This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday January 25, 2009, the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time.
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
On Wednesday night as we were studying this scripture, Marie Bolerjack made an observation. She said that Jesus went to the common people. Now, if you want to say this is obvious, you can. If you want to say “Amen” that will be even better. As obvious as this may be, the way she said it made it so clear, that Jesus’ affinity to the poor was absolute. This is where we start today, Jesus going along the Sea of Galilee with the common people, the working people.
The area Jesus passed was the place where the commercial fishermen gathered. If you’ve ever been to a wharf you know the place. Scores of boats lined against the shore. There were men preparing the day’s catch for market; fish were being gutted and deboned with abandon.
Others tended to the nets. The adage that a stitch in time saves nine may not have come from net tenders, but it could have. One well placed stitch on a net would prevent a small hole from becoming a gaping wound in the net, a place where half of the catch could escape.
I imagine there were even others tending to breakfast for the crews. There could have been some sort of café—someone who had a fire prepared and took a fish or two in exchange for cooking for a boat’s crew.
Imagine too if you will all of the birds, probably gulls of some sort, coming for the fish guts left behind by the fishermen.
It would have been busy and it would have been loud. Men would have been shouting instructions to one another, there were probably few if any women around this scene. It would have been a rowdy time, with bragging rights for the day’s catch being debated over by the men. Men would have been shouting things men do over a hard day’s work.
The fishermen were in their boats before the sun, working hard in dangerous conditions. Hopefully, nobody had been injured that day, or worse killed. It was hard work, manual labor. It was a hard life lived by hard men, and into this mix comes a carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus was another man of calluses. His hands would have been marred by years of working with wood. I imagine there would have been scars from tools that left their marks on him instead of on the wood. There would have been ripples in the muscles of his arms and chest from handling the stock. How many of these men working on their boats had known Jesus from their work? Might these men have come to know Jesus by his? Might the old men on the boat known Joseph—and of course all of the stories from thirty years hence?
There would have been joy in Jesus’ eyes seeing the works of other working men, and joy in his voice as he makes a new proposition. He proposes that the men of the sea, first Simon and Andrew, then James and John follow him. Jesus proposes that they should increase the size of their catch from a few pounds to about 160 pounds each, from fish to people.
Here’s a simple truth, Jesus could have started to select his disciples anywhere. Mark’s gospel tells us that he came to the sea, a place where tough men were tough; a place where the threats of life and death meant life and death. He could have gone to the marketplace, he could have gone to the moneychangers, he could have gone to the officials of the temple; instead he went to the fishermen.
We can ask ourselves if Jesus might have gone to the others first. He might have approached the merchants, moneychangers, and priests first, scripture is silent about whether this happened or not. But two things we do know. First, if Jesus had come to the white collar workers first, they rejected him. Second is that when Jesus approached the fishermen, the common working men, the men whose families lived from hand to mouth; these hard scrabble men responded to the Good News Jesus had to share with them and with the world.
People who are secure in their own lives do not need to hear the good news. Most of the moneychangers and temple priests did not need to have anything to do with the Lord. As the hymn goes, “people need the Lord,” and as Barbra Streisand sang, “people who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” If we have all we need and need no one or nothing else in our lives, there is no place for the Good News.
People who are wrapped up in their identity as someone important have no special need for the Lord. And, people who are wrapped up in their identity as victims have no special need for the Lord either. When we as people become so consumed with our identities that we are content with our lot in life, we don’t need the Lord. Neither of these extremes, satisfaction or victimization is healthy. Yet, many do not work to move from either of these unhealthy extremes.
We are familiar with the people around us who have all they need from this life. They are rich enough that they can walk onto the TV set of a corporate boardroom and scream “you’re fired” as America cheers waiting for the next week’s victims like the people in the Coliseum waiting for the Emperor’s next thumb’s down. We may be less familiar with the person whose fate is on the opposite end of the spectrum of wealth, but shares the same consumption with their lot in life.
There’s an old soul song, one of the greatest of all times, Otis Reading’s (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay. The bridge goes like this:
Looks like nothing's gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can’t do what ten people tell me to do,
So I guess I’ll remain the same.[1]
It’s a cry of frustration, it’s a cry of helplessness, it’s a cry of hopelessness. Nothing is ever going to change, so I guess I won’t either. The way of life is futile, and the way of change is even more futile. This is the cry that nothing is ever going to change and there’s nothing that can be done about it. But our Old Testament reading tells us this is not so.
Jonah is called by the Lord to take a simple message to the city of Nineveh, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” There is no hedging, no wiggle room in this message. This is a warning that in less than six weeks you will meet your maker, literally. The Lord’s message has no if’s, and’s, or but’s. It is just a simple message from the prophetic equivalent of the Town Crier.
So the people did what people do, they cried out to the Lord. They cried out by fasting. They cried out by putting on sackcloth. They all cried out to the Lord from the greatest to the least.
The people of Nineveh had everything they wanted, but they did not have what they needed. When the Lord’s warning came to town, to use the words of Mark’s gospel, the people repented and believed in the Good News. By this, they were saved. What is amazing is that the Lord did not promise salvation to the Ninevites, but the Lord bestowed his grace upon the city and all that lived there.
All was helpless for Nineveh. There was no way out of the predicament they had put themselves into, but when they put their faith in the Lord, repenting and believing, a new day was known in the city, a day that was Good News to the people who needed good news. Good News not for the glory of the repentant, but for the glory of the Lord.
Humility is necessary to hear and live the Good News. People need the Lord and people need other people to live as God intended. There has to be knowledge that without the Lord, without the community of the Lord that is the body of Christ, we do not live as we were intended; in God’s good creation and as the Body of Christ. At times like this I thank God that I say this to people who know this is true.
Based on census information, Presbyterians fit into what could easily be the self satisfied comfortably living population. Based on the quality of life of Americans compared to the rest of the world, we fit into what could easily be the self satisfied comfortably living population. Yet I look around and know that we all know there is more to life than what we can provide for ourselves. We know that there is more to our lives than what we can provide ourselves. We know that we need the Lord and we need each other to live as God intended.
And we know this for the same reason Jesus knew, because “The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God has come near.”
The time has been fulfilled; the special time which God has assigned has come to fruition. The time is like a tomato ripened on the vine, and picked at perfection. It is not mealy or pithy; not too firm and not squishy. It is perfect. It has reached a rich fullness;[2] there is no better moment than this. Time itself has reached this moment as Jesus walks along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Time has reached the moment of perfection and Jesus says, “Follow me.”
This is the call, the vocation that Jesus has placed on our lives. Jesus says “follow me” and we follow. We follow because in Him, the kingdom of God has come near. Scripture teaches that the kingdom of God is the kingly rule of the Lord, the sovereignty of God, not some physical place. The kingdom of God is an eternal fact that comes to be fulfilled as hope for in the future.[3]
The kingdom of God is rooted in the Old Testament. It can be seen in the Lord’s wrath against Nineveh, and even more in the Lord’s grace toward Nineveh and its people as they repent and believe in the good news.
This is what we are called to share, the coming of the kingdom of God in the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to join Simon and Andrew and fish for people. We are called to take the good news and take it to all who need to receive it.
There is a word we are all familiar with, evangelism. In our culture this little word carries an awful lot of baggage. Some say evangelicals are not too smart. Others say evangelicals are bigoted or small minded. Evangelism has been given a bad name by the way it was often coupled with imperialism. But none of this has to do with what evangelism truly is.
Evangelism, evangelist, and other words like these come from a Greek root meaning “good message” or “good news.” Evangelism is sharing the good news. An evangelist is one who shares the good news. That’s all. And this is our call, we are to know the good news and share it with creation.
Marie Bolerjack said Jesus went to the common people. Notice the active verb, Jesus went. He didn’t wait for the people, he went to the people. Jesus comes to meet us where we are, whether in the temple or on the dock of the bay. By his grace and peace, we hear and experience the good news. How can we do anything less than share this with the world?
[1] Reading, Otis, (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay, from “The Dock of the Bay” 1968.
[2] Kittel, Gerhardt, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume VI, page 285.
[3] Kingdom of God, Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, G.A. Butrrick, Dictionary Editor, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1962, from the Electronic Edition.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Plain Speaking
This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday Juanary 18, 2009, the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
1 Samuel 3:1-10
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
There’s an old saying I believe is attributed to Thomas Aquinas. “Share the gospel, and when necessary, use words.” We are called to do the right thing. Doing is how people who see us know us, more than what they hear from us. If you hear me preach patience on Sunday and then hear me honking the horn as I get cut off in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Monday, which would you say more represents the value I place on patience? Frankly, this is why you have never heard me preach on patience.
What gets lost in this old saying is the fact that sometimes it is necessary to use words. Sometimes the first impression people have about us is by what we say. These words come from our reading from John’s gospel this morning.
The reading begins as Jesus tells Philip “Follow me.” There’s nothing flowery, emotional, or logical in this request, a simple imperative request. Follow me. Jesus doesn’t say why. Jesus doesn’t tell Philip who he is. Jesus doesn’t promise wealth, either in this world or the next. Jesus makes a very plain request.
Could Philip have had any idea what he was getting himself into?
In what seems to be missing from the narrative, Jesus and Philip spend some time together, maybe a meal, maybe a few hours or maybe even days. So later, Jesus isn’t present when Philip finds Nathanael, and when he does he shares the good news. We have found him! “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus Son of Joseph from Nazareth!”
Philip speaks plainly. We have found him! In no uncertain terms he makes sure Nathanael knows who “he” is too. He is “Him,” Him with a capital “H.” We have found The Him.
Of course, as a big city boy from the teeming metropolis of Cana, Nathanael is not impressed with Nazareth. He was expecting someone with more impressive credentials, someone from the big city, Jerusalem. So with just the right touch of disrespect, Nathanael slams even the idea that “Him with a capital ‘H’” could come out of Nazareth. “Phil, friend, I’m from Eureka Springs, what has ever come out of Berryville that could possibly impress me? I’m waiting for the expert from the university in Fayetteville or the capital in Little Rock.”
Is that a little too close to home? It’s just a little plain speaking from Nathanael’s mouth.
Anyway, Philip then says the smart thing. “Come and see.”
Now I have been arguing with people for years, it’s a hobby. I have been skeptical and dealt with other skeptics since nineteen-forever. This is the only real answer you can share with a skeptic that has any real future, “come and see.” Words can only go so far, experience takes the next step on the journey.
If Nathanael is going to be skeptical, it’s up to Philip to tell him to come and see.
Thank God Nathanael took Philip up on his request. As Jesus sees Nathanael coming Jesus says “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” This prompts Nathanael’s “whatchu talkin’ ‘bout Willis” response. Jesus tells him, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Yes, Jesus says I saw you before you had even heard of me.
Nathanael followed Philip’s advice—he came and he saw, and what he saw made the Israelite in whom there is no deceit cry out, ”Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel!”
In a word, Nathanael goes from skeptic to believer. He is a believer in Jesus as a holy man, the Son of God. He is a believer in Jesus as a political figure, the King of Israel. These are important distinctions. In a way of speaking that we might gloss over, Nathanael declares his allegiance to Jesus in spiritual and political ways. Nathanael swears his faithfulness to the King of Kings of the earth and Lord of Lords of heaven.
The words that were spoken by Jesus, Philip, and Nathanael were plain. Jesus didn’t say who he was or why he came, the messianic secret is safe for the time being. Still, by what was said, Philip and Nathanael knew enough.
It was simple and plain. This was no Vegas magic show. There were no lofty speeches. This was the power of the Gettysburg Address, only shorter. There were no hidden agendas, not in Philip’s request or in Nathanael’s skepticism. Not in Jesus’ greeting or in Nathanael’s response.
One of the chapters of Merle Miller’s oral biography of Harry Truman deals with his early stint in politics, particularly his election as Judge of the Eastern District of Jackson County, Missouri. Like here in Arkansas, the County Judge is the county’s chief administrator. Early in the election process, Truman learned “If you’re going to be in politics, you have to learn to explain to people what you stand for.”[2] This is sage advice in all walks of life. If you have something to say, you have to learn how to say it well—the simpler the better.
Our gospel reading gives us several wonderful examples of plain speaking. Jesus tells Philip to follow. Philip tells Nathanael who has found him. Nathanael tells Philip he is not impressed, until Jesus just as plainly introduces himself. Then Nathanael tells the world who has found him, the great leader, head of the church and the head of the nation.
There is nothing complex about this and that may well be the lesson of the day. In a world that is increasingly complex, we are called to know what we value and share it with others in simple unadorned ways. We are to listen to others as they share with us the journeys of life. We are to find joy in the ways these threads intertwine to form the fabric of our lives together. Then, as the children of God we are to take that journey together with our Lord.
Things get complicated because we let them get complicated. We forget Ockham’s razor, often paraphrased as “All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.”[3] Plain speaking suits Ockham’s razor better than flowery language. Plain speaking helps us keep to the simplest solution, the best solution—the simpler the better.
There is one more element to this reading that is not as plain as the rest. Our reading ends with Jesus promising Nathanael if he believed because Jesus told him about the fig tree; he will see far greater things.
This benediction is made perhaps a little plainer, or at least as plain as poetry allows, by Dr. Seuss.[4]
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
Oh, the places we’ll go. When we hear the voice of the Lord calling us, we should rejoice and ask God to lead. If we think this isn’t child’s play, we only have to look to the example of Samuel. When the boy heard his name, not knowing who was calling, he ran to Eli saying “Here I am.” Samuel did not approach his vocation until he followed Eli’s instructions. Only when Samuel answered the call saying “Speak for your servant is listening” did he begin his journey.
Samuel, Philip and Nathanael heard the simple words, and their responses led to, well, to use Seuss’ paraphrase of Jesus in John 1:50 and 51, “Oh the places you’ll go.”
One of the places we will go today is the installation of Carolyn and Ken to the Session for another three year term. In this part of the service, we will begin with words, the Word of God from 1Corinthians. We will then not only ask them to affirm what they believe and where they place their trust, but they will also be asked if they will seek to follow the Lord Jesus in their own lives, loving their neighbors, working for the reconciliation of the world seeking to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.[5]
In these deeds, they will share the gospel with both actions and words. But first within this liturgy, we the congregation will be asked to do the same as the people of God.
Could Philip have had any idea what he was getting himself into? I dare say no, neither Philip nor Nathanael nor Samuel before them could have any idea where the plain speech of the Lord would lead. Still, as plain as these words are, the words can only go so far, experience takes the next step on the journey. It might begin with the words, but to be a disciple our words must lead to actions.
Samuel teaches us when the Lord calls, we are to listen. “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And by the example of Jesus, Philip, and Nathanael in John’s gospel, we are to speak plainly. Then only after we listen; do we respond and follow.
[1] HomileticsOnline.com, Triple Nines, http://homileticsonline.com/subscriber/printer_friendly_installment.asp?installment_id=93000114, retrieved January 5, 2009.
[2] Miller, Merle, Plain Speaking, an Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman. New York: Berkley Publishing, G. P Putnam’s Sons, 1973, 1974, page 125.
[3] Occham’s razor, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achems_razor, retrieved January 17, 2009.
[4] Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go. New York: Random House, 1990. This copy taken from “Seuss World”, http://schools.fsusd.k12.ca.us/schools/fhs/teacher/link/GigioC/Dreamweaver%202/Oh%20The%20Places%20you%27ll%20Go.htm, retrieved January 15, 2009.
[5] The Office of Theology and Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Occasional Services, A Liturgical Resource Supplementing the Book of Common Worship, 1993. Louisville: Geneva Press, 1999, page 24.
1 Samuel 3:1-10
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
There’s an old saying I believe is attributed to Thomas Aquinas. “Share the gospel, and when necessary, use words.” We are called to do the right thing. Doing is how people who see us know us, more than what they hear from us. If you hear me preach patience on Sunday and then hear me honking the horn as I get cut off in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Monday, which would you say more represents the value I place on patience? Frankly, this is why you have never heard me preach on patience.
What gets lost in this old saying is the fact that sometimes it is necessary to use words. Sometimes the first impression people have about us is by what we say. These words come from our reading from John’s gospel this morning.
The reading begins as Jesus tells Philip “Follow me.” There’s nothing flowery, emotional, or logical in this request, a simple imperative request. Follow me. Jesus doesn’t say why. Jesus doesn’t tell Philip who he is. Jesus doesn’t promise wealth, either in this world or the next. Jesus makes a very plain request.
Could Philip have had any idea what he was getting himself into?
In what seems to be missing from the narrative, Jesus and Philip spend some time together, maybe a meal, maybe a few hours or maybe even days. So later, Jesus isn’t present when Philip finds Nathanael, and when he does he shares the good news. We have found him! “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus Son of Joseph from Nazareth!”
Philip speaks plainly. We have found him! In no uncertain terms he makes sure Nathanael knows who “he” is too. He is “Him,” Him with a capital “H.” We have found The Him.
Of course, as a big city boy from the teeming metropolis of Cana, Nathanael is not impressed with Nazareth. He was expecting someone with more impressive credentials, someone from the big city, Jerusalem. So with just the right touch of disrespect, Nathanael slams even the idea that “Him with a capital ‘H’” could come out of Nazareth. “Phil, friend, I’m from Eureka Springs, what has ever come out of Berryville that could possibly impress me? I’m waiting for the expert from the university in Fayetteville or the capital in Little Rock.”
Is that a little too close to home? It’s just a little plain speaking from Nathanael’s mouth.
Anyway, Philip then says the smart thing. “Come and see.”
Now I have been arguing with people for years, it’s a hobby. I have been skeptical and dealt with other skeptics since nineteen-forever. This is the only real answer you can share with a skeptic that has any real future, “come and see.” Words can only go so far, experience takes the next step on the journey.
If Nathanael is going to be skeptical, it’s up to Philip to tell him to come and see.
Thank God Nathanael took Philip up on his request. As Jesus sees Nathanael coming Jesus says “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” This prompts Nathanael’s “whatchu talkin’ ‘bout Willis” response. Jesus tells him, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Yes, Jesus says I saw you before you had even heard of me.
Nathanael followed Philip’s advice—he came and he saw, and what he saw made the Israelite in whom there is no deceit cry out, ”Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel!”
In a word, Nathanael goes from skeptic to believer. He is a believer in Jesus as a holy man, the Son of God. He is a believer in Jesus as a political figure, the King of Israel. These are important distinctions. In a way of speaking that we might gloss over, Nathanael declares his allegiance to Jesus in spiritual and political ways. Nathanael swears his faithfulness to the King of Kings of the earth and Lord of Lords of heaven.
The words that were spoken by Jesus, Philip, and Nathanael were plain. Jesus didn’t say who he was or why he came, the messianic secret is safe for the time being. Still, by what was said, Philip and Nathanael knew enough.
It was simple and plain. This was no Vegas magic show. There were no lofty speeches. This was the power of the Gettysburg Address, only shorter. There were no hidden agendas, not in Philip’s request or in Nathanael’s skepticism. Not in Jesus’ greeting or in Nathanael’s response.
One of the chapters of Merle Miller’s oral biography of Harry Truman deals with his early stint in politics, particularly his election as Judge of the Eastern District of Jackson County, Missouri. Like here in Arkansas, the County Judge is the county’s chief administrator. Early in the election process, Truman learned “If you’re going to be in politics, you have to learn to explain to people what you stand for.”[2] This is sage advice in all walks of life. If you have something to say, you have to learn how to say it well—the simpler the better.
Our gospel reading gives us several wonderful examples of plain speaking. Jesus tells Philip to follow. Philip tells Nathanael who has found him. Nathanael tells Philip he is not impressed, until Jesus just as plainly introduces himself. Then Nathanael tells the world who has found him, the great leader, head of the church and the head of the nation.
There is nothing complex about this and that may well be the lesson of the day. In a world that is increasingly complex, we are called to know what we value and share it with others in simple unadorned ways. We are to listen to others as they share with us the journeys of life. We are to find joy in the ways these threads intertwine to form the fabric of our lives together. Then, as the children of God we are to take that journey together with our Lord.
Things get complicated because we let them get complicated. We forget Ockham’s razor, often paraphrased as “All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.”[3] Plain speaking suits Ockham’s razor better than flowery language. Plain speaking helps us keep to the simplest solution, the best solution—the simpler the better.
There is one more element to this reading that is not as plain as the rest. Our reading ends with Jesus promising Nathanael if he believed because Jesus told him about the fig tree; he will see far greater things.
This benediction is made perhaps a little plainer, or at least as plain as poetry allows, by Dr. Seuss.[4]
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
Oh, the places we’ll go. When we hear the voice of the Lord calling us, we should rejoice and ask God to lead. If we think this isn’t child’s play, we only have to look to the example of Samuel. When the boy heard his name, not knowing who was calling, he ran to Eli saying “Here I am.” Samuel did not approach his vocation until he followed Eli’s instructions. Only when Samuel answered the call saying “Speak for your servant is listening” did he begin his journey.
Samuel, Philip and Nathanael heard the simple words, and their responses led to, well, to use Seuss’ paraphrase of Jesus in John 1:50 and 51, “Oh the places you’ll go.”
One of the places we will go today is the installation of Carolyn and Ken to the Session for another three year term. In this part of the service, we will begin with words, the Word of God from 1Corinthians. We will then not only ask them to affirm what they believe and where they place their trust, but they will also be asked if they will seek to follow the Lord Jesus in their own lives, loving their neighbors, working for the reconciliation of the world seeking to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.[5]
In these deeds, they will share the gospel with both actions and words. But first within this liturgy, we the congregation will be asked to do the same as the people of God.
Could Philip have had any idea what he was getting himself into? I dare say no, neither Philip nor Nathanael nor Samuel before them could have any idea where the plain speech of the Lord would lead. Still, as plain as these words are, the words can only go so far, experience takes the next step on the journey. It might begin with the words, but to be a disciple our words must lead to actions.
Samuel teaches us when the Lord calls, we are to listen. “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And by the example of Jesus, Philip, and Nathanael in John’s gospel, we are to speak plainly. Then only after we listen; do we respond and follow.
[1] HomileticsOnline.com, Triple Nines, http://homileticsonline.com/subscriber/printer_friendly_installment.asp?installment_id=93000114, retrieved January 5, 2009.
[2] Miller, Merle, Plain Speaking, an Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman. New York: Berkley Publishing, G. P Putnam’s Sons, 1973, 1974, page 125.
[3] Occham’s razor, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achems_razor, retrieved January 17, 2009.
[4] Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go. New York: Random House, 1990. This copy taken from “Seuss World”, http://schools.fsusd.k12.ca.us/schools/fhs/teacher/link/GigioC/Dreamweaver%202/Oh%20The%20Places%20you%27ll%20Go.htm, retrieved January 15, 2009.
[5] The Office of Theology and Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Book of Occasional Services, A Liturgical Resource Supplementing the Book of Common Worship, 1993. Louisville: Geneva Press, 1999, page 24.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
New Beginnings
This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday January 11, 2008, Christ the King Sunday, the First Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Last May[1] I mentioned that in my study there is a small picture from the Isenheim Altarpiece in Colmar, Alsace titled “John the Baptist.” by Matthias Grünewald. Karl Barth used the first view of the altarpiece to remind and inspire him to what he considered the goal of his preaching and of all Christian proclamation.[2] This painting’s central image is Christ on the cross.[3] To his left is John the Baptist in camel hair holding holy writ and pointing to Christ. Barth believed that all good preaching was holding up scripture and pointing to Christ crucified.
But this is not the only view of the Isenheim Altarpiece, there are others. When the piece is opened, the second view[4] shows three scenes of great joy; the annunciation of the Christ, the concert of the angels singing and playing for the Madonna and child, and the resurrection of the Lord. Within these images; there is joy and sorrow, pain and redemption, beginnings and new beginnings.
The first view of the altarpiece presents the image which is central to the Christian faith, the crucifixion. The second view shows an iconic biography of the Lord from his annunciation to his resurrection.
Today we celebrate an event not found on Grünewald’s altarpiece, the Baptism of the Lord. On this first Sunday after Epiphany every year, we recognize this sacrament celebrated by John and Jesus, the Baptizer and the Lord. As is Mark’s common way of presenting the gospel, this is a very simple, very direct telling of their first encounter. His telling of this story resembles a Reader’s Digest Condensed Version of the tellings we find in Matthew and Luke.
Dressed in the clothing of a desert aesthetic prophet, we have a simple description of John’s ministry, the proclamation of a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. We learn that people came from all over the Judean countryside. To all with ears to listen, John says that as he baptizes with water, one who is more powerful than he will come later to baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Then in those days, Jesus comes and fulfills John’s prophecy and is baptized in the waters of the Jordan. As Jesus comes from the waters, he sees the heavens are torn apart and the Spirit descends like a dove upon him. This is when the voice of God is heard from heaven declaring Jesus to be the Son, the beloved; with whom God is well pleased.
A good question that needs to be asked is “why does the fully human, fully divine Son of God and Son of Man need a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins?” This good question has a very good answer; Jesus does not need this baptism. Jesus chooses this baptism not for his needs but for ours. In his baptism, Jesus identifies himself with the Church, the church which he is the cornerstone. Being fully human, he knows we need this baptism, being fully divine, he ordains it for our sanctification.
What we see is the beginning for the church of Jesus Christ. We say that in our baptism we become a member of the community of the Church Universal. The book of Common Worship[5] says this about the baptism of water:
Obeying the word of our Lord Jesus,
and confident of his promises,
we baptize those whom God has called.
In baptism God claims us,
and seals us to show that we belong to God.
God frees us from sin and death,
uniting us with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.
By water and the Holy Spirit,
we are made members of the church, the body of Christ,
and joined to Christ’s ministry of love, peace, and justice.
Let us remember with joy our own baptism,
as we celebrate this sacrament.
We are invited to celebrate baptism not just as the beginning of the faith journey of the one being baptized, we are invited to remember our baptisms and treat this like a new beginning of our relationship in the arms of the Lord Almighty.
With the New Year come New Year’s resolutions. In resolutions, we establish the outcome goals for our new beginnings. What are our new beginnings as the Body of Christ? What are our new beginnings as this part of the Body of Christ? Do we seek to become more spiritual; praying more, reading scripture more, listening to God more? All of these are fruitful outcomes, but there is more.
We state our resolutions as goals, but only in a rare moment do we establish the actions to reach these goals. Do we pray more? Do we set aside the time to pray? Do we read more scripture? Do we find a schedule of reading and keep to it? Do we listen more to God? When we hear do we follow through?
In this part of the Body of Christ, there is weeping and gnashing of teeth about attendance in worship. So I ask, do you share our faith with others? Do you invite others to join you in worship? I know the answer is yes because the fruit of your sharing sits beside you here today.
And if you wonder about my success of bringing people into the worship fold, well, I cannot tell you I have caused a flood that would require Moses to open the center aisle before we could celebrate the Lord’s Supper. I have not. But if I ask two people, two people are asked. When everyone asks two people, well, the growth of this part of the body can be staggering. This is one way we can celebrate our new beginning.
If you wonder about how to share your faith, use the example of John the Baptist from the Isenheim Altarpiece, point to Jesus.
Our readings today began with the very beginning. “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth.” This translation comes from the New Revised Standard Version. It’s the version we read every week in worship. It is a favorite of mine, but it does have its limitations. It is said that it’s not as plain as the New Living Translation, nor as word-for-word literal as the New American Standard, nor as evangelical as the New International Version.
One problem rarely mentioned is its lack of Jewish flavor in the Old Testament and the Old Testament references. For that flavor, I go to the Jewish Publication Society’s translation. In this version, Genesis 1:1 reads, “When God began to create heaven and earth.” It’s quite different from our usual “In the beginning” isn’t it?
But there’s more at stake in this translation than simply style, and it is focused on one simple word—“the.” The JPS translation doesn’t talk about “the beginning.” The way the Hebrew text and the JPS translation render creation is not the way we think about it. We think about it as the beginning, the very beginning, the “there’s nothing else out there except for God in Three Persons and a whole bunch of nothing until God made there to be something.”
The way Hebrews thought about creation, they saw it as our beginning, a new beginning. In this thinking; God is so big, so wonderful, so completely different than we; that we have no idea about what happened by God’s hand before our creation. So by human reference, we can talk about nothing other than when God began to create heaven and earth. This is our beginning; this is a new beginning between God and God’s good creation.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, amen, amen. We sing this every week as we give glory to God the Father for the assurance of Christ’s pardon for our sins. Singing this, we pray for and give praise for the new beginning as it was in the beginning, a start, a moment without sin in life that we may know our relationship with God as the Lord intended.
The question we are called to answer is “what are we going to do with our new beginning?” In the baptism of the Lord, we see the new beginning promised each of us in the waters of our baptism. We see God’s exhortation that Jesus is the Son. Through baptism, Christ who is without sin identifies himself with all who come to the water who are born of sin. Christ joins the church as much as the church joins with him. Through this adoption, we become the children of God. And as the sons and daughters of the Almighty God, let us join together giving glory to the Lord so that one day we too may hear “you are my beloved with you I am well pleased.”
[1] Mentioned in a sermon called The Church Emerges found at http://timelovesahero.blogspot.com/2008/05/church-emerges.html
[2] Willimon, William, Conversations with Barth on Preaching. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2006, page 6.
[3] For a look at this image, go to http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/grunewal/2isenhei/index.html
[4] For a look at this image, go to http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/grunewal/2isenhei/index.html
[5] The Theology and Ministry Unit of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), “The Book of Common Worship”. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993, pages 404-405.
Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Last May[1] I mentioned that in my study there is a small picture from the Isenheim Altarpiece in Colmar, Alsace titled “John the Baptist.” by Matthias Grünewald. Karl Barth used the first view of the altarpiece to remind and inspire him to what he considered the goal of his preaching and of all Christian proclamation.[2] This painting’s central image is Christ on the cross.[3] To his left is John the Baptist in camel hair holding holy writ and pointing to Christ. Barth believed that all good preaching was holding up scripture and pointing to Christ crucified.
But this is not the only view of the Isenheim Altarpiece, there are others. When the piece is opened, the second view[4] shows three scenes of great joy; the annunciation of the Christ, the concert of the angels singing and playing for the Madonna and child, and the resurrection of the Lord. Within these images; there is joy and sorrow, pain and redemption, beginnings and new beginnings.
The first view of the altarpiece presents the image which is central to the Christian faith, the crucifixion. The second view shows an iconic biography of the Lord from his annunciation to his resurrection.
Today we celebrate an event not found on Grünewald’s altarpiece, the Baptism of the Lord. On this first Sunday after Epiphany every year, we recognize this sacrament celebrated by John and Jesus, the Baptizer and the Lord. As is Mark’s common way of presenting the gospel, this is a very simple, very direct telling of their first encounter. His telling of this story resembles a Reader’s Digest Condensed Version of the tellings we find in Matthew and Luke.
Dressed in the clothing of a desert aesthetic prophet, we have a simple description of John’s ministry, the proclamation of a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. We learn that people came from all over the Judean countryside. To all with ears to listen, John says that as he baptizes with water, one who is more powerful than he will come later to baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Then in those days, Jesus comes and fulfills John’s prophecy and is baptized in the waters of the Jordan. As Jesus comes from the waters, he sees the heavens are torn apart and the Spirit descends like a dove upon him. This is when the voice of God is heard from heaven declaring Jesus to be the Son, the beloved; with whom God is well pleased.
A good question that needs to be asked is “why does the fully human, fully divine Son of God and Son of Man need a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins?” This good question has a very good answer; Jesus does not need this baptism. Jesus chooses this baptism not for his needs but for ours. In his baptism, Jesus identifies himself with the Church, the church which he is the cornerstone. Being fully human, he knows we need this baptism, being fully divine, he ordains it for our sanctification.
What we see is the beginning for the church of Jesus Christ. We say that in our baptism we become a member of the community of the Church Universal. The book of Common Worship[5] says this about the baptism of water:
Obeying the word of our Lord Jesus,
and confident of his promises,
we baptize those whom God has called.
In baptism God claims us,
and seals us to show that we belong to God.
God frees us from sin and death,
uniting us with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.
By water and the Holy Spirit,
we are made members of the church, the body of Christ,
and joined to Christ’s ministry of love, peace, and justice.
Let us remember with joy our own baptism,
as we celebrate this sacrament.
We are invited to celebrate baptism not just as the beginning of the faith journey of the one being baptized, we are invited to remember our baptisms and treat this like a new beginning of our relationship in the arms of the Lord Almighty.
With the New Year come New Year’s resolutions. In resolutions, we establish the outcome goals for our new beginnings. What are our new beginnings as the Body of Christ? What are our new beginnings as this part of the Body of Christ? Do we seek to become more spiritual; praying more, reading scripture more, listening to God more? All of these are fruitful outcomes, but there is more.
We state our resolutions as goals, but only in a rare moment do we establish the actions to reach these goals. Do we pray more? Do we set aside the time to pray? Do we read more scripture? Do we find a schedule of reading and keep to it? Do we listen more to God? When we hear do we follow through?
In this part of the Body of Christ, there is weeping and gnashing of teeth about attendance in worship. So I ask, do you share our faith with others? Do you invite others to join you in worship? I know the answer is yes because the fruit of your sharing sits beside you here today.
And if you wonder about my success of bringing people into the worship fold, well, I cannot tell you I have caused a flood that would require Moses to open the center aisle before we could celebrate the Lord’s Supper. I have not. But if I ask two people, two people are asked. When everyone asks two people, well, the growth of this part of the body can be staggering. This is one way we can celebrate our new beginning.
If you wonder about how to share your faith, use the example of John the Baptist from the Isenheim Altarpiece, point to Jesus.
Our readings today began with the very beginning. “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth.” This translation comes from the New Revised Standard Version. It’s the version we read every week in worship. It is a favorite of mine, but it does have its limitations. It is said that it’s not as plain as the New Living Translation, nor as word-for-word literal as the New American Standard, nor as evangelical as the New International Version.
One problem rarely mentioned is its lack of Jewish flavor in the Old Testament and the Old Testament references. For that flavor, I go to the Jewish Publication Society’s translation. In this version, Genesis 1:1 reads, “When God began to create heaven and earth.” It’s quite different from our usual “In the beginning” isn’t it?
But there’s more at stake in this translation than simply style, and it is focused on one simple word—“the.” The JPS translation doesn’t talk about “the beginning.” The way the Hebrew text and the JPS translation render creation is not the way we think about it. We think about it as the beginning, the very beginning, the “there’s nothing else out there except for God in Three Persons and a whole bunch of nothing until God made there to be something.”
The way Hebrews thought about creation, they saw it as our beginning, a new beginning. In this thinking; God is so big, so wonderful, so completely different than we; that we have no idea about what happened by God’s hand before our creation. So by human reference, we can talk about nothing other than when God began to create heaven and earth. This is our beginning; this is a new beginning between God and God’s good creation.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, amen, amen. We sing this every week as we give glory to God the Father for the assurance of Christ’s pardon for our sins. Singing this, we pray for and give praise for the new beginning as it was in the beginning, a start, a moment without sin in life that we may know our relationship with God as the Lord intended.
The question we are called to answer is “what are we going to do with our new beginning?” In the baptism of the Lord, we see the new beginning promised each of us in the waters of our baptism. We see God’s exhortation that Jesus is the Son. Through baptism, Christ who is without sin identifies himself with all who come to the water who are born of sin. Christ joins the church as much as the church joins with him. Through this adoption, we become the children of God. And as the sons and daughters of the Almighty God, let us join together giving glory to the Lord so that one day we too may hear “you are my beloved with you I am well pleased.”
[1] Mentioned in a sermon called The Church Emerges found at http://timelovesahero.blogspot.com/2008/05/church-emerges.html
[2] Willimon, William, Conversations with Barth on Preaching. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2006, page 6.
[3] For a look at this image, go to http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/grunewal/2isenhei/index.html
[4] For a look at this image, go to http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/grunewal/2isenhei/index.html
[5] The Theology and Ministry Unit of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), “The Book of Common Worship”. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993, pages 404-405.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Born to Become
This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday January 4, 2009, the 2nd Sunday in Christmas.
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 147:12-20
Ephesians 1:3-14
John 1:10-18
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
About fifteen years ago, I heard a report on National Public Radio saying that monogamy was not the human being’s biological default. The story said it is in our nature to have more than one mate. Polyandry, polygyny, polygamy; I don’t remember if the story said whether it was more than one husband or more than one wife or both; but to our sensibilities, it doesn’t really matter. Our society is built around monogamy or at least the concept of one mate at a time.
Scripture is filled examples of men having more than one wife and/or concubine at a time. Pop culture rings in from “The King and I” as Yul Brenner sings that the bee goes from flower to flower to flower; the flower does not go from bee to bee to bee.
Anyway, back to fifteen years ago, it disturbed me that what I thought was normal was not the biological imperative. But it got me thinking about something the Reverend Bill Clark preached at First Presbyterian in Lamar, Colorado. Bill reminded the congregation that people have a choice. People can act the way people do when our humanly omnivorous appetites are allowed to come to the forefront; or we can act as we are called to behave in a still more excellent way by our Lord Jesus Christ.
I was overjoyed by this notion. Yes, we may well be hard wired in ways that aren’t beneficial for us; and no, we don’t have to act on these impulses. Our call as the children of God is to become better than our sinful selves. I may well be naturally set to have more than one partner, but I am called by the Lord to a faithful monogamous relationship with the one I love. Dear Marie, by Christ may I forever be your loving faithful husband.
“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”
Born by the will of God. Yes, there is fleshiness to our existence. To use the words of the New International Version, there is an aspect of our existence that is born of “natural descent, human decision, or a husband’s will.” But we are called to become so much more than that and what is more comes from being born by the will of God.
The news reminds us everyday of the sinful nature of human life. Terror, pain, and suffering are found far too often in this world. Judging people as children of Adam and not Children of God makes taking advantage of other people tolerable.
Demonizing others by ethnicity or race and not treating others as children of God means we do not have to extend God’s peace and grace. Just ask anybody within 50 kilometers of Gaza. Ask the Muslim family who was kicked off of an AirTran flight last week because one single passenger thought their conversation was suspicious.[1]
But for those who believe in his name, he gives power to become children of God, born of God, and from his fullness receive grace upon grace. From God’s own fullness, we receive the Lord’s unmerited favor.
The Parable of the New Community in Matthew 20 shows us what this grace looks like as the landowner pays his laborers the same wage regardless of the time of day they started. The workers are promised they would be paid “whatever is right.” We would expect them to be paid by the hour or by the bushel, this is the way we would expect to be paid. This is the way we would expect to pay. But these workers weren’t promised what is fair; they were promised what is right, and everybody received the same wage. The people who started later in the day received merit they did not deserve by generally accepted accounting principles.
Matthew 18 reminds us of grace beyond imagining when we are called to forgive without keeping track of how many times we forgive those who sin against us. After all, if we are counting up to seventy-seven times plus one, we haven’t really forgiven at all. There is no grace in either being abused seventy-seven times or in counting to seventy-seven times. Forgiving transgressions without being abused is at the root of grace. This is displaying God’s unmerited favor without being a victim. And Jesus was never a victim.
Jesus tells us to use our voices to share the good news of his extravagant grace with a world that thirsts for the Word. Our instruction is simple: come to the Lord, hear the Word, be changed by the Good News, share the overflowing grace of God with the world, and rejoice—rejoice with the Lord and the entire heavenly host. Come, hear, share and rejoice.
We are called to respond to the Word of God in faith, not in fear. We are to respond to a relationship with a living being, the Living God; not out of fear of reprisal from laws we could never hope to keep. The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
In Ephesians Paul says, “In Christ you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.”
As we have received grace upon grace through Christ and were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, we are to share these with the world. And over the past few weeks we have heard some wonderful examples of this sharing.
We have heard about Grapevine Faith High School Head Football Coach Kris Hogan who showed the love of Christ giving fifteen young men abandoned to Texas youth criminal justice system hope just by giving them fans at a football game. Hogan showed these young men the grace and peace of our Lord giving them the message “You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth.”
Where Simeon was ready to die, we are called to be ready to live. Hogan’s example shows us that we are to do more with the grace we receive than die happy, we are to live happy—joyfully doing the will of Christ showing God’s grace in all creation.
Washington Capital’s web producer turned substitute goalie Brett Leonhardt demonstrated the value of showing up when called. Leonhardt’s example teaches that showing up is the beginning of every good act. Making yourself available is always the first step toward being useful.
Mary giving herself—not passively allowing herself to be taken but voluntarily giving herself—shows us that only when we say yes to the Holy Spirit can we make a dent. Mary shows us that saying no to God makes us benign to creation. History is made by people who show up.
The Gospel of John also reminds us that the people who are the most ordinary can be indwelt and empowered by the Spirit to become extraordinary. The man we know as John the Baptist is simply known as John in the fourth gospel. He’s not the Messiah, not Elijah, not one of the prophets, so in the eyes of the temple leaders he was nobody. While in one sense he is “just John,” the witness of history shows him to have been more than that. He was indwelt and empowered by the Spirit of God to become the Baptist.
We are born to become. We are born to become the children of God; born of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us so that we may see the glory of God through the Son. It is by God’s only Son that we come to know the Father and the Father’s heart. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we reflect this grace through our actions.
It is by saying yes when called that we participate in history; we participate in the inbreaking of God in all creation. It is by serving the Lord with imagination and perseverance that we discern how to show God’s grace and peace to a thirsty world. It is by being ordinary that we may be empowered to do something extraordinary. And this is our call—not just to receive Christ and by him become the Children of God—our call is to return this gracious gift to the world.
Again as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, as we receive the mark of the seal of the Holy Spirit, we receive the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people to the praise of God’s glory. By sharing this mark with others through good works we reflect the face of Christ to a world that needs it, now more than ever.
[1] AirTran Apologizes to Muslim Family Removed from Plane, http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/02/family.grounded/index.html, retrieved January 3, 2009.
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 147:12-20
Ephesians 1:3-14
John 1:10-18
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
About fifteen years ago, I heard a report on National Public Radio saying that monogamy was not the human being’s biological default. The story said it is in our nature to have more than one mate. Polyandry, polygyny, polygamy; I don’t remember if the story said whether it was more than one husband or more than one wife or both; but to our sensibilities, it doesn’t really matter. Our society is built around monogamy or at least the concept of one mate at a time.
Scripture is filled examples of men having more than one wife and/or concubine at a time. Pop culture rings in from “The King and I” as Yul Brenner sings that the bee goes from flower to flower to flower; the flower does not go from bee to bee to bee.
Anyway, back to fifteen years ago, it disturbed me that what I thought was normal was not the biological imperative. But it got me thinking about something the Reverend Bill Clark preached at First Presbyterian in Lamar, Colorado. Bill reminded the congregation that people have a choice. People can act the way people do when our humanly omnivorous appetites are allowed to come to the forefront; or we can act as we are called to behave in a still more excellent way by our Lord Jesus Christ.
I was overjoyed by this notion. Yes, we may well be hard wired in ways that aren’t beneficial for us; and no, we don’t have to act on these impulses. Our call as the children of God is to become better than our sinful selves. I may well be naturally set to have more than one partner, but I am called by the Lord to a faithful monogamous relationship with the one I love. Dear Marie, by Christ may I forever be your loving faithful husband.
“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”
Born by the will of God. Yes, there is fleshiness to our existence. To use the words of the New International Version, there is an aspect of our existence that is born of “natural descent, human decision, or a husband’s will.” But we are called to become so much more than that and what is more comes from being born by the will of God.
The news reminds us everyday of the sinful nature of human life. Terror, pain, and suffering are found far too often in this world. Judging people as children of Adam and not Children of God makes taking advantage of other people tolerable.
Demonizing others by ethnicity or race and not treating others as children of God means we do not have to extend God’s peace and grace. Just ask anybody within 50 kilometers of Gaza. Ask the Muslim family who was kicked off of an AirTran flight last week because one single passenger thought their conversation was suspicious.[1]
But for those who believe in his name, he gives power to become children of God, born of God, and from his fullness receive grace upon grace. From God’s own fullness, we receive the Lord’s unmerited favor.
The Parable of the New Community in Matthew 20 shows us what this grace looks like as the landowner pays his laborers the same wage regardless of the time of day they started. The workers are promised they would be paid “whatever is right.” We would expect them to be paid by the hour or by the bushel, this is the way we would expect to be paid. This is the way we would expect to pay. But these workers weren’t promised what is fair; they were promised what is right, and everybody received the same wage. The people who started later in the day received merit they did not deserve by generally accepted accounting principles.
Matthew 18 reminds us of grace beyond imagining when we are called to forgive without keeping track of how many times we forgive those who sin against us. After all, if we are counting up to seventy-seven times plus one, we haven’t really forgiven at all. There is no grace in either being abused seventy-seven times or in counting to seventy-seven times. Forgiving transgressions without being abused is at the root of grace. This is displaying God’s unmerited favor without being a victim. And Jesus was never a victim.
Jesus tells us to use our voices to share the good news of his extravagant grace with a world that thirsts for the Word. Our instruction is simple: come to the Lord, hear the Word, be changed by the Good News, share the overflowing grace of God with the world, and rejoice—rejoice with the Lord and the entire heavenly host. Come, hear, share and rejoice.
We are called to respond to the Word of God in faith, not in fear. We are to respond to a relationship with a living being, the Living God; not out of fear of reprisal from laws we could never hope to keep. The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
In Ephesians Paul says, “In Christ you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.”
As we have received grace upon grace through Christ and were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, we are to share these with the world. And over the past few weeks we have heard some wonderful examples of this sharing.
We have heard about Grapevine Faith High School Head Football Coach Kris Hogan who showed the love of Christ giving fifteen young men abandoned to Texas youth criminal justice system hope just by giving them fans at a football game. Hogan showed these young men the grace and peace of our Lord giving them the message “You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth.”
Where Simeon was ready to die, we are called to be ready to live. Hogan’s example shows us that we are to do more with the grace we receive than die happy, we are to live happy—joyfully doing the will of Christ showing God’s grace in all creation.
Washington Capital’s web producer turned substitute goalie Brett Leonhardt demonstrated the value of showing up when called. Leonhardt’s example teaches that showing up is the beginning of every good act. Making yourself available is always the first step toward being useful.
Mary giving herself—not passively allowing herself to be taken but voluntarily giving herself—shows us that only when we say yes to the Holy Spirit can we make a dent. Mary shows us that saying no to God makes us benign to creation. History is made by people who show up.
The Gospel of John also reminds us that the people who are the most ordinary can be indwelt and empowered by the Spirit to become extraordinary. The man we know as John the Baptist is simply known as John in the fourth gospel. He’s not the Messiah, not Elijah, not one of the prophets, so in the eyes of the temple leaders he was nobody. While in one sense he is “just John,” the witness of history shows him to have been more than that. He was indwelt and empowered by the Spirit of God to become the Baptist.
We are born to become. We are born to become the children of God; born of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us so that we may see the glory of God through the Son. It is by God’s only Son that we come to know the Father and the Father’s heart. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we reflect this grace through our actions.
It is by saying yes when called that we participate in history; we participate in the inbreaking of God in all creation. It is by serving the Lord with imagination and perseverance that we discern how to show God’s grace and peace to a thirsty world. It is by being ordinary that we may be empowered to do something extraordinary. And this is our call—not just to receive Christ and by him become the Children of God—our call is to return this gracious gift to the world.
Again as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, as we receive the mark of the seal of the Holy Spirit, we receive the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people to the praise of God’s glory. By sharing this mark with others through good works we reflect the face of Christ to a world that needs it, now more than ever.
[1] AirTran Apologizes to Muslim Family Removed from Plane, http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/02/family.grounded/index.html, retrieved January 3, 2009.
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