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.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
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.
Do Not Fear
Do Not Fear
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on January 10, 2010.
Year C, First Sunday after the Epiphany
Scripture passages: Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
On Christmas Day, 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, having sewn an 80 gram packet of PETN explosive into the crotch of his underpants and flown from Nigeria to Amsterdam and was on final approach to Detroit, tried to light himself on fire, in order to ignite the explosives.
In response to this incident, FEAR has risen again, alongside its close cousin, ANGER. Those who fly naturally want to be safe. There are those who are unwilling to fly because of incidents similar to this one. Many would support more intrusive measures, in order to assure our safety when flying in the friendly skies.
Nevertheless, there are those who cast fear aside. Time magazine reports that two people on that flight bound for Detroit, Alain Ghonda, a real estate consultant from Silver Spring, MD and Jasper Schuring, a Dutch video producer, subdued Umar, putting out the fire and securing him in the first-class cabin. Other passengers were afraid, with one saying, “I don’t want to die.”
Looking back we see a similar pattern. For on United Flight 93, passengers prevented the last plane of attack from reaching its target on 9/11.
(In an article written by Amanda Ripley in Time magazine, she writes that 3 months after 9/11), American Airlines passengers wrestled a belligerent, biting Richard Reid to the ground, using their headset cords to restrain him. In 2007, almost a dozen passengers jumped on a gun-wielding hijacker aboard a plane in the Canary Islands. And this past November, passengers rose up against armed hijackers over Somalia. Together, then, a few dozen folks have helped save some 595 lives.
(Amanda Ripley goes on to say this) And yet our collective response to this legacy of ass-kicking is puzzling. Each time, we build a slapdash pedestal for the heroes. Then we go back to blaming the government for failing to keep us safe, and the government goes back to treating us like children. This now familiar ritual distracts us from the real lesson, which is that we are not helpless. (Which leads to what Ms. Ripley wants us to understand) since regular people will always be first on the scene of terrorist attacks, we should perhaps prioritize the public's antiterrorism capability — above and beyond the fancy technology that will never be foolproof.
(Time magazine, January 11, 2010, p.31)
Will we ever be 100% safe as we fly the friendly skies?
There have been many efforts recently to evaluate the years from 2000 to 2010, and to describe it concisely. Indeed, we haven't really figured out what to even call this decade. “The First Decade”, “the Aughts”, the “naughty aughties”, “The Zeros”, “The Zips”, and the “20 oh-oh's” are among the candidates (Time magazine, December 28, 2009, p.30) I am going to suggest to you that this past decade has been the decade of Fear, and it seems to be growing. On September 11, 2001, we were attacked, as we referred to earlier. Since that time we have been searching our elusive enemy and building walls and taking other protective measures to keep out the bad guys, whether they be terrorists or immigrants. We have engaged in two wars. And in the last year and a half we sat by helplessly as our jobs and our retirement savings dwindled precipitously. The economy of the United States as well as most of the global economy teetered in the balance, and for the first time in over 70 years economic depression was a real possibility.
"Sometimes when our life falls apart it is because it is not held together with consciousness, it is held together by illusion, and so it crumbles, and what is left is actually a clearer vision of what is real and of value. So many have found their life path only after what they had formerly perceived as their life crumbles to dust." - Max Strom
(I was sent this quote from a friend of mine on the Internet)
This last quote is from Max Strom, who teaches Yoga around the world. As I read it from my perspective, here’s what I get which is pertinent for me today. When everything seems to be falling apart, such as jobs, social status, plans for the future, financial security, and even relationships – it kind of means that it was not as rock solid as we thought it was in the first place. You’ve heard it said that you really find out who your friends are when you are going through a rough patch. And that seems to be true. Those that leave you and desert you, maybe they really weren’t as close of friends as you thought they were. That old friendship you thought you had – well maybe that was just an illusion. Still, we’re afraid of losing our illusion of friendship, are we not?
By the same token, you may have considered that deflated retirement nest egg to be quite blow, like a punch in the stomach. Well, perhaps that nest egg, which was to provide us with some security, is only the illusion of security. Perhaps all that retirement planning is really no security at all. Still, we’re afraid of losing our illusion of security, are we not?
Fear during this decade precipitated a distrust of strangers not previously warranted and exacerbated a fear of those we have been quietly suspicious of for a long time. This fear exposed our excesses and vulnerability, both individually and as a society in general. Yes indeed, this has been the decade of FEAR.
By my count, using Bible Gateway.com, the phrase, “do not fear”, occurs 57 times in the New American Standard Bible.
There are at least a couple of very important conclusions we can draw from this long list of “don’t be afraid” passages. The first, and I would like to encourage you to take some consolation in this, the people in the Bible were frequently afraid!! God made this statement to Abraham, Hagar, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Daniel, Paul and John.
Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Elijah, Hezekiah, and Nehemiah told this to the people.
These people experienced fear! It is a common theme in the Old Testament prophets. Have you experienced fear sometime in the last decade? Have you been confused and lost and afraid? You are not alone!
THE ANSWER
So, what is the answer? How do we deal with fear?
I like the recent Allstate TV advertisement entitled, “Back to Basics.” The commercial begins by saying that Allstate began in 1931, when the economy was not that good. They noticed “one thing in the 12 recessions since – after the fears subside, people start enjoying the small things in life: a home-cooked meal, time with loved ones, appreciating the things we do have, the things we can count on. It’s back to basics and the basics are good.”
We have lost touch with what is really important. It is not the things we have. It is not our net worth. It is not our houses or even our jobs. What is really important are our relationships.
Let’s go back to the scripture passages in which we are admonished not to be afraid. Here are a few I would like you to take note of.
Isaiah 41:10
'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
Daniel 10:12
Then he said to me, " Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.
Haggai 2:5
'As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!'
The second conclusion we can draw from these passages is this: the reason given for God’s telling the people not to be afraid is: “For I am with you.” It is the RELATIONSHIP.
In our Old Testament passage today from Isaiah 43, God reminds the people:
Vs. 1 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Vs. 2 I will be with you
Vs. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Vs. 4 You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you
Vs. 5 Do not fear, I will gather you
In the story of Jesus approaching the boat of disciples, he said “do not be afraid” and joined them.
In the story of the Transfiguration, God said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground. Jesus thereupon “came and touched them. “‘Get up,’ he said. ‘Don’t be afraid.’”
The message of the angel to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary was, “don’t be afraid” because Jesus is present with us.
To Zacharias, the angel said not to be afraid because God heard your prayer.
The angels told the shepherds not be afraid because the presence of the Messiah had come.
Matthew informs us, quoting from Isaiah 7:14: " behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us."
In our gospel lesson for today, Luke seems to specially emphasize that Jesus was baptized alongside others who were being baptized. Jesus joined with us, in our experience in the ritual of baptism. In the words of Walter Brueggemann, Jesus’ baptism signals “submission to God’s intent and solidarity with the human community.” (Fearless Submission, Feasting on the Word, 1-10-10)
It is striking to me that soon after Jesus’ resurrection, he sat beside the sea, sat down, and ate with them.
So, we are able to say that with the birth of Jesus, Immanuel, God is with us. Because of the resurrection we are able to say, God is with us – today.
Richard Rohr talks about our possessions as a source of fear, in part because any time we own something, we have to be on guard to protect it from thievery or loss. He shares how St. Francis shunned owning any possessions at all.
I will still say that "the only cure for possession is repossession." Somehow one must be held and contained in a larger Self that can recognize fears for what they are. We must be "possessed" by a Secure Identity that is not subject to every payoff, momentary reward, false promise, and trumped-up fear. We believers would call that Secure Identity the Godself or the Christself.
Our relationship to God is our only true response to fear. Lessening our grip on things that are temporary and turning to God provide us with our security.
Mitch Albom writes heart-warming stories. Tuesdays with Morrie” was the first. In 2006, he wrote “for one more day.” It’s the story of a down-on-your-luck former baseball player who has lost his family, his pride and his self-respect. He has given up and returns to his hometown with plans to do himself in. But after a crash on an icy road, he staggers to his old house and finds his deceased mother living there – and she welcomes him in as if nothing happened (jacket of the book). Charley (otherwise known as Chick) Benetto lives in fear: fear of being alone, fear of being shut out, fear of being worthless.
His mother takes him to a tree on the corner near the house. She shows him where she enscribed the word, “please.” She tells Chick how she pleaded with God for a child and that Chick was the answer to that prayer.
Later, when Chick was looking at some keepsakes, he came across a letter his mother wrote him when he went to college.
I know you won’t read this until after I have left. But in case I forgot because I was too excited by the whole idea of you being at college, I want to tell you something. I’m so proud of you Charley.
(as she closed the letter, she said) I love you every day.
So, to echo the writer of Hebrews, let us let go of everything that gets in the way of our relationships to one another and to God. Let us let go of our attachment to things. Let us let go of our attachment to illusions of financial security. Let us let go of a false sense of personal safety. Let us let go of our fear of suffering and death. Let us let go of fear and suspicion of others. Let us let go of our fear of discovery and the truth.
I want you to know that God is so proud of you. I want you to know that God loves you every day. Scripture tells us that the antidote for fear is love. Loving one another, spending time with one another, eating together, laughing together, singing together, crying together. That’s how to chase away fear. Love. Recognize how deeply you are loved by God. Allow God to love you. Love one another.
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on January 10, 2010.
Year C, First Sunday after the Epiphany
Scripture passages: Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
On Christmas Day, 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, having sewn an 80 gram packet of PETN explosive into the crotch of his underpants and flown from Nigeria to Amsterdam and was on final approach to Detroit, tried to light himself on fire, in order to ignite the explosives.
In response to this incident, FEAR has risen again, alongside its close cousin, ANGER. Those who fly naturally want to be safe. There are those who are unwilling to fly because of incidents similar to this one. Many would support more intrusive measures, in order to assure our safety when flying in the friendly skies.
Nevertheless, there are those who cast fear aside. Time magazine reports that two people on that flight bound for Detroit, Alain Ghonda, a real estate consultant from Silver Spring, MD and Jasper Schuring, a Dutch video producer, subdued Umar, putting out the fire and securing him in the first-class cabin. Other passengers were afraid, with one saying, “I don’t want to die.”
Looking back we see a similar pattern. For on United Flight 93, passengers prevented the last plane of attack from reaching its target on 9/11.
(In an article written by Amanda Ripley in Time magazine, she writes that 3 months after 9/11), American Airlines passengers wrestled a belligerent, biting Richard Reid to the ground, using their headset cords to restrain him. In 2007, almost a dozen passengers jumped on a gun-wielding hijacker aboard a plane in the Canary Islands. And this past November, passengers rose up against armed hijackers over Somalia. Together, then, a few dozen folks have helped save some 595 lives.
(Amanda Ripley goes on to say this) And yet our collective response to this legacy of ass-kicking is puzzling. Each time, we build a slapdash pedestal for the heroes. Then we go back to blaming the government for failing to keep us safe, and the government goes back to treating us like children. This now familiar ritual distracts us from the real lesson, which is that we are not helpless. (Which leads to what Ms. Ripley wants us to understand) since regular people will always be first on the scene of terrorist attacks, we should perhaps prioritize the public's antiterrorism capability — above and beyond the fancy technology that will never be foolproof.
(Time magazine, January 11, 2010, p.31)
Will we ever be 100% safe as we fly the friendly skies?
There have been many efforts recently to evaluate the years from 2000 to 2010, and to describe it concisely. Indeed, we haven't really figured out what to even call this decade. “The First Decade”, “the Aughts”, the “naughty aughties”, “The Zeros”, “The Zips”, and the “20 oh-oh's” are among the candidates (Time magazine, December 28, 2009, p.30) I am going to suggest to you that this past decade has been the decade of Fear, and it seems to be growing. On September 11, 2001, we were attacked, as we referred to earlier. Since that time we have been searching our elusive enemy and building walls and taking other protective measures to keep out the bad guys, whether they be terrorists or immigrants. We have engaged in two wars. And in the last year and a half we sat by helplessly as our jobs and our retirement savings dwindled precipitously. The economy of the United States as well as most of the global economy teetered in the balance, and for the first time in over 70 years economic depression was a real possibility.
"Sometimes when our life falls apart it is because it is not held together with consciousness, it is held together by illusion, and so it crumbles, and what is left is actually a clearer vision of what is real and of value. So many have found their life path only after what they had formerly perceived as their life crumbles to dust." - Max Strom
(I was sent this quote from a friend of mine on the Internet)
This last quote is from Max Strom, who teaches Yoga around the world. As I read it from my perspective, here’s what I get which is pertinent for me today. When everything seems to be falling apart, such as jobs, social status, plans for the future, financial security, and even relationships – it kind of means that it was not as rock solid as we thought it was in the first place. You’ve heard it said that you really find out who your friends are when you are going through a rough patch. And that seems to be true. Those that leave you and desert you, maybe they really weren’t as close of friends as you thought they were. That old friendship you thought you had – well maybe that was just an illusion. Still, we’re afraid of losing our illusion of friendship, are we not?
By the same token, you may have considered that deflated retirement nest egg to be quite blow, like a punch in the stomach. Well, perhaps that nest egg, which was to provide us with some security, is only the illusion of security. Perhaps all that retirement planning is really no security at all. Still, we’re afraid of losing our illusion of security, are we not?
Fear during this decade precipitated a distrust of strangers not previously warranted and exacerbated a fear of those we have been quietly suspicious of for a long time. This fear exposed our excesses and vulnerability, both individually and as a society in general. Yes indeed, this has been the decade of FEAR.
By my count, using Bible Gateway.com, the phrase, “do not fear”, occurs 57 times in the New American Standard Bible.
There are at least a couple of very important conclusions we can draw from this long list of “don’t be afraid” passages. The first, and I would like to encourage you to take some consolation in this, the people in the Bible were frequently afraid!! God made this statement to Abraham, Hagar, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Daniel, Paul and John.
Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Elijah, Hezekiah, and Nehemiah told this to the people.
These people experienced fear! It is a common theme in the Old Testament prophets. Have you experienced fear sometime in the last decade? Have you been confused and lost and afraid? You are not alone!
THE ANSWER
So, what is the answer? How do we deal with fear?
I like the recent Allstate TV advertisement entitled, “Back to Basics.” The commercial begins by saying that Allstate began in 1931, when the economy was not that good. They noticed “one thing in the 12 recessions since – after the fears subside, people start enjoying the small things in life: a home-cooked meal, time with loved ones, appreciating the things we do have, the things we can count on. It’s back to basics and the basics are good.”
We have lost touch with what is really important. It is not the things we have. It is not our net worth. It is not our houses or even our jobs. What is really important are our relationships.
Let’s go back to the scripture passages in which we are admonished not to be afraid. Here are a few I would like you to take note of.
Isaiah 41:10
'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
Daniel 10:12
Then he said to me, " Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.
Haggai 2:5
'As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!'
The second conclusion we can draw from these passages is this: the reason given for God’s telling the people not to be afraid is: “For I am with you.” It is the RELATIONSHIP.
In our Old Testament passage today from Isaiah 43, God reminds the people:
Vs. 1 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Vs. 2 I will be with you
Vs. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Vs. 4 You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you
Vs. 5 Do not fear, I will gather you
In the story of Jesus approaching the boat of disciples, he said “do not be afraid” and joined them.
In the story of the Transfiguration, God said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground. Jesus thereupon “came and touched them. “‘Get up,’ he said. ‘Don’t be afraid.’”
The message of the angel to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary was, “don’t be afraid” because Jesus is present with us.
To Zacharias, the angel said not to be afraid because God heard your prayer.
The angels told the shepherds not be afraid because the presence of the Messiah had come.
Matthew informs us, quoting from Isaiah 7:14: " behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us."
In our gospel lesson for today, Luke seems to specially emphasize that Jesus was baptized alongside others who were being baptized. Jesus joined with us, in our experience in the ritual of baptism. In the words of Walter Brueggemann, Jesus’ baptism signals “submission to God’s intent and solidarity with the human community.” (Fearless Submission, Feasting on the Word, 1-10-10)
It is striking to me that soon after Jesus’ resurrection, he sat beside the sea, sat down, and ate with them.
So, we are able to say that with the birth of Jesus, Immanuel, God is with us. Because of the resurrection we are able to say, God is with us – today.
Richard Rohr talks about our possessions as a source of fear, in part because any time we own something, we have to be on guard to protect it from thievery or loss. He shares how St. Francis shunned owning any possessions at all.
I will still say that "the only cure for possession is repossession." Somehow one must be held and contained in a larger Self that can recognize fears for what they are. We must be "possessed" by a Secure Identity that is not subject to every payoff, momentary reward, false promise, and trumped-up fear. We believers would call that Secure Identity the Godself or the Christself.
Our relationship to God is our only true response to fear. Lessening our grip on things that are temporary and turning to God provide us with our security.
Mitch Albom writes heart-warming stories. Tuesdays with Morrie” was the first. In 2006, he wrote “for one more day.” It’s the story of a down-on-your-luck former baseball player who has lost his family, his pride and his self-respect. He has given up and returns to his hometown with plans to do himself in. But after a crash on an icy road, he staggers to his old house and finds his deceased mother living there – and she welcomes him in as if nothing happened (jacket of the book). Charley (otherwise known as Chick) Benetto lives in fear: fear of being alone, fear of being shut out, fear of being worthless.
His mother takes him to a tree on the corner near the house. She shows him where she enscribed the word, “please.” She tells Chick how she pleaded with God for a child and that Chick was the answer to that prayer.
Later, when Chick was looking at some keepsakes, he came across a letter his mother wrote him when he went to college.
I know you won’t read this until after I have left. But in case I forgot because I was too excited by the whole idea of you being at college, I want to tell you something. I’m so proud of you Charley.
(as she closed the letter, she said) I love you every day.
So, to echo the writer of Hebrews, let us let go of everything that gets in the way of our relationships to one another and to God. Let us let go of our attachment to things. Let us let go of our attachment to illusions of financial security. Let us let go of a false sense of personal safety. Let us let go of our fear of suffering and death. Let us let go of fear and suspicion of others. Let us let go of our fear of discovery and the truth.
I want you to know that God is so proud of you. I want you to know that God loves you every day. Scripture tells us that the antidote for fear is love. Loving one another, spending time with one another, eating together, laughing together, singing together, crying together. That’s how to chase away fear. Love. Recognize how deeply you are loved by God. Allow God to love you. Love one another.
From Darkness to Light
From Darkness to Light
(the journey of unlearning everything we've been taught)
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on December 27, 2009.
Year C, Christmas Eve
Scripture passages: Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-20
Robert Fulgum wrote a wonderful book entitled, “Everything I Really Need To Know, I Learned In Kindergarten.” It is such a refreshing reminder of how simple things were back then. In the beginning of the book, this is what he says.
“ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.”
What's strange about this is that 12 years later or 20 years later or even 50 years later, we've somehow forgotten these simple lessons. They have been replaced by:
-buy a house
-have a kid (or two or three)
-save for college and retirement
-pay the bills (repeat weekly)
In the years following kindergarten, many of us learn a different way to navigate through life. We learn that if we don't take, we don't get. We learn that if we don't look out for number 1, no one else will. We learn that sharing opens us up to being taken advantage of. We learn that the most important things in life are getting ahead. We learn how to make the grade, make a buck, and make a name for ourselves. We learn how other people can help us accomplish those aspirations, and so people soon become tools toward achieving our goals. We learn that there are some people who do not share. We get burned. We get burned again. We learn how not to get burned. Instead of trying not to hurt others, we learn to defend ourselves at all times from being hurt by other people. We learn how to build walls – to keep us from being burned. [build half of the Lincoln Log house] We learn to protect ourselves. Instead of holding hands and sticking together, we learn that it is all up to me, and me alone.
We protect ourselves by being silent. We don't reveal what we think and feel and when we hurt. We try not to rock the boat.
I certainly do not share about my own personal struggles or sin. The muzzle I keep on my mouth not only protects me from hurting others, but effectively changes me into an angry and resentful person. Like the psalmist reported, when I kept silent about failure and weaknesses, my body turns against itself bringing about a myriad of physical problems.
We hoard things. We stock the freezer and the pantry. We build our savings and retirement accounts – if we are able. We accumulate more “stuff” as I mentioned last week. The “stuff” protects us. The “stuff” protects me from harmful people as well as from a God who cannot be fully trusted.
We seek power and influence at work, in our communities and in our homes because it feels better to think we are in full control of everything. If we sense we are losing control, every resource is brought to bear in order to align each variable to our liking.
Over time, virtually every thought and action morphs into an effort simply to protect myself from others, as well as protecting me against myself. I erect walls to keep the bad out – and to keep me in. [Finish the Lincoln Log house] Fear becomes a close companion and an all-consuming hobby. I know what I do. I know how to do it. If someone were to suggest a different path, fear simply reminds of the danger that lurks outside the walls we've carefully constructed. If, for some reason, I have a moment of peace, it feels so abnormal that I rush back to my comfortable state of living in fear. It is not surprising that one common theme in the New Testament is that we no longer need to live in fear.
Kindergarten becomes a naïve and distant memory, unrelated to the struggles of 'real life.' We have hardened into the adult Peter Pan in the movie “Hook”, played by Robin Williams. Granny Wendy took note of this, saying to the former 'forever-child', “Peter, you've become a pirate.”
While there are many different manifestations, this is one form of darkness. Paul actually talks about this when he warns us in Romans 12 not to be conformed to the paradigm prevalent in the 'dog-eat-dog' world. It is a darkness which snuffs out life and joy and wonder. We recognize that some forms of darkness are, at least in part, of our own making.
On the other hand, some forms of darkness press in upon us from from outside of our sphere of influence. These include:
1) poverty, or
2) unemployment, or
3) trying to stay alive in a war zone, or
4) death resulting from famine,
5) lack of mosquito nets, or
6) AIDS medications, as well as
7) systemic oppression and abuse which may precipitate or exacerbate the darkness.
Perhaps you've heard the mythical story about how Albert Einstein disproved the assertion of an atheist professor that God did not exist because God could not be seen or tested or otherwise verified. Einstein purportedly asked the professor if cold existed. When the professor said that cold did exist, Einstein explained that cold did not actually exist, but is, in fact, the absence of heat. 'Coldness' cannot technically be measured apart from measuring heat. Indeed, you may remember from your science classes that there is a Kelvin temperature scale which actually begins at what is believed to be “absolute zero” and measures degrees of heat. [as an aside, you may feel a bit warmer knowing that the temperature outside this morning was about ¬260 on the Kelvin scale. Doesn't that help you feel warmer?] So, it is, in a sense, true that cold does not exist. Einstein then is alleged to have asked the professor if darkness existed. The professor, falling into the trap, said that darkness did exist. Whereupon Einstein is reported to have said that darkness did not exist, but is actually the absence of light. Darkness cannot be measured or tested. I hasten to emphasize that this exchange between Einstein and the professor is an unproven myth and academic legend. My purpose in bringing it up is to illustrate that darkness, as a concept, whether spiritual or scientific, is in some way, the absence of light.
Do you remember in the Parable of the Sower when Jesus said that some of the seed fell on thorny ground? The seed took root and grew, but was choked out by the cares of the world. These 'cares of the world' rob us, the plant, of nutrients from the soil. These thorns also steal the light as the cares of the world overshadow us, the plant, rendering us with less and less light, and more darkness.
So, when Isaiah says that the people in darkness have seen a great light, it may be more accurate, scientifically, to say “the people in the absence of light have seen an enormous lumination.” In some mysterious way, God infuses the light of Jesus into the darkness of human history. The incarnation offers to dispel and push back the reign of darkness in our lives individually and throughout the world collectively. The light of Jesus offers us a better way.
Here's the deal.
When we walk in fear, we are walking in the darkness. Jesus says that he takes care of the birds. He will take care of your needs.
When we choose not to forgive, we are walking in darkness. Jesus says to forgive others continually.
When we choose not to share, we are living in darkness. Jesus says that if we have an extra coat, we should give it away to someone who needs it.
When we choose not to help our neighbor we are living in the darkness. Jesus says that even the Samaritans (people we formerly despised) are our neighbors.
Walking in the light, as he is in the light, means returning to some of those things we learned in kindergarten. It means not worrying about tomorrow. It means sharing what we have. It means not hurting others and apologizing when we do.
Henri Nouwen wrote a wonderful essay entitled, “The Selfless Way of Christ (downward mobility as Christian vocation)”. For me, it seems to provide some insight into what it would be like to live in the light of Jesus.
Indeed, the one who was from the beginning with God and who was God revealed himself as a small, impotent child; as a refugee in Egypt; as an obedient adolescent and inconspicuous adult; as a penitent disciple of the Baptizer; as a preacher from Galilee followed by some simple fishermen; as a man who ate with sinners and talked with strangers; as an outcast, a criminal, a threat to his people. He moved from power to powerlessness, from greatness to smallness, from success to failure, from strength to weakness, from glory to ignominy. The whole life of Jesus of Nazareth was a life in which all upward mobility was resisted.
Some people wanted to make him king. They wanted him to show power. They wanted to share in his influence and sit on thrones with him. But he consistently said "no" to all these desires and pointed to the downward way. "The son of man has to suffer... can you drink the cup?" Even after his death, when his followers spoke of him as a defeated freedom fighter and said, "Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free" (Luke 24:21), he had to remind them again of the downward way, "Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?" (Luke 24:26).
Jesus leaves little doubt that the way he lived is the way he offers to his followers: "The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master" (Matthew 10:24). With great persistence he points out the downward way: "Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" (Matthew 20:26-28). The downward way is the way of the cross: "Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).
Somewhere deep in our heart we already know that success, fame, influence, power, and money do not give us the inner joy and peace for which we crave. Somewhere we can even sense a certain envy of those who have shed all their ambitions and live their lives in simple obedience. Yes, somewhere we can even get a taste of that mysterious joy in the smile of those who have nothing to lose.
Then we realize that the downward road is not the road to hell, but the road to heaven. Keeping this in mind can help us accept the fact that in the kingdom of God the poor are the messengers of the good news.
(Sojourners, Preach the Word, Christmas, Year C, from a Sojourners article by Henri Nouwen in June 1981)
Jim Forest writes about the light and the darkness by sharing a story.
The meaning of night is the focus of an old story about a rabbi who enters into discussion with his students. When, he asks them, can one know the night has ended and the day has begun? Is it that moment, suggests one student, when you can tell the difference between a sheep and a dog? No, says the rabbi, that isn't it. Is it, asks another, when you can see the difference between an olive tree and a fig tree? Not that either, says the rabbi. Rather, he says, it is that moment when you can look at a face never seen before and recognize the stranger as a brother or sister. Until that moment, he adds, no matter how bright the day, it is still the night.
(Sojourners, Preach the Word, Christmas, Year C, from a Sojourners article by Jim Forest in Dec 1983)
[Reconstruct the Lincoln Log house, putting in a door and a window]
The true liberating light of “Jesus-mas” encourages us to let go of the darkness of our pathological fears, desires and quest for independence and control. Then, as Robert Fulghum learned in kindergarten, “when you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.” Those poor people – they deliver the good news. And that stranger you just met – she is your sister.
The light of the world is Jesus. In the stable it is a small light. But out in the dark fields where shepherds watch their flocks and in the dark corners of busy cities the light of Jesus shines brightly, calling us to a new abundant and vibrant life in him.
(the journey of unlearning everything we've been taught)
Presented at County Line Brethren Church on December 27, 2009.
Year C, Christmas Eve
Scripture passages: Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-20
Robert Fulgum wrote a wonderful book entitled, “Everything I Really Need To Know, I Learned In Kindergarten.” It is such a refreshing reminder of how simple things were back then. In the beginning of the book, this is what he says.
“ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.”
What's strange about this is that 12 years later or 20 years later or even 50 years later, we've somehow forgotten these simple lessons. They have been replaced by:
-buy a house
-have a kid (or two or three)
-save for college and retirement
-pay the bills (repeat weekly)
In the years following kindergarten, many of us learn a different way to navigate through life. We learn that if we don't take, we don't get. We learn that if we don't look out for number 1, no one else will. We learn that sharing opens us up to being taken advantage of. We learn that the most important things in life are getting ahead. We learn how to make the grade, make a buck, and make a name for ourselves. We learn how other people can help us accomplish those aspirations, and so people soon become tools toward achieving our goals. We learn that there are some people who do not share. We get burned. We get burned again. We learn how not to get burned. Instead of trying not to hurt others, we learn to defend ourselves at all times from being hurt by other people. We learn how to build walls – to keep us from being burned. [build half of the Lincoln Log house] We learn to protect ourselves. Instead of holding hands and sticking together, we learn that it is all up to me, and me alone.
We protect ourselves by being silent. We don't reveal what we think and feel and when we hurt. We try not to rock the boat.
I certainly do not share about my own personal struggles or sin. The muzzle I keep on my mouth not only protects me from hurting others, but effectively changes me into an angry and resentful person. Like the psalmist reported, when I kept silent about failure and weaknesses, my body turns against itself bringing about a myriad of physical problems.
We hoard things. We stock the freezer and the pantry. We build our savings and retirement accounts – if we are able. We accumulate more “stuff” as I mentioned last week. The “stuff” protects us. The “stuff” protects me from harmful people as well as from a God who cannot be fully trusted.
We seek power and influence at work, in our communities and in our homes because it feels better to think we are in full control of everything. If we sense we are losing control, every resource is brought to bear in order to align each variable to our liking.
Over time, virtually every thought and action morphs into an effort simply to protect myself from others, as well as protecting me against myself. I erect walls to keep the bad out – and to keep me in. [Finish the Lincoln Log house] Fear becomes a close companion and an all-consuming hobby. I know what I do. I know how to do it. If someone were to suggest a different path, fear simply reminds of the danger that lurks outside the walls we've carefully constructed. If, for some reason, I have a moment of peace, it feels so abnormal that I rush back to my comfortable state of living in fear. It is not surprising that one common theme in the New Testament is that we no longer need to live in fear.
Kindergarten becomes a naïve and distant memory, unrelated to the struggles of 'real life.' We have hardened into the adult Peter Pan in the movie “Hook”, played by Robin Williams. Granny Wendy took note of this, saying to the former 'forever-child', “Peter, you've become a pirate.”
While there are many different manifestations, this is one form of darkness. Paul actually talks about this when he warns us in Romans 12 not to be conformed to the paradigm prevalent in the 'dog-eat-dog' world. It is a darkness which snuffs out life and joy and wonder. We recognize that some forms of darkness are, at least in part, of our own making.
On the other hand, some forms of darkness press in upon us from from outside of our sphere of influence. These include:
1) poverty, or
2) unemployment, or
3) trying to stay alive in a war zone, or
4) death resulting from famine,
5) lack of mosquito nets, or
6) AIDS medications, as well as
7) systemic oppression and abuse which may precipitate or exacerbate the darkness.
Perhaps you've heard the mythical story about how Albert Einstein disproved the assertion of an atheist professor that God did not exist because God could not be seen or tested or otherwise verified. Einstein purportedly asked the professor if cold existed. When the professor said that cold did exist, Einstein explained that cold did not actually exist, but is, in fact, the absence of heat. 'Coldness' cannot technically be measured apart from measuring heat. Indeed, you may remember from your science classes that there is a Kelvin temperature scale which actually begins at what is believed to be “absolute zero” and measures degrees of heat. [as an aside, you may feel a bit warmer knowing that the temperature outside this morning was about ¬260 on the Kelvin scale. Doesn't that help you feel warmer?] So, it is, in a sense, true that cold does not exist. Einstein then is alleged to have asked the professor if darkness existed. The professor, falling into the trap, said that darkness did exist. Whereupon Einstein is reported to have said that darkness did not exist, but is actually the absence of light. Darkness cannot be measured or tested. I hasten to emphasize that this exchange between Einstein and the professor is an unproven myth and academic legend. My purpose in bringing it up is to illustrate that darkness, as a concept, whether spiritual or scientific, is in some way, the absence of light.
Do you remember in the Parable of the Sower when Jesus said that some of the seed fell on thorny ground? The seed took root and grew, but was choked out by the cares of the world. These 'cares of the world' rob us, the plant, of nutrients from the soil. These thorns also steal the light as the cares of the world overshadow us, the plant, rendering us with less and less light, and more darkness.
So, when Isaiah says that the people in darkness have seen a great light, it may be more accurate, scientifically, to say “the people in the absence of light have seen an enormous lumination.” In some mysterious way, God infuses the light of Jesus into the darkness of human history. The incarnation offers to dispel and push back the reign of darkness in our lives individually and throughout the world collectively. The light of Jesus offers us a better way.
Here's the deal.
When we walk in fear, we are walking in the darkness. Jesus says that he takes care of the birds. He will take care of your needs.
When we choose not to forgive, we are walking in darkness. Jesus says to forgive others continually.
When we choose not to share, we are living in darkness. Jesus says that if we have an extra coat, we should give it away to someone who needs it.
When we choose not to help our neighbor we are living in the darkness. Jesus says that even the Samaritans (people we formerly despised) are our neighbors.
Walking in the light, as he is in the light, means returning to some of those things we learned in kindergarten. It means not worrying about tomorrow. It means sharing what we have. It means not hurting others and apologizing when we do.
Henri Nouwen wrote a wonderful essay entitled, “The Selfless Way of Christ (downward mobility as Christian vocation)”. For me, it seems to provide some insight into what it would be like to live in the light of Jesus.
Indeed, the one who was from the beginning with God and who was God revealed himself as a small, impotent child; as a refugee in Egypt; as an obedient adolescent and inconspicuous adult; as a penitent disciple of the Baptizer; as a preacher from Galilee followed by some simple fishermen; as a man who ate with sinners and talked with strangers; as an outcast, a criminal, a threat to his people. He moved from power to powerlessness, from greatness to smallness, from success to failure, from strength to weakness, from glory to ignominy. The whole life of Jesus of Nazareth was a life in which all upward mobility was resisted.
Some people wanted to make him king. They wanted him to show power. They wanted to share in his influence and sit on thrones with him. But he consistently said "no" to all these desires and pointed to the downward way. "The son of man has to suffer... can you drink the cup?" Even after his death, when his followers spoke of him as a defeated freedom fighter and said, "Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free" (Luke 24:21), he had to remind them again of the downward way, "Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?" (Luke 24:26).
Jesus leaves little doubt that the way he lived is the way he offers to his followers: "The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master" (Matthew 10:24). With great persistence he points out the downward way: "Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" (Matthew 20:26-28). The downward way is the way of the cross: "Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).
Somewhere deep in our heart we already know that success, fame, influence, power, and money do not give us the inner joy and peace for which we crave. Somewhere we can even sense a certain envy of those who have shed all their ambitions and live their lives in simple obedience. Yes, somewhere we can even get a taste of that mysterious joy in the smile of those who have nothing to lose.
Then we realize that the downward road is not the road to hell, but the road to heaven. Keeping this in mind can help us accept the fact that in the kingdom of God the poor are the messengers of the good news.
(Sojourners, Preach the Word, Christmas, Year C, from a Sojourners article by Henri Nouwen in June 1981)
Jim Forest writes about the light and the darkness by sharing a story.
The meaning of night is the focus of an old story about a rabbi who enters into discussion with his students. When, he asks them, can one know the night has ended and the day has begun? Is it that moment, suggests one student, when you can tell the difference between a sheep and a dog? No, says the rabbi, that isn't it. Is it, asks another, when you can see the difference between an olive tree and a fig tree? Not that either, says the rabbi. Rather, he says, it is that moment when you can look at a face never seen before and recognize the stranger as a brother or sister. Until that moment, he adds, no matter how bright the day, it is still the night.
(Sojourners, Preach the Word, Christmas, Year C, from a Sojourners article by Jim Forest in Dec 1983)
[Reconstruct the Lincoln Log house, putting in a door and a window]
The true liberating light of “Jesus-mas” encourages us to let go of the darkness of our pathological fears, desires and quest for independence and control. Then, as Robert Fulghum learned in kindergarten, “when you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.” Those poor people – they deliver the good news. And that stranger you just met – she is your sister.
The light of the world is Jesus. In the stable it is a small light. But out in the dark fields where shepherds watch their flocks and in the dark corners of busy cities the light of Jesus shines brightly, calling us to a new abundant and vibrant life in him.
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