON THE FLAMES STARTED CLIMBING UP THE BRANCHES.
AS THE NEST CAUGHT FIRE, WE WERE ALL AMAZED TO SEE HOW THE MOTHER BIRD REACTED. INSTEAD OF FLYING AWAY FROM THE FLAMES, SHE FLEW DOWN AND SETTLED ON THE NEST, COVERING HER LITTLE ONES WITH HER WINGS. THE NEXT MOMENT, SHE AND HER NESTLINGS WERE BURNED TO ASHES. NONE OF US COULD BELIEVE OUR EYES. I TURNED TO THOSE STANDING BY AND SAID: ‘WE HAVE WITNESSED A TRULY MARVELOUS THING.
GOD CREATED THAT BIRD WITH SUCH LOVE AND DEVOTION, THAT SHE GAVE HER LIFE TRYING TO PROTECT HER YOUNG. IF HER SMALL HEART WAS SO FULL OF LOVE, HOW UNFATHOMABLE MUST BE THE LOVE OF HER CREATOR.
THAT IS THE LOVE THAT BROUGHT HIM DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO BECOME MAN.
THAT IS THE LOVE THAT MADE HIM SUFFER A PAINFUL DEATH FOR OUR SAKE.’” (FOUND ON THE SADHU WEBSITE)
MY FRIENDS, ON THIS DAY WHEN WE REMEMBER THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS INTO JERUSALEM AND WE PREPARED OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOR THIS HOLY WEEK, MAY OUR WORKS BE SECURELY GROUNDED IN THE GRACE OF GOD AS WE JOURNEY ON. AND MAY WE HOLD THE TENSIONS OF FAITH CLOSE THROUGH OUR OWN FAITH IN THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
AMEN.
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14 & John 12:1-8
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PRETEND YOU ARE WALKING INTO THIS SANCTUARY ON EASTER SUNDAY MORNING. THE RESPONSE TO THE YEARLY REQUEST FOR FLOWERS HAS BEEN UNUSUALLY LARGE, AND THE ONLY FLOWER ANYONE ORDERED WAS THE LILY. THERE ARE THREE TIMES THE NORMAL AMOUNTS OF LILIES PLACED ALL OVER THE SANCTUARY AND THE ENTIRE SPACE IS PERMEATED WITH THE SWEET, TANGY AROMA THAT NEARLY SHOUTS THE GOOD NEWS OF THE RESURRECTION. YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES NOW!
THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF AS I READ THE GOSPEL LESSON FOR TODAY.
MARY BROUGHT AN EXTRAVAGANT AMOUNT OF SWEET, TANGY SMELLING OINTMENT INTO THE VERY SAME ROOM THAT STILL SMELLED OF HER BROTHER’S DEATH. YES, THIS MARY IS THE SISTER OF LAZARUS, THE SAME MAN WHOM JESUS HAD CALLED OUT OF THE TOMB A BRIEF TIME BEFORE THIS SCENE TAKES PLACE. WHERE ONCE THERE WAS THE SMELL OF DEATH, THERE IS NOW THE SMELL OF A NEW THING GOD IS ABOUT READY TO DO IN JESUS.
AND MARY IS THE ONE WHO BRINGS THE NEW THING INTO SHARP FOCUS WITH HER TENDER, SENSUOUS ACTIONS OF ANOINTING JESUS’ FEET AND WIPING AWAY THE EXCESS WITH HER BEAUTIFUL LONG HAIR.
ALL OF OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGES FOR TODAY POINT TO WHAT THE INTERPRETER’S BIBLE CALLS, “THE RADICAL NEWNESS OF WHAT GOD IS DOING.”
THE PROPHET ISAIAH IS TALKING ABOUT THE REDEMPTION OF AN EXILED PEOPLE. THERE IS A NEW THING GOD IS READY TO DO FOR THE PEOPLE HE ONCE BROUGHT THROUGH THE RED SEA INTO AN EXODUS OF FREEDOM AND WILDERNESS WANDERING THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE PROMISED LAND.
AND THIS NEW EXODUS WILL BE EVEN GREATER THAN THE LAST. ISRAEL IS UNLIKE ALL OTHER NATIONS WITH A KING. ISRAEL HAS A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND GOD IS THE KING OF ISRAEL. ISAIAH IS TALKING ABOUT THE REDEEMING LOVE GOD HAS FOR ISRAEL THAT SETS THEM FREE FROM BONDAGE AND SLAVERY.
CHRISTIANS BELIEVE THAT ISAIAH WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR PRESENT MOMENT AS WELL AS THEIR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ISAIAH WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE NEW THING THAT IS EMBODIED IN JESUS THE CHRIST. CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ISAIAH WAS PREDICTING THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, THE ANOINTED ONE, THE SAVIOR OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. BUT CHRISTIANS ALSO BELIEVE THE LOVING REDEMPTION OF GOD GOES BEYOND THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. WE BELIEVE THE LOVING REDEMPTION OF GOD IS FOR THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. DO YOU FEEL WHAT A NEW AND REFRESHING IDEA THAT SOUNDS LIKE, EVEN NOW?
WELL, PAUL CERTAINLY FELT IT. IN HIS LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS PAUL IS EXPLAINING JUST HOW IMPORTANT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS TO THE NEW THING GOD IS CONTINUOUSLY DOING WITHIN CREATION. PAUL HAD LOST EVERYTHING FROM HIS PREVIOUS LIFE AS A JEW AND A PHARISEE IN ORDER TO LIVE HIS NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. ACTUALLY IT WAS THE CONSTANT WHISPER OF THIS NEW LIFE THAT FANNED THE FLAMES OF PASSION WITHIN PAUL FOR HIS ENTIRE MINISTRY. PAUL’S MINISTRY TOOK THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS FURTHER INTO EUROPE AND ITALY THAN ANY OTHER DISCIPLE.
AND THEN WE HAVE MARY, POINTING TO AND CLAIMING THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING IN JESUS. SHE IS THE EPITOME OF GOOD DISCIPLESHIP AS SHE ENTERS THE ROOM WITH HER PURE NARD, HAVING SPENT AN ENTIRE YEAR’S SALARY TO BUY THE SPECIAL OINTMENT AND LAVISHING ITS HEALING POWERS UPON JESUS’ FEET. IT SEEMS THAT MARY WAS POINTING TO AND PREPARING JESUS FOR THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION THAT WILL BRING THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING CLOSER THAN EVER TO ALL OF HUMANKIND.
DOING A NEW THING; THAT SOUNDS SO INNOCENT AND BENIGN, DOESN’T IT?
“THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING” IS SUCH A RICH THEOLOGICAL PHRASE, AND WE LOVE TO HEAR IT – AS LONG AS IT MEANS NO PAIN FOR US.
IF THE “NEW THING” IS ABOUT THE ISRAELITES OR THE APOSTLE PAUL OR JESUS, THAT’S JUST GREAT. IT IS WONDERFUL TO STAND APART AND SAY, “WHAT A MARVELOUS NEW THING THAT IS.” BUT THE MOMENT WE GET SUCKED INTO THE NEW THING, AND IT MEANS A CHANGE FOR US, WE PANIC.
ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PAIN OF THE NEW THING IS UPON US AS WELL AND IT DOESN’T FEEL SO BENIGN.
CHANGE; I DO BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DREADED WORDS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. AND YET OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IS FOUNDED UPON AND GROUNDED IN THE CONCEPT THAT THINGS CHANGE CONSTANTLY. IT’S PAINFUL, SURE, BUT IT DOESN’T KILL US. WHO IS IT THAT SAID, “THAT WHICH DOES NOT KILL US WILL HELP US GROW?” I HAVE TO BELIEVE THIS PERSON UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PAIN OF CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION CAN BE BEARABLE WHEN APPROACHED FROM THE COMFORTING POSSIBILITY OF GOD’S LAVISH LOVE. CHANGE IS PAINFUL – SOMETHING MUST DIE WHEN CHANGE OCCURS, BUT THE DEATH DOESN’T HAVE TO BE OURS. AND THE SWEET SMELL OF MARY’S PURE NARD REMINDS US THAT THE RESURRECTION IS ALWAYS THE FINAL WORD.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES LOOKING AT JUST EXACTLY WHAT PURE NARD IS. IF YOU LOOK IN THE BIBLE DICTIONARY YOU WILL FIND A DEFINITION THAT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS, “A COSTLY FRAGRANT OINTMENT PREPARED FROM THE ROOTS AND HAIRY STEMS OF AN AROMATIC INDIAN HERB.” YOU WILL ALSO FIND THE FACT THAT THE NAME OF THIS OINTMENT IS SPIKENARD IN THE KING JAMES VERSION OF THE BIBLE.
SPIKENARD – IT DOESN’T HAVE QUITE THE SAME SOOTHING FEELING AS “PURE” NARD, DOES IT! BUT IT IS CALLED SPIKENARD IN THE KING JAMES BECAUSE TO THE POINTED AND SPIKISH NATURE OF THE ROOTS ON THE PLANT FROM WHICH THE OINTMENT IS MADE.
I FIND THE KING JAMES WORD A GREAT IMAGE OF WHAT CHANGE IS ALL ABOUT. THERE IS BOTH A PRICKLY NATURE TO CHANGE, AS WELL AS A SOOTHING KNOWLEDGE OF THE RESURRECTION THAT IS CELEBRATED IN THAT WHICH IS NEW. CAN WE SMELL THE SPIKENARD? CAN WE FEEL THE SOOTHING OINTMENT OF THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING IN US?
DO WE UNDERSTAND, ON A VERY FUNDAMENT LEVEL, THAT DISCIPLESHIP MEANS BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE CHANGE AND HOPE FOR NEW THINGS?
IN A WAY, MARY WAS ANOINTING THE HOLINESS OF THE NEW THING THAT WAS ABOUT TO BE DONE IN JESUS. DO WE GO AS FAR AS TO ANOINT THE HOLINESS OF CHANGE? DOES OUR ENGAGEMENT OF MINISTRY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST CARRY THE SAME LAVISHNESS OF GOD’S LOVE?
NOW THERE IS ANOTHER PROMINENT PERSON IN TODAY’S STORY. AND THAT PERSON WOULD BE JUDAS. AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE EXTRAVAGANT LOVE OF MARY’S DISCIPLESHIP WE SEE A DIFFERENT KIND OF DISCIPLESHIP PLAYED OUT IN JUDAS. JUDAS IS CHALLENGING AND DECEITFUL, LOOKING FOR ANY WAY TO STOP THE CHANGES FROM HAPPENING. JUDAS HAS HIS OWN SENSE OF WHAT THE NEW THING SHOULD BE. BUT WHAT JUDAS DOESN’T REALIZE IS THAT HIS IDEA OF A “NEW THING” IS NOT REALLY A NEW THING AT ALL.
JUDAS’ VISION IS SMALL AND NARROW. HE WANTS ISRAEL TO BECOME A NATION WITH A POWERFUL KING AND LARGE ARMIES THAT OVERTHROW THE ENEMY. THE “NEW THING” JUDAS IS LOOKING FOR IS REALLY A PAINFUL MAINTENANCE OF THE STATUS QUO FOR THAT HISTORICAL MOMENT.
THERE IS NO THOUGHTFUL RISK AND VERY LITTLE SPIRITUAL GAIN INVOLVED.
A FEW PEOPLE MIGHT DIE IN A MILITARY UPRISING, WHICH IS WHAT JUDAS WAS LOOKING FOR, BUT THE EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL MATURING OF THE HUMAN RACE WILL NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED THAT WAY. YOU SEE, JUDAS DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEW THING GOD IS DOING IN JESUS CHRIST IS UNIVERSAL. THE NEWNESS OF IT IS SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE IMAGINED IN THE MOMENT. JESUS IS ABOUT READY TO TAKE AN ACTION THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY HUMAN BEINGS RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO GOD FOREVER. AND JESUS’ ACTION IS MEANT TO CHANGE THE HUMAN PSYCHE UNTO THE END OF TIME.
MARY SEES IT AND CONNECTS WITH IT. SHE HAS A POWERFUL AND EXTRAVAGANT RESPONSE TO THE LOVE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN THROUGH JESUS.
JUDAS, ON THE OTHER HAND, REJECTS THE MESSAGE OF LOVE. HE DISTRACTS THE CONVERSATION AWAY FROM THE MAIN POINT BY MENTIONING THE POOR. JUDAS CAN ONLY SEE AS FAR AS HIS OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. THERE IS NO OPENNESS TO GOD’S UNENDING CREATIVITY IN JUDAS. HE IS AN UNFAITHFUL DISCIPLE IN COMPARISON TO MARY’S PERVASIVE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUR OF JESUS’ LIFE HAS FINALLY ARRIVED. WHICH KIND OF DISCIPLESHIP DO WE DEFINE? DO WE UNDERSTAND THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF MARY’S ACTION? OR WOULD WE RATHER CONTROL THE SITUATION LIKE JUDAS?
I’M GOING TO TELL A STORY THAT MIGHT HELP US UNDERSTAND THE KIND OF EXTRAVAGANCE MARY WAS MODELING FOR US. THERE WAS ONCE A MISSIONARY SURGEON WORKING IN THE GAZA STRIP. AS HE SPOKE TO A GROUP OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ONE TIME HE TOLD THEM HOW WE NORTH AMERICAN “FAT CATS” KNOW NOTHING ABOUT GRATITUDE, WHICH TO ME IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF TALKING ABOUT A RESPONSE TO EXTRAVAGANT GIVING.
IT SEEMS THE RATHER GRUFF AND TO THE POINT DOCTOR HAD STOPPED AT A PEASANT HOVEL TO VISIT A WOMAN ON WHOM HE HAD OPERATED. SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE DIRT POOR. THEIR ENTIRE HERD OF LIVESTOCK CONSISTED OF ONE ANGORA RABBIT AND TWO CHICKENS. IN ORDER TO MAKE A LIVING THE WOMAN WOULD COMB THE HAIR OUT OF THE RABBIT, SPIN IT INTO YARN AND SELL IT FOR A SET PRICE. FOR FOOD THE WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND ATE THE EGGS FROM THE CHICKENS.
ON THAT DAY THE WOMAN INSISTED THE MISSIONARY SURGEON STAY FOR LUNCH, TO WHICH HE FINALLY CONCEDED, BUT ONLY AFTER HE MADE A VISIT TO ONE MORE POSTOPERATIVE PATIENT WHO LIVED DOWN THE ROAD.
WHEN THE DOCTOR RETURNED AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF, HE FOUND THEIR LUNCH COOKING ON THE STOVE. AND IN THE POT WAS ONE RABBIT AND TWO CHICKENS.
THE WOMAN HAD GIVEN UP HER ENTIRE LIVESTOCK HERD—HER INCOME, HER FOOD, EVERYTHING. AS THE SURGEON CONCLUDED HIS SPEECH TO THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS THROUGH A VEIL OF UNASHAMED TEARS, HE REMINDED THEM THAT WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT GRATITUDE—WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT EXTRAVAGANT LOVE.
I’M STRUCK BY HOW MUCH OUR SENSE OF GRATITUDE DEFINES OUR DISCIPLESHIP. MARY WAS SO DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO JESUS FOR GIFT HE WAS READY AND WILLING TO GIVE. MARY’S GRATITUDE MOVED HER TO EXTRAVAGANT GIVING, WHICH OUGHT TO BE THE BASIS OF ALL DISCIPLESHIP. WILL IT BE THE BASIS OF OUR DISCIPLESHIP? I HOPE AND PRAY THAT IT WILL.
AMEN.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 63, I Corinthians 10:1-13 & Luke 13:1-9
OUR WORLDVIEW IS BUILT UPON THE IDEA OF WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS. NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE SAY WE HAVE FAITH IN A LOVING AND GRACIOUS GOD, WE JUST DON'T GET IT! WE THINK WE HAVE TO WORK OUR WAY INTO HEAVEN, AND BECAUSE NONE OF US IS TOO CONVINCED THAT OUR WORKS ARE GOOD ENOUGH, WE BECOME DEEPLY AFRAID THAT WE WILL NEVER SEE HEAVEN! AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO PRACTICALLY CONTORT OUR THINKING TO TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS PASSAGE FROM LUKE.
THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THIS SHORT PASSAGE. FIRST THERE IS THE THEOLOGICAL STATEMENT. AND THEN THERE IS THE STORY THAT BRINGS THE POINT HOME.
THE THEOLOGICAL STATEMENT COMES WHEN THE DISCIPLES AND JESUS TALK ABOUT THE GALILEANS WHOSE BLOOD WAS MIXED WITH THEIR SACRIFICE AND THE EIGHTEEN WHO WERE KILLED WHEN THE TOWER OF SILOAM FELL ON THEM. HERE THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN HUMAN AND NATURAL TRAGEDY. THIS IS ALMOST THE SAME THING AS US TALKING ABOUT THE BOMBS THAT EXPLODED IN MADRID THIS WEEK. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT. AND OUR MIND NATURALLY TAKES US TO A PLACE THAT SAYS, "THIS IS THE WORK OF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING VERY EVIL." WE, OURSELVES, TRY TO PLAY GOD BY SAYING THAT SEPTEMBER 11TH AND MARCH 11TH ARE TOO SIMILAR TO BE AN ACCIDENT.AL QAEDA IS AT IT AGAIN, AND THE EVIL ONE MUST BE FOUND AND PUNISHED. WE FORGET TO REMEMBER THAT IF BAD BEHAVIOR IS PUNISHABLE IN OUR MINDS, THEN IT ONLY STANDS TO REASON THAT GOOD BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE REWARDED. AND WHEN WE THINK THIS WAY ABOUT OUR OWN HUMAN CONDITION WE ARE VERY LIKELY TO PROJECT THAT BELIEF ONTO GOD.
NOT A VERY HELPFUL THEOLOGY.
BUT JESUS SAYS SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT THAN ALL OF THIS. JESUS SAYS THAT ONE SIN IS NOT GREATER THAN THE NEXT.
JESUS SAYS SOMETHING LIKE WHAT WE SAY ON ASH WEDNESDAY. THE SINS OF ONE ARE THE SINS OF ALL. EVIL IS A PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION AND WE ARE ALL HUMAN, THEREFORE WE ARE ALL A PART OF THE WORLD'S SINFULNESS. AND THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF WORK THAT CAN LIFT US OUT OF THAT TRUTH. BUT JESUS SAYS THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO. WE CAN REPENT. WE CAN TURN AROUND. WE CAN CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF OUR THINKING AND OUR LIVING. WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL GET US NO WHERE.
AND WE CAN BELIEVE THAT FAITH WILL GET US RIGHT TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE. FAITH IN THE LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS WHAT WILL GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN. NOT ALL OF THE RIGHTEOUS WORKS IN THE WORLD CAN REPLACE FAITH.
THIS IS GOOD THEOLOGY!
NOW AFTER THE THEOLOGICAL STATEMENT COMES THE STORY THAT ILLUSTRATES THE POINT. THERE IS THIS FIG TREE PLANTED IN A VINEYARD. BUT WHAT IS A FIG TREE DOING IN A VINEYARD? AREN'T VINEYARDS MEANT FOR VINES AND FIELDS MEANT FOR FIG TREES?
ROBERT CAPON BELIEVES THE LORD IN THE PARABLE MAKES HIS LIVING FROM GROWING VINES IN A VINEYARD AND THE FIG TREE WAS PLANTED JUST FOR FUN. I LIKE THIS IDEA. THINK ABOUT IT. IN A PARABLE EVERYTHING REPRESENTS SOMETHING. THE LORD IS GOD.
THE FIG TREE IS HUMANITY. THE GARDENER IS JESUS. AND IN UNDERSTANDING THE FIG TREE AS A PLEASURABLE PLANTING WITHIN THE "FOR-PROFIT-ONLY" VINEYARD, THIS PARABLE IS SAYING THAT HUMANITY IS MORE GOD'S HOBBY THAN GOD'S BUSINESS. WE ARE GOD'S JOY RATHER THAN HIS BURDEN. HUMANITY, THEREFORE, IS CREATED WITH A SENSE OF FAVOR RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. CAPON SAYS, "…GRACE IS NOT SOMETHING [GOD] DRAGS IN LATER ON JUST TO PATCH UP MESSES. UNNECESSARY, SPONTANEOUS DELIGHT IS THE VERY ROOT OF [GOD'S] RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD." (PP. 96-97 OF THE PARABLES OF GRACE.)
SO THIS PLANT THAT GOD TAKES GREAT DELIGHT IN HASN'T PRODUCED FRUIT FOR THREE YEARS. GOD IS UPSET, AND RIGHTFULLY SO!
ALL GOD ASKS OF US IS TO SOAK IN THE RAIN, BASK IN THE SUN AND GROW TO THE POINT OF BEARING DELICIOUS FRUIT. NOT TOO TOUGH A JOB, BUT THE FRUIT ISN'T THERE AND GOD IS TIRED OF WAITING. JESUS IS THE ONE WHO JUMPS IN TO SAVE US. JESUS SAYS, "LOOK, GOD, GIVE IT ONE MORE YEAR. LET ME DO SOME CARE-TAKING. I'LL TURN OVER THE SOIL, PUT SOME FERTILIZER ON. MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME FRUIT BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. IF THERE IS, THEN YOU CAN ENJOY THE FRUIT. IF THERE ISN'T, THEN YOU CAN CUT DOWN WHATEVER YOU WANT!" JESUS BRINGS US GRACE. JESUS SAVES OUR LIFE FOR JUST ONE MORE YEAR. AND THE QUESTION BECOMES, "WHAT, THEN, SHOULD WE DO AS WE LIVE IN THE GRACE OF ONE MORE YEAR?"
NOW I CAN'T READ THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE WITHOUT THINKING, "HOW WOULD I LIVE MY LIFE IF I KNEW I ONLY HAD ONE YEAR TO LIVE?" IT'S A GREAT QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT.
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO FILL THE TIME WITH ACTIVITY. I'D TRAVEL AND VISIT PEOPLE I LOVE. I'D READ JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT.
I WOULD WINE AND DINE WITHOUT HESITATION. IF THIS REALLY WERE MY LAST YEAR, I WOULD DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO FEEL JOY.
I'D EAT ALL THE CHOCOLATE AND ICE CREAM I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO.
BUT THEN I THOUGHT MORE CAREFULLY ABOUT THIS PARABLE AND I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT BEARING GOOD FRUIT IS PROBABLY FAR MORE DELICIOUS THAN EATING GOOD FRUIT, BECAUSE BEARING GOOD FRUIT BRINGS ME CLOSER TO GOD. AND BEING CLOSER TO GOD IS EXACTLY WHERE I WANT TO BE IN THE FACE OF DEATH.
NOW ROBERT CAPON IS A PRETTY REMARKABLE PERSON IN THAT HE SEES DEATH AS THE GREATEST OF ALL LIFE EVENTS. HE SAYS THAT DEATH IS THE ONE THING WE ALL SHARE IN COMMON AND IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION JESUS HAS GIVEN US EVERYTHING WE NEED. CAPON SAYS, "ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TRUST JESUS AND DIE." OUR DEATH IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT US. IN THE WORDS OF CAPON, OUR DEATH IS THE "PURSE THAT WILL NEVER WEAR OUT" AND THE "TREASURE IN HEAVEN THAT WILL NEVER DECREASE." (PG. 89)
CAPON SEES DEATH AS A WONDERFUL NEW LIFE, AND SAYS, "FOR AS IN OUR FIRST BIRTH INTO THIS WORLD WE DID NOTHING AND TRIUMPHED GLORIOUSLY, SO IN THE SECOND BIRTH OF OUR DEATH WE NEED DO EVEN LESS TO TRIUMPH MORE. BY JESUS' DEATH IN OURS, AND BY OUR DEATH IN HIS, WE HAVE LAUGHINGLY, UPROARIOUSLY, OUTRAGEOUSLY BEATEN THE SYSTEM. IT IS A PIECE OF WILDLY GOOD NEWS: WHAT A SHAME WE DON'T LET THE WORLD OF LOSERS HEAR IT MORE OFTEN." (PP. 86-87)
SO WHAT WOULD I DO IF I KNEW I HAD ONLY ONE MORE YEAR TO LIVE? I WOULD DRINK IN THE RAIN AND BASK IN THE SUN. I WOULD ALLOW JESUS TO TURN OVER THE SOIL IN WHICH MY ROOTS ARE PLANTED. I WOULD LET GO OF ALL MY INHIBITIONS SO THAT THE GOOD FOOD JESUS TURNS INTO THE SOIL COULD BE ABSORBED INTO MY BEING. I WOULD BEAR THE GOOD FRUIT OF FAITH. I WOULD LIVE EACH DAY AS A GIFT FROM GOD, BELIEVING IN THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE OF JESUS. AND ALL OF THIS MEANS THAT I WOULDN'T KNOW ANYTHING FOR CERTAIN.
MARTIN LUTHER SAID, "NO [PERSON] CAN KNOW OR FEEL HE IS SAVED; [ONE] CAN ONLY BELIEVE IT." I WOULD HAVE FAITH IN WHAT I CANNOT SEE OR HEAR OR FEEL. IF I KNEW I ONLY HAD ONE MORE YEAR TO LIVE, I WOULD JUST GIVE MYSELF OVER TO FAITH, STOP WORRYING ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I'M AFRAID OF, AND BELIEVE IN THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WIPES AWAY ALL PAIN AND SORROW AND SUFFERING.
THE FUNNY THING IS I DON'T KNOW THAT I WON'T DIE IN A YEAR. NONE OF US KNOW WHEN THE END OF THIS LIFE WILL COME. AND YET WE HAVE THE WISDOM OF THIS PARABLE. COULD IT BE THAT THIS PARABLE IS A WORD TO THE WISE ABOUT HOW TO LIVE EACH AND EVERY DAY?
IF WE LIVE IN FEAR OF DEATH, THEN OUR LIVES ARE MISERABLE. BUT IF WE LIVE KNOWING THAT DEATH IS THE BEST PART OF OUR LIFE, THEN WE LIVE WITH GREAT JOY AND ABANDON. I REMEMBER ONE LINE FROM A POEM I READ SOMEWHERE THAT SAYS, "I RUN TO MY DEATH WITH THE INCARNATION UNDER MY FEET." WHAT A WONDERFUL THOUGHT! WHAT A GRAND WAY TO BEAR FRUIT!
MARIA MAYER, A LONG TIME MEMBER OF NAURAUSHAUN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, DIED 11 YEARS AGO ON THE 20TH OF MARCH. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T REMEMBER, MARIA SHE WAS A TINY LITTLE WOMAN WHO SANG IN THE CHOIR. SHE LOVED MUSIC AND JESUS. SHE HAD ESCAPED NAZI GERMANY WITH HER FATHER, MOTHER AND SISTER IN THE EARLY 1940'S. FROM THERE THEY WENT TO LEBANON FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE LEDERLE LABS PAID TO HAVE DR. MAYER AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO PEARL RIVER. AFTER MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES, MARIA BECAME AN EVANGELIST TO THE MUSLIMS LIVING IN A COMMUNITY IN NEW JERSEY.
I MUST CONFESS THAT SHE WAS AN EVANGELIST IN WHAT I WOULD CALL THE WORST SENSE OF THAT WORD. MARIA WAS UNRELENTING IN HER JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE WHOSE FAITH WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH IN HER EYES. AND MOST PARTICULARLY, MARIA WAS UNRELENTING IN HER JUDGMENT OF NAURAUSHAUN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. IN HER EYES THIS COMMUNITY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FAITH, AND SHE NEVER HESITATED TO TELL US! SHE WAS LIKE A FIG TREE BEARING LITTLE FRUIT IN MANY WAYS. LIFE WAS NOT VERY FUN FOR HER. LIFE WAS RIGID AND SEVERE AND CRITICAL.
MARIA HATED AND FEARED DOCTORS, AND SO SHE ALLOWED HER BREAST CANCER TO PROGRESS TO THE POINT OF NO RETURN BEFORE SHE WENT INTO THE HOSPITAL TO DIE. I REMEMBER IT AS A TREMENDOUS MOMENT OF GRACE AND THE BEARING OF DELICIOUS FRUIT WHEN MARIA ASKED ME, AS THE NEW PASTOR, TO RELAY HER APOLOGIES TO THE NAURAUSHAUN COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF THE JUDGMENT SHE HAD RAINED UPON THEM. HER DRY AND BRITTLE FAITH HAD NOT SERVED HER WELL AT THE END OF HER LIFE AND SHE WAS HUNGRY FOR A SECOND CHANCE.
I FORGAVE HER FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THANKED HER FOR THE HEARTFELT APOLOGY. SHE DIED SHORTLY AFTER THAT. IT WASN'T UNTIL HER DEATH THAT MARIA WAS TRULY BORN INTO THE GRACE OF GOD THAT SHE SPOKE OF SO OFTEN.
AND SO WE CAN LEARN A LESSON FROM MARIA MAYER. THE LESSON IS IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO EMBRACE THIS LIFE AS IF WE ONLY HAD ONE YEAR TO LIVE. DO IT NOW. DO IT TODAY. DO IT WITH THE HELP OF JESUS. AMEN!
[THIS SERMON WAS FIRST PREACHED ON MARCH 19, 2001 UNDER THE TITLE "WITH GOD'S HELP."]
SCRIPTURE: Daniel 4:20-22, I Corinthians 3:5-9 & Mark 4:30-32
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL WE ALWAYS HAD A GARDEN BEHIND THE OLD FARMHOUSE. MY DAD WOULD TURN OVER THE RICH BLACK SOIL AND THEN IT WAS UP TO MY MOM AND US GIRLS TO WORK THE GROUND AND MAKE IT READY FOR THE SEEDS. WE WOULD HOE IT AND RAKE IT, BREAKING UP ALL THE LARGE CLUMPS OF SOIL. WE’D SMOOTH IT OUT AND MARK THE ROWS, AND ONLY THEN WAS IT READY TO RECEIVE THE SEEDS OR THE SEEDLING PLANTS THAT WE ALWAYS PLANTED.
I REMEMBER PLANTING TOMATO PLANTS AND A FEW VARIETIES OF FLOWER PLANTS, BUT MOSTLY WE PLANTED SEEDS. AND IT NEVER CEASED TO AMAZE ME HOW TINY SOME OF THOSE SEEDS WERE AND WHAT AN ACT OF FAITH IT WAS TO THROW THOSE ITTY BITTY LITTLE SEEDS INTO THE GROUND AND COVER THEM UP WITH A BIT OF SOIL. A PERSON MIGHT THINK THE SEEDS WERE GONE FOREVER, AND AS A LITTLE GIRL THAT WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR.
BUT THERE WAS GREAT JOY AND DELIGHT ON THE DAY I WOULD CHECK THE GARDEN AND DISCOVER LITTLE GREEN PLANTS GROWING WHERE I HAD ENTRUSTED THE GROUND WITH RADISH AND CARROT AND GREEN BEAN SEEDS.
IT WAS, AND STILL IS A MIRACLE EVERY TIME I EXPERIENCE IT. VERY LITTLE CAN BRING ME AS CLOSE TO GOD AS THE EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING A SEED GROW INTO A PLANT, WHICH ULTIMATELY GROWS INTO A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER OR A TASTY VEGETABLE.
AND SO IT NEVER SURPRISES ME WHEN JESUS USES THIS PARTICULAR IMAGE OF EARTHLY THINGS TO TALK ABOUT A HOLY REALITY. THE MUSTARD SEED, THE SMALLEST OF ALL SEEDS THEY KNEW OF IN ANCIENT ISRAEL, WHEN PLANTED IN THE SOIL, GREW INTO THE LARGEST OF ALL SCRUBS.
AND THIS, SAYS JESUS, IS WHAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE.
YOU PLANT A TINY SEED AND IT WILL BECOME THE LARGEST OF ALL BUSHES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IS MOST FASCINATING TO ME ABOUT THIS PARABLE?
THE MUSTARD PLANT IS A WEED. IT GROWS ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO CULTIVATE IT; IT JUST DEVELOPS WHEREVER IT FALLS.
SO JESUS IS SAYING THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE AN ACCIDENT.
ONE LITTLE SEED OF LOVE CAN FALL ANYWHERE AND IT WILL GROW INTO A LARGE LOVEABLE WEED.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WEEDS CAN BE LOVELIER THAN A CULTIVATED FLOWER. DURING THE SUMMER IN MAINE, THE DAISIES AND BLACK-EYED SUSANS THAT ADORN THE DITCHES BESIDE THE ROAD ARE BREATH-TAKING.
AND I ALWAYS LOVED THE SPRINGTIME IN ILLINOIS. THE DITCHES ALONG THE COUNTRY ROADS WERE FILLED WITH LITTLE YELLOW FLOWERS THAT MADE THE WHOLE COUNTRYSIDE LOOK LIKE A BRIDAL BOUQUET. IT WAS GORGEOUS AND UNASSUMING. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE A WEED IN THE DITCH BESIDE THE ROAD—GORGEOUS AND UNASSUMING.
NOW I SPECIFICALLY CHOSE THE SCRIPTURE FROM DANIEL FOR US TO LAY BESIDE THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED TODAY. IN THE FOURTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL, HE IS INTERPRETING A DREAM OF THE MIGHTY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THE MIGHTIEST POWER TO EVER FIGHT AGAINST GOD’S ISRAEL.
IN A DREAM THE KING SEES A MIGHTY TREE THAT GROWS STRONG AND REACHES ALL THE WAY TO THE HEAVENS. AND IN THAT SAME DREAM, A HOLY WATCHER COMES FROM HEAVEN AND ORDERS THE TREE TO BE CUT DOWN AND TOTALLY DESTROYED. IN THE PERICOPE OF SCRIPTURE WE HEARD TODAY, DANIEL IS TELLING THE KING THAT THE TREE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KING AND THE KINGDOM HE HAS BROUGHT AGAINST THE ISRAELITES.
THE TREE IS MIGHTY AND STRONG, BUT IN THE FACE OF THE HOLY WATCHER – THE CHOSEN PEOPLE – IT WILL BE CHOPPED DOWN AND DESTROYED AND RENDERED QUITE HARMLESS. SO THE MIGHTY KINGDOM OF KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR IS NOTHING IN THE FACE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
THE CAREFULLY PLANTED AND CULTIVATED TREE; THE FINE-TUNED AND POWERFUL KINGDOM OF BABYLON IS WIELDED TOTALLY HELPLESS IN THE FACE OF THE TINY MUSTARD SEED THAT GROWS, WHEREVER IT LANDS, INTO A LARGE WEED! THE KINGDOM OF MAN AS APPOSED TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
THERE IS QUITE A DIFFERENCE, DON’T YOU THINK?
NOW TURNING TO PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, WE HEAR SOME MORE TALK ABOUT PLANTING AND NURTURING AND GROWING A PLANT. BUT THIS TIME THE PLANT IS THE CHURCH AS APPOSED TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WE NEED TO ALWAYS BE CAREFUL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE.
I ALWAYS HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE CHURCH IS A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, BUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, LIKE ANY GOOD WEED, GROWS WHEREVER IT WISHES AND IN SOME OF THE MOST UNLIKELY PLACES. SO IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CHURCH CLOSER TO BEING THE KINGDOM OF GOD THAN BEING A KINGDOM OF HUMAN POWER, PAUL REMINDS THE CORINTHIANS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO WORK FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, BUT ULTIMATELY THE GROWTH—THE TRUE PLANT BELONGS TO GOD AND COMES FROM GOD.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE STAMPED WITH A SEAL THAT SAYS, “MADE BY HUMAN BEINGS,” EVEN THOUGH WE WOULD LOVE TO CARRY OFF THE MISPERCEPTION. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ALWAYS AND FOREVER STAMPED WITH THE SEAL, “CREATED AND GROWN BY GOD.
ONLY THEN IS IT TRULY AUTHENTIC.
THE FIRST DAY WE WERE IN VENICE WE WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE DESK CLERK AT THE HOTEL TO TAKE A TOUR TO MURANO, AN ISLAND CLOSE TO VENICE THAT IS KNOWN FOR THE GLASSWARE THEY PRODUCE. MAYBE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH MURANO VENETIAN GLASS. ANYWAY, WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE TRIP, EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHER WAS COLD AND RAINY.
THE TRIP WAS FREE AND THE BOAT TAKING US TO THE ISLAND WAS COVERED TO PROTECT US FROM THE WEATHER, SO IT SEEMED LIKE A REASONABLE THING TO DO WHEN WE WOULDN’T BE LIKELY TO WALK AROUND THE CITY.
WELL, OUR LITTLE EXCURSION TO MURANO TURNED OUT TO BE A MIGHTY BIG HOAX. THEY JUST WANTED TO GET US INTO THEIR WAREHOUSE SO THAT WE MIGHT BUY SOME OF THEIR GLASS. WE EVEN STARTED TO BE AFRAID THEY WOULDN’T TAKE US BACK TO VENICE UNTIL WE BOUGHT SOMETHING!
THAT LITTLE SIDE TRIP BECAME A WONDERFUL SOURCE OF JOY FOR OUR GROUP AS WE CONTINUED TO MAKE UP HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS THAT WOULD LINK THE DESK CLARK OF THE HOTEL TO THE OWNER OF THE GLASS FACTORY, BUT THE POINT OF THE STORY IS HOW DIFFICULT IT SOMETIMES IS TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REAL THING AND A KNOCK-OFF.
AS WE SHOPPED AT THE OPEN-AIR MARKETS THROUGHOUT VENICE, WE FOUND GLASS THAT WAS MUCH CHEAPER THAN WHAT WE HAD SEEN IN THE FACTORY ON MURANO. BUT WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT A LOT OF THE GLASS SOLD ON THE STREETS WAS REALLY MADE IN CHINA AND LABELED MURANO GLASS.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD NEEDS TO HAVE GOD’S LABEL ON IT IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE AUTHENTIC. THERE ARE A LOT OF KNOCK OFFS OUT THERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES CLAIMING TO BE THE KINGDOM OF GOD THAT, BOTTOM LINE, HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AMAZING LOVE OF GOD.
AND HOW DO WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? EDUCATION IS THE ONLY ANSWER.
WHEN WE KNOW OUR PRODUCT WELL ENOUGH WE ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE FOOLED. REAL GOLD IS ALWAYS STAMPED WITH AN IMPRINT OF 14K.
A REAL DIAMOND WILL SCRATCH GLASS. AND THE REAL KINGDOM OF GOD WILL EXUDE THE LOVE WE KNOW THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
BUT WE HAVE TO KNOW JESUS REAL WELL TO KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GETTING TO KNOW JESUS THROUGH THE GOSPELS.
GO STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE AND LET THE MUSTARD SEED BE PLANTED IN YOU. FOR IT IS ONLY THROUGH KNOWING JESUS THAT WE ALL BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE MARKINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
NOW FOLLOWING THE SERVICE TODAY, THE DEACONS AND THE WORSHIP MINISTRY WILL BE HANDING OUT CUTTINGS FROM DIFFERENT PLANTS.
THIS IS OUR WAY OF OFFERING YOU A FORM OF A MUSTARD SEED TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH YOUR LENTEN JOURNEY. PUT YOUR CLIPPING IN WATER AND WATCH AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. WITH ANY LUCK ROOTS WILL APPEAR IN THE WATER. AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE PLANT IS READY TO BE EMBEDDED IN SOME SOIL SO THAT IT CAN GROW AND FLOURISH. THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMES SLOWLY AND QUIETLY, JUST LIKE THE SLOW QUIET GROWTH OF A PLANT.
MAY WE USE THIS VISUAL AND PHYSICAL IMAGE TO MEDITATE UPON DURING OUR LENTEN JOURNEYS. AND IF YOU WISH, IF THERE IS SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO INVITE INTO THIS CORNER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, YOU MIGHT WANT TO USE YOUR LENTEN PLANT AS A GIFT TO INVITE A FRIEND TO WORSHIP WITH US ON THE DAY WE CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION—ON EASTER SUNDAY.
NOW IN CLOSING I WANT TO TELL YOU THE STORY OF THIS PLANT. YOU MIGHT HAVE ALREADY SEEN IT BEFORE IN THE PARLOR. IT’S BEEN THERE FOR MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
AT A FALL SESSION RETREAT A FEW YEARS AGO I HAD ALL OF THE ELDERS BRING SOME DIRT FROM THEIR OWN BACKYARDS. WE PUT OUR DIRT TOGETHER AND PLANTED THREE DIFFERENT IVY PLANTS IN THE SAME POTS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE PLANTS BEING THE MINISTRY OF NPC, AND THE DIRT BEING THE LOVING CARE OF THE ELDERS THAT THE MINISTRY IS ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN, ALONG WITH GOD.
NOW EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I USE THIS PLANT TO REMIND THE ELDERS OF OUR COMMITMENT AND POINT OUT THAT A PLANT CANNOT BE IGNORED AND STILL LIVE. WE ALL NEED TO CARE FOR THE MINISTRY HERE AT NPC IN ORDER FOR IT TO LIVE AND BREATHE AND HAVE MEANING IN TODAY’S WORLD.
BUT THE THING I HAVE NOT TALKED TO THE SESSION ABOUT IS HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TAKEN CLIPPINGS FROM THIS PLANT TO ROOT AND SET INTO A NEW POT WITH FRESH DIRT IN ORDER TO GET A WHOLE NEW PLANT.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY FOUR OR FIVE NEW PLANTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW YORK BECAUSE OF THIS ONE MOTHER PLANT. AND IT IS THIS KIND OF EXPANSION OF SPIRIT WE HOPE YOU WILL TAKE HOME WITH YOU TODAY.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE A TINY MUSTARD SEED THAT GROWS INTO A LARGE BUSH. MAY IT HAPPEN, BY THE POWER AND GRACE OF GOD, THROUGH YOU AND THROUGH ME.
AMEN.
SCRIPTURE: Exodus 34:29-35, II Corinthians 3:12-4:2 & Luke 9:28-43a
WHILE ON SABBATICAL LEAVE A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS PRIVILEGED TO ATTEND A PREACHING CONFERENCE AT MONTREAT CONFERENCE CENTER IN MONTREAT, NORTH CAROLINA.
ONE OF THE MANY PREACHERS AT THAT CONFERENCE WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PREACHERS OF ALL TIMES, BARBARA BROWN TAYLOR. HEARING HER PREACH WAS ALL I HOPED IT MIGHT BE. AND FOLLOWING THE OPENING WORSHIP SERVICE, IT WAS A SPLENDID MOMENT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO HER IN PERSON. I TOLD HER ABOUT BEING ON SABBATICAL LEAVE SHE SAID, “I THOUGHT I SAW A SHINE ON YOUR FACE.”
A SHINE ON MY FACE! HUM…
LATER DURING THE WEEK, WHEN ALL OF THE PREACHERS WERE SIGNING COPIES OF THEIR BOOKS, BARBARA SIGNED MINE WITH THESE WORDS, “TO JEAN, WHOSE FACE SHINES, WITH MY BEST—BARBARA BROWN TAYLOR.”
SHE LEFT ME WITH AN IMAGE AND A THOUGHT THAT WON’T LEAVE ME.
SINCE MY SABBATICAL LEAVE WAS ALL ABOUT GROWING CLOSER TO GOD, I BEGAN TO CONNECT DIVINE PRESENCE WITH A FEELING OF GLOWING WARMTH THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE SEEN AND RECOGNIZED.I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEEPLY ROOTED AND PROFOUNDLY VISIBLE SIGN WE ALL CARRY FROM HAVING HAD A DELIBERATE CONFRONTATION WITH THE HOLY. AND WHETHER THE DIVINE PRESENCE COMES TO US AFTER A DELIBERATE TIME AWAY, OR SURPRISES US IN THE MIDST OF OUR BUSY ROUTINES, SOMETHING IN US CHANGES EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS.
ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IN THE STORY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION, JESUS HAS STEPPED AWAY FROM HIS MISSION FOR A MOMENT. HE HAS TAKEN A SABBATICAL BREAK, IF YOU WILL, WITH PETER AND JOHN AND JAMES. THEY GO UP ON A MOUNTAIN TO PRAY. THEY STEP OUT OF THE REGULAR ROUTINE OF PREACHING AND TEACHING AND HEALING TO FIND TIME TO BE VERY CLOSE TO GOD. AND THE TRANSFORMATION BEGINS TO TAKE PLACE. BUT WITH JESUS THE SHINE ENVELOPES HIM. NOT ONLY HIS FACE, BUT HIS BODY AND HIS GARMENTS ARE INCLUDED. JESUS SHINES ALL OVER! HIS ENTIRE BEING AND EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM SHOWED HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO GOD, BECAUSE JESUS WAS GOD.
NOW THE OTHER TWO PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY TALK ABOUT TWO MORE BIBLICAL CHARACTERS WHO HAVE A SHINING MOMENT WITH GOD.
FIRST WE HAVE MOSES. MOSES HAS SPENT FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS WITH GOD, FASTING AND CARVING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ONTO A STONE TABLET. MOSES ALSO HAD A SHINING FACE. HE STEPPED AWAY FROM THE “STIFF-NECKED” ISRAELITES TO COMMUNE WITH GOD, AND HIS FACE SHONE SO MUCH IT FRIGHTENED THE ONES WHO COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THIS CLOSENESS WITH GOD. SO MOSES HID HIS HOLY CONNECTION BEHIND A VEIL, BUT ONLY IN FRONT OF HIS OWN PEOPLE. WHENEVER MOSES WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, THE GLORY SHONE ALL AROUND, SO TO SPEAK.
MOSES DID NOT HIDE HIS GLORY FROM GOD AND HIS LIFE WAS TRANSFORMED BY THE HOLY RELATIONSHIP.
OUR THIRD SCRIPTURAL STORY HAS TO DO WITH PAUL. IN HIS SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS PAUL GIVES A CRITIQUE OF MOSES WITH THE SHINING FACE. PAUL SAYS THE VEIL MOSES WAS FORCED TO WEAR WAS ONLY A SIGN THAT THE ISRAELITES NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE DEPTH OF GOD’S LOVE FOR THEM. PAUL SAYS THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE VEIL HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY REMOVED IN THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST. AND ANYONE WHO TURNS TO JESUS HAS THE FREEDOM TO SHINE WITHOUT FEAR. THE VEIL IS NO LONGER THERE.
AND, PAUL SAYS, THE GLORY OF GOD CAN BE SEEN IN THE FACES OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE CHRIST. IN CHRIST WE ARE DRAWN CLOSER TO GOD THAN EVER BEFORE.
NOW OUT OF ALL OUR SHINING CHARACTERS THIS MORNING, PAUL IS THE ONE WHO DID NOT DELIBERATELY SET ASIDE TIME TO BE WITH GOD.
PAUL WAS SO VEHEMENT IN HIS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST THAT GOD HAD TO KNOCK HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH A TWO BY FOUR! PAUL’S MOMENT OF PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION HAPPENED THROUGH A VISIT FROM THE RESSURECTED MESSIAH. BUT ONCE PAUL ACTUALLY MET THE LORD, HIS LIFE WAS CHANGED FOREVER. AS WE READ THE SECOND LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH WE FEEL THE SHINE ON PAUL’S FACE SO BRIGHTLY WE CAN ALMOST SEE IT THROUGH HIS WORDS. AND PAUL SAYS THAT SAME KIND OF SHINE IS IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US AS WELL.
BOTTOM LINE, FOLKES, MEETING UP WITH GOD IS A TRANSFORMING AND TRANSFIGURING EXPERIENCE. ONCE WE HAVE DRAWN CLOSE TO GOD, OUR LIVES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. MOSES BECAME A GREAT LEADER OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD. BY HIS FAITH, MOSES GUIDED THE CHOSEN PEOPLE TO THE PROMISED LAND. AND HIS FACE WAS STILL SHINING, EVEN AS HE DIED BEFORE BEING ABLE TO ENTER THE LAND HIMSELF. JESUS CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP OF THE TRANSFIGURATION AND HEADED FOR JERUSALEM TO BECOME OUR SAVIOR. PAUL TRAVELED AS FAR AS HE COULD GO, OUT INTO THE WORLD, TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS OF THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS THE CHRIST.
PAUL NEVER WENT HOME AGAIN, PARTLY BECAUSE THE SHINING FACE HAD TAKEN OVER HIS ENTIRE LIFE, AND THE SHINE COULD NEVER BE WASHED AWAY, EVEN IN THE DARKEST PRISON OR THE STORMIEST NIGHT. FROM THE MOMENT HE MET JESUS PAUL WAS ON FIRE WITH A MESSAGE HE WAS COMPELLED TO TELL TO THE NATIONS.
AS WE STAND ON THE BRINK OF THE LENTEN SEASON TODAY’S SCRIPTURE CALLS US TO SEEK A DELIBERATE AUDIENCE WITH GOD. IT CALLS US TO LOOK FOR SABBATICAL MOMENTS WHEN WE CAN PUT ASIDE THE REGULAR ROUTINE AND CONNECT OURSELVES TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER. IT CALLS US TO BE KNOCKED OFF OUR FEET WITH SOME HOLY PRESENCE EVERY NOW AND AGAIN. IT GATHERS US INTO THE EXCLUSIVE GROUP OF SHINING FACES – PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH GOD, UP FRONT AND PERSONAL. AND IT’S A CALL THAT JUST MIGHT ACTUALLY SAVE OUR LIVES!
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, BARBARA GAVE ME AN EMAIL THAT SAYS IT ALL.
THIS INTERNET WISDOM EXPLAINS HOW TO STAY SAFE IN THE WORLD TODAY.
NUMBER ONE – AVOID RIDING IN AUTOMOBILES BECAUSE THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 20% OF ALL FATAL ACCIDENTS. NUMBER TWO – DO NOT STAY HOME BECAUSE 17% OF ALL ACCIDENTS OCCUR IN THE HOME.
NUMBER THREE – AVOID WALKING ON STREETS OR SIDEWALKS BECAUSE 14% OF ALL ACCIDENTS OCCUR TO PEDESTRIANS. NUMBER FOUR – AVOID TRAVELING BY AIR, RAIL, OR WATER BECAUSE 16% OF ALL ACCIDENTS INVOLVE THESE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION. NUMBER FIVE – OF THE REMAINING 33%, 32% OF ALL DEATHS OCCUR IN HOSPITALS. ABOVE ALL ELSE, AVOID HOSPITALS!
BUT – YOU WILL BE PLEASED TO LEARN THAT ONLY .001% OF ALL DEATHS OCCUR IN WORSHIP SERVICES IN CHURCH, AND THESE ARE USUALLY RELATED TO PREVIOUS PHYSICAL DISORDERS. THEREFORE, LOGIC TELLS US THAT THE SAFEST PLACE FOR US TO BE AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN TIME IS AT CHURCH!
YOU KNOW, BIBLE STUDY IS ACTUALLY SAFE, TOO. THE PERCENTAGE OF DEATHS DURING BIBLE STUDY IS EVEN LESS. SO, FOR SAFETY’S SAKE—ATTEND CHURCH AND STUDY YOUR BIBLE. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!
IT COULD EVEN MAKE YOUR FACE SHINE.
NOW I CAN’T LEAVE YOU TODAY WITHOUT TELLING YOU OF THE HOLIEST MOMENT ON MY TRIP TO ITALY. IT HAPPENED IN ROME, NO SURPRISE!
WE HAD BEEN TOURING HARD THE ENTIRE DAY. IT WAS THE ONE DAY WE HIRED A TOUR GUIDE TO SHOW US AROUND. HER NAME IS LUDOVICCA AND SHE PROVED TO BE A MOST ENGAGING PERSON. SHE HAD A CLEAR AGENDA IN MIND AS SHE SHOWED US THE SIGHTS OF ROME, BEGINNING WITH THE CEILING IN THE SISTINE CHAPEL.
FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE, LUDOVICCA WANTED US TO SEE ROME AS THE CONNECTIONAL POINT FOR ALL OF HISTORY IN THE WESTERN WORLD.
WE STOOD LOOKING OVER THE FORUM AS SHE POINTED OUT THE FIRST SENATE BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN STANDING, IN TACT, SINCE THE YEAR SIXTH CENTURY BC. SHE TOLD US THAT ROME WAS THE HISTORY AND WE ARE ALL ROOTED IN ROME AS OTHER COUNTRIES BRANCH OUT AND BECOME THE FUTURE WITH OUR TECHNOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS.
\BUT THE OTHER PIECE OF HER AGENDA LAST MONDAY WAS TO TRY TO SHAKE UP OUR THEOLOGICAL THINKING A BIT. HER INTERPRETATION OF THE VOID BETWEEN GOD’S FINGER AND ADAMS FINGER, AS IT WAS PAINTED HIGH IN THE VAULT OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL BY MICHELANGELO, IS DRAMATIC AND POWERFUL, AND I AM STILL TRYING TO WRAP MY MIND AROUND JUST EXACTLY THE POINT SHE WAS TRYING TO MAKE. BUT THE HOLIEST MOMENT OF THAT DAY, AND OF THE ENTIRE TRIP FOR THAT MATTER, CAME LATER AS WE ENTERED ST. PETER’S BASILICA.
WE WALKED INTO THIS IMMENSE AND ORNATE SPACE JUST AS A CHILDREN’S CHOIR WAS SINGING THE FAMOUS PANUS ANGELICUS. MY BREATH WAS NEARLY TAKEN AWAY WITH THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THAT MOMENT.
I WAS DRAWN TO MOVE TOWARD THE ALTAR AND THE PEOPLE GATHERED THERE TO WORSHIP. AND AS I WALKED SLOWLY THROUGH THAT MARBLED AND GUILDED SANCTUARY I WAS COMPLETELY EMBRACED BY THE POWER OF THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST, IN THAT HE INSPIRED SUCH A GRANDIOSE WORK OF ART. THE CHILDREN’S CHOIR BEGAN TO SING A PIECE BY JOHN RUTTER THAT I RECOGNIZED.
THEIR CRYSTAL CLEAR VOICES WERE SPLENDID, BUT SO SMALL THAT THE CHOIR NEEDED TO BE AMPLIFIED IN ORDER TO NOT LOSE THE SOUND IN THE CAVERNOUS SPACE. AS STEWART AND I STOOD THERE, ARM IN ARM, THE PRESIDING CARDINALS WERE PROCESSING OUT OF THE BUILDING AND WE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE MAN MOST FAVORED TO BECOME THE NEXT POPE; ONE CARDINAL MARTINI FROM MILAN. WE WERE THE LAST PEOPLE OUT OF THE BASILICA THAT DAY.
WE STOOD AT THE BACK OF THE SANCTUARY AND LOOKED BACK TOWARD THE ALTAR WITHOUT ONE HUMAN BEING INTERRUPTING THE FULL GLORY OF IT, AND I JUST KNOW MY FACE WAS SHINING, BECAUSE I COULD FEEL IT.
IT WAS A TIME SET APART. IT WAS A HOLY MOMENT.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 1:4-10 & I Corinthians 13:1-13
YOU WOULD THINK LOVE WOULD BE ONE OF THE EASIER THINGS TO PREACH ABOUT, WOULDN'T YOU? LIKE THE BEATLES USED TO SING, ALL WE NEED IS LOVE, RIGHT? WELL, IF I WERE WRITING THE VERSE FOR A VALENTINE CARD, THIS WOULD BE TRUE. BUT TRYING TO EXPRESS THE KIND OF LOVE THAT GOD IS ALL ABOUT IS SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT AND NOT NEARLY AS EASY.
THIS PASSAGE FROM PAUL'S LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS IS ARGUABLY THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE. THE MORE WEDDINGS WE GO TO, THE MORE WE HEAR IT READ. AND IF THE PREACHER IS ANY GOOD AT ALL, WE KNOW THAT PAUL'S LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH A FLUFFY WHITE DRESS, BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND DANCING TO YOUR FAVORITE TUNE WITH YOUR ONE AND ONLY.
THE HISTORIC CRITICAL CONTEXT IN WHICH THIS LETTER WAS WRITTEN WAS FAR MORE DISTURBING THAN A PERSON'S WEDDING DAY.
THE PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH AT CORINTH WERE HAVING REAL TROUBLE GETTING ALONG WITH EACH OTHER. THEY HAD ABOUT AS MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT THE WAY THINGS SHOULD BE DONE AS THEY HAD DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
EACH ONE, IT SEEMS, HAD A DIFFERENT GIFT FOR EXPRESSING FAITH. SOME OF THEM SPOKE IN TONGUES, THAT ECSTATIC LANGUAGE WHICH IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND. SOME WERE MORE PROPHETIC IN THEIR SPEECH; THEIR WORDS WERE CAREFULLY CRAFTED AND WISELY PUT TOGETHER IN SUCH A WAY THAT EVERYONE COULD UNDERSTAND. SOME NEVER SPOKE A WORD, BUT HAD THE KIND OF FAITH THAT COULD BRING HEALING AND MIRACLES RIGHT INTO THE MIDST OF THE HUMAN CONDITION. AND SOME DIDN'T SPEAK OR KEEP SILENT-THEY WORKED, THEY SOLD ALL THEY HAD AND GAVE IT TO THE POOR.
NOW IT SEEMS THAT SOCIAL CLICKS HAD FORMED AROUND THESE DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH, AND THE DIVISIONS IN THE BODY WERE KILLING THE MISSION AND MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH, WHICH JUST SOUNDS ALL TOO FAMILIAR TO TODAY'S SITUATION, BOTH IN THE WORLD AND IN THE BODY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. HUMAN BEINGS DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO EMBRACE DIFFERENCES THEN, AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO EMBRACE DIFFERENCES NOW. SO EVEN IF WE THINK WE HAVE HEARD THIS SCRIPTURE 1000 TIMES AND WE GET THE POINT, THE FACTS BEAR REPEATING.
IN A NUTSHELL, NO EXPRESSION OF FAITH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOVE. AND ALL EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH WITHOUT LOVE ARE NOT FAITH.
LOVE IS SUPERIOR TO ALL EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH BECAUSE…
LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND.
LOVE REJOICES IN TRUTH.
LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS.
LOVE BELIEVES ALL THINGS.
LOVE HOPES ALL THINGS.
LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS.
LOVE NEVER ENDS, EVEN AS ALL EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH WILL COME TO AN END IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
LOVE IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND THE HUMAN RACE.
AND THE STICKINESS OF THAT GLUE BECOMES VERY CLEAR AS WE HEAR JUST EXACTLY WHAT LOVE IS NOT!
LOVE IS NOT ENVIOUS, BOASTFUL, ARROGANT OR RUDE.
LOVE DOES NOT INSIST ON HAVING ITS OWN WAY.
LOVE IS NOT IRRITABLE OR RESENTFUL.
LOVE DOES NOT REJOICE IN WRONGDOING.
LOVE IS NOT FOR THE SHY IN WISDOM AND THE SLOW IN MATURITY.
LOVE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN ONLY BE CARRIED OUT BY A PERSON CLEAR OF MIND AND PURE OF HEART.
AND LIFE IS ONE LONG PROCESS OF GROWING UP TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
IN OTHER WORDS, LOVE TAKES A LOT OF WORK ON OUR PART TO TRANSCEND OUR NATURAL CARNAL TENDENCIES, BUT THE WORK IS WELL WORTH IT!
THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER AND THEOLOGIAN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, C. S. LEWIS, WROTE A BOOK CALLED THE FOUR LOVES. IN THIS BOOK HE DOES A MARVELOUS JOB OF EXPRESSING THE COMPLEXITY OF ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LOVE THAT ARE A PART OF OUR HUMAN EXPERIENCE. HE IDENTIFIES THE FOUR DIFFERENT LOVES AS AFFECTION, FRIENDSHIP, EROS (OR EROTIC LOVE), AND CHARITY. AND AFTER IDENTIFYING THE LOVES HE GIVES A WONDERFUL DEFENSE FOR EACH, GATHERING ALL THE PARTS TOGETHER TO SPEAK OF LOVE, WITH A CAPTIAL "L". AND AS HE WOVE THESE THEMES TOGETHER HE DID A MARVELOUS JOB OF GROUNDING EVERY HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN "NEED-LOVE" AND "GIVE-LOVE."
NEED-LOVE IS THE KIND OF LOVE THAT SENDS A FRIGHTENED CHILD INTO THE ARMS OF HER MOTHER. AND GIFT-LOVE IS WHAT CAUSES A MAN TO WORK HARD AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF A FAMILY HE WILL NEVER KNOW. NEED-LOVE IS FOCUSSED INWARD.
GIFT-LOVE LOVE IS FOCUSSED OUT, UPON SOMEONE ELSE.
IN HIS INTRODUCTION, LEWIS TELLS OF HOW HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO BE WRITING A BOOK THAT WAS DISPARAGING OF NEED-LOVE AND AT THE SAME TIME GIVING HIGH PRAISE TO GIFT-LOVE. HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO WRITE THIS UNTIL HE REALIZED HOW VERY MUCH HUMAN BEINGS NEED GOD'S LOVE AND WHAT A GOOD THING IT IS FOR US TO FEEL THIS LOVE AND REACH OUT TO OUR CREATOR TO FIND IT. HE SAYS, "[THE HUMAN] APPROACHES GOD MOST NEARLY WHEN HE [OR SHE] IS IN ONE SENSE LEAST LIKE GOD." (PG. 4 OF THE FOUR LOVES) SO WHEN WE ARE OUR NEEDIEST IS WHEN WE ARE MOST LIKELY TO TURN TO GOD FOR THE LOVE WE NEED. THIS IS WHEN WE CAN DRAW THE NEAREST TO GOD, AND THIS IF A VERY GOOD THING.
JUST THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE OF GIFT-LOVE. WHEN WE ARE NOT SO NEEDY, WE ARE MOST LIKE GOD IN OUR ABILITY TO GIVE-LOVE.
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, WE RUN THE RISK OF GETTING HUNG UP ON OUR OWN GRANDIOSITY, AND THE GIVE-LOVE IN US CAN BECOME A MONSTER.
LEWIS SAYS IT THIS WAY, "I MUST EXPLAIN WHY I HAVE FOUND THIS DISTINCTION NECESSARY TO ANY TREATMENT OF OUR LOVES.
ST. JOHN'S SAYING THAT GOD IS LOVE HAS LONG BEEN BALANCED IN MY MIND AGAINST THE REMARK OF A MODERN AUTHOR (M. DENIS de ROUGEMONT) THAT 'LOVE CEASES TO BE A DEMON ONLY WHEN HE CEASES TO BE A GOD'; WHICH OF COURSE CAN BE RE-STATED IN THE FORM 'BEGINS TO BE A DEMON THE MOMENT HE BEGINS TO BE A GOD.' THIS BALANCE SEEMS TO ME AN INDISPENSIBLE SAFEGUARD. IF WE IGNORE IT THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS LOVE MAY SLYLY COME TO MEAN FOR US THE CONVERSE, THAT LOVE IS GOD." (PP 6 & 7 OF THE FOUR LOVES)
I THINK THIS STATEMENT IS A PROFOUND EXPRESSION OF WHY LOVE IS SO DIFFICULT TO PREACH ABOUT. IN OUR CULTURE WE TOO QUICKLY COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT LOVE IS GOD RATHER THAN GOD IS LOVE. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT ALL LOVE BEGINS AND ENDS WITH GOD, AND WE ARE JUST A CIRCULAR EXTENSION OF THAT ETERNITY. IT IS NOT OUR ABILITY TO GIVE-LOVE OR NEED-LOVE THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN THIS WORLD. YES, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT LOVE IS AND THE TIMES WHEN WE GIVE-LOVE AND THE TIMES WHEN WE NEED-LOVE. WE NEED TO BOTH GIVE AND RECEIVE LOVE IN ALL THE DIFFERENT FORMS LOVE CAN TAKE, BUT WHAT IS ULTIMATELY MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT LOVE IS MORE POWERFUL AND PRESENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE. AND GOD IS LOVE. IT'S A CIRCLE THAT NEVER ENDS. GOD-LOVE IS ETERNITY, AND THAT'S JUST THE THING TO REMEMBER WHEN WE FEEL AS IF THERE IS NO HOPE FOR THIS WORLD AND DISPARE SEEMS TO BE ALL AROUND US. GOD-LOVE-THE-LOVE-IS WHERE IT ALL BEGINS AND ENDS.
ELIE WIESEL, JEWISH THEOLOGIAN, PROLIFIC AUTHOR AND HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR HAS WRITTEN HIS LIFE'S MEMOIRS IN A BOOK ENTITLED ALL RIVERS RUN TO THE SEA. MR. WIESEL HAS THE MOST INCREDIBLE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT GOD-LOVE OF ANY HUMAN BEING I KNOW OF. IN ONE PORTION OF HIS MEMOIRS WIESEL TELLS OF HIS FAMILY LIVING IN HUNGARY DURING THE DESPARTE TIMES OF WORLD WAR II. THE NAZIS WERE ALL AROUND THEM, AND HIS FAMILY WAS JUST WAITING FOR THEIR TIME TO COME.
DURING THIS DARK PERIOD, THE WIESEL FAMILY HAD A VERY GOOD FRIEND IN A CHRISTIAN PEASANT WOMAN NAMED MARIA, WHO HAD BECOME ALMOST LIKE A MEMBER OF THEIR FAMILY. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WAR SHE NEVER STOPPED VISITING HER FRIENDS. AND LATER, WHEN THE JEWS WERE HELD IN GHETTOS AND SHE WAS NO LONGER ALLOWED ENTRANCE INTO WHERE HER GOOD FRIENDS LIVED, SHE FOUND A WAY TO SNEAK IN ANYWAY. CRAWLING THROUGH THE BARBED WIRE, SHE WOULD BRING THEM FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND CHEESES FOR NOURISHMENT.
ONE DAY MARIA SHOWED UP ON THE WIESEL'S DOORSTEP WITH A PLAN. THERE WAS A CABIN SHE OWNED, UP IN THE HILLS. SHE WANTED TO TAKE THE CHILDREN, OF WHICH ELI WAS ONE, AND HIDE THEM THERE BEFORE THE SS CAME TO TAKE THEM AWAY. THEY DECIDED AFTER MUCH DEBATE TO STAY TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE DEEPLY MOVED AT THIS GESTURE. IN WIESEL'S OWN WORDS HE SAYS, "DEAR MARIA. IF OTHER CHRISTIANS HAD ACTED LIKE HER, THE TRAINS ROLLING TOWARD THE UNKNOWN WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS CROWDED. IF PRIESTS AND PASTORS HAD RAISED THEIR VOICES, IF THE VATICAN HAD BROKEN ITS SILENCE, THE ENEMY'S HAND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO FREE. BUT MOST THOUGHT ONLY OF THEMSELVES. A JEWISH HOME WAS BARELY EMPTIED OF ITS INHABITANTS BEFORE THEY DESCENDED LIKE VULTURES."
HE GOES ON TO SAY, "I THINK OF MARIA OFTEN, WITH AFFECTION AND GRATITUDE, AND WITH WONDER AS WELL. THIS SIMPLE, UNEDUCATED WOMAN STOOD TALLER THAN THE CITY'S INTELLECTUALS, DIGNITARIES AND CLERGY. MY FATHER HAD MANY ACQUAINTANCES AND EVEN FRIENDS IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY, NOT ONE OF THEM SHOWED THE STRENGTH OF CHARACTER OF THIS PEASANT WOMAN.
OF WHAT VALUE WAS THEIR FAITH, THEIR EDUCATION, THEIR SOCIAL POSITION, IF IT DID NOT AROUSE THEIR LOVE? IT WAS A SIMPLE AND DEVOUT CHRISTIAN WOMAN WHO SAVED THE TOWN'S HONOR." (PG. ?)
"IF I SPEAK IN THE TONGUES OF MORTALS AND OF ANGELS, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I AM A NOISY GONG OR A CLANGING CYMBAL.
AND IF I HAVE PROPHETIC POWERS, AND UNDERSTAND ALL MYSTERIES AND ALL KNOWLEDGE, AND IF I HAVE ALL FAITH, SO AS TO REMOVE MOUNTAINS, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I AM NOTHING. IF I GIVE AWAY ALL MY POSSESSIONS, AND IF I HAND OVER MY BODY SO THAT I MAY BOAST, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I GAIN NOTHING."
MY FRIENDS, AS WE GATHER AROUND THIS TABLE OF LOVE TODAY, I WOULD LEAVE US ALL WITH ONE QUESTION, A QUESTION THAT I HOPE AND PRAY WILL FORM IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
OF WHAT VALUE IS OUR FAITH, OUR EDUCATION, OUR SOCIAL POSITION, IF IT DOES NOT AROUSE OUR LOVE?
MAY WE ALWAYS AND FOREVER FEEL OUR CONNECTION WITHIN THE CIRCLE OF GOD'S ETERNAL LOVE. MAY WE SEEK TO GIVE-LOVE AND NEED-LOVE KNOWING FULL WELL THAT GOD IS LOVE. AND MAY WE DRAW OURSELVES AND OTHERS CLOSE TO THE LOVE AT ALL TIMES AND IN ALL PLACES.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 & Luke 4:14-21
ON FEBRUARY 25TH A NEW MEL GIBSON MOVIE WILL BE PLAYING IN THEATERS NEAR YOU! THE NAME OF THE MOVIE IS THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.
NOW IT SEEMS TO ME THERE HAS BEEN A RATHER SUBDUED CRY OF INDIGNATION ABOUT GIBSON'S INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE IN THIS MOVIE. I HAVE HEARD A COMMENT HERE AND THERE, BUT NOTHING LIKE THE UPROAR THAT SURROUNDED THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST SOME YEARS AGO. THERE HAS BEEN AN EMAIL GOING AROUND FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO SEE THIS MOVIE WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF ITS RELEASE. OF COURSE THE EMAIL SOUNDS A BIT PHONY TO ME. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A PUBLICITY STUNT.
ANYWAY, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN, ON FRIDAY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT TWO JEWISH LEADERS WHO SNEAKED INTO A PRIVATE SCREENING OF THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST AND ARE NOW CLAIMING THE FILM TO BE INCENDIARY. I GUESS IT STANDS TO REASON THAT A MODERN MOVIE ABOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST IS GOING TO MAKE SOME KIND OF NEWS-JESUS IS STILL CONTROVERSIAL, EVEN AFTER 2000 YEARS.
BUT ACTUALLY I WASN'T VERY INTERESTED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THERE WAS SO MUCH HYPE AROUND THE MOVIE THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, WHEN IN ALL REALITY THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE HYPED ABOUT. THAT MOVIE WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A LONG AND RATHER BORING FILM THAT REPRESENTED ONE PERSON'S IDEAS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE UNREVEALED PART OF THE LIFE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH.
I THOROUGHLY EXPECT GIBSON'S MOVIE TO BE SOMETHING DRAMATIC, BUT RATHER BENIGN.
ANYWAY, WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE WAS WHAT RABBI MARVIN HIER AND ABRAHAM FOXMAN FOUND TO BE THE INCENDIARY SCENE IN THE MOVIE. EVIDENTLY MR. GIBSON HAS WRITTEN INTO THE SCRIPT A LINE MEANT TO BE SUPPORTED BY MATTHEW 27:25 WHERE, IN THE WORDS OF THE NEW YORK TIMES, "CAIAPHAS CALLS DOWN A KIND OF CURSE ON THE JEWISH PEOPLE BY DECLARING, OF THE CRUCIFIXION, "HIS BLOOD BE ON US, AND ON OUR CHILDREN." (NYT 1/28/04 PG. A12)THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT IS IN THE BIBLE, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. THE JEWS ARE GUILTY OF KILLING THE CHRIST.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT RABBI HIER AND MR. FOXMAN ARE UPSET ABOUT, BUT AS I HAVE LEARNED TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE OVER THE YEARS I NO LONGER READ THAT VERSE AS A CURSE UPON THE JEWISH PEOPLE. WHAT I HEAR IN MATTHEW'S ACCOUNT OF THE PASSION STORY IS AN INDICTMENT OF MODERN DAY CHRISTIANS WHO STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH AND THE TRUTH OF THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST.
BACK THEN, THE JEWS WERE JESUS' OWN PEOPLE AND THEY COULDN'T HEAR HIM, THEREFORE THEY WERE CURSED. BUT 2000 YEARS LATER WE HAVE TO SAY THAT CHRISTIANS ARE JESUS' OWN PEOPLE, AND WE CRUCIFY HIM OVER AND OVER AGAIN, EVERY TIME WE DON'T HAVE EARS TO HEAR, EVERY TIME WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HIS MESSAGE, EVERY TIME WE TURN THE OTHER WAY RATHER THAN FOLLOW THE CHRIST.
I HEAR THAT STATEMENT AS AN INDICTMENT UPON ME AND MY OWN KIND. I SHOULD BE THE ONE TAKING OFFENSE, BUT I ALSO KNOW THERE IS TOO MUCH TRUTH IN THE IDEA THAT WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND, NOR TOTALLY ACCEPT THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST EVEN TODAY, SO I TIP MY HAT TO MR. GIBSON FOR REMINDING ME.
HOW WE INTERPRET THE WORD OF GOD, WHETHER IT IS EZRA SPEAKING TO THE EARLY ISRAELITES, WOOING THEM BACK TO THEIR LOVING GOD, OR JESUS STANDING IN THE TEMPLE AT NAZARETH, CLAIMING TO HAVE FULFILLED THE SCRIPTURES, OR MEL GIBSON CREATING A NEW MOVIE ABOUT HIS LORD AND SAVIOR, OR A DEVOUT JEWISH RABBI WANTING TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF HIS FAITH; HOW WE INTERPRET THE WORD OF GOD IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
SO TODAY'S BIBLE PASSAGES BOTH HAVE MESSAGES ABOUT THE INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD OF GOD. THEY ARE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF HOW THE WORD OF GOD IS INTERPRETED TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD, AND HOW THE PEOPLE RESPOND.
IN THE PASSAGE FROM NEHEMIAH, THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE RETURNED TO JERUSALEM AFTER NEARLY 70 YEARS IN BABYLONIAN EXILE.
THEY HAVE COME HOME TO BEGIN THE REBUILDING, BOTH OF THEIR IDENTITY AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE THAT WAS DESTROYED IN 587 BC. DURING THE PERIOD OF JEWISH EXILE, THE LAWS OF MOSES, WHICH HAD FOR CENTURIES BEEN MAINTAINED THROUGH ORAL TRADITION, WERE WRITTEN OUT IN HEBREW SCRIPT BY SCRIBES LIKE THE PRIEST, EZRA. AND AS WE COME TO THE STORY TODAY, THE PEOPLE ARE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE, AT THE WATER GATE, A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE, EVEN THE DEFILED, CAN OPENLY GATHER TOGETHER. EZRA STANDS TO READ AND THE PEOPLE STAND TO LISTEN. BUT THERE IS ONE PROBLEM.
THROUGHOUT THE GENERATIONS OF THE EXILE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR CAPTORS, THEY HAVE LEARNED TO SPEAK ARAMAIC AND THE HEBREW TEXT NO LONGER MAKES SENSE TO THEM. THE PEOPLE GATHERED INTO THE SQUARE AT THE WATER GATE, STANDING AND FACING EZRA IN THAT AUSPICIOUS MOMENT, CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND THE WORD OF GOD, AND SO THERE ARE INTERPRETERS, PEOPLE WHO KNOW BOTH HEBREW AND ARAMAIC. THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE TO HELP EVERYONE GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY NEEDED SO BADLY TO HEAR. AND AS THE HEBREW IS TRANSLATED AND INTERPRETED FOR THEM, THE PEOPLE BECOME OVERWHELMED WITH THE JOY AND THE SORROW OF HEARING THE WORD OF GOD ONE MORE TIME. I ASK YOU, MY FRIENDS, WHAT GOOD IS THE WORD OF GOD IF WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT?
PETER GOMES, PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIAN MORALS AT HARVARD COLLEGE, HAS WRITTEN THAT "INTERPRETATION IS THE FUEL THAT DRIVES UNDERSTANDING." (PG. 33 OF THE GOOD BOOK)AND IT WAS THE DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING THAT CAME TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE THAT DAY SO LONG AGO, WHICH BROUGHT THEM SUCH EMOTION. THE PEOPLE WEPT WHEN THEY HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD THE LAW OF MOSES. THEY MAY HAVE CRIED FOR JOY OF RECOGNITION, OR THEY MAY HAVE CRIED FOR SORROW BECAUSE OF WHAT HAD BEEN LOST, BUT EZRA AND NEHEMIAH AND THE LEVITES CLAIMED THAT DAY AS A CELEBRATION. THEY TOLD THE PEOPLE, "GO YOUR WAY, EAT THE FAT AND DRINK SWEET WINE…FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH." (NEHEMIAH 8:10) FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH. AND THIS, MY FRIENDS, WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE CELEBRATION OF ROSH HASHANAH - THE JEWISH NEW YEAR.
NOW IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE WE HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF INTERPRETATION, BUT WITH A MUCH DIFFERENT OUTCOME. JESUS COMES TO THE SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH AND READS FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH. "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME," HE SAID, "BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ANOINTED TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR." JESUS FINISHES READING FROM THE TORAH, AND CONTINUES TO TEACH UPON THE TEXT, LIKE ANY GOOD RABBI. "TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE HAS BEEN FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING," HE SAYS. HE IS INTERPRETING THE WORD OF GOD, BUT THE PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND HIM. AGAIN, I ASK YOU, WHAT GOOD IS THE WORD OF GOD IF WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT?
PETER GOMES USES THIS PASSAGE AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE YOUR INTERPRETATION. HE SAYS, "…AS IN THE CASE OF JESUS' [FIRST HOMETOWN SERMON], THE PEOPLE WERE NOT AT ALL PLEASED WITH THE INTERPRETATION. JESUS' CONGREGATION SOUGHT TO KILL HIM, AN EXTREME REACTION. TODAY THE CONGREGATION WOULD SIMPLY FIRE THE PREACHER." (PG. 32 THE GOOD BOOK)
OUR KERYGMA CLASS HAD A VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT INTERPRETATION THIS WEEK. WE WERE READING THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES AND TALKING ABOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN WE CAME TO THE STORY OF PENTECOST. THE DISCIPLES ARE GATHERED IN THE UPPER ROOM WHEN SUDDENLY THE WIND BLOWS AND FLAMES APPEAR OVER EACH OF THEIR HEADS. THEY SPEAK IN LANGUAGES THEY HAD NEVER LEARNED. AND SINCE ALL OF THE APOSTLES SPOKE IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ON THE DAY THEY RECEIVED THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE GOT TO TALKING ABOUT SPEAKING IN TONGUES AND THE INTERPRETATION, THERE OF.
NOW SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS AN ANCIENT TRADITION THAT BEGAN WITHIN THE EARLIEST CHURCH. IT IS A FORM OF ECSTATIC VERBAL EXPRESSION UNLIKE ANY KNOWN LANGUAGE. IT IS ALSO UNLIKE PENTECOST BECAUSE, ON THAT DAY, THE LANGUAGES OF THE DISCIPLES WERE UNDERSTOOD BY THE PEOPLE GATHERED IN JERUSALEM, FROM ALL DIFFERENT REGIONS, TO CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF WEEKS.
I HAVE JUST RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT SOME CHRISTIANS WOULD CALL SPEAKING IN TONGUES THE LANGUAGE OF GOD AND CLAIM THERE IS NO WAY TO TRULY INTERPRET THE MEANING. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING, WHICH COMES FROM THE DISCIPLE PAUL, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE INTERPRETATION OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. IN PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH, WHERE THE ISSUE OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES WAS CAUSING A MAJOR RUCKUS, HE CLEARLY SAYS, "IF ANYONE SPEAKS IN A TONGUE, LET THERE BE ONLY TWO OR AT MOST THREE, AND EACH IN TURN; AND LET ONE INTERPRET." YOU SEE, PAUL'S CONCERN WAS THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCLUDED RATHER THAN GATHERED IN WHEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID. INTERPRETATION FOLLOWED BY UNDERSTANDING IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART OF ENGAGING THE WORD OF GOD.
FRIENDS, I BELIEVE IN MY HEART OF HEARTS THAT THE VERY MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE BEFORE OUR CONTEMPORARY WORLD IS THE ISSUE OF INTERPRETATION. WHEN WE WRESTLE TO INTERPRET THE LAWS, AND SCRIPTURE, AND CULTURES, AND MUSIC, AND HISTORY, AND POLITICS, WE WRESTLE FOR UNDERSTANDING, AND UNDERSTANDING IS A VERY GOOD THING. WHERE THERE IS UNDERSTANDING THERE IS BRIGHTNESS AND LIGHT AND LOVE. LIKE THE JEWS GATHERED AT THE WATER GATE OF JERUSALEM, WE CAN FIND OURSELVES DEEPLY AND EMOTIONALLY MOVED BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF UNDERSTANDING.
AND LIKEWISE, WHERE WE DON'T STRUGGLE TO INTERPRET EVERYTHING AROUND US IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR CONTEMPORARY SITUATION, WE HAVE LITTLE OR NO UNDERSTANDING, AND THE WORLD BECOMES A DANGEROUS AND DARK PLACE, LEAVING US ANGRY AND TORMENTED. WE BECOME CAPABLE OF WANTING TO KILL THE LIKES OF JESUS, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID.
AS I THINK BACK THROUGH MY RAMBLINGS HERE, I DISCOVER I NEED TO DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT THE POINT OF MY MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE. WELL, I THINK THE POINT IS THAT WE ALWAYS NEED TO GRAPPLE WITH INTERPRETATION. WE CAN TAKE ADVICE FROM THE PEOPLE WE TRUST.
WE CAN READ THE AUTHORS WHO PLEASE US, OR CHALLENGE US, THE MOST. OF COURSE WE ALWAYS LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO OUR PREACHERS.
BUT FRIENDS, DON'T EVER LEAVE THE INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD OF GOD COMPLETELY UP TO SOMEONE ELSE.
OWN IT.
CLAIM IT.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN.
BECAUSE ONLY THEN CAN YOU, AND I, INTERPRET AND TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS GOD IS SAYING TO US.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: I Corinthians 12:1-11 & John 2:1-11
[THIS SERMON WAS LAST PREACHED ON JANUARY 14, 2001 UNDER THE TITLE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL]MOTHER'S CAN BE SO BOSSY! I GET A BIG KICK OUT OF THIS EXCHANGE BETWEEN JESUS AND MARY. IT'S ALMOST AS IF MARY WERE THE PROTOTYPE FOR TODAY'S "TYPICAL" JEWISH MOTHER! CANTOR GERI ZELLER SAYS, "MY SON THE LAWYER." AND MARY OF NAZARETH SAYS, "MY SON THE MIRACLE WORKER, MY SON THE SAVIOR!"
JESUS SCOLDS MARY FOR MENTIONING ANYTHING ABOUT HIS SPECIAL GIFTS. AND MARY PUSHES HIM IN SUCH A WAY THAT JESUS IS FORCED TO RESPOND. THIS MOTHER/SON EXCHANGE HAS ALL THE POIGNANCY OF A TRULY HUMAN EXCHANGE. I CAN RELATE TOTALLY! BUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN MARY'S!
MY SON WOULD HAVE STORMED OFF TO COMPLAIN TO HIS FRIENDS ABOUT WHAT A BUTT-IN-SKI HIS MOTHER IS. BUT JESUS REVEALS HIS GIFT FOR MIRACLES AS A RESPONSE TO MARY'S MANIPULATIONS, SHOWING US, RIGHT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, ABOUT HIS EXTRAORDINARY NATURE.
NOW MOTHERS HAVE ALWAYS HAD A KEEN EYE TOWARDS OUR CHILDREN'S FINEST GIFTS. MOTHERS CAN OFTEN SPOT SOMETHING IN OUR OWN OFFSPRING THAT WOULD TAKE THE REST OF THE WORLD MUCH LONGER TO SEE. AND SO IT WAS WITH MARY. BUT RATHER THAN SEE HER AS A PUSHY MOTHER, WE BELIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS USING HER TO VALIDATE THE BEGINNING OF JESUS' MINISTRY. WE BELIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS USING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A MOTHER AND HER SON TO CALL FORTH THE GIFTS OF THE SON.
AND SO AN IMPORTANT TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY OF MOTHER CHURCH HAS BEEN ASSIGNED, RIGHT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. IT IS UP TO THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK THROUGH THE BODY OF CHRIST TO CALL FORTH THE GIFTS WE HAVE TO SHARE TOGETHER. IT IS UP TO US TO SEEK OUT KNOWLEDGE OF OUR OWN GIFTS. WE NEED TO KNOW OURSELVES WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT QUALITIES GOD HAS GIVEN US AS A BLESSING. AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE GIFTS OF OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. LIKE A MOTHER WHO SEES THE BEST IN HER CHILDREN, WE NEED TO LOOK UPON ONE ANOTHER AND SEE THE BEST OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO EACH MEMBER IN THE BODY. THE SPEAKING AND THE RECEIVING AND THE USING OF OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS IS WHAT MAKE US INTO THE VERY SPECIAL COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE.
NOW PAUL'S UNDERSTANDING OF "CHURCH" IS GENEROUSLY LACED WITH REFERENCES TO SPIRITUAL GIFTS. HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT GIFTS ARE, HOW GIFTS CAN BE RECOGNIZED AND HOW GIFTS NEED TO BE USED.
IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, PAUL TALKS A LOT ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL GIFTS NEED EACH OTHER IN ORDER FOR THE BODY TO BE HEALTHY AND STRONG. THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH AT CORINTH WERE A DIVERSE GATHERING OF PERSONALITIES, WHO HAD LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OR SKILL ABOUT HOW TO BE A UNITED BODY. THEY HAD BEEN ARGUING ABOUT THEIR DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS AND EXPERIENCES INSTEAD OF SEEING THEM AS A REASON TO BE TOGETHER. AND IN THE 12TH CHAPTER OF THIS LETTER, PAUL GETS TO THE HEART OF HIS TEACHINGS ABOUT DIFFERENCES.
PAUL SAYS THAT OUR DIFFERENT GIFTS ARE ALL GIVEN BY THE SAME GOD. AND THE RECOGNITION OF OUR TRUE GIFTS HAPPENS BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE SAYS WE CAN BELIEVE THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHENEVER JESUS IS PROCLAIMED AS LORD.
AND SO HE REFLECTS THE TRINITARIAN FORMULA - FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. HE REFLECTS THE MYSTERY OF FAITH - CHRIST HAS DIED, CHRIST HAS RISEN, CHRIST SHALL COME AGAIN. BUT EVEN WHEN I TRY TO PUT THIS SCRIPTURE INTO CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE IT SOUNDS LIKE A CIRCLE CHASING ITSELF!
MY FRIENDS, HOW WE COME ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS IS, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE, A MYSTERY! AMEN - SO BE IT! BUT THE IMPORTANT THING TO LEARN FROM THIS SCRIPTURE IS THAT ALL OF OUR GIFTS COME TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD. ALL OF OUR DIFFERENCES MAKE A WONDROUS UNITY WHEN THEY ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN LOVE. AND THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CHURCH IS.
YES, CHURCH IS STEWARDSHIP, CHURCH IS MISSION AND CHURCH IS EVANGELISM AND CHURCH IS WORSHIP, BUT NONE OF THAT CAN HAPPEN UNTIL PEOPLE BECOME CHURCH. AND PEOPLE ONLY BECOME CHURCH WHEN WE BRING OUR DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL GIFTS TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
NOW, CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS, HOW MANY OF US BELIEVE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFT IS THAT WHICH WE DO WELL? PAULINE HAS A GIFT FOR TEACHING. BOB HAS A GIFT FOR GARDENING. SARAH HAS A GIFT FOR COMPUTERS. CAROL HAS A GIFT FOR PLAYING THE ORGAN. JOHN HAS A GIFT FOR SINGING. IF WE BELIEVE THIS, WE ARE RIGHT…BUT ONLY PARTIALLY!
WHEN WE CAN DO SOMETHING WELL, THIS IS CLEARLY A GIFT FROM GOD. BUT IT IS ALSO SOMETHING FOR US TO REHEARSE AND DEVELOP AND PERFECT. BUT A SPIRITUAL GIFT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK AT. A SPIRITUAL GIFT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COME BY NATURALLY; THINGS LIKE KINDNESS, HUMOR, JOY, ENERGY, PATIENCE, OPENNESS, INSIGHT, TRUTH AND STRENGTH, TO NAME JUST A FEW.
SOME SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE SMALL AND SEEMINGLY UNIMPORTANT. SOME SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE SPLASHY AND WONDERFUL AND LARGE.
BUT THE ECONOMY OF GOD'S WAY OF LIVING SAYS THAT EVERY GIFT, NO MATTER HOW GREAT OR SMALL, IS NEEDED. AND EVERY GIFT IS MEANT TO BE USED FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
A FEW YEARS AGO I RECEIVED A STORY AND A POEM AT THE SAME TIME. THESE TWO LITERARY PIECES ARE THE POLAR OPPOSITES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE EXPERIENCE OUR GIFTS AS A PART OF GOD'S ABUNDANT LOVE AND EITHER WITHHOLD THEM, OR SHARE THEM IN ALL HUMILITY. THE POEM IS ENTITLED "THE COLD WITHIN," COMPLIMENTS OF DICK CLARK. IT TELLS US WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DON'T SHARE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS FOR THE COMMON GOOD.IT GOES LIKE THIS:
SIX HUMANS TRAPPED BY HAPPENSTANCE
IN DARK AND BITTER COLD
EACH ONE POSSESSED A STICK OF WOOD
OR SO THE STORY'S TOLD.
THEIR DYING FIRE IN NEED OF LOGS
ONE WOMAN HELD HERS BACK
FOR ON THE FACES AROUND THE FIRE
SHE NOTICED ONE WAS BLACK.
THE NEXT ONE LOOKING ACROSS THE WAY
SAW ONE NOT OF HIS CHURCH
AND COULDN'T BRING HIMSELF TO GIVE
THE FIRE HIS STICK OF BIRCH.
THE THIRD ONE SAT IN TATTERED CLOTHES
AND GAVE HIS COAT A HITCH -
"WHY SHOULD MY LOG BE USED
TO AID THE IDLE RICH?"
THE RICH MAN JUST SAT BACK AND THOUGHT
OF THE WEALTH HE HAD IN STORE
AND HOW TO KEEP WHAT HE HAS EARNED
FROM THE LAZY, SHIFTLESS POOR.
THE BLACK MAN'S FACE BESPOKE REVENGE
AS THE FIRE PASSED FROM HIS SIGHT
FOR ALL HE SAW IN HIS STICK OF WOOD
WAS A CHANCE TO SPITE THE WHITE.
THE LAST MAN IN THIS FORLORN GROUP
DID NOT EXCEPT FOR GAIN
GIVING ONLY TO THOSE WHO GAVE
WAS HOW HE PLAYED THE GAME.
SIX LOGS HELD TIGHT IN DEATH'S STILL HANDS
WAS PROOF OF HUMAN SIN
THEY DIDN'T DIE FROM THE COLD WITHOUT
THEY DIED FROM THE COLD WITHIN.
MY FRIENDS, WITHHOLDING OUR GIFTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY OF FAITH LEAVES US VULNERABLE TO DEATH FROM THE COLD WITHIN. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER WAY.
THE STORY IS CALLED "ASPIRE TO BE A CRACK POT!"(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)AND THIS STORY IS THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE USE OUR GIFTS, WITH A SENSE OF HUMILITY, FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
A WATER BEARER IN INDIA HAD TWO LARGE POTS, EACH HUNG ON EACH END OF A POLE WHICH HE CARRIED ACROSS HIS NECK. ONE OF THE POTS HAD A CRACK IN IT, AND WHILE THE OTHER POT WAS PERFECT AND ALWAYS DELIVERED A FULL PORTION OF WATER AT THE END OF THE LONG WALK FROM THE STREAM TO THE MASTER'S HOUSE, THE CRACKED POT ARRIVED ONLY HALF FULL.OF COURSE, THE PERFECT POT WAS PROUD OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PERFECT TO THE END FOR WHICH IT WAS MADE. BUT THE POOR CRACKED POT WAS ASHAMED OF ITS OWN IMPERFECTION, AND MISERABLE THAT IT WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ONLY HALF OF WHAT IT HAD BEEN MADE TO DO. AFTER TWO YEARS OF WHAT IT PERCEIVED TO BE A BITTER FAILURE, IT SPOKE TO THE WATER BEARER ONE DAY BY THE STREAM. "I AM ASHAMED OF MYSELF, AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU." "WHY?" ASKED THE BEARER, "WHAT ARE YOU ASHAMED OF?"
"I HAVE BEEN ABLE, FOR THESE PAST TWO YEARS, TO DELIVER ONLY HALF MY LOAD BECAUSE THIS CRACK IN MY SIDE CAUSES WATER TO LEAK OUT ALL THE WAY BACK TO YOUR MASTER'S HOUSE. BECAUSE OF MY FLAWS, YOU HAVE TO DO ALL OF THIS WORK, AND YOU DON'T GET FULL VALUE FROM YOUR EFFORTS." THE POT SAID.
THE WATER BEARER FELT SORRY FOR THE OLD CRACKED POT, AND IN HIS COMPASSION HE SAID, "AS WE RETURN TO THE MASTER'S HOUSE, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS ALONG THE PATH."
INDEED, AS THEY WENT UP THE HILL, THE OLD CRACKED POT TOOK NOTICE OF THE SUN WARMING THE BEAUTIFUL WILD FLOWERS ON THE SIDE OF THE PATH, AND THIS CHEERED IT SOME. BUT AT THE END OF THE TRAIL, IT STILL FELT BAD BECAUSE IT HAD LEAKED OUT HALF ITS LOAD, AND SO AGAIN THE POT APOLOGIZED TO THE BEARER FOR ITS FAILURE.
THE BEARER SAID TO THE POT, "DID YOU NOTICE THAT THERE WERE FLOWERS ONLY ON YOUR SIDE OF YOUR PATH, BUT NOT ON THE OTHER POTS SIDE? THAT'S BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN ABOUT YOUR FLAW, AND I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT. I PLANTED FLOWER SEEDS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE PATH, AND EVERY DAY WHILE WE WALK BACK FROM THE STREAM, YOU'VE WATERED THEM. FOR TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PICK THESE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS TO DECORATE MY MASTER'S TABLE. WITHOUT YOU BEING JUST THE WAY YOU ARE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS BEAUTY TO GRACE HIS HOUSE."
OUR GIFTS ARE, INDEED, A MYSTERY. WHAT WE DISLIKE ABOUT OURSELVES OR ANOTHER PERSON MAY WELL BE GOD'S GIFT. BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD'S ABUNDANCE IS SHARED THROUGH OUR GIFTS, AND GOD'S ABUNDANCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE. IT IS WITHIN GOD'S ABUNDANCE THAT THE FIRES OF LOVE BURN AND THE BEAUTY OF CREATION BLOOMS FOREVER.
GIFTS CAN BE BLATANT AND BOLD. THEY CAN BE HIDDEN AND TINY. BUT WHEN THEY ARE ALL BROUGHT TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD, THE BODY OF CHRIST IS HEALTHY AND WHOLE. AND GOD SAW THAT MOTHER CHURCH WAS GOOD. AND GOD BLESSED THE ABUNDANCE OF IT ALL.
ALLELUIA! AMEN!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 147:12-20, Ephesians 1:3-14 & John 1:14-18
I NEED TO MAKE A CONFESSION TODAY. I NEED TO CONFESS THAT I AM CARRYING WITHIN ME A FEAR THAT IS GETTING TOO LARGE FOR ME TO HIDE IT. IT IS TOO GREAT FOR ME TO HOLD IT IN ANY LONGER. THE TIME HAS COME FOR ME TO LET IT GO AND SPEAK ABOUT IT FROM THIS PULPIT.
MY FRIENDS, I'M AFRAID THAT THE LIBERAL EXPRESSION OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH HAS BECOME FAR TO WILLING TO GIVE UP ON JESUS IN THE INTEREST OF INCLUSIVITY AND UNIVERSALITY.
I HAVE A DEAR FRIEND - A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER WHOM I LOVE AND RESPECT - WHO WILL NOT USE THE NAME OF CHRIST IN HIS PRAYERS AND HIS LITURGIES. HE SAYS JESUS IS SO MISUNDERSTOOD IN THIS DAY AND AGE THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO USE HIS NAME, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE TRANSLATION THAT HAPPENS IN PEOPLE'S MINDS WHEN THEY HEAR IT. HE SAYS WE SPEAK THE NAME OF JESUS AND PEOPLE ONLY HEAR GUILT AND JUDGMENT. AND HE HAS A POINT - BUT I'M AFRAID. AND THE DEPTH OF MY FEAR IS EMBEDDED IN OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGES FOR TODAY.
AS I READ THE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS I KEEP HEARING THE WORD "GRACE" IN RELATION TO JESUS, NOT "JUDGMENT" OR "GUILT." AND MY DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED HEARING THE SAME THING I HEAR. WHEN I SPEAK THE NAME OF JESUS, I HOPE THAT I AM SPEAKING A WORD OF GRACE. I PRAY THAT MY LOVE OF CHRIST IS NOT BEING MISINTERPRETED INTO SOMETHING I DON'T WANT IT TO BE. MY LOVE OF CHRIST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GUILT OR SHAME OR JUDGMENT. AND MY DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT OUR WORLD IS LOSING THE GRACE WE SO DESPERATELY NEED AS WE BECOME TOO SOPHISTICATED TO SPEAK THE NAME OF JESUS.
IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN WE HEAR THAT THE INCARNATION OF GOD IN THE FULLNESS OF JESUS CHRIST HAS BROUGHT US "GRACE UPON GRACE." WHAT A WONDERFUL STATEMENT! HAVE YOU EVER REALLY MEDITATED ON THE IDEA OF BEING GIVEN GRACE UPON GRACE?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RECEIVE GRACE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WANT GRACE FOR ANOTHER PERSON OR OTHER PEOPLE? WHAT WOULD IT FEEL LIKE TO EXPERIENCE GRACE UPON GRACE AS AN INDIVIDUAL; AS A COMMUNITY; AS A WORLD; AS A UNIVERSE?
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE, IN MY HEART OF HEARTS THAT JESUS IS MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISINTERPRETED BECAUSE GRACE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF GOD'S LOVE TO ACCEPT. AND JESUS IS ALL ABOUT GRACE.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE LESS WE KNOW JESUS THE EASIER IT IS TO REFUSE THE GIFT OF GRACE! GRACE WAS BORN INTO THE WORLD THROUGH HIM. THE GRACE OF GOD IS NO LONGER OUT THERE, FLOATING AROUND IN SOME UNKNOWN LAYER OF HEAVEN. THE GRACE OF GOD HAS BEEN BORN INTO OUR MIDST AND LIVES AMONG US. GRACE IS THE ONE UNWRAPPED GIFT LEFT UNDER THE TREE.
I'VE BEEN READING A BOOK THIS PAST WEEK CALLED WHAT'S SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE, WRITTEN BY AN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, PHILLIP YANCEY. IT IS A POWERFUL BOOK AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHO CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE CHRISTIANS. AND MOST ESPECIALLY IF WE THINK IT IS NOT "ACCEPTABLE" OR "SOPHISTICATED" TO USE THE NAME OF JESUS.
IN HIS BOOK, YANCEY TELLS OF A BRITISH CONFERENCE ON COMPARATIVE RELIGIONS WHERE EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD HAD GATHERED FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS. AT ONE POINT A FEW OF THE INTELLECTUALS BEGAN TO DEBATE THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION TO SEE IF, INDEED, THERE TRULY WAS SUCH A THING. THEY WERE BOISTEROUSLY COMING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY DO NOT SET US APART FROM OTHER RELIGIONS. TOGETHER THEY HAD AFFIRMED THAT EXPERIENCES OF DIVINE INCARNATION AND MIRACULOUS RESURRECTION CAN BE FOUND IN MANY OTHER RELIGIONS. AND SO THE DEBATE CONTINUED UNTIL C. S. LEWIS ENTERED THE ROOM.
"'WHAT'S THE RUMPUS ABOUT?' HE ASKED, AND HEARD IN REPLY THAT HIS COLLEAGUES WERE DISCUSSING CHRISTIANITY'S UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION AMONG WORLD RELIGIONS. LEWIS RESPONDED, 'OH, THAT'S EASY. IT'S GRACE.'"
AS YANCEY TELLS THE STORY, "AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, THE CONFEREES HAD TO AGREE. THE NOTION OF GOD'S LOVE COMING TO US FREE OF CHARGE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED, SEEMS TO GO AGAINST EVERY INSTINCT OF HUMANITY. THE BUDDHIST EIGHT-FOLD PATH, THE HINDU DOCTRINE OF KARMA, THE JEWISH COVENANT, AND MUSLIM CODE OF LAW-EACH OF THESE OFFERS A WAY TO EARN APPROVAL. ONLY CHRISTIANITY DARES TO MAKE GOD'S LOVE UNCONDITIONAL." (PG. 45)
I THINK IF WE ARE ALL REALLY HONEST WITH OURSELVES WE SOON COME TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT BASICALLY WE WOULD MUCH RATHER EARN GOD'S LOVE THAN RECEIVE IT. THE FREEDOM OF SIMPLY RECEIVING LOVE IS NOT SOMETHING WE HUMAN BEINGS DO VERY WELL.
WHEN WE HAVE TO EARN GOD'S LOVE, WE ARE IN CONTROL, WE HAVE TO WORK HARD, AND WE CAN SUFFER. BUT WHEN WE SIMPLY RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE AND LIVE OUT OUR LIVES FROM THAT GIFTED PLACE, THEN GOD IS IN CONTROL AND LIFE CAN UNFOLD IN WHATEVER WAY.
WHEN WE LIVE A LIFE OF FREE GRACE, WE ARE TETHERED TO LOVE RATHER THAN SUFFERING. AND, FRIENDS, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THAT GOODNESS!
AT 1 AM ON CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING A YOUNG MAN NAMED MICHAEL BERTOLINO WAS KILLED IN A TRAGIC CAR ACCIDENT SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO RIVER EDGE, NEW JERSEY. I KNOW ABOUT MICHAEL'S DEATH BECAUSE HIS AUNT JAN IS MARRIED TO MY COUSIN, ELMER. JAN AND ELMER CAME FROM ILLINOIS FOR THE FUNERAL, AND ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT SURROUND SUCH A TIME IN THE LIFE OF A FAMILY. BECAUSE OF THEIR PRESENCE, STEWART AND I HEADED OVER TO RIVER EDGE LAST WEDNESDAY EVENING AND THURSDAY MORNING IN ORDER TO BE THERE WITH THEM AND GIVE OUR SUPPORT. AS JAN TOLD ME THE FULL STORY OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS EVEN WORSE THAN I FIRST IMAGINED.
THE PASSENGER IN MICHAEL'S CAR WAS HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, VICTOR, WHO HAD JUST MARRIED MICHAEL'S ONLY SISTER, CLAUDIA, ON THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER. VICTOR HAD SUFFERED SEVERE BURNS OVER 50 % OF HIS BODY AND WAS BARELY CLINGING TO LIFE AT ST. BARNABAS HOSPITAL IN LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY AS HIS YOUNG WIFE WAS ATTENDING HER BROTHER'S FUNERAL. IT SEEMED AS IF TRAGEDY UPON TRAGEDY HAD BEEN VISITED ON ONE FAMILY AND THE BURDEN OF THIS FAMILY'S SORROW SHOULD HAVE FELT UNBEARABLE, EVEN FOR OUTSIDERS LIKE STEWART AND ME. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I FELT GRACE INSTEAD OF BURDEN. AND I BELIEVE I FELT GRACE BECAUSE THE GIFT HAD BEEN RECEIVED.
THIS FAMILY WAS LEANING ON THE FREE GIFT OF GRACE AS THEY WALKED THROUGH WHAT HAD TO BE THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCE OF ANY OF THEIR LIVES. GOD WAS CLOSE TO THEM BECAUSE GOD WAS FAMILIAR. AND THE GRACE OF JESUS WAS PRESENT, IN PART, BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTY OF A LOVELY CRUCIFIX HANGING IN THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH.
NOW I DON'T OFTEN CALL A CRUCIFIX A LOVELY THING, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING WONDERFUL ABOUT THE GRACE THAT EXUDED FROM THIS PARTICULAR STATUE. THE JESUS OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE CHURCH IN RIVER EDGE, NEW JERSEY LOOKS DOWN FROM HIS CROSS WITH PURE LOVE ON HIS FACE. THERE WAS NO TWISTED AGONY, ONLY A SERENE SENSE OF PRESENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. JESUS KNOWS OUR SORROWS AND LIFTS US UP. JESUS BRINGS US GRACE, AND HE BRINGS IT TO US WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
ACTUALLY, JESUS BRINGS GRACE TO THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. AND THIS IS WHY I MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIAN. YOU SEE, MY OTHER FEAR ABOUT DOWNPLAYING THE IMPORTANCE OF JESUS IS THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR WORLD LOSING THE UNDERSTANDING THAT GRACE IS A FREE GIFT FOR EVERYONE. THE THEOLOGY OF EPHESIANS TELLS US THAT GOD DRAWS ALL THINGS TOGETHER IN JESUS THE CHRIST. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD DRAWS ALL THINGS TOGETHER IN GRACE. AND IF GRACE IS A FREE GIFT, THEN PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO ASPIRE TO ANY PARTICULAR BELIEF IN ORDER TO BE GIFTED WITH IT. I'M AFRAID THAT CAPITALISM AND CHRISTIANITY ARE BEGINNING TO BE SEEN AS ONE AND THE SAME, AND THIS JUST ISN'T TRUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW THE JESUS OF THE GOSPELS. IN A CAPITALISTIC STATE THERE IS A CHANCE FOR LIFE TO BE FAIR. IF WE WORK HARD AND WE ARE BRIGHT ENOUGH WE CAN MAKE IT BIG AS A CAPITALIST. IN A CAPITALISTIC STATE (WHICH SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH DEMOCRACY) WE CAN PULL OURSELVES UP BY THE BOOTSTRAPS, OR SO WE THINK!
BUT IN CHRISTIANITY LIFE IS NOT FAIR. IN CHRISTIANITY WE CANNOT WORK HARD TO GET MORE. IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK THAT WILL ONLY FRUSTRATE. BECAUSE OF CHRISTIAN GRACE, THE UNWORTHY BECOME WORTHY WITHOUT EVER WORKING FOR IT; THE FIRST ARE LAST AND THE LAST ARE FIRST; THE HIGH PLACES ARE BROUGHT LOW AND THE LOWLY ARE LIFTED UP. YOU SEE, I AM AFRAID THAT OUR AMERICAN PRESENCE IN THE WORLD IS NOT AT ALL A CHRISTIAN PRESENCE, EVEN THOUGH OUR PRESENT ADMINISTRATION WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE IT IS. IN OUR AMERICAN PRESENCE TO THE WORLD THERE IS NO GRACE, THERE IS ONLY TIT FOR TAT, RETRIBUTION AND GOOD OLD-FASHIONED GREED. SO WE LIBERALS ARE ALL CONFUSED ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOLD OUT TO CAPITALISM AND WE HAVE LOST JESUS AS A PART OF OUR REPERTOIRE. I THINK WE FORGET THAT JESUS, HIMSELF, WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LIBERAL CHRISTIAN BY TODAY'S STANDARDS. AND WE MUST NOT LOSE HIM TO PEOPLE WHO THINK OTHERWISE.
FRIENDS, TODAY WE GATHER AROUND THIS COMMUNION TABLE IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. WE GATHER HERE TO REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE HE MADE FOR US. WE GATHER HERE TO RECEIVE THE FREE GIFT OF GRACE. AND WE GATHER HERE TO BE FORGIVEN FOR OUR VERY BASIC HUMAN NATURE THAT WOULD HAVE US NOT RECEIVE THE GIFT. FRIENDS, WE GATHER HERE BECAUSE OF JESUS AND I LOVE THE SOUND OF HIS NAME, DO YOU?
EUGENE O'NEILL ONCE WROTE, "MAN IS BORN BROKEN. HE LIVES BY MENDING. THE GRACE OF GOD IS GLUE." ALLELUIA! AMEN!
LET US AFFIRM OUR FAITH BY STANDING TOGETHER AND SINGING #280, AMAZING GRACE.