Thursday, November 12, 2009
November 8 - Pentecost + 23
Just the other week, I went into our little utility room where we have that big chest freezer we got so we could take advantage of that Costco membership we have, so we could stock up when there are good deals on stuff – and I went in there & opened the freezer to put something in – and I had to move a bunch of stuff around so I could fit whatever it was in. & I came out in my kitchen & looked in that freezer on the top of the fridge – and it was full too. So I told Andy, “we can't buy anything else that needs to go in the freezer until we eat some of what's already there...” We're out of room; we have too much food.
And you know, it's not just our freezers. Our refrigerator has plenty of stuff in it – sometime so much stuff that we move stuff around & find things we forgot we had – those containers in the back that you're not sure what you had in them to begin with, the containers we're afraid to open because we know we'll regret it & so maybe we just decide to toss the whole thing, container & all.
And it doesn't end there. We have a pantry filled with Tupperware with rice & pasta & dried beans & flour & canned veggies, and what we call “snacky snacks” - Goldfish & granola bars & potato chips. And it's not uncommon for me to have to move stuff around in there, push aside the 1st row so I can get to the food in the back.
Our kitchen is filled to overflowing with about any kind of food we could ever want. And can I tell you how many times Andy & I, in our busy-ness, or laziness, or boredom, look at each other & say, “there's nothing to eat – let's order out!”
Compare that to the stories of the widows in the OT and the NT today: the widow from Zarephath who runs into the prophet Elijah, the widow who God has commanded to feed Elijah, although she didn't seem to have gotten that memo – she runs into him out at the edge of town as she is picking up sticks, getting ready to make a little fire & mix together the last of her flour with the last of oil to eat with her son & then sit down & die. Because that's it. She's at the end of her rope, scraping the bottom of the barrel – Old Mother Hubbard went to her cupboard, but the cupboard was bare – and there's no more; and apparently no one else she can ask for help – there's a drought going on in the land, after all, & everybody's gotta fend for themselves – nothing to spare you understand. She's in dire straits.
So's the widow in Mark's gospel- coming to worship at the temple with her 2 small coins – worth less than a penny – and she tosses it all in the plate. And so often we have heard this story, and we have seen this woman held up as an example, as a model of faith, a tower of trust, a generous giver that we we should as aspire to be like. Jesus points her out as having given more than all the others. But I think more than holding up as an example to follow, Jesus is lamenting the reality of his world, where a destitute woman puts in all she has to live on, when all around her are people who could make a difference, who had more than enough to help – taken advantage of by a system that was supposed to be taking care of her.
These stories still ring true to us today. We don't have to look far to see these stories playing out in the world around us. We've had plenty of rain, but the economy around us has certainly seemed to dry up. Technically, they tell us, the recession is over. What a relief! Except the unemployment numbers are up over 10%, the highest they've been since 1983. So, a lot of us may be feeling like the widows in this story, down to the last of whatever we have left, wanting to hold on to it. And we hear the stories about people who are hungry, having to decide between rent or food, knowing that their food is coming to the end and no way to know how they'll put more on the table – no promise from God that the supply will magically be refilled. We may wonder what more we have to give, when it feels like we have put everything into that offering plate.
We have that same sense of anxiety, of uncertainty that the widows felt. But my guess is that most of us are not where they were. In reality, most of us here this morning are probably like Andy & I, surrounded by abundance, our refrigerators filled with food that goes bad before we have a chance to eat it, our closets stuffed with clothes we don't wear anymore, our houses filled up with things we don't have room for but don't know how to get rid of, and yet so focused on what we don't have that we can't see the amazing abundance God has placed in our hands.
It's really a matter of perspective. As someone not too far out of grad school, with student loans and a car loan, and all of our other bills & expenses, there are days when I feel like the money I am putting into the offering plate are my last 2 pennies – yet, when I stop to think about it, I realize that there's not much I want that I don't have; and certainly nothing that I need that I don't have. And I am reminded of Martin's Luther's explanation to the first article of the Apostles' Creed. I don't usually stand up here & quote Martin Luther at you, but it fits. It's so true... If it's been awhile since confirmation class, here it is: I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven & earth...
And this is what Luther said we really mean when we say that 1st line every week:
“I believe that God has created me, together with all that exists. God has given me & still preserves my body & soul: eyes, ears, and all limbs & senses; reason & all mental faculties. In addition, God daily & abundantly provides shoes & clothing, food & drink, house & farm, spouse & children, fields, livestock, & all property – along with all the necessities and nourishment for this body & life. God protects me from all danger, and shields & preserves me from all evil. And all this is done out of pure fatherly and divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness of mine at all! For all of this, I owe it to God to thank and praise, serve & obey him. This is most certainly true.”
This is most certainly true. God does daily & abundantly provide everything that we need for this life, and those of us who have more than we need are rich, rich enough to share. Rich enough to look on with Jesus as he calls his disciples to see the need of the widows around us, the people who are hungry or in need, and rich enough to respond to his call to give out of our abundance, to be a blessing as we ourselves have been blessed. May God inspire us with eyes to see, and hearts willing to share. Amen.
November 1 - All Saints Day
It is not often that I get to preach on these readings outside of a funeral –
These are all readings suggested a possibilities for readings at a funeral.
It is not often that I am called to preach on these words on a usual Sunday morning,
as we gather to worship & praise & give thanks to God for all God has done for us.
But then again, this isn't a usual, typical Sunday.
It's All Saints Day,
the day the church sets aside every year to remember & honor
those who have gone before us in the faith,
who have, as they say,
entered “the Church Triumphant”
- fancy ways to talk about those who have died.
We have many euphemisms for death, because we don't really like to deal with the stark reality of death & dying. Because death & dying hurt; they are painful; Isaiah speaks about that day when God will destroy the shroud that is over all the people & swallow up death forever, when God will wipe away every tear from all faces; Revelation rejoices at the vision of God coming from the new heaven to dwell with God's people on the new earth & will wipe away every tear from our eyes, when death will be no more; when mourning, and crying and pain will be no more. And we celebrate that vision of life beyond death, we hope for that day to come.
But that doesn't negate the reality that for here, for now, in this life on earth, we have all of those things. God has not yet destroyed the shroud. God has not yet swallowed up death. God has not yet wiped away the tears from our eyes. We who believe hold fast to the promise that there will come a day when mourning and crying and pain will be no more – but right now, all of those things are a very real part of life.
And the gospel of John doesn't sugar coat it for us. When John tells us this story, he doesn't talk about it in pleasant euphemisms, he doesn't mask hurt that we feel in our grief, or the confusion and anger that often comes along when someone we love dies. He just wades right in & tells it how it is.
We pick up the story mid-stream – so if you're not familiar with it, here's what we missed...
Lazarus & Mary & Martha are brother & sisters. They're also friends with Jesus. So way back at the beginning of this chapter, when Lazarus gets sick, it's only natural for Mary & Martha to send for Jesus. “The one you love is ill,” they say. And the unspoken request is to come now, come quickly, before it''s too late. But Jesus doesn't come quickly. He stays where he is for a few days, even knowing that Lazarus is deadly ill, because this, he knows, will be for God's glory.
And when he finally does come, as we catch up to the story here, it's too late. 4 days too late. And Mary & Martha & the crowd are confused and hurt, and yes, even a bit resentful, there is some recrimination towards Jesus in their words – for both Mary & Martha say to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died.” And in the words of the crowd, “Couldn't this one who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” We expected you to do something, Jesus, and you let us down. You have come, but you have come too late – You could have done something if you came in time, but it's over - Lazarus is already dead & buried. There's nothing left to do but to cry & mourn & eventually move on.
Death is a powerful enemy.
Death is a powerful enemy, & it holds us bound, just as Lazarus was bound in grave clothes & placed in a cave & buried. Death is a powerful enemy, and it holds sway over us; Death is a powerful enemy, and we live our lives under its shadow. True, we manage to ignore it much of the time, we're good at pretending it's not there, but there are days & times when death comes swooping in, leaving mourning and crying and pain in its wake, reminding us that none of us gets out of here alive.
Death is a powerful enemy, and most of us don't like to talk about it. I bet there are some of us here this morning who are uncomfortable with me bringing up the subject; we have kids here to be baptized, kids who will be sharing communion with us for the first time, and death is an awfully grown-up topic for such young people. But it's not just them we're worried about – I know most of us don't like this subject; I know you weren't expecting to come to church this morning and be reminded of your own mortality. And you're not alone in that - I'd rather not talk about it either. I'd rather talk about easier, more pleasant things.
But if we don't talk about death, if we neglect to speak about our mourning and our crying and our pain, we rob these readings of their powerful witness. Because what all of these words from scripture promise is that though death may be a powerful enemy, God is more powerful still! Death may have power over us, but death will not have the victory in the end. In this life, Death may bind us in fear and pain and worry, but we will NOT be bound forever.
For God has promised to destroy this shroud of death that covers all people.
God has promised to one day swallow up death forever.
God has promised that one death, death will be no more;
mourning, and crying and pain will be no more!
And God – does – not – lie!
God has not given us an empty promise
– God has already acted.
For God has sent us Jesus.
Jesus who comes to Mary & Martha as they mourn,
Jesus who weeps with them as they weep.
Jesus, who does not stop there but goes with them to the tomb,
Jesus, who will not be stopped by a stone or a stench,
Jesus, who stands outside the place of death
and cries out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
Come out from darkness into light,
come out from despair into hope,
come out from death into new life!
This is the Jesus who comes to us this morning,
comes to us in the face of our fears,
in the face of the mourning and weeping and pain of our lives,
Jesus who comes to us, no matter where we may be
– for there is no place you can be that Jesus is not already with you! -
Jesus who sees the tears you cry and cries with you,
Jesus, who does not stop there,
but comes with you to the tombs of your lives,
whoever or whatever it is that has died,
whether it is a person or a relationship or a dream -
Jesus, who will not be stopped by a stone or a stench,
even when it seems way beyond “too late”,
Jesus who CAN NOT be stopped by the power of death –
because Jesus IS the resurrection and the life –
this is Jesus,
who stands outside the places of death
and cries to us in a loud voice,
“Child of God, come out!”
Come out from the darkness into the light,
come out from despair into hope,
come out from death into my new life!
Come out, and be set free!
Amen.
October 25 - Reformation Sunday
House – TV show
Dr. House
brilliant doctor; brilliant mind, saves lives –
can figure out mysterious illnesses & diseases that escape everyone else
Interpersonal skills? Not so much
House isn't happy
few, if any, real friends – people respect him, but they don't much like him
And Greg House has been enslaved
– addicted to pain killers for the leg he injured in a motorcycle accident;
pops Vicoden like nobody's business.
And like most addictions, at 1st he doesn't see the problem;
thinks he's got it under control;
then thinks he can manage it through sheer will power;
then thinks he can kick it on his own,
thinks he has kicked it after 1 long night at home.
Only to realize that his addiction has taken over his rational mind;
he's been hallucinating things,
even the night he thought he detoxed;
His brilliant mind has been playing tricks on him.
So he has his 1 remaining friend take him to inpatient rehab at a psych hospital.
And once he's over the physical withdrawal symptoms, he figures he'll just check himself out.
Therapist & hospital staff refuse to let him out,
because they see what he can't
– that he hasn't dealt with the root of the problem yet,
with the pain & hurt & fears of his life,
with his inability to trust & let others help him.
House resists – wants to leave,
wants to go anywhere but where they will make them look
at his life, at himself,
and face the truth of what he finds there;
House wants to get better,
but he doesn't want to do what will make him truly “free”
Ain't that always the way?
This interaction between Jesus & the Jews who had believed in him is the same kind of situation – except they aren't as far along in the process as Dr. House
Jesus says to them -
“If you continue in my word,
you are truly my disciples,
& you will know the truth,
and the truth will make you free.”
They're still back in the denial stage
– we don't have a problem!
We're not slaves to anyone!
Which may be true,
but Jesus isn't just talking about slavery the way we understand it,
slavery to another person;
they're enslaved to sin.
And if they're anything like us,
once someone points out the problem,
once they realize there's an issue,
they'll think they can deal with it on their own,
that they can kick the habit through their own sheer willpower
My 10th grade book-report on Benj. Franklin –
He had a plan to improve his character
& overcome his character flaws –
a little chart of several characteristics
& each day he'd focus on them & mark his progress,
because eventually,
practice makes perfect.
We think practice makes perfect
– or at least makes up for all we do wrong.
And we, like House,
sometimes fool ourselves into thinking
we have kicked the problem on our own,
that we've got the core problem of our sin licked!
We don't need therapists or psych hospitals or Jesus to help us.
House hits bottom when he tries to prove the hospital staff wrong
by taking another patient out
– a patient who thinks he's a superhero who can fly –
and jumps off of a parking garage.
House realizes he can't save everyone else,
and he can't save himself.
He realize if he's gonna get better,
really & truly better,
he's gonna have to admit he needs help;
he's gonna have to reach out to those who will help him.
And even when he is finally released from the psych hospital,
he knows he'll have to continue to reach out,
continue to meet with his therapist,
continue to work through his stuff.
But facing that truth is the beginning of lasting freedom
– not just escape.
It's what Jesus offers to his listeners in the gospel & to us today.
Let's be clear –
Jesus is not a psychiatrist;
Jesus is not a therapist;
Jesus is not a counselor;
(this whole House story is just a metaphor)...
But the reality is,
we can't fix ourselves on our own.
Our problem with sin,
our enslavement,
our addiction to ourselves,
goes too deep for us to handle it on our own.
Jesus says,
“You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Jesus is that truth.
And he calls us to face the reality that we can't save ourselves.
We need help,
And the only way to be really & truly set free
is to live our lives in Jesus.
To keep returning,
again & again & again to the source of life & love & freedom –
Jesus, who heals,
Jesus, who forgives,
Jesus, who transforms,
Jesus, who loves more deeply and fully than we can ever quite imagine.
So live in his love,
Continue in his word,
and you will know Jesus, who is the truth -
and the truth with set you free!
Amen.
October 18 - Pentecost + 20
Once upon a time, back when I was in junior high, I played softball. Some of you have heard about the time I tried to play shortstop, and ended up with two black eyes just in time for my confirmation – but mostly I played catcher. I played catcher for a lot of years. And some how or other, when I was in 9th grade, I made the rec. league's All-Star team.
And I was happy to be on the team, proud of my accomplishment, glad that my years of practice & hard work had finally gotten me the recognition I wanted. But I wasn't the only catcher who made the team. Makes sense, right? You've gotta have a back-up for all the various positions.
Only problem was, it turned out that I was the back-up. And when the time came for us to play an actual game, the other girl, Kelly was her name, started. And not only did she start, she played the entire game. It must have been a close game, and Kelly was better than I was, so I kept the bench warm for the whole game. Now I really don't remember the details of that day, who we were playing or what the score was, but I do know that I was upset! I was indignant! I was hurt! This was like a 7th-9th grade league, so this was my one & only chance to play on the All-Star team, & I didn't even get to play! It's like what all the people who don't win an Oscar say, “It's an honor just to be nominated.” Except it wasn't! It wasn't enough to me that I had made the team in the 1st place. I wanted to play, I wanted whatever status goes along with being good. I wanted to be a star on the All-Stars.
Which is what James & John make me think of in this gospel story. These two brothers are on the Jesus All-Star discipleship team. They made the cut long ago, when Jesus saw them mending their nets in their boat & called them to come & follow him, and they dropped everything & followed. And James & John could do me one better, because unlike me, they actually got to play. They're on the 1st string. They have followed Jesus & learned from him & been sent out to cure the sick & heal the lame & bring the good news with the other 10 disciples. And you could even say that they are co-captains with Peter – they are in Jesus' inner circle, his closest disciples, the ones who see his Transfiguration on the mountain top, the ones he will take with him to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.
And yet, it's not enough. They want more. They want to cement their status, secure their positions, to make sure that when Jesus is crowned king (which he clearly will be, nevermind all this stuff he has been saying – 3 times, even- about how he will be handed over & beaten & killed) – that when he becomes king in Jerusalem, they will have the highest places of honor and privilege and authority. They will continue to have Jesus' ear, & finally have the power to change things. They'll be able to change this old world's corrupt systems from the inside – if Jesus will just put them in charge under himself...
And we're kind of shocked by this. The other gospels that say their mother was the one who asked for this favor kind of soften the blow. Because it's such a naked grab for power. But can we really blame them for trying? We can shake our heads at their selfishness, scoff at their ambitions, be dismayed at their delusions of what is to come and how they just don't get it, but we're really not that different ourselves. We all want to move up in the world. We want our efforts to be recognized and rewarded. We want other people to see how skilled we are, how talented we are, how important we are. We want others to acknowledge us and what we have to offer & give us something in return. We just want our fair share; we want what's coming to us. Maybe we wouldn't be quite so bold as James & John, who just flat-out ask for a promotion, but probably we relate to the other disciples, who get angry – because you know that secretly, they were all hoping Jesus would pick them for those 2 seat themselves! Because just like them, most of us want to be a star on the All-Star team.
But Jesus tells James & John & the rest of them, again, that they've got it all wrong. Maybe he's thinking that the 3rd time's a charm! If they haven't figured it out by now, here's their chance – and ours too! Over & over again in these chapters, as Jesus & the disciples move ever closer to Jerusalem, to Palm Sunday, to what we now know as Holy Week, towards Good Friday, and the cross, and death, which is really where Jesus will come into his glory – with 2 criminals to be at his right and his left hand – over & over, Jesus has told them what he is in for, what is coming for him & for them, and he has taught them again & again that true life can't be found by playing by the rules the rest of the world plays by. True life can't be found in gaining lots of money and possessions, or even the whole world – if it means giving up your soul! True life can't be found in comparing yourself to others and trying to figure out who is the greatest. True life can't be found in grasping at positions of power, in looking for ways to win friends & influence people for personal gain. True life isn't found by being a star among All-Stars.
No, Jesus says, true greatness, true life is found, not in lording what you have & who you are over other people, but in serving others, not out of fear, & certainly not because we want some kind of recognition or reward, but in love, just as Jesus did. Jesus never thrust himself into positions of privilege, never hung out just with the high & mighty – instead, he reached out to the down & out. Jesus is the Messiah not because he came & conquered the world with the love of power – instead he transformed the world with the power of love.
And that's what he calls us to do, if we're willing to follow, we who have been touched by his love: to serve Jesus by serving others, by putting the needs of others before our ambitions, before our pride. The power of his love changes people, changes us – and it is his love, flowing through us & through all his people who are willing to serve, that will ultimately change the world into a place where rank and status and money and power don't matter any more, because we will find our life & greatness in following the one and only All-Star, Jesus.
Amen!
October 11 - Pentecost + 19
Pentecost +19 – October 11, 2009
“Indeed, the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow...”
If anyone ever knew the truth of these words from Hebrews, I suspect it was the rich man in the gospel story from Mark that we just heard. For this is a shocking story, one man's encounter with Jesus that struck him to the very core.
Mark tells us that is a man with a question, an urgent question that must be answered before Jesus leaves, and so the man comes racing up to Jesus, just in time to catch him as he is on his way out the door, and barely catching his breath, he throws himself at Jesus' feet, and kneeling there, he blurts out, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
There's no beating around the bush,
no hemming & hawing –
he just gets straight to the point
and asks this most important question:
What must I do to inherit eternal life?
It's a question that needs an answer. It's a genuine question from a sincere man, as far as we can tell from what Mark tells us. He's not like the Pharisees in last week's story, trying to test or trap him. He really wants to know. The truth is, he's lived a good life, he's a righteous man; he's kept the commandments from his youth: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.” He's done all these things; and on top of all that, he's got everything a man could want, a sure sign of God's favor.And yet, he's not sure where he stands. He's followed the rules; he's accumulated some good stuff, but still, something is missing. Something isn't sitting right with his soul – and so he comes to Jesus to ask this question.
We don't know what kind of answer he expected, if he thought perhaps Jesus would pat him on the back, and congratulate him on doing so well, to keep on doing what he was doing & stop worrying so much. Who knows? What we do know is that he gets this shocking answer instead: “You lack 1 thing: go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
This is the answer Jesus gives to the rich man, looking at him, his eyes filled with love.
Go, sell what you own
& give the money to the poor,
and then come, follow me.
Jesus, the word of God incarnate,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
cuts to the chase and gets to the heart of the matter:
“Your belongings are getting in the way of your relationship with me. So get rid of them – give it all away, help the poor, and come, follow!”
Whatever answer he may have been expecting, this is too much for the poor rich man. Jesus' answer shocks him – and he walks away from the relationship that leads to life, grieving over the demands Jesus makes, “for he had many possessions.”
I don't know about you, but I get it. I understand why he was shocked, why he walked away. Because what Jesus says here is shocking! Sell everything you have and give the money to the poor?! Are you crazy Jesus? If some random guru or preacher were to tell us that that what was standing between eternal life and us was our possessions, and that all we had to do was sell our stuff, we'd get suspicious. It feels a little cult-like, a bit extreme.
Besides, we need our stuff. We've worked hard to get it, and to keep it. We put a lot of time and effort and energy into accumulating things, things we think will make for a richer, more fulfilling life. It's the American way! Earn your way into financial success & happiness will follow. You can have everything you ever wanted, and you'll live happily ever after.
Except we all know it isn't true. We know, deep down inside, that money doesn't buy happiness. But we'd sure like the chance to prove that it does, we'd love to be the exception to the rule! That's the heart of the issue, why we are as shocked as the disciples are when Jesus looks around and tells them, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” We are shocked when we hear Jesus say to them again, “Children – it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” As much as we know it isn't true, we have a hard time really seeing how much our stuff can get in the way of our relationship with our Creator, how much our possessions block us from entering God's kingdom. We hear these words from Jesus, and they pierce us, they cut away to the heart of the matter, to our hearts, and reveal how deeply we are attached to things that in the end are just things – and yet we are tempted to walk away, grieving with the rich man, for we too, have many possessions.
No matter what you make of this gospel, no matter what you hear Jesus saying to you through it, it's pretty clear that what Jesus asks of his followers is extreme. Jesus asks the man in the story, and he asks us, to take a good long look at his life, to see where his priorities are, to see if he's really willing to do what Jesus asks in order to take hold of what Jesus has to offer.
Because the truth is, this eternal life the man was looking for, the one we all hope for, cannot be bought. All the money and all the stuff in the world can't give us the life that Jesus gives. And it can't be earned, because it's not about following a list of rules. Eternal life comes as a complete gift! It's one reason that Lutherans and a lot of other churches baptize babies instead of waiting for them to grow up and make a decision about it – because it is a sign for all of us that God's love is not a result of anything we do. God comes to us & claims us before we even know we need God in our lives. God's grace is a free gift, given simply because God loves us & wants a relationship with each of us, and there's nothing we “must” do to receive that gift.
But just because it is free doesn't mean it's cheap!
It cost Jesus everything to open the doors of the Kingdom of God to us.
And it is hard for us,
who are so attached to the ways of this world,
to enter into that kingdom.
God's kingdom is breaking into our world all around us,
even now,
wherever God's will is being done,
wherever the hungry are being fed,
and the outcast is welcomed,
and the last and the least are moved to the front of the line.
But it is hard for us to set aside our trust in money,
our trust in our things,
our trust in ourselves & our own efforts
and accept what Jesus so freely gives.
So hard it seems nearly impossible,
And for us it is.
But Jesus reminds us,
it's not impossible for God.
With God, all things are possible.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
October 4 - Pentecost + 18
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” the Pharisees asked Jesus.
“What did Moses say about it?” Jesus responds
- clever Jesus,
so often answering a trick question with a question of his own.
“Moses said we could do it. Moses said it was legal for a man to divorce his wife.”
“Ah,” Jesus said, “Moses said you could do it, but it's because you have hard hearts.”
You have hard hearts, but from the beginning, from the start, from the moment when God created humanity in God's image, making them male and female, God said it is not good for people to be alone. Because being created in God's image means that people are created to be in relationship, just as the very being of God is intertwined in the relationship between God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, a relationship of love that overflows into the creation of the world. People are designed to live their lives in relationships with others – not just with a spouse, but with parents and children and siblings and friends and the community that is the church, any relationship where we are affirmed and challenged and supported and inspired to grow always more deeply into the person God designed us to be.
And marriage is a special subset of those relationships – intended by God to be a blessing, a permanent, exclusive relationship, a place of safety and love, where we can help and be helped, where we can know for a certainty that we are not alone. We need to know that we are not alone.
And along come the Pharisees, asking Jesus for his opinion – is divorce legal? And the underlying questions – when is it okay & for what reasons? Because divorce was an accepted part of life then as it is now. But is it legal, they ask, as if marriages are just business deals, instead of a joining of body, mind, and heart, as if marriages are nothing more than legally binding agreements with about as much emotional investment and weight as a cell phone contract, valid only for a few years, & oh, yeah, Jesus, what is the penalty for early termination?
But close relationships of any kind are so much more than legal agreements, and our hearts know it; our hearts bear the scars of relationships that started out with so much possibility but somewhere along the line went terribly wrong. Our hardened hearts bear the weight of the hurt we cause each other, the promises broken, the dreams destroyed, the relationships damaged beyond our ability or desire to repair.
And so sometimes those relationships end. Marriages too often lead to divorce – sometimes for very good reasons, for life or death kind of reasons, and some relationships need to end, but that doesn't change the fact that divorce hurts. Even when it is the best option, divorce hurts the 2 people divorcing, hurts their children, their families, their friends. All of us have been touched by divorce, if not our own, then the break-up of people we know; we have all seen the hurt is causes.
It hurts because we all long for an ever-lasting love, we long to find the kind of love that recognizes the other as “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh,” we long to have that “at last” moment Adam has in Genesis, that Etta James sings about in that song Andy & I danced to at our wedding, to know that here, at last, is one who understands us, who will love and accept us, who will stay with us no matter what – for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, til death do us part. We want that kind of relationship, we are built that way, to seek that deep, sustaining, intimacy that will last.
And it hurts when divorce happens, when close relationships of any kind break apart, because we start to question if that kind of love is even possible, or maybe if it's just not possible for us.
Divorce hurts because divorce reminds us of just how broken we all are; it reveals how hard it is for us to live up to our promises, to live into our hopes and dreams, to fulfill our expectations for others and ourselves. It reminds us that there are very real limits to our ability to love each other, to be loved the way God intended.
But the good news is that even though our ability to love is limited, God's is not. God, who called us into being, who designed us to be in relationship with each other, God knows how hard we try, and how easily we fail to keep the promises we make. God knows that we wrestle with these words from Jesus, wondering how we can ever measure up, wondering how we will be judged in God's eyes. And God knows how much we long to find that love that will never end, and how much it hurts when that kind of love seems elusive or non-existent.
But that love we are looking for, that love we seek with so much energy, that we put our heart & souls into maintaining, the love we long for, even when we are happy & content and satisfied with our human relationships, even the best relationships, the longest, happiest marriages – that kind of love is just a reflection, an echo of the deep love God holds for each of us. God has made promises to us, promises sealed in the moment of our baptism, promises that we are God's very own people – beloved children, part of God's family forever. Every moment of our lives, whether we recognize it or not, God has walked with us, and laughed with us, and cried with us. God has rejoiced in us, God has put up with us, God has been driven crazy by us – and yet through it all, God promises to love us. For God has promised to take us, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health – til death do us part!
But wait, there's more!
Because God has promised that not even death can separate us from God's love.
And so we cling to God's promises, even when, especially when, we break our own promises, when we know we have not lived up to God's hope & plan for our lives. We hold on to God's love for us, even when we cannot love each other, when we find it hard to love ourselves. For in God's love, there is forgiveness and healing and hope,
because God promises a love that will never let us go.
Thanks be to God!
Amen.
September 27 - Pentecost + 17
The disciples are as bad as my dog.
Many of you have met Kosar, my sweet little black lab mix. He's really a wonderful dog: loyal, smart, cuddly. He's a great companion, and a great guard dog. And he's a great guard dog because he's so darn territorial. Lots of you have seen that side of him, if you happen to come walking up the side of the church when we have Kosar outside in the back yard, or wander into the office if he's hanging out with me in the church. You've seen what happens – all the hair on the back of his neck & on his shoulders stands up; his tail goes straight up in the air; and usually you can hear him before you can see him, right? Boy, that dog can bark. He barks at the mailman, at the delivery guys on those nights when we're too lazy to cook, at the neighbors talking in their driveway. He warns everybody: This is my space, and I want you to back off!
But as vicious as he sounds, Kosar's really a big chicken. He makes so much noise because he's nervous. He's scared of new people. He's protecting himself & us.
–– Or so he thinks. And he's really quite effective. People usually do keep their distance until Andy & I get him to quiet down.
Well, the disciples in the gospel today remind me of Kosar at his territorial best. There they are, with Jesus, sitting in a house in Capernaum – this is a continuation of last week's story. And Jesus has been talking for a long time now about what lies ahead, about how he is going to be betrayed and put on trial, and killed. And in light of that, Jesus has been teaching them what it really means to follow him, to be his disciple. He has said, if anyone wants to follow me, let them deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow.
If you want to follow, you have to be willing to lose your life for my sake.
If you want to be first, you must be last of all and servant of all.
You have to welcome the least of these among you,
the people who have no rank or status or place.
& if you welcome them, you welcome me.
No sooner are those words out of his mouth, and John says to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”
Their territorial instincts kicked right in as soon as they saw an outsider encroaching on their turf. They are the ones specially chosen by Jesus, they are the ones he has appointed to do his work in the world. How dare this interloper come along and cast out demons in Jesus' name?! That's their job! You can almost see the hair going up on the back of their necks, watch their tails pointing up in the air, hear their barking getting louder as they try to protect their territory, their special roles as Jesus' followers.
They were so threatened by what this other man was doing that they tried to run him off, they try to prevent him from doing miracles! And threatened, why? Because their role might change if they let other people in? Because they might have to share their influence and authority? Because they might have to change the way they are doing things?
How different might it have been if John or one of the others had gone up to this man in a spirit of welcome and acceptance, if they had seen what he was doing in Jesus' name, and celebrated that here was one more person trying to do God's work in the world, if they had gone up to him and said, “Hey, I see that you're doing this amazing stuff in the name of Jesus – have you ever met him in person? Would you like to?” If instead of being threatened by what he was doing, they had invited him to get to know Jesus better, to become not an outsider, but part of their group?
You would think after 2000 years, we followers of Jesus would get it, but we don't. You'd think we would have learned from these examples – the story of Eldad & Medad & Moses & Joshua in the Old Testament lesson, & the story of John & the disciples with the unnamed exorcist in the gospel, but we still haven't. We too, get territorial. We talk about wanting others to work with us here in the church & in the world to do God's will, to carry out the mission God has given us. But then along comes a stranger, someone who hasn't been following Jesus with our group, and watch out! Could be someone who's been a member of a church elsewhere who comes with new ideas and new ways to do things. Could be someone who's only had the tiniest taste of Christian teachings and the Christian faith – and they too come with new ideas, a new vision for how things could be. And somehow we get threatened. We don't want anyone usurping our place, so we rebuff those outsiders – even when they are doing great things in Jesus' name, we try to stop them. “That's not how we do it around here.” “We tried that once a long time ago, & it didn't work.” We have this tendency to push people away because of our differences – And when we do that, we're not just pushing them away from us, but from God, from Jesus. It leaves a bad taste in their mouth about the church, about Christianity in general, and we cause people to stumble in their faith. We put roadblocks in their way, instead of trying to see how God may be at work in them, and welcoming them to grow closer to Jesus by following him with us!
What I've noticed about Kosar & his skittish response to strangers is that he barks less when we can get him to focus on Andy or me. When we get his attention, when he remembers that we're watching out for him and he doesn't have to be the one doing the protecting, he stops worrying so much about those other people, stops trying to so jealously guard his territory. He focuses on our relationship, and that sets him free to just be, to enjoy these new people coming into his life.
That kind of relationship is at the heart of this passage. It's what sets us free from our own fears and jealousy and territorialism, sets us free to work together with each other, to share in God's ministry in ways we never would have imagined. Because the fact is, God can use anybody and everybody to carry out God's vision for the world. God works through new people in new ways all the time, and anyone who wants to serve in Christ's name is welcome! Once upon a time, you may have been someone standing outside of the group, curious about Jesus, wanting to serve in his name. And Jesus welcomed you in. Jesus welcomes everyone who wants to serve in his name. If you are new to the life of faith, or just new to this gathering of believers in this place, know that Jesus welcomes you! Jesus has a place and a role and work for you to do!
Our job as followers is simply to get out of each other's way... to be so about the business of following Jesus that we don't have the time to be territorial or jealous or skeptical of how God might be using someone else. Our call is to be so focused on Jesus that we can't be distracted by the fact that someone else is doing it differently. That's what that business about cutting off hands & feet & plucking out eyes is about – about getting rid of everything that gets in the way of following Jesus with single-minded devotion, so that instead of competing, we can work together, and rejoice that God has poured out the spirit on all of God's people. Thanks be to God! Amen.
September 20 - Pentecost + 16
New show – Glee
About a high school glee club
Teacher who once upon a time was a student at the school & has returned to teach
*Glee club was cool then; went to nationals;
When other glee club teacher leaves, he takes over
Wants to restore it to his glory days
Only problem – only 5 kids sign up
and they're a bunch of misfits
As the cheerleading coach, glee club's nemesis says, there's a social elevator in high school – and glee club gets off at the sub-basement level
And all the kids know it, but they join anyway, because they love to sing
It's amazing the things that people will do to keep their own status intact.
It's easy to point at a group of high school kids on TV or in real life and see this playing out
- how we jockey for position
- how we worry about where we rank compared to everybody else
- how we base our sense of identity and self-worth on who and what the world says we are
But we never really outgrow it – not totally, not completely
So much of the world based on who is better than who –
who will be the #1 draft, who's got the best music video
and on a more day-to-day level,
who has the biggest, nicest house,
the best car,
who got the bigger bonus at work or the better promotion
We compare ourselves to others to see where we stand –
and we feel better or worse about ourselves based on that comparison
Don't you love it when the Bible reminds us
that the disciples were just regular people like you & me?
Because while they were “on the way” with Jesus again this week,
walking from one town to the next,
they were arguing among themselves.
Jesus has just told them again,
for the 2nd time in as many weeks,
that he is going to be betrayed and killed and on the 3rd day rise again
They don't understand what he was saying
(and who can blame them?)
and were afraid to ask.
So, it seems they changed the subject
And they got into a debate about who was the greatest
Perhaps who was the better pray-er
Or who had cast out the most unclean spirits
Or who could fast the longest
Or who had introduced more people to Jesus
Who knows exactly what the topic was –
all we know is the the disciples were comparing themselves to each other
& trying to outdo each other,
jockeying for position, jostling for rank,
trying to secure their place at the top of their social ladder
Instead of focusing on Jesus & his radical plan to turn the world upside down,
they were focused on themselves,
seeing themselves & each other through the world's eyes
Couldn't see what Jesus was doing
So when they get to Capernaum & get inside the house,
Jesus calls the 12 disciples all together
And he reminds them,
“This thing we've got going on here, it's not all about you!”
You're busy worrying about who is the greatest,
about who's number 1,
but we've got bigger fish to fry!
There's more at stake here!
You want to be first?
Then you must be last of all & servant of all
You want to rank at the top?
Then you have to welcome in those who have no rank at all
And he took a little child & put it among them
Because children were in the sub-basement;
they had no status at all.
Children were the most vulnerable, the weakest members of society
They were voiceless; useless –
had nothing of value to contribute to the welfare of the family.
And Jesus says to the disciples,
stop worrying so much about yourselves
– because it's not about you!
You'll find your true self when you get yourself out of the way!
Find your true worth when you start serving,
when you start welcoming the least of these in my name
This past week's episode of Glee was revealing
Cheerios (3 cheerleaders) have joined
1 to keep an eye on her boyfriend, the football player the glee teacher strong-armed into joining
But all 3 because the cheerleading coach wants them to bring Glee Club down from the inside.
So they start planting seeds of division;
reminding the group that they're really not that good,
that they'll never beat the current regional champions,
suggesting things that on the surface look like they have the group's best interest at heart,
but really just driving them apart
they got them focused on their insecurity,
played on that sense of comparison and competition that is so strong
Got the group to hire a professional choreographer,
the one who had led the regional champs to victory
And he came in and looked the group over
And immediately starts kicking people off the team
the boy in the wheelchair – you're gone!
The girl who's overweight – gone
The goth girl who stutters whenever she talks – gone
The talented, but rather obnoxious, self-identified leader of the group – gone
Because they don't measure up to his image
of what they should look like,
of who they should be,
what they should do
And while they are all focused on themselves, it almost works!
The Cheerios almost manage to break up the group
Because we spend so much time worrying
about who we are & how others see us
that we let ourselves get distracted from the main thing
It's amazing to me
this community Jesus is talking about,
the one where the voiceless & the vulnerable are welcomed and embraced
– that's what the glee club was made up of;
The misfits found a home there
and they almost lost it
Until they realize that it's not about them!
It's not about each individual
and their egos
& their pride
They're part of something bigger than themselves
something that brings them joy,
that draws them up out of themselves
something that helps them to know who they are
– because when they are part of this group,
when they stop focusing on themselves,
something beautiful happens.
And that's what Jesus is saying to us this morning:
Stop worrying so much about yourselves & how everybody else sees you
When you compare and compete,
you'll always find people who are better or worse than you
It's a changing standard
It's the world's standard
But who we are,
our value and worth as people,
is not based on the world's standards
It's rooted in who Jesus says we are
And he says to us,
You're already accepted and acceptable.
You already have a place at my table
You're already in with the in-crowd
But there are others out there who don't know it yet
Others who, like this child, are standing on the edges,
on the outside looking in,
longing to know that they matter,
that there's a place they can belong,
longing to know that they have worth and value
because Jesus says so,
And his opinion is the only one that really matters
And we find him when we look up from ourselves & look at the world around us
and see the children, the voiceless, the vulnerable
and seeing them, welcome them in
And that's when something beautiful happens,
when we know we've stumbled into something bigger than ourselves -
And in that serving & welcoming, find our true selves, by following Jesus
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
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