Category: Sermon Texts

Scripture Lesson: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Sermon: Before I Die. . .
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Happy New Year! It’s the season for resolutions, or not, depending on how you
like to approach things. Have any of you made a New Year’s resolution? No need
to go into the details.

In any case, the beginning of a new calendar year, whatever your thoughts on
resolutions, is a time to take stock. To look back. To think about what to leave
behind in the year passed. It is a time to reflect. To observe where you are. Are
you where you thought you would be? Are things as you had anticipated? It is
also a time to look ahead. It’s a useful moment to pause and reflect – whether or
not you are inclined toward resolutions.

I do not personally lean toward a five year plan or a ten year plan or a seven step
plan as I go about my life. I am by nature a planner and highly organized but I
have found that things happen beyond our control, things change, unexpected
circumstances arise, and if locked into a plan, opportunities can be missed. So, I
try to be invested in paying attention, listening, reflecting, and being intentional.
The New Year is a natural opportunity for all of this.

The writer of Ecclesiastes has given us the wonderful wisdom poem that we heard
this morning to help us reflect on life’s journey. As we think about the perspective
of Ecclesiastes, we want to remember that these are teachings that Jesus would
likely have known. Jesus would have been schooled in the teachings of this book
which is an invitation to think about life in its fullness, diversity, and intensity. He
would have been familiar with the verses we heard this morning. They would have
brought him strength and comfort as he made his journey through his life and
death. Ecclesiastes teaches that there is good and bad. There are ups and downs.
Joys and struggles. All depending on the time, the context, and the circumstances.
The living of our days includes a wide spectrum of experiences and that is what
makes life abundant and meaningful and mysterious. The writer of Ecclesiastes is
offering guidance for the living of life and for understanding life’s journey. There
is much encouragement for merriment and fun. And there is much
acknowledgment of the vanity of life – the writer mentions vanity over 30 times in the book. So scholars argue whether the writer was an optimist or a pessimist. I
would say, yes, to both. I think this wisdom book counsels work hard, play hard,
be a morally good person, and accept the utter inscrutability of God. There is a lot
that simply cannot be explained. So do what you can to live fully and abundantly,
and accept that the circumstances and outcomes are beyond our control or
understanding. Life is a mystery.

We see this perspective in the song, “The Dance,” made popular by Garth Brooks.
He talks about how we go through life and we don’t know how things will turn out.
We love and then experience loss. We think we are on top and then we fall. We
just don’t know how things will unfold. The main sentiment of the song is
expressed in the last line, “Our lives are better left to chance, I could have missed
the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.” In the original music video, there are
clips of John F. Kennedy picking up John John and Martin Luther King, Jr. scoop-
ing up one of his small children and the Challenger astronauts entering the space
shuttle. If they’d only known. . . But they didn’t know. And so they carried on.

And this is what we do. We don’t know and we carry on. Like the writer of
Ecclesiastes, we seek to be fully alive, to live abundantly, to embrace each moment
with awe and grace – work hard, play hard, and be morally good accepting the
inscrutability of life and the inevitability of death.

Yes, we are all going to die, that is something we can be 100% sure of. Look
around this sanctuary. Everyone here is going to die. All of us. We don’t know
when. We don’t know how. But we know each and every one of us is going to die.
That is what makes this moment and every single moment so precious and sacred.
That is what makes the experience of being alive, taking a breath, so intense and so
holy. But in the ordinariness of going through the paces of daily life, we can loose
sight of the gift we are being given each and every moment. We can miss the
transcendence in the bug, the leaf, or the touch. Remembering that we are going to
die brings home the mystery and magic of this moment.

This week I read about a phone app called WeCroak. Do any of you have it?
Ironically it is in the health and fitness category. Well, it sort of fits. The WeCroak
app reminds you randomly five times a day that you are going to die. It sends you a message: “Don’t forget, you’re going to die.” Yes, I know it sounds, well,
morbid, but it is based on a folk saying from Bhutan in the Himalayas: “To be a
truly happy person, one must contemplate death five times a day.” So, this app
helps you do just that. The goal? Happiness.

In case you are interested, the WeCroak app gets a 4 star rating, it’s free,
appropriate for ages 4 and up, and it is available in English and Italian.

Awareness of death reminds us of how precious this moment, this day, this journey
of life is. It reminds us of each opportunity we are given, day in and day out, to
relish the experience of being alive on this planet with billions of other beings and
life forms. So what do we make of this life?

Yes, much is beyond our control and inscrutable. Why did he get killed by the
drunk driver? Why was her cancer cured? Why were they born into abject poverty
in Sudan? Much is unpredictable and beyond our understanding but we still have
responsibility for how we live our lives, in our circumstances. We still have
choices to make about our behavior and our thoughts and attitudes. We have
choices about how we interact with other people, what we give our time and
money and energy to, whether we forgive. We decide whether to live our lives
giving or taking. We decide whether to help or to harm. Most of our choices are
fraught with moral consequences, good or bad, whether we want to see them or
not. So what are we making of our lives? As the poet Mary Oliver puts it, “Tell
me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

In 2011, artist Candy Chang was living in post-Katrina New Orleans. It was a
situation of devastation and shattered hopes. Then a dearly beloved mother figure
in her life died. She reflected on the unfulfilled dreams of her loved one. Chang
got permission from the city to use an abandoned house in her neighborhood for an
interactive art installation. She painted an outside wall of the house with chalk
paint and stenciled the words, Before I die I want to. . . Chalk was provided. And
as it turned out, people, many people, in the neighborhood used the chalk to finish
the sentence: Before I die, I want to. . . The wall and the house became covered
with the hopes and dreams of the people of the neighborhood and beyond. The
response was far greater than expected. There have now been over 5000 installations of a similar nature in 75 countries in 35 languages. I saw the installation this summer in Cincinnati. I understand there was one in St. Petersburg in connection with the Shine Festival in 2016.

The prompt “Before I die I want to” encourages us not only to acknowledge that
we are going to die but it also reminds us of our agency, our ability to take respon-
sibility for our actions and choices. So, what do people want to do before they die?

People put all kinds of things on the chalk boards, and you will have the
opportunity to write on the boards that have been created for our use this morning
as the New Year begins.

Before I die. . . Some people put celebrity status dreams on the boards; things like
Before I die I want to name a mountain, drink from the Stanley Cup, kiss Brad Pitt.

Some finish the sentence with altruistic aims, like save a life, end global warming,
do good things, see the death of evil, shift global consciousness, see equality, live
without money, be a teacher.

There are mundane aspirations expressed on the chalkboards: grow a mustache,
own a boat, eat a taco from Mexico, ride in a golf cart.

There are responses that seem to have a back story: Before I die I want to meet my
daughters-in-law, tell my life story, see Germany, hug my boyfriend, be in the
upper middle class, go to jail.

And there are a lot about relationships: Before I die, I want to love myself, fall in
love, inspire someone, be a friend, find happiness, be a good person, live, live
alittle.

The challenge, Before I die, invites us to embrace our mortality in all of its
ephemeral glory. We are not to be afraid of death or dying, but of not fully living
So as this New Year begins, we are invited to think about what we are being called
to do with our one precious and holy life. It is a time to reflect on what we are here
to do before we die. What is beckoning to us? What is our unfinished business?
Each of us as unique individuals is here to live and love deeply and fully. What is
the longing in our hearts?

In the book of Habakkuk, chapter 2, we are told that God instructs the prophet:
“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.” In other
words, make a billboard with your dreams for the future. So, we have our chalk
boards waiting for us to proclaim our desire to relish and reverence the living of
our days. What hopes and dreams and desires are we being given? Let us write
them. Share them. Commit to them. In Chang’s installation, the sentence given
is, “Before I die I want to. . .” As people of faith, we wanted to express more
commitment with our dreams, so our boards say, “Before I die I am going to. . .”
Realizing that none of us fully knows what is ahead, we are still bold and trusting
in sharing the dreams that are being laid upon our hearts. So, in just a moment,
we’ll hear the song, “The Dance,” and you are invited to head to a chalk board and
express your desire, your intent – to embrace the fullness of this precious life.
Before I die I am going to. . .

And in addition to writing on a chalk board, you are also invited to dance – alone,
with someone, in a group, in whatever way you would like.

The poet W.H. Auden invites us,
“I know nothing, except what everyone
knows – if there when Grace dances,
I should dance.”

As this New Year begins, may we fully embrace the dance of life! Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in
this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church
of Christ.

Date: January 12, 2020
Scripture Lessons: Psalm 72:1-7, 12-14 and Matthew 3:13-17
Sermon: A New World Order
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

I find myself amused when I hear a speaker, a preacher or politician, decry the
threat of a new world order ginning up fear and trembling. A new world order is
dangled as evidence of Satan himself undermining all we hold dear. A new world
order is maligned like an enemy invader in a science fiction movie. We cannot
allow a new world order to emerge. We must prevent it!

To me this is amusing because the speaker is usually Christian and seen as a
defender of the faith against the threat of a new world order. But a new world
order is exactly what Jesus came to inaugurate. He is the one who embodies the
new world order of the reign of Divine Love. Jesus is seen as breaking into human
history and initiating God’s reign of peace and love. A new world order? Yes, that
is exactly what Jesus about.

King Herod knows this. We see it in the story of the magi visiting Herod as they
try to find the baby Jesus so they can worship him. Herod knows about the arrival
of a rival king. The religious leaders know that Jesus represents a new world order
and they want to squash this upstart. They want to protect their power and
influence. The people in the gospel stories who are from the underclass and from
enemy groups know that Jesus represents a departure from religion as usual in their
time. That is why they are attracted to him. He represents a new world order.

Jesus doesn’t introduce a new form of government or a new political philosophy.
He doesn’t found a new political party. He doesn’t write a constitution. He initiates a new world order and then it is up to his followers to work out the details in their culture, setting, and historical era.

We can see what Jesus is doing as a new world order because he is talking about
God in a way that is universal. Jesus shows us God in all of humanity including
those we exclude and name as enemy. With Jesus, there is no “other.” It’s one
human family in God not one nation under God or one religion preferred by God.
Jesus breaks down the cultural and religious barriers that separate and divide
people. He is talking about everyone unconditionally loved. No exceptions.

In our context, this means North Korean, South Korean, Israeli, Palestinian,
Chinese, Russian, Ukrainian, Irani, Iraqi, Indian, Pakistani, Arab, Muslim, Jew,
Buddhist, Hindu. As we sing, on occasion, every color, every kind, every body,
every mind. All one family. With Jesus, there is one human family in God. All
related. All created in the image of Divine Love. It’s a new world order.

And today, we know that the kind of new world order Jesus imagines for humanity
includes the natural world as well. Not only does Jesus show us a reality that is
free of ethnocentrism, and nationalism, he shows us a reality free of speciesism.
All life forms, sacred and holy within the reality of God because we now know that
we are all interdependent. So, the new world order of Jesus is characterized by
compassion for creation and all creatures as well as everyone in the human family.

What else can we say about this new world order founded by Jesus? Yes, it
includes all people so we can also say that it includes all religions. Jesus is Jewish
and his message comes from within the framework of Judaism, but it is not limited
to Judaism. Jesus heals people who are considered enemies of the Jews. And he
does not ask them to “convert” to his religion before serving them. In fact, he
doesn’t insist on any qualifying conditions from those he forgives, feeds, or heals.
Jesus simply offers divine grace in whatever form it is needed. He brings the
blessings of God to all. He embodies universal love. That is the foundation of his
new world order.

We also see that in the new world order of Jesus there is no role, no place, no
endorsement of violence in any form. Even in self defense. Period. That is a key
component of the new world order of Jesus. There were weapons available in his
day. In fact, there were factions of Jews who were adamantly intent on fomenting
a violent rebellion against the Romans. This was carried out after Jesus’ death and
it led to the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the temple, the cultic center of
Jewish life. From love your enemies to turn the other cheek to the one who lives
by the sword dies by the sword to the story of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, we see
that in the new world order of Jesus there is no place for weapons or violence, even
in “keeping the peace.” You can’t keep the peace through violence. If you need
threat and intimidation to maintain order, then it’s not true peace.

In the psalm that we heard today, we were told of the holy template for a godly
ruler. A ruler, king, or leader, endorsed by the Divine is concerned about the weak
and the oppressed: Those who are forgotten, marginalized, or ignored. Those who
are made poor and are struggling. With the new world order, there is no
fragmentation or endorsement of disconnected individualism. There is no
protection based on race, class, nation, creed, gender identity, or any other humanly
constructed system. In the new world order of Jesus, the community is to serve
those in need and to embody justice and protection for those who have been
victimized.

So in Jesus’ new world order, we would not see the economic, racial, ethnic, or
social inequalities that we see in society today. Jesus is talking about a new world
order in which there truly is liberty and justice for all.

Jesus shows us the new world order where the hungry are fed, the thirsty are given
drink, the sick are visited, and the imprisoned are released. Humility and
meekness are revered, not hubris and arrogance. Every life is sacred and valued.

A new world order. Exactly. That is exactly what Jesus is about. And that is what
his followers were drawn to. They wanted to be part of this new value system, this
new world view, this new reality.

It’s not surprising that we find ourselves buffeted and reeling in our society today.
We are here in church because we have been attracted or led or drawn to the way
of Jesus and the new world order that he represents. So, yes we find ourselves in
stunned shock, not only as an active shooter attacks a worshipping congregation,
but at the perhaps even more horrific response – congregants in a Christian church,
followers of Jesus, drawing guns and shooting the attacker in the head. What are
followers of Jesus, those who are part of his new world order, doing with guns?
And in worship? In a context committed to love of enemy, how is it that a shooter
is gunned down? What have we come to when the church has strayed so far from
the new world order that Jesus initiates? The church has become unhinged,
unmoored, from its message, it’s purpose, its raison d’etre.

What are we to say when our so called Christian country foments prejudice and
violence? This is wrong. But how does it happen that there is rising anti Semitism
when Jesus was Jewish? How can our society supposedly with a foundation of
Judeo-Christian values tolerate this? How can someone enter into a rabbi’s home
and open fire on people celebrating a holy season? This, too, leaves us in stunned
shock.

And how does it happen that a church, church leaders, followers of Jesus, openly,
in the sacred space of a sanctuary, validate and affirm the leadership of a president
who embodies the opposite of the godly ruler that we heard about from the Psalms
this morning? How can they endorse one who is not devoted to the the well being
of the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed? A leader who in fact endorses
oppression and abuse and violence? This is a leader who should be prayed for.
This is a leader who needs wise counsel. This is a leader who is unfamiliar with
the message of the gospel and needs to be taught about the new world order of
Jesus since he evidently hasn’t heard about it in the churches he has visited.

A new world order. That is exactly what we see in Jesus. And we see this
presented in the story of Jesus’ baptism. As the story is told, crowds of people are
coming to John in the desert to be baptized. They are looking for a new beginning. Jesus comes. And in the story of his baptism, we are told of a new beginning, not
just for him, but for the community and for humanity of every time and place.

“This is my beloved in whom I am well pleased.” This story, written after the
crucifixion, endorses Jesus and the new world order that he initiates. It is a reality
of blessing for everyone where there are no victims. No one’s wellbeing is at the
expense of someone else. There is no racism, sexism, classism, or oppression of
any kind. Every life is sacred. Including the life of a perceived enemy. Jesus’
baptism paves the way for us to be part of the new world order. And when we join
the Christian path, as followers of Jesus, we commit to making this new world
order real, incarnate, in ourselves and in our society and in the world here and now.

Jean Vanier founded the L’Arche communities. This movement involves people of
differing abilities living together in Christian community. And in the stories of
those communities, we see the beauty of the gospel lived out. Vanier tells us: “In
one of our communities, there is a man called Pierre who has a mental handicap.
One day someone asked him, ‘Do you like praying?’ He answered, ‘Yes.’ He was
asked what he did when he prayed. He answered, ‘I listen.’ ‘And what does God
say to you?’ ‘He says, ‘You are my beloved son.’’” [Resources for Preaching and
Worship Year A: Quotations, Meditations, Poetry, and Prayers, compiled by
Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, p. 48]

That is what Jesus is all about. Everyone beloved. A new world order. Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in
this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church
of Christ.

We have all seen a Christmas nativity scene,  made popular, complete with animals, by Francis of Assisi.  And what do our nativity scenes usually include?

Input from the congregation. . . 

There are lots of examples along the back shelf here in the sanctuary.  You may want to look at them after church.  

Our nativity scenes tend to include many of the same figures but there are actually two stories about Jesus’ birth in the Bible and they are quite different and involve different characters.  

A nativity scene that is based on the story of the birth of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, would have Joseph, Mary, the baby Jesus, an angel (just one), some wise men (we don’t know how many) bearing gold, frankincense and myrrh.  And the scene might even include a key figure, King Herod, and some of his advisors.  I don’t know about you, but I have never, ever, seen a Herod in a creche scene. Herod was a violent, insecure tyrant akin to Stalin.  I can’t imagine him in a nativity scene.  But there he is as a major character in the birth story of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew.  And we want to note that in Matthew’s story there is no mention of a stable, no manger, no hosts of singing angels, no shepherds, and no animals, except maybe camels for the wise men.    

Then there is the birth story of Jesus in the gospel of Luke.  This story includes the angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, the stable with the manger and the swaddling cloths, shepherds and probably sheep and other animals.  No Herod.  No wise men.  No gifts.  No star.   

But why are there different stories?  In the same Bible?  Written in about the same time frame?  In the same context?  

One fundamental issue of the time was power and authority.  Rome was in control.  Caesar, the head of the Roman Empire, was referred as Son of God, Lord, Redeemer, God from God, Liberator, Bringer of Peace, Savior of the World, Divine.  [See The First Christmas by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan, p. 63]  These are among the same titles that were used for Jesus.  So there was a basic conflict between the authority of Rome and the authority of Jesus as the Messiah of the God of the Jews.  The same titles were used but who really had the power?

And there was a big conflict about what it means to be at peace.  Rome inflicted peace on the people through fear, intimidation, and threat.  And Jesus was symbolic of peace through justice and anti violence.  Which kind of peace was it going to be?  

So, there were two competing world views influencing the context of the birth stories.  And the gospel writers chose to respond to the same reality in different ways.  Matthew tells a story that is more about the political power structure and who has the real power.   The Matthew story is looking at things more from the top down.   Luke is telling a story that lifts up the people who are made poor, forgotten, not important, and of little value; those who are victims of the Roman Empire and its social, political, economic, and ideological power structure.  The Luke story is looking at things more from the bottom up.  So, the birth stories confront the same reality but are told from differing perspectives.  

The gospel writers are also addressing different audiences so they tell their stories in ways that will speak to their readers.  Matthew is speaking to a mostly Jewish audience using references to the Hebrew Scriptures and including the wise men to show that Jesus is a universal figure and his reign will include everyone not just Jews.  Luke is concerned with addressing an audience of both Jews and non Jews and includes people who are poor and expendable.  

Why do we have different stories?  People of the first century saw Jesus as an incredibly powerful figure who transformed their reality.  They felt that his impact was universal.  They saw his significance to all people of all times and cultures.  Jesus was experienced as a figure of power sent by God to change the trajectory of human history.  Jesus was so special, so important, that the people in the Jesus movement wanted to make sure that everyone heard about him.  In a relatable way.  So they sought to tell of him in ways that would speak to all different kinds of people so that everyone could see the importance of Jesus.  

Yes, there are two different birth stories in the gospels, but in both stories light triumphs over darkness, peace with justice triumphs over oppression and violence and fear.  That is the message that both gospel writers want to convey and it comes through in each of their nativity stories.  The birth of Jesus is a significant event for people of all times and places.  It is as important to us today as it was to the people of the first century.  It is about a new reality for all of us where light conquers darkness and peace with justice is stronger than war and violence and greed.   

So we can think about how we relate to these nativity stories today.  Do we relate to the conflict of power on a societal scale?  We sure saw some of that this week during the impeachment debates. Do we relate to the multicultural message of Matthew?  This is important in our time of increased hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment.  Do we find ourselves relating to the story of Luke and the inclusion of those who are made poor, forgotten, and marginalized?  That is a problem in our country and world wide with the growing wealth gap.  Do we resonate to Luke giving women a more important place in the story?  We continue to confront the second class status of women in this country and around the world.  Do we relate to Joseph and his dreams encouraging him to resist the power structures around him?  What is legal is not necessarily moral.  Do we see ourselves in the angels who have good news to share?  We need more of that today!  Do we relate to the shepherds, low wage workers?  There are so many people struggling in the shadow economy where things are not prosperous.  Do we feel like bystanders, onlookers, like the animals of the barn?  Witnesses with a story to tell.  Do we feel called like Mary to birth love into the world?  What the world needs now is still love.  Are we well educated intellectuals seeking spiritual guidance like the wise men?  Churches that respect and encourage scientific thinking are here for us.  Do we have gifts to give?  They are needed.  Do we see our primary focus in parenting and trying to imbue the world with love through our children?  There are many ways for us in our life situations to find a place in the nativity stories.  Today we are part of birthing God’s love into the world.  We, too, have nativity stories to share.  

The congregation was invited to be part of forming an impromptu nativity tableau with costumes and props provided.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.

Scripture Lessons: Isaiah 11:1-10 and Luke 1:26-45
Sermon: Listening Together
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Holiday spending among Americans was $1.1 trillion in 2018. [Tampa Bay Times
11/28/19] Does that number surprise you? Do you find it hard to believe? Do you
want more information about how that statistic was arrived at? When we receive
information that we are unsure about, we often look into verifying it, finding out
more, making sure we understand.

In the story we heard this morning from Luke, we are told of Mary being given
some information. The whole scenario is outrageous – an angel, a baby, a throne, a
kingdom, another baby. Doesn’t this angel know that Mary is a nobody peasant
from an insignificant village in a backwater province? We can understand that
Mary is perplexed and ponders. But what can she do to verify the information that
she is given? Mary is told that her elderly relative Elizabeth is pregnant.
Evidently, Mary did not know about this. Is it true? If that part of the message
from Gabriel is true, then maybe there is validity to the rest of his message. So,
after Gabriel’s departure, Mary makes her own hasty departure to visit Elizabeth
and see if there is anything to this vision she has received.

And what does Mary discover in the story? Yes, Elizabeth is pregnant. So there is
something to the message from the angel Gabriel. Not only that, Elizabeth feels
her baby stir in response to Mary’s arrival. So, as promised, Elizabeth’s child is
fulfilling the role assigned to him by God preparing the way for the one to come.
Another part of the message is validated. And Elizabeth is filled with the Holy
Spirit and declares that Mary will be the mother of the one God is sending.
Elizabeth offers a prophetic witness affirming that Mary has willingly offered
herself in service to God’s dream and so Mary becomes the first believer. Mary
looks for verification of the message she has received and she gets it.

God, seen as the supreme ruler of the universe, sends an angel, Gabriel, to Galilee,
a region in Israel, to a town called Nazareth, to a young woman, engaged to Joseph from the house of David, whose name is Mary. The will of the all powerful, all present, supreme one, filters down from the heavenly realm to a specific situation.
To a random every day person. And a woman, no less.

This is so unexpected that it has to be verified. Such important activities of God
would surely involve people of high status, with means, in the center of power. So
this strange thing, this intrusion of God, in an unlikely manner, must be validated.
And in this visit between Mary and Elizabeth, we see that both women have their
suspicions confirmed. Elizabeth’s baby begins his job of preparing the way right
then and there even before being born, and Mary is given the affirmation she needs
from Elizabeth who seems to know the whole story without having been told by
Mary. In this interaction the women come to see more clearly how God is at work.
It’s not that they were skeptical but no one expected God to use weak, vulnerable,
nobodies for such a grand scheme. In the interaction between Mary and Elizabeth,
God’s plans are verified and confirmed. Together they discern the validity of what
God is doing in their lives and in the world. They mutually reinforce the calling of
one another. With this validation, they can trust what is happening. They have
support from each other when perhaps others will question their actions and their
roles. When they are hesitant and need encouragement, they can count on each
other. They are given to each other, their destinies are intertwined, they are
mutually dependent upon one another as well as upon God, so that they can fulfill
their purpose in God’s dreams.

I want you to take a moment and look around at the people who are in this
sanctuary. Some you may know. Some you may know very well. Some you may
not know. It doesn’t matter really. Because in the church we believe that we have
been given to one another to be of mutual support, to be in discernment together, to
affirm and validate each other’s calling. We are here to help each other see God’s
way for our lives and to encourage one another on that journey of faithfulness.
Elder, younger, woman, man, child, new to the church, a person of lifelong faith,
wealthy, homeless, it really doesn’t matter. We have been brought together here to
be of mutual support and encouragement as we seek to discern our calling and live
trusting the presence of Divine Love within us and among us. In the church, we
are here to help and support each other. To be in the process of discernment together. We are here to confirm and reinforce the ways we experience God
working in our lives.

We need each other to help us see how we are being blessed. We need each other
to discern the nature of God’s call in our lives. Like the people of Bible times, we,
too, still want to define being favored by God in terms of wealth, good health, and
social standing. We want to see God at work in our lives manifest as prosperity
and comfort.

Here, the story of Mary and Elizabeth gives us a reality check. Mary is favored by
God. She is blessed. The story tells us that for her this means she will endure the
shame of having a child out of wedlock who will later be executed as a criminal.
It’s no wonder Mary and Elizabeth need each other for support and encouragement.
Experiencing God’s call in your life may not be a cakewalk.

So we, too, need each other to verify and validate God’s intentions for our lives
because what God has in mind may be a far cry from anything we were expecting.
It may be a drastic departure from what we have in mind for our lives. It may be a
radical break from our planned trajectory. So, we need each other to help us stay
open to God’s intrusions and to respond with faith and trust.

Sure, you may get zapped by some seemingly supernatural insight during a
worship service but it’s more likely that you may hear a word from God in a
conversation with someone as you are walking to your car. Or doing dishes after a
potluck. Or in the van on the way home from church. And in that interaction you
may be led to see more clearly who you are, what you are being called to, how you
are needed to serve, and which direction you are to go.

On Sunday a couple of years ago, the congregation was asked about why you
come to church. Why bother on Sunday morning? And I remember one of the
responses was, “One of the reasons I come to church is because someone may need
me. I may be needed.” That’s exactly it. We come here. With the awareness that
someone here may need us, may need to hear what we have to say, may need our perspective, may need our word of support, may need our direction, or help, or
encouragement. Someone may need us. And, the person we need, the message we
need, may be here. Waiting for us. To show us the way. To help us see. How we
are needed to help save the world.

The gospel of Luke tells us of a girl engaged to a carpenter in an insignificant town
in an unimportant province having a child that will be a savior of the world. And
her elderly relative is needed to help that story unfold. Here we are. Every day
people. Not kings, princesses, or Kardashians. Just ordinary folks, like Mary and
Elizabeth. Listening together. Reminding each other that nothing will be
impossible with God. Who knows what might just happen here. When we are
together. Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For
additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.

Scripture Lesson: Isaiah 2:1-5 Sermon:  Swords into Plowshares Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Swords into plowshares.  This phrase implies a process of transformation.  It is about the changing of something into something else.  

A sword is a weapon.  It has a long, sharp blade that is intended to be used for slashing and stabbing people.  It is to be used to kill. It also can be used as a defensive weapon, to deflect a blow from another sword, but mainly it is a weapon created to be used to kill people.  We can think about the image of a sword the way we think about a gun today.

Now, a plowshare.  A plowshare was a long, sharp metal tool used to prepare the dirt for the planting of seeds.  It made furrows in the ground and the seeds were planted in the little trenches where they would grow into plants used for food.  A plowshare is something that was used for farming, for raising crops. Food is necessary to live, so plowshares were used to give life not take it like a sword.

Both a sword and a plowshare involve a long metal blade though they are shaped slightly differently.  So retooling a metal sword into a metal plowshare was not a huge transformation. What is really different about a sword and a plowshare is the use.  One is used to end life. One is used to promote life. One is used to kill. One is used to grow. The biggest difference between a sword and a plowshare is in their use not their shape.  So bending and reforming a piece of metal from a sword into a plowshare is not that much of a change. The bigger part of the change from swords into plowshares is the change of intention, of desire.  The big challenge is changing from wanting to kill people to wanting to promote life for people; from wanting to end life to wanting to make life better.

The idea of changing swords into plowshares involves changing from an orientation of violence to an orientation of peace.  As in no more guns. No more missiles. No more bombs. This is drastic in a context like ours that affirms violence as an acceptable tool to be used.  The transformation from swords into plowshares means the resources used for violent means are transitioned to uses that promote life – like food, education, healthcare, the arts, and sustainable energy.   All the money and raw materials and labor that go into making guns and weapons would be used for making equipment for schools, solar panels, musical instruments, farming equipment, and cooking pots; homes for all and healthcare for all; great schools for all kids.  Converting our swords into plowshares would drastically change our society. And it would be great for everyone!  

But how do we make that kind of change?  In the beautiful verses we heard this morning, we were told about how the people, all the people, from everywhere, make their way up to the top of a mountain where they learn the ways of God.  They are taught about what God wants. And then they come down the mountain, back to their everyday lives, and beat their swords into plowshares. The people are changed on the inside and this makes them want to make changes in their lives on the outside.  Their hearts are changed and they are transformed from being concerned about weapons and violence and war to being focussed on peace and growing food and supporting life for everyone. The change starts on the inside.  

Well, we cannot go up a mountain and expect to be taught about the ways of peace.  But we have Jesus to show us God’s ways and to lead us in the way of peace. Jesus is referred to as the Prince of Peace.  Jesus embodied peace completely. He never used violence. Jesus had many enemies who wanted to do him harm. But he didn’t have a sword or other weapon.  He never lashed out at anyone by hitting them. Jesus showed love to people. He gave them food. He healed them. He gave them forgiveness. All of this even to his enemies.  Jesus helped people to love themselves and feel accepted so that they could show love and acceptance to others. Jesus showed people how to share and to take care of each other and to get along creating community.  He teaches the way of God and the way of peace. He teaches us how to transition from the way of insecurity, violence, hatred, and war to the way of peace, mutual respect, and understanding. Jesus shows us how to turn swords into plowshares from the inside out.  

This Advent season at Lakewood we are talking about coming home for the holidays.  What is home? Home is supposed to be place where we are loved and accepted. Where we know we will be taken care of.  Where we help take care of others. Home is a place to learn and grow. There are loving people who nurture us and help us to develop.  Home is safe. Home is a place where there is both food and forgiveness.  

Sadly there are times when the places we live and the people we live with do not function in this way.  There are families where people are not taken care of. Where they don’t learn to forgive. And where there isn’t unconditional love and acceptance.  This is very sad. Sometimes there is even violence among people that live together. I won’t even call it a home because violence should never happen in a home.  But sometimes people are attacked and hurt in the place where they live.  

Whatever our living circumstances, the church is to be a place where we learn the ways of God and the ways of peace from Jesus.  Church is where our hearts are changed on the inside so that we can learn to be more peaceful on the outside. Church is a place where we are transformed, where we are changed, where we learn to live in a new way, a way of peace.  

We move away from thinking about hurting others, lashing out, and using violence to thinking about how to take care of ourselves and how to make life better for others.  We learn to work on making the world a better place for everyone.  

This can be a very big change.   But the church is here as a home, to help us along the way.  To help us learn to love ourselves. To forgive ourselves and others.  To help us learn to express our hate and anger in ways that do not harm others.  The church is a place to try to understand those we disagree with. It is a place to cultivate compassion for those who may hate us.  To learn to work through conflicts without using weapons or violence. To get along and help each other instead of taking advantage of each other or abusing others, physically or financially.  The church provides a context to honestly examine our prejudices and biases and learn to give them up. It is a place to look at our feelings and behaviors with honesty so that we can engage in the process of transformation.  The church is here to help transform us so that we give our time, energy, work, and money to promoting life for all people, including ourselves, nature, and the planet.  

Swords into plowshares.  It is a really big change.  It can be a slow process. And it happens one heart, one life, at a time until society becomes something new focussed on promoting life!

This Advent season we prepare to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus who teaches us the ways of God and leads us in the ways of peace.  May we follow Jesus and be transformed so that we create the peace we dream for every baby. Amen.   

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.