Letters to the Church: Part 3

This sermon was preached at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church on March 15, 2015. During the season of Lent, Lawrence Road used a sermon series titled, “Letters to the Church.” Each week, the message was based on the Epistle Reading as assigned by the Revised Common Lectionary. Although I preached this sermon on the fourth week of Lent, it is Part 3 of the series. This was because the prior week Lawrence Road was blessed with a guest preacher who focused on the Gospel Reading rather than the Epistle. I was inspired by other Christian authors and commentators. I focused on the wording and phrasing of the passage as well as the use of the original Greek text. There is also a prayer included at the end.

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Ephesians 2:1-10

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

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This is my first time preaching from an epistle. And let me tell you, it’s different. Different because it’s unlike the other books in the bible. It’s not poetry like found in the Psalms; it’s not a parable or story as told in the four Gospels; it’s a letter written from Paul’s perspective to a specific crowd: in this case, the Ephesians. And let me tell you, the Ephesians got their money’s worth. This letter is filled with substance. You were dead in your transgressions and sins.” “We were by nature deserving of wrath.” “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” These ten verses alone have enough material to fulfill a multiple week bible study. And because of how much material is covered, I had trouble picking a place to start, and so I started reading several commentaries on the text. One of the commentaries written by Kyle Fevor - the Director for Family and Young Adult Ministry at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota, focused on the original language the letter was written in: Greek. I let out a sigh and a moan as I started to read his commentary as I thought this would be a dry, analytical research paper. But I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it was a dry and yes, it was analytical, but Mr. Fevor made some good points, and I was instantly inspired. I thought I would try it for myself, and so, back to the original Greek text I went.

What’s funny about this, just three weeks ago or so, Nina and I were having one of a supervisory meetings. Now, to be ordained as a teaching elder in the PCUSA church as required by our Book of Order, seminarians are required to take two language courses: Hebrew and Greek. I am currently three quarters of my way through the latter. Back to the meeting, Nina and I were discussing the necessity of this when I told her I would never be the minister who dove deeply into the language while preaching and tried to explain the use of a word to the congregation. Well, here I am today, proving myself wrong, as that is exactly my starting point. As a side note, I now learned to never say never in ministry. More than likely whatever I say I will never do I will end up doing the following week.

Anyway, I went back to the original language of greek, and right away a word stood out to me. περιπατέω (Peripateo). Forms of this verb are found twice in this passage. Once in verse two and again in verse ten. It translated first as “a way in which we once lived” and the the second time it is translated as “a way we will be living.” However, the actual translation of περιπατέω (peripateo) means to walk. As in, “a way in which we once walked and a way we will be walking.” But this isn’t walking in the literal, physical sense - this is walking in the metaphorical sense. The closest comparison I can make to explain this metaphorical sense of walking is the song, “Walking on Sunshine.” You know the one I’m talking about? I’m not going to sing it because I don’t consider myself a singer and you would all be mortified, but the lyrics are “I’m walking on Sunshine. Woah oh. And don’t it feel good!” We all know the singer isn’t physically walking on sunshine. I don’t even have to explain what would happen to them if they were, but instead, the singer is feeling pure joy - joy that is so great that it makes the singer feel as if they are metaphorically walking on a big ball of sunshine. 

This is similar to Paul’s message regarding death and new life in Ephesians. When Paul starts the second chapter of his letter to Ephesus, he starts boldly and strongly. He declares the citizens of Ephesus as dead. Because of their sins and their transgressions, because they are children of wrath - they were dead. The ways of this world didn’t give them life; instead, it sentenced them to death. There was nothing they could do to save themselves; there was nothing they could do to bring them to life. They were metaphorical walking corpses. They were living a life of rotting and decaying, because even if they were physically walking, they were walking the way of death. And without a savior - they would continue to be walking this dismal journey until the finality of physical death overtook them. They were, and will be forevermore, dead. 

This same message applies to us. Because without a Savior, we too are dead. We too have walked the journey of death. Not now but long before we were born, before we took our first breath of life, before we were even conceived in our mother’s womb, we were dead. Let me say that one more time. We were dead.

It’s a difficult concept to grasp. I mean, here we are, living and breathing as we join together in Sunday worship. Alive in this moment but once dead before Christ and before one another. How is this possible? When we were ever dead? 

What we have to understand is the world keeps moving. Yes, God is eternal and infinite and never changes, but the world does. And part of this changing causes the corruption of churches and the messages they preach. These Churches do not proclaim the gospel or new life, but instead, these are the churches that bring metaphorical death to their members. Right now there are churches who forbid people who identify with the LGBTQ community to worship with their congregation. Right now there are churches who close their doors to people who suffer from mental diseases or addictions. Right now there are churches who ask members to leave if they have an abortion, a child out of wedlock, or a divorce. There are still churches who don’t allow their black and brown brothers and sisters to worship with them because they are viewed as lesser beings. And even now, we still have churches where women are taught that wives should serve their husbands and where men are taught that husbands should own their wives. It saddens me. Would any of you be allowed to worship at those churches? Or would you have been excluded? Would you have been made dead by the ways of these churches? Who does that church have left in their congregation? They have sent everyone away. I don’t know about you but this is not the course I want to be walking.

But here’s the thing about walking. We are not standing still; we are not stuck. The place in which we were will not be the place in which we will be. We are slowly but surely moving somewhere. Paul writes that we were once dead. But no longer! We have been made alive through Christ Jesus. We have been saved by grace! Death was defeated, and we were given new life. And this is the message that this church preaches. Whether this is your thousandth time in that pew or your first time, God has brought you to this place for a reason. God has brought us together in this place. It didn’t matter what you have done. It doesn’t matter what you will do because you haven’t saved yourself; that responsibility and power wasn’t put on you. A greater being - a being rich in mercy and love - took that on for you. And that is a blessing and a gift. And although you could have done nothing to save yourself, God stills call upon you to do something. You have been saved by grace through faith IN ORDER that you may do good works through Christ Jesus. Our works have not saved us, but they are part of the goal God had in mind in saving us. And that makes me think of the way - the journey - that I want to be walking.

When I think of where I want to be, I think of this place. A place where all are welcome. A place where people come to be made alive again through Christ.  Author Justin Lee recalls a monumental worship service in his younger years, “The conference opened with a praise and worship session. Here, in the midst of so many Christians singing their songs of praise to God together, I felt much more at ease. This—-this—-was what it was to be a Christian: broken, hurting, imperfect people, united in love and gratitude to God. I could have worshiped forever in that room. I felt at peace.”

See, that was the path God has created for you to walk. A place where you can bring your brokenness, your pain, and your imperfections, unite them in love and gratitude, and lay them down at God’s holy feet. That place is here. Right here. See this table. That is your place. A place to lay the things that have made you feel dead - a place that serves as a living reminder of the grace that saved you. That is what happens when we partake of the bread and juice. You are taken before Christ, and you are reminded you are cared for by a God rich in mercy and grace. So when you take communion later, bring your sins and transgressions. Let go of your wrath. Bring everything that has made you dead. And lay it down. When you eat the bread, know you have been forgiven. When you drink from the cup, know you have been given eternal life. Feel at peace.

We are the people of God. It was Christ who has saved us. But it is also Christ who calls us to act like Christians. God’s grace is a gift that is freely given to us. We don’t earn a thing when it comes to God’s love, and we only try to live in response to the gift. 

No one is climbing the spiritual ladder. We don’t continually improve until we are so spiritual we no longer need God. Rather, this is a gift you have been given that you may do good works. The “others” that the corrupted churches have made dead; they are no longer the “others.” They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. That is exactly how we need to treat them. We re not saved by good works, but but we saved so that the good works could reconcile and serve as evidence of reconciliation.. It’s not just for us; it’s for the reconciliation of the world. Do not exclude others to metaphorical death; remind them of the new and eternal life freely given to them through Christ Jesus. Allow them to remind you of your own new and eternal life. Be a blessing to one another.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he wrote that they once walked the way of death. We too have walked the way of death. But through the love of God, we were made alive in Christ. We were created new through Christ. God has looked down upon you, saw your deadness - your imperfections and sins, proclaimed his mercy and love, and saved you by grace through faith. “And this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” This is the path God has created for you to walk.

Amen.

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Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer God: We know that you have created a way for us to walk. Allow us to do so with grace and forgiveness as we walk hand in hand with our sisters and brothers. For once we once dead, but you have made us alive in through the life, death, and resurrection of your one and only beloved Son: Jesus Christ. Nourish us and sustain us as we walk this path of righteousness for your sake. For we know we are saved by grace through faith; it is not our doing, but a precious and holy gift from you. 

Amen.

Lessons in Faithfulness: Nathanael

          I preached this message on January 18, 2015 at my home congregation: First Presbyterian Church of Sterling, Colorado. It was part of a multiple week sermon series created by Reverend Michelle Witherspoon. Each week, she used lectionary-assigned scripture passages to answer the question: “When God Calls…. How Shall I Answer? Lessons in Faithfulness.” From the perspective of biblical characters, we examined different appropriate responses to this question. It was my honor to explore the character of Nathanael, one of Jesus’ lesser-known disciples. This is my interpretation to how Nathanael responded to God’s call.

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John 1:43-51

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

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In the 1930s, psychologist and creator of the iconic super-heroine Wonder Woman, William Moulton Marston asked 3,000 people this question: "What have you to live for?"  He was shocked to find out that 94% replied “nothing,” that they were just "enduring the moment". They would describe this enduring as eagerly waiting for “something” to happen—waiting for children to grow up and leave home, waiting for next year, waiting for another time to take a long-dreamed-about trip, or just waiting for tomorrow. However, Marston also discovered another finding among the 6% who said they did have something to live for. Whether they lived for themselves, their family, or even a higher power, their philosophies were similar in that they strongly believed they must live in the present because their yesterday was already gone and their tomorrow may never come. They weren’t waiting for something to happen; they were content with what they already done or seen. Every day was another day to wholeheartedly live for something. And so when it comes to character of Nathanael, I believe he would have identified with this 6%. 

We are now in our third week of the sermon series, “Lessons in Faithfulness: When God Calls, How Shall I Answer?” Fortunately for me, Rev. Michelle asked if I would like to preach one of the weeks. Now as someone currently going through the call process to become a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church, I was very excited when she told me about this idea. For the past two weeks, I have been sitting up in the balcony taking mental notes. If I was in the Magi’s shoes or in John’s shoes, how would I answer? From the magi, we learned that we need to pay attention. God’s call can come at any time and by any means. Whether it’s a star in the sky or a feeling in your soul, we need to pay attention to that call. Next, we moved to the river of Jordan where we meet John the Baptist. John shows us that all of us are called by God. We remember this in the waters of our baptism. So what’s do we learn from today’s gospel lesson? Well, first we should admit this passage is not a well-known biblical story. In fact, earlier this week, I was eating dinner with some friends and they knew I would be preaching here this Sunday. They asked about the passage I was preaching on, and when I told them it was on the story of Jesus calling upon Nathanael, they responded with a quizzical, “Who?” Yes, in this passage we meet one of Jesus’ lesser-known disciples who goes by the name Nathanael in the Gospel of John and possibly by Bartholomew in the other three gospels. For this sermon, we’ll refer to him just as Nathanael, and if we’re talking about minor characters in the Bible, Nathanael is a major contender. Like I said, Nathanael is only in one of the four gospels – the gospel of John – and even here, he is only mentioned twice. In this passage and once again in a list of witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. And so whatever we can learn about Nathanael is found in these couple of verses. To find out how Nathanael responded to God’s call, we must be able to understand this passage, so let us dive into the story.

In John chapter one, we read that the Word was made Flesh, the Flesh is Jesus, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, and then Jesus calls upon his first disciples. This happens all within a matter of days as each passage including today’s gospel lesson starts with the phrase, “The next day.” And so, the next day Jesus meets Philip and calls upon Philip to follow him on his journey. But before Philip drops everything to follow Jesus, he goes back to Bethsaida to find his friend to invite him as well. It’s a person-to-person interaction. And that’s where we meet the character Nathanael. But when Philip tells Nathanael about Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael responds with honest skepticism and doubt. “Nazareth?! Can anything good come from Nazareth?!”

Nathanael was a traditional Israelite. A man who probably immersed himself in study and meditation. He must know the Old Testament because that’s how Philip refers to Jesus when he approaches Nathanael.  As for Nazareth, it was a town known for its terrible vices – for its lowly and despised people. To suggest anything good can come from Nazareth – especially the Messiah – was a ridiculous and preposterous idea, a joke even. He wasn’t expecting the Savior of the people to come from Nazareth; he probably wasn’t expecting the Savior of the people to even come at all. After all, Nathanael was a man living in his own present. He’s not the type of guy waiting around for something to happen or for someone to come. So when Philip goes to Nathanael saying that someone in fact did come, Nathanael’s question is an honest one. To which Philip responds with an open invitation. “Come and see,” he says. And to which, Nathanael does.

Nathanael then goes before the Lord, and instantly Jesus calls him a man in whom there is no deceit. Nathanael – a good and honest man – maybe a little blunt – but still a good-hearted, honest man. But this puzzles Nathanael and he asks Jesus, “Where did you come to know me?” Jesus says, “I saw you under the fig tree,” and boom, a revelation happens within Nathanael. He declares Jesus as the King of Israel, as the Son of God! The very Savior that the people have been waiting for – the one and true Messiah. This must have amazed Nathanael – he was not expecting to see goodness in the flesh. He thought this was already the greatest miracle he has even seen! This is what Nathanael will live for! But then Jesus ends this passage by alluding to his eventual resurrection. He tells Nathanael that if you thought this was great, well, you’ve seen nothing yet! Something even greater will happen!

And there’s where we get to the main point found in today’s lesson, when Jesus called upon Nathanael, he responded with an honest but curious mind – he responded with openness to witness something greater.

Through Nathanael’s initial skepticism and doubt, we can learn that when God calls, we must respond with an open mind. We must live in the present while awaiting for God to come to us again in the future. This summer I was doing a bible study with my summer staff up in North Dakota, and in the bible study on prayer, there was the line, “Live as if everything depended on you; pray as if everything depended on God.” That is a perfect example for the way to live as directed by this passage. God knows you; God has created a plan and a purpose just for you. That’s your call. Do we fully understand the call? No. But we do know that God has not called us to sit and around wait for the next great thing. God wants us to act now. To live healthy and empowering Christian lives; to live for something right now in the moment. Because yes, greater things will come, but there is already greatness around you. God has seen you – each one of you – under your own metaphorical fig tree.

That’s the lesson in faithfulness; that is how we can respond to God’s call. Allow yourself to be open to the world around you.  Open to change; to passion and pain; to both the good and the bad. Open yourself to sharing the good news with others. See, the Christian faith has been passed from person to person for over 2000 years starting with Jesus. We see it in today’s lesson. Jesus tells Philip who tells Nathanael. And all kept an open mind. And that’s how it has worked ever since. The spread of the Christian church across the world is the person-to-person story of the thousands of people who fanned out across the globe to tell the story about Jesus and what Jesus had done for them. One person says to another, “I follow Jesus and invite you to do so too.” Churches were then built. People started attending Sunday worship. Those people invited their family and friends to join them in worship. Later on as the church grows as more people start attending worship. Then parents bring their infant children to Jesus in baptism and then bring them up to follow him. Those children grow up and then do the same for their own children. And the church is growing. Well, that’s the idea, right?

Well in reality, the church is not growing. And that’s because we have grown content with living for nothing. We identify with the 94% who says that we have nothing to live for now, but we are waiting for something greater. This is where we take Nathanael as our example. Be honest and curious, but allow yourself to be open for something different. Do not turn people away. Do not shut down their ideas or beliefs. Embrace them and use it an open invitation to see something greater. Invite those who are different from yourself so that they may be able to a see a glimpse into your world and so that you may be able to see a glimpse into theirs. God often reveals God self through the actions of humankind. And so to be a witness to God's manifestation, we need to keep an open mind for they could lead you to goodness. 

We know that we are all called but to interpret that call is another action of response we need to take.  It's okay to be skeptical or doubtful like Nathanael was - that's human nature - but what beautiful and miraculous things could we see if we just allowed ourselves to be open.  We must embrace the things we know as well as embrace the things we don’t. Be grateful for every moment we have. The moments we have right here in the present. Right here and right now. Live every day with an open mind. That’s when greatness will come to you. Yes, God will reveal God’s self to us once again through the second coming of Christ, but sitting around and waiting for this wasn’t God’s plan. Instead, while we wait, we must actively spread Christian love. People become Christians because they have seen what the Christian faith has done for those whom they know. The saying passed down from the early years of the church still rings true: “See those Christians, how they love one another.”

And so we go back to the initial question. What have you to live for? The answer is not nothing. You have been called to live for something. Whether you know what that is or not, it is there. God has seen you; God knows you; and God has called you. Find something to live for now. Live now in the moment. God will come to us to us again, but as Jesus told Nathanael, you’ve seen nothing yet! Keep an open mind and an open heart. Because greatness can come from anywhere and anyone. Amen.

Fight the Good Fight

     This sermon was preached on November 2, 2014 at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church. It was part of a sermon series covering the book of Ruth. This passage is roughly found in the middle Ruth. Instead of just using this passage as its own text, I used the entire book of Ruth with a focus on the turning point of the story; this is also know as the “ah-ha!” moment. The sermon includes a summary of what has happened in the story so far as well as hints to what comes next. The point was to connect Ruth’s story as she “fights the good fight” to our own story as we do the same. “Fight the Good Fight” is an implicit reference to 1 Timothy 6:12.

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Ruth 3:1-7

1 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. 2 Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” 5 She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his feet, and lay down.

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  In high school, I was a part of band. Since I went to a small school in rural Colorado, the band was the marching, the concert, and my personal favorite, pep band. In pep band, at least once a week, we attended a home basketball or football game where we got to play the fun, upbeat songs I’m sure all we by heart now. “Louie, Louie” “On Wisconsin” – I’m sure you’re starting to remember. My high school even played “Eye of the Tiger” as one of ours. It’s those fun songs that inspire a friendly competition not only in the players of the game but also in the people in the crowd. It created an atmosphere of positive rivalry It was the music played by the pep band that create such a buzz of intensity of the room. It’s no wonder that the songs we played are called Fight Songs. These songs drive us to be something greater – to do something greater. This is what I call fighting the good fight. And today, we see it in the book of Ruth.

 We are now officially halfway through our sermon series on the book of Ruth. We have read about the three central characters. First, we have Naomi – the bitter mother-in-law who believes she has lost everything in life. Second, there is Boaz – the kind and well-off man who is a relative of Naomi’s and therefore, a kinsman to Ruth. And third, our main character and our focus, Ruth. Together we have been following this young Moabite’s story as she adapts to her new life in a foreign land. And what we have heard so far, this of life of her has not been kind or easy for Ruth. In fact, it has been everything but kind or easy. We have experienced her hardships with her; we have felt her struggles. But despite all this, Ruth has endured. Ruth has strived to make her life better for both herself and Naomi. This entire time, Ruth has been – what we can refer to as – fighting the good fight.

Naomi has seen that Boaz has already taking a liking to Ruth. This was seen when Boaz gave Ruth lunch while she was gleaning in the fields. She rejoiced when  Boaz show Ruth kindness; she asked the Lord to bless him. Because of this, Naomi saw how she could turn this into an advantage. She comes up with a plan to give herself and Ruth a home and a sense of security – to ensure they will no longer live in poverty and desperation. Ruth must offer herself to Boaz and if all goes well, Ruth (and Naomi) will have a better future. Sounds like a good plan… right? 

Now up to this point, Ruth has been endearingly stubborn. Naomi tells Ruth to go back home to her own people. Ruth said, “No, I will go where you go.” Naomi tells Ruth to call her Mara for she is bitter. Ruth said, “No, I will you call you Naomi.”  When Ruth was harassed in the fields by the workers, she continued to glean, ignoring the calls around her. Time after time, Ruth has refused to listen to her mother-in-law or the men around her. But here, in today’s passage, when Naomi tells Ruth to wash up, to put on perfume and her nicest clothes, and to go to Boaz and then wait for his instruction, she listens. Ruth responds, “I will do what you say.” I wonder if in this moment if Naomi threw up in her arms in exasperation and says, “Finally! Finally you listen to me!” 

This moment makes you question Ruth. Why – for the first time – did she graciously agree to her mother-in-laws request? Has she given up hope? Has she become submissive? Is she tired of fighting the good fight? Or does Ruth have her own plan? Is something moving Ruth to a different agenda? Is this still the good fight?

They say every good story as an “Ah-Ha!” moment. A good story starts slowly with problems or issues in the text. And then when everything is at its worst, things slowly begin to get better until we arrive at the good news at the end. That transition from the bad to the good is the “Ah-Ha” moment. It’s that moment in the story where something unexpected happens – when everything begins to turn around. If Ruth’s story has an “Ah-Ha” moment, this is it. This moment – this plan devised by Naomi – will hopefully solve their troubles. This is where things will start to get better. And if that means this is the “Ah-Ha” moment, which it most definitely is, then Ruth has not given up. Ruth will listen to Naomi, but she above all, she will be directed by God. She will act with Godly conduct. Even now and more than ever, Ruth is fighting the good fight.

I’ve said this phrase a few times now. “Fight the Good Fight.” But what does it mean? Well, this phrase is rooted in Scripture. Paul says it in the books of Timothy. He wrote that he has fought the good fight of faith. He wrote this to show us – humankind – that even when our faith is at our greatest, we will face many struggles in life. We will have battles to conquer. It is in these moments that we must fight the good fight. Ruth has. Paul has. They have fought the good fight. They have fought it for themselves, they have fought it for others, and above all, they have fought it for God. This is the good fight.

What we see in the book of Ruth and what I’m sure all of have experienced: Life is not easy. Life was not meant to be easy. God never designed it to be that way. We are supposed to have our ups-and-downs. We are supposed to have bad times along with the good times. We will face times when nothing seems to go right; when the whole world seems to be against us. We will lose the things we love most. We will often feel defeated. But when we experience these hardships and challenges, God does not want us to give up. God wants us to persevere and to push forward. To live and learn. To become something greater than ourselves. God is there for every step of the journey. Walking with us hand-in-hand. Carrying us when we need it. God wants us to fight the good fight. We were made to fight the good fight.

If the world is still plagued by racism, classism, or sexism, we must fight for it to end. 

If we feel some have been silenced by oppression, we fight for their right to have a voice and to be heard.

If you feel you a broken down by depression or anxiety, you fight and you fight long and hard to be happy. 

If you feel like you have more to live for in life, then you fight for it. 

And when you fight this fight - to make sure that this is the good fight - you must pray. Pray to God and ask for guidance. Ask for companionship and direction. Let God's hands be the ones that move you. This is it. You have been given a life worth fighting for. So go out, fight the good fight, and do so in the name of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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This sermonette was preached at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church on December 14, 2014. It was part of the church’s annual “Preach-athon.” In addition to my own, two other preachers also gave a message. As this was directed to be a shorter message, I wanted to try something new and experiment with its interpretation and delivery. The end result was a one-sided conversation with John the Baptist. It was delivered in the style of a dramatic monologue. This was intended to be a performance. The message is better understood if heard rather than read. 

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John 1:6-8, 19-28 (NRSV)

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

¹⁹ This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹ And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” ²² Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said,

“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”

as the prophet Isaiah said.

²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵ They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”²⁶ John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, ²⁷ the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” ²⁸ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

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Gather round, my friends, gather round!

Let us go down to the river to where John the Baptist speaks.

Let us go listen to his testimony, let us listen to his lies!

Gather round, gather round!

John! John the Baptist! We are here! We are here to listen! Tell us what good news you have for us today!

Who are we? You ask. We are the sons and daughters of Abraham. We are God’s chosen people. 

But who are you, John? Who are you?

Are you the Messiah? Are you the prophet or Elijah? 

Who are you?!

You’re the voice of the one calling out in the wilderness? Ha! Such a tiny voice for such great news!

Tell us. What does this voice of yours have to say?

Make straight the way of the Lord?

Oh John, We know the words of the Prophet Isaiah. But what are you trying to tell us?

We’re asking you to say something we haven’t heard yet for we have been in the dark for so long.

You say that you testify for this light? But you’re not the light itself? Then who is this light? And what will this bring us? Oh John. How confused you must be. You make no sense. Stop this, John. You’re embarrassing yourself. You have brought nothing to us. And now, we’re leaving. But John, one last question before we go, if you say you’re not the messiah, why do you insist on baptizing our brothers and sisters? It’s a wasted effort, and you are giving them a false sense of hope. Please, we ask you to stop this. We know you are trying to help, but this water isn’t enough. The very depths of our souls long for something else. There is a dryness that no water can quench. We are thirsty for something greater. We are desperate for a light in this darkness. And you’re not it. Day in and day out, we pray that we might be filled, but there’s still this emptiness within us. So John, if you’re not this light, why are we still waiting?

You see, we have been waiting for so long, that there’s this pressure building up inside of us. It’s becoming painful as we yearn for something greater. I don’t think we can hold on to this false hope anymore. We’re going to have to let it go unless you tell us something different. So we ask you one last time, why are we still waiting?  

Because another one is coming after you? A man who is the very light of God – God’s one and only son? Because this light will baptize us with the Holy Spirit? Because he will give us almighty salvation and everlasting love? Because he is coming to save us? This cannot be! John, if what you say is true, we need to await his arrival! This is great news! Beautiful and wonderful news! John, you say you are not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet! Then we are not even worthy to be in his presence! John! We finally understand! You have been preparing us for his arrival! You are not the messiah or the prophet or Elijah, but you are a man sent from God. You are the witness to the light! Baptize us with water so that we will be baptized by God’s grace!

Friends, hear and believe the good news! Rejoice! Rejoice! For a savior is coming to us! A savior that will bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners!  This savior will be a light shining in the darkness! Let us all be a witness to this light! Let us share this good news with others! Our strength has been restored; our patience has been renewed! We are here, right now in this moment, gathered round so that we might act as witnesses to the gospel! Rejoice my friends for God has looked down upon us in favor! God has called us to do something greater! The pressure is fading! The darkness is lifting! We have been filled with hope!

Friends, can you believe this?! Our Lord is coming to us. We need to be ready and waiting! And we need to prepare for his arrival! And we will do so in humble patience! Have hope, my friends, we have been saved! The day our savior comes is a day filled with glory! Rejoice! Rejoice! 

John! Thank you for your testimony. Thank you for calling us down to the waters for we have received your message. Now it’s our turn to testify. From the highest of mountains to the lowest of valleys, we will proclaim the gospel!

The Word has been made flesh! The light shines in the darkness! Rejoice! A savior is coming to us! Amen!

Hold On

The following is a sermon I wrote for a fictitious funeral. It was preached in my Introduction to Preaching course at Princeton Theological Seminary. The assignment was to use a Psalm of our choice in the context of a specific scenario. I used Psalm 31 for the following scenario: “Graveside services will be held for Katy Swank, a thirty year old mother of two who committed suicide this past Sunday. While Katy’s name has been on the church roll since childhood, she had not attended service at the local church for the past twenty years. Her children have been active participants in the church’s youth ministry program and had recently been baptized. She leaves to mourn her passing a devoted husband, a mother and father, and two children ages eight and ten.”

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We gather in grief and sorrow to mourn the loss of Katy Swank. I didn’t know Katy that well personally. We've only had a few interactions here and there throughout the past couple of months. Usually it was a wave or a nod when she came to pick up her kids after children’s choir on Wednesday evenings. And although these interactions were small and few and although I never really got to know Katy, when her parents asked me to preach at her funeral today, I knew I could tell Katy’s story through the lives of others. Because although I didn’t know Katy, I do know the people that loved her most, the people that now hold on to her spirit. 

I met Katy’s parents, Dave and Linda, about two years ago. Both were freshly into retirement and had just moved back to Princeton to be closer to Katy and her family. This had been Dave and Linda’s home church until they moved, along with Katy, to Florida in 1996. Upon our first meeting, they told me they had a lot of memories in this church. This was the church was Katy and her siblings were baptized in was baptized in; this was the church Katy’s little brother Tom was baptized in, and this is the church was Tom’s funeral was held when he passed away at the age of eight. It was this last reason that Katy left the church – it was a memory to painful to hold onto. And although Katy had left the church, Dave and Linda said they were to be back in this congregation.  

A few months after, I met Katy’s two children, Carleigh and Sam. Dave and Linda decided it was time to take the two the church. I remember my first encounter with them. Both of them were holding onto grandpa and grandma. Carleigh had this wide-eyed look of wonder and curiosity while Sam hid behind them. The weeks went by and soon Carleigh and Sam were a part of our Sunday School classes as well as our Children’s Choir. They always seem to just love it here. Soon this holding on turned into Careligh and Sam dragging grandpa and grandma everywhere through the church.

Well, it came as no surprise when Linda approached me about baptizing the two. They had become such an active part of our youth ministry, and so I told Linda that we could look into this after having a conversation with Carleigh and Sam’s parents. Unfortunately, Katy was busy, but her husband agreed to meet. And that’s when I met Andrew. And so the five of us sat down Dave, Linda, Andrew, Carleigh, and Sam, and discussed what it meant for the latter two to be baptized and how it meant that would be sealing their Christian identity that God has always been holding onto. And after getting Carleigh and Sam’s permission as they are now eight and ten, just a few short weeks ago, we baptized the two in front of our congregation. Katy was unable to attend, but she sent me a card that read, “Thank you. Peace, Katy.

So like I said, I didn’t know Katy, but I do know that she is at peace knowing that her family is here right now in this moment. I know that this was something she was holding onto. This is your home. And now, in your time of grief, this is your refuge. God is your refuge. This is where God has called you to be, even if right now we are here in grief and sorrow.

In our Psalm today, we have a voice crying out in lament:

“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress.

My eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.

For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing.

My strength fails away because of my misery, and my bones waste away.

I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.”

There is a grief so overwhelming the body feels like its wasting away. There is a life filled with sorrow and pain. There is great distress that strength seems to be failing. There is brokenness. And so you so you ask yourself these questions. Am I feeling something similar to this Psalm? Am I able to put myself into this Psalm as a part of God’s story? And if this is God’s story, where’s the redemption or salvation – where’s the grace or the love? How can I be comforted?

Find comfort in God. In the abundance of goodness that is our God. In the steadfast love and in the rewards of faithfulness. In an eternal presence and in a unbreakable defense. That is our God. We can find comfort in God’s loving hands.

Because in this Psalm – this very same Psalm of lament – we have that same voice crying out something much greater:

In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;

    do not let me ever be put to shame;

    in your righteousness deliver me.

Incline your ear to me;

    rescue me speedily.

Be a rock of refuge for me,

    a strong fortress to save me.

You are indeed my rock and my fortress;

    for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,

take me out of the net that is hidden for me,

    for you are my refuge.

Into your hand I commit my spirit;

    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

But I trust in you, O Lord;

    I say, “You are my God.”

You see in the Psalm, we can feel the grief of the writer. We can feel the pain and the anguish. We can see the writer desperately calling out for God. Because despite all of this grief, pain, and anguish, the writer knows that our God is greater than that. That our God is stronger and more reliable than all of that! We see the writer shout out, “You are my Rock! You are my fortress! You are my God!”Because that is exactly what our God is. Our God just is. Our God is our rock. God is our fortress. God is our redeemer, our savior, our defense, our hiding place, our shelter. Our God is our God. Our God is.

We have a God that can do anything – a God that can choose to be anything. And the choice that was made was God chose to be our loving God. A God whose hand is reaching out to each of us to grab on tight. A hand that that also holds the spirit of Jesus because in Luke 23:46, Jesus said with his final breaths before he died on the cross, “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.” The same phrase that we have heard in this Psalm: Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” Because God has promised each of us new and eternal life. We need to live for God because one day we will die and go to God. God’s hands are already there – hands that are surrounded by the grace given through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ  – waiting for us to grab on, reaching out to us so they we may hold on

Katy was a daughter, a wife, and a mother. There is terrible grief in her loss. There is terrible pain and affliction. And now, more than ever, we need to hold on to something. We need to hold on to each other. We need to hold on the church. And above all else, we need to hold on to God. God’s loving hands are right there waiting for you to grab them. Hold on and hold on tight. “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait in the Lord.”

This Isn't Peace

Matthew 10:24-39

“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

     For I have come to set a man against his father,

     and a daughter against her mother,

     and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

     and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."

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I want everyone to close their eyes. (If you’re reading this, read these first few parts slowly. Really think about what I’m asking you.)  I want you to imagine a place that gives you peace. Go ahead, close your eyes, relax; find that peaceful bliss. Find that place where nothing can go wrong. You are away from your troubles. Your worries are gone; your fears no longer consume you. There’s no yelling, no arguing, and no fighting. You’re not in a hurry and you finally have time to catch your breath. This a place where you’re just away from it all. Isn’t this nice? Taking a moment of your day just to be at peace. Keep your eyes closed; remain in this peaceful place.

In your imagined place, who are you surrounded by? Where are you? What’s going on around you? And what are you doing? What did you sacrifice to get to this place of peace?

Where are your family and friends? Your spouse? Your parents or children? Your siblings? Or even your mother-in-law?  Are you at work? Or at home? Are you still even in this church? When you think of this imagined place, what’s missing? What have you given up to be here? What have you removed yourself from?

You can go ahead and open your eyes now.

Hopefully, these questions helped you realize that to achieve this sense of peace, we removed ourselves from the things that we love. We may have removed ourselves from our family. Our friends. Our job. Our house. We might have even removed ourselves from the very life each of us live. I see this as a fake sense of peace because we have removed ourselves from the things we love most in this world. Now, this place of peace is a nice place to occasionally go, but there’s a reason we don’t always live in this place. God never created this peaceful place as a place to stay. We live busy lives, and stress often overwhelms even the best of us. But that’s the life we were destined to live. And I if had to choose between a life of peace away from everything I love or a life filled troubles, worries, and fears caused by the things I love, I would hope I would choose the latter every time. Because that “peace” just isn’t worth it.

The problem in humankind is we lose ourselves when we become submissive to our worries, troubles, and fears and no longer remain submissive to God. We see this as a type of peace because it’s easier to let human problems control us. But this isn’t peace. It’s complacency. It’s the easy road.  There are times when we all no longer stand up for what we believe in and times we no longer remain true to ourselves or to our creator God. And that is exactly what this passage is telling us what NOT to do.

You see, in this passage, Jesus is telling his disciples to go out and spread the good news of Christ. But he is also giving them a warning. He tells the disciples they will face turmoil and they will have problems. He tells them life will be hard, especially when living a life of faith. But when they experience all of these hardships, Jesus also tells them throughout this passage to “Do not fear…” and “Do not be afraid…” because these disciples have great value in the eyes of God.

And then, Jesus says something weird, even for him. Now that saying something because let’s just be honest, Jesus said a lot of weird things in Scripture. But this one is weird because it seems to contradict almost everything he has taught up to this point. He says, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Now let’s think about this… the prince of peace is, in fact, not bringing peace to our world? He’s bringing a sword? Really Jesus, really?! A sword?! But it isn’t a sword; this is Jesus’s way of giving his disciples an option. They can turn away from everything they love and know. They can escape from their problems and go back to their old peaceful, submissive lives. Or they can defend what they believe – what they serve and what they love – and they take up a sword. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. Jesus also tells his disciples to be worthy, they must also take up a cross.

But in our lives today, what does the sword represent? And what does the cross represent? They both represent strength given by God. In those moments when we feel weak or alone or afraid, when our troubles, worries, and fears control us. God will equip us with a mighty sword. A sword to give us strength to do what is needed. Strength to stand up for what is right. To defend what we love and serve. To show that human problems will not control us. But sometimes God will equip us with something different; God will tell us to take up a humbling cross. Here, God still gives us strength but a different kind of strength. Strength to have mercy. To carry not only our own burdens, but also the burdens of our neighbors. Strength to continue to move forward in life, even in our darkest days. By giving all that we are to the Lord, God’s will give us the strength to take up our cross.

The message here is God is telling humankind to lay out our lives for Christ. When we try to live true Christian lives, God will equip us with the strength we need. Do not be submissive to human problems; be submissive to our divine God. And then announce for all to hear. Announce it in the light and announce it in the dark; announce it silently and announce it loudly. One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs – “Rooftops” by Jesus Culture – has the lyrics, “I shout out your name. From the rooftops I proclaim. I am yours. And all that I am. I place into your loving hands. I am yours. I am yours.” Troubles will not control us. Worries will not control us. Fears will not control us. Human problems will not control us.

Rather, give your life to God. We will run into problems; we all have troubles, worries, and fears – this passage warns us of that. But don’t lose your life being controlled by them. Don’t try to live in peace ignoring them. Embrace them; take them in and then give them up to God, along with every part of you. Lose your life for Christ and be submissive to God. God will equip us with that mighty sword and that humbling cross. God will give us strength. Because God created each of us to live full lives; abundant lives. And to do this, we just need to give all that we are to Christ.

Let the Creator God love us; let the grace of Christ save us; and let the Holy Spirit move us.

Amen.

In Remembrance of Her

Mark 14:1-11

It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”

While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

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“For what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

In remembrance of her…

This passage is interesting. It is a few days before the Passover dinner. The passage opens with the dark plot to kill Jesus and it ends just as dim with Judas’ agreement to the betrayal. And because of this surrounding darkness, the tensions were high and their tempers were short. Jesus is in Bethany surrounded by his disciples and his other followers at a table, probably for conversation and a meal. But then, an unknown woman comes in carrying an expensive jar of oil. I’m sure the conversation subsided pretty quickly as the disciples stared at her waiting for her next move. When the woman breaks the jar and pours the oil onto Jesus’ head – oil that cost an entire year’s wages - the conversation quickly resumed as the people surrounding Jesus became angry. Like I said, the tensions were high and their tempers were short.  They argue that the oil could have been sold and that the profits could have been given to the poor. They scolded and rebuked the woman – thinking this act of hers was nothing but a waste. That this was no great act. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

But as always, Jesus takes this opportunity as one to teach his followers a new lesson – one on risk and compassion. He kindly but firmly tells his disciples to leave the woman alone. He explains, while yes, she could have given the money to the poor, she chose to anoint Jesus instead. She gave what little that she had – in this case, one expensive Jar of oil – to Jesus. She took a risk – a new approach – to glorify her Holy Teacher.

And so, because of this great act, whenever this story is read and “wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

When I first read this passage, the line “in remembrance of her” stuck out to me. I instantly made the connection to the Lord’s Supper. When we eat the bread and drink the wine, Jesus told us to do so in remembrance of him. But here, Jesus takes the focus off himself – he doesn’t tell a parable or he doesn’t perform a miracle – instead, he lets a woman anoint him and then he says that act will be done in remembrance of her. Yes, even this unnamed woman has made a name for herself. And she did this by pouring a jar of oil – probably the most expensive item she owned; maybe even all she has ever owned – onto the head of Jesus.

Now I started thinking that if I were in this woman’s shoes, what could I give to Jesus that would best glorify God? Unfortunately I don’t think my $10 cologne would suffice.

So I thought harder – what is the most expensive thing I have in my life? And then it hit me and it’s one I’m sure we can all relate to – the cost of attending Princeton Theological Seminary. Our future Master of Divinity degree is our jar of oil.  It is what God has called us to give.

Here at seminary, we have all sorts of different gifts and talents. We have seminarians whose lives are rooted in scripture. We have those filled abundantly with kindness, compassion, and love.  We have the charismatic preachers and we have the theologically intelligent. We have it all here at Princeton Theological Seminary.

However, the problem, once we find our place – once we find our calling here at seminary – we stick to that and only that. And by doing so, it’s like we are only giving to the poor. Yes, it’s great and all, but it’s not always what God has called us to do. As we see in the passage, Jesus says we will always have the poor to give to – or in our case, we will always have our gifts to excel in. But if we don’t get out and explore what else God has given us, then we have doing nothing in the name of Jesus.

As Christians – as true followers of Christ – we need to give our time and our talents. And the nice thing is, God has gifted us each of us with both. God wants us to succeed – to push hard and to push forward. God wants us to take risks in the ways that serve. God has called us here to seminary – to this point in our lives – and God will continue to lead us where to do. So go out there; cradle and nurture your gifts and watch them flourish, but also, go out and take risks and explore your weaknesses; do all that you can to glorify God.

So what will you give up to God? 

What will be done in remembrance of you?

Amen.