When will these things be?

 Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

If I ask you, “What time is it?” How do you respond? (9:50 am, time for the sermon, etc) Those answers are about chronos / chronological time. It’s the time we live in, day after day. We set our clocks in accordance with a standard set by an official person. If we travel east or west, we need to adjust our clocks to the local time.

We spend our day focused on time – when to get up, when to eat or feed the family, when to go to work or church, when to go to bed, and so forth. We try not to be late, or too early. We calculate how long it takes to get somewhere. Recently, L moved from 5 minutes away to 10 minutes away from the church, and it was an adjustment.

When he walked the earth, teaching and preaching and healing, Jesus lived in chronos time. Of course, there weren’t clocks in the ancient world; the sun told people and critters what time it was. Jesus rose before dawn to pray, he noticed when it was meal time, and when it was time to be home or set up camp for the night.

… There are other words for time, that refer to other aspects of time. The Greek word Kairos refers to an opportune moment in chronological time. Joyce and I had known each other when our children were in elementary school. She and her family moved and we lost touch. Forty years later, she had no way of knowing I had been divorced and had gone to seminary and was now a pastor with a new husband. Joyce and her husband Ned were looking to buy a home in Florida and looking for the best location. I was in the office the day they came in to check out the church near their prospective home, and now the four of us get together regularly sharing meals and stories. Our meeting in the church was a Kairos moment.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus uses what is happening as a Kairos teaching moment. There were some men prepared to stone a woman for adultery. Jesus heard the story, stooped to write something in the dust, and the men suddenly disappeared. Jesus instructed the woman to change her life.

… The Greek word aion, or aionios, refers to eternity, forever. It is a relative term, for us humans who exist in chronos time. For children waiting for Santa, Thanksgiving to Christmas is an eternity. The last month of pregnancy is an eternity. Ten courses of radiation or chemotherapy is an eternity. Getting our home rebuilt after a hurricane is an eternity.

In Bible terms, aionios starts “In the beginning…” as Genesis 1 says, that God made everything that is. As we study the Nicene Creed, we discover that it is almost impossible to comprehend that Jesus is God, from the beginning.

In the West, we tend to think of time as linear. One thing follows another, and is only slightly connected to the past. We remember Easter, but we don’t relive the grief of his death, so we don’t feel the true joy of his resurrection. In Jewish thinking, the present and the past are connected. Jews observe Passover each year and relive the past, so their celebration is a reliving of the freedom found in following Moses out of Egypt.

And beyond that, when we think of time as cyclical, as eternal, we can more easily imagine Jesus showing up in a Kairos era, living a chronological life and dying, to return to the eternity of God’s time. At the same time, Jesus is still God, because he lives eternally as God.

Every year on the first Sunday of Advent, the readings are chosen to help us understand Jesus' place in God’s history. Jesus cautions the disciples, “Stay awake. Stay alert. Because you don’t know when or how God’s reign will show up.” The disciples and Paul live and think in chronos time. They expect Jesus to return chronologically soon, because it is what they understand, even though Jesus said several times, only God knows the time.

… Two thousand years after Jesus, there are still people trying to predict when Jesus will show up. For me, Jesus returned in the resurrection and the forty days between then and the ascension. And then, he returned with the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Through the gift of the Holy Spirit we see Jesus all the time, if we are paying attention, in Kairos moments. I often hear stories of Jesus showing up at hospital bedsides or cemeteries, reassuring the sick or grieving of God’s love. Jesus shows up when we give a dollar to a homeless person on the corner. Jesus shows up when we reach out to include an outsider in whatever we are doing.

We believe Jesus shows up in the anointing oil for healing. And we believe he is present in the bread and wine or juice of Holy Communion. We can feel Jesus touch us with the oil on our foreheads, and with the bread swimming in our blood to all parts of our bodies, from our lips to our fingers and toes.

… Since Jesus is more likely to show up in kairos moments of our daily chronological lives, it’s important that we pay attention, keep alert, to what is happening around us. Zachaeus was a small-sized man, and he struggled to see what was happening because taller people blocked his view. He climbed a tree, and saw Jesus. What’s more, Jesus saw him in the tree and invited himself to lunch at Zachaeus’ house.

When we are actively watching for Jesus, we may just spot him, and amazing things could happen. Amen

 

How does Christ reign in your life?

 

Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43

Unlike most of the festivals in the Church year, today’s Feast of Christ the King is a relatively recent addition to the Church calendar. Just over 100 years ago, in 1922, Pope Pius XI published an encyclical named Ubi Arcano, in which he urged people to seek the peace of Christ. It was written in the aftermath of World War I, and after the fall of several powerful ruling families, including the Hapsburgs and the Romanovs.  In contrast, Pope Pius pointed to a kingdom which will have no end.

In 1925, Pius published Quas Primus, another encyclical in which Pius established the Feast of Christ the King. Its message countered the increasing secularization and nationalism of the world. So, the Feast of Christ the King is intended to declare to the world that Jesus the Christ is the everlasting ruler over all people and powers, much better than any earthly king or ruler could ever be.  

… Even with this explanation, I still struggle with the title of Christ the King. Everything I read in scripture tells me that being a king is the last thing on Jesus’ mind. He calls stinky fishermen and treasonous tax collectors to help in his ministry; he eats in a field with the poorest people; he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a steed; he challenges social norms by healing on the sabbath; and so forth. Faced with death, he submits to torture and crucifixion with few words of defense.  In Philippians, Paul quotes a hymn in which Jesus empties himself of his divinity and humbles himself to the point of death.

These are not the behaviors and attitudes of a wanna-be king, in the usual sense of what kings are like. For thousands of years, even the best kings and elected leaders have ruled with power over everyone else.  They have fought hard to maintain status and control, and get rid of any who were perceived as threats. They punished or forgave based on how it would benefit them.

In contrast, Jesus allowed himself to be ridiculed, tortured, and put to death. From the cross, he offered grace to his family and followers. He forgave the criminal who believed in him and promised him paradise after death. He asked God the Father to forgive those who were killing God the Son, because they didn’t know it was part of God’s plan.

… So, Jesus reigns from the donkey, from the picnic blanket, and especially from the cross. We can look again to Pope Pius for what it means to us that Jesus reigns over all that is. I have adapted his formal words in Quas Primus #33 for this sermon.

·       Jesus reigns in our minds as we affirm the truths he taught with his life, death and resurrection.

·       Jesus reigns in our wills as we obey the commandments.

·       Jesus reigns in our hearts as we love God above all things and cling to him alone.

·       Jesus reigns in our bodies as we seek the sanctification of our souls and justice for God’s people.

In other words, Jesus asks us to turn our whole lives over to him, to allow him to govern our every thought and deed. What does that mean for us? Here are some ideas:

Begin and end the day with prayer. In the morning thank God for waking you up, and ask God to guide you throughout the day. In the evening, take time to reflect on your day. Identify those things you need to confess and ask for forgiveness. And identify those things for which you give thanks.

During the day, notice what Jesus might have noticed: a hungry person, someone having a hard time, someone with a disability, someone many people consider as “other”. While you may not be able to heal them, or resolve their circumstances, you may be able to offer a word of comfort or support or a prayer.

Seek ways to have civil, respectful conversations with people who have different opinions from you. You don’t have to agree with them, and it is fair that you share your own opinion. These conversations don’t need to be lengthy, just respectful.

When someone offends you or a loved one, see them through Jesus’ eyes, with grace and mercy. Forgive them. And don’t hold onto the hurt, let it go.

…So, a sort of story. It will start by sounding like it’s about partisan politics, but it’s not about that.  

I confess that when Marjorie Taylor Greene first rose to prominence, I disliked her. Her firebrand approach to politics, her brash and outspoken manner, and especially her support of MAGA and Donald Trump angered me. She stood for values different from mine. I judged her without knowing much about her.

Lately, she has changed her approach to MAGA and political speech. She has begun to speak out in favor of extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies, pointing out that her young adult children will now pay high amounts for health insurance. She publicly stood up in support of the survivors of sexual abuse.

And Marjorie has been appearing on talk shows and news shows I watch. On those shows, she has lowered her tone of voice, and insists that her whole intention is to listen to and speak for her constituents in Georgia. Now, I began to appreciate her heart, because I could hear her.

And I was stunned, and more, I was saddened to learn Saturday morning that she is resigning from Congress. Now, I will miss her voice. I’m sorry to have judged her without knowing more about her. I had failed to grant her grace and mercy.  

This failure to really hear each other is what has led to our country’s divisive politics. We refuse to hear each other, and fail to give each other grace and mercy. We fail to respect each other as children of God.

… If Jesus really reigns in our hearts and minds, we need to listen to each other’s hearts. If Jesus really reigns in our lives, we will work to be more open to seeing Jesus in each person. If Jesus really reigns in our lives, we will forgive easily and let go of our pain.

This week, I hope you will consider how Jesus lives and reigns in your life. Amen`

Hope is the better way

 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

The closer the story of Jesus gets to the end, the more intense the situation gets. We remember that the Gospels were written decades after Jesus lived. All but Mark are thought to have been written after the temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70CE. That event would figure large in the writing of the story, just like Pearl Harbor, the assassination of JFK, the 9/11 attacks, and the COVID pandemic figure into the stories of those respective times, and have an effect on us decades later.

In addition, in the world of the Thessalonians in the 40s and 50s, the Roman/Greek world often experienced persecutions of certain groups. Some caesars insisted that people worship them like gods, and it was hard to avoid such worship because it was present everywhere in the culture. And sometimes, the caesar declared that the Jews and the Christians were not permitted to worship within the city limits. That is why Paul often looked outside the cities to preach about Jesus.   

Jesus knows that the changes he brings will cause upheaval in the societies of his followers. He could be looking ahead, or his words could reflect the trauma of the conquest of Jerusalem by the Romans. “Be aware, he cautions, that hard times may be ahead for you, and be prepared to remain faithful no matter what. If you are arrested and tried, don’t worry. It will be an opportunity to testify about me and God’s love. You don’t even need to practice what you will say, because the Spirit will give you the words.”

This passage from Luke is called the “Little Apocalypse”. It follows a pattern of warnings about calamities followed by the reassurance of God’s provision for the faithful. We are called to endure the trials of the day knowing God is present, even if it doesn’t seem like it.

And, in the face of times of trial, we are not to sit back and wait for the end to come. Paul urges the folks in the church at Thessalonica to earn their own living. The Greek words used here actually say that some folks were meddlesome, busybodies. Not only were they idle, not working, they were advocating for others to also focus on getting ready for the return of Jesus.

… For centuries, beginning soon after the death and resurrection of Jesus, people have been trying to predict when Jesus would return, even though Jesus said plainly that no one knew, except God the Father. Paul believed Jesus would return during his own lifetime.

In our times, we may remember some groups who thought the turn of the 21^st century meant the coming of Jesus. Y2K messages were everywhere, and we were told that computer software might not be able to handle the challenge of the change from 1900 to 2000 dates, and to be prepared for the end of the world. 

Just before that, in 1997, the Heaven’s Gate cult believed that the arrival of the Hale Bopp comet meant they could catch the tail of the comet to go to their celestial home. Thirty-nine people died together by suicide. And, according to Reddit, some are now predicting that Jesus will return in 2033, the 2000^th anniversary of his death.

… For us today, we can focus on all the bad stuff that is happening, near us and around the world. Certainly, there are wars and insurrections today, and sometimes it’s hard to know who to support. Certainly, there are financial stresses today. Political decisions have an effect on our own budgets and on the budgets of the folks who have few resources. We tend to take sides instead of working together to find solutions for all. It seems like our country is on the brink of disaster, one way or another.

In response, both Jesus and Paul tell us to remain faithful and testify about the good news. Trust that God is present and active against the evil forces that hurt God’s people. They tell us to work together to strengthen and benefit our communities for the common good.

Above all, we are to hope. One definition of the word hope is “the refusal to quit.” After the dire warnings of social upheaval and promises of God’s presence, Jesus talks about spring and summer.  In verses 29-32, just beyond our reading, Jesus says: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

So, we may live in despair, sighing and groaning and grumbling about how bad things are today. Or we can look to Jesus’ promise to be with us and live with hope for better things to happen. We can look with hope for better things, good things, that happen every day.  

We can: Look and listen for the joyous laughter of a child. Use our AARP card to get discounts at hotels and restaurants and appreciate the savings. Savor the flavor of our favorite cookie or cake. Notice the pot-hole that was finally fixed. Give thanks for medical professionals for their care for so many illnesses and conditions. Thank current and veteran soldiers and police officers for their service in keeping us safe.

When we just need a moment, we can take a walk outside and notice how nature keeps on going and renewing itself. The future is held within a seed, which grows in the most surprising places. How can we not hope, when we see the persistence of a seed growing into a flower, ready to spread more seeds? 

This week, I hope you will take some time for hope. Instead of worrying about the current and anticipated calamities, I encourage you to seek out those circumstances that bring you hope. Amen

 

The promise of resurrection

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17; Luke 20:27-38

The Sadducees have a preposterous way of asking the question, “Why do you believe there is life after death?” The question comes from the Sadducees’ stance that there is no resurrection. The Sadducees were in charge of maintaining the temple, making sure all went well every day with the sacrifices, with cleanliness, with proper obedience to all the rules. They are focused on the here and now, based in the past.

So, they imagine a story challenge for Jesus based on the ancient rule called levirate marriage. Levirate marriage was intended to do several things. Primarily, it was designed to ensure a man had a son, to carry on his name. If a man died, his brother would marry his widow, and the first son would be credited to the deceased man.

This could be good for the man, but since the woman had no choice, it would not necessarily be good for her. The widow could end up as a second wife, with second-rate accommodations, and the resentment of the first wife.

In proposing this scenario of seven childless marriages, these men are not thinking about the woman. They are thinking about trapping Jesus. After all these marriages, to whom does the woman belong in the resurrection? Jesus’ response assures them that life in the resurrection is not like life on earth.

Then he uses the ancient story of Moses encountering the Divine at the burning bush. Moses asks, “What is your name? Who are you?” And God responds, “I am that I am.” And, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Jesus points out that God did not say, “I was the God of Abraham, etc.” When he said this, God used the present tense, indicating that God is still the God of these men, because they are still living. Jesus means that Abraham and his descendants have all been resurrected.

… Our tradition – Jewish and Christian – is not the only one to believe in life after death. Ancient burials from prehistory have food and other supplies in the graves to support the deceased in the next life. Egyptian tombs include many precious items, and some of them include a book of the dead, a guide to finding one’s way through the afterlife to eternal life among the gods.

… Because we don’t know what the resurrection looks like, we feel free to use our imagination. The Sadducees tried to do this, but they were limited to thinking only of what they already knew. Even today, we like to think concretely because it’s easier for us to understand things we can see and touch. So, when we think of the resurrection, we think of the sky, the heavens, or places where we feel what we imagine it will feel like ... peaceful, beautiful, whole, healthy, love. And, we name the resurrection as “Heaven.”

Robin Williams’ movie What Dreams May Come imagined heaven as a place with lots of colorful flowers.

… Whatever it looks like, we believe heaven is where God lives. When we die, we go to be with God. … And, Jesus taught us that God is also present with us, now, on earth, in this life. Jesus spent his whole ministry teaching us that the reign of God is present, near us, with us. He taught that God loves us, and we are to love others the same way. Sometimes it takes some imagination to love certain others, or groups of others. Even so, that’s what God asks of us.  

… The Thessalonians were facing some confusion in interpreting what it meant that Jesus died and was resurrected. Paul advises them to stick to the original story about Jesus and God our Father who loves us, and offers grace, comfort and strength to all of us. As for any future rebellion or destruction, that is up to God. Continue to be faithful and trust the Jesus you first heard about.

… We would think that after 2,000 years, everyone would believe that Jesus loves us all, no matter what. And that everyone would believe in the resurrection, because the tomb is empty. There were hundreds of witnesses to it.

It’s up to us today to continue telling the story of Jesus so that it can be good news for those who don’t believe yet. The Council is reading and discussing a book called Leading Faithful Innovation. Previously, I mentioned the story from the book of group of church leaders who entered an unknown building and discovered it was a residence for HIV/AIDs. The congregation and the residents developed a trusting relationship, giving witness to Jesus in many ways.

A theme running through the book is to try something to share Jesus with the community, or a small portion of the community. So far, we’ve tried a couple things. We’ve had a fourth of July picnic, with brats and snow cones, and some of our neighbors came to join us. And we’ve had a Pet Blessing, with lots of our neighbors bringing their pets for a blessing and some fun conversation with each other. The Council has talked about some other occasional or regular events as well, trying different forms of worship, and maybe a Bible study in a public space.

… Knowing we have Jesus’ promise of resurrection, we can be free to try new things, without worrying that our attempts to reach people will fail. We can trust that God’s Holy Spirit will guide and challenge us as we try some new things. And we remember, despite the Sadducees’ doubts, that the tomb was and is empty. If God is that powerful, we can trust in God to help us do anything. Amen

 

Living like saints

 Luke 6:20-31

 All Saints Day in Church tradition is a day to remember those who have been recognized as having had a memorable life. We remember the first followers of Jesus, like Peter and John and Mary Magdalene. We remember those who demonstrated a particular passion for ministry, whose words and deeds strike a chord in our hearts. For me, it’s Sts Francis and Clare of Assisi.

Today we also remember those saints who have had an impact on us. Often, we remember parents and grandparents, siblings, children, and good friends. We may also remember some church members: someone who welcomed us, who taught us about Jesus, or about living faithfully.

I suggest that saint-life can be defined by living the beatitudes. Usually, we study the beatitudes from Matthew, so these similar words from Luke may surprise us. Instead of blessings for the poor in spirit, in Luke Jesus says, blessed are the poor.  We also note that this is not just a generic poor, but the very specific “you” who are poor. Jesus goes on to name more groups who are blessed. He includes the hungry, the grieving, the persecuted.

There have probably been times when we have been poor or hungry. Most of us have dealt with the grief of loss, of a pet, of a special person, of a job or dream goal. Some of us have been persecuted, or at least experienced limitations because of who we are or what we look like. For all of us, Jesus promises us blessings, and comfort, and satisfaction, and future consolation.

 But Luke’s Jesus also warns us. If we are wealthy, and our lives are filled with laughter instead of tears, and we have a good reputation, we need to take care. Our blessings may not last long. There are plenty of role models for famous people who have wealth with a commitment to keep as much of it as possible. There are a few famous people whose voices are a contrasting message: start or contribute to foundations so their funds can help needy people.  The point Jesus makes is that wealth and public status don’t make us worth any more in God’s eyes than a “regular” or poor person.

Even if we don’t have a lot of wealth or status, we can still have some of the attitudes of wealthy or important people. We can still believe we are better than some folks, because we have more than they do. We can still believe we are better than some folks because of our rank or position or experience in an organization. How easy it is, especially in these days of social media, for us to be important one day and shamed the next.

For everyone, then, Jesus gives these instructions: “Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.” This one verse summarizes the rest of Jesus’ instructions to us. A life shaped by following Jesus is filled with kindness for all others, and a refusal to play the tit-for-tat game, offering instead a willingness to listen and learn from each other.

This is a lesson our country needs to learn, right now. The partisanship that categorizes our lives and politics and media and conversations, the “I’m right and you are wrong” attitude that pervades everything, is not God’s plan for our families, our community, our state, our country, or the world. The stalemate in Congress is the fault of everyone in Congress – and hurts the people Congress is supposed to be protecting.

What can we as individuals do? First, pray for good solutions. Then make phone calls, send emails, use the representative’s and senators’ websites to send messages. Make it known that as a follower of Jesus you urge them to sit down together and find solutions that work best for all. Tell them to be open to compromise, and to remember the delay hurts the poorest folks the most.

… Here is a fun example of finding a solution that works for all happened in Heflin, Alabama. Every year for about a week at Halloween, the local teens “decorate” a few houses with TP, toilet paper. This year, they got a little crazy and even TP’d the police station and the police cars. Because of cameras catching them in the act, the Chief of Police knew who the kids were. He could have had them arrested and given community support or some other punishment. Instead, he had a different plan.

First, he called on all the parents of the teens involved. And then, he worked with several organizations in town and developed a fun response. One night, they gathered at the houses of the teens involved and TP’d their houses.

Then, the community became fun partners, leaving stacks of TP in front of their stores so everyone could engage in the fun of TP’ing the town. The Chief and his staff were excellent examples of people who live the way Jesus wants us to live.

 … Finally, Jesus gives us simple instructions on how to live a good life. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” This message applies to our whole life, whatever we are doing. How do you live it out? How are you a saint for those in your life? Amen

Free to try something

 Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 3:19-28: John 8:31-36

Today Lutheran congregations around the world recognize today as the anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. It’s a celebration of the day Brother Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses against the sale of indulgences to the door of the City Church in Wittenburg. He proposed some changes in the way we are assured of God’s forgiveness, based on today’s readings and some others. Not all were happy with his changes.

The word “reformation” often causes anxiety. It implies that change is coming, and change implies that we have been doing something wrong. Our egos tell us that being wrong is shameful, so we resist change, we resist reformation.

… Here’s one way to not do re-formation. Mike and I were watching a series of Egyptian archaeology TV shows. One of them was about Akhenaten, who decided to eliminate all gods but Aten, the sun god. He demanded that god statues be destroyed, and that worship of other gods cease. And his governance destroyed the economy. Akhenaten’s son Tutankhamun, who reigned for 10 years as a teenager, restored the old gods and revived his kingdom’s spirit and economy. An all-or-nothing approach definitely doesn’t work for re-formation.

… So, yes, re-formation can be about the congregation. It is also about us, and it’s about the people we reach. At heart, what Martin Luther was concerned with was the way the Church (capital C church) made people feel guilty for their sins and depended on the pope for forgiveness. Or, they could pay a “presumably licensed” vendor for a piece of paper that said they were forgiven. They could conceivably buy their way into heaven! And they could buy forgiveness for people who had already died and were spending decades in God’s waiting room called purgatory.

Luther studied the scriptures and discovered in the prophet Jeremiah that God is a forgiving God, a God who even forgets our sins. Our God loves us and abides by the covenant of relationship established with Noah, with Abraham and his family, with Moses and the twelve tribes. This covenant is not a legal document, filed with a court of law, but a promise written on the hearts of believers.

In the letters of Paul, Luther discovered that no one is exempt from this covenant of promised love and forgiveness. All fall under the gift of grace given to us through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.

And in John, Jesus talks about freedom. When we believe in Jesus as the Son of God, we have a place in God’s family, and we are free indeed. The question that arises, however, is free from what, free for what, free to do what? What does this freedom mean?

We are free from fear of condemnation for our sins. We are free from shame for things we don’t dare confess to anyone, even to ourselves. We don’t have to pretend to be perfect, because we can’t ever be perfect. We are free to love ourselves as God loves us, as imperfect and beloved children of God. And we are free for loving others the same way. We are free to love other imperfect, beloved children of God.

We are free to tell the judgment that arises within us to “shut up”. We are free to silence the self-judgment that happens when we compare ourselves to others and come up wanting. And we are free to silence the judgment that compares others to ourselves and finds them wanting.

…We remember we are baptized, loved by God, and forgiven. And we are free to reform ourselves daily by the power of that love. Because Luther knew he was baptized and free to speak up, the Christian world changed 500 years ago. With our baptism, we are not just free from guilt for our sins, from the ways we really messed up, but we have Holy Spirit power. We have power to discern what needs reforming in our congregation, in our community, and in the world that surrounds us

… Congregational Council members are reading a book called Leading Faithful Innovation. One of the stories in the book is about a few leaders who took a walk together in their neighborhood. They entered a building they hadn’t noticed before, and learned that it was affordable housing for HIV/ AIDs patients.

Over several months, the congregation began to build a relationship with the staff and residents. They started with the church providing winter clothing items, like hats and mittens. Later, it was a monthly meal in the community room hosted by a few church members. Then, another local organization contacted the congregation’s leadership asking for a way to help the HIV/AIDs folks. Eventually, some of the residents began to worship with the congregation, and the pastor was invited to lead a memorial service for a resident who died.

The congregation’s leaders trusted that God was leading them, and that the Holy Spirit had empowered them to make the connections. They were free to try something, and it worked.

… We are free to try things that express Jesus’ hands, voice, and love.  What do we see that needs more of Jesus’ kindness and love for all? What happens if we speak up? We are free to take risks because we know God loves us and forgives us.

I hope this week you will consider: What do you feel free to try that you have never tried before?  Amen

Praying for Justice

Genesis 32:22-31; Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8

My first thought about these texts is they present a variety of ways to pray to God. Jacob wrestles with an angel or some other being sent by God. Psalm 121 would have been prayed or sung as pilgrims processed from home to Jerusalem for festival days. Paul writes to Timothy, telling him how to trust the words of scripture and the testimony of witnesses. And Jesus tells a parable about a widow who pled her case persistently to a corrupt judge.

Often, praying includes wrestling with hard choices or difficult circumstances. Many folks pray for safe travels as they set out and as they travel, especially knowing there are impaired drivers on the roads and plenty of challenges when traveling by air. It’s always appropriate to pray before preaching or teaching, or even sharing Bible stories with children.

… These are all fairly easy stories and writings to figure out, But as usual, it’s the parable that has us scratching our heads. Typically, when we read a parable we try to discern which character in the story is God. But this interpretation would mean that God is a corrupt judge, or a pesty woman demanding we listen to her.

So, what can this parable tell us instead? The following verses give us a hint. This story is intended to give us a contrasting image of God. “Think about the corrupt judge. Imagine instead how much more God wants to give you whatever you need or want, whenever you ask for it.”

… Beyond ways or reasons to pray, these texts are also about justice. The stories in Genesis tell us that Jacob often tricked his brother Esau, and was afraid to meet with him again. Wrestling with his fears, and a being sent by God, proved to him he was still blessed and worthy of good things.

The name given to him, Israel, means wrestles with God. We can almost always identify a God portion in a Bible name because it has EL or YAH in it. So Isra - , wrestles with El, God, to form Isra-el. Throughout scripture, the name Israel refers to both the man Jacob, and to the kingdom of Israel – which even today is seen to be wrestling with God.

… We often pray for simple, maybe easy things. We pray with thanksgiving for what God has first given us – ourselves, our time, our talents and skills, and our financial wealth. We ask God to be present and guide us as we study and teach the Bible or give testimony about out faith experiences. We ask for safe surgeries, safe travel, safe baby deliveries.

But sometimes, our prayers are more serious. We pray for healing when we are seriously ill or caring for someone who is ill. We pray for safety when our lives, or the lives of our loved ones are at risk.

We pray differently when the reason we are praying is someone else’s fault. Then we pray for justice, as the widow in the parable did. We don’t know what her claim was, but we can imagine, based on the culture of the time. Let’s say she was older, and her sons were grown. Her husband dies, and when his will is read, it says she gets to keep the main home and some of the land. The older son is not happy to have just the secondary home and the rest of the land; he wants it all. And he makes life difficult for his mother, maybe even having the judge issue an eviction notice.

So the widow files a counterclaim with the judge, who doesn’t want to deal with this widow. Perhaps the son has paid the judge to side with him instead. And the widow doesn't have a larger amount to sway the judge her way. The woman is praying for justice.

… On a larger scale, you may be aware of a dispute between a coalition of Native American Tribes and Resolution Copper.  The goal is possession of an ancient holy site called Oak Flats, west of Phoenix, Arizona. It has been used “forever” by native peoples for a variety of sacred rituals. This land is as sacred to the tribes as Jerusalem is to us. In addition, it is a sensitive ecological area.

In a more than ten-year legal battle, the tribes have protested the takeover of the land by the US government and the mining corporation. Recent appeals have paused the takeover again. Over the years, Resolution Copper has reduced the size of the claim in its pursuit to gain enough of the land to proceed. They have also specified in writing that traditional worship sites will forever be protected.  

In an article in the August issue of Christian Century , Tim Nafziger suggests the land would have more status if there was an old church built on it. The thing is, native worship is conducted in connection with the land and all that lives on it. So, the trees and shrubs and critters are the church they are defending and protecting.

The Tribal Association of Arizona has been as persistent in its pursuit of justice as the widow in Jesus’ parable. The question remains, will the courts and judges provide the justice the members of the tribes are praying  for?

… There are many expressions of injustice these days: wars are de facto unjust. Many people find it hard to access to health care, affordable housing and healthy food. Humans have always struggled to welcome the stranger and those who look or act differently. The removal of trees for new houses means critters are moving into our neighborhoods and  lawns. Bullies assault those whom they perceive are lesser. And so forth.

It is never God’s will that injustice exists. But it’s not God’s job to stop it. It’s up to us as God’s people. God taught Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Micah and Amos to seek justice. Jesus taught dozens of followers to seek justice. And still we live with injustice!

… Here at home, your offerings help us fight injustice in many ways. We are a base of justice-providing as we feed hundreds of hungry people each month, and provide weekend food for hungry children at the local elementary school. We make donations to several local organizations that aid people suffering from injustice, and make quilts and kits that serve the needy.

As you prayerfully consider the amount you hope to give to Gloria Dei this year, consider how many ways we use that gift to serve the people of the congregation, the community, and reach out to share the good news of God’s plan for justice for all people. Amen