Erin Seigmiller
It’s quite the collection of texts this morning! I struggled with this for EVER, and I’m still not sure if my theme really works. But we’ll just use our imaginations and a shoehorn to get them all to fit! Ultimately, my theme, “Seriously, God’s in charge” is quite nicely laid out in our psalm.
In my favorite translation of the bible, The Message, the 5th psalm 1 - 8 runs like this:
Listen, God! Please, pay attention!
Can you make sense of these ramblings,
my groans and cries?
King-God, I need your help.
Every morning you’ll hear me at it again.
Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life
on your altar and watch for fire to descend.
You don’t socialize with Wicked,
or invite Evil over as your houseguest.
Hot-Air-Boaster collapses in front of you;
you shake your head over Mischief-Maker
God destroys Lie-Speaker;
Blood-Thirsty and Truth-Bender disgust you.
And here I am, your invited guest --
it’s incredible!
I enter your house; here I am;
prostrate in your inner sanctum,
Waiting for directions
to get me safely through enemy lines.
You can’t see it, but Wicked, Hot-Air-Boaster, Mischief-Maker and Truth-Bender are all capitalized. They are like named characters in the drama that is our lives.
But God once again shows us who is in charge, who has real, and ultimate authority. The psalm also lets us know where we are, and gives us some good advice. We are invited guests, unlike Wicked. An invited guest who is received into the “inner sanctum” and we’ve been promised a foolproof (thank
goodness!) plan to navigate the “enemy lines” of our lives. The second stanza holds the advice (which is echoed in many other passages), leave the pieces of your life on God’s altar, and keep watch.
So, God is in charge. And has the ultimate authority. And is in command of all things. Right. Clearly this is the case in our first old testament lesson about Ahab, Jezebel and Naboth. Ahab wants what he can not have. What I didn’t understand at first about this was this - at the time, in Jewish tradition a
person couldn’t just sell their land, it was held by them in trust almost, for their family’s sake. For future generations. So, selling it, or trading it was out of the question. Naboth wasn’t just being fussy, he was on the right side of the law on this one. Ahab, couldn’t have it, until Jezebel fixes it all up for
him. God is not impressed, sends Elijah to chat with him. and set him straight on the consequences of his actions. Bam - where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, they’ll be doing the same with yours. Ouch! What the lesson doesn’t tell
us is that Ahab goes on to be penitent, and God is merciful to Ahab. Jezebel, not so much. Anyway, once again, God is clearly in charge in this passage.
In the second lesson Paul does go on a bit (as he is wont!) but the gist of this passage - I think, anyway - is that God set this whole thing up, and we need to have faith that God knows the business of being God. So, having said that, and
knowing that Jesus has paid up front for our tickets, there isn’t anything we can do to drive this relationship. Once again, God has the key. We just need to trust Jesus to get the job done, because clearly we are unable to get it together, Law or no law, our efforts are not the key “because no one will be justified by the works of the law.” At the time, Paul and the early christians in Galatia and elsewhere, were dealing
with the influx of non jews into the christian fold, and they were just trying to work things out. The last line in the passage, “for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” reassures us that we shouldn’t feel bad that we can’t save ourselves, the jews had The Law, and if they weren't saved by that, then nothing but Jesus will!
*
there is more interesting stuff here, but no time to work it in - so lets talk about this sometime over coffee!
Speaking of Jesus ... Our gospel from Luke is a vivid story that uses a situation with Simon the Pharisee, where Jesus is preaching to him through the genuine gratitude shown by the woman in our story. She has been forgiven much, and is
moved to such depths of gratitude that she washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and dries them with her hair. She anoints his feet with healing, and I’m assuming wonderful smelling ointment. It’s messy. As living often is. And Simon, sits
back and judges her to be sinful, and he wonders why Jesus lets her even come close to Him, let alone touch him, and contaminate him. Jesus feels that Simon clearly doesn’t get it. Simon needs a story of his own. He learns. How often have we played the role of Simon, judging others? The unnamed woman isn’t there to seek something from Jesus, she was there to give Him something, her Gratitude. She was in touch with it, and she willingly, overwhelmingly, shared it with Jesus.
Again, echoing our second reading, that rule-following, or subscribing to a certain theology will not be saving us, but Jesus will. We are saved by Grace alone. Once again, God’s in charge. Now, the first three verses of the next chapter have been tacked on to this challenging story, and I had a hard time figuring out why it was there. I listened to the podcast on the workingpreacher that suggested that a whole sermon could be made of these three verses. One that
explored that women were everywhere in Jesus’ story - from Mary, his mother, to Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna to the “many others”, Jesus was followed by, supported, cared for and financed by women. It wasn’t as one of the podcast commentators said, Jesus just going around doing his thing with these 12 guys. There was a movement, and Jesus had more than just a few young men convinced!
One of the commentators suggested that if we were going to be familiar with the names of the apostles, we should be familiar with the names of the women that figured large in Jesus’ life and ministry! I quite agree.
If there has to be conclusion to this sermon it is to remind us all once again of our psalm this morning. Lay it all out for God, trust that you’ve been given the right invitation into the best house ever, and have faith that God has a plan
for you through the “enemy lines” of your life!
amen.
Erin Seigmiller
John 13 31 - 35 A New Command
Good morning! What a roundup of lessons we have to ponder today! Our psalm this morning a joyous parade of praise! I can just see it - the birth of the new order - all things new as in our second lesson from Revelation. Who’s there? Well,everyone actually. Our first lesson this morning from Acts has God busting open his covenant to all peoples, extending the promise to the gentile! All creatures great and small, all people far and near, giving praise and being joyfully alive in God’s love. What an awesome way of showing thanks and honouring God’s promise than by honouring Jesus’ command for us to love one another and all creation, as he has loved us.
So Nancy tells me that I need to start with the bad news. I have read and reread this passage, it’s kinda complicated, and here’s what I learned: God does things differently. Really different.
1) Our gospel lesson today starts with a preamble to the bad news. It is an explanation, a foreshadowing of what has happened (Jesus marks the one who is to betray him, and send him on his way to commit the deed and seal the deal) and is about to happen, his death and subsequent glory. And in saying all this, Jesus also gives credit to God
2) The “bad” news here - Jesus announces his departure and tells his disciples that he is going where they can not, and they will be unable to find him, is not really bad news - not to us it isn’t because we know how it all plays out. They must have been confused and devastated. But we know this is really the Good News in disguise.
3) So if the bad news is really good, then where is the bad news here?
I don’t really want to say, The bad news is love. What ??? But love is easy. Isn’t it?
Love, love, love. It makes the world go round, can stop you in your tracks! and will keep us together. Powerful stuff this love. But, it’s everywhere! So much so, that love has almost become flippant and fickle. A cavalier, almost throw away word. “I love that dress” “Try it, you’ll love it” “Just love your new hair cut”
Jesus says, “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another.” Ouch, Clearly I don’t love your new hair cut as much as Jesus has loved us, me. These are really two different ideas. Maybe we need some new words. Agape is the love meant here. Practical love. A desire to share love with those around you. But be careful - Jesus makes his most difficult challenges look easy. If you mistook “I love your new hair cut” for agape, Jesus’ difficult command, don’t worry, it’s easy to do. I don’t know about you, but I think of “loving” the world full of people, I try and buy fair trade, we contribute to charities and volunteer, but really, does it measure up to Jesus’ example? No way, and in no way could I ever hope my efforts to measure up. Jesus asks us to love even the ones who don’t love us, who hurt us, who betray us. The new command comes at the last supper, after Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, setting the example. Set yourself in the scene - the disciples, Jesus and the women have gathered for the passover meal. Jesus, who knows what’s about to happen, and how, and by whom, gathers his followers for a final time. He shows them with a powerful example how they are to live their lives in service to others. He washes their feet. All of them. Even Judas. Remember, Jesus knows that Judas is about to betray him, knows that Judas will set in motion events that were going to be difficult to face. Even for Jesus. So, that’s saying a lot. Yet, Jesus loves Judas, and shows this love to Judas and the others present as a lasting example of the cost of this love. It’s humbling.
Jesus goes on to say “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other.” Ohh, ouch. Double ouch actually. I KNOW that I haven’t always been guilty of this one. And taking a larger view, many outside the church point at this hypocrisy and won’t have it, won’t listen to the good news because we’re not living it, so, what’s so great about it? Fair question. In addition to infighting and the like, those outside the church stay away because they feel they aren’t welcome. Fair enough argument when Westburo baptist church people run around with “God hates fags” signs. We know this is not the case, but a few noisy bad apples have affected how the outside world sees us Christians. I don’t know how to make those who use God’s name to justify hate, violence oppression and injustice disappear. What I do know is, Jesus is calling me to go out into the world and one small act of agape at a time, show who we really are. Show who Jesus is, and like Jesus, love even the ones who hurt us.
4) Nancy also tells me I should end with the good news. The good news is we have the resurrection promised us, or at least the foretelling and advancement on the events that end in the events of Easter. AND we have a new command to follow AND an example of what to do. Promises, instruction and guidance. All good, but, since we already decided the good news is bad, and the bad news is good I find myself in a bit of a quandary. But don’t worry, as we are told in the passage from Revelation, God has things well in hand. The good news is difficult, but still good. But Erin, you say, I can’t love the lunatic who cut me off in traffic, or the stupid woman who stole my place in line, or the boss who bullies, or the friend who isn’t. How can I love that jerk? Here’s a suggestion that was given by me from a wonderful and devout anglican lady. A mentor to a friend who had seen plenty of grief and difficult people in her life. And here is what she said. Take a moment to think about someone in your life who challenges you to love them. Maybe it’s someone in your past, maybe not. Here is the good news - the solution to our quandary - pray for help with this situation. Resolution, forgiveness, peace - ask for whatever it is you need to be able to love this person. Sometimes, when the hurt is deep or comes from close quarters, that love is really hard to get ahold of, impossible almost. And sometimes, the best we can do is ask God to love them, because we just can not right now. I know there is other good news here. The foreshadowed resurrection is just one example. But no doubt, others could talk passionately about that. But I was struck once again by how God jumbles things up, one more example of how God gets things done differently. The good news is bad or at least super hard, and the bad news turns out so good. But once again, God provides the example in Jesus, gives us our marching orders and the help we need to meet the challenge. That sounds pretty good to me.
I want to leave you with this poem;
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
― Mother Teresa
Erin Seigmiller
Wow! Pentecost !! Tongues of fire resting on people’s head’s; joyful people declaring God’s love speaking in all languages; and, I’m told, it’s a wrapping up of the act of salvation - the final chapter in Jesus’ work here. The gifting of the Holy Spirit. I’m told that this is a toughy - thank goodness, being a rookie, I have no idea why that would be (although I learned a bit along the way)!
The experience of preaching has been quite eye opening - I really had no idea how much was packed into the service, until I started doing this. I have long suspected that there was an underlying theme to all the readings and lessons that precede the sermon. And while the last time I preached, Jesus pretty much dictated the theme with His Last Command. Love one another, so that all will know you are my disciples. Easy peasy.
Today’s lectionary not so much. At least, not for me. So I decided to unpack the lesson’s and see what’s in there.
Our first lesson is pretty terrifying! Tongues of fire resting on people’s head’s; Rushing winds, indoors; And accusations of public drunkenness first thing in the morning. There is also God opening the promise of salvation to all people - and as I read in one commentary - in case we missed it - the long list of place names in this reading should be a dead give-away. There is a nod to the prophet Joel whose prophecies are fulfilled through the Holy Spirit.
The second reading from Romans I read from our bulletin, and thought, well, that’s nice. But when I read it from The Message - it really spoke to me, so much so, that I would like to share it with you.
So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do it yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!
This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us -- an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! Romans 8 12 - 17, from The Message, Eugene H Peterson
Here we find a reminder of God’s promise of salvation through Jesus and all that that means. Bad and good. Here, I see the Holy Spirit as a gift to you Bobbi Jo, in fact, a gift to us all. An invitation to an adventure with God. Who know’s where we’ll end up! After all, the spirit will go where it will.
The Gospel. All I can say is I’m glad I wasn’t there, and I’m really glad I’m not Philip (although, sometimes maybe I am). Phillip says, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus must have been exasperated. Seriously, Philip. We’ve been together for so long, and you still don’t get it?? Jesus lays it out for Philip and for us, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” and he goes on to challenge Phil and us “but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.” He goes on to say that those who believe in him would do greater wonders in His name. He’s hinting at the invitation to adventure in the Holy Spirit that is to come on all who believe. Jesus then drops the A-bomb - or the F-bomb depending on which translation of the gospel you read. Jesus tells us that the Father is going to send the Advocate - or Friend (as I said, it just depends on which bible you’re reading from) that will come and “teach you everything”. The Holy Spirit! The tongues of fire at pentecost! That awe inspiring, all powerful, totally unimaginable and therefore endlessly surprising gift from God through Jesus.
Nowhere (and I reread the passage), does it promise comfort. But then, adventures are often uncomfortable. But, Jesus does offer us His Peace.
The Psalm. So I could pretty clearly see the connections between the first and second readings and the gospel. The Friend or Advocate or Holy Spirit comes as an unexpected kind of terrifyingly powerful gift that calls us to God’s adventure, keeps us company and looks after us, and helps us on the way to knowing and understanding Jesus’ instructions. But the psalm ... well, it’s a lovely hymn of praise. It mentions one of my favorite biblical figures, “Leviathan, which you made for the sport of it” But what does it have to do with the rest of the readings. What is here? The key actually. My Theme if you will “Don’t be afraid (which is the final word from our gospel) God’s got your back”, the underlying message of this morning’s psalm.
So we have all the components of the readings out on the table so to speak. What’s the bad news? What’s the good news?
The bad news, as usual, is that as humans, we’re not always with it, we often miss the point and are lacking for it. Things (sometimes bad and terrible and difficult and awful things - Leviathan things) happen that we have little or no control of, that are uncomfortable to say the least. This sentiment is (would have been by the author of the psalm) wrapped up in the imagery of the uncontrollable and devastatingly powerful sea. As disciples of Christ, we are told that we can expect no love from “the world (that) cannot receive (the holy spirit), because it neither sees him or knows him”. And that we are “joint heirs with Christ” both suffering with him but also enjoying our share of The Promise of salvation.
The Good news is that while we can expect a rough sea, and Leviathan times, there is the reassurance that God has things well under control. All creatures (including Leviathan, you and me) are well cared for, fed and renewed, through the gift of the indescribable and unexpected power of the Holy Spirit. The earth at God’s beck and call, and us, God’s children, cared for (and caring for each other), filled with joy and the peace of our Lord Jesus.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Amen
 John 8:31-36 Reformation Sunday
In talking to people inside and outside of the Church, I have come to the conclusion that there are two basic spiritual needs people have, and they are sometimes in conflict. We all have a basic need for security, and we all have a basic need for freedom.
Now, there are churches which offer people mostly security. They tend to be rigid in their beliefs, and offer a complete life-and-belief system which you have to buy as a complete package. You are not supposed to try to think things out for yourself, just accept everything they teach, do everything they say, and you will be saved. Many people find this very comforting. They don't have to work it out themselves, just accept it. You know a church is mostly offering security when their main evangelical emphasis appeals to fear: “Where are you going to spend eternity? In heaven or in hell?”And very often these churches are growing and thriving when other churches are in decline. A lot of people crave security and are willing to trade their freedom for it.
However, not everybody has an overriding desire for security. Many people find the rigidity and rule-following nature of these churches is oppressive and confining. That's one of the reasons many people don't go to church, in fact. The church of their childhood was oppressive, and they don't want to go there. Or they hear and read of churches like this – which tend to be more vocal in the media – and are horrified at the thought of getting into their clutches.
These people have a stronger yearning for freedom. They want to work things out for themselves, they don't want an institution telling them what to believe. They want to be able to do whatever they want, without worrying about whether it is against somebody's rules or not.
The trouble is, without God, there is no lasting freedom. Anybody active in AA or NA or any 12 step program will tell you that you have to put your trust in a higher power, or you will never be free of your addiction. And we are all addicted to sin. There is always something that trips you up, no matter what your standards or principles are. There are always instincts that get the best of us, selfishness that destroys relationships, fear and anger that interfere with our enjoyment of life. And so we don't have the freedom that we crave, after all.
I really think that God was puzzled by us humans. God created us for good, to be God's children and friends, and we turned aside and did all sorts of evil and violent things. God called Abraham to make a new kind of humanity, and still people went violently wrong, and his descendants ended up as slaves in Egypt. God freed them and gave them explicit instructions through the Law of Moses – and for the most part it failed to bring them closer to God. God sent prophets to point out where the people were going wrong – and that didn't work either. Finally God had to come down here Godself to tell us – and when God became human, then God understood. We are slaves to sin. We can't help it. No matter how hard we try, we are going to screw it up somehow.
I think it was at that point that God realized that we are the way we are because that's the way God made us. We are deeply flawed because that's the way we were born. So Jesus proclaimed that we were forgiven, but honestly, we found that hard to believe. That's the tragedy of humanity – we know what we should be like, but we cannot attain to it. So Jesus went to the cross, declared forgiveness even as they were killing him, took all the blame for all our sins on himself, so that we could finally really believe that God wasn't mad at us anymore – that God accepted the blame, that it was okay that we were not perfect. And it's at that point, when we become aware that we don't have to live in fear of death and God's judgement, that God loves us and wants us to be God's dear children – that's when we are freed. The Son has made us free, and we are free indeed.
And in finding this freedom, the freedom from guilt and shame, the freedom from fear and anger, the freedom to live life in love and acceptance and joy, we also find true security. Because no one is more secure than the one who knows that they live in God's love, which is stronger than death.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains shake in the depths of the sea...”
“The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”
Therefore we will not fear, though our congregation seems to be dissolving and disintegrating. Therefore we will not fear, though we don't have enough money to pay the pastor any more. Therefore we will not fear, though a host of personal troubles assails us. The Lord of hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our stronghold!
And because God discovered that we really can't help screwing up all the time, God said, “What they need is a piece of me inside them!” So God sent us the Holy Spirit to be inside us, changing us from the inside out. So we don't have to try and try to live up to what God wants – God is making it happen as we live and pray and help one another out. We don't have to go by what someone else says. “No longer shall they teach one another, saying, Know the Lord!” But we all know within ourselves that God is with us, freeing us, leading us, loving us.
Our neighbours need to know this. Many of our neighbours are still living lives of desperation, still slaves to sin, living in fear. We are a part of God's solution. As God became human to rescue us, we can reach out to others with that same rescue. We can say, “Your freedom is here. Your security is here. Yes, you can have it all. It is found in Jesus.” Thanks be to God! Amen.
 Mark 10:17-31
What an idiotic thing for James and John to ask! Especially after the passage that is just before this one, which reads,
“ They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again."”
And then, “James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."
They just don't get it, do they? Or maybe in horror they just glossed over all the mocking, spitting, flogging and killing, and just focused on the rising again. Maybe they thought they could just stand back and watch all the bad stuff, and get into the good stuff later. Obviously the glory part is what they wanted.
And are we all that much different? We want the glory and resurrection, certainly! And yes, they will be ours. But the way to all that glory is not so pleasant. We don't get to just sit back and watch.
Following Jesus means following Jesus, including going to the cross. And although nobody is threatening to execute us, what we are called to do can still be pretty painful. “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.”
Now being a servant is often not very much fun. It means putting what you want to do aside, and doing what someone else wants you to do. People do this all the time, of course. Nowadays we call it having a job. And the reason “thank God it's Friday” is such a popular saying is because it is the time when you can stop doing what someone else wants, and do your own thing. And this is good, we all need a Sabbath, a day off.
Nothing wrong with that.
But Jesus wants James and John, and all of us, to pay more attention to our job as disciples. It is to be a servant of all. It is to do things that other people want done for them. We often like to do things for people, but it is usually the things that we think they should like. How many times have you had someone do something for you, and it was exactly the wrong thing? The person didn't really know what you wanted, and took a guess, and guessed wrong. My mother always used to give me money to buy Christmas gifts for my children from her, because she said she had no idea what they would want or like. Wise woman!
The thing is, being a servant means knowing what the person you are serving wants and needs. A waiter in a restaurant who gets the customers' orders all mixed up is not going to get very many tips. So the key to being a good servant is to pay close attention to what the other person really needs.
Jesus knew what we needed. It was not another King to lord it over us the way kings usually do. We needed to be shown that power-tripping is not the way to happiness. We needed to be shown that violence does not solve problems. We needed to be shown that peace lies in being forgiven and in forgiving others. We needed to be shown that God loves us so much that God would even die for us.
So Jesus went to the cross, willingly, to teach us all that. He came not to be served but to serve. And he still serves us, still teaches us, still calls us to be reconciled to God. And he still calls us to carry out his work of serving the world.
And of course the key to doing this successfully, is to pay close attention to what the world needs. We can't just assume that our neighbours need to come to church on Sundays. We have to find out from them, what their actual needs are. That means we have to talk to them. We have to be curious about their problems and their concerns. We have to learn to think about what God may have to offer them in the difficult paths of their lives. And then we have to learn how to offer God's help, in very real terms.
This may mean offering to pray for them or their loved ones – many people really appreciate this. Or it may mean offering some more concrete help. Even bothering to find out what's going on in their lives might in itself be a help, as they discover that someone really cares about them.
And this is the big payoff. As we get to know our neighbours better, we develop a relationship with them. And relationships of love enrich our lives in so many ways. What seemed a burden in the beginning can turn into a joy.
Our congregation has made some efforts in the last while to find out just what it is that the people around us want and need. We have been asking them just what their spiritual needs are and how we can help. We are not here to organize the kind of worship service that we like, just because we like it. We are here to serve our neighbours. And then God will have the glory. Thanks be to God. Amen.
 Mark 10:17-31 October 14 2012
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” That is one of the basic questions that all religions try to answer. We want to know that we go to a better place when we die, and so religions try to give us some direction on how we should live to make that a certainty. But this young man was not convinced. Even though he had followed all the commandments of his religion faithfully, he still did not have the certainty he craved.
And many of us feel the same way sometimes. Many people, if you ask them if they think they are going to heaven, will say, “Well I think so. I hope so.” It is not a matter of certainty.
The young man said, “What must I DO?” You see, if it all hinges on what we do, there can never be any certainty. Because no matter how carefully we avoid doing the things we know we shouldn't, there are always accidents. And no matter how hard we try to always do the right thing, sometimes there are grey areas where it is very hard to see what the right thing is. And no matter how much good we try to do for others, there is always more that could be done. Have I done enough? Could I try a little harder? Yes of course. But no one has the strength to do all that could be done. That's why, in the prayer of confession we said at the beginning of the service, we confessed that we have sinned by what we have done and by what we have left undone. If it all depends on what we do or don't do, we fail every time.
This young man tried so hard, and Jesus looked at the young man, and loved him. It was not because he tried so hard that Jesus loved him, but in spite of the fact that he tried so hard. And Jesus said to him, “One thing you lack... come, follow me.” Oh yes, he said all the rest to him as well, all that about selling all that he had and giving to the poor. That would be necessary if he were to follow Jesus. But the whole point of the selling and the giving was so that he could follow Jesus.
You see, inheriting something does not depend on what you do. It depends on who you are. I inherited from my mother, not because I took her into my home and took care of her. Her will was drawn up long before I did that, and I didn't get a penny extra because of it. She left me my inheritance simply because I was her daughter. It was the relationship that generated the inheritance.
And Jesus wanted such a relationship with the rich young man. He wanted him to follow him, that is, to be his disciple, to live with him, to learn from him, to do whatever he did, and go wherever he went. This is what Jesus wants of us, too. To live with him, to learn from him, to do whatever he did, to go wherever he went. This is what is means to be a disciple.
And this is what gives us the certainty of eternal life. It's not because of what we do, it's because of who we are. And when we are followers of Jesus, we have this relationship with Jesus which is stronger even than death. It is eternal life, not only after death, but even before death, life in Jesus, life with God.
And what is true of individuals is also true of the Church. Does our congregation please God? Is God going to save our church? Well, it is not because of anything we do that God loves our congregation. It is because we belong to God, that we are Our Saviour's church, that God loves us. And it is because God loves us that God is showing us all sorts of things that God wants done in the world. It is because God loves us that God calls us to the enormous privilege of doing God's own work.
It is not because we are doing all these things that God loves us; we are doing these things because we are following Jesus. Yes, we have had to give up a lot of things in order to do this following. We even had to make up our minds to give up our building. We have had to have to give up our comfort zones and take on new challenges and new responsibilities. We have had to say goodbye to friends whom God was calling to go to other congregations. Sometimes giving things up is necessary in order to follow Jesus. But we have his promise: “There is no one who has left house, or brothers or sisters, or mother or father, or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold, now in this age.” Thanks be to God. Amen.
 Matthew 6:25-33
Thanksgiving October 7 2012
So here is another Thanksgiving rolling around, and we look around to see what we have to be thankful for. Well, the world hasn't come to an end, World War Three hasn't broken out – yet – so things could be worse! But many of us are struggling with our health, or our life situations. And we look around the church and things have certainly been better.
The people that Joel is talking to in the first reading have certainly seen better times, too. They have experience a great calamity – swarms of locusts. When locusts swarm, they devastate the landscape, eating every scrap of green. They come by the tens of thousands, they are everywhere, eating everything - “my great army, which I sent against you” says the Lord.
This brings up the question, “Did God actually do this to the people?” It's one thing to suffer a natural disaster – something that just happens, an earthquake or a flood. It's not a judgement on us. But it's another thing when we start to suspect that God is punishing us in some way. That messes up our relationship to God. But that is exactly what this text says.
When calamity comes upon us, that is a question that we also may ask, or that at least is lurking in the back of our minds: “Why is God doing this to me?” Of course some times God isn't doing it at all, God is just not interfering with the course of nature – and sometimes allowing us to experience the consequences of our own actions. But every calamity is a wake-up call for us. It is an opportunity to examine our lives and see if there is anything we should change. And that's always a good thing spiritually.
That's been our experience here in this congregation for the past couple of years, too. We look around and it kinda feels like there has been a swarm of locusts that have eaten away the congregation. And this calamity has caused us to examine our life as a church. We have pondered what our purpose as a church is, what God's purpose for us is. We have looked at the neighbourhood to try to see how God wants us to reach out to the people who never come to church. We have tried to see how we could be a different kind of church, a priesthood of all believers that is not dependent on professional clergy.
And so today, we hear a message of hope. We hear God declare through Joel, “I will repay you for the years the swarming locust has eaten... and my people shall never again be put to shame.” “O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has give the early rain for your vindication... My people shall never again be put to shame.”
And indeed, there are a few signs of growth among us, like tiny sprouts of green popping out of the ruined landscape. Some of our young adults have decided to start a KAIROS local committee, and nurture their spiritual lives in that way. The house church that meets Thursdays at Mary's has started to grow. We got another volunteer from the community for Cubs. It's not a full harvest, not yet, but it is a sign of hope in the midst of our weary struggle.
So as Jesus says, we can stop worrying! Worry never helps anything anyway. God is providing for our every need, in fact, God has already provided everything we need to do what God has planned for us. It is time to stop looking at what we don't have, and start looking at what we do have. As Jesus says, it is the gentiles, those who don't know God, who are always worrying about where they are going to get all they need. We know where all our blessings come from. We know that God is taking care of us. So therefore, we can look around at what we have, and be grateful.
Look at what we have: We have a good building that can be used by even more of our friends in other groups. We have some wonderful, talented people. We have good solid theology. And most of all, we have the assurance that God has called us and chosen us, has adopted us and put God's spirit upon us, that God has forgive all our sins and put our feet on right paths.
“Seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness.” God spoke these words to me a long time ago, or rather, when I read them in the Bible, God highlighted them for me and made me understand that this was a job offer straight from God. And that is God's marching orders for us as a congregation, too. “Seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness.” We don't even have to find them, just seek them.
So where is God's kingdom? Where should we begin looking? We know from other parts of scripture that God is found among the lost and powerless people. We know that God's kingdom is found among the children, for example. And among the poor. And where is God's righteousness? It is found only in Jesus Christ, and is given to us as a free gift, so that we can live in right relationship with every other part of God's creation.
As a congregation, we are making some steps to seek God's kingdom and God's righteousness. We gather to hear the Good News and to accept the forgiveness of sins that gives us God's righteousness. And we are going out into the neighbourhood to find what God is doing out there in God's kingdom. We are welcoming the neighbourhood children to Beavers and Cubs. We are welcoming the neighbourhood families to Messy Church. We are welcoming our neighbours who have struggled with addictions, not only to NA on Tuesday nights, but also now on Friday nights. We are inviting our neighbours who are concerned about Peace and Justice issues, to a new KAIROS group.
And some of us spend all day quilting so that refugees can have warm coverings.
Is it enough? We have God's promise: “Seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness, and everything else will be given to you as well.” So we know that God has already given us everything we need for our quest, and will give us everything else we need as we go forward.
Remember, this is Our Saviour's church, and it only has one Saviour, and that is Jesus Christ. We don't have to save the church, that's God's job. Our job is to rest in the knowledge that God will provide. Thanks be to God! Amen.
 Mark 9: 38-50 September 30 2012
In my conversations with people who are outside the church, over and over I encounter people who do not go to church, people who don't even believe in God, and all because of the behaviour of some Christians they have met. I met a man last week who grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, but now does not go to church because he married a non-Catholic and his church does not consider his marriage valid. I know a woman who does not believe in God because all she knows of the church are the rantings of certain televangelists who seem to be anti-almost-everything – especially freedom. And there are the parents who won't trust their children to the church because of all the cases of pedophilia they have heard about. And if you talk to enough people, you are bound to encounter one who will throw the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition in your face.
It's very hard to be held accountable for all the sins of everybody who every claimed to share your faith. And it doesn't really seem to help to declare, “But WE'RE not like that here!” People don't trust Christians because they have seen the very worst of Christians. And I don't blame them.
In fact, it is very easy to fall into behaviour that really puts other people off. Sometimes, when I come to church, and people are feeling anxious, and there is a lot of complaining going on, I'm really glad that there are no newcomers with us that day. What a terrible thing, to be glad nobody new came! But sometimes, the way we go on, it's just better that a new person doesn't get the wrong first impression!
Negative talk; fighting among ourselves; complaining; complaining about the weather, complaining about politics, complaining about our aches and pains – and I am just as guilty as anybody else – these are things that make us not very pleasant to be around. So no wonder people are staying away. No wonder God doesn't send any new people to us. Our own attitudes are a stumbling block, a stumbling block that would drive people away and not let them hear the Good News.
This is serious, folks. Jesus uses very strong language against anything that would interfere with one of the little ones, the ones not strong in faith, the ones who are just starting to learn about trusting God. What a terrible thing it would be if we stood before God, and God said to us, “Do you remember that young man who grew up in your congregation? I wanted him to be a Pastor. But he was so disgusted with your behaviour that he decided I didn't even exist and spent his life in sinful indulgence. And do you remember that woman who came to your church once? She felt insulted by your attitudes and never came back, indeed, never dared to try any other congregation. She died alone, with no one to pray for her.” Wouldn't that be an awful thing to hear when we finally come into God's presence?
Well, are you squirming? So am I. It seems hardly possible to even belong to a church without putting some people off. None of us is perfect, and we all get crabby from time to time. We get critical of other churches, mostly because of our own insecurity. If they are doing church differently from us, maybe their way is better, but that can't be, so we feel we have to criticize them in order to maintain our trust in our own traditions. And even with the best of intentions, those carefully maintained traditions can also put some people off, because they don't understand them and are a little intimidated by them. What are we to do?
There is only one way to avoid being a stumbling block to people, to being Bad News to them. And that is to be Good News. The word Gospel means, “Good News”. Jesus is Good News to the world. And we are the Body of Christ, which means that we are Good News too.
And there is only one way we can be Good News to the people around us, and that is for us to be the Body of Christ, to imitate what Jesus did, to be filled with Jesus. And to do that we have to look at Jesus, only Jesus, instead of at ourselves and at other people. When we look at Jesus, when we are in love with Jesus, it changes us. It changes our attitudes and our behaviour. It makes us into Good News.
“Have salt within yourself and be at peace with one another!” says Jesus. That reminds me of the other saying about salt, that we are salt for the world and light for the world. Salt preserves food, salt is necessary for life, and darn it! It just tastes good. When our lives become tasteless and boring, or difficult and scary, the zip, the enjoyment, goes out of our lives. We lose that saltiness that keeps us in good humour with each other, ready to forgive, ready to enjoy our differences.
It is God's love, God's inexpressable love for us, that gives us that saltiness that we need. We receive it by praying, by reading the stories of Jesus, by helping one another, by telling each other what God has done for us in the past.
Yes, our lives are full of anxiety and pain, perplexity and regrets. But whenever we start to feel these threats to our saltiness, it is important to remember to stop for a moment and lift everything up to God. To take our eyes off whatever is bothering us, and to look to Jesus.
The thing that is dominating our mind and making us crabby may seem like the most important thing at the moment. It may seem as important as our right hand, or our foot, or our eye – something we just can't do without. But Jesus says, “no, you CAN do without it. If something is making you Bad News to other people, you MUST do without it. Cut it off! Cast it out! Turn your mind to God's love and care, and you will never even miss it.”
I long for the day when a new person will walk into our midst, and by the joy and the caring he feels among us, he will get a glimpse of heaven. By the humour and acceptance she feels, she will know God's love. And God will add to our number daily those who are being saved. Thanks be to God. Amen.
 Mark 9:30-37 September 23 2012
My dog has this thing about dominance. Maybe because he's a poofy poodle, but every time he meets another dog, he seems to feel that he has to prove how macho he is. And dog psychologists tell us, that dogs have a very strong instinct to know exactly who dominates who in the pack. Cesar Millan tells us the way to have a happy dog, is to make it clear to the dog that you are the pack leader.
Dogs are not the only ones who have an instinct to dominate others. People do, too. I remember hearing about one such conflict in this very congregation, between a former pastor and a former treasurer, about who got possession of a certain room. Did you notice, when I came here, for months I would not even use that room, and when I did I made sure there was a key that was available to anyone. I was just not going to get involved in that sort of dispute. I am not a dog, even if I do wear a “dog-collar”.
Dominance disputes like this can be very subtle, especially among women. We started in Junior High, jockeying for status, about who was in the “in” group, about who was “cool”. And in churches, people can usually tell you who has the power, and it's not always the pastor or the Council. People get power in subtle ways, and people who have power are not always willing to let go of it.
It is not surprising that the disciples were discussing who was the “greatest”, that is, who was the leader of the group. Last week we heard how Peter, who had been the leader, had put his foot in his mouth in a big way, by rebuking Jesus for predicting his suffering and death. Jesus very deliberately, and in the presence of the other disciples, put Peter down, calling him Satan, and saying that he was thinking in human ways, not as God thinks. So Peter had been pretty much demoted, and so the others were talking about, well, who was leader now? I can just imagine Peter, sulking, tagging along after the others, listening in to this conversation with a very grumpy expression on his face.
Jesus knows what's up, and so he asks them what they were talking about. They have the good grace to be embarrassed at the question.
The thing is, we are not dogs. Being the leader, being most important, being the greatest, may be an instinct we share with dogs. But we are humans. Jesus came to save us, and one of the things he saves us from is our instincts. We are no longer slaves to the flesh, as St Paul says over and over. Or, as James says in our second reading, the wisdom that engages in “bitter envy and selfish ambition is earthly, unspiritual, devilish... But the wisdom from above, [from God,] is pure, peaceable, gentle and willing to yield.”
As Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Even that can be misinterpreted and made into just another way to jockey for position. You sometimes see this in churches, where some people think that everybody should defer to them because they work harder than anybody else in the church. I don't think that's what Jesus meant.
Jesus himself, even though he was God, put aside all the power of God to become human. Jesus didn't push himself forward or insist on privileges. Jesus chose to hang around with losers and people with no power, treating them with respect and going out of his way to help them.
Jesus even showed respect for children, who in those days were less important that even slaves. And he taught his disciples to treat all such with respect, to welcome the least important people, because that would be the same as welcoming him, indeed, welcoming God into our lives.
The ones who actually get to meet God in this life are the ones who have given up on asserting themselves and seeking power. They are the ones who look at their neighbours, not as a means to get more influence, but simply as other people who have needs, other people who are also children of God.
What is true for individuals is also true for the church. A lot of churches fall into the trap of playing “who's the greatest”. They compare notes about who has the biggest worship attendance, the nicest building, the biggest budget, the busiest pastor. Which is the most successful church in town?
Jesus says, “You're asking the wrong question. It's not about who is largest or most successful in earthly terms. It's about who is being the servant of all.”
We look around at our low numbers here and can't help wondering if we are failing. But when I go to gatherings of other pastors and tell them what we are doing, they are amazed. We have so few people, yet we do so much in the community. We are not focused on being the greatest, we are focused on what we can do to serve others. And that is what Jesus values the most. We are not failing, we are succeeding – in doing what God wants us to do.
It is said that the door to heaven is very low, so that only the humble can enter. James says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” This is not done by trying to climb up to the heights of power where we imagine God must live. It is done by associating with the least and the lost, for that is where Jesus promises to be. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me, but the one who sent me.”
And do you know why this is? Because as we become more welcoming, we become more like God! God is the one who longs for God's children to return home, who eagerly gathers us together for feasting and fellowship, who even put aside all the power of God to become human, just so that we might know God. So as God's own rescued and adopted and beloved children, let us grow up to be like our heavenly Father.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
 Mark 8:27-38 September 16 2012
“Who do people say that I am?” asks Jesus. Maybe he's overheard people talking about him, maybe he's just curious. He wants to know the latest gossip about himself. And what do his disciples say? John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Heroes of the faith. People can see that Jesus is somebody special, that he has what it takes to be a hero.
We have heard a lot about heroes lately. Of course last Tuesday there was much remembrance of the heroes of nine eleven, you know, the fire fighters and first responders who went into harm's way in the Twin Towers, and never came out. They gave their lives trying to help others. That makes them heroes in our eyes.
And think about who your own personal heroes are. Was it your mother, who always thought of the rest of the family and made sure everybody's needs were met, before even thinking of her own comfort or pleasure? Was it your grandfather who came to a new land and worked hard through terrible conditions so that his family could thrive? Or is it a friend who, although struggling with a life-threatening illness, always has a cheerful word and a smile for the people who encounter her. Heroism comes in many forms.
And Jesus starts to tell his disciples just what form his heroism is going to take. Jesus is telling them that he must undergo great suffering, and be rejected, and be killed. It is as if he is accepting the definition of the crowds, that he is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets. Okay, he is saying, I AM one of the heroes of the faith. But you know how those people got to be heroes? They had to suffer for it. And I am going to suffer too. Like Elijah who underwent great suffering. Like Amos and Jeremiah who were rejected by the religious authorities. Like John the Baptist who was killed. Like... well, like no one else ever, who rose again three days later.
And what does Peter do? He takes Jesus aside and tries to talk him out of it! It is as if he is saying, “No, Jesus, you don't have to suffer to be a hero. In fact, you don't have to be a hero.” No wonder Jesus lashed out at him! Called him Satan! That's pretty strong. But Satan is a tempter, and no doubt Jesus, deep down inside, didn't want to go the way of suffering. Nobody wants to suffer. But sometimes, if we do the right thing, we know that suffering is going to find us. That doesn't mean we should turn aside from doing the right thing.
And Jesus said, “Get behind me!” The Greek words for behind me are “Opiso me”. And Jesus says exactly the same words, “Opiso me” in the very next sentence... “If any want to become my followers.” Literally, the words are, “If anyone wants to come behind me.” That was Peter's problem. He was getting ahead of Jesus, trying to lead Jesus in the way he thought best. But Jesus calls us to get in behind him. Follow him. Do what he does.
That means that Jesus is calling us to be heroes like him! Now, you may say, “Oh no, I'm not cut out to be a hero. I'm not brave like that. And besides, I like my comfort zone.” But people, this is not optional. This is how to be a disciple. And that's what a Christian is. A disciple.
So this is a hard thing that Jesus is saying. “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
There has been research done into what makes people happy. And the the results show that it is not money, or fame, or family, or a good job, that make people feel really happy. The happiest people are people who feel that their lives have meaning, who have given their lives to a cause that is bigger than them, who have devoted their lives to serving others. “Those who lose their life for my sake, and the sake of the gospel, will save it.”
Look at it this way: Jesus is offering us a chance to become heroes. As we said before, there are many different ways to be a hero. And there is a way that is perfect for you.
Mostly we don't have to go looking for our crosses. Life puts all sorts of suffering in our way. I learned of an interesting prayer the other day, it's called the welcoming prayer. This is a prayer you pray when life hands you something you would really rather not face; you know the kind of thing: the illness, the pain, the difficult person, the awkward situation. This prayer welcomes whatever it is into your life, so that you can work towards acceptance of it. What? Acceptance? That does not means saying something like, “well, I have cancer, I guess I'm going to die.” It means the acceptance of the challenge that this unwanted situation presents. It means acceptance of the work that it is going to take to get through it. It means taking up your cross.
But what if your life is just fine, thank you, and you have many blessings and everything is going well for a change? There are still crosses out there for you to take up. There are crosses that are borne by other people, who could really use some help. There are situations of pain or injustice where you can walk beside a person and be God's hands and feet and voice, sustaining the weary. There are always things, large and small, that each one of us can do to make the world a better place.
One of my favourite heroes was a man named Maximillian Kolbe, a Roman Catholic priest in Poland. During the second world war, he was imprisoned in Auchschwitz for his anti-Nazi work. One day some prisoners escaped, and the guards chose at random 20 other prisoners to be put to death in retaliation. The man standing next to Father Kolbe was chosen, and broke down in tears because he had a wife and children. Father Kolbe was in the habit of helping others, so without even thinking he said to the guard, “Take me instead.” And that is how he became a martyr.
Because it is the little things we do every day, that make us the people we are. Little acts of giving, all add up, day by day, to make us heroes. So when the big sacrifice or the big challenge comes along, we are able to step up to the plate and bat it out of the ballpark.
Only God knows what you are facing right now. Only God knows what you will have to face tomorrow. Luckily, only God can work within us to make us the kind of hero that can deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. Thanks be to God.
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