Proverbs 8
John 16:12-16
This morning's sermon is a reminder of what to do when life gets out of sorts.
For there will come times when we are surprised by friends and family and the community, recognizing good works that have gone unacknowledged, and we are taken off guard. There will come holidays, adding more to our already busy lives. Baptism and faith, ordination, marriage, do not provide us with safety or security or guarantees of comfort. No where in all of Scripture, does God proclaim: “Settle and be comfortable, take life for granted!” But rather: “Peace, Be still and know that there is a God.”
Bubbling crude oil being churned up from 5000 feet below the ocean's surface seems like Chaos unleashed spreading and blanketing over the face of the deep, over the oceans of the earth, suffocating plants and fish, birds and life itself. Watching helplessly as our infants and our elders cease to take nourishment, as marriages crumble, being told what has been done with our life's assets, as hopes are consumed by debt and doubt make all of us want to scream. Witnessing as sons and daughters, husbands and wives go off to war, fighting for peace when common citizens wire themselves as human bombs, make us desire to hide our people from their responsibilities, to keep our loved ones from harm, when long ago we planted noble seeds in them of fighting for what you believe in, making the world a better place, doing for others who could not do for themselves.
First, to have Wisdom: that before the world was created, before time and space, before life itself, God created Wisdom as a companion, a co-creator with God. The ancients described that while God is One, God created wisdom as separate and intricately connected to all God does, in order that God could create and wisdom interweave connections between all that God created. Before time and space, before separate Continents, Nations and Peoples, God made us one. There are limits and boundaries to all that exists, which define who we are, as unique and separate, but there are also connections and dependencies, that removing any one element, without you, all the world is out of balance.
Lest we imagine these connections are only theoretical, only an imagined overlay of current science and politics, recognize that this passage PROVERBS 8 played a critical role in the development of Christianity related to and distinct from Judaism, as well as in the separation of the Christian Church East and West.
For Judaism, interpreted “Wisdom” as being “Torah” the Law as handed down through Moses; while Christianity reinterpreted “Wisdom” here to be the “Christ”. It is too easy for us, to read back into history, interpreting what has been as the pre-existence of what we know; which does harm to the text and to history by denial of what the word and events meant to that people in that time. Torah, the Law of Relationship with God as handed down by Moses, is one revelation of Wisdom. So also, is the Christ, the incarnation of God with us, suffering for sins of humanity, acting in grace/ compassion, to overcome any limitation separating us from God, is a revelation of what this Wisdom in Proverbs 8 describes. BUT ALSO, for the believer when these words were written, “The Wisdom of God” meant something else, something playful, imaginary, mythic, for the phrase “The beginning of God's Work” is a phrase used only one other time in Scripture, in the Book of Job describing the fantasy, the playful pet of God: “Behemoth, begotten at the Beginning of God's Work.” So Wisdom, is more than understanding, greater than our most intricate theories or hyperboles. Wisdom is fanciful, incorporating myth and imagination into reason and logic. Wisdom is The Law of God's Relationship, naming what is Sin. Wisdom is Immanuel, God being One with Us.
The controversy of Arianism split the Church in the 4th Century, leading to the Council of Nicea, which we know through the Nicean Creed. Arius interpreted “The LORD created me at the Beginning” as meaning that there was a time before Christ, when God was alone, and that Wisdom, the Christ, the Law was created by God out of something other than God. The poetic language of the Nicean Creed, sought to explain “Created at the Beginning” to mean “Begotten”, of one substance with and inseparable from God, God of God, Light of light.
One of the Children asked a few weeks ago: “where did God come from, who made God?” From before time and space did exist, God was, before anything. And with God was this Wisdom, this playful companion, the Law of Right relationships, the Christ of Compassion, Grace and Love that bind us to God, and this Wisdom, this Law, this Christ are one in substance and being with who we know God to be.
In assurance for all our fears and lack of control, there is wisdom that before anything else, part of the very substance of what it is to be God is the LAW, GRACE, REDEMPTION of the Lost. Just as Wisdom, which defies our best language and thought and imagination, was before CREATION, so also Jesus words recorded in the Gospel of John, are that there is much we still do not know.
In order to be a Ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church USA, it is required that you earn a Bachelors Degree, then a Masters from an Accredited Seminary. Then to take written Ordination Exams, not unlike the Medical Boards or State Bar Exam for Lawyers. After which, and after finding a Church which wants to Call you for a specific position, you attend a Presbytery Meeting during which the Elders and Ministers are able to ask any questions they desire, to satisfy themselves, that you are prepared and qualified to minister, writing prayers, preaching sermons, caring for people in times when there are no answers. 26 years ago, I stood before a Presbytery as they asked questions for over an hour, questions about the Virgin Birth & Mission, Homosexuality, Nuclear Weapons, Ecumenism and AIDS, Pastoral care in times of Conflict, Life and Death, all of which were the hot issues of the Church at that time. The final question was whether a Person needed to name the name of Jesus in order to be forgiven? I recall interpreting that Christ had been from before the Beginning, that Jesus had entered human history once, long ago, for all time, to redeem the world from what we had done to one another and to God, and that I believe in the Holy Spirit. But that if there were some people, who had never known the name of Jesus, that I believed in the love of God and the power of the Spirit to try by whatever means possible to love them, and that it was not up to me to decide whether that people would be condemned for what they did not know, but only for us to continue to try to extend the love of God to them. At which point, I was excused form the Sanctuary, while the Presbytery debated this answer for an additional hour. When someone finally came to get me, I entered the Sanctuary to the Presbytery rising to sing the DOXOLOGY of Old 100th. Doxology is the affirmation of faith that: All Blessings Come From God, that We Are One With All Creatures, that Before and After Human Time, there is God.
We may get frustrated with life. We may agonize over problems that seem to have no end and spoil Creation, spoil marriages and families. We can get angry with God, that our daughters and sons , wives and husbands at War and driving on the Expressway, or surfing on the Internet, ARE in harms way. But no mater what, there is God. Whether we rail against, or praise, whether we share tears of fears, or sing, we do so trusting in God.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
May 16, 2010, The Word Revealed
Numbers 22:21-35
Luke 24:44-53
Throughout the last several decades, there has been a growing fear among Church leaders, that the world was becoming illiterate regarding the Bible. My father and grandfather before him, were schooled in a paradigm of education, where when called upon you stood beside your desk and could recite Scripture and Poetry. My grandmother had a degree from Syracuse University in the Art of Elocution. Gone are the days, when the Bible was taught in school, gone also the days of memorization for public recitation. And yet, the Word of God is not gone! Our culture is ingrained with faith, waiting for such a time as this, when SEERS will reveal what we have heard and known, without previously having had the Word's relevance revealed.
We know the Bible to have had Kings: Saul, David, Solomon, Herod. We know the Bible to have had Priests: Aaron, Eli and Samuel. We know the Bible to have had Prophets: Moses, Joshua, Nathan, Elijah & Elisha. But in addition to Kings, Prophets and Priests, there were SEERS, Visionaries, often from the world outside, who make connections and comparisons between disparate ideas, and by so doing reveal Curses and Blessings of the Word. Balaam was a Seer, a Soothsayer, a Shamaan, a Man of Wisdom, sent by the Empire to condemn people of faith.
For the last several weeks, we have been in the Season of Easter, 40 Days of reading the Resurrection narratives. As there were 40 days of Lent in preparation, so also 40 days of Easter's celebration of the Resurrection, during which we have not turned to the Old Testament. As we do, the first passage appointed for us is from the time of Moses' wandering with the Israelites before coming into the Promised Land, wandering in the Wilderness, across the plains of Moab. Like Pharaoh, when the Balaak the King of Moab saw and heard how numerous were these strangers, he sought to enslave and destroy them. The King of this Enemy Empire sent his most powerful weapon against Israel, Balaam who could offer curses to undermine and destroy, curses to cast fear into a people.
Lest we dismiss Balaam's power too quickly, afterall Balaam was not a great General, did not have Weapons of Mass Destruction, all he had was his power to see Spirits and Potentials, to offer Words of Caution and Doubt, realize the power of fear, the ability of doubt to undermine and weaken and destroy. Five years ago, when I went to Sudan the first time, the Chief of All the Dinka pronounced a Blessing and Curse. Chuiee Deng Leek named “If you do this thing, of providing Health Care, you and your community will be blessed. But many others have made promises they did not fulfill, so if you do not, you will be cursed, suffering all your days.” Next morning, I awoke with a high fever and nausea, and wondered about that curse! But, I also believe that having that mission has been a great blessing for this community. Our words do have power. Having a Mission, a Purpose, a Noble Cause to work for is a great Blessing. Cursing others, leaving them in worse than depravity by breaking promises and violating trust, is a curse that east away at our soul.
This ought to be self-evident, the New Testament is over 2000 years old, the Old Testament thousands of years before that, and the power of our words and actions do offer curses and blessings upon others. The truth of faith ought to be firmly planted in our minds, but according to the story, Balaam the SEER who only the day before had seen God, and was now sent by the King of Israel's adversaries to curse the People of God, had blinded himself to all realities other than what he had been told to do. Early in the morning, he saddled his donkey and set out to Curse God's People. Three different times, the donkey saw the Angel of God before them and turned aside, taking abuse for doing so. A question we perpetually need to ask ourselves, is when we react to others, when we abuse them, when people we trusted do not do as we want, What Else May be Going on we cannot see? There are points in this story when you want to ask who is the Donkey? The height of irony is when Balaam wishes for a sword so he could kill this stubborn mule, and he has been blind to see the sword ready to strike him dead.
Folklore has many stories of animals that talk, Fish that can grant wishes, Frogs wishing to be kissed, Lassie always listened and seemed clearly able to think though she communicated in ways other than speech, the Bible has but two, Balaam's donkey and the Serpent in the Garden. Both of which, like All Creation recognize God, like the mountains, lakes and rivers serve as witnesses, and interact with people. As an oil rig continues to spew millions of gallons of toxic chemicals unabated, the earth shudders and quakes beneath us, it's hard to believe Creation is not speaking. The economy of Greece is so deep in debt, that their Nation owes more than their entire Country produces in a year, and our own country is not far different, yet instead of listening to the warnings, instead of changing direction learning from experience to live differently, instead of redemption, people seek some greater power to take away all the problems we have created. When I was seven years of age, I remember my father preaching about Balaam's donkey, and as an illustration he described that his child's favorite television show was about about a talking horse. At Seven, I was proud to be that illustration. At Fifteen, my father recycled his old sermons, describing his son's favorite television show was Mr. Ed, and I was embarrassed it was still true, but I did not want anyone to know. When I was 33 and this had become his favorite sermon illustration, I was more than a little frustrated; but foolishly, I had never heard what the talking donkey had said. We learn in life, we are carefully schooled, that by showing up and doing what is expected we can be average. By applying ourselves, working harder, we can earn the B and can always strive to work harder, to stay up later, to do more to acquire an A. But there are circumstances that no matter how hard we work, how much we apply ourselves, no matter what it costs, we cannot succeed. At those moments in life, we stop in Sabbath to question and reframe differently, to question our faith in God.
That is the power of the Ascension. The disciples had understood they were Called to follow Jesus. They listened attentively to his parables, they assisted as he changed water into wine, and fed 5000 with a few loaves and fish. They were changed from fear to awe and wonder as he calmed the storm and walked upon the water. They did not understand when they shared in Communion with Jesus at the Last Supper, they abandoned and betrayed him only a few hours later when he was arrested. They saw him suffer and die upon the cross and thought it was ended, but instead, they accustomed to a new reality of resurrection. The Empty tomb, walking along the road to Emmaus, gathered in fear for worship in the Upper Room, DEATH could not keep him from them. While for 40 Days and Nights, Jesus appeared to them, all this was preparation for what was to come as IMMORTALITY was changed into ETERNAL LIFE. More than cheating death, this is the realization that the world has changed for ever. Instead of being the TEACHER of Disciples, Instead of SUFFERING on the Cross, Instead of simply CHEATING DEATH by Resurrection, the ASCENSION is Validation that the world was changed, all Humanity was changed by the Word having once in history having been INCARNATE among us, now being ETERNAL.
The Power of CURSES, like the Power of SECRETS, is that they gnaw away at us, growing and building by their hiddenness, lurking in shadows. The Power of BLESSINGS is that Blessings look both Backward and Forward! Al the things we should have seen, should have known throughout a lifetime, come back differently, and we understand that perhaps all this WAS necessary for us to be prepared for this moment. But also, Blessings provide a CHARGE a Mission, a Purpose of living our lives for others. Finally like the Donkey, we recognize the reality of God and we understand life is not our possession, our work, to do our best so as to attain the A, but rather that we are Charged with living life for others.
Why is it Grandparents seem to understand so much more than parents, and often are able to be more forgiving and accommodating? Because through generations, we move from being focused on our life, our getting a job, our getting married to our beloved, our raising our children, to reframing what we can do to bless this child, what we can do support and encourage not ourselves. All that we know from our lifetimes, the Scripture that has become ingrained in our culture and in our life suddenly is revealed as having been present all along, and we live life a s blessing.
The design of this Sanctuary, this place of gathering from life, for life, is that there is no explicit Cross, instead the cross is all around us in the ceiling tiles, in the pattern of the doors, even in the floor beneath the Chancel. So implicit that we would come to know we are surrounded by the cross in all of life, and rather than focusing upon an icon only in this time and place, we would go out into the world blessing others. The Font is on the floor and we pour water every week, to affirm that we are Baptized, claimed by God, Forgiven in order to forgive others. The Table is Central, because in each of our homes, we gather at the Table for sharing life's questions and journey, for discussing hopes and dreams and fears, breaking bread with those we life life for.
The WORD, the Love of God, is all around us, in all Creation, if we only open our eyes to see.
Luke 24:44-53
Throughout the last several decades, there has been a growing fear among Church leaders, that the world was becoming illiterate regarding the Bible. My father and grandfather before him, were schooled in a paradigm of education, where when called upon you stood beside your desk and could recite Scripture and Poetry. My grandmother had a degree from Syracuse University in the Art of Elocution. Gone are the days, when the Bible was taught in school, gone also the days of memorization for public recitation. And yet, the Word of God is not gone! Our culture is ingrained with faith, waiting for such a time as this, when SEERS will reveal what we have heard and known, without previously having had the Word's relevance revealed.
We know the Bible to have had Kings: Saul, David, Solomon, Herod. We know the Bible to have had Priests: Aaron, Eli and Samuel. We know the Bible to have had Prophets: Moses, Joshua, Nathan, Elijah & Elisha. But in addition to Kings, Prophets and Priests, there were SEERS, Visionaries, often from the world outside, who make connections and comparisons between disparate ideas, and by so doing reveal Curses and Blessings of the Word. Balaam was a Seer, a Soothsayer, a Shamaan, a Man of Wisdom, sent by the Empire to condemn people of faith.
For the last several weeks, we have been in the Season of Easter, 40 Days of reading the Resurrection narratives. As there were 40 days of Lent in preparation, so also 40 days of Easter's celebration of the Resurrection, during which we have not turned to the Old Testament. As we do, the first passage appointed for us is from the time of Moses' wandering with the Israelites before coming into the Promised Land, wandering in the Wilderness, across the plains of Moab. Like Pharaoh, when the Balaak the King of Moab saw and heard how numerous were these strangers, he sought to enslave and destroy them. The King of this Enemy Empire sent his most powerful weapon against Israel, Balaam who could offer curses to undermine and destroy, curses to cast fear into a people.
Lest we dismiss Balaam's power too quickly, afterall Balaam was not a great General, did not have Weapons of Mass Destruction, all he had was his power to see Spirits and Potentials, to offer Words of Caution and Doubt, realize the power of fear, the ability of doubt to undermine and weaken and destroy. Five years ago, when I went to Sudan the first time, the Chief of All the Dinka pronounced a Blessing and Curse. Chuiee Deng Leek named “If you do this thing, of providing Health Care, you and your community will be blessed. But many others have made promises they did not fulfill, so if you do not, you will be cursed, suffering all your days.” Next morning, I awoke with a high fever and nausea, and wondered about that curse! But, I also believe that having that mission has been a great blessing for this community. Our words do have power. Having a Mission, a Purpose, a Noble Cause to work for is a great Blessing. Cursing others, leaving them in worse than depravity by breaking promises and violating trust, is a curse that east away at our soul.
This ought to be self-evident, the New Testament is over 2000 years old, the Old Testament thousands of years before that, and the power of our words and actions do offer curses and blessings upon others. The truth of faith ought to be firmly planted in our minds, but according to the story, Balaam the SEER who only the day before had seen God, and was now sent by the King of Israel's adversaries to curse the People of God, had blinded himself to all realities other than what he had been told to do. Early in the morning, he saddled his donkey and set out to Curse God's People. Three different times, the donkey saw the Angel of God before them and turned aside, taking abuse for doing so. A question we perpetually need to ask ourselves, is when we react to others, when we abuse them, when people we trusted do not do as we want, What Else May be Going on we cannot see? There are points in this story when you want to ask who is the Donkey? The height of irony is when Balaam wishes for a sword so he could kill this stubborn mule, and he has been blind to see the sword ready to strike him dead.
Folklore has many stories of animals that talk, Fish that can grant wishes, Frogs wishing to be kissed, Lassie always listened and seemed clearly able to think though she communicated in ways other than speech, the Bible has but two, Balaam's donkey and the Serpent in the Garden. Both of which, like All Creation recognize God, like the mountains, lakes and rivers serve as witnesses, and interact with people. As an oil rig continues to spew millions of gallons of toxic chemicals unabated, the earth shudders and quakes beneath us, it's hard to believe Creation is not speaking. The economy of Greece is so deep in debt, that their Nation owes more than their entire Country produces in a year, and our own country is not far different, yet instead of listening to the warnings, instead of changing direction learning from experience to live differently, instead of redemption, people seek some greater power to take away all the problems we have created. When I was seven years of age, I remember my father preaching about Balaam's donkey, and as an illustration he described that his child's favorite television show was about about a talking horse. At Seven, I was proud to be that illustration. At Fifteen, my father recycled his old sermons, describing his son's favorite television show was Mr. Ed, and I was embarrassed it was still true, but I did not want anyone to know. When I was 33 and this had become his favorite sermon illustration, I was more than a little frustrated; but foolishly, I had never heard what the talking donkey had said. We learn in life, we are carefully schooled, that by showing up and doing what is expected we can be average. By applying ourselves, working harder, we can earn the B and can always strive to work harder, to stay up later, to do more to acquire an A. But there are circumstances that no matter how hard we work, how much we apply ourselves, no matter what it costs, we cannot succeed. At those moments in life, we stop in Sabbath to question and reframe differently, to question our faith in God.
That is the power of the Ascension. The disciples had understood they were Called to follow Jesus. They listened attentively to his parables, they assisted as he changed water into wine, and fed 5000 with a few loaves and fish. They were changed from fear to awe and wonder as he calmed the storm and walked upon the water. They did not understand when they shared in Communion with Jesus at the Last Supper, they abandoned and betrayed him only a few hours later when he was arrested. They saw him suffer and die upon the cross and thought it was ended, but instead, they accustomed to a new reality of resurrection. The Empty tomb, walking along the road to Emmaus, gathered in fear for worship in the Upper Room, DEATH could not keep him from them. While for 40 Days and Nights, Jesus appeared to them, all this was preparation for what was to come as IMMORTALITY was changed into ETERNAL LIFE. More than cheating death, this is the realization that the world has changed for ever. Instead of being the TEACHER of Disciples, Instead of SUFFERING on the Cross, Instead of simply CHEATING DEATH by Resurrection, the ASCENSION is Validation that the world was changed, all Humanity was changed by the Word having once in history having been INCARNATE among us, now being ETERNAL.
The Power of CURSES, like the Power of SECRETS, is that they gnaw away at us, growing and building by their hiddenness, lurking in shadows. The Power of BLESSINGS is that Blessings look both Backward and Forward! Al the things we should have seen, should have known throughout a lifetime, come back differently, and we understand that perhaps all this WAS necessary for us to be prepared for this moment. But also, Blessings provide a CHARGE a Mission, a Purpose of living our lives for others. Finally like the Donkey, we recognize the reality of God and we understand life is not our possession, our work, to do our best so as to attain the A, but rather that we are Charged with living life for others.
Why is it Grandparents seem to understand so much more than parents, and often are able to be more forgiving and accommodating? Because through generations, we move from being focused on our life, our getting a job, our getting married to our beloved, our raising our children, to reframing what we can do to bless this child, what we can do support and encourage not ourselves. All that we know from our lifetimes, the Scripture that has become ingrained in our culture and in our life suddenly is revealed as having been present all along, and we live life a s blessing.
The design of this Sanctuary, this place of gathering from life, for life, is that there is no explicit Cross, instead the cross is all around us in the ceiling tiles, in the pattern of the doors, even in the floor beneath the Chancel. So implicit that we would come to know we are surrounded by the cross in all of life, and rather than focusing upon an icon only in this time and place, we would go out into the world blessing others. The Font is on the floor and we pour water every week, to affirm that we are Baptized, claimed by God, Forgiven in order to forgive others. The Table is Central, because in each of our homes, we gather at the Table for sharing life's questions and journey, for discussing hopes and dreams and fears, breaking bread with those we life life for.
The WORD, the Love of God, is all around us, in all Creation, if we only open our eyes to see.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
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?
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?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
May 2, 2010 Peter's Vision
John 13: 31-35
Acts 11: 1-18
How Odd, the occasions and seasons of the year, we have chosen to celebrate as Orthodox, and those we avoid?
We know of Noah from a time before recorded history, saving a remnant of the world 2 x 2 to replenish & fulfill. We recall Abram and Sarai who were unable to conceive, who wandered the earth as nomads with God, receiving Covenant Commandments to live as Circumcised and Kosher, with the names Abraham & Sarah.
We remember Moses going up the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments, and the peoples' Golden Calf .
We know the Contest of Elijah and Jezebel commanding Lightning to prove the True God. When is the last time you needed to command lightning to come from heaven? But when he had seen miracles he still looked for more and God asked “What are you doing here Elijah?” We recall all about Ancient Israel's King David & Solomon.
At harvest time, we gather for a feast, a great meal of abundance, giving thanks to God: Thanksgiving.
Family and friends return from all the world to light candles and sing of innocence and God's birth: Christmas.
Wisemen came bearing gifts, The 12th Night of Christmas, we remember as: Epiphany. We even have names, ethnicity and ages for the Wisemen: Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior, though these are not in the Bible!
We burn the branches of the palms of the year before, marking ourselves and one another with ashes for atonement and begin 40 days of fasting and prayer: Lent
Though not indigenous to this place, we ship in Palm branches to cover the floor, to wave shouting Hosanna!
We recognize the Last Supper, the Passover, where all whom he trusts abandon the Savior: Maundy Thursday.
Jesus' suffering and death as Capital punishment for the sins of the world: Good Friday 3 days later: Easter.
40 Days after when the Resurrected Christ goes to heaven to sit at the Right hand of God: Ascension Day.
The 50th Day after Easter, when the Holy Spirit Blew upon and threw the disciples, calling them out to hear people from every corner of the world and to respond to them in the birth of the Church: Pentecost.
But the Scripture passages for this day, rarely are read, even more un-commonly applied.
Perhaps less complicated than testing every bulb and wrapping our homes in electric light.
We could refer to this as the Celebration of Foods we do not like to eat! Declaring: “God has No distinction!”
Perhaps of ending Prejudice, Or of serving one another as we were loved.
We have sought to prescribe a series of holidays and seasons which reinforce identity: who we are.
As a culture, to all give thanks to God; to all have Laws and Commandments basic to human society (Honoring your parents, Thou shalt not Kill or Steal or Lie or Envy); as a Society to all acknowledge the death of the Savior and Resurrection, to recognize the birth of the Christian Church, ANNUALLY RECOGNIZING THESE makes them common, anticipated, safe. Show me, where in all of Scripture is it written: We are to be SAFE?
We are to be Visionaries! We are to Dream Dreams, to challenge preconceptions and Serve, without reservation.
Three separate times, Simon Peter saw a Vision. A Great sheet being let down from heaven by the corners.
Inside the sheet, all prepared for us, were every kind of creature.
To understand this, we need first to know that the Kosher Laws of the Circumcised were that you could eat Beef and Lamb and Mutton, creatures with a hoof, but not camel or goat or pig or monkey, which like us have toes. Few recall why Abram was instructed to do so, whether the Kosher Laws and Laws of Circumcision were for hygiene, to prevent disease, but the identity of the people of faith, the identity of the culture was that when intimate with others in sharing a table and in marriage, when living in the midst of foreign peoples, was to be separate, to be uncommon.
Peter's vision emphasized that if all we are doing is being different, being separate, it is as if claiming half of God's creation is Good and half Evil, rather than recognizing All is Created by God. Rather than focusing upon the differences and distinctions that separate us, as a Community of Faith Christianity needed to recognize that everyone has done wrong, and everyone could be redeemed.
There is a wonderful shift here. Throughout the Gospels Peter was the one who without any evidence, when everyone was filled with fears would leap to make conclusions. Jesus asked all the disciples “Who do you think that I am?” and they were reasonably confused, but Peter leapt to say “You are the Christ, the Son of the Most High!” The disciples saw Jesus walking on Water, and Peter wanting to imitate Jesus stepped out of the boat and began to drown! At the Last Supper, Jesus described that everyone would abandon relationship, and Peter professed “Not I!” Yet here, the Sheet appears and Peter does not understand. A Voice from heaven says Kill and Eat, and Peter says NO. They same voice says “What God has given as a Gift shall not be described as Profane.” The Vision happened in this way three times, before Peter accepted it, and still he did not understand. The next day, he is taken to the home of a Roman Soldier, not only a Non-Jew, Un-Circumcised, Non-Kosher, part of the Roman Legion, part of the Empire of Rome Cornelius was the antithesis of everything that represented the Community of Faith to Peter, and yet Cornelius asked to be Baptized.
We have this common understanding about Conversion, that you come to Faith Once, and provided it happens before the person is dead, the friends and relatives and community cry out “Thank God!” But like the Vision coming in several parts repeatedly until Peter accepts, then still challenging him as he makes application and afterward when challenged about what he has done in faith Peter risks challenging others with what he believes, Faith is not a linear equation, with one simple answer. Faith is circuitous and tends to come to each of us, over and over again.
John's witness to the Sacrament of the Last Supper is un-common. Because where each of the other Gospels and the Book of Acts and the Letters describe this is the Body of Christ, this is the Cup of the New Covenant, John describes simply that they shared the meal. John's emphasis is instead of the humble service Jesus offers in welcoming his guests, and explaining that as I served you, you now need to serve one another.
Acts 11: 1-18
How Odd, the occasions and seasons of the year, we have chosen to celebrate as Orthodox, and those we avoid?
We know of Noah from a time before recorded history, saving a remnant of the world 2 x 2 to replenish & fulfill. We recall Abram and Sarai who were unable to conceive, who wandered the earth as nomads with God, receiving Covenant Commandments to live as Circumcised and Kosher, with the names Abraham & Sarah.
We remember Moses going up the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments, and the peoples' Golden Calf .
We know the Contest of Elijah and Jezebel commanding Lightning to prove the True God. When is the last time you needed to command lightning to come from heaven? But when he had seen miracles he still looked for more and God asked “What are you doing here Elijah?” We recall all about Ancient Israel's King David & Solomon.
At harvest time, we gather for a feast, a great meal of abundance, giving thanks to God: Thanksgiving.
Family and friends return from all the world to light candles and sing of innocence and God's birth: Christmas.
Wisemen came bearing gifts, The 12th Night of Christmas, we remember as: Epiphany. We even have names, ethnicity and ages for the Wisemen: Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior, though these are not in the Bible!
We burn the branches of the palms of the year before, marking ourselves and one another with ashes for atonement and begin 40 days of fasting and prayer: Lent
Though not indigenous to this place, we ship in Palm branches to cover the floor, to wave shouting Hosanna!
We recognize the Last Supper, the Passover, where all whom he trusts abandon the Savior: Maundy Thursday.
Jesus' suffering and death as Capital punishment for the sins of the world: Good Friday 3 days later: Easter.
40 Days after when the Resurrected Christ goes to heaven to sit at the Right hand of God: Ascension Day.
The 50th Day after Easter, when the Holy Spirit Blew upon and threw the disciples, calling them out to hear people from every corner of the world and to respond to them in the birth of the Church: Pentecost.
But the Scripture passages for this day, rarely are read, even more un-commonly applied.
Perhaps less complicated than testing every bulb and wrapping our homes in electric light.
We could refer to this as the Celebration of Foods we do not like to eat! Declaring: “God has No distinction!”
Perhaps of ending Prejudice, Or of serving one another as we were loved.
We have sought to prescribe a series of holidays and seasons which reinforce identity: who we are.
As a culture, to all give thanks to God; to all have Laws and Commandments basic to human society (Honoring your parents, Thou shalt not Kill or Steal or Lie or Envy); as a Society to all acknowledge the death of the Savior and Resurrection, to recognize the birth of the Christian Church, ANNUALLY RECOGNIZING THESE makes them common, anticipated, safe. Show me, where in all of Scripture is it written: We are to be SAFE?
We are to be Visionaries! We are to Dream Dreams, to challenge preconceptions and Serve, without reservation.
Three separate times, Simon Peter saw a Vision. A Great sheet being let down from heaven by the corners.
Inside the sheet, all prepared for us, were every kind of creature.
To understand this, we need first to know that the Kosher Laws of the Circumcised were that you could eat Beef and Lamb and Mutton, creatures with a hoof, but not camel or goat or pig or monkey, which like us have toes. Few recall why Abram was instructed to do so, whether the Kosher Laws and Laws of Circumcision were for hygiene, to prevent disease, but the identity of the people of faith, the identity of the culture was that when intimate with others in sharing a table and in marriage, when living in the midst of foreign peoples, was to be separate, to be uncommon.
Peter's vision emphasized that if all we are doing is being different, being separate, it is as if claiming half of God's creation is Good and half Evil, rather than recognizing All is Created by God. Rather than focusing upon the differences and distinctions that separate us, as a Community of Faith Christianity needed to recognize that everyone has done wrong, and everyone could be redeemed.
There is a wonderful shift here. Throughout the Gospels Peter was the one who without any evidence, when everyone was filled with fears would leap to make conclusions. Jesus asked all the disciples “Who do you think that I am?” and they were reasonably confused, but Peter leapt to say “You are the Christ, the Son of the Most High!” The disciples saw Jesus walking on Water, and Peter wanting to imitate Jesus stepped out of the boat and began to drown! At the Last Supper, Jesus described that everyone would abandon relationship, and Peter professed “Not I!” Yet here, the Sheet appears and Peter does not understand. A Voice from heaven says Kill and Eat, and Peter says NO. They same voice says “What God has given as a Gift shall not be described as Profane.” The Vision happened in this way three times, before Peter accepted it, and still he did not understand. The next day, he is taken to the home of a Roman Soldier, not only a Non-Jew, Un-Circumcised, Non-Kosher, part of the Roman Legion, part of the Empire of Rome Cornelius was the antithesis of everything that represented the Community of Faith to Peter, and yet Cornelius asked to be Baptized.
We have this common understanding about Conversion, that you come to Faith Once, and provided it happens before the person is dead, the friends and relatives and community cry out “Thank God!” But like the Vision coming in several parts repeatedly until Peter accepts, then still challenging him as he makes application and afterward when challenged about what he has done in faith Peter risks challenging others with what he believes, Faith is not a linear equation, with one simple answer. Faith is circuitous and tends to come to each of us, over and over again.
John's witness to the Sacrament of the Last Supper is un-common. Because where each of the other Gospels and the Book of Acts and the Letters describe this is the Body of Christ, this is the Cup of the New Covenant, John describes simply that they shared the meal. John's emphasis is instead of the humble service Jesus offers in welcoming his guests, and explaining that as I served you, you now need to serve one another.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
A Multi-Dimensional Faith, April 25, 2010
John 10:22-30
Acts 9: 36-43
Robert Browning provided the poetic invitation
“Grow old with me for the best is yet to be, the last of life for which the first was made!”
There is a tension balanced in the words, that somehow the future, the present, the past, are all one. There is a constancy to change, where youth is the seed of later years, and the fullness of life, the drawing together of all the threads and memories of human existence. The circumstance of decades ago affect us. We can no more wish that that experience had never happened, that that relationship had never been, than we could remove a freckle; some relationships are chosen, more occur and effect us not because we wanted or desired, but because when presented with circumstance, we responded.
In each of us, everyone, there is the infant, we once were. Innocent and malleable, the genetic predisposition of blue eyes, hazel, green or brown, Red hair, brown, blonde, or black. In each of us is the potential of being a great-grandparent, with cataracts and hair as white as snow, possessing the wisdom to reflect upon what has ben lived, finally appreciating every person, taking time because we want life's experiences to be remembered to endure.
We live in a youth obsessed, death denying culture, ever focused on how we would have responded if we had known then, what we know now. Ignoring that circumstances would have been changed and we never would have learned what now we think we know.
I love this passage from the book of Acts, on so many different levels. A week ago, we heard how Saul of Tarsus was knocked to the ground by a blinding light, his life turned round by faith to no longer persecute others for believing differently, but to instead serve others. Then the evangelist returns to the story of Peter at Joppa. Aeneas is a very old man who has been confined to bed. Peter sits with him and commands Aeaeas “In the Name of Jesus Christ to rise”, and the one who was bed-ridden does rise! Tabitha, whose name translated into Greek is Dorcas meaning Gazelle, is one of the few women named as a Disciple. She had created her own system of caring for the poor and those in need. She provided sweaters and shawls, food and clothing, to all who were in need. Tabitha died, which not only created anxiety at her death, but a hole in the community because without her no one was caring for the needs of the widows and poor. Peter prays with her and calls her by name, and she rises. SO in this community you have one who was named GAZELLE, who lay dead, who through faith rises up to care for others. You have Aeneas who was bedridden and others had made accommodations to keep him in bed all the rest of his days, who gets up to walk. You have fishermen who preach to the Religious authorities. You have one who was torturing and persecuting others, who suddenly gives his life to serve others. Faith is not about wishing things were different, but changing our lives to do what we thought impossible, because we believe. SO first, this is story of people responding to act in faith.
Second, and this takes conjecture. I believe that part of raising Tabitha before the community, was that by Peter naming her as doing these things as an act of faith in Jesus Christ, rather than focusing on just how beautifully she stitched, others in the community were no longer intimidated about taking up the work she had done and carrying it on.
Third, How often, when someone has died, do we want to eulogize and immortalize them for what they have done. All the community were bringing out the sweaters and shawls and gifts of Tabitha to describe what a talented seamstress, what good works she had done, but Peter called her from death to life because of her faith. How often we describe that he served in the Navy; she had 16 grandchildren; he built his own home; she was active in the Garden Club; he was a Rotarian... all of which are good, but like displaying Dorcas' gifts are just the things of a life lived. What was important was not simply what she had done, what brought smiles to other people's lives, but that she had been a disciple! She had been baptized and she believed!
There is a monumental shift taking place in Christian Faith today, from a singular belief in Salvation After Death; to searching for satisfactions and meaning IN life. For the last thousand years, Christianity, like most of the world's religions has been about Eternal Salvation, answering the fears of folk about an after-life, after a plague, after War, can there be hope. While for us, this is still an important question, there is now also a search to experience, to share in feeling fulfilled by what we do, can our lives prevent a war, can we ease suffering. Christian Faith is not only about life after death, but the search for meaning, for relationships and satisfactions that are more than entertainment. In this way, the Sacrament is the washing away of Sin, but more than this, Baptism is the beginning of a life in search of meaning.
There was a time in human understanding in which we believed there was a Singular Correct Answer to life's mysteries, discerning the Natural Law would objectively answer our questions. But just as Youth and Age can be enjoyed and lived independently, there is also beauty and power in perceiving youth as the seeds of what is to come, and age as the harvesting of work throughout our lives. Life can be understood in multiple dimensions.
The difficulty of this Passage from John, is that it plays a vital role within the Gospel, as well as in Church Doctrine, though the two are separate and distinct.
Doctrine is for understanding form interpretation, the Nicene Creed relied heavily on this passage for explanation of the relationship between God and Jesus within divergent parts of Christianity. Eastern and Western thought, Catholic and Protestant, Evangelical and Social Gospel, Can we all agree on who Jesus was and is?
The Gospel is not primarily concerned with understanding or interpretation, the Gospel was not written for controversies between different parts of Christianity. The Gospel is Story, the revelation of Jesus as one united with God among us. In John's Gospel more than any other, we cannot separate Theology (What we believe about God) from Christology (What we believe about Jesus) from Ecclesiology (The role of the Community of Faith in the World).
In a time of horrific oppression, when citizenship required obedience to the Roman Gods, to the Roman Empire, and to the Roman Army; In a time when logic and reason of the Greeks was all brand new; In a time after Exile diaspora when the Nation have lived among other nations and faith was Cultural: John's Gospel revealed that GOD and CHRIST and OUR LIVES are intimately linked.
The people were looking for a direct answer from Jesus about blasphemy: “Are you saying you are God, or not?” To which, Jesus describes being so intimately connected that God is in all Christ does, and Christ is in God. To many, the scrolls of the Old Testament address whether God can be trusted? God formed the world and everything therein, is this world out to destroy us, is God intent on our destruction, what are the Laws of the Creator, and what happens if God's Laws are broken?
The Gospel of John affirms that God is the Creator, personally revealed to us all as like a Father, a loving parent, to whom honor and respect are owed, but who is also loving and forgiving. Jesus is the REDEEMER, who when we have broken God's Laws, when we have done harm to ourselves, to others, to the world, done harm to God, does whatever is necessary to make the relationship with God healed, restored, and new. The question of the New Testament is not whether God can be trusted, but rather Knowing we CANNOT BE TRUSTED, Will God love us, no mater what?
The question of this current era, is whether there is meaning to life, whether Christian faith makes a difference? And whether, being forgiven, being Baptized and sharing in one Communion, we will live our lives differently?
Acts 9: 36-43
Robert Browning provided the poetic invitation
“Grow old with me for the best is yet to be, the last of life for which the first was made!”
There is a tension balanced in the words, that somehow the future, the present, the past, are all one. There is a constancy to change, where youth is the seed of later years, and the fullness of life, the drawing together of all the threads and memories of human existence. The circumstance of decades ago affect us. We can no more wish that that experience had never happened, that that relationship had never been, than we could remove a freckle; some relationships are chosen, more occur and effect us not because we wanted or desired, but because when presented with circumstance, we responded.
In each of us, everyone, there is the infant, we once were. Innocent and malleable, the genetic predisposition of blue eyes, hazel, green or brown, Red hair, brown, blonde, or black. In each of us is the potential of being a great-grandparent, with cataracts and hair as white as snow, possessing the wisdom to reflect upon what has ben lived, finally appreciating every person, taking time because we want life's experiences to be remembered to endure.
We live in a youth obsessed, death denying culture, ever focused on how we would have responded if we had known then, what we know now. Ignoring that circumstances would have been changed and we never would have learned what now we think we know.
I love this passage from the book of Acts, on so many different levels. A week ago, we heard how Saul of Tarsus was knocked to the ground by a blinding light, his life turned round by faith to no longer persecute others for believing differently, but to instead serve others. Then the evangelist returns to the story of Peter at Joppa. Aeneas is a very old man who has been confined to bed. Peter sits with him and commands Aeaeas “In the Name of Jesus Christ to rise”, and the one who was bed-ridden does rise! Tabitha, whose name translated into Greek is Dorcas meaning Gazelle, is one of the few women named as a Disciple. She had created her own system of caring for the poor and those in need. She provided sweaters and shawls, food and clothing, to all who were in need. Tabitha died, which not only created anxiety at her death, but a hole in the community because without her no one was caring for the needs of the widows and poor. Peter prays with her and calls her by name, and she rises. SO in this community you have one who was named GAZELLE, who lay dead, who through faith rises up to care for others. You have Aeneas who was bedridden and others had made accommodations to keep him in bed all the rest of his days, who gets up to walk. You have fishermen who preach to the Religious authorities. You have one who was torturing and persecuting others, who suddenly gives his life to serve others. Faith is not about wishing things were different, but changing our lives to do what we thought impossible, because we believe. SO first, this is story of people responding to act in faith.
Second, and this takes conjecture. I believe that part of raising Tabitha before the community, was that by Peter naming her as doing these things as an act of faith in Jesus Christ, rather than focusing on just how beautifully she stitched, others in the community were no longer intimidated about taking up the work she had done and carrying it on.
Third, How often, when someone has died, do we want to eulogize and immortalize them for what they have done. All the community were bringing out the sweaters and shawls and gifts of Tabitha to describe what a talented seamstress, what good works she had done, but Peter called her from death to life because of her faith. How often we describe that he served in the Navy; she had 16 grandchildren; he built his own home; she was active in the Garden Club; he was a Rotarian... all of which are good, but like displaying Dorcas' gifts are just the things of a life lived. What was important was not simply what she had done, what brought smiles to other people's lives, but that she had been a disciple! She had been baptized and she believed!
There is a monumental shift taking place in Christian Faith today, from a singular belief in Salvation After Death; to searching for satisfactions and meaning IN life. For the last thousand years, Christianity, like most of the world's religions has been about Eternal Salvation, answering the fears of folk about an after-life, after a plague, after War, can there be hope. While for us, this is still an important question, there is now also a search to experience, to share in feeling fulfilled by what we do, can our lives prevent a war, can we ease suffering. Christian Faith is not only about life after death, but the search for meaning, for relationships and satisfactions that are more than entertainment. In this way, the Sacrament is the washing away of Sin, but more than this, Baptism is the beginning of a life in search of meaning.
There was a time in human understanding in which we believed there was a Singular Correct Answer to life's mysteries, discerning the Natural Law would objectively answer our questions. But just as Youth and Age can be enjoyed and lived independently, there is also beauty and power in perceiving youth as the seeds of what is to come, and age as the harvesting of work throughout our lives. Life can be understood in multiple dimensions.
The difficulty of this Passage from John, is that it plays a vital role within the Gospel, as well as in Church Doctrine, though the two are separate and distinct.
Doctrine is for understanding form interpretation, the Nicene Creed relied heavily on this passage for explanation of the relationship between God and Jesus within divergent parts of Christianity. Eastern and Western thought, Catholic and Protestant, Evangelical and Social Gospel, Can we all agree on who Jesus was and is?
The Gospel is not primarily concerned with understanding or interpretation, the Gospel was not written for controversies between different parts of Christianity. The Gospel is Story, the revelation of Jesus as one united with God among us. In John's Gospel more than any other, we cannot separate Theology (What we believe about God) from Christology (What we believe about Jesus) from Ecclesiology (The role of the Community of Faith in the World).
In a time of horrific oppression, when citizenship required obedience to the Roman Gods, to the Roman Empire, and to the Roman Army; In a time when logic and reason of the Greeks was all brand new; In a time after Exile diaspora when the Nation have lived among other nations and faith was Cultural: John's Gospel revealed that GOD and CHRIST and OUR LIVES are intimately linked.
The people were looking for a direct answer from Jesus about blasphemy: “Are you saying you are God, or not?” To which, Jesus describes being so intimately connected that God is in all Christ does, and Christ is in God. To many, the scrolls of the Old Testament address whether God can be trusted? God formed the world and everything therein, is this world out to destroy us, is God intent on our destruction, what are the Laws of the Creator, and what happens if God's Laws are broken?
The Gospel of John affirms that God is the Creator, personally revealed to us all as like a Father, a loving parent, to whom honor and respect are owed, but who is also loving and forgiving. Jesus is the REDEEMER, who when we have broken God's Laws, when we have done harm to ourselves, to others, to the world, done harm to God, does whatever is necessary to make the relationship with God healed, restored, and new. The question of the New Testament is not whether God can be trusted, but rather Knowing we CANNOT BE TRUSTED, Will God love us, no mater what?
The question of this current era, is whether there is meaning to life, whether Christian faith makes a difference? And whether, being forgiven, being Baptized and sharing in one Communion, we will live our lives differently?
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Converted to be Converted
John 21:1-19
Acts 9:1-6
Earlier this weekend, we were at a restaurant, when someone approached questioning why as a faith community we were given words and phrases to recite like “mellifulous meterist” “onymonopoetic rhymer”,“impetuous dithyramb?” or such intimate phrases as “vanity conceived within our breasts!” For over a Century, Reformed Worship was marked by the most eloquent of prose, the highest most learned proofs, carefully constructed legal arguments for faith which would humble the finest philosopher or jurist. Televangelists have used the most elaborate film clips and pyrotechnics, to amaze and stupefy. But ultimately, these are all words, and even if, the most elaborately constructed, these are only a highly developed convincing, a sales pitch, for prose only allow us to argue, to comprehend, to explain and interpret, and try to understand, not to feel. Poetry, Psalms, Songs, slow down our speech, painting pictures, developing rhythm, growing ideas, drawing illustrations, catching us up and challenging us as human beings to place ourselves into a different reality.
Conversion is not an inescapable legal proof, or philosophic argument. According to the Protestant Reformers and the Evangelists of John and Acts this morning, Conversion is not the abandonment and rejection of one set of beliefs for another, not trading gods or even exchanging No God For God. Gospel Preaching, the experiences of life, do challenge a person TO believe. But Conversion is from Belief, to deeper more profound commitments. Baptism may occur once in life, as we are given to God, never to be taken back from God, as we abandon worldly desires for faith. But we are Converted and converted over and over throughout our human existence.
The 21st Chapter of John is different from all that went before, so much so, that many believe this was added by a different witness. The 20th Chapter of John had been filled with one story after another of the Resurrection appearances of Easter, even marked in time, as: Early on the Third Day before the dawn, later that same day two were walking on the road to Emmaus, On towards evening the Disciples were again in the upper room for fear, and Six days later locked away. This 1st Chapter after the 20th, evades all reference to time, “After these things, Jesus revealed himself again, and revealed himself in this way.” Rather than the story of an Easter Appearance of the Resurrected Jesus, this is a Revelation for the Community of Faith. In John it is virtually impossible to separate Theology from Christology, to believe in Christ is to believe in God; but also, one cannot separate Theology from Christology from Ecclesiology, belief in God and Christ from The Community of Faith.
The Gospel had begun with confronting the followers of John the Baptist, who were following Jesus, Andrew, James and John, “to Come and See.” Andrew had found his brother Simon, saying “We have seen the Lord!” And Jesus found Nathaniel the Canaanite of Galilee, revealing to him all that had happened in Nathaniel's life, inviting him to come and see far greater things. To the Fishermen he had promised “Follow me on the Way, and I will make you Fishers of Men.” According to John, Jesus and the disciples had gone to a Wedding where the guests were without Wine, and Jesus provided an overwhelming supply, far greater than any had ever tasted. So here at the end, there is a catch of fish, by these same disciples, a catch greater than any had seen 153 different kinds!
Here, after Easter is over, the disciples were aimless, lost, without hope, their Rabbi, the one they had known was the Messiah to change the world, had been crucified, dead and buried, and raised so there was not even a body or grave to hold. Human beings cannot live without hope! We must have a purpose, an aim, a reason for rhyming! More than going through the motions set by the meter, we are thrilled by the clap of thunder, awed by the streak of lightning, we desperately need to love, we need to believe in something beyond ourselves. When Simon Peter said he was going fishing, it was not the thrill of the Opening of Trout Season, not awaking before dawn giddy that the fish had been whispering to him all night! His brother and friends were worried, they were not about to let him go off into the darkness in a boat alone at night. However, being aimless, only sharing company without any desire or hope of catching, they caught nothing, until confronted by the reason for their hope. They witnessed him a hundred yards off, they joined him in the breaking bread and sharing of a breakfast.
As Americans we take for granted eating at least three meals a day, every day. Later this morning, over breakfast Larry will be speaking with us about differing Spiritual disciplings. One of the ancient acts of faith, that was present in Judaism and early Christianity was Fasting, choosing to set apart the time we routinely eat, as a time of prayer. We eat so much and have so much, we rarely take pleasure in a meal, in the tastes and textures of foods, by fasting, we cleanse our palate and our mind, as well as our bellies, of all that has been, and when ready when actually hungry, we break the fast, giving thanks to God for our human desires of taste and sense, and our yearning for what cannot be sensually known.
The Gospel of John is beautifully written, eloquently told. Three different times, we hear Peter wrestling with his conversion, struggling with his faith. First when they walked along the Road, and Jesus asked “Who do you believe I AM?” And Simon Peter leapt to say “You are the Christ”. Second the night when they were at Table, and Peter having denied that Jesus should serve him, confesses “Even though all the others fall away, I will not abandon you” and Jesus responds that before the cock crows Peter would deny him three times. Here now, in this last revelation of the Gospel of John, Jesus walks along beside Peter and again three times asks him of his love. There are times in which I imagine the difference between Judas and Simon Peter, is that while both betrayed and abandoned him, Judas isolated himself from forgiveness, and Simon Peter though he had sinned still wanted to hope, so this conversation became his conversion.
Somehow, we have gotten the impression that knowing the hour and place of our conversion is important, that at 10:22pm on a foggy morning the haze parted and in a shaft of sunlight we suddenly believed. The point of the New Testament stories of Conversion are not to KNOW that this person was Converted and when and how; But Rather, so What? SO each of us can also believe!
In one of her essays Flannery O'Conner described that “This man needed to be knocked down off his horse in order to be able to hear Jesus, to be able to listen and to believe!” Ironically, there is no evidence in the Book of Acts that Saul was riding a horse, but it is true that each of us need to be knocked down from our pretense, from our sense of having built ourselves up, in order to believe. The Ethiopian Eunuch who was a Priest of a different Faith, a Roman Centurian whose child was ill, a woman who had died, even the person so full of himself, so filled with hate that he would persecute others for not believing as he did, all were converted to believe and to live in faith.
Hans Kung described that we are called to live in METANOIA, that process of “breaking down” everything we have built ourselves up with, in order to approach life innocent as a child, to be healed of our desire for control.
I would confess to you, that I grew up in the church, never having known a time apart from the community of faith. As an infant, my mother died in my birth, and the vow which the congregation takes at baptism, of whether you will nurture this child, for me was very real. Several years ago, I met a man who was very hard to be with, he would throw papers and storm out of meetings, swearing profanity. When asked why, He said, “This is the Church, Here I can act out knowing you have to forgive!” To which we responded, “No, we chose to forgive, but we are each called to try again and again to act in faith and commitment.”
I recall when Logan's parents were married in this Sanctuary. They described having two very well behaved dogs who with a handler, they wanted to have as the Ring Barer and Flower Girl. On the appointed day, the Groom and Bride stood before the congregation, as two Golden Retriever 6 month olds jumped over members in the pews. When they got to the Chancel, I took hold of the collar of one with the rings, and they bolted, but we had the rings! And we asked the couple, of their INTENTIONS, then of their VOWS of COMMITMENT to one another, then for the GIFTS of love they presented to one another. This day, they renew that CONVERSION yet again as they present their child, giving to him their love and their faith.
Acts 9:1-6
Earlier this weekend, we were at a restaurant, when someone approached questioning why as a faith community we were given words and phrases to recite like “mellifulous meterist” “onymonopoetic rhymer”,“impetuous dithyramb?” or such intimate phrases as “vanity conceived within our breasts!” For over a Century, Reformed Worship was marked by the most eloquent of prose, the highest most learned proofs, carefully constructed legal arguments for faith which would humble the finest philosopher or jurist. Televangelists have used the most elaborate film clips and pyrotechnics, to amaze and stupefy. But ultimately, these are all words, and even if, the most elaborately constructed, these are only a highly developed convincing, a sales pitch, for prose only allow us to argue, to comprehend, to explain and interpret, and try to understand, not to feel. Poetry, Psalms, Songs, slow down our speech, painting pictures, developing rhythm, growing ideas, drawing illustrations, catching us up and challenging us as human beings to place ourselves into a different reality.
Conversion is not an inescapable legal proof, or philosophic argument. According to the Protestant Reformers and the Evangelists of John and Acts this morning, Conversion is not the abandonment and rejection of one set of beliefs for another, not trading gods or even exchanging No God For God. Gospel Preaching, the experiences of life, do challenge a person TO believe. But Conversion is from Belief, to deeper more profound commitments. Baptism may occur once in life, as we are given to God, never to be taken back from God, as we abandon worldly desires for faith. But we are Converted and converted over and over throughout our human existence.
The 21st Chapter of John is different from all that went before, so much so, that many believe this was added by a different witness. The 20th Chapter of John had been filled with one story after another of the Resurrection appearances of Easter, even marked in time, as: Early on the Third Day before the dawn, later that same day two were walking on the road to Emmaus, On towards evening the Disciples were again in the upper room for fear, and Six days later locked away. This 1st Chapter after the 20th, evades all reference to time, “After these things, Jesus revealed himself again, and revealed himself in this way.” Rather than the story of an Easter Appearance of the Resurrected Jesus, this is a Revelation for the Community of Faith. In John it is virtually impossible to separate Theology from Christology, to believe in Christ is to believe in God; but also, one cannot separate Theology from Christology from Ecclesiology, belief in God and Christ from The Community of Faith.
The Gospel had begun with confronting the followers of John the Baptist, who were following Jesus, Andrew, James and John, “to Come and See.” Andrew had found his brother Simon, saying “We have seen the Lord!” And Jesus found Nathaniel the Canaanite of Galilee, revealing to him all that had happened in Nathaniel's life, inviting him to come and see far greater things. To the Fishermen he had promised “Follow me on the Way, and I will make you Fishers of Men.” According to John, Jesus and the disciples had gone to a Wedding where the guests were without Wine, and Jesus provided an overwhelming supply, far greater than any had ever tasted. So here at the end, there is a catch of fish, by these same disciples, a catch greater than any had seen 153 different kinds!
Here, after Easter is over, the disciples were aimless, lost, without hope, their Rabbi, the one they had known was the Messiah to change the world, had been crucified, dead and buried, and raised so there was not even a body or grave to hold. Human beings cannot live without hope! We must have a purpose, an aim, a reason for rhyming! More than going through the motions set by the meter, we are thrilled by the clap of thunder, awed by the streak of lightning, we desperately need to love, we need to believe in something beyond ourselves. When Simon Peter said he was going fishing, it was not the thrill of the Opening of Trout Season, not awaking before dawn giddy that the fish had been whispering to him all night! His brother and friends were worried, they were not about to let him go off into the darkness in a boat alone at night. However, being aimless, only sharing company without any desire or hope of catching, they caught nothing, until confronted by the reason for their hope. They witnessed him a hundred yards off, they joined him in the breaking bread and sharing of a breakfast.
As Americans we take for granted eating at least three meals a day, every day. Later this morning, over breakfast Larry will be speaking with us about differing Spiritual disciplings. One of the ancient acts of faith, that was present in Judaism and early Christianity was Fasting, choosing to set apart the time we routinely eat, as a time of prayer. We eat so much and have so much, we rarely take pleasure in a meal, in the tastes and textures of foods, by fasting, we cleanse our palate and our mind, as well as our bellies, of all that has been, and when ready when actually hungry, we break the fast, giving thanks to God for our human desires of taste and sense, and our yearning for what cannot be sensually known.
The Gospel of John is beautifully written, eloquently told. Three different times, we hear Peter wrestling with his conversion, struggling with his faith. First when they walked along the Road, and Jesus asked “Who do you believe I AM?” And Simon Peter leapt to say “You are the Christ”. Second the night when they were at Table, and Peter having denied that Jesus should serve him, confesses “Even though all the others fall away, I will not abandon you” and Jesus responds that before the cock crows Peter would deny him three times. Here now, in this last revelation of the Gospel of John, Jesus walks along beside Peter and again three times asks him of his love. There are times in which I imagine the difference between Judas and Simon Peter, is that while both betrayed and abandoned him, Judas isolated himself from forgiveness, and Simon Peter though he had sinned still wanted to hope, so this conversation became his conversion.
Somehow, we have gotten the impression that knowing the hour and place of our conversion is important, that at 10:22pm on a foggy morning the haze parted and in a shaft of sunlight we suddenly believed. The point of the New Testament stories of Conversion are not to KNOW that this person was Converted and when and how; But Rather, so What? SO each of us can also believe!
In one of her essays Flannery O'Conner described that “This man needed to be knocked down off his horse in order to be able to hear Jesus, to be able to listen and to believe!” Ironically, there is no evidence in the Book of Acts that Saul was riding a horse, but it is true that each of us need to be knocked down from our pretense, from our sense of having built ourselves up, in order to believe. The Ethiopian Eunuch who was a Priest of a different Faith, a Roman Centurian whose child was ill, a woman who had died, even the person so full of himself, so filled with hate that he would persecute others for not believing as he did, all were converted to believe and to live in faith.
Hans Kung described that we are called to live in METANOIA, that process of “breaking down” everything we have built ourselves up with, in order to approach life innocent as a child, to be healed of our desire for control.
I would confess to you, that I grew up in the church, never having known a time apart from the community of faith. As an infant, my mother died in my birth, and the vow which the congregation takes at baptism, of whether you will nurture this child, for me was very real. Several years ago, I met a man who was very hard to be with, he would throw papers and storm out of meetings, swearing profanity. When asked why, He said, “This is the Church, Here I can act out knowing you have to forgive!” To which we responded, “No, we chose to forgive, but we are each called to try again and again to act in faith and commitment.”
I recall when Logan's parents were married in this Sanctuary. They described having two very well behaved dogs who with a handler, they wanted to have as the Ring Barer and Flower Girl. On the appointed day, the Groom and Bride stood before the congregation, as two Golden Retriever 6 month olds jumped over members in the pews. When they got to the Chancel, I took hold of the collar of one with the rings, and they bolted, but we had the rings! And we asked the couple, of their INTENTIONS, then of their VOWS of COMMITMENT to one another, then for the GIFTS of love they presented to one another. This day, they renew that CONVERSION yet again as they present their child, giving to him their love and their faith.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Disproving Gnosticism
John 20: 19-31
Acts 5: 27-32
This morning we begin with a reverse offering, where instead of putting into the plate, we invite you each to receive. Each to take a square cut nail, and hold it in the palm of your hand throughout listening to the sermon. In this Post Modern era, over two thousand years after the death, two thousand years into the resurrection, we un-like Thomas are not able to feel the imprint of the nails in Jesus' hands, BUT we can feel nails in our own!
Those who proof-read and print the Bulletin came to me this week saying: “You have an error, surely you meant: DisApproving of Agnosticism” And I said “No, faith is not about our judgement and disapproval neither is the Gospel about NOT Knowing as in “Agnostic”. But instead, PROVING that we NEED NO PROOF, that we need not see in order to believe. We need not know and we cannot fully understand; though because we live, because we feel, we can believe!”
GNOSTICISM was an early form of belief among the Greeks, competing with Christianity. The Gnostics understood that the world was reasonable, logical, and if each went off by themselves, or in schools where they could reason together, the Gnostics thought they could figure out all about God. The Gnostics believed that the Resurrection was not a physical death, but intellectual, theoretical, in answer to which the story of the Night of Easter and One Week hence are about EXPERIENCE for those who need proof; not to be convinced, but to feel. The Christian Gospel is not taught as knowledge retreating to figure out theoretically only carries us so far, the Christian Gospel must be lived!
Many of us struggle with computers and electronic media, because we were taught that to do anything, you first must understand how it works. When we were in school, those with pocket protectors and horn-rimmed glasses learned to write in the computer-code of DOS, which then has come through leaps and hurdles to PC, to HP to Apple and WiFi. Today, few understand why or how, but when we get stuck, there is always the combination of CONTROL ALTERNATE DELETE that will exit to start all over again. We use deductive reasoning as far as we can go, knowing that there are things in life, which cannot be reasoned and are not Strategically Evolved, which instead we approach INDUCTIVELY and through relationships and trust, through trial and error, feeling our way, we experience.
Our passage from The Gospel of John begins that after the Resurrection to Mary at sunrise at the Tomb, after the journey to Emmaus and the breaking of bread, the Disciples were filled with ANXIETY and FEAR. Like many of us, when traumatized by change, by loss, we look for certainty, we want to know, to prove, to have our fears and anxiety answered by fact. Responding to this anxiety, Jesus said “PEACE, BE STILL. Put out your hand and feel.”
There is a Golden Chapter of The Early Church, that most of us have never heard let alone experienced. We know all about Jesus calling the Disciples; His Teaching and Instructing with Parables; we know the Teachings about the Crucifixion and Resurrection; we know about Peter standing up to the Sanhedrin and Paul on Missionary journeys preaching to convert the world that had not known God. We know about the Crusades and the Reformation, and the Modern Church. But in between, how did a marginalized, obscure movement become one of the greatest forces shaping human culture?
In the latter half of the first Century, there were diseases that spread through the Roman Empire. Whole Cities were decimated by fever and illness. Not knowing the cause or means of cure, families abandoned the ill in the streets, whole cities evacuated leaving the infected to die. And the Christian Community went out into the streets to offer compassion. These illiterate, former prostitutes and money-grubbing tax collectors, sat up with people through the night. They offered a cold compress to bring down fevers. They kept them clean and gave them a cup of pure water to drink. They offered care and compassion to those who were dying, to those who had been abandoned by family and friends and culture to die, and miraculously, by caring, by their acts of compassion, these who were dying – lived. The experience of life after being condemned to die, after being abandoned by the world, what greater evidence could there be for the Christian Faith.
To most the world, “Church” means worship in a Sanctuary for one hour on Sunday morning, Choirs of our members who sing to us, Confirmation Classes to teach our children what we believe, what was promised in their Baptism, Women's Circles and Men's Groups cooking for fellowship of the Church. What if, we turned our established paradigm of the Church on its head? What if we did not come into the Church as a means of escape from the world, a time of being spiritually fed, to figure out the answers in order to cope with the anxieties of secular life? But instead, we saw our time together in Worship, Education and Fellowship as training and practice, rehearsal for going out into the world? Throughout recent years Utube has been filled with glimpses of what are called “Flash-Mobs”. People going through ordinary routines in Grand Central Station, when suddenly Irish Dancers begin clogging. People shopping at a mall when from every corner, choirs begin to arrive singing the Halleluia Chorus. What if, instead of our Bell Choirs rehearsing, so that at the appropriate time in Worship they could process forward to play, if on Memorial Day as the Scouts and Veterans march from cemetery to Cemetery through the Village and waited at the Veteran's Park for Blue Angel Fighter planes to fly over which no longer can, before the first politician speaks, if at that moment as the whole community gathers together, Bell ringers from each of the Churches began playing “For All The Saints”?
We are part of a culture where in the Public schools they can only sing Secular Christmas songs. What if, at the end of the Christmas Concert, before the audience applauding, believers began to sing “Silent Night” or “Joy to the World”?
Public prayer has become a political nightmare. What if, at Graduation Commencements, School days, and Baseball games, instead of a professional Clergyman leading the body in prayer, what if as we each start our day, as we begin a Board meeting, or God help us as we enter the Voting Booth, individually as believers, we silently offered a Prayer to God for guidance?
In recent years, as your pastor, then Contractors from this congregation went to Sudan to build a clinic, then Doctors and Nurses and volunteers went to serve, we commissioned them and prayed for them. A week ago, as a Daughter of this congregation described going to China to teach for the next two years, and we offered to pray for her. One of the finest moments I recall of us being the church, was when her brother was set to be deployed as a Green Beret and came to worship the morning before he left, we placed a baby in his arms as he walked the aisles of the congregation, and we vowed to pray for him. I remember charging him, that if you can carry an M16 Rifle into battle, you can carry a baby in your arms. What if faith, were not to be a private matter behind the closed doors of the Sanctuary, but if we understood we have each been Called to Serve? That each of us, as a Priesthood of Believers, have been breathed on and blessed and commissioned by Jesus Christ to go out into the world as believers?
Peter was arrested for acting in faith, what we are called to is not acts of CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, but rather to EXPERIENCE FAITH IN LIFE. The response of Peter to the Authorities was to Question whether we are acting on the Side of God, or not? To the Community of Believers, Peter Challenged do not try to work out all the words of your testimony ahead of time, buyt live and speak from your heart of what you believe. The words of Gamaliel, if it is a human enterprise, like a fad it will die out, but if this is of God, who knows what may happen?
Acts 5: 27-32
This morning we begin with a reverse offering, where instead of putting into the plate, we invite you each to receive. Each to take a square cut nail, and hold it in the palm of your hand throughout listening to the sermon. In this Post Modern era, over two thousand years after the death, two thousand years into the resurrection, we un-like Thomas are not able to feel the imprint of the nails in Jesus' hands, BUT we can feel nails in our own!
Those who proof-read and print the Bulletin came to me this week saying: “You have an error, surely you meant: DisApproving of Agnosticism” And I said “No, faith is not about our judgement and disapproval neither is the Gospel about NOT Knowing as in “Agnostic”. But instead, PROVING that we NEED NO PROOF, that we need not see in order to believe. We need not know and we cannot fully understand; though because we live, because we feel, we can believe!”
GNOSTICISM was an early form of belief among the Greeks, competing with Christianity. The Gnostics understood that the world was reasonable, logical, and if each went off by themselves, or in schools where they could reason together, the Gnostics thought they could figure out all about God. The Gnostics believed that the Resurrection was not a physical death, but intellectual, theoretical, in answer to which the story of the Night of Easter and One Week hence are about EXPERIENCE for those who need proof; not to be convinced, but to feel. The Christian Gospel is not taught as knowledge retreating to figure out theoretically only carries us so far, the Christian Gospel must be lived!
Many of us struggle with computers and electronic media, because we were taught that to do anything, you first must understand how it works. When we were in school, those with pocket protectors and horn-rimmed glasses learned to write in the computer-code of DOS, which then has come through leaps and hurdles to PC, to HP to Apple and WiFi. Today, few understand why or how, but when we get stuck, there is always the combination of CONTROL ALTERNATE DELETE that will exit to start all over again. We use deductive reasoning as far as we can go, knowing that there are things in life, which cannot be reasoned and are not Strategically Evolved, which instead we approach INDUCTIVELY and through relationships and trust, through trial and error, feeling our way, we experience.
Our passage from The Gospel of John begins that after the Resurrection to Mary at sunrise at the Tomb, after the journey to Emmaus and the breaking of bread, the Disciples were filled with ANXIETY and FEAR. Like many of us, when traumatized by change, by loss, we look for certainty, we want to know, to prove, to have our fears and anxiety answered by fact. Responding to this anxiety, Jesus said “PEACE, BE STILL. Put out your hand and feel.”
There is a Golden Chapter of The Early Church, that most of us have never heard let alone experienced. We know all about Jesus calling the Disciples; His Teaching and Instructing with Parables; we know the Teachings about the Crucifixion and Resurrection; we know about Peter standing up to the Sanhedrin and Paul on Missionary journeys preaching to convert the world that had not known God. We know about the Crusades and the Reformation, and the Modern Church. But in between, how did a marginalized, obscure movement become one of the greatest forces shaping human culture?
In the latter half of the first Century, there were diseases that spread through the Roman Empire. Whole Cities were decimated by fever and illness. Not knowing the cause or means of cure, families abandoned the ill in the streets, whole cities evacuated leaving the infected to die. And the Christian Community went out into the streets to offer compassion. These illiterate, former prostitutes and money-grubbing tax collectors, sat up with people through the night. They offered a cold compress to bring down fevers. They kept them clean and gave them a cup of pure water to drink. They offered care and compassion to those who were dying, to those who had been abandoned by family and friends and culture to die, and miraculously, by caring, by their acts of compassion, these who were dying – lived. The experience of life after being condemned to die, after being abandoned by the world, what greater evidence could there be for the Christian Faith.
To most the world, “Church” means worship in a Sanctuary for one hour on Sunday morning, Choirs of our members who sing to us, Confirmation Classes to teach our children what we believe, what was promised in their Baptism, Women's Circles and Men's Groups cooking for fellowship of the Church. What if, we turned our established paradigm of the Church on its head? What if we did not come into the Church as a means of escape from the world, a time of being spiritually fed, to figure out the answers in order to cope with the anxieties of secular life? But instead, we saw our time together in Worship, Education and Fellowship as training and practice, rehearsal for going out into the world? Throughout recent years Utube has been filled with glimpses of what are called “Flash-Mobs”. People going through ordinary routines in Grand Central Station, when suddenly Irish Dancers begin clogging. People shopping at a mall when from every corner, choirs begin to arrive singing the Halleluia Chorus. What if, instead of our Bell Choirs rehearsing, so that at the appropriate time in Worship they could process forward to play, if on Memorial Day as the Scouts and Veterans march from cemetery to Cemetery through the Village and waited at the Veteran's Park for Blue Angel Fighter planes to fly over which no longer can, before the first politician speaks, if at that moment as the whole community gathers together, Bell ringers from each of the Churches began playing “For All The Saints”?
We are part of a culture where in the Public schools they can only sing Secular Christmas songs. What if, at the end of the Christmas Concert, before the audience applauding, believers began to sing “Silent Night” or “Joy to the World”?
Public prayer has become a political nightmare. What if, at Graduation Commencements, School days, and Baseball games, instead of a professional Clergyman leading the body in prayer, what if as we each start our day, as we begin a Board meeting, or God help us as we enter the Voting Booth, individually as believers, we silently offered a Prayer to God for guidance?
In recent years, as your pastor, then Contractors from this congregation went to Sudan to build a clinic, then Doctors and Nurses and volunteers went to serve, we commissioned them and prayed for them. A week ago, as a Daughter of this congregation described going to China to teach for the next two years, and we offered to pray for her. One of the finest moments I recall of us being the church, was when her brother was set to be deployed as a Green Beret and came to worship the morning before he left, we placed a baby in his arms as he walked the aisles of the congregation, and we vowed to pray for him. I remember charging him, that if you can carry an M16 Rifle into battle, you can carry a baby in your arms. What if faith, were not to be a private matter behind the closed doors of the Sanctuary, but if we understood we have each been Called to Serve? That each of us, as a Priesthood of Believers, have been breathed on and blessed and commissioned by Jesus Christ to go out into the world as believers?
Peter was arrested for acting in faith, what we are called to is not acts of CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, but rather to EXPERIENCE FAITH IN LIFE. The response of Peter to the Authorities was to Question whether we are acting on the Side of God, or not? To the Community of Believers, Peter Challenged do not try to work out all the words of your testimony ahead of time, buyt live and speak from your heart of what you believe. The words of Gamaliel, if it is a human enterprise, like a fad it will die out, but if this is of God, who knows what may happen?
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