UnShackling Ideas, May 9, 2010

John 5:1-9
Acts 16:9-15
Friday evening, after a Wedding rehearsal, while John and Martha were at the hospital, a group of us went to the airport to welcome home a young man named Tom, who has spent the last five months in Sudan at the Clinic. Over dinner, the waitress asked what was the occasion, and Tom introduced himself. I thought he would say: I have been in Africa for the last 5 months; I imagined he might begin: I have been expanding a clinic in S. Sudan; my expectation was that he might begin: Do you know about the Lost Boys, John Dau, or the Film God Grew Tired Of Us? But instead, I heard this young man, whose family are Catholic describe “The First Presbyterian Church in Skaneateles created a Foundation to provide Health Care in South Sudan, and I have just returned from five months of witnessing miracles daily.”

Expectations are important to us. Expectations allow us to move quickly through our day without having to fear. Easter morning, 6 weeks ago, was 85 degrees! It is the middle of May, we have mowed our lawns, birds have built their nests and hatched their young, Apple blossoms have pollinated, and suddenly on Mother's Day the Lilacs and Forsythia are covered in flocking of snow! Life is filled with miracles, surprises. While we amass our expectations and understandings of reality, as Creatures of God we need to UNSHACKLE IDEAS to question what is at the heart of all we have taken for granted.

Throughout the world, there are places and experiences which change us. Visiting the Grand Canyon, looking out over miles of rocks etched and washed away a mile deep. Niagara Falls with the power of millions of gallons of water rushing by, all the Honeymooners and Immigrants who have made wishes here. Walking the Great Wall of China, Climbing Mount Everest, soaking in Hot Springs, Drinking Water from Skaneateles. The Pools at Bethesda were believed to have healing powers. During the days of Franklin Roosevelt, the President was searching for a place to locate the National Institute of Health, and just outside Washington DC there is a City called Bethesda, which this man with polio, knowing this story, decided was the ideal place for healing. The original Bethesda had for generations been a place where the Priests had offered animal sacrifices, when the altar was washed the sacrificial blood drained down into the pools and settled, every few hours underground springs would stir the waters, making them murky, and the expectation was that if one who was ill, blind, lame, a leper. could enter the waters while they were moving, these former sacrifices, these blood offerings washed clean, would cleanse the person, making them well. The difficulty was that everyone knew this story. Families and friends would bring all those in need to the pool seeking to go in to the water when it was turbulent, and expected the waters to provide miracles. In addition, everyone rushing into the water also disturbed the sludge and silt at the bottom of the pool, requiring everyone to exit, allowing the waters to settle, waiting for the pool to move. Imagine one, who has been coming to this spot every day, looking to get into the churning water, looking to be made well. But each time the water stirs, crowds rush in carrying and leading their loved ones. Being without aid, unable to walk himself, by the time he got through the crowds, the pool would calm. He wanted so to be made well, this one came every day, trying for 38 years! Jesus watched this, and approaching the man asks “Do you want to be made well?” The man explained the process for being purified, his obstacle to getting into the water, and all the reasons stacked against him. But Jesus asked “Do you want to be well?” And the man took up his mat and walked. Everyone had been so attentive to watching the waters grow murky, entering the waters when they were stirred from the bottom, no one had questioned whether those who were ill had faith to be made well.

Over the last several years we have done a great many things, correcting drainage, cosmetically tuck-pointing the building, replacing the middle section, moving the pews, replacing the organ, but in the last year we have discovered that the foundation beneath the tower steps has over a century washed away. I recall the Session meeting when all the work on the Middle Section was complete, and suddenly we realized the Sanctuary floor timbers were sagging and needed to be braced. Rather than describing yet another building program, we discussed rebuilding the foundations of our faith. Throughout this Church's history, this tower has been used for weddings, for the bride and bride's maids to enter. With as many wedding s as we celebrate as a Church, we need to continually rebuild the foundations of our marriages, rebuild the foundations of our relationships and families.

I met with a couple who planned to be married. They had the date, she had picked out her gown, invitations had been sent. Flowers and cakes ordered. But the couple were miserable. They described all the family pressures and expectations. The couple described no longer having time for each other, because they were consumed by what had to be done. They were fighting with each other and with their families. Finally we asked, “Do you want to spend your life together like this?” And the couple said “No”, and we resolved to postpone the wedding for a year. Everything they planned was still able to be done, but the couple took this time to be in love, rather than be preparing for a wedding.

The story of Paul and Silas at Philippi is a wonderful one about EXPECTATIONS and UNSHACKLING IDEAS for they come to Philippi and rather than preaching and talking with a group of men, the Village leaders, the ones who listen are a group of women. An unspoken reality of the Church throughout the ages, is that without the bake sales and chicken suppers of the Women's Associations, most Churches would never have survived. Yet among these women was Lydia, who demonstrates the gift of hospitality. Lydia, who is a self made woman, a woman of wealth and influence, opens her home to the disciples and community of faith as any have need. This business woman shares her home, and is most willing to be inconvenienced to serve others.

As Paul and Silas are walking through the City, they encounter a Slave-girl who is Fortune-Teller. She begins calling attention to Paul and Silas, so in order to get rid of her, they heal her of the ability of Fortune Telling. For which, Silas and Paul are put into prison, shackled with leg irons. Instead of complaining about their circumstance, rather than seeking ways to get out, they begin praying and singing. During the night, there is a sudden earthquake and all the shackles are broken free, all the prison doors set open. The jailor, recognizing that all the doors have been opened believes that all the prisoners have been set free, and he draws his sword preparing to kill himself for what happened during his watch. When suddenly, the Guard hears Paul saying “Stop. We have not gone anywhere. We were never really prisoners, because you could not enslave our faith, and as we are Roman Citizens you had no authority to put us in prison.” The Jailor now realizes that as the prisoners who were in Prison in shackles, were never really imprisoned; that he as Jailor is the one imprisoned by his circumstance, and asks what he must do to be set free.

SO what are the ways we are shackled? Bound to realities that are going through the motions, rather than acting in faith?