"Power, Authority and Competition" June 2, 2013 Confirmation

I Kings 18: 17-39 Luke 7:1-10 Chris: The last several weeks, Rev. Lindsey had us read over these Bible stories again and again. He kept asking us to brood over them and think about what they meant. Grace: The one about the Centurion is about authority. This is an Officer among Soldiers in the Roman Legion everything about this guy, from his armor and sword, to his scars and muscles, screams of authority and is designed as symbols to invoke fear. Andrew: Yet, he is also someone who has compassion and cares about others. Not what the Roman Legion was known for! The people speak of his caring and empathy. This same Centurion has a servant, not even his own child, but a servant who was ill, and he asked Jesus to heal him. He believed in authority. If he had power to command troops into battle, and they went at his command, then if Jesus commanded his servant to be well, the Centurion believed he would get well. Emma: I am not sure if he really believed in Jesus, but he believed in power to make things happen, he believed Jesus could. And according to Jesus' words, that was all it takes. Elsa: The other is about Competition, a competition between the forces of God and faith in idols. Except, the King and Queen of Israel worshipped those idols. So part of the question is does it matter what we believe in? That is the question of today isn't it? In a time when every institution, all authority, are up for grabs, when there is competition in our time and commitment for what matters, what do we believe in and does it matter? Tate: When there were Tornados, I bet people prayed to God to be spared. Andrew: When the people were watching the Boston Marathon, and trying just to survive running the Marathon, and suddenly bombs exploded. When everyone was told to shelter down, to stay in one place, as two bombers roamed their neighborhoods. I would pray. Rachel: When Hurricane Sandy, excuse me “Superstorm Sandy” devastated 19 states, the people prayed. Grace: When a crazed gunmen went onto a school to kill children, that was reason to pray. Elsa: There is an awful lot of bad stuff happening all around us. Whether we believe in God, praying to God, does matter. Andrew: So how do we describe the greatest Competition we know? Tate: Well the greatest Competition each year is easy, it's the Superbowl. Chris: Yeah, but what is the Competition of the Superbowl between? Emma: What do you mean, the Superbowl is a competition between the two most winning teams of the year. Andrew: No it is not. The Superbowl may have started out being about Football, but a large percentage of those who watch the Superbowl, do not watch for the football, they watch for the commercials. Chris: I like the Puppies. Elsa: Do you remember last year's Superbowl, with the baby Clydesdale! And that guy who raised him, and loved the colt, and remembering his love for the horse he went to see him in the parade. But when they unhitched the horse, he took off down the street to find the man he loved. Emma: Yeah, but the greatest Superbowl commercial of all time was the one with the little kid imagining he was Darth Vader. Trying to use The Force to operate the Washer and Dryer. Trying to make his sister's doll fly. Finally, trying to start his dad's car, and the Dad pushed the remote, making him wonder. Rachel: So, if the Superbowl is not really about the competition between football teams,but between football and commercials, or between the show and the half-time show, or even between all the commercials, and the Superbowl takes place on a Sunday, then how can faith in God compete? Grace: What if, at next year's Superbowl, the announcer called everyone's attention at the start of half-time. Then the announcer asked that people remember all the things that have happened in the last year. Tate: Okay, but that is just going to make people feel sad, what do we do with people's sadness, with their loss? Elsa: What if we asked the whole world for a moment of silence? Chris: What if we asked people to think about their priorities, about what is important. Andrew: And if they know someone with whom they are angry, that instead of stewing about it, or talking to other people about it, if they would go and ask them directly, if they could find some way to compromise? Is there some way they can respect each other and work together for a different future?