Who Is This Jesus?
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on March 28, 2010.
Year C, Sixth Sunday in Lent (Liturgy of the Passion)
Scripture passages: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 23:1-49
What is it about Jesus that we find so intriguing, so mysterious, so odd? What is the essence of this man who stood so tall against the establishment that it resulted in his death? Why have so many people over the last 2,000 years attempted to follow this 1st century Galilean? What is the difference? What makes this man unique other than our theological jots and tittles? If we strip away the thee's and thou's and verily's, what shall we do with this Jesus? This man who walked the shores of the Sea of Galilea, overturned the display tables of vendors at the Passover conference in Jerusalem; what compels us to see him differently than other great women and great men who died for great causes?
Certainly others have died. Certainly others have died more prolonged and painful executions. Certainly others have given their lives for their fellow women and men. Certainly others have taken on the establishment. Certainly others have attempted to live lives of peace and justice. Certainly others have stood up for the poor and the widows and the weak.
Why Jesus? Why this man? And what is different about his death? Without moving too quickly toward Easter and the resurrection, what is it about the passion, the suffering and the crucifixion of Jesus, the Christ, that has encapsulated the best minds of civilization for these intervening millenniums?
Those who saw Braveheart admire his bravery, that he fought for his homeland, for his people, his honor. His death was certainly as violent and troubling as Jesus' death was. Gandhi was shot by one of his own countrymen. This is hard to believe especially after we consider that Gandhi was instrumental to securing their independence from the British. Notwithstanding the theological assertion that Jesus was sinless and Gandhi was probably not, Gandhi's assassination was similarly without sufficient cause to warrant death – as was the death of Jesus. History is filled with those who gave up their life for a cause. Even literature, movies and the arts are full of this theme. Do you remember when Obi-Wan was fighting Darth Vader in the first Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope? Obi-Wan knew his fate as he spoke, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” And when he sees Luke watching his battle with Darth Vader, he smiles, withdraws from the fight by pulling the light saber close to his face, closes his eyes and is struck down by Vader.
Joan of Arc was burned at the stake after being judged guilty of religious heresy at an unjust trial for political gain and payback. History is filled with unjust deaths, many having been justified falsely by religious and political leaders. Jesus is one of many. And yet Jesus lures us in for a closer look. Indeed, the suffering and death of Jesus tugs us closer because there is something mysterious in the whole thing.
Scripture clearly teaches us that Jesus knew something about his fate. He taught his disciples that he would have to die. He taught them that he would have to suffer many things. Scripture certainly implies that he knew he would be dead for 3 days and then would be restored. We are given every indication that Jesus knew he would die and that it would not be pretty.
This knowledge about what was to happen makes it even more mysterious and enlightening at the same time. It becomes more mysterious as we try to figure out what Jesus knew ahead of time and what he did not know (if there was anything that he did not know or anticipate). It is enlightening because it helps us to know that he was not going into this blindly. So, we are able to see a stark parallel between Obi-Wan and Jesus in that both of them knew, to some degree, that they would not only come out on the other side, but that they would become more than what they were before.
So, it seems that most people of most every religion are drawn to consider Jesus, particularly his suffering and death as mysterious and quite rare, if not unique to the human experience. Part of this mystery is wrapped up in his awareness of what would happen to him both in the process of the suffering and something about what it would be like on the other side.
Another focus of the mystery and uniqueness of the passion of Jesus was what we perceive as his passivity during the process. Make note that I am stipulating that we perceive him as being passive during the process. This may sound strange to many. Does not the record indicate that Jesus was passive? Not necessarily. If we consider that “the process of his suffering” as narrowly defined as the events which took place during the week of his passion, then my question about him being passive makes no sense. On the surface, it seems that he acted passively. But let us consider the scriptural assertion that Jesus knew why he was going to Jerusalem – and he went anyway. Jesus knew he was becoming the target of the religious leaders – and he challenged them all the more. To say that Jesus was entirely passive is to misunderstand his ministry and the passion. Rather, Jesus is discovered to be quite active in challenging the status quo, the religious establishment, and standing up for the little guy. All of this actively led to the passion.
So, perhaps passivity is not the correct way to describe his response to the authorities during the passion narrative. Instead of thinking of Jesus as passive, this active response is more consistent with what some refer to as non-violent resistance. He stood up over against injustice in non-violent ways, and he also accepted their unjust judgments during the passion without responding violently. Many view this example of Jesus as the foundation of non-violent resistance to injustice. This is quite different than the passive Jesus we were taught about in Sunday School.
With the exception of turning over the tables of the money changers in the temple, we might have suggested that Jesus always peaceful and never aggressive. He was not interested in fighting or using physical force – except for his display of anger at the moneychangers in the temple. He even chastised Peter for cutting off the ear of the guard in the garden. He was not interested in running off the Romans, which is quite striking when we consider how pagan the Roman system was to the Jews. He refused to get caught up in zealotry and rebellions. Perhaps Jesus was peaceful, but not in the ways we normally think of peaceful.
On the other hand, he was not at all afraid of the powers of the establishment – both religious and political. Depending upon how you interpret his prayer in the garden which was certainly full of emotions, he may have experienced fear, but it would have been confined to his very intimate talk with God before his arrest. Perhaps Jesus was fearless, but not in the way we normally think of being fearless.
In our epistle lesson from Philippians, Paul exhorts us as follows.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.
In this passage we discover two other important characteristics of Jesus. These characteristics are of him generally and are not specific to the passion. He is described as being humble and obedient. Perhaps these are the overriding characteristics of Jesus, the Christ.
Here we are challenged and may inquire as to whether we find that Jesus was entirely humble. Is it possible for us to identify Jesus as humble when turning over the moneychangers tables? Is it possible for us to identify Jesus as humble when he curses and kills a tree for not bearing fruit? Is it possible for us to identify Jesus as humble when he refers to the Pharisees as vipers and sons of the devil? Perhaps Jesus was humble, but not in the ways we normally think of humility.
The conclusion is that we have difficulty identifying any one single description of what best describes Jesus during his suffering and death that would be entirely consistent throughout his recorded ministry. He seems passive, but that does not now seem to be the case. He seems fearless, but maybe not entirely. He was, after all, 100% human. And so, as we might discover with all heroes, real and fictional, Jesus defies precise descriptions – even in his suffering and death.
Nevertheless, despite a Jesus that is hard to pin down, we are able to observe the following:
That he acted without fear, even if he experienced fear.
That he was quite active in preparing for this painful conclusion of his earthly ministry
But after he actively stood strong and challenged the powers of this present age, he accepted their unjust judgment without violent resistance.
That he was principally peaceful.
That he was principally humble.
That he was always obedient.
This is what Paul is talking about when he says, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” This is our challenge as we consider the suffering and death of Jesus:
• Being principally peaceful
• Acting without fear, even if we are experiencing fear.
• Being quite active and purposeful about our ministry.
• Standing up for injustice in non-violent ways.
• Being principally humble.
• Being committed to obedience.
May the peace of Jesus rest in your hearts.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sowing Tear, Reaping Joy
Sowing Tears, Reaping Joy
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on March 21, 2010.
Year C, Fifth Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8
The beginning of Psalm 126 reads like a Psalm of rejoicing. As Mark read, verses 1-3 say this:
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
They were remembering God's mighty acts. Psalm 126 makes reference to the mighty acts of God in the past. Isaiah 43 recalls that the Lord made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters, drawing out the army of their enemies into a trap and extinguishing the threat entirely. Of course this is referring to the crossing of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptian army. The psalmist describes the feeling of the Israelites who witnessed this great display of God's power, “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy.” (vs. 2)
This remembering is an important part of our relationship to God. In times of spiritual drought, we can recall God's faithfulness. In times of loneliness, we can recall God's intimate presence. In times of defeat, we can recall God's many victories. This remembering provides us with spiritual refreshment, companionship, and hope.
There are temptations, however, that must be reckoned with. Indeed, it seems that most, if not all, spiritual gifts have a propensity to degenerate into an emphasis on the gift, instead of the giver. In the case of this gift of remembering God's mighty acts, we may catch ourselves either living in the past rather than the present OR we may become mired in the lament that these are not the good old days. Let's look at both of these possible detours for some insight.
“Living in the past” for us means living back in the 'good old days.' Wow, weren't those great times! God was moving. People's lives were being changed. We had great times of fellowship. We remember how God answered some of our prayers. The church was active and alive. We spent a little time there a few weeks ago, back in the good old days. It is good to visit the past – as long as we don't stay too long. Nostalgia is like chewing gum. It tastes good for awhile. But if we don't leave it behind, it will lose its flavor and ends up on the bottom of our shoes and impede our progress. One of the problems is that when we get stuck to the past, we are not living in the present. When we spend too much time reminiscing about the past, we lose today. Jesus calls us to live in the present.
The second detour that we sometimes take is becoming mired in the lament that today is not the past. In this state of lament, we continually compare the misery of the present with the glory of the past as evidence of our failure and believe that we are doomed. When we are stuck in lament, we are unable to enjoy the mystery of the present, nor are we able to witness God's persistent love notes strewn about our day. Fortunately, scripture leads us to a different, more uplifting and hopeful response.
The beauty of this psalm is that it affirms the spiritual practice of godly nostalgia – that of remembering God's mighty acts and his faithfulness – but it does not get stuck in the past! Furthermore, it also affirms the lament that our present position is a far cry from where we used to be. Indeed, it acknowledges that we are in dire straits, compared to the past glory – but it turns to the Lord as our source of hope for the present! Here is the rest of the Psalm.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
This is a great picture. The Psalmist is asking God to restore their fortune. The picture has the psalmist in the desert of the Negeb. Stephen Bishop says this,
The reference is to the wadis (or creeks) of southern Palestine that remain dry practically the entire year. When the winter rains come, just before planting season, the dry wadis become mighty torrents of water signaling hope to those who work the land. After a time of exile, a time when hope dried up, God restored the people to the land and now, once again they look to God to provide for them in this new situation. (Feasting on the Word)
But it is crucial to note that the request is made of God while embracing the pain of the present. The request was made in the dryness of the desert with tears falling amidst the pain. They felt the dissonance between the past glory and the excruciating pain of their present existence. There is no denial of the pain. There is no attempt to live outside the present.
And it is in that 'present' experience, that painful experience, that the psalmist pleads with God to transform their tears into joy.
Make no mistake this is no shortcut. Just as Lent and the cross are necessary pathways to the resurrection, so tears and pain are necessary pathways to joy and the restoration of the Glory of God. Kimberly L. Clayton puts it this way:
Verses 4-6 remind us that even a dry season or a season of weeping can be fruitful for soil and soul IF lament and hope in God find a balance within. The attention and care given to such seasons of sorrow and grief may become the ground of new life. (Feasting on the Word)
Ms. Clark goes on to give us this great advise.
From our Easter perspective, we know that if we pray only for God to restore life as we have known it in easier or better times, our prayer has fallen short of the hope – and the future – God intends. God has in mind not simply restoration, but resurrection. (Ibid)
It is remarkable that Isaiah 43:18,19 says
Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
So, let us not pray to be restored to the 'good old days.' God wants to do something new. God does not desire a return to the way things used to be. Rather God has something fresh and radical for us around the corner. Let us pray for this “new thing” so that when it comes we will be able to perceive it. Let us not rely upon old formulas, but on the Spirit of Lord who breaths new life into new bones for a new purpose.
In this process we learn that while these tears are cast upon dry and barren landscapes sometimes with little hope of fruition, God is in the process of preparing fertile hearts for harvest. God is not searching for old wine skins to fill with new wine. Instead, God has already been preparing new wine skins for a new filling of his Spirit. So, we would do well, amidst our own tears, to plead with God to do a work of resurrection, rather than simply a return to past glory.
------------------------------------------------
Last week, our passages talked about how God removed the disgrace of the children of Israel. As God prepared the Israelites to take possession of the promised land, he removed the shame of being enslaved and homeless. I spoke of the disgraces of sin, the disgrace of a father and the disgrace of a son. I likened this to the time of Lent and Easter. Lent is a time wherein we come face to face with the dark side of our lives and hearts. The 40 days of Lent are similar, in some respects, to the 40 years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness. Jesus himself spent 40 days in the wilderness praying and fasting prior to his being tempted by the evil one.
40 days or 40 years are not easy. These 40 days or 40 years take us back to the core of our struggles, both individually and corporately. They are times of hunger, times of thirst, times of doubt, times of loss, and times of crisis.
So, as we go through Lent, we are also walking the pathways of the Children of Israel as they walked through the wilderness. As we go through Lent, we join Jesus in his time of want as well as his time of communion with his father in the desert. [By the way, the secret of this intense communion, the desert yields only to those who stay long enough learn] As we go through Lent, we stand alongside the Prodigal Father, eagerly watching for the return of those who have wandered away. And for some of us, we slog through Lent in the muddy footsteps of the Prodigal Son.
For this congregation, the last few years have been an extended Lenten period. It can be likened to a sojourn in the desert, for a long, long time. There have been times of wanting, times of loss, times of sorrow, times of doubt, times of embarrassment, times of prayer and conviction and many times of tears. Some may question the need for such trials and few would choose to enter this desert of their own accord. And yet, scripture repeatedly speaks of these desert times as defining moments in the history of his people individually and his people corporately.
Mary, of the traditional disciples group sometimes known as “Mary, Martha and Lazarus” (affectionately), was having a stressful spring. This particular spring she had walked through the desert of suffering and spent time in the wilderness of tears. Her brother, Lazarus, had died after sending for Jesus and he did not get there in time to restore his health. Mary had cried many tears while in this barren place. Her pain was unbearable, as some of you have had to experience yourselves. She cried out to Jesus and presumed she had been denied. Scripture tells us that when Jesus arrived too late, Mary ran to him and fell at his feet, pouring out her sorrow mixed with a bit of accusation as seen in her comment, “Lord, if only you had been here in time, my brother would not be dead.” Even Jesus wept as he empathized with the depth of their sorrow. Then a few minutes later Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb, and Mary saw her stinkin', foul-smelling, dead-for-4-days brother walk out like a mummy still wrapped in his burial cloths. Talk about a roller coaster ride. Then Jesus went away for awhile.
A short time later, just 6 days before the Passover, Jesus stops by again. Mary is simply overcome with gratitude and she throws every ounce of her being at the feet of Jesus, along with an entire bottle of very expensive perfume. She wipes his feet with her hair. The flood of feelings in her soul come pouring out, onto the person of Jesus, the Christ. Jesus says something rather remarkable. Jesus says that it is burial perfume. And it must be noted that Jesus never chastises Mary for her this extravagant gesture. But he does rebuke Judas for his hypocrisy. This has nothing to do with the poor. It has everything to do with the imminent suffering, death and coming resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. It is quite unfortunate that this is missed entirely by so many who get sidetracked by Jesus' misunderstood comment about the poor. Let me just say that the scriptures are saturated with passages in support of social justice for the poor, the weak, the powerless and the disenfranchised. There is no way this comment by Jesus can be understood, except by saying that Jesus is referring to his impending departure and that Mary's expression is directly related to it.
Now, so that we do not become distracted ourselves by Judas' hypocrisy, Mary's experience, her earlier pain and sorrow are quite instructive for us. While she was suffering, she sought the Christ for restoration, as we find in the Psalm. She initially wanted her brother's health restored. She was certainly focused on wanting the 'good old days' to continue. When Lazarus died, Mary fell into the pit of endless lament that those days will never return. She felt as we do sometimes, beginning our sentences with that nostalgic phrase, “if only.” Soon or later, over the next few weeks, 64 teams and their fans will begin their nostalgic phrases the same way, “if only.”
Mary was unaware that God had no intention of simply restoring Lazarus to his former state by simply healing his sickness. Instead, God wanted to bring out the new wine and do a new work of his mercy and grace.
We share in Mary's shortsightedness. We often walk through our own tearful deserts and painful wildernesses pleading for a restoration to those good old days when God is standing close by wanting to issue new wine in new wine skins: a fresh new outpouring of the Spirit.
So, here's the deal. It is good to spend time remembering the glory days of the past – but not to linger. The purpose of this remembering is to be reminded of God's covenant faithfulness which continues even to today. It is also permissible to lament our present state, that it is not the way things used to be (it is painful) – but it is not helpful to remain in this sorrowful position. There is a time for setting aside remembering and to seek not just restoration, but a new work of God in our midst. For this congregation, this is such a time. Let us seek this new work from God in our midst.
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on March 21, 2010.
Year C, Fifth Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8
The beginning of Psalm 126 reads like a Psalm of rejoicing. As Mark read, verses 1-3 say this:
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
They were remembering God's mighty acts. Psalm 126 makes reference to the mighty acts of God in the past. Isaiah 43 recalls that the Lord made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters, drawing out the army of their enemies into a trap and extinguishing the threat entirely. Of course this is referring to the crossing of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptian army. The psalmist describes the feeling of the Israelites who witnessed this great display of God's power, “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy.” (vs. 2)
This remembering is an important part of our relationship to God. In times of spiritual drought, we can recall God's faithfulness. In times of loneliness, we can recall God's intimate presence. In times of defeat, we can recall God's many victories. This remembering provides us with spiritual refreshment, companionship, and hope.
There are temptations, however, that must be reckoned with. Indeed, it seems that most, if not all, spiritual gifts have a propensity to degenerate into an emphasis on the gift, instead of the giver. In the case of this gift of remembering God's mighty acts, we may catch ourselves either living in the past rather than the present OR we may become mired in the lament that these are not the good old days. Let's look at both of these possible detours for some insight.
“Living in the past” for us means living back in the 'good old days.' Wow, weren't those great times! God was moving. People's lives were being changed. We had great times of fellowship. We remember how God answered some of our prayers. The church was active and alive. We spent a little time there a few weeks ago, back in the good old days. It is good to visit the past – as long as we don't stay too long. Nostalgia is like chewing gum. It tastes good for awhile. But if we don't leave it behind, it will lose its flavor and ends up on the bottom of our shoes and impede our progress. One of the problems is that when we get stuck to the past, we are not living in the present. When we spend too much time reminiscing about the past, we lose today. Jesus calls us to live in the present.
The second detour that we sometimes take is becoming mired in the lament that today is not the past. In this state of lament, we continually compare the misery of the present with the glory of the past as evidence of our failure and believe that we are doomed. When we are stuck in lament, we are unable to enjoy the mystery of the present, nor are we able to witness God's persistent love notes strewn about our day. Fortunately, scripture leads us to a different, more uplifting and hopeful response.
The beauty of this psalm is that it affirms the spiritual practice of godly nostalgia – that of remembering God's mighty acts and his faithfulness – but it does not get stuck in the past! Furthermore, it also affirms the lament that our present position is a far cry from where we used to be. Indeed, it acknowledges that we are in dire straits, compared to the past glory – but it turns to the Lord as our source of hope for the present! Here is the rest of the Psalm.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
This is a great picture. The Psalmist is asking God to restore their fortune. The picture has the psalmist in the desert of the Negeb. Stephen Bishop says this,
The reference is to the wadis (or creeks) of southern Palestine that remain dry practically the entire year. When the winter rains come, just before planting season, the dry wadis become mighty torrents of water signaling hope to those who work the land. After a time of exile, a time when hope dried up, God restored the people to the land and now, once again they look to God to provide for them in this new situation. (Feasting on the Word)
But it is crucial to note that the request is made of God while embracing the pain of the present. The request was made in the dryness of the desert with tears falling amidst the pain. They felt the dissonance between the past glory and the excruciating pain of their present existence. There is no denial of the pain. There is no attempt to live outside the present.
And it is in that 'present' experience, that painful experience, that the psalmist pleads with God to transform their tears into joy.
Make no mistake this is no shortcut. Just as Lent and the cross are necessary pathways to the resurrection, so tears and pain are necessary pathways to joy and the restoration of the Glory of God. Kimberly L. Clayton puts it this way:
Verses 4-6 remind us that even a dry season or a season of weeping can be fruitful for soil and soul IF lament and hope in God find a balance within. The attention and care given to such seasons of sorrow and grief may become the ground of new life. (Feasting on the Word)
Ms. Clark goes on to give us this great advise.
From our Easter perspective, we know that if we pray only for God to restore life as we have known it in easier or better times, our prayer has fallen short of the hope – and the future – God intends. God has in mind not simply restoration, but resurrection. (Ibid)
It is remarkable that Isaiah 43:18,19 says
Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
So, let us not pray to be restored to the 'good old days.' God wants to do something new. God does not desire a return to the way things used to be. Rather God has something fresh and radical for us around the corner. Let us pray for this “new thing” so that when it comes we will be able to perceive it. Let us not rely upon old formulas, but on the Spirit of Lord who breaths new life into new bones for a new purpose.
In this process we learn that while these tears are cast upon dry and barren landscapes sometimes with little hope of fruition, God is in the process of preparing fertile hearts for harvest. God is not searching for old wine skins to fill with new wine. Instead, God has already been preparing new wine skins for a new filling of his Spirit. So, we would do well, amidst our own tears, to plead with God to do a work of resurrection, rather than simply a return to past glory.
------------------------------------------------
Last week, our passages talked about how God removed the disgrace of the children of Israel. As God prepared the Israelites to take possession of the promised land, he removed the shame of being enslaved and homeless. I spoke of the disgraces of sin, the disgrace of a father and the disgrace of a son. I likened this to the time of Lent and Easter. Lent is a time wherein we come face to face with the dark side of our lives and hearts. The 40 days of Lent are similar, in some respects, to the 40 years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness. Jesus himself spent 40 days in the wilderness praying and fasting prior to his being tempted by the evil one.
40 days or 40 years are not easy. These 40 days or 40 years take us back to the core of our struggles, both individually and corporately. They are times of hunger, times of thirst, times of doubt, times of loss, and times of crisis.
So, as we go through Lent, we are also walking the pathways of the Children of Israel as they walked through the wilderness. As we go through Lent, we join Jesus in his time of want as well as his time of communion with his father in the desert. [By the way, the secret of this intense communion, the desert yields only to those who stay long enough learn] As we go through Lent, we stand alongside the Prodigal Father, eagerly watching for the return of those who have wandered away. And for some of us, we slog through Lent in the muddy footsteps of the Prodigal Son.
For this congregation, the last few years have been an extended Lenten period. It can be likened to a sojourn in the desert, for a long, long time. There have been times of wanting, times of loss, times of sorrow, times of doubt, times of embarrassment, times of prayer and conviction and many times of tears. Some may question the need for such trials and few would choose to enter this desert of their own accord. And yet, scripture repeatedly speaks of these desert times as defining moments in the history of his people individually and his people corporately.
Mary, of the traditional disciples group sometimes known as “Mary, Martha and Lazarus” (affectionately), was having a stressful spring. This particular spring she had walked through the desert of suffering and spent time in the wilderness of tears. Her brother, Lazarus, had died after sending for Jesus and he did not get there in time to restore his health. Mary had cried many tears while in this barren place. Her pain was unbearable, as some of you have had to experience yourselves. She cried out to Jesus and presumed she had been denied. Scripture tells us that when Jesus arrived too late, Mary ran to him and fell at his feet, pouring out her sorrow mixed with a bit of accusation as seen in her comment, “Lord, if only you had been here in time, my brother would not be dead.” Even Jesus wept as he empathized with the depth of their sorrow. Then a few minutes later Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb, and Mary saw her stinkin', foul-smelling, dead-for-4-days brother walk out like a mummy still wrapped in his burial cloths. Talk about a roller coaster ride. Then Jesus went away for awhile.
A short time later, just 6 days before the Passover, Jesus stops by again. Mary is simply overcome with gratitude and she throws every ounce of her being at the feet of Jesus, along with an entire bottle of very expensive perfume. She wipes his feet with her hair. The flood of feelings in her soul come pouring out, onto the person of Jesus, the Christ. Jesus says something rather remarkable. Jesus says that it is burial perfume. And it must be noted that Jesus never chastises Mary for her this extravagant gesture. But he does rebuke Judas for his hypocrisy. This has nothing to do with the poor. It has everything to do with the imminent suffering, death and coming resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. It is quite unfortunate that this is missed entirely by so many who get sidetracked by Jesus' misunderstood comment about the poor. Let me just say that the scriptures are saturated with passages in support of social justice for the poor, the weak, the powerless and the disenfranchised. There is no way this comment by Jesus can be understood, except by saying that Jesus is referring to his impending departure and that Mary's expression is directly related to it.
Now, so that we do not become distracted ourselves by Judas' hypocrisy, Mary's experience, her earlier pain and sorrow are quite instructive for us. While she was suffering, she sought the Christ for restoration, as we find in the Psalm. She initially wanted her brother's health restored. She was certainly focused on wanting the 'good old days' to continue. When Lazarus died, Mary fell into the pit of endless lament that those days will never return. She felt as we do sometimes, beginning our sentences with that nostalgic phrase, “if only.” Soon or later, over the next few weeks, 64 teams and their fans will begin their nostalgic phrases the same way, “if only.”
Mary was unaware that God had no intention of simply restoring Lazarus to his former state by simply healing his sickness. Instead, God wanted to bring out the new wine and do a new work of his mercy and grace.
We share in Mary's shortsightedness. We often walk through our own tearful deserts and painful wildernesses pleading for a restoration to those good old days when God is standing close by wanting to issue new wine in new wine skins: a fresh new outpouring of the Spirit.
So, here's the deal. It is good to spend time remembering the glory days of the past – but not to linger. The purpose of this remembering is to be reminded of God's covenant faithfulness which continues even to today. It is also permissible to lament our present state, that it is not the way things used to be (it is painful) – but it is not helpful to remain in this sorrowful position. There is a time for setting aside remembering and to seek not just restoration, but a new work of God in our midst. For this congregation, this is such a time. Let us seek this new work from God in our midst.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Disgrace and Community
Disgrace and Community
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on March 14, 2010.
Year C, Fourth Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
It took 40 years for the children of Israel to get away from Egypt. It took almost 40 years for a new generation to learn to trust God, in a way that their fathers had not. It took 40 years for God to raise up a generation that was ready to follow the Lord. It took 40 years for the wounds to begin to heal. It took 40 years for everyone to die who had stepped across the Red Sea. It took 40 years for the memories to dim. It took 40 years for Lord to remove the disgrace of Egypt. It took 40 years for the Lord to remove the disgrace of being enslaved and homeless. It was the shame of being humiliated by powers greater than themselves. They were forced to build for the Egyptians without pay. They were coerced not only to make their own bricks, but to eventually make them without straw. While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they ate manna from God because there was no other food. They did not celebrate the Passover. They did not circumcise newborn boys. So, despite the establishment of the Law as a foundation of identity and community, this was a time of shame and disgrace, a broken sense of self-identity and of estrangement instead of community.
Psalm 32 speaks of the disgrace of our sin. Sometimes those failures are big. Perhaps you, or someone in your family has been arrested. Some of these failures are as small as a sliver of fiberglass lodged on your arm or hand. Maybe an unkind word to a friend or stranger. Sometimes they are kept in secret chests under careful lock and key. Maybe these are those secret vexing places you go when no one is watching. Sometimes the media picks up on these aberrations in our character for all the world to gawk. Perhaps you, or someone you know has been involved in a scandal and you have been horrified to see the family name in the newspaper. However damaging to myself or others; however seemingly insignificant our faults may be; whether it is unknown to others or whether our names have been drug through the public square, the shame of sin disgraces our hearts. It is this shadow of shame that follows us wherever we go.
Here's how the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines disgrace.
Main Entry: 1dis•grace
Pronunciation: \di-ˈskrās, dis-ˈgrās\
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1580
1 archaic : to humiliate by a superior showing
2 : to be a source of shame to
3 : to cause to lose favor or standing
In the gospel lesson for today, we find the familiar story of the disgraced father, often referred to as the Prodigal Son. The focus of this parable is usually placed on the journey of the son. But let me say today, that the journey of the father was initially one of disgrace. In actuality, it was the father who was initially and publicly disgraced. After cherishing and raising his son the best he knew how, the son rejected the family with contempt. It is the father in the story who has experienced the rejection most profoundly. This common and painful separation was magnified at every family gathering and every community event. Every time this father saw other fathers and sons interacting lovingly, his heart would ache anew, just like it was his first reminder. When friends would ask about his son, he would find some way to answer civilly to cover up his own torment. Every day, he would gaze outside the window, searching for some way to make sense of it all, for some sliver of hope. Every time he would sit down at the table for a meal, he would notice the empty chair. And in the stillness of the dark just before sleep, he would recall his missing son. When he went to the synagogue and heard the stories of Abraham and Isaac, or David and Solomon, indeed wherever he went, he was reminded of his disgrace, the shame of his rebellious son. For some parents, this disgrace is eventually replaced by hardness and resentment. For this father, the aching never left.
For the son, there were no afterthoughts. There was no shame as he left his father's house with his share of the inheritance. No, this young man left the home with the confidence and assurance that accompanies a bankroll. The weight of the coins in his pouch were a comfort, providing the illusion of security and friendship wherever he would travel. There is no question that this young man enjoyed himself. To dismiss this would be to distort the story. Yes, he did have fun. And yes, he had companionship. And no, there was no shame. He had left that guilty conscience at home with his father.
That is, until the comfort of the weights in his pouch dissipated. This is easy to do. An article on Yahoo Sports highlighted how much a few athletes have lost over the years. Boxer Evander Holyfield earned over $250 million cash over his career. Today, he is “flat broke.” Golfer John Daly has gambled away his $50-60 million earnings. He once lost $1.2 million in just 2 and ½ hours at a casino in Las Vegas. After earning $350-400 million over his career, boxer Mike Tyson filed bankruptcy in 2003. What's more amazing is that it is estimated that 80% of NFL players are on the brink of bankruptcy within 2 years of their retirement. 60% of NBA players are broke within 5 years of their retirement. Spending a lot of money has never been a problem, especially if you have a problem. So, here's the deal. These players are accustomed to earning a certain annual income and spending accordingly. When they retire and there is no income. They are relying on returns off of their investments. Unfortunately, they are unable to make adjustments to their spending. And a sizeable number have made disastrous investments. By the time they realize they are broke, they are too old to make a viable comeback, sufficient to garner the level of income they had grown to love.
**Loss of investment resources minus a loss of ability to earn money plus uncontrolled spending equals financial disaster.
Here's the deal for the Prodigal Son. He was raised in a good home and was provided with adequate training to either maintain the family business or start a trade. In any other environment, having lost his investment resources, the Prodigal Son could have gone to work in a respectable business. He may have been able to sustain his spending habits accordingly. But as the story goes, soon after the Prodigal Son's money ran out, there was a famine. In an agricultural society, what does that mean? RECESSION! As a result, the Prodigal Son could not find a decent job. Squandering his nest egg combined with economic hard times led to financial disaster. Loss of all investment money minus a loss of ability to earn money equals financial disaster. Only then, does the Prodigal Son begin to realize the foolishness of his decisions. Only when he is hungry, without prospect for a decent job, penniless, friendless, and hopeless, does this young man realize the error of his ways. Only at the bottom does he experience the same shame and disgrace he had inflicted upon his father. Only then does he feel less than whole, though he had severed his soul long before.
Doesn't this story sound familiar? Is this not another type of shame and disgrace, financial disaster or ruin?
In Joshua 5, we find the shame of the children of Israel, having marched for 40 years to escape the disgrace of enslavement and homelessness. In Psalm 32, we have been given a microscopic examination of the shame and disgrace of failure and sin. In the parable of the Prodigal Father, we are given a glimpse into the shame and disgrace of a father rejected by his son. And further, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, we are given a glimpse into the shame and disgrace inflicted upon oneself as a result of foolishness and pride.
It is no mistake that these passages are included in the lectionary for this season of Lent. Shame and disgrace buffet each of us from time to time, whether of our own doing, someone else's doing, or from forces outside of us. It is a familiar and bitter part of our journey, characterized by waiting in the midst of suffering and estrangement. Waiting for release, or rescue, or reunion. Is that not part of the Lenten experience?
Fortunately, this waiting is only part of the Lenten experience. By itself, standing alone, Lent is incomplete without Easter. For Lent is not resolved until the resurrection. Certainly it is a helpful spiritual exercise to fast during Lent. And it is a necessary endeavor to come face to face with our own failures and foolishness. But this is not the goal. It and of itself, it is incomplete. Each of these passages move us toward to experience of restoration.
As God was preparing the children of Israel to enter the Promise Land, scripture tells us that he removed the shame and disgrace of Egypt. It is critical for us to note how this is accomplished. The first thing which is celebrated is the Passover. Imagine this being reenacted in every family tent. It was a solemn ritual reminding these wandering homeless people that the strong hand and outstretched arm of the Lord God Almighty heard their cry and brought them out of Egypt! The second thing is that they ate the fruit of the land: unleavened bread and parched grain. Now, I have to tell you that after eating primarily manna for about 40 years, unleavened bread and parched grain would be like going to Elia’s in South Bend for dinner. Elia’s is an absolutely delightful Mediterranean/Lebanese restaurant north of the toll road entrance on Dixie Way. That place is food heaven! Here’s what one reviewer had to say about Elia’s.
I am from mexican descent on both sides of my family. But on my mother's side my grandmother is part lebanese. I have eaten Lebanese food in MANY states, and NO ONE makes better falafels than Elia's. I always order the same thing, falafel plate, garlic paste & baba ganoush. Also the baba ganoush taste amazing there. (by Beatriz on Urbanspoon.com)
As the people savored unleavened bread and parched grain for the first time, I can imagine them thinking, “so this is the land of milk and honey – very cool!” The third part was the circumcision of every male in the community. This was physical evidence of their being chosen by God and set apart from other tribes and nations. This covenant community was special. We belong! The disgrace of enslavement and homelessness had been transformed into a new identity for the self and the entire community.
It is quite remarkable that in these short 4 verses in Joshua, God recognizes their disgrace and reminds them of His mighty acts in the past, while at the same time whetting their appetite for a wondrous future by giving them a new identity in the present.
In Psalm 32, we are not left to be swallowed by the bog of the psalmist’s sin. Rather, it is by confession of our failure that we are cleansed and forgiven. Not only that, but the psalmist concludes by saying,
steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
One might even venture to say here that being cleansed and forgiven is not the goal, but the pathway to a restored and joy-filled communion with our Lord. Perhaps this would be helpful to some of those with whom we discuss our faith.
Indeed, when the Prodigal Son returned to see his father, his goal was simply to be forgiven sufficiently to be a servant and eat as his servants eat. The Son was not looking for, nor was he asking for full restoration or communion. But the father, seeing his son return would have none of this. Forgiveness would be full and without reservation. Restoration would result in complete reconciliation. In the same way that God rolled back the shame and disgrace for the children of Israel at Gilgal, the father rolled back the shame and disgrace of the Prodigal Son at once thrusting the door of communion wide open. While it is important to note that it was the Son’s humble return that set this in motion, it was the father’s action that both cast aside the Son’s disgrace as well as his own. The father effectively restored the Son’s personal identity as well as his social identity within the family and the community. It is this restoration of identity that is most powerful.
This leads us to our final lesson of the day in 2 Corinthians 5. It is not that common for me to tie all of our lessons together, but today they fit like a glove.
In a sense, Lent reminds us of our shame and disgrace, whether in the past or in the ways we daily inflict pain upon other people. This shame and disgrace disengages us from full fellowship with one another. Paul reminds us that we have a new identity, one that rolls away the shame and disgrace of our failings. It is an identity that is rooted in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of the resurrection that we have been restored within ourselves, with others and with God. It is because of Easter that we are able to experience full communion with God.
But Paul will not allow us to simply enjoy this fellowship in a limited way – like just with those who think like us or with those with whom we worship regularly. Paul takes it one step further. Paul charges us with the task of being ambassadors of reconciliation. In other words, we are to take the message of reconciliation and demonstrate it to others. We are to assume the position of the Prodigal Father, waiting at the door, ready to accept back into full fellowship those who have wandered. We are to assume the position of the Shepherd who seeks out the one lost sheep and the woman, who represents God in that parable, who has lost her coin. We are to offer new identities to those who have none and a restored identity to those who have forgotten who they are. For truly, has not our Lord done these things for us? Truly, has not our Lord restored us so many times? Truly, has not the Lord rescued us over and over.
As the psalmist says elsewhere,
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men attacked us,
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current would have overwhelmed us.
124:5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us.
Yes, Lent reminds us of our shame and disgrace. And yet, Lent fills us with the assurance of our new identity in Jesus the Christ, and our full communion with God, one another and even our own selves – because of Easter.
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on March 14, 2010.
Year C, Fourth Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
It took 40 years for the children of Israel to get away from Egypt. It took almost 40 years for a new generation to learn to trust God, in a way that their fathers had not. It took 40 years for God to raise up a generation that was ready to follow the Lord. It took 40 years for the wounds to begin to heal. It took 40 years for everyone to die who had stepped across the Red Sea. It took 40 years for the memories to dim. It took 40 years for Lord to remove the disgrace of Egypt. It took 40 years for the Lord to remove the disgrace of being enslaved and homeless. It was the shame of being humiliated by powers greater than themselves. They were forced to build for the Egyptians without pay. They were coerced not only to make their own bricks, but to eventually make them without straw. While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they ate manna from God because there was no other food. They did not celebrate the Passover. They did not circumcise newborn boys. So, despite the establishment of the Law as a foundation of identity and community, this was a time of shame and disgrace, a broken sense of self-identity and of estrangement instead of community.
Psalm 32 speaks of the disgrace of our sin. Sometimes those failures are big. Perhaps you, or someone in your family has been arrested. Some of these failures are as small as a sliver of fiberglass lodged on your arm or hand. Maybe an unkind word to a friend or stranger. Sometimes they are kept in secret chests under careful lock and key. Maybe these are those secret vexing places you go when no one is watching. Sometimes the media picks up on these aberrations in our character for all the world to gawk. Perhaps you, or someone you know has been involved in a scandal and you have been horrified to see the family name in the newspaper. However damaging to myself or others; however seemingly insignificant our faults may be; whether it is unknown to others or whether our names have been drug through the public square, the shame of sin disgraces our hearts. It is this shadow of shame that follows us wherever we go.
Here's how the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines disgrace.
Main Entry: 1dis•grace
Pronunciation: \di-ˈskrās, dis-ˈgrās\
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1580
1 archaic : to humiliate by a superior showing
2 : to be a source of shame to
3 : to cause to lose favor or standing
In the gospel lesson for today, we find the familiar story of the disgraced father, often referred to as the Prodigal Son. The focus of this parable is usually placed on the journey of the son. But let me say today, that the journey of the father was initially one of disgrace. In actuality, it was the father who was initially and publicly disgraced. After cherishing and raising his son the best he knew how, the son rejected the family with contempt. It is the father in the story who has experienced the rejection most profoundly. This common and painful separation was magnified at every family gathering and every community event. Every time this father saw other fathers and sons interacting lovingly, his heart would ache anew, just like it was his first reminder. When friends would ask about his son, he would find some way to answer civilly to cover up his own torment. Every day, he would gaze outside the window, searching for some way to make sense of it all, for some sliver of hope. Every time he would sit down at the table for a meal, he would notice the empty chair. And in the stillness of the dark just before sleep, he would recall his missing son. When he went to the synagogue and heard the stories of Abraham and Isaac, or David and Solomon, indeed wherever he went, he was reminded of his disgrace, the shame of his rebellious son. For some parents, this disgrace is eventually replaced by hardness and resentment. For this father, the aching never left.
For the son, there were no afterthoughts. There was no shame as he left his father's house with his share of the inheritance. No, this young man left the home with the confidence and assurance that accompanies a bankroll. The weight of the coins in his pouch were a comfort, providing the illusion of security and friendship wherever he would travel. There is no question that this young man enjoyed himself. To dismiss this would be to distort the story. Yes, he did have fun. And yes, he had companionship. And no, there was no shame. He had left that guilty conscience at home with his father.
That is, until the comfort of the weights in his pouch dissipated. This is easy to do. An article on Yahoo Sports highlighted how much a few athletes have lost over the years. Boxer Evander Holyfield earned over $250 million cash over his career. Today, he is “flat broke.” Golfer John Daly has gambled away his $50-60 million earnings. He once lost $1.2 million in just 2 and ½ hours at a casino in Las Vegas. After earning $350-400 million over his career, boxer Mike Tyson filed bankruptcy in 2003. What's more amazing is that it is estimated that 80% of NFL players are on the brink of bankruptcy within 2 years of their retirement. 60% of NBA players are broke within 5 years of their retirement. Spending a lot of money has never been a problem, especially if you have a problem. So, here's the deal. These players are accustomed to earning a certain annual income and spending accordingly. When they retire and there is no income. They are relying on returns off of their investments. Unfortunately, they are unable to make adjustments to their spending. And a sizeable number have made disastrous investments. By the time they realize they are broke, they are too old to make a viable comeback, sufficient to garner the level of income they had grown to love.
**Loss of investment resources minus a loss of ability to earn money plus uncontrolled spending equals financial disaster.
Here's the deal for the Prodigal Son. He was raised in a good home and was provided with adequate training to either maintain the family business or start a trade. In any other environment, having lost his investment resources, the Prodigal Son could have gone to work in a respectable business. He may have been able to sustain his spending habits accordingly. But as the story goes, soon after the Prodigal Son's money ran out, there was a famine. In an agricultural society, what does that mean? RECESSION! As a result, the Prodigal Son could not find a decent job. Squandering his nest egg combined with economic hard times led to financial disaster. Loss of all investment money minus a loss of ability to earn money equals financial disaster. Only then, does the Prodigal Son begin to realize the foolishness of his decisions. Only when he is hungry, without prospect for a decent job, penniless, friendless, and hopeless, does this young man realize the error of his ways. Only at the bottom does he experience the same shame and disgrace he had inflicted upon his father. Only then does he feel less than whole, though he had severed his soul long before.
Doesn't this story sound familiar? Is this not another type of shame and disgrace, financial disaster or ruin?
In Joshua 5, we find the shame of the children of Israel, having marched for 40 years to escape the disgrace of enslavement and homelessness. In Psalm 32, we have been given a microscopic examination of the shame and disgrace of failure and sin. In the parable of the Prodigal Father, we are given a glimpse into the shame and disgrace of a father rejected by his son. And further, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, we are given a glimpse into the shame and disgrace inflicted upon oneself as a result of foolishness and pride.
It is no mistake that these passages are included in the lectionary for this season of Lent. Shame and disgrace buffet each of us from time to time, whether of our own doing, someone else's doing, or from forces outside of us. It is a familiar and bitter part of our journey, characterized by waiting in the midst of suffering and estrangement. Waiting for release, or rescue, or reunion. Is that not part of the Lenten experience?
Fortunately, this waiting is only part of the Lenten experience. By itself, standing alone, Lent is incomplete without Easter. For Lent is not resolved until the resurrection. Certainly it is a helpful spiritual exercise to fast during Lent. And it is a necessary endeavor to come face to face with our own failures and foolishness. But this is not the goal. It and of itself, it is incomplete. Each of these passages move us toward to experience of restoration.
As God was preparing the children of Israel to enter the Promise Land, scripture tells us that he removed the shame and disgrace of Egypt. It is critical for us to note how this is accomplished. The first thing which is celebrated is the Passover. Imagine this being reenacted in every family tent. It was a solemn ritual reminding these wandering homeless people that the strong hand and outstretched arm of the Lord God Almighty heard their cry and brought them out of Egypt! The second thing is that they ate the fruit of the land: unleavened bread and parched grain. Now, I have to tell you that after eating primarily manna for about 40 years, unleavened bread and parched grain would be like going to Elia’s in South Bend for dinner. Elia’s is an absolutely delightful Mediterranean/Lebanese restaurant north of the toll road entrance on Dixie Way. That place is food heaven! Here’s what one reviewer had to say about Elia’s.
I am from mexican descent on both sides of my family. But on my mother's side my grandmother is part lebanese. I have eaten Lebanese food in MANY states, and NO ONE makes better falafels than Elia's. I always order the same thing, falafel plate, garlic paste & baba ganoush. Also the baba ganoush taste amazing there. (by Beatriz on Urbanspoon.com)
As the people savored unleavened bread and parched grain for the first time, I can imagine them thinking, “so this is the land of milk and honey – very cool!” The third part was the circumcision of every male in the community. This was physical evidence of their being chosen by God and set apart from other tribes and nations. This covenant community was special. We belong! The disgrace of enslavement and homelessness had been transformed into a new identity for the self and the entire community.
It is quite remarkable that in these short 4 verses in Joshua, God recognizes their disgrace and reminds them of His mighty acts in the past, while at the same time whetting their appetite for a wondrous future by giving them a new identity in the present.
In Psalm 32, we are not left to be swallowed by the bog of the psalmist’s sin. Rather, it is by confession of our failure that we are cleansed and forgiven. Not only that, but the psalmist concludes by saying,
steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
One might even venture to say here that being cleansed and forgiven is not the goal, but the pathway to a restored and joy-filled communion with our Lord. Perhaps this would be helpful to some of those with whom we discuss our faith.
Indeed, when the Prodigal Son returned to see his father, his goal was simply to be forgiven sufficiently to be a servant and eat as his servants eat. The Son was not looking for, nor was he asking for full restoration or communion. But the father, seeing his son return would have none of this. Forgiveness would be full and without reservation. Restoration would result in complete reconciliation. In the same way that God rolled back the shame and disgrace for the children of Israel at Gilgal, the father rolled back the shame and disgrace of the Prodigal Son at once thrusting the door of communion wide open. While it is important to note that it was the Son’s humble return that set this in motion, it was the father’s action that both cast aside the Son’s disgrace as well as his own. The father effectively restored the Son’s personal identity as well as his social identity within the family and the community. It is this restoration of identity that is most powerful.
This leads us to our final lesson of the day in 2 Corinthians 5. It is not that common for me to tie all of our lessons together, but today they fit like a glove.
In a sense, Lent reminds us of our shame and disgrace, whether in the past or in the ways we daily inflict pain upon other people. This shame and disgrace disengages us from full fellowship with one another. Paul reminds us that we have a new identity, one that rolls away the shame and disgrace of our failings. It is an identity that is rooted in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of the resurrection that we have been restored within ourselves, with others and with God. It is because of Easter that we are able to experience full communion with God.
But Paul will not allow us to simply enjoy this fellowship in a limited way – like just with those who think like us or with those with whom we worship regularly. Paul takes it one step further. Paul charges us with the task of being ambassadors of reconciliation. In other words, we are to take the message of reconciliation and demonstrate it to others. We are to assume the position of the Prodigal Father, waiting at the door, ready to accept back into full fellowship those who have wandered. We are to assume the position of the Shepherd who seeks out the one lost sheep and the woman, who represents God in that parable, who has lost her coin. We are to offer new identities to those who have none and a restored identity to those who have forgotten who they are. For truly, has not our Lord done these things for us? Truly, has not our Lord restored us so many times? Truly, has not the Lord rescued us over and over.
As the psalmist says elsewhere,
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men attacked us,
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current would have overwhelmed us.
124:5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us.
Yes, Lent reminds us of our shame and disgrace. And yet, Lent fills us with the assurance of our new identity in Jesus the Christ, and our full communion with God, one another and even our own selves – because of Easter.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Our Shield
Our Shield
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on February 28, 2010.
Year C, Second Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17 - 4:1; Luke 13:31-35
Almost 2 years ago we looked at this passage in Genesis 15 as by way of expounding upon the passage in Genesis 12. I had some volunteers stand on either side of the aisle to represent heifer, the goat, the ram and the birds. Then I took a “burning fire pot” and walked down through center of it. I shared how this ritual was an example of an ancient contract. In ancient contracts, both parties of the contract would act in some manner so as to signal obligations by both parties. Even contracts today require consideration by both parties. For example, if I sign a contract for someone to do some work on my house, there are two parts. First, the contractor agrees to do the work. Second, I agree to pay the contractor for the work completed. However, what makes this contract in Genesis 15 unusual is that God passed through the pieces and Abram did not. The result is that God is obligating himself to fulfill his part of the bargain, but there is no corresponding consideration by Abram. And so some scholars refer to this as a “covenant” as differentiated from a “contract.” God has assumed the responsibility for fulfilling his promises to Abram. All this fancy theological stuff means that God does it all, without Abram “doing” anything. This is one of the most critically significant events in the Old Testament and indeed the Bible as a whole. It should be studied along with the covenantal promises in Genesis 12 and Genesis 17. The student would do well to spend a great deal of time and effort mining the treasures contained within these passages.
The emphasis, of course, is on God. God gets top billing in this movie and Abram would in a supporting role. And while we do learn some important things about Abram, what we learn about God will sustain us. Each of our passages today encourage us during those times when we feel alone and defeated. It is during those times that the promises of God offer our souls a place of peace and refuge.
In Genesis 15:1, God says “ Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield.” What is remarkable about this is that it follows on the heels of a great military victory. You might expect this to be said prior to going into battle, or perhaps even after a defeat. It is incredibly ironic. So, here was the scenario. Genesis 14 describes how there was a war in the lush valley that Lot chose to inhabit. Five kings, including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah had served the king of Chedorlaomer and his other king friends for 13 years. Those five kings rebelled which provoked the war with Chedorlaomer. They came a quashed the rebellion and took their belongings, their women and children along with Lot and his family. Well, that was their mistake. They should have just left Lot there. As soon as Abram found out that his brother was taken captive, he led an attack which not only rescued his brother, but also brought back all the women, children and their belongings to their cities.
Upon his return to the valley, he was met by the king of Sodom and the mysterious priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek. The king offers Abram all of their possessions, which Abram declines. Abram does ask that the men who went with him be granted a share of the rescued possessions, but takes nothing for himself. Melchizedek pronounces a blessing upon Abram and Abram gives the priest a tenth of everything. That is so odd, don't you think? Abram puts together a rescue party
and instead of accepting payment, he pays the priest, who is also one of the kings! That's remarkable! Now, before I move on, let us recall that there were no chapter divisions in scripture when they were written. Chapter divisions were added later. This makes Genesis 15:1 stand out so much more. This is not a new thought. Rather 15:1 is a continuation of the successful rescue of his nephew and family, and surrounding communities. And so, in this context, God begins the conversation by saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield???” Do you see the irony of this now? Why would God say to the victorious Abram, “Do not be afraid?”
Ah, it is often the context that helps us out, as is the case here. The full statement of God is: "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." You see, even though Abram had been victorious on the battlefield, he still had no heir. All that Abram had acquired in servants, livestock and other possessions were without meaning to Abram – without an heir from his own seed, which God had promised to him. This also reveals what Abram feared, – dying without a proper heir. He had had other fears, like when he went to Egypt with a beautiful wife, but this fear rattled the very essence of who he was. He had built his life upon trusting the voice of God he had first heard in the land of Ur. Either this God would deliver on his promise, or Abram's whole life was a sham. If Abram had no proper heir, then God would not be able to deliver on the promise of becoming a great nation. Nor could God fulfill the promise that this new nation would possess the land (both literally and symbolically).
**God was speaking to Abram during a crisis of faith.
In the midst of a desert of hope, God says, “Do not be afraid”, which we now clearly understand. Still, one may be puzzled by the phrase, “I am your shield”, which is certainly a defensive weapon. How might God be “defending” Abram? Now we might speculate that God is saying that he will protect Abram like the Bruce Willis super hero character in the movie, “Unbreakable.” But that is not indicated in this scripture passage.
John Wesley says this:
I am a shield to thee, present with thee, actually defending thee. The consideration of this, that God himself is, a shield to his people, to secure them from all destructive evils, a shield ready to them, and a shield round about them, should silence all perplexing fears.
John Calvin says this:
by the use of the word "shield," he signifies that Abram would always be safe under his protection. In calling himself his "reward," He teaches Abram to be satisfied with Himself alone. And as this was, with respect to Abram, a general instruction, given for the purpose of showing him that victory was not the chief and ultimate good which God had designed him to pursue; so let us know that the same blessing is promised to us all, in the person of this one man. For, by this voice, God daily speaks to his faithful ones; inasmuch as having once undertaken to defend us, he will take care to preserve us in safety under his hand, and to protect us by his power. Now since God ascribes to himself the office and property of a shield, for the purpose of rendering himself the protector of our salvation; we ought to regard this promise as a brazen wall, so that we should not be excessively fearful in any dangers. And since men, surrounded with various and innumerable desires of the flesh, are at times unstable, and are then too much addicted to the love of the present life; the other member of the sentence follows, in which God declares, that he alone is sufficient for the perfection of a happy life to the faithful. For the word "reward" has the force of inheritance, or felicity. Were it deeply engraven on our minds, that in God alone we have the highest and complete perfection of all good things; we should easily fix bounds to those wicked desires by which we are miserably tormented. The meaning then of the passage is this, that we shall be truly happy when God is propitious to us; for he not only pours upon us the abundance of his kindness, but offers himself to us, that we may enjoy him. Now what is there more, which men can desire, when they really enjoy God? David knew the force of this promise, when he boasted that he had obtained a goodly lot, because the Lord was his inheritance, (Psalm 16:6.) But since nothing is more difficult than to curb the depraved appetites of the flesh, and since the ingratitude of man is so vile and impious, that God scarcely ever satisfies them; the Lord calls himself not simply "a reward," but an exceeding great reward, with which we ought to be more than sufficiently contented. This truly furnishes most abundant material, and most solid support, for confidence. For whosoever shall be fully persuaded that his life is protected by the hand of God, and that he never can be miserable while God is gracious to him; and who consequently resorts to this haven in all his cares and troubles, will find the best remedy for all evils. Not that the faithful can be entirely free from fear and care, as long as they are tossed by the tempests of contentions and of miseries; but because the storm is hushed in their own breast; and whereas the defense of God is greater than all dangers, so faith triumphs over fear.
God as shield is the full and sufficient answer to our fears. God not only stands alongside us with our fears but steps before us as a protector against our worst fears. As is the case with many fears, it is not always the fear of an attack that besets us with doubt and weakness. Fear is often associated with unrealized dreams, unfulfilled promises, and the worries of the morrow that Jesus speaks of so clearly.
And so, God sets forth himself as Abram's shield not so much in this case from outside attack, but as the protector from fear itself. In some cases it is true that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. God speaks directly to those who struggle with real or imagined fear, worries about money and your job situation, as well as your anxieties about the state of our country and the global economy.
God says to you, just as he said to Abram, “Do not be afraid, I am your shield.”
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on February 28, 2010.
Year C, Second Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17 - 4:1; Luke 13:31-35
Almost 2 years ago we looked at this passage in Genesis 15 as by way of expounding upon the passage in Genesis 12. I had some volunteers stand on either side of the aisle to represent heifer, the goat, the ram and the birds. Then I took a “burning fire pot” and walked down through center of it. I shared how this ritual was an example of an ancient contract. In ancient contracts, both parties of the contract would act in some manner so as to signal obligations by both parties. Even contracts today require consideration by both parties. For example, if I sign a contract for someone to do some work on my house, there are two parts. First, the contractor agrees to do the work. Second, I agree to pay the contractor for the work completed. However, what makes this contract in Genesis 15 unusual is that God passed through the pieces and Abram did not. The result is that God is obligating himself to fulfill his part of the bargain, but there is no corresponding consideration by Abram. And so some scholars refer to this as a “covenant” as differentiated from a “contract.” God has assumed the responsibility for fulfilling his promises to Abram. All this fancy theological stuff means that God does it all, without Abram “doing” anything. This is one of the most critically significant events in the Old Testament and indeed the Bible as a whole. It should be studied along with the covenantal promises in Genesis 12 and Genesis 17. The student would do well to spend a great deal of time and effort mining the treasures contained within these passages.
The emphasis, of course, is on God. God gets top billing in this movie and Abram would in a supporting role. And while we do learn some important things about Abram, what we learn about God will sustain us. Each of our passages today encourage us during those times when we feel alone and defeated. It is during those times that the promises of God offer our souls a place of peace and refuge.
In Genesis 15:1, God says “ Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield.” What is remarkable about this is that it follows on the heels of a great military victory. You might expect this to be said prior to going into battle, or perhaps even after a defeat. It is incredibly ironic. So, here was the scenario. Genesis 14 describes how there was a war in the lush valley that Lot chose to inhabit. Five kings, including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah had served the king of Chedorlaomer and his other king friends for 13 years. Those five kings rebelled which provoked the war with Chedorlaomer. They came a quashed the rebellion and took their belongings, their women and children along with Lot and his family. Well, that was their mistake. They should have just left Lot there. As soon as Abram found out that his brother was taken captive, he led an attack which not only rescued his brother, but also brought back all the women, children and their belongings to their cities.
Upon his return to the valley, he was met by the king of Sodom and the mysterious priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek. The king offers Abram all of their possessions, which Abram declines. Abram does ask that the men who went with him be granted a share of the rescued possessions, but takes nothing for himself. Melchizedek pronounces a blessing upon Abram and Abram gives the priest a tenth of everything. That is so odd, don't you think? Abram puts together a rescue party
and instead of accepting payment, he pays the priest, who is also one of the kings! That's remarkable! Now, before I move on, let us recall that there were no chapter divisions in scripture when they were written. Chapter divisions were added later. This makes Genesis 15:1 stand out so much more. This is not a new thought. Rather 15:1 is a continuation of the successful rescue of his nephew and family, and surrounding communities. And so, in this context, God begins the conversation by saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield???” Do you see the irony of this now? Why would God say to the victorious Abram, “Do not be afraid?”
Ah, it is often the context that helps us out, as is the case here. The full statement of God is: "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." You see, even though Abram had been victorious on the battlefield, he still had no heir. All that Abram had acquired in servants, livestock and other possessions were without meaning to Abram – without an heir from his own seed, which God had promised to him. This also reveals what Abram feared, – dying without a proper heir. He had had other fears, like when he went to Egypt with a beautiful wife, but this fear rattled the very essence of who he was. He had built his life upon trusting the voice of God he had first heard in the land of Ur. Either this God would deliver on his promise, or Abram's whole life was a sham. If Abram had no proper heir, then God would not be able to deliver on the promise of becoming a great nation. Nor could God fulfill the promise that this new nation would possess the land (both literally and symbolically).
**God was speaking to Abram during a crisis of faith.
In the midst of a desert of hope, God says, “Do not be afraid”, which we now clearly understand. Still, one may be puzzled by the phrase, “I am your shield”, which is certainly a defensive weapon. How might God be “defending” Abram? Now we might speculate that God is saying that he will protect Abram like the Bruce Willis super hero character in the movie, “Unbreakable.” But that is not indicated in this scripture passage.
John Wesley says this:
I am a shield to thee, present with thee, actually defending thee. The consideration of this, that God himself is, a shield to his people, to secure them from all destructive evils, a shield ready to them, and a shield round about them, should silence all perplexing fears.
John Calvin says this:
by the use of the word "shield," he signifies that Abram would always be safe under his protection. In calling himself his "reward," He teaches Abram to be satisfied with Himself alone. And as this was, with respect to Abram, a general instruction, given for the purpose of showing him that victory was not the chief and ultimate good which God had designed him to pursue; so let us know that the same blessing is promised to us all, in the person of this one man. For, by this voice, God daily speaks to his faithful ones; inasmuch as having once undertaken to defend us, he will take care to preserve us in safety under his hand, and to protect us by his power. Now since God ascribes to himself the office and property of a shield, for the purpose of rendering himself the protector of our salvation; we ought to regard this promise as a brazen wall, so that we should not be excessively fearful in any dangers. And since men, surrounded with various and innumerable desires of the flesh, are at times unstable, and are then too much addicted to the love of the present life; the other member of the sentence follows, in which God declares, that he alone is sufficient for the perfection of a happy life to the faithful. For the word "reward" has the force of inheritance, or felicity. Were it deeply engraven on our minds, that in God alone we have the highest and complete perfection of all good things; we should easily fix bounds to those wicked desires by which we are miserably tormented. The meaning then of the passage is this, that we shall be truly happy when God is propitious to us; for he not only pours upon us the abundance of his kindness, but offers himself to us, that we may enjoy him. Now what is there more, which men can desire, when they really enjoy God? David knew the force of this promise, when he boasted that he had obtained a goodly lot, because the Lord was his inheritance, (Psalm 16:6.) But since nothing is more difficult than to curb the depraved appetites of the flesh, and since the ingratitude of man is so vile and impious, that God scarcely ever satisfies them; the Lord calls himself not simply "a reward," but an exceeding great reward, with which we ought to be more than sufficiently contented. This truly furnishes most abundant material, and most solid support, for confidence. For whosoever shall be fully persuaded that his life is protected by the hand of God, and that he never can be miserable while God is gracious to him; and who consequently resorts to this haven in all his cares and troubles, will find the best remedy for all evils. Not that the faithful can be entirely free from fear and care, as long as they are tossed by the tempests of contentions and of miseries; but because the storm is hushed in their own breast; and whereas the defense of God is greater than all dangers, so faith triumphs over fear.
God as shield is the full and sufficient answer to our fears. God not only stands alongside us with our fears but steps before us as a protector against our worst fears. As is the case with many fears, it is not always the fear of an attack that besets us with doubt and weakness. Fear is often associated with unrealized dreams, unfulfilled promises, and the worries of the morrow that Jesus speaks of so clearly.
And so, God sets forth himself as Abram's shield not so much in this case from outside attack, but as the protector from fear itself. In some cases it is true that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. God speaks directly to those who struggle with real or imagined fear, worries about money and your job situation, as well as your anxieties about the state of our country and the global economy.
God says to you, just as he said to Abram, “Do not be afraid, I am your shield.”
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Telling Stories
Telling Stories
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on February 21, 2010.
Year C, First Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13
In the near future, I plan to return to Pleasant Hill, Ohio for a visit. I haven't actually seen anyone from there in almost 46 years. Our family left there after I finished the 4th grade. I drove through the town once or twice as an adult, but I never connected with anyone face to face. I did speak to one of my former classmates from Pleasant Hill, perhaps in 1986 or 1987. Martin Peacock was actually one of Max Strother's references when he applied here for the position of youth pastor. Martin was one of my classmates in school from 1960-1964 in Pleasant Hill. He also happened to be Max Strother's pastor for awhile. Small world, huh?
I've mentioned some of my memories from Mulvane, Kansas, but I do not recall sharing any memories from Pleasant Hill. Pleasant Hill was my father's first full time pastorate. I still remember my phone number, OR(chard)6-2801. I remember trying to smoke a hollow dead reed from a bush in the yard of the parsonage – just to see what smoking was like – I didn't like it. I remember running home scared from school once because there was a bully nearby. I remember school being let out early the day JFK was assassinated. I remember praying for a basketball for Christmas – and I got a basketball for Christmas!!! To this day, I'm not sure if it was God, my parents or Santa who answered that prayer (wink). I also remember having a friend of mine on the prayer list, Tony Fessler, who had developed pneumonia. Funny what we remember, isn't it. I have recently had contact with him via email. By the way, Tony is doing fine and still has a collection of get well cards he received from his classmates that he looks at every once in awhile. God answered our prayers 46 years ago and Lord willing, I hope to see him again soon. Our memories and telling our stories, in some way, define who we are today.
I don't recall ever preaching on this passage in Deuteronomy before. Here's the context. The children of Israel are poised to enter the Promised Land after wandering in the desert for 40 long years. Beginning in Chapter 5, Moses shares instructions about God's law with the people. Indeed, most of Deuteronomy is comprised of this long speech, if you will, of Moses giving instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Land. Moses talks about the importance of obeying God, clean and unclean food, canceling debts every 7 years, the sin of usury, not moving boundary markers, the cities of refuge, marriage laws, providing for the needs of the poor and the aliens, and a host of other laws.
Near the middle of this long discourse, in chapter 26, Moses provides instruction regarding the sharing of the First Fruits. In this agrarian society, land would be king and harvest time was critical. Throughout the Old Testament the land would be a prominent theme, as one of God's greatest promises and abundant gifts, and one of the people's most symbolic treasures. It is important to note that the “promised land” came from God and was (and still is today) the source of life for the people, literally and figuratively. And yet, our common failing as human beings is to forget the source of our subsistence. We work hard. Indeed, farmers are among the hardest working laborers in any society. They prepare the soil, plant the seed, tend the young plants, chase away weeds and predators, grooming them when needed, and carefully maximizing the harvest. This is done day in and day out, year after year, some years better than others, for a lifetime. The Lord, knowing the deepest, most hidden part of our hearts, knew our propensity to give ourselves too much credit and take God and his gifts too much for granted.
And so God, in his wisdom, sought to remind us of the source of our sustenance. God set forth a ritual surrounding the feast when the harvest begins. The farmer brings a basket of the very first pickings to the priest. As he stands before the priest, still holding the gift basket, he says the following to the priest.
Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us. (Deut. 26:3 – NRSV)
This is a very real and meaningful statement. The farmer is, in this opening statement, affirming that the land came from God. Not only that, for in this statement, the farmer confesses that this gift of the land was a fulfillment of God's promises to their ancestors several generations before. The message is strong. God fulfills his promises.
The priest then takes the basket, accepting the affirmation of God as Source, God as a Promise Keeper, as well as an acknowledgement of the gift. The priest sets the gift before the altar of the Lord. Then the farmer made the following statement.
A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me. (Deut 26: 5-10 – NRSV)
This is a confession, a story if you will, of God's great benevolence to the children of Israel. This is not just for the farmer, it is for all of us. It is a confession about who I am and who we are. It is a confession of the rightful positioning of God and his people. It is a story of where I/we have come from. It is a story about the greatness of God's generosity and what God has done for me/us. Truly, that is what confessions are – they are stories about God, and us. They remind us of God's grace, mercy and abundance – of hearing and answering our cries for help and of his provisions for our care and survival. These confessions chop away at our delusions of being self-made women or self-made men. You may have worked your fingers to the bone, but where did you get those fingers? You may have done it your way, but you didn't do it yourself. No one ever has. Where do you think those skills came from that have allowed you to do your job.
Malcolm Gladwell has written three best-selling novels: The Tipping Point, Blink and, most recently, Outliers. In this most recent work, Gladwell essentially debunks the whole idea of the self-made man. In the book, he states, “the biggest misconception about success is that we do it solely on our smarts, ambition, hustle and hard work." The fact of the matter is that a lot of “success” has to do with factors outside of the control of the individual.
I'm reminded of the show on the Weather Channel entitled, “When Weather Changed History.” It highlights how weather impacted historical events such as D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, in George Washington’s battles with the British, or how a dust storm in an Iranian desert shut down an American rescue attempt. It is not just the size or firepower of the engaging armies. Something else is at play. Yes, larger forces are at play here.
How else would you explain the approaching winter in Moscow as one of the reasons for the downfall of Napoleon. Furthermore, in War and Peace, Tolstoy attributes the victory to none other than Providence, especially given that on paper the Russian army should have lost, but at every critical moment, the Russian army was spared from disaster. The novel, War and Peace, is as much a theological treatise as it is an historical novel of the War of 1812. Indeed, it is a confession proclaiming God as Source, God as a Promise Keeper, as well as an acknowledgement of the gift , no less than the confession farmer as he gave the basket of First Fruits to the priest. These are confessional stories. They are stories which tell of God's Providence and Provision.
Two important people in my life have written some of their memoirs before they died. One was my Uncle Allen. He was the sports editor for the Lancaster Intel Journal in Lancaster Pennsylvania for 10 years. He tells a story about how he was privileged to cover the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. He was asked to go by the head of the amateur archery association in the U.S., who happened to live in Lancaster. This man, Clayton Shenk, actually used his influence to get my uncle his press pass to go to Montreal. My uncle recognized that it had nothing to do with his own abilities, but the persistence of Clayton Shenk who secured the press pass for Montreal.
My uncle also tells the story about how he became interested in the justice issues of Central America. This was sparked by a sermon in which his minister in Baltimore which described a pastor in Arizona by the name of John Fife who was giving sanctuary to refugees from Guatemala and El Salvador. He went on a couple of trips to Central America in support of justice for the poor people there. In his memoirs, he speaks of how coincidences or Providence created these opportunities. Indeed, it was not my uncle's abilities. Instead it was Providence.
For me, I have had a strong interest in missions, which I attribute to spending time with missionaries and their kids while they were on furlough and going around to churches telling their stories. And then there was the missionary service at General Conference one year. I don't remember who the speaker was. I can't even remember what year it was exactly, perhaps early 70's?? There were two of us that went forward that evening: Ron Waters and myself. I felt privileged when I was here at County Line to go to Lost Creek and to Mexico (as part of a youth trip to San Diego). And a few years ago, I was able to visit El Salvador. It seems that I have inherited my uncle's love for Central America and justice. These are my confessions, my stories. They are stories of the Provision and the Providence of God.
I remember when I made the decision to seek a pastorate. We were living in Westfield, attending the new Carmel Brethren Church. When it was mentioned to me about the possibility of County Line, one of my first concerns was that Herb had served here. As it turned out that was not a problem. I then decided upon a plan. Wherever I would go, I would first be called to the church, then I would give my 30 day notice to my present job, and put our mobile home up for sale and sell it in 30 days. Then, in perfect timing, we would move to our new home in answer to the new call. Well, I may have told this story, this confession, before, but it illustrates how God has a sense of humor. Prior to coming up to County Line for the visit, I decided that I needed to tell my boss what I was seeking and that I did not anticipate being around much longer. Now when you tell that to a judge, or some other employers, they could let you go before you're ready. But he did not and was supportive in the midst of his disappointment. We also decided to put the mobile home up for sale. Well, it sold in a matter of days. And we had to be out of the house before the vote. As I recall in the week between our visit and the church's vote, as we were discussing some things with the buyer, there was a knock on the door – It was Charles and Virginia King!! What am I supposed to do, lie to them? Well, we ended up telling them that we had already sold the house and requested that this information be kept a secret for awhile. So, by the time the vote was being taken here at County Line, Beth and the girls had temporarily moved back to Ashland to be with her parents, we had no home, I was living temporarily with Mark Baker, and our belongings were scattered in 3 different places in 2 different states. So, when I got the call from County Line asking me to be your pastor and they asked when I could start, I pretty much said whenever you want. God does have a sense of humor. Oh, and by the way, when I first considered seeking a pastorate, I told God, “anywhere but further north.” Just a word of advice to those who are listening, don't tell God where you won't go!! These are my confessions, my stories. They are stories of the Provision and the Providence of God, and his wonderful gifts.
I believe that this is part of what Paul had in mind when he wrote,
The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. (Romans 10:8-10 – NRSV)
This is not just a simple rote phrase to be repeated or to verify true believers. Rather these confessional stories remind us of our position to the God we serve, his faithfulness and his abundant gifts.
All of us have these confessional stories. Some of them go back many, many years. And some of them are from our ancestors and friends who are no longer with us. Beth's dad, Herb, along with Evelyn, wrote in their memoirs about coming to County Line.
[I read from their memoirs]
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on February 21, 2010.
Year C, First Sunday in Lent
Scripture passages: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13
In the near future, I plan to return to Pleasant Hill, Ohio for a visit. I haven't actually seen anyone from there in almost 46 years. Our family left there after I finished the 4th grade. I drove through the town once or twice as an adult, but I never connected with anyone face to face. I did speak to one of my former classmates from Pleasant Hill, perhaps in 1986 or 1987. Martin Peacock was actually one of Max Strother's references when he applied here for the position of youth pastor. Martin was one of my classmates in school from 1960-1964 in Pleasant Hill. He also happened to be Max Strother's pastor for awhile. Small world, huh?
I've mentioned some of my memories from Mulvane, Kansas, but I do not recall sharing any memories from Pleasant Hill. Pleasant Hill was my father's first full time pastorate. I still remember my phone number, OR(chard)6-2801. I remember trying to smoke a hollow dead reed from a bush in the yard of the parsonage – just to see what smoking was like – I didn't like it. I remember running home scared from school once because there was a bully nearby. I remember school being let out early the day JFK was assassinated. I remember praying for a basketball for Christmas – and I got a basketball for Christmas!!! To this day, I'm not sure if it was God, my parents or Santa who answered that prayer (wink). I also remember having a friend of mine on the prayer list, Tony Fessler, who had developed pneumonia. Funny what we remember, isn't it. I have recently had contact with him via email. By the way, Tony is doing fine and still has a collection of get well cards he received from his classmates that he looks at every once in awhile. God answered our prayers 46 years ago and Lord willing, I hope to see him again soon. Our memories and telling our stories, in some way, define who we are today.
I don't recall ever preaching on this passage in Deuteronomy before. Here's the context. The children of Israel are poised to enter the Promised Land after wandering in the desert for 40 long years. Beginning in Chapter 5, Moses shares instructions about God's law with the people. Indeed, most of Deuteronomy is comprised of this long speech, if you will, of Moses giving instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Land. Moses talks about the importance of obeying God, clean and unclean food, canceling debts every 7 years, the sin of usury, not moving boundary markers, the cities of refuge, marriage laws, providing for the needs of the poor and the aliens, and a host of other laws.
Near the middle of this long discourse, in chapter 26, Moses provides instruction regarding the sharing of the First Fruits. In this agrarian society, land would be king and harvest time was critical. Throughout the Old Testament the land would be a prominent theme, as one of God's greatest promises and abundant gifts, and one of the people's most symbolic treasures. It is important to note that the “promised land” came from God and was (and still is today) the source of life for the people, literally and figuratively. And yet, our common failing as human beings is to forget the source of our subsistence. We work hard. Indeed, farmers are among the hardest working laborers in any society. They prepare the soil, plant the seed, tend the young plants, chase away weeds and predators, grooming them when needed, and carefully maximizing the harvest. This is done day in and day out, year after year, some years better than others, for a lifetime. The Lord, knowing the deepest, most hidden part of our hearts, knew our propensity to give ourselves too much credit and take God and his gifts too much for granted.
And so God, in his wisdom, sought to remind us of the source of our sustenance. God set forth a ritual surrounding the feast when the harvest begins. The farmer brings a basket of the very first pickings to the priest. As he stands before the priest, still holding the gift basket, he says the following to the priest.
Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us. (Deut. 26:3 – NRSV)
This is a very real and meaningful statement. The farmer is, in this opening statement, affirming that the land came from God. Not only that, for in this statement, the farmer confesses that this gift of the land was a fulfillment of God's promises to their ancestors several generations before. The message is strong. God fulfills his promises.
The priest then takes the basket, accepting the affirmation of God as Source, God as a Promise Keeper, as well as an acknowledgement of the gift. The priest sets the gift before the altar of the Lord. Then the farmer made the following statement.
A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me. (Deut 26: 5-10 – NRSV)
This is a confession, a story if you will, of God's great benevolence to the children of Israel. This is not just for the farmer, it is for all of us. It is a confession about who I am and who we are. It is a confession of the rightful positioning of God and his people. It is a story of where I/we have come from. It is a story about the greatness of God's generosity and what God has done for me/us. Truly, that is what confessions are – they are stories about God, and us. They remind us of God's grace, mercy and abundance – of hearing and answering our cries for help and of his provisions for our care and survival. These confessions chop away at our delusions of being self-made women or self-made men. You may have worked your fingers to the bone, but where did you get those fingers? You may have done it your way, but you didn't do it yourself. No one ever has. Where do you think those skills came from that have allowed you to do your job.
Malcolm Gladwell has written three best-selling novels: The Tipping Point, Blink and, most recently, Outliers. In this most recent work, Gladwell essentially debunks the whole idea of the self-made man. In the book, he states, “the biggest misconception about success is that we do it solely on our smarts, ambition, hustle and hard work." The fact of the matter is that a lot of “success” has to do with factors outside of the control of the individual.
I'm reminded of the show on the Weather Channel entitled, “When Weather Changed History.” It highlights how weather impacted historical events such as D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, in George Washington’s battles with the British, or how a dust storm in an Iranian desert shut down an American rescue attempt. It is not just the size or firepower of the engaging armies. Something else is at play. Yes, larger forces are at play here.
How else would you explain the approaching winter in Moscow as one of the reasons for the downfall of Napoleon. Furthermore, in War and Peace, Tolstoy attributes the victory to none other than Providence, especially given that on paper the Russian army should have lost, but at every critical moment, the Russian army was spared from disaster. The novel, War and Peace, is as much a theological treatise as it is an historical novel of the War of 1812. Indeed, it is a confession proclaiming God as Source, God as a Promise Keeper, as well as an acknowledgement of the gift , no less than the confession farmer as he gave the basket of First Fruits to the priest. These are confessional stories. They are stories which tell of God's Providence and Provision.
Two important people in my life have written some of their memoirs before they died. One was my Uncle Allen. He was the sports editor for the Lancaster Intel Journal in Lancaster Pennsylvania for 10 years. He tells a story about how he was privileged to cover the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. He was asked to go by the head of the amateur archery association in the U.S., who happened to live in Lancaster. This man, Clayton Shenk, actually used his influence to get my uncle his press pass to go to Montreal. My uncle recognized that it had nothing to do with his own abilities, but the persistence of Clayton Shenk who secured the press pass for Montreal.
My uncle also tells the story about how he became interested in the justice issues of Central America. This was sparked by a sermon in which his minister in Baltimore which described a pastor in Arizona by the name of John Fife who was giving sanctuary to refugees from Guatemala and El Salvador. He went on a couple of trips to Central America in support of justice for the poor people there. In his memoirs, he speaks of how coincidences or Providence created these opportunities. Indeed, it was not my uncle's abilities. Instead it was Providence.
For me, I have had a strong interest in missions, which I attribute to spending time with missionaries and their kids while they were on furlough and going around to churches telling their stories. And then there was the missionary service at General Conference one year. I don't remember who the speaker was. I can't even remember what year it was exactly, perhaps early 70's?? There were two of us that went forward that evening: Ron Waters and myself. I felt privileged when I was here at County Line to go to Lost Creek and to Mexico (as part of a youth trip to San Diego). And a few years ago, I was able to visit El Salvador. It seems that I have inherited my uncle's love for Central America and justice. These are my confessions, my stories. They are stories of the Provision and the Providence of God.
I remember when I made the decision to seek a pastorate. We were living in Westfield, attending the new Carmel Brethren Church. When it was mentioned to me about the possibility of County Line, one of my first concerns was that Herb had served here. As it turned out that was not a problem. I then decided upon a plan. Wherever I would go, I would first be called to the church, then I would give my 30 day notice to my present job, and put our mobile home up for sale and sell it in 30 days. Then, in perfect timing, we would move to our new home in answer to the new call. Well, I may have told this story, this confession, before, but it illustrates how God has a sense of humor. Prior to coming up to County Line for the visit, I decided that I needed to tell my boss what I was seeking and that I did not anticipate being around much longer. Now when you tell that to a judge, or some other employers, they could let you go before you're ready. But he did not and was supportive in the midst of his disappointment. We also decided to put the mobile home up for sale. Well, it sold in a matter of days. And we had to be out of the house before the vote. As I recall in the week between our visit and the church's vote, as we were discussing some things with the buyer, there was a knock on the door – It was Charles and Virginia King!! What am I supposed to do, lie to them? Well, we ended up telling them that we had already sold the house and requested that this information be kept a secret for awhile. So, by the time the vote was being taken here at County Line, Beth and the girls had temporarily moved back to Ashland to be with her parents, we had no home, I was living temporarily with Mark Baker, and our belongings were scattered in 3 different places in 2 different states. So, when I got the call from County Line asking me to be your pastor and they asked when I could start, I pretty much said whenever you want. God does have a sense of humor. Oh, and by the way, when I first considered seeking a pastorate, I told God, “anywhere but further north.” Just a word of advice to those who are listening, don't tell God where you won't go!! These are my confessions, my stories. They are stories of the Provision and the Providence of God, and his wonderful gifts.
I believe that this is part of what Paul had in mind when he wrote,
The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. (Romans 10:8-10 – NRSV)
This is not just a simple rote phrase to be repeated or to verify true believers. Rather these confessional stories remind us of our position to the God we serve, his faithfulness and his abundant gifts.
All of us have these confessional stories. Some of them go back many, many years. And some of them are from our ancestors and friends who are no longer with us. Beth's dad, Herb, along with Evelyn, wrote in their memoirs about coming to County Line.
[I read from their memoirs]
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
We're All In Our Places With Bright Shiny Faces
We're All In Our Places With Bright Shiny Faces
Or
Glowing Like a Supernova
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on February 14, 2010.
Year C, Transfiguration Sunday
Scripture passages: Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-43
Let's set the stage a little bit, before we jump headlong into the passage about Moses glowing like supernova. In
In the liturgical calendar, today is Transfiguration Sunday. The gospel reading describes the transfiguration of Jesus in the presence of Moses and Elijah. We are told that Jesus' face turned brilliant white, as he talked with Moses and Elijah. Peter, James and John were witnesses to this manifestation of the Glory of God. This passage naturally reminds us of the time that Moses' face lit up with the Glory of God after coming down off the mountain. Our epistle reading also makes reference to this pivotal event soon after the Exodus. We would do well to examine the Glory of God as experienced by Moses and the million people on walkabout through the desert. My hope is that by looking back at Moses we will discover helpful insights as we try to connect with God today.
In the chapters preceding our Old Testament lesson, we read about Moses being up on the mountain with the Lord receiving instructions and the first set of stone tablets. Moses was there for such a long time that the people thought he was dead. Aaron relented to their pestering and led them in their apostasy – the construction of the golden calf. God was ready to destroy the people forthwith, save for the intercession of Moses. And yet, when Moses came down from the mountain and witnessed the rebellion first hand, he was furious, tossed the stone tablets down, breaking them into pieces. Judgment came in the form of a plague as well as the killing of 3,000 relatives at the hands of the Levites.
Soon thereafter, Moses went back up the mountain to meet with the Lord. This time, Moses was there for 40 days, fasting. “He did not eat bread, and he did not drink water” (34:28). As a side note, I believe this to be a supernatural fast. This is beyond the scope of normal human endurance, notwithstanding the recent account of a survivor found in the rubble of Haiti – after 40 days. Moses' fast was both authorized and sustained by God. During this time, a new set of stone tablets were written upon. Moses was given additional instructions by God. Moses also made a bold request of the Lord God in addition to God's continuing presence, “show me your glory.” This is done almost as if Moses is asking God to sign on the dotted line, confirming that his presence will remain with Moses.
And as the story goes, God moves in front of Moses shielding Moses from seeing God's face. But as God passes, he removes his hand, allowing Moses to see God's back.
This sets the stage for our reading today starting with Moses coming down off the mountain glowing like a supernova. The stiff-necked and sinful Israelites were naturally afraid of this supernatural manifestation of the Glory of God. Moses thereafter veils his face when speaking with the people so as not to frighten them too much. There is a lot of study as well as conjecture about what Moses actually looked like – both with and without the veil. These ideas are very interesting to study, but results in little pertinent applications. What is important to emphasize is that the Glory of God was manifested in the countenance of Moses, which produces fear in the people. The scripture also points out that Moses removes the veil when going in to speak to the Lord at the Tent of Meeting. It seems that when Moses speaks with God, the veil gets in the way.
I would like to identify some key aspects of the Glory of God in the Moses story and make applications for us from two different perspectives. We will first consider Moses as the leader of the people. The application for this perspective will be for the pastors primarily but also, in some sense, all leaders of the church today. The second perspective will be as we look at what we can learn in the Moses experience, the Transfiguration and II Corinthians that is applicable for Christians and the church today.
Let's start with Moses, the leader. Let's be clear at the outset. Moses did not seek out this position. God had to virtually hog-tie him and drag him to Egypt. Being a leader of anything is hard work, let alone being the leader of a million people on the run. There was no election here, nor was there a military coup. God CHOSE Moses as his anointed servant for a specific task. Many of you have been leaders of organizations or had supervisory positions. It is not easy, and the church is no exception. Make no mistake about this. The pastors and leaders of this or any church will not depend on any vote of its members. #1-God chooses the leaders for his people.
The next thing I notice about Moses and his experience of the Glory of God is that this imputation of the Glory of God was a product of a very personal relationship between Moses and God. Sure, they spent 40 days together on the mountain in a supernatural way. But, believe me when I say this, those 40 days were a very small part of the intimate relationship between Moses and God. Moses had already talked to God in a burning bush, stared down Pharaoh several times, and watched his armies drown in the sea, by the power of God. Those 40 days were not some kind of spiritual retreat meant to rejuvenate a troubled marriage or relationship. Moses and God had been speaking together as friends for quite some time. Nevertheless, we would remiss if we did not acknowledge that the 40 days clearly accentuates the intimacy of the relationship between Moses and God. Pastors and leaders of the church are people who live their lives in intimacy with God. #2-Intimacy between a pastor and our Heavenly Father is cherished by both pastor and the congregation.
Next we are compelled to note that Moses is committed to God’s law. Though we recognize that he had clay feet like the rest of us, he is also characterized by his passion for obedience. This is manifested in right behavior. I’m not talking about perfect behavior. I see in Moses a devotion and loyalty to God which is seen by others as righteous living, made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. #3- Pastors and lay leaders in the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
Moving on, throughout the scripture there are two complementary qualities of the priest, prophet, pastor, leader. The first is this vivid and rich intimacy with God that produces a glow on the countenance of the leader for all to see. It is this intimacy with God that defines and directs the servant of the Most High. The second is the devotion to obedience. The third of the complementary qualities of the priest, prophet, pastor, leader is a heart that yearns for justice. This heart for justice is an outgrowth of the intimacy with our Heavenly Father. Intimacy with the Father churns our hearts in favor of the poor, compels us to stand alongside those who have been pushed aside, and befriends those who our society deems unworthy. Intimacy with God, without devotion to justice is a self-serving fantasy. Likewise devotion to justice which does not arise out of an intimacy with God easily becomes dejected, angry and hopeless. #4-Pastors and lay leaders are devoted to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
So, here is a summary of the insights related to Moses as the leader.
#1-God chooses the leaders for his people.
#2-Intimacy between a pastor and our Heavenly Father is cherished by both pastor and the congregation.
#3- Pastors and lay leaders in the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
#4-Pastors and lay leaders are devoted to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
Now let's look at what Paul is teaching us about Christians and the church and its application for us today. We are told elsewhere that Jesus is the manifestation of the Glory of God. Indeed, Paul says it is Jesus that sets aside the veil, revealing the Glory of God to us – even though now it is as if we are looking in a clouded mirror. The remarkable thing is that this same Glory of God which was in Christ Jesus is now in us “being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” As Paul says elsewhere, this is a mystery, “Christ in us, the hope of glory!!!” I'm not sure if I am able to adequately help you understand this. But there is a difference between us and Moses, and we have the advantage – really! While the Glory of God was revealed on the face of Moses for a time on the outside, The Glory of God is now being imputed into our very being in greater and greater measure, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Glory of God – Jesus, the Christ is growing in you daily.
It seems that we must acknowledge is that the manifestation of the Glory of God, as we find it in Moses and the Transfiguration, is not typical. While it may be obvious, we would be wise to admit this, if for no other reason than to reject all human attempts to remanufacture this special grace from God. Our face is not likely to glow like Moses' face did. Unfortunately, there are many who would try to conjure up such displays only to resort to the use of veils hiding the truth; which is that the Glory of God is only for God to release – in his time, in his will, and by his majesty. Allow me to be more specific. Be wary and cautious of those who claim to have a special connection to God, or who claim to have a special word from the Lord – as if they have been on the sacred mountain of the Lord with Moses. Be like the Bereans and search the scriptures to test the spirits. So, let us not be quick to seek to stir up this Glory of God. Why would I say that we should be cautious about stirring up this Glory of God? Because this Glory of God has already been revealed and is being imputed within us by the Holy Spirit. It does not need to be manufactured. It is happening in our hearts already! Wow! #1-Jesus has removed the veil, revealing the Glory of God growing in our hearts today.
Next we are to notice that the manifestation of the Glory of God at the Transfiguration is immediately followed by an act of healing and reconciliation. “Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God” (Luke 9:42, 43). In II Corinthians 3, we read, Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness” (vs. 12). We are not timid. We act with courage. Later in chapter 4:1, 2, we read, “Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.”
Let me try to break this down for you. The Glory of God as manifested at the Transfiguration was not a place, as Peter wanted to make it, but the power by which Jesus’ ministry took place. The presence of the Glory of God in Jesus resulted in the healing of the boy and reconciliation with the boy’s father. Likewise, Paul is saying that the Glory of God, which is growing in us by the power of the Holy Spirit is there for the purpose of ministry. It is not something just to make us feel good when we sing a few worship songs. The Glory of God grows as our intimacy with God develops. But as Moses and Jesus understood, this intimacy with God produces at least these 3 things:
#1-Christians and the church have had the veil removed by Jesus which previously hid the Glory of God. This Glory of God and intimacy with God are inseparable. Indeed, by the power of the Holy Spirit, this same Glory of God is growing in us, from glory to glory.
#2-As a result of this intimacy with God and the Glory of God growing in our hearts, Christians and the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
#3- As a result of this intimacy with God and the Glory of God growing in our hearts, Christians and the church are devoted to ministry, that is, to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
So, here again are the earlier conclusions for pastors and lay leaders.
#1-God chooses the leaders for his people.
#2-Intimacy between a pastor and our Heavenly Father is cherished by both pastor and the congregation.
#3- Pastors and lay leaders in the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
#4-Pastors and lay leaders are devoted ministry, that is, to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
Remarkably, our conclusion is essentially the same for pastors, lay leaders, Christians and the church as a whole. I charge you this day, as you seek a pastor to lead you, examine yourselves as well. You are the church. The Glory of God is growing in your hearts. It is your nature to shine in ministry to others.
I see all of you in your bright shining faces, glowing with the Glory of God, ready for ministry.
Or
Glowing Like a Supernova
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on February 14, 2010.
Year C, Transfiguration Sunday
Scripture passages: Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-43
Let's set the stage a little bit, before we jump headlong into the passage about Moses glowing like supernova. In
In the liturgical calendar, today is Transfiguration Sunday. The gospel reading describes the transfiguration of Jesus in the presence of Moses and Elijah. We are told that Jesus' face turned brilliant white, as he talked with Moses and Elijah. Peter, James and John were witnesses to this manifestation of the Glory of God. This passage naturally reminds us of the time that Moses' face lit up with the Glory of God after coming down off the mountain. Our epistle reading also makes reference to this pivotal event soon after the Exodus. We would do well to examine the Glory of God as experienced by Moses and the million people on walkabout through the desert. My hope is that by looking back at Moses we will discover helpful insights as we try to connect with God today.
In the chapters preceding our Old Testament lesson, we read about Moses being up on the mountain with the Lord receiving instructions and the first set of stone tablets. Moses was there for such a long time that the people thought he was dead. Aaron relented to their pestering and led them in their apostasy – the construction of the golden calf. God was ready to destroy the people forthwith, save for the intercession of Moses. And yet, when Moses came down from the mountain and witnessed the rebellion first hand, he was furious, tossed the stone tablets down, breaking them into pieces. Judgment came in the form of a plague as well as the killing of 3,000 relatives at the hands of the Levites.
Soon thereafter, Moses went back up the mountain to meet with the Lord. This time, Moses was there for 40 days, fasting. “He did not eat bread, and he did not drink water” (34:28). As a side note, I believe this to be a supernatural fast. This is beyond the scope of normal human endurance, notwithstanding the recent account of a survivor found in the rubble of Haiti – after 40 days. Moses' fast was both authorized and sustained by God. During this time, a new set of stone tablets were written upon. Moses was given additional instructions by God. Moses also made a bold request of the Lord God in addition to God's continuing presence, “show me your glory.” This is done almost as if Moses is asking God to sign on the dotted line, confirming that his presence will remain with Moses.
And as the story goes, God moves in front of Moses shielding Moses from seeing God's face. But as God passes, he removes his hand, allowing Moses to see God's back.
This sets the stage for our reading today starting with Moses coming down off the mountain glowing like a supernova. The stiff-necked and sinful Israelites were naturally afraid of this supernatural manifestation of the Glory of God. Moses thereafter veils his face when speaking with the people so as not to frighten them too much. There is a lot of study as well as conjecture about what Moses actually looked like – both with and without the veil. These ideas are very interesting to study, but results in little pertinent applications. What is important to emphasize is that the Glory of God was manifested in the countenance of Moses, which produces fear in the people. The scripture also points out that Moses removes the veil when going in to speak to the Lord at the Tent of Meeting. It seems that when Moses speaks with God, the veil gets in the way.
I would like to identify some key aspects of the Glory of God in the Moses story and make applications for us from two different perspectives. We will first consider Moses as the leader of the people. The application for this perspective will be for the pastors primarily but also, in some sense, all leaders of the church today. The second perspective will be as we look at what we can learn in the Moses experience, the Transfiguration and II Corinthians that is applicable for Christians and the church today.
Let's start with Moses, the leader. Let's be clear at the outset. Moses did not seek out this position. God had to virtually hog-tie him and drag him to Egypt. Being a leader of anything is hard work, let alone being the leader of a million people on the run. There was no election here, nor was there a military coup. God CHOSE Moses as his anointed servant for a specific task. Many of you have been leaders of organizations or had supervisory positions. It is not easy, and the church is no exception. Make no mistake about this. The pastors and leaders of this or any church will not depend on any vote of its members. #1-God chooses the leaders for his people.
The next thing I notice about Moses and his experience of the Glory of God is that this imputation of the Glory of God was a product of a very personal relationship between Moses and God. Sure, they spent 40 days together on the mountain in a supernatural way. But, believe me when I say this, those 40 days were a very small part of the intimate relationship between Moses and God. Moses had already talked to God in a burning bush, stared down Pharaoh several times, and watched his armies drown in the sea, by the power of God. Those 40 days were not some kind of spiritual retreat meant to rejuvenate a troubled marriage or relationship. Moses and God had been speaking together as friends for quite some time. Nevertheless, we would remiss if we did not acknowledge that the 40 days clearly accentuates the intimacy of the relationship between Moses and God. Pastors and leaders of the church are people who live their lives in intimacy with God. #2-Intimacy between a pastor and our Heavenly Father is cherished by both pastor and the congregation.
Next we are compelled to note that Moses is committed to God’s law. Though we recognize that he had clay feet like the rest of us, he is also characterized by his passion for obedience. This is manifested in right behavior. I’m not talking about perfect behavior. I see in Moses a devotion and loyalty to God which is seen by others as righteous living, made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. #3- Pastors and lay leaders in the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
Moving on, throughout the scripture there are two complementary qualities of the priest, prophet, pastor, leader. The first is this vivid and rich intimacy with God that produces a glow on the countenance of the leader for all to see. It is this intimacy with God that defines and directs the servant of the Most High. The second is the devotion to obedience. The third of the complementary qualities of the priest, prophet, pastor, leader is a heart that yearns for justice. This heart for justice is an outgrowth of the intimacy with our Heavenly Father. Intimacy with the Father churns our hearts in favor of the poor, compels us to stand alongside those who have been pushed aside, and befriends those who our society deems unworthy. Intimacy with God, without devotion to justice is a self-serving fantasy. Likewise devotion to justice which does not arise out of an intimacy with God easily becomes dejected, angry and hopeless. #4-Pastors and lay leaders are devoted to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
So, here is a summary of the insights related to Moses as the leader.
#1-God chooses the leaders for his people.
#2-Intimacy between a pastor and our Heavenly Father is cherished by both pastor and the congregation.
#3- Pastors and lay leaders in the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
#4-Pastors and lay leaders are devoted to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
Now let's look at what Paul is teaching us about Christians and the church and its application for us today. We are told elsewhere that Jesus is the manifestation of the Glory of God. Indeed, Paul says it is Jesus that sets aside the veil, revealing the Glory of God to us – even though now it is as if we are looking in a clouded mirror. The remarkable thing is that this same Glory of God which was in Christ Jesus is now in us “being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” As Paul says elsewhere, this is a mystery, “Christ in us, the hope of glory!!!” I'm not sure if I am able to adequately help you understand this. But there is a difference between us and Moses, and we have the advantage – really! While the Glory of God was revealed on the face of Moses for a time on the outside, The Glory of God is now being imputed into our very being in greater and greater measure, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Glory of God – Jesus, the Christ is growing in you daily.
It seems that we must acknowledge is that the manifestation of the Glory of God, as we find it in Moses and the Transfiguration, is not typical. While it may be obvious, we would be wise to admit this, if for no other reason than to reject all human attempts to remanufacture this special grace from God. Our face is not likely to glow like Moses' face did. Unfortunately, there are many who would try to conjure up such displays only to resort to the use of veils hiding the truth; which is that the Glory of God is only for God to release – in his time, in his will, and by his majesty. Allow me to be more specific. Be wary and cautious of those who claim to have a special connection to God, or who claim to have a special word from the Lord – as if they have been on the sacred mountain of the Lord with Moses. Be like the Bereans and search the scriptures to test the spirits. So, let us not be quick to seek to stir up this Glory of God. Why would I say that we should be cautious about stirring up this Glory of God? Because this Glory of God has already been revealed and is being imputed within us by the Holy Spirit. It does not need to be manufactured. It is happening in our hearts already! Wow! #1-Jesus has removed the veil, revealing the Glory of God growing in our hearts today.
Next we are to notice that the manifestation of the Glory of God at the Transfiguration is immediately followed by an act of healing and reconciliation. “Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God” (Luke 9:42, 43). In II Corinthians 3, we read, Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness” (vs. 12). We are not timid. We act with courage. Later in chapter 4:1, 2, we read, “Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.”
Let me try to break this down for you. The Glory of God as manifested at the Transfiguration was not a place, as Peter wanted to make it, but the power by which Jesus’ ministry took place. The presence of the Glory of God in Jesus resulted in the healing of the boy and reconciliation with the boy’s father. Likewise, Paul is saying that the Glory of God, which is growing in us by the power of the Holy Spirit is there for the purpose of ministry. It is not something just to make us feel good when we sing a few worship songs. The Glory of God grows as our intimacy with God develops. But as Moses and Jesus understood, this intimacy with God produces at least these 3 things:
#1-Christians and the church have had the veil removed by Jesus which previously hid the Glory of God. This Glory of God and intimacy with God are inseparable. Indeed, by the power of the Holy Spirit, this same Glory of God is growing in us, from glory to glory.
#2-As a result of this intimacy with God and the Glory of God growing in our hearts, Christians and the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
#3- As a result of this intimacy with God and the Glory of God growing in our hearts, Christians and the church are devoted to ministry, that is, to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
So, here again are the earlier conclusions for pastors and lay leaders.
#1-God chooses the leaders for his people.
#2-Intimacy between a pastor and our Heavenly Father is cherished by both pastor and the congregation.
#3- Pastors and lay leaders in the church are consumed with pleasing God, as differentiated from people. This is seen in right living.
#4-Pastors and lay leaders are devoted ministry, that is, to justice, empowering the weak, freeing the oppressed and feeding the hungry.
Remarkably, our conclusion is essentially the same for pastors, lay leaders, Christians and the church as a whole. I charge you this day, as you seek a pastor to lead you, examine yourselves as well. You are the church. The Glory of God is growing in your hearts. It is your nature to shine in ministry to others.
I see all of you in your bright shining faces, glowing with the Glory of God, ready for ministry.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Sanctity of All Life
The Sanctity of All Life
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on January 24, 2010.
Year C, Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Scripture passages: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21
So, after all that scripture, I must explain why I will not be spending much time in them today. I have rarely deviated from the prescribed Lectionary scripture passages. Today, it seems important to do so. Today has been set aside as Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. It was originally proclaimed by Ronald Reagan in 1984 and is annually identified as the third Sunday in January, which typically represents the January 22 anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortions. It has been narrowly utilized to bring attention to the tragedy of abortion.
Proclamation 5147 -- National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 1984
January 13, 1984
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
The values and freedoms we cherish as Americans rest on our fundamental commitment to the sanctity of human life. The first of the ``unalienable rights'' affirmed by our Declaration of Independence is the right to life itself, a right the Declaration states has been endowed by our Creator on all human beings -- whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped.
Since 1973, however, more than 15 million unborn children have died in legalized abortions -- a tragedy of stunning dimensions that stands in sad contrast to our belief that each life is sacred. These children, over tenfold the number of Americans lost in all our Nation's wars, will never laugh, never sing, never experience the joy of human love; nor will they strive to heal the sick, or feed the poor, or make peace among nations. Abortion has denied them the first and most basic of human rights, and we are infinitely poorer for their loss.
We are poorer not simply for lives not led and for contributions not made, but also for the erosion of our sense of the worth and dignity of every individual. To diminish the value of one category of human life is to diminish us all. Slavery, which treated Blacks as something less than human, to be bought and sold if convenient, cheapened human life and mocked our dedication to the freedom and equality of all men and women. Can we say that abortion -- which treats the unborn as something less than human, to be destroyed if convenient -- will be less corrosive to the values we hold dear?
We have been given the precious gift of human life, made more precious still by our births in or pilgrimages to a land of freedom. It is fitting, then, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that struck down State anti-abortion laws, that we reflect anew on these blessings, and on our corresponding responsibility to guard with care the lives and freedoms of even the weakest of our fellow human beings.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 22, 1984, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon the citizens of this blessed land to gather on that day in homes and places of worship to give thanks for the gift of life, and to reaffirm our commitment to the dignity of every human being and the sanctity of each human life.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of January, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:24 a.m., January 16, 1984]
This proclamation was issued 26 years ago. Updating the statistics, it appears that close to 50 million abortions have been performed in the United States since 1973 even though the rate of abortion has been steadily dropping since its peak around 1979.
The abortion rate among women living below the federal poverty level ($9,570 for a single woman with no children) is more than four times that of women above 300% of the poverty level (44 vs. 10 abortions per 1,000 women). This is partly because the rate of unintended pregnancies among poor women (below 100% of poverty) is nearly four times that of women above 200% of poverty* (112 vs. 29 per 1,000 women). (source: Guttmacher.org, July 2008)
The reasons women give for having an abortion underscore their understanding of the responsibilities of parenthood and family life. Three-fourths of women cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals; three-fourths say they cannot afford a child; three-fourths say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents; and half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner. (source: Guttmacher.org, July 2008)
It is proper for us to draw attention to the tragedy of abortion. That nearly 50 million have died is unfathomable and reveals our sickness as a society.
It is also proper for us to recognize the tireless efforts of those who work to address this problem in a holistic manner. Beth and I have previously utilized some of the services of Planned Parenthood, which were very helpful at the time.
Family planning clinics funded under Title X of the federal Public Health Service Act have helped women prevent 20 million unintended pregnancies during the last 20 years. An estimated nine million of these pregnancies would have ended in abortion. (source: Guttmacher.org)
Furthermore, it is proper for us to recognize the tireless efforts of those who work to improve the lives of women tossed into the throes of an unplanned pregnancy with little or no resources or support. Beth and I have previously supported places like Rachel's Home in Plymouth. There are crisis pregnancy centers in virtually every medium-size population center in the U.S. servicing the needs of pregnant women and young mothers who have chosen to keep and provide for their children. Adoption agencies provide assistance for those mothers who choose to release their children after birth to a loving family.
I would be remiss if I did not also draw attention to the heart-wrenching decision virtually every mother makes when considering an abortion for whatever reason. Indeed, it would be quite callous for any of us to downplay this time of torture for the mother, especially in those agreed upon exceptions in the case of rape, incest, and serious medical issues, as well as the cases more open to debate such as when the mother lacks any resources whatsoever to care for the child. To consider, care for, or befriend these women with anything less than complete compassion is unchristian.
Yes, we must not forget this sickness in our society, which penetrates to the very core of how we define Life itself. And yet, we would be naïve if we were to believe that a change in court rulings or laws or even constitutional amendments would heal this sickness. Truly, this sickness is about our values about all of Life itself. Laws do not change values.
As written in the proclamation, the right to life has been granted “by our Creator on all human beings -- whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped.” May I say, however, that in the fervor to protect the life of the unborn, many appear to have downplayed the equally important life of the mother. At the same time, many of those who strongly advocate for the right of the mother to choose seem to be diminishing the equally important life of the child. We would do well to seek solutions, which would honor both the mother and the child.
Many sermons delivered today will only deal with the problem of abortion. However, if I only talk about abortion on a Sunday emphasizing Life, it would be akin to a presentation about a car, but limiting the discussion to function of the engine and the transmission.
I would suggest that we consider this day by a slightly different title: Sanctity of All Life Sunday (SOALS). The problem with this is that few contemporary subjects are more complex in nature, as comprehensive in scope, garner more heated exchanges, or reveal more about one's spiritual and religious persuasions that does a discussion about “Life.” A beginning list of questions include:
• What constitutes Life?
• Who deserves Life?
• Who forfeits Life?
• How is Life ended?
• How do we care for and nurture Life?
• What are our responsibilities for the Life of others?
• Who is our neighbor for whose Life we are responsible (and are there those who do not meet the qualifications of being our neighbor)?
• When is it OK to take another person's Life?
Now don't be afraid. I know that our time is limited and the Colts play around 3:00 this afternoon. Even though this topic would be hard to cover in a semester's class at a university, I'll just touch on a few important points.
Much of the law in the Old Testament reflects an incredibly high value on “Life.” For example, they were told not to eat the blood of an animal because the blood contained the Life of the animal (Lev. 17:11 and Deut. 12:23). Reading the Old Testament with our post-modern ears sounds rather barbaric. There are commands to kill entire groups of people, without mercy. There is a lot of brutality. Still, it must be pointed out that the law in the Old Testament established limits on things like retribution and revenge. For example, if my neighbor was responsible for the loss of some of my livestock, I could not ask for his head. Instead, I may only have my livestock replaced. Even the Life of animals is important.
We also find a very broad application of the importance of every human Life in the Old Testament. And it is not just about keeping people alive. It is about genuinely valuing the Lives of our neighbors, by compassionately attending to their needs. The prophets regularly chastise the people for neglecting the widows, the poor, the powerless, and the foreigners in their land.
One of the encouraging things in the horrific disaster in Haiti is overwhelming commitment of the world community to Life. Despite a few accounts of isolated incidents, every effort has been made to save Lives. We will never forget the picture of the small child with a mile-wide-smile and outstretched arms as he is pulled from the rubble. Furthermore, there seems to be a growing resolve to genuinely help this poverty-stricken nation in the long term.
I noticed in TIME magazine this past week that Miep Gies died on January 11 at the age of 100. I must confess that I did not recognize the name. But if you have recently read the Diary of Anne Frank, you may recall that Miep Gies helped to shelter and feed the family of Anne Frank from 1942-44. Elie Wiesel wrote the remembrance.
I met Gies much later and was impressed by her sincerity, the simplicity of her comments and the moving quality of her smile. Calm, soft and reserved, she radiated nobility and strength of character. She talked little and quietly, reflecting on the significance of every word. When speaking of the past, she seemed to relive it.
Naturally, I knew much about her life. Anne's immortal diary, which Gies found and gave to Otto Frank after the war, was filled with praise for her devotion and sacrifice.
I asked her where she had found the courage to defy the Gestapo during the dark days of the occupation, and she protested. "I did nothing heroic or extraordinary," she said. "Human beings were in peril, and I had to care for them." But for the Franks, she represented all that is good and generous. She was the incarnation of hope. (Source: Time Magazine, Jan. 25, 2010)
Miep Gies and the efforts in Haiti certainly encourage us to sustain the value of Life.
In our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus pronounces a return to the Old Testament emphasis on Life and of the importance of Every Life.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Indeed, the New Testament seems to emphasize the importance of Life to a new, higher level. Jesus associates with and defends tax collectors, prostitutes, Samaritans, adulterers, murderers, children, women and the sick. Each of their Lives are elevated by physical presence and affirmation of Jesus. Yes, Jesus values all Life; the pregnant mother contemplating abortion in the same way the unborn child is also valued. And allow me to go one step further here. Jesus values the Lives of those who fight feverishly to protect the unborn child in the same way he values the Life of those who fight feverishly to protect the Life of the mother in turmoil.
A friend of mine on Facebook sent me a quote. "If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
It may be helpful in this highly charged issue to begin to value one another, not as enemies or as transgressors, but to value one another's Lives as our heavenly Father values our Lives.
We would do well to seek solutions, which would honor both the Life of the mother and the Life of the child.
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on January 24, 2010.
Year C, Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Scripture passages: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21
So, after all that scripture, I must explain why I will not be spending much time in them today. I have rarely deviated from the prescribed Lectionary scripture passages. Today, it seems important to do so. Today has been set aside as Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. It was originally proclaimed by Ronald Reagan in 1984 and is annually identified as the third Sunday in January, which typically represents the January 22 anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortions. It has been narrowly utilized to bring attention to the tragedy of abortion.
Proclamation 5147 -- National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 1984
January 13, 1984
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
The values and freedoms we cherish as Americans rest on our fundamental commitment to the sanctity of human life. The first of the ``unalienable rights'' affirmed by our Declaration of Independence is the right to life itself, a right the Declaration states has been endowed by our Creator on all human beings -- whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped.
Since 1973, however, more than 15 million unborn children have died in legalized abortions -- a tragedy of stunning dimensions that stands in sad contrast to our belief that each life is sacred. These children, over tenfold the number of Americans lost in all our Nation's wars, will never laugh, never sing, never experience the joy of human love; nor will they strive to heal the sick, or feed the poor, or make peace among nations. Abortion has denied them the first and most basic of human rights, and we are infinitely poorer for their loss.
We are poorer not simply for lives not led and for contributions not made, but also for the erosion of our sense of the worth and dignity of every individual. To diminish the value of one category of human life is to diminish us all. Slavery, which treated Blacks as something less than human, to be bought and sold if convenient, cheapened human life and mocked our dedication to the freedom and equality of all men and women. Can we say that abortion -- which treats the unborn as something less than human, to be destroyed if convenient -- will be less corrosive to the values we hold dear?
We have been given the precious gift of human life, made more precious still by our births in or pilgrimages to a land of freedom. It is fitting, then, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that struck down State anti-abortion laws, that we reflect anew on these blessings, and on our corresponding responsibility to guard with care the lives and freedoms of even the weakest of our fellow human beings.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 22, 1984, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon the citizens of this blessed land to gather on that day in homes and places of worship to give thanks for the gift of life, and to reaffirm our commitment to the dignity of every human being and the sanctity of each human life.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of January, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:24 a.m., January 16, 1984]
This proclamation was issued 26 years ago. Updating the statistics, it appears that close to 50 million abortions have been performed in the United States since 1973 even though the rate of abortion has been steadily dropping since its peak around 1979.
The abortion rate among women living below the federal poverty level ($9,570 for a single woman with no children) is more than four times that of women above 300% of the poverty level (44 vs. 10 abortions per 1,000 women). This is partly because the rate of unintended pregnancies among poor women (below 100% of poverty) is nearly four times that of women above 200% of poverty* (112 vs. 29 per 1,000 women). (source: Guttmacher.org, July 2008)
The reasons women give for having an abortion underscore their understanding of the responsibilities of parenthood and family life. Three-fourths of women cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals; three-fourths say they cannot afford a child; three-fourths say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents; and half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner. (source: Guttmacher.org, July 2008)
It is proper for us to draw attention to the tragedy of abortion. That nearly 50 million have died is unfathomable and reveals our sickness as a society.
It is also proper for us to recognize the tireless efforts of those who work to address this problem in a holistic manner. Beth and I have previously utilized some of the services of Planned Parenthood, which were very helpful at the time.
Family planning clinics funded under Title X of the federal Public Health Service Act have helped women prevent 20 million unintended pregnancies during the last 20 years. An estimated nine million of these pregnancies would have ended in abortion. (source: Guttmacher.org)
Furthermore, it is proper for us to recognize the tireless efforts of those who work to improve the lives of women tossed into the throes of an unplanned pregnancy with little or no resources or support. Beth and I have previously supported places like Rachel's Home in Plymouth. There are crisis pregnancy centers in virtually every medium-size population center in the U.S. servicing the needs of pregnant women and young mothers who have chosen to keep and provide for their children. Adoption agencies provide assistance for those mothers who choose to release their children after birth to a loving family.
I would be remiss if I did not also draw attention to the heart-wrenching decision virtually every mother makes when considering an abortion for whatever reason. Indeed, it would be quite callous for any of us to downplay this time of torture for the mother, especially in those agreed upon exceptions in the case of rape, incest, and serious medical issues, as well as the cases more open to debate such as when the mother lacks any resources whatsoever to care for the child. To consider, care for, or befriend these women with anything less than complete compassion is unchristian.
Yes, we must not forget this sickness in our society, which penetrates to the very core of how we define Life itself. And yet, we would be naïve if we were to believe that a change in court rulings or laws or even constitutional amendments would heal this sickness. Truly, this sickness is about our values about all of Life itself. Laws do not change values.
As written in the proclamation, the right to life has been granted “by our Creator on all human beings -- whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped.” May I say, however, that in the fervor to protect the life of the unborn, many appear to have downplayed the equally important life of the mother. At the same time, many of those who strongly advocate for the right of the mother to choose seem to be diminishing the equally important life of the child. We would do well to seek solutions, which would honor both the mother and the child.
Many sermons delivered today will only deal with the problem of abortion. However, if I only talk about abortion on a Sunday emphasizing Life, it would be akin to a presentation about a car, but limiting the discussion to function of the engine and the transmission.
I would suggest that we consider this day by a slightly different title: Sanctity of All Life Sunday (SOALS). The problem with this is that few contemporary subjects are more complex in nature, as comprehensive in scope, garner more heated exchanges, or reveal more about one's spiritual and religious persuasions that does a discussion about “Life.” A beginning list of questions include:
• What constitutes Life?
• Who deserves Life?
• Who forfeits Life?
• How is Life ended?
• How do we care for and nurture Life?
• What are our responsibilities for the Life of others?
• Who is our neighbor for whose Life we are responsible (and are there those who do not meet the qualifications of being our neighbor)?
• When is it OK to take another person's Life?
Now don't be afraid. I know that our time is limited and the Colts play around 3:00 this afternoon. Even though this topic would be hard to cover in a semester's class at a university, I'll just touch on a few important points.
Much of the law in the Old Testament reflects an incredibly high value on “Life.” For example, they were told not to eat the blood of an animal because the blood contained the Life of the animal (Lev. 17:11 and Deut. 12:23). Reading the Old Testament with our post-modern ears sounds rather barbaric. There are commands to kill entire groups of people, without mercy. There is a lot of brutality. Still, it must be pointed out that the law in the Old Testament established limits on things like retribution and revenge. For example, if my neighbor was responsible for the loss of some of my livestock, I could not ask for his head. Instead, I may only have my livestock replaced. Even the Life of animals is important.
We also find a very broad application of the importance of every human Life in the Old Testament. And it is not just about keeping people alive. It is about genuinely valuing the Lives of our neighbors, by compassionately attending to their needs. The prophets regularly chastise the people for neglecting the widows, the poor, the powerless, and the foreigners in their land.
One of the encouraging things in the horrific disaster in Haiti is overwhelming commitment of the world community to Life. Despite a few accounts of isolated incidents, every effort has been made to save Lives. We will never forget the picture of the small child with a mile-wide-smile and outstretched arms as he is pulled from the rubble. Furthermore, there seems to be a growing resolve to genuinely help this poverty-stricken nation in the long term.
I noticed in TIME magazine this past week that Miep Gies died on January 11 at the age of 100. I must confess that I did not recognize the name. But if you have recently read the Diary of Anne Frank, you may recall that Miep Gies helped to shelter and feed the family of Anne Frank from 1942-44. Elie Wiesel wrote the remembrance.
I met Gies much later and was impressed by her sincerity, the simplicity of her comments and the moving quality of her smile. Calm, soft and reserved, she radiated nobility and strength of character. She talked little and quietly, reflecting on the significance of every word. When speaking of the past, she seemed to relive it.
Naturally, I knew much about her life. Anne's immortal diary, which Gies found and gave to Otto Frank after the war, was filled with praise for her devotion and sacrifice.
I asked her where she had found the courage to defy the Gestapo during the dark days of the occupation, and she protested. "I did nothing heroic or extraordinary," she said. "Human beings were in peril, and I had to care for them." But for the Franks, she represented all that is good and generous. She was the incarnation of hope. (Source: Time Magazine, Jan. 25, 2010)
Miep Gies and the efforts in Haiti certainly encourage us to sustain the value of Life.
In our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus pronounces a return to the Old Testament emphasis on Life and of the importance of Every Life.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Indeed, the New Testament seems to emphasize the importance of Life to a new, higher level. Jesus associates with and defends tax collectors, prostitutes, Samaritans, adulterers, murderers, children, women and the sick. Each of their Lives are elevated by physical presence and affirmation of Jesus. Yes, Jesus values all Life; the pregnant mother contemplating abortion in the same way the unborn child is also valued. And allow me to go one step further here. Jesus values the Lives of those who fight feverishly to protect the unborn child in the same way he values the Life of those who fight feverishly to protect the Life of the mother in turmoil.
A friend of mine on Facebook sent me a quote. "If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
It may be helpful in this highly charged issue to begin to value one another, not as enemies or as transgressors, but to value one another's Lives as our heavenly Father values our Lives.
We would do well to seek solutions, which would honor both the Life of the mother and the Life of the child.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Right Side
The Right Side
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on January 17, 2010.
Year C, Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Scripture passages: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11
When we read Psalm 36, we often find great comfort. It speaks of the “steadfast love” of God as well as God's faithfulness, righteousness and justice. We need to hear about these things – often. God is ever present with us. This phrase, “steadfast love”, is a translation of the Hebrew word, “chesed” or “hesed”. It is sometimes translated “lovingkindness” which was probably utilized in one of your translations as Mark read it for our call to worship. I believe I have talked about chesed previously. It is based on a covenantal relationship between God and his people. It goes back to when Abraham walked “between the pieces” in the establishment of the covenant. It is different from a contract in that a contract is between two parties, both of whom are reasonably empowered and expected to perform their part of the bargain. In the covenant relationship between God and man, God expects us to be unable to fulfill our part of the bargain. I hasten to add that this does not mean that we are being encouraged to live unbridled lives. However, as we have discussed recently, God's love for us is unfettered and without end – particularly in the light of our frailty. The steadfast love of God is sweeter with every tear that is brushed gently from our cheek. His steadfast love deepens our love for him as he carefully tends to our scuffed knees every time our pride gets the best of us. Did you notice the words and phrases used to describe these wonderful attributes of our heavenly Father?
His steadfast love extends to the heavens.
His faithfulness extends to the clouds.
His righteousness is like the mighty mountains.
His judgments are like the great deep.
Allow me to point out to you that we continue to be baffled by the heavens. There are more stars now than we ever thought possible when I was a kid in science class. It seems that there just may be enough stars to fulfill God's promise to Abraham that his decendents will be like the stars. His steadfast love extends to the heavens.
We still have difficulty making accurate weather forecasts (sometimes for the very next day). Although I don't watch Fox28 news, I have noticed with great interest that there are days when they are not able to get it within 5 degrees (which is actually a 11 degree spread). We joke a lot about how the weather changes daily in Indiana and that TV weather persons are not expected to get it right every day. His faithfulness extends to the clouds.
We still don't fully understand the mountains. We are not sure if Yellowstone will explode in the next 100 years, 1,000 years or ever. It sure shows the signs of instability, but we have no idea. We don't see real mountains here in Indiana, but the Rocky Mountains in the west, the Alps in Europe, the Andes in South America and the Himalaya's in Asia define those continents and are a symbol of strength and power. His righteousness is like the mighty mountains.
Some marine biologists and others scientists who study the oceans assert that we know less about the depths of the sea than we do about the skies and the stars. It seems like I regularly hear about some new discovery of a species or phenomenon at the bottom of the ocean. His judgments are like the great deep.
There is great mystery, great depth, unfathomable breadth to the steadfast love, faithfulness and justice of God. Indeed, it is no wonder that we are incapable of fulfilling our part of the bargain in the covenant.
The Psalmist goes on to say that all people may take refuge in the shadow of God's steadfast love. We are told that his steadfast love flows like a river. The metaphors are quite powerful here. There seems to be no end to his steadfast love. There appears to be a qualification in verse 10, “O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart!” This prayer would seem to ask for God's blessing upon those who know God and have clean hearts. Nevertheless, the overriding theme of this Psalm is on the abundance of God's lovingkindness.
We're going to look at the Old Testament passage in a minute, but I would like to point out something peculiar in the Gospel passage.
Changing the water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. Jesus is apparently attending the wedding and his mother is there also. We may easily presume that the principle parties are known to both Jesus and Mary, but we really know little else. Even the disciples are there. So, the party proceeds. I won't go into a description of the wedding of that day or even of the wine – suffice it to say that the celebration lasted quite awhile. And then a shocking thing happens which threatens to shut down the celebration – they run out of wine! Furthermore, it is an embarrassment to the hosts. Mary takes the initiative and volunteers Jesus to solve this problem. Now, this in itself is surprising, that Mary would prod Jesus to intervene in this manner – and prior to any recording of other miracles. There may have been others, but they were not recorded for our benefit. Whether or not this is Jesus' first public miracle, we do not know. What is perhaps more surprising is Jesus' response. Jesus says, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." What we find here is restraint. It is remarkable that there is a limit placed on the utilization of Jesus' abilities – even in the course of helping and being of service to others. It's like Jesus was saying, “the timing isn't right.” We've previously made reference to the Jim Carrey movie, Bruce Almighty. Pertaining to our present discussion, one of the things that Bruce tried to do upon being granted 'godly' powers was that of answering everyone's prayers. Pretty soon, chaos erupts as many people won the lottery, etc.
One of the things that this part of the movie points out is that there are often many conflicting prayers that are offered to God. Restraint of God's power and even goodness, therefore, is critical as we recognize that however God responds, will have ripple effects throughout the community, the nation and even the world. As it is said, “the rain falls on the just and the unjust.” The opposite is also true. Disaster befalls both the just and the unjust.
We find this true in our passage from Isaiah. In every judgment God administers to the nation, it seems important to note that there were also righteous people who suffered because of the judgment. The judgment was not limited to the unrighteous. It is also clear in the New Testament that disasters also occur which have nothing to do with judgment. Jesus certainly seems to imply that the 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell were no worse (or for that matter better) than anyone else in Jerusalem (Luke 13:1-5). As a result, I respectfully and vehemently disagree with Pat Robertson that the earthquake in Haiti was brought upon by some pact with the devil many years ago. Even if that pact is found to have been a historical fact, the premise by which the assessment is made is faulty. There is no evidence in scripture that natural disasters are automatically God's judgment. I could stand before you today silent on this matter, but silence implies consent or approval. It seems quite presumptuous, rash and irresponsible to cast the blame for this disaster upon the people directly, and upon God indirectly for meting out this punishment (as Robertson says). Let us remember that there are many Christians and churches in Haiti.
There are some who errantly suggest that this is further evidence that there is no God – or that God is inept – or that God does not care. In response to this, we assert that God's steadfast love remains unfathomable and mysterious. God's faithfulness is beyond our imagination. God chooses to love us. Nevertheless, there is a restraint to the expression of God's love, his faithfulness, and his justice.
Again, we find this to be true in our passage in Isaiah. The people were indeed in the midst of being judged by God for their mistreatment of the poor, the disadvantaged, the marginalized, the voiceless and the foreigners – as well as for their abandonment of true worship and obedience. As a result, the people had been oppressed for years. They were relocated to different countries and made to be slaves in various capacities. Nevertheless, God's steadfast love remained. God never abandoned them, despite their rejection of the Lord their God.
And so we find in our passage today, that God was on their side. Despite his judgment, despite their waywardness, God would indeed bring his people out of their oppression and their suffering. This theme continually resurfaces throughout scripture: that God is always on the side of the oppressed and those who are suffering.
Unfortunately, throughout the history of God's people, believers have a propensity for being on the wrong side of the oppressed. It seems fitting that I share just one example of this from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday we celebrate tomorrow across this land.
(“The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.” edited by Clayborne Carson, p. 199)
Fortunately, throughout the history of the church, there have been those who have stood up on the side of the oppressed. Religious orders have risen up to take care of the poor and the sick, establishing hospitals, homeless missions, and food banks.
And this week, we have seen an outpouring to those who are suffering in Haiti. Much of this disaster response has been from organizations who are overtly Christian or were begun by Christians – and may I say with some pride, many of them were citizens of the USA. Clara Barton's father charged her upon his deathbed, "As a patriot, he had me serve my country with all I had, even with my life if need be; as the daughter of an accepted Mason, he had me seek and comfort the afflicted everywhere, and as a Christian he charged me to honor God and love mankind." Clara Barton treated many wounded soldiers in the civil war and
Barton then achieved widespread recognition by delivering lectures around the country about her war experiences. She met Susan B. Anthony and began a long association with the suffrage movement. She also became acquainted with Frederick Douglass and became an activist for black civil rights, or an abolitionist.
The years of toil during the Civil War and her dedicated work searching for missing soldiers debilitated Barton's health. In 1868, her doctors recommended a restful trip to Europe. In 1870, while she was overseas, she became involved with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and its humanitarian work during the Franco-Prussian War. Created in 1864, the ICRC had been chartered to provide humane services to all victims of war under a flag of neutrality.
When Clara Barton returned to the United States, she inaugurated a movement to gain recognition for the International Committee of the Red Cross by the United States government. When she began work on this project in 1873, most Americans thought the U.S. would never again face a calamity like the Civil War, but Barton finally succeeded during the administration of President James Garfield, using the argument that the new American Red Cross could respond to crises other than war. As Barton expanded the original concept of the Red Cross to include assisting in any great national disaster, this service brought the United States the "Good Samaritan of Nations" label. (Wikipedia)
Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical, Christian organization devoted to providing low-cost housing for low-income families.
Interestingly enough, both the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity are involved in the disaster response in Haiti.
In 1961, Peter Benenson started Amnesty International. Benenson was a Roman Catholic. He is said to have collaborated with Eric Baker, who was a Quaker. Amnesty International has drawn attention to forgotten political prisoners throughout the world. Benenson and Baker were British.
This sermon feels a bit disjointed, so let me summarize the key points.
While God’s steadfast love and faithfulness are beyond our comprehension, God voluntarily, and in accordance with his ‘Larger Plan’, limits and restrains the expression of that love and faithfulness. Sometimes this is an act of judgment (as with the Israelites in Isaiah’s time). Sometimes this is evident in the face of natural disasters as evidenced by the earthquake in Haiti this week. And sometimes this occurs in the face of cruel oppression such as slavery. And yet God’s love continues. Indeed, he seems to always place himself on the side of the oppressed and those who are suffering.
So, in order to align ourselves alongside our heavenly Father, we would do more. We would do more than simply donate from our abundance. We would do more to stand up for the human rights of women oppressed around the world. We would do more to stand up for the human rights of children. We would do more to stand up for the human rights of workers oppressed in sweat shops throughout the world. We would do more.
If you want to join God in his efforts in this world, look no further than those who are oppressed.
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on January 17, 2010.
Year C, Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Scripture passages: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11
When we read Psalm 36, we often find great comfort. It speaks of the “steadfast love” of God as well as God's faithfulness, righteousness and justice. We need to hear about these things – often. God is ever present with us. This phrase, “steadfast love”, is a translation of the Hebrew word, “chesed” or “hesed”. It is sometimes translated “lovingkindness” which was probably utilized in one of your translations as Mark read it for our call to worship. I believe I have talked about chesed previously. It is based on a covenantal relationship between God and his people. It goes back to when Abraham walked “between the pieces” in the establishment of the covenant. It is different from a contract in that a contract is between two parties, both of whom are reasonably empowered and expected to perform their part of the bargain. In the covenant relationship between God and man, God expects us to be unable to fulfill our part of the bargain. I hasten to add that this does not mean that we are being encouraged to live unbridled lives. However, as we have discussed recently, God's love for us is unfettered and without end – particularly in the light of our frailty. The steadfast love of God is sweeter with every tear that is brushed gently from our cheek. His steadfast love deepens our love for him as he carefully tends to our scuffed knees every time our pride gets the best of us. Did you notice the words and phrases used to describe these wonderful attributes of our heavenly Father?
His steadfast love extends to the heavens.
His faithfulness extends to the clouds.
His righteousness is like the mighty mountains.
His judgments are like the great deep.
Allow me to point out to you that we continue to be baffled by the heavens. There are more stars now than we ever thought possible when I was a kid in science class. It seems that there just may be enough stars to fulfill God's promise to Abraham that his decendents will be like the stars. His steadfast love extends to the heavens.
We still have difficulty making accurate weather forecasts (sometimes for the very next day). Although I don't watch Fox28 news, I have noticed with great interest that there are days when they are not able to get it within 5 degrees (which is actually a 11 degree spread). We joke a lot about how the weather changes daily in Indiana and that TV weather persons are not expected to get it right every day. His faithfulness extends to the clouds.
We still don't fully understand the mountains. We are not sure if Yellowstone will explode in the next 100 years, 1,000 years or ever. It sure shows the signs of instability, but we have no idea. We don't see real mountains here in Indiana, but the Rocky Mountains in the west, the Alps in Europe, the Andes in South America and the Himalaya's in Asia define those continents and are a symbol of strength and power. His righteousness is like the mighty mountains.
Some marine biologists and others scientists who study the oceans assert that we know less about the depths of the sea than we do about the skies and the stars. It seems like I regularly hear about some new discovery of a species or phenomenon at the bottom of the ocean. His judgments are like the great deep.
There is great mystery, great depth, unfathomable breadth to the steadfast love, faithfulness and justice of God. Indeed, it is no wonder that we are incapable of fulfilling our part of the bargain in the covenant.
The Psalmist goes on to say that all people may take refuge in the shadow of God's steadfast love. We are told that his steadfast love flows like a river. The metaphors are quite powerful here. There seems to be no end to his steadfast love. There appears to be a qualification in verse 10, “O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart!” This prayer would seem to ask for God's blessing upon those who know God and have clean hearts. Nevertheless, the overriding theme of this Psalm is on the abundance of God's lovingkindness.
We're going to look at the Old Testament passage in a minute, but I would like to point out something peculiar in the Gospel passage.
Changing the water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. Jesus is apparently attending the wedding and his mother is there also. We may easily presume that the principle parties are known to both Jesus and Mary, but we really know little else. Even the disciples are there. So, the party proceeds. I won't go into a description of the wedding of that day or even of the wine – suffice it to say that the celebration lasted quite awhile. And then a shocking thing happens which threatens to shut down the celebration – they run out of wine! Furthermore, it is an embarrassment to the hosts. Mary takes the initiative and volunteers Jesus to solve this problem. Now, this in itself is surprising, that Mary would prod Jesus to intervene in this manner – and prior to any recording of other miracles. There may have been others, but they were not recorded for our benefit. Whether or not this is Jesus' first public miracle, we do not know. What is perhaps more surprising is Jesus' response. Jesus says, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." What we find here is restraint. It is remarkable that there is a limit placed on the utilization of Jesus' abilities – even in the course of helping and being of service to others. It's like Jesus was saying, “the timing isn't right.” We've previously made reference to the Jim Carrey movie, Bruce Almighty. Pertaining to our present discussion, one of the things that Bruce tried to do upon being granted 'godly' powers was that of answering everyone's prayers. Pretty soon, chaos erupts as many people won the lottery, etc.
One of the things that this part of the movie points out is that there are often many conflicting prayers that are offered to God. Restraint of God's power and even goodness, therefore, is critical as we recognize that however God responds, will have ripple effects throughout the community, the nation and even the world. As it is said, “the rain falls on the just and the unjust.” The opposite is also true. Disaster befalls both the just and the unjust.
We find this true in our passage from Isaiah. In every judgment God administers to the nation, it seems important to note that there were also righteous people who suffered because of the judgment. The judgment was not limited to the unrighteous. It is also clear in the New Testament that disasters also occur which have nothing to do with judgment. Jesus certainly seems to imply that the 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell were no worse (or for that matter better) than anyone else in Jerusalem (Luke 13:1-5). As a result, I respectfully and vehemently disagree with Pat Robertson that the earthquake in Haiti was brought upon by some pact with the devil many years ago. Even if that pact is found to have been a historical fact, the premise by which the assessment is made is faulty. There is no evidence in scripture that natural disasters are automatically God's judgment. I could stand before you today silent on this matter, but silence implies consent or approval. It seems quite presumptuous, rash and irresponsible to cast the blame for this disaster upon the people directly, and upon God indirectly for meting out this punishment (as Robertson says). Let us remember that there are many Christians and churches in Haiti.
There are some who errantly suggest that this is further evidence that there is no God – or that God is inept – or that God does not care. In response to this, we assert that God's steadfast love remains unfathomable and mysterious. God's faithfulness is beyond our imagination. God chooses to love us. Nevertheless, there is a restraint to the expression of God's love, his faithfulness, and his justice.
Again, we find this to be true in our passage in Isaiah. The people were indeed in the midst of being judged by God for their mistreatment of the poor, the disadvantaged, the marginalized, the voiceless and the foreigners – as well as for their abandonment of true worship and obedience. As a result, the people had been oppressed for years. They were relocated to different countries and made to be slaves in various capacities. Nevertheless, God's steadfast love remained. God never abandoned them, despite their rejection of the Lord their God.
And so we find in our passage today, that God was on their side. Despite his judgment, despite their waywardness, God would indeed bring his people out of their oppression and their suffering. This theme continually resurfaces throughout scripture: that God is always on the side of the oppressed and those who are suffering.
Unfortunately, throughout the history of God's people, believers have a propensity for being on the wrong side of the oppressed. It seems fitting that I share just one example of this from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday we celebrate tomorrow across this land.
(“The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.” edited by Clayborne Carson, p. 199)
Fortunately, throughout the history of the church, there have been those who have stood up on the side of the oppressed. Religious orders have risen up to take care of the poor and the sick, establishing hospitals, homeless missions, and food banks.
And this week, we have seen an outpouring to those who are suffering in Haiti. Much of this disaster response has been from organizations who are overtly Christian or were begun by Christians – and may I say with some pride, many of them were citizens of the USA. Clara Barton's father charged her upon his deathbed, "As a patriot, he had me serve my country with all I had, even with my life if need be; as the daughter of an accepted Mason, he had me seek and comfort the afflicted everywhere, and as a Christian he charged me to honor God and love mankind." Clara Barton treated many wounded soldiers in the civil war and
Barton then achieved widespread recognition by delivering lectures around the country about her war experiences. She met Susan B. Anthony and began a long association with the suffrage movement. She also became acquainted with Frederick Douglass and became an activist for black civil rights, or an abolitionist.
The years of toil during the Civil War and her dedicated work searching for missing soldiers debilitated Barton's health. In 1868, her doctors recommended a restful trip to Europe. In 1870, while she was overseas, she became involved with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and its humanitarian work during the Franco-Prussian War. Created in 1864, the ICRC had been chartered to provide humane services to all victims of war under a flag of neutrality.
When Clara Barton returned to the United States, she inaugurated a movement to gain recognition for the International Committee of the Red Cross by the United States government. When she began work on this project in 1873, most Americans thought the U.S. would never again face a calamity like the Civil War, but Barton finally succeeded during the administration of President James Garfield, using the argument that the new American Red Cross could respond to crises other than war. As Barton expanded the original concept of the Red Cross to include assisting in any great national disaster, this service brought the United States the "Good Samaritan of Nations" label. (Wikipedia)
Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical, Christian organization devoted to providing low-cost housing for low-income families.
Interestingly enough, both the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity are involved in the disaster response in Haiti.
In 1961, Peter Benenson started Amnesty International. Benenson was a Roman Catholic. He is said to have collaborated with Eric Baker, who was a Quaker. Amnesty International has drawn attention to forgotten political prisoners throughout the world. Benenson and Baker were British.
This sermon feels a bit disjointed, so let me summarize the key points.
While God’s steadfast love and faithfulness are beyond our comprehension, God voluntarily, and in accordance with his ‘Larger Plan’, limits and restrains the expression of that love and faithfulness. Sometimes this is an act of judgment (as with the Israelites in Isaiah’s time). Sometimes this is evident in the face of natural disasters as evidenced by the earthquake in Haiti this week. And sometimes this occurs in the face of cruel oppression such as slavery. And yet God’s love continues. Indeed, he seems to always place himself on the side of the oppressed and those who are suffering.
So, in order to align ourselves alongside our heavenly Father, we would do more. We would do more than simply donate from our abundance. We would do more to stand up for the human rights of women oppressed around the world. We would do more to stand up for the human rights of children. We would do more to stand up for the human rights of workers oppressed in sweat shops throughout the world. We would do more.
If you want to join God in his efforts in this world, look no further than those who are oppressed.
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