We are people who like things our way. When Burger King coined the phrase, “Have it your way”, they were really speaking of the way too many of us want to live. We complain if everything isn’t exactly how we want it to be, when we want it and where we want it. Convenience is an expectation and accommodation a requirement. Everything in life is supposed to be easier, focused on what I want and need. It’s all about me.
And that has seeped into the faith community for as long as there has been a faith community. Church folks aren’t exempt. And so churches are often formed around what that group of people want, how they want it and when they want it. And if we don’t like it, we can leave. Or we can make others leave. It is all about us, anyway, right?
Except these aren’t the teachings of the Bible. If I read correctly, it is actually all about God. My Dad always had the phrase he repeated continuously, “It’s All About Him!” And he tried to live like this. But it’s difficult. We don’t always agree and with the chaos of our world, it pushes us to make sure our own areas are in our control. People around us should be “like us”. It feels more comfortable. It makes for better worship? It enables us to feel justified? And yet, this isn’t Biblical either.
You know what is Biblical? Jesus said there were 2 defining principles which should guide everything. And we can’t talk about these enough. He said we were to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength (with our EVERYTHING) AND to love our neighbor as ourself. In other words, the guiding principle is love.
Here’s the deal for me – I can’t give love I haven’t received. God gives us the love we then pour into others. The issue comes when we try to give what we have not yet allowed God to pour into us. We end up looking like those who love things, not people. We love wealth not God. We love control, not surrender. We end up trying to get what we want, when we want, and how we want.
But church is no Burger King. It SHOULD be focused on what God wants – and most of the time, that doesn’t look the same as what we want. Just read the scriptures. What Jesus taught was never what the religious folks wanted to hear. And I dare say, it still isn’t.
So maybe we start with the basics one more time…and again and again. Who do we love?
Can you hear it, almost feel what it’s like? Can you smell the air filled with pride? The stones, they hit the dirt with such a force the dust envelops them. Stones can hurt, even kill if put into the hands of the angry. They can be hurled with such force as to cause damage with anything they come in contact. One little stone can wreak havoc. And yet, many of them are thrown around as if they are nothing. But they are something.
The stone throwers, they are everywhere. It seems so easy to identify them. They are the ones with an agenda, looking to take out anyone who may not agree or threaten a sense of being right. Stones are thrown with words or actions. And the force behind them is so intense. It’s easier to throw stones if everyone around throws stones too. It feels therapeutic. It certainly can feel justified. “They” deserve it, right? “They” aren’t doing the right thing or living the right way or saying the right words. Just throw the stones already.
Jesus was faced with this situation. Those around likely held those stones so tightly in their hands they could feel the edges bore down into their skin. They were justified. It was the law, after all. Everyone would agree. This woman deserved it. It was right and it would show others what was right. And yet, Jesus didn’t hold a stone in his hand at all. And when pushed for a response, he simply said to the crowd…you who have no sin cast the first stone. (John 8)
That’s the problem with stone throwing. It’s always directed at someone else without a mirror to reflect our own issues. It’s much easier to point out what we don’t like in other people. We can feel justified when “they” don’t get things “right”. We can quickly forget we don’t have the right to do this. And while we can certainly point out the stone throwers, I would dare say we may feel a stone in our own hand, just waiting for the right opportunity or the right person or the right cause.
But have we forgotten? Have we forgotten we are a sinner? Have we forgotten we don’t have any right to even hold a stone much less throw it? Maybe, just maybe, it helps if we start looking at ourselves, who we are, and how we love, rather than at others. Maybe we start taking a deep dive inwards and checking ourselves according to the standards of Jesus rather than making others meet our standards. Maybe we start to realize we simply need Jesus to forgive us and love us. Maybe that’s where it starts, with a mirror and some time with Jesus.
The phrase “I want to be like Jesus” has caused many people to do great things, and also some pretty horrific things. We all have an interpretation which leads us to act in a particular way. Most of the time, if we are honest, we really want Jesus to be like us. In other words, we would like to do what we want to do and feel justified in it. We want to think and act, believing this is the way of Jesus. It might be – or it might be an illusion we have created to make us feel better. All too often, it creates a wall, deciding who is “in” and who is “out” – and it is interesting, in the wall we build, we are always “in”. I am not a fan of walls and here is why:
As I read the Scriptures, I hear a message of welcome. Jesus was, by trade, a carpenter. His father (Joseph) was a carpenter. He grew up building things. He was a master of the craft, taking lessons from generations of hand crafted builders. I have to imagine that at some point, he built a table (or a lot of them). I can only wonder if this informed his theology as he began to preach. His ministry was, after all, about being a table builder. He wanted to make room at the table for all people. His table began as a space for God’s chosen, the Jewish community. He didn’t kick them out. He built bigger tables. And this was not a welcome sight in the judgmental eyes of those around. His table building caused anger and made people generally uncomfortable. They didn’t want THOSE people at THEIR table. How dare he?
Remember who he invited to the table? Yes, he ate with the religious leaders. But he never stopped there. He didn’t even consider that was all who were welcome. He actually didn’t want to give them the prized place at the table. They thought more of themselves than they should anyway. He gave the place at the table to the tax collectors – those who were despised and disgusted so many. They were the problem children. He gave the place to the sinners (the Bible says this and I’m wondering – wasn’t this EVERYBODY?). Those who clearly had sins which were open for all to see were given a place. He gave a place at the table to those who thought they should be washing feet, not partaking of a meal. He gave a place to those who knew they needed love. And they found love at the table. He gave a place at the table to those who would walk away and those who would betray (remember Judas sitting at the table?). He was the master table builder and this scared those who thought they deserved and earned a place. He included where the religious people had excluded.
I am so thankful he is the master table builder because this means I have a place. I don’t deserve to sit at the table with Jesus. I haven’t earned it. I’m not better or more qualified or more chosen than anyone else. I’m mostly a mess and yet, Jesus built a table which includes me.
So I want to follow Jesus – I want to be a table builder. I want to invite and sit down and dine with those who have no idea they have a place. I want to sit with the despised and forgotten and excluded. I want to sit with the betrayers and the sinners. These are my people. Come sit at the table with me. There is always room. Jesus built a table big enough for us all. Welcome.
Life is full of them – some are exciting, some are downright painful. Some bring much joy and some misery. Regardless, we often find ourselves somewhere in the cycle of it all. This is the last Sunday of 2020. What a year it has been. While difficult, it has also been a year filled with unexpected joys and triumphs. There are nuggets of goodness that have filled the pockets of despair. We were not without God at any point. We were never left alone in our sorrows, although sometimes it may have felt a lot like it. It is an ending to a year, but also the prospect of a new year, filled with possibilities and struggles of its own. It really is all about how we choose to look at it.
We are in the middle of Christmas. I do understand many have begun to take down the Christmas trees and are moving on past the holiday. But Christmas actually begins on December 25th and so we find ourselves in the middle of it all, at least in the church year. It is not over yet. Yes, Jesus is born. Yes, Jesus came for redemption and salvation. But he also came as a baby. He came as a helpless child born to loving parents who would do their best to protect and love their first born child. This was a whole new beginning for them – one that would take them running for the life of their child and ultimately with Mary sitting at the feet of her boy as he dies. It is the beginning, not the ending for Mary and Joseph. It is the ending for Anna and Simeon – but in a good way.
Luke 2:22-40
2:22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 2:23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 2:24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 2:27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 2:28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, 2:29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 2:30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 2:31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 2:33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 2:35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed–and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” 2:36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 2:37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 2:38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 2:39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 2:40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
It was the beginning for Mary and Joseph, indeed. But for Anna and Simeon, this is what they had waited their whole lives to see. For Simeon to put his arms and bless the Messiah was the ultimate gift. He had been promised this time. He had been given direction this day would come. They spoke prophesy. Their hearts were filled with joy and hope. They had seen all they had come to see and their time was complete. It was the ending, but oh what a beautiful ending it was for Anna and Simeon. They had been able to experience this incredible gift. They would likely not see him grow. They probably wouldn’t hear him teach or even watch him as he learned a trade. They were given a glimpse in time – a nugget of excitement. They were fulfilled.
Endings always seem difficult. We don’t want them to happen sometimes. We want to hold on to all that is familiar and constant. We know what we know and want to keep that close. But if we do not let go, we often do not realize all that is ahead. We don’t get to experience the joys of all that is to come when we hold tight to what is. Endings allow for new beginnings.
As you know, this is my last Sunday at Trinity. This is, in a sense, an ending. It is a new beginning for Trinity. There are new opportunities as you approach the year ahead. There are new people to serve and more people to love.
I would challenge you to find God in it all. God is with us. God has not left us. God is still at work, even (and most especially) in our trying times. God has amazing plans for his church when we obey and follow him.
Remember this…God’s table is big and it is long and there is a handcrafted magnificent chair at this table just for you. All we could ever need is provided, not because we have earned it and certainly not because we deserve it. God’s table is filled with those who have wandered, just like us. His table has places for those who we may have counted out and dismissed. There are people from different places who speak different languages at this table. There are those at the table we might not would invite to our own – but God invited them. There is room for strangers and friends, enemies and relatives, young and old. God’s table is big and long and is filled with his children. Anna and Simeon were able to experience the Salvation to come in a little baby. Mary and Joseph nurtured Redemption as he grew into a man. 12 disciples left everything to follow him on a journey they would not have chosen. And this One…this Jesus…who we celebrate today…is still calling. He slung open the doors wide to welcome in the stranger and expects us to do the same. He tore down the barriers of race and social status with a mighty blow and did not want us to build those back up – but to continue demolition. He came as a mighty unstoppable force of love. This is the love which carried him all the way to the cross – where he would die for you and for me. He did this so we could have a place at the table. So come join me, my friends – and bring many along with you. The table is big and it is long and I look forward to dining with you at God’s house.
Thank you for the privilege to serve with you over these past nearly 6 years. You welcomed me with a complete vote and you have allowed me to challenge you and push you beyond your boundaries. I know it has at times been uncomfortable. My prayer is that you continue to push those boundaries and live this way. Always ask why. Always want to dig deeper and hear the “yes, and” in it all. There is more to discover. It may take you to places you were not ready to go – but you also just might meet Jesus there.
From Numbers 6:
24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
It is bound to happen. It happens even to the best of us. It wasn’t our intention. We didn’t seek it out. It wasn’t part of the plan – it just happens. One day we are reading and studying the Bible and the next, we are going off of what we think it says. If you grew up in church like I did, you automatically have ideas about the stories contained in the Bible. If you didn’t grow up in church, you may have ideas of what you have heard or it can just seem like a jumbled group of stories thrown under a cover called the Bible. And if we are honest, even if we grew up in church, we can feel like it is a jumbled group of stories. We have big ideas of who God is and what all God would be pleased with. We may try to figure this out and live our lives according to a set of rules we have pulled out of the scripture to best fit where we are. We may even feel we are on the right track.
This may be all well and good. This may be okay for a season. But it is not sufficient if we plan to continue to follow God. God may not change but we sure do. And the more we face adversity, we tend to become more defensive, more angry and more determined. When we are faced with challenges, we may not approach those the best. Sometimes we feel like we are standing on the promises but all we really are standing on is a set of beliefs we have compiled to justify what we think and feel – and then use to beat others down. Somehow, this doesn’t seem right. Yet, all too many of us do it. Believe like me or you are wrong – we seem to say. Think like me or you are a sinner – we seem to proclaim. Worship like me or you are doing it wrong. We hold our banners high but really might find we are flying the wrong flag.
But this isn’t new. This didn’t start in 2020. This didn’t become a thing recently. People of faith have often found a way of vigilant, if not violent ways in order to prove correctness. Our history is full of it. And it is horrible. But what do we do? It seems so simple yet can be one of the most difficult things to do – we go back to the Bible and see what God has to say. And what he has to say might just stop us in our tracks.
I want to read 2 sections from 2 different prophets in the Old Testament. Israel thinks they are getting it right. They feel good about where they are. There is prosperity in the land. Things are going great for them. Surely God is all over it. And then…surprise. God isn’t pleased at all. Yet they didn’t listen. I wonder if we will.
The first is from Amos 5:18-24
18 Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light; 19 as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. 20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
And the second is Micah 6:6-8
6 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
What is going on in these scriptures? They both echo what is often spoken by the prophets in many of the scriptures. This serves as a warning. It is an eye opener. It is meant to wake the people so they become the people of God. But it is harsh. It hurts. There is nothing easy about these words. They are difficult and cut to the core.
I hear God tell the Israelites that they are getting the worship part right but their lives are a mess. They are doing what is right when they enter their places of worship, but messing it all up from there. They are dirty on the inside but clean up real pretty for worship. They put on the garments of glory for worship but those same garments are stained and dirty. Here is the bottom line in these scriptures: How you conduct your life matters. What you do every day matters to God. How you treat people matters. What you do with your time, talents, gifts and service mean something. You don’t get to live unethically and pretend it is okay. You don’t get to cheat and lie and feel good about yourself. You don’t have the option of treating your neighbor poorly and justify it. Those waters of justice and the streams of righteousness just might wash us out. They may be the torrential rains that carries us downstream.
We hear the instructions from God. We hear that we are to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. And we are willing to do it if it means we are right. We only buck the system when it benefits us. But what about standing for those who can’t stand? What about being the voice of those who have no voice? When do we do that?
We have heard about justice. We have talked about kindness. But this morning, I want to consider what it means to walk humbly with God. To walk humbly means we don’t step ahead of God. We don’t try to take his spot. We don’t try to decide what God wants by making people do what we want. We don’t step ahead of the leader and our only leader being God. We walk humbly, acknowledging that we are here because God has put us here and loves us. We walk humbly, not thinking more of ourselves than we should. We walk humbly so that we can welcome others on the journey. We walk…but we walk with God. We do not walk alone and we do not walk as though we are God.
To walk humbly is being willing to accept that we may not always be right. There may be some things we have missed. There are some things we just do not understand. That is okay. It is okay because we are to walk with God. We don’t have to be right all the time. We are human. We will mess up. God doesn’t. So when we walk humbly with him, he directs our steps in the right way. There is something about letting God direct our way. We can’t become hateful when we are walking with God. He is directing our paths, not us.
To walk humbly means we are looking at ourselves and checking ourselves rather than making judgments about others. We don’t need to point out the faults of others. If looked at our own faults, that is enough to keep us busy. God is working on us when we walk humbly. And we need to understand he is also working on others. We are not God. We worry about us and let God take care of the rest. We listen to the things God is telling us. That will be more than sufficient for us to walk humbly.
Lastly, walking humbly means we welcome others to walk with us. We are following God, after all. It means we don’t have the answers, we just know who does. We don’t need to figure it all out. All we need to do is follow and invite others to walk with us. That IS the church – a group of folks walking humbly with God together!
God is calling us to move forward – with him. Join in, humbly walking with him. We will be changed. Maybe we give up our idea of correctness to walk with him in the only way possible – humbly – Loving God and loving others. May it begin with me.
It can be really difficult for us to hear the call to put down our stones. While on the surface, it sounds so easy – give up your anger, rage, hatred, and divisions. Give all of that up and gather together to work for the good of those called according to God’s purpose. It sounds great – even makes me feel great to write it. But for some, it is the most frightening thing that could be asked of many Christians.
Our faith can easily become defined by the stones we carry. We hold so tight to those stones that when pushed, they make our hands bleed – but we would never consider putting them down. Stones make us comfortable. They are our security pieces. They have made us who we are and how dare we become challenged to give that up. Stones become our closest friends. And when pushed, we just gather bigger stones until our hands are full and we feel good about ourselves.
Stones enable us to feel better about ourselves. If I can condemn you and show you all the things you do wrong, then I feel better about me. We begin to think… “at least I am not doing that” or “look at how wrong he is”. I become the hero, the good one, the chosen. We begin to sit from our mighty stone thrones and cast judgment on those who don’t follow our rules. We banish people who refuse to carry our stones. The stones have become the bedrock of our faith – not Jesus. But this was not the original intention.
I often have people tell me that I should preach more about hell and less about love. I am always taken back at this comment, no matter how many times I hear it. But I get it – condemnation is comforting for those who feel good about where they are sitting. And it helps others feel bad for not agreeing. But for me, I have to look at the life of Jesus. I don’t recall Jesus gathering prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners around the table to tell them to get their life straight or they were going to hell. It seems to me that the fact he was even willing to sit around the table speaks more welcome than anything else. And all the words to them speak abundant love. I don’t hear condemnation or judgment. I hear love. Where I do hear Jesus get angry is at the religious folk – those carrying stones. I do hear Jesus telling them they can’t hear his message because they are so stuck in theirs. I hear Jesus tell those who dragged a woman before him to put down their stones of contempt and judgment. And I hear non-judgment for the woman. I hear love.
When we become defined as Christians by our judgment, condemnation and divisiveness in the name of our faith – we have a faith built with stones. Jesus said we should be known by our love. The only way is to let those stones crumble to dust right before your eyes. This is only done with the love of Christ. It will be hard. It will challenge us to our core. It will change how we approach our faith. It is not about compromising what we believe – it is about finding out how those beliefs are wrapped in love.
May our stones crumble to dust – and may others see our love. May we welcome to the table. We don’t need those stones, Christians. Our hearts can be filled with the love of Christ. Live as the beloved.
Focus Scripture:
Luke 18:9-14
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
It’s difficult to believe it can be this simple. We try to make it more difficult than it should be. We try to interject our opinions and our ways into it. We don’t allow what is there to speak for itself. It is loud and clear and yet we want to make it quiet and unnoticeable. God has spoken these words over and over and over – and too many times, we just ignore these are his words…or we choose other words we would rather hear or speak or believe. But these words are bold and bright and brilliant. They are challenging and they cause us to change if we take them seriously. We don’t get to live our lives the way we might want to if we follow these teachings. We don’t get to change the words around if we take God seriously. We take them as he says them, as he writes them, and as he shares them.
This morning, I am going to do something a little different. I want to read several scriptures in a row and then bring the message together in a way that I hope will lead us to the teachings of Jesus. So walk with me on this quick journey. It begins early in the Bible…
Leviticus 19:15-18
15 You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slandereramong your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord.
17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
This is among many laws that God has given his people – these things separate them from all the others in the land. It doesn’t stop here, though. Jesus had some things to clarify for the people:
Matthew 5:43-44
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Love your neighbor…there it is again…
Matthew 22:34-40
34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Jesus clarifies this in the parable of the Good Samaritan…a story he teaches about who is our neighbor. He leaves this teaching with his disciples and thus, with us:
John13:34-35
34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Paul reiterates this to the church at Galatia which was having some issues:
Galatians 5:13-14
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
And I think John sums it up well:
1 John 3:11, 14-17
11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death.15 All who hate a brother or sisterare murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sisterin need and yet refuses help?
So there are all these teachings about loving our neighbor. We are called, instructed, and directed to love one another. This teaching repeats itself over and over – love being the central theme of the Bible, in my opinion. Yet, this is one of the most challenging teachings we are called to follow. It is much easier to judge. It is easier to dismiss. It is easier to ignore. It is easier to not love. We even try to devise reasons for not loving. We do this by clumping people into groups so that we can just not love a whole group. It is, after all, easier to dismiss a group than it is to dismiss one person we see and know and talk with. But that isn’t the point…that isn’t the teaching…that isn’t the instruction. We are to love others.
Loving others requires us to push past our preconceived notions. Loving others requires us to reach from a place where we realize we are loved. Loving others comes from knowing that Jesus loves us – despite who we are and where we have been. Loving others is more than a command, it must be a part of who we are and how we live. It cannot be something we talk about – it must be something we live. It has to be how we are known. If it is not, we are missing something.
I understand the challenges of loving others, I do. I get why it can be so difficult. I hear how you struggle with this – so do I. I am not saying this is easy. I am not saying we will get this right all the time. But if we never try, how will we ever change? If we never begin to take this teaching seriously, how will we ever love? If we never really listen to God, how can we expect God to change us? We are loved beyond measure. We are loved, even despite the mess we are or the mess we may find ourselves. We are God’s beloved. God is just asking us to carry this love forward. He is asking us to take what we have been given and share it with others. He is asking us to take this amazing love and put it into action. Instead of ignoring this love or denying it, we begin with welcoming in the fact we are loved. It starts here. When we begin to sense how much we are loved, we have a wellspring of love to share. We can only love others when we sense how much we are loved. Maybe that’s where we start today. Maybe it begins with – YOU ARE GOD’S BELOVED. YOU ARE LOVED. Take it in. Live with it. Let it become a part of you. It will change us. And we just may find ourselves loving others. May it begin with me.
Sometimes when I read particular scriptures, my eyes roll. I understand it isn’t very pastoral of me. I also understand that it isn’t how I should feel about what I am reading. It is just that some scriptures sound so difficult – so out of reach – so unrealistic that I find my eyes rolling before I even think about it. I can imagine that God isn’t pleased with how I feel as I know my parents weren’t okay when I rolled my eyes around them. I’m pretty sure my parents wanted to knock my eyes out a few times – but I am grateful they didn’t. But, for some reason, I feel that God understands my frustration. I think he gets why this makes me so upset. It is like when someone tells you how perfect they are- you know it isn’t happening and you just want it to be over. The problem is that this scripture is meant for us. It is a possibility. It is a part of being one of God’s children. It actually is part of living for Christ. So, here we go – no eye rolls please.
Philippians 4:1-9 4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. 4:2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 4:3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 4:8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 4:9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Joy in all circumstances. Really? This is what is asked of us? Does Paul not understand that we are in the midst of a pandemic and how much of a strain it is putting on us? Does he not understand how difficult life is right now? Actually, yes he does. He writes these words from prison. That’s right – he is in prison when he pens the words “rejoice always.” So yes, Paul gets it and still writes it.
What do we do with this? It seems so difficult – so challenging – almost impossible. We are to rejoice always and think on things that are praiseworthy. Our response may be – if only. I would rejoice if I didn’t have so many bills. I would think about things that were praiseworthy if I didn’t have this job or this doctor’s appointment or this situation going on. The problem is that when we live with “if onlys” in our lives, we never achieve anything. We hunker down in a hole of excuses that eventually covers us so we see no way out. “If onlys” are dangerous. They are making things and situations responsible for our joy and our praise. We are giving stuff the responsibility for our thoughts and our actions. Is that really where we want to be? Do we want things and people and situations to control our thoughts and steal our joy?
This scripture brings even more interesting parts we might otherwise miss. Paul is writing about a disagreement among church leaders. That never happens, right? He reminds both of them to have the same mind as Christ – to come together for the glory of God – to focus on what God is calling and instruction – to live like Jesus. And in doing that, in the middle of the disagreement, as he sits in a prison cell – Paul writes – “rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” He reminds them to let their gentleness (or forbearance) be known to everyone. What is forbearance? It is patient self-control – a restraint. It means not self-seeking but a willingness to work with others. It leads to peace, he says.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? But to put into practice is much more challenging, seemingly impossible. Paul must have meant this for someone else. He couldn’t really mean we should do these things, right? Yet, I think we actually make things more challenging than they are. We don’t want to put forth the effort because that would mean we give up our own opinions or ways of doing something. We don’t want to restrain ourselves, it is easier not to. Yet, to work as the people of God in fellowship requires just that. And it isn’t easy – not for a moment. But it also isn’t impossible. If it was impossible, we wouldn’t be given this word as something to do. It isn’t unachievable. It is within our grasp. But it means working together, encouraging one another, and loving even those we may not agree with.
If we monitored our speech and our thoughts by these measures given to us, we might find we are rejoicing more. We might find that even in the middle of a situation, there is so much to be joyful for. We may even find our joy is a part of our everyday lives – despite the harshness of the day. Joy can ignite a fire in us to live as Christ taught us to live. Joy can light up a room when it is otherwise harsh and cold. Joy can change circumstances because it presents a different outlook. There are different possibilities. We are not held to the place where we find ourselves. There is another way. And it begins with joy because it begins with Jesus.
Maybe we begin with reading the scripture differently. Maybe we should read it as something we can do rather than the impossible. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice – it is more than a great set of words, but is a beautiful command that helps us to focus on the Lord and not on us. We rejoice through thinking about the true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, and praiseworthy. Think on these things. Measure our thoughts with these things. Filter our comments through these things. Who knows – we may find peace filling our lives despite our circumstances. We may find we are known for loving others regardless and our selflessness will be shown brightly. We may even bring glory to God. It is certainly worth the effort. And the time to begin is now.
We live in times of great division. There is real palpable stress and it seems the smallest difference sets off sparks that create fireworks of heated disagreement. Election time is always challenging. It appears to be a pitting of one group verses another. If you are in one camp, you can’t talk to the other. This year, it seems that the animosity has grown even thicker – causing constant unrest. It is evident everywhere you turn. There are differing opinions on most everything you can imagine and voices rain down louder than a symphony of broken instruments all being played in disarray. It is confusing and hurtful and punishing. Unfortunately, the church is not immune to this either.
The church is to be a beloved community made up of different people with different backgrounds and different affiliations. There are unique gifts and talents brought to the table. There are strong personalities and quiet hard workers. There are people of different ethnicities, different upbringings, and different ways of viewing the world. Actually, if the church is optimal, it is made up of people that are completely unique who express their authenticity in a community which comes together in a way different than the world. We do not need to vote the same way. We do not need to have the same color skin. We do not have to agree on much of anything. If we are all alike and all have the same opinions, we haven’t done a really good job of being the church. All we have done is sought out people like us and excluded anyone that didn’t fit that description. Jesus had a whole lot to say about that – and none of it was good.
In a world so ravaged by division, how does the church respond? How do we come together when we are so different? What is it that unites us? What are we doing and why are we doing it in the first place?
The answer is, well, complicated – except it isn’t. What is always the right answer when an answer is asked in a Christian church? The first response is Jesus. And yep, that is the right answer today, too. So good job if that was your answer. Seems easy enough, right? Jesus is the common factor, the great equalizer, the ultimate Savior for this whole mess. But with Jesus as the answer – it complicates things.
Jesus was quite the controversial person. He stirred up more than his fair share of trouble. To really read his words and follow his teachings calls us to be someone different. It calls us to come together in unique and challenging ways. To follow Jesus means we seek his will and way, leaving ours behind. For Jesus to be the answer means we can worship together, no matter our backgrounds, because it is all about him and not at all about us. Our political opinions, our views of the hot topics, our decisions in everyday life can all be different and we can still come together as God’s children – adopted into the family because of the sacrifice and love of Jesus Christ.
We didn’t become a child of God because of the way we talked, walked, or thought. It wasn’t because we were born into the right family or we were made powerful by the world or because we hold some position in life. We didn’t become a child of God because of who our mama or daddy is, because of our origin or ethnicity, because we were born in the right country or because we deserved it. Quite the opposite is true. None of those are factors God considered. He created you because he loved you. Jesus died for us because he knew we were a big messed up bunch that basically gets most everything wrong. God understood that we wouldn’t get it without the saving love and grace only he could give. And since we couldn’t be good enough, nothing we do qualified us. You are a child of God because Jesus was willing to stretch out his arms in an expression of the ultimate love – and welcome you in.
If that really is the case – if it really is because of the love and sacrifice of Jesus – if it really is when we follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior – if it really is about the call and welcome of Jesus and not the qualifications of anything we put in place…then we have a starting point for a community of the beloved. That starting point is Jesus and not us. Our purpose, our goal, our focus, and our whole reason for being has to be Jesus. That means we leave our egos checked at the door – and if we are honest, that’s not easy.
This morning, I want to look at a scripture that packs a powerful punch – and often is taken as a wake-up call for the church and for Christians to reorient back to the mission and vision of Jesus. I want you to hear this, but I also want to focus on one particular teaching. This could be something we miss and also could be the key for coming together, even and especially in times like these.
Matthew 25:34-40
34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’
I do want to offer that this scripture is the positive note in this teaching. There is an equally negative note about what happens when you do not do these things. I chose this because this should be where we are aiming. You can decide of the opposite is where we already are. We often hear that we are to feed, clothe, visit, and provide water. Those are tangible teachings we hear and understand. Sometimes we even try to do them. But what we may miss is something in the middle of all of this, and may be more challenging. It says, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” You welcomed me. You…welcomed…me. That seems to be one of the main challenges of the church. That seems to be one of the most difficult parts of this whole thing. We can hold a feeding ministry, we can have a clothing closet, we can have or support a prison ministry, and we can help people have access to water. These are all things we set up ministries to accomplish. We seek to do them as God’s children. And they are good and needed and more valuable than we can imagine. But is not the whole deal. You welcomed me. Now that is a little more challenging.
We can give someone food without developing a relationship. We can give away coats without actually talking to others. We can set up all kinds of barriers between us and those in need so that we are doing what we need to do but don’t have to get closely involved. Those people can stay those people and we can stay comfortable as us. We can form a group of people like us which doesn’t overly challenge us. But to welcome – that’s a different story.
To welcome is to see something in someone that is useful and valuable. We see a person, a child of God, someone worthy of love. We are required to see past the exterior. To welcome means you look past all of the things you would normally judge. You don’t worry about appearance or background, you don’t think about their political affiliation or opinions, you don’t care about the native language or where they were born. To welcome means that nothing matters except to show the love of Christ. In Matthew 25 – it does not give qualifications to be welcomed. It doesn’t list things to accomplish before being welcomed. It isn’t based on anything. Humanity is welcomed. And the point is that we welcome without judgment because we never know when we have welcomed Jesus into our community.
But, let’s be honest, that really is the kicker, isn’t it? It makes us uncomfortable to have people we don’t agree with. It causes us to evaluate how we do things if there are people from different backgrounds or ethnicities. It challenges us to change because we grow stagnant in the way we do things and changing is just hard. But Jesus never said it was to be easy – he said it was the mission.
You welcomed me. Those words ring so powerfully to me in the times we find ourselves. Who will you welcome? How will you welcome? What will you do to show welcome – to the least of these? Christ…may you be welcome here.
One of my favorite people to read about in the Bible is Jonah. That may sound strange because what most of us know about him deals with the whole whale of an incident. But that is only one small blip in his life. It’s interesting to say that smelling fish guts for a few days while God puts you in time out is a blip. But when we consider the scope of his life, we really know very little. What we do know of Jonah reminds me of his humanity.
We often think of Jonah as the disobedient one. We think of him as the runner – the run as far and fast as you can from what God wants you to do kind of guy. We think of him as the one that God had to teach a lesson. That may all be true, but that misses what Jonah was running from, what he was called to do, and what he never really wanted to do. It misses that Jonah was given this mission he didn’t really want, he didn’t really believe in, and he never fully accepted. It wasn’t because he was a horrible guy. God used him in a mighty way. He may have been one the worst speakers but God had a plan for him. Jonah didn’t like the plan and God still used him. I think it was because Jonah had some redemptive qualities that God saw. Jonah had potential that even he didn’t recognize. And the lesson I learn from Jonah is one that leads and guides so much of my life.
Where we will join Jonah in his story this morning is after the most famous and known part of his journey. He has already been called by God to go to these particular people that he did not want to help. He has run the other way, jumped a ship, thrown overboard, spent time with the fish, and found himself on the shore. What a ride. But that isn’t the end. He does go to the people of Nineveh – though more than reluctantly. God gave him another chance to do the right thing (and maybe God gives him a swift kick to get it done). So he does it, in what seems to be a half-hearted attempt. And God used it. God used the seemingly pitiful message. The people of Nineveh heard it, took it to heart, and changed. They repented. They heard that God cared about them and destruction was coming – they listened. Even the King got the message and made a decree – everyone would be in on this. They would change their ways. Great news, right?! Yes, for everyone but Jonah.
Jonah 3:10-4:11
3:10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
4:1 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry.
4:2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing.
4:3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4:4 And the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
4:5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
4:6 The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush.
4:7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered.
4:8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
4:9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.”
4:10 Then the LORD said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night.
4:11 And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”
Don’t miss this. God saved the people and the land of Nineveh. The proclamation of Jonah was heard. He did what he was sent to do and the people heard it and changed. God did not bring the destruction he had planned. They were saved. That should be reason to celebrate. But Jonah was angry. Yes, you heard that correctly – Jonah was angry. He was angry with God. He basically tells God that he knew this would happen. God is too kind and merciful and loving. He just knew God wouldn’t destroy them and that’s why he didn’t want to do this in the first place. How dare God be so loving and kind!
I have to pause there. This is something we do not always hear and if we do, we are ready to cast judgment on Jonah. How dare he act like this! How could he make such a call on those people! Who does he think he is! Yet, what we don’t always consider is who they were to Jonah. Nineveh is the enemy. They are the opposing force. Jonah wants them destroyed because Jonah has identified these people as his enemy. They have sought to destroy his people. How could God care about them? Jonah wanted to see God wipe them out – it seemed only right to him. He didn’t want to care about them and he didn’t want them saved.
That sounds selfish, but I wonder how many times that happens today. We decide who is the enemy and we want them destroyed. We certainly don’t see how God could love them. We don’t want to consider that God created them too and there is any potential in them. They are the “other” and we don’t see value in “those” people. They are the enemy. Yet, if we believe that God is creator of the entire world, there are more people God created than just us. There are more to love outside of our country. There are more valuable people outside of our realm of what we consider worthy. God actually loves the whole world – the whole entire world. And if that is true, that means he loves those we have decided aren’t worthy. It means those we don’t agree with. It means those who don’t look like us or talk like us or think like us. It means God has a plan which is good for all humankind. That could come as a shocker to some of us who feel like the privileged and favored few.
But the story doesn’t end there for Jonah. God decides to teach Jonah a lesson he can grasp. As he did with the big fish, he does with the plant. Jonah is miserable. He has gone to sulk. He wanted to see them destroyed. So he goes and sits down. God provides him shade. It is perfect. It is just what Jonah needed. It saves him for the day. The next day, the shade is eaten by bugs. And Jonah has to face the heat and wind without it. He is angry. God reminds him that Jonah cared about a shade he did not create, he did not do anything for – because it was protecting him. God tells him that there are people in Nineveh that do not understand and that need direction. God cares for them too. He has good things for them too.
God has so much more planned than we could ever imagine. He is using us for his good and loving plan. We don’t always like or understand the plan. We don’t understand how we are to love the enemy. But this is exactly what Jesus taught. We are to love those we consider unlovable and unworthy. God does not appoint us as judge. He does not give us the option to decide who is worthless or worthy. He sees children without direction. And he may just see that in us.
May God open our eyes to see others as he does. May we show love to all – even those we consider the “other”. May it begin today.
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 
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