Category: Sermon Texts

Sunday Feb. 28, 2016
Scriptures: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 and Genesis 39:1-6a
Rev. Kim P. Wells

On the night before he was assassinated, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ended his sermon to the congregation at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee saying:

“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have see the glory of the coming of the Lord.” [A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings of Martin Luther King, Jr, edited by James M. Washington, p. 286]

Don’t you wonder how people can have such faith? To put their lives on the line for what they believe?

There are other examples of people who just seem to have so much faith. Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, was a self made millionaire by the time he was 29. And he gave away his wealth to start an organization building homes for poor people the world over. Wow!

And Nelson Mandela reconciling and serving with his white captors in South Africa. That’s really living out your faith! Or one of the women from Cleveland who was kidnapped by Ariel Castro and kept captive for 10 years who forgave her captor: The man who kept her and two other women imprisoned, regularly raping them. Forgiven. That’s amazing grace!

When we think of the story of Joseph, we think of him forgiving his brothers, the very ones who sold him into slavery. And he not only forgives them, he eventually saves their lives by giving them food and providing them with a new life in Egypt. The very people that wanted to do him in and get rid of him. That’s impressive faith.

And, of course, most impressive, is Jesus who lays down his life for his friends. He stays so true to God and to God’s intentions for humanity, that he endures the suffering and death that ensue. Even, we’re told, forgiving his own killers from the cross.

Most of us, carrying on our every day lives, don’t face these kinds of
circumstances. Most of the time, we are not facing peril for our beliefs. Death is not knocking on the door as a consequence of our activism. Most of us aren’t filthy rich, so we don’t have to worry about giving away all of our wealth for the poor. Most of us will not be so wronged that our forgiveness appears otherworldly.

For most of us, life is pretty ordinary. We go to school. We go to work. Every day. Maybe we deal with our children, changing diapers, chauffeuring them around. Later letting them take care of us. Maybe we mow the grass. Clean the house. Pay the bills. Do the laundry. We might enjoy a hobby. Read books. We might travel. We might have fun with friends. We deal with medical issues and the challenges of aging. We do our best as caregivers to loved ones.

For many of us, we live ordinary lives. Mundane, really. Nothing spectacular or heroic. So what about our faith? In every day life? For those of us who are not sustaining freedom movements or forgiving murderers or funding global charities? What can we expect from our faith?

It’s interesting that in the passage we heard from the New Testament, Jesus is saying don’t make a show of your faith. Don’t use your piety as a way to gain status or respect. This teaching is in the middle of what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. It’s sandwiched in between the teaching about loving your enemies and the teaching about not storing up treasure on earth. These are some of the most important teachings of Jesus. And here amidst them are these words about faith practice and religious observance. Jesus is letting us know that faith is not self aggrandizing. It is not about moving you up the social ladder. It is not something that you use to gain status and privilege. In fact, just the opposite. Pray, give alms, fast, yes, but in private. Do it for yourself and God, not to impress others.

But Jesus is not saying don’t bother with religion or religious observance for he knows that it is in the regular discipline of prayer, reading of scripture, attending services, giving of money, singing of hymns, and helping others that our faith shapes our character and gives us life. It’s kind of like watering a plant- you do it again and again and again and it keeps growing. Our daily faith practices feed us. They keep us mindful of our faith. They give us strength for the challenges we face. They help us to know what is right and true. They form us as people who are grateful and giving. Faith practices are the way that we stay connected to God, to Divine Love, to our heart’s center. And that is critical for navigating the course of life. The practices are what give us the strength and will to love our enemies, eschew materialism, and keep greed at bay.

Every day or so, I hear of someone and I think, “They need church.” Now, what does that mean? It doesn’t mean that I think the person is going to hell because they don’t go to church. It doesn’t mean that I think the person is morally bad because they don’t go to church. It’s just that sometimes people seem lost, confused, or maybe bitter. They don’t seem to have a moral compass. They don’t seem to have a sense of how to navigate life. They don’t see the conflicts in their behavior. Maybe the person is spending a lot of money on something frivolous when don’t have money for basics like utilities and rent. Maybe a person is laying into their child in the store instead of respecting the child’s needs. Maybe someone is dropping trash from their car. Maybe someone is working in finance and getting people to borrow more money than they can handle and at high interest rates. Maybe we see people letting their friends have a bad influence on them. There are all kinds of ways people just seem to be lacking a sense of the connections between values and behavior, between morals and actions, between what they say and what they do. And so, I think, they need church.

Does this mean that people who go to church never make mistakes, don’t do stupid things, don’t bow to peer pressure, don’t cave in to social and economic pressure? Do people who go to church never make a scene? Of course not! In fact, it might be that weaker people go to church because we need more help!

To me, what “church” means is being part of a community that celebrates and reinforces values that honor creation, see all of life as sacred, and respect the dignity of the whole human family. Church represents a life oriented toward giving not taking. It is about seeing a bigger picture and your part in it. And, a big part of church is accepting yourself and others with all of our wonder and all of our warts. We will make mistakes and screw up. But we know that is human and we try again. And we want to offer the same grace to others. Church is about seeing our best selves and summoning them to the surface, aligning our beliefs with our actions.

In church we are striving toward healing and wholeness for ourselves and for the world. We are trying to get our behavior in line with our hopes, dreams, and beliefs. We are seeking integration. That is the quest of our full humanity. Coke Coughenour, a friend of LUCC, wrote a beautiful essay about this for the last Westminster Shores newsletter. I recommend it to you.

Church brings us together in solidarity with others who have been drawn to the way of Jesus, the path of justice, love, compassion and forgiveness. Church is about living in God’s realm, living Love’s way, here and now. And becoming more and more complete in that identity and that community.

Without “church” and that could be mosque, synagogue, or another faith community, people are more prone to being fragmented. Pulled apart. Buffeted by the winds of society and culture around them. With little sense of home, acceptance, and a way back. Without community and solidarity. Ruled by the tyrant “me.” Selfish. Self absorbed. A small life enslaved.

Church is an antidote to all of that. Faith practices day in and day out, week in and week out, shape our worldview, our sense of self, and help us figure out where we fit in to the whole. Our faith becomes our home, our grounding. Nurturing and fostering our growth and healing.

Our faith teaches us that we find our truest selves in service. Day in and day out. Not necessarily the one heroic episode, say, rescuing someone from drowning. But the day to day kindness, the smile, the practical help here and there, the caring, attentive presence, the every day efforts to make the world a better place. This daily mode of being is how divine love comes into the world and spreads. Most of the good that happens in this world is done by everyday people, doing for others, where they are needed. It’s not rocket science. You don’t have to be “special” or “gifted” or in Mensa. It’s the everyday dedication to service and the wellbeing of others that God uses to bless the world.

Our faith also teaches us to live our everyday ordinary lives with a sense of joy, delight, and gratitude. Instead of just being a daily grind, we feel graced by a good meal or a good laugh or a good friend. We treasure another dawn. We see the miracle of each and every breath. We are stunned over and over and over again by the magnificence and beauty of nature. Miracle after miracle after miracle! Wow!

Our faith, nurtured through regular faith practices shapes our character and our life style. It informs our choices. It provides a compass to navigate through life. We are shaped and formed by God/Spirit/the Holy/Love.

Now, we started by talking about some giants of the faith. People who have made an extraordinary witness to the realm of God and the power of love to transform lives and the world. And each one of them was rooted in a faith tradition. Each one was part of a community of faith practice, formation, and solidarity. Their faith led and guided them. It gave them strength and insight for their life’s calling.

But this leaves me wondering, is it that regular habit of faith that led them to do those extraordinary things? Sometimes, I think it happens like that. We go about our business, going to church, praying, reflecting on scripture, sharing with the poor, and out of that emerges some grand and noble aim that we must devote our lives to. I think this is the case with Dr. King. If he had not been a person of faith, he may very well have never been a Civil Rights leader. His involvement in the movement came directly from his experience with church and the Bible. Sometimes our engagement with our faith compels us to be involved in things we never could have expected. So, our ordinary lives and faith practice may lead to quite extraordinary service.

This is certainly the case with Jesus. His faith led him to make a bold witness that was threatening to others and engendered hostility and retaliation which resulted in his death. Sometimes faith practice gets us into trouble.

Other times, I think we are just thrown into circumstances that require our response. That’s what we see with Joseph. He ended up in Egypt, a slave, then a vizier, and finally a savior, really. But he did not create the circumstances that led to all of that. He dealt with what life handed him.

We see this in other situations of tragedy and disaster. What a compelling Christian witness we saw from the Amish community where the children were killed in the school house. They had nothing to do with creating that circumstance. And yet, it happened. And they had to respond. And they responded with forgiveness, love, and support for the shooter’s widow, Marie Roberts. In the aftermath of the shooting, she wrote an open letter to her Amish neighbors thanking them for their forgiveness, grace, and mercy. She wrote, “Your love for our family has helped to provide the healing we so desperately need. Gifts you’ve given have touched our hearts in a way no words can describe. Your compassion has reached beyond our family, beyond our community, and is changing our world, and for this we sincerely thank you.”   It was a remarkable witness, that arose from the ordinary, steady practice of faith that shapes and forms.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Nickel_Mines_School_shooting]

Sometimes life throws us into unexpected situations. And we do what we can. We try to do what is right. We try to live out our faith. And the result is something we never would have predicted or known we were capable of. But all that church and faith practice was preparing us, making us ready, and we had what we needed when the time came.

Who knows where going to church may lead? We know that through our practice, the world will be blessed and so will we, though we don’t know how. So, let us persist in our faith journey, trusting Love to make us who we need to be. 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 Lessons:  Nehemiah 8:1-10 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Pastor:  Rev. Kim P. Wells
_________
In the beginning God created. God created humanity in the Divine image. This is a foundational premise of our faith. We believe that humans are divinely created in the image of God with an amazing imagination and intellectual capacity. Just look at the size of our brains relative to our bodies.

Our brain ability has made it possible for humans to accomplish incredible things. The development of tools, technology, the arts, bio medical advances, scientific discoveries, space exploration, cellular research, advanced weaponry, all of these developments and more are astounding. And we are by no means finished yet. Many think the real breakthroughs are yet to come!

We also recognize that humans are set apart by the capacity for free will. We can make all of these amazing things but how do we use them? We can discover and innovate, but what guides the implementation? We don’t just live by innate instinct. Humans have the ability to make choices: To show self sacrificing compassion. And to demonstrate an enormous capacity for heinous evil.

Given our intellectual abilities combined with our free will, it appears that we need religion to help to draw forth the best of our humanity and to curb our worse impulses. Religion may very well be the key to human survival, maturation, and constructive development. Our texts and our traditions have the power to guide humanity in positive direction. Yet, there are challenges there, too.

With all of the changes in our social, technological, economic, and scientific context, religions are tested, too. We are in a time of great change and so this morning we take a look at how we deal with our holy texts and traditions in the light of our context which is one of increasing change. How do our scriptures, the Bible, and the traditions of the church inform our faith today?

Incidentally, this same issue is being faced by all religions, not just Christianity. It is a challenge for Judaism, for Islam, for Buddhism, and for other faiths, as well. How do we benefit from our holy writings and traditions in today’s context so that religion can be the positive force it is needed to be in today’s world?

As a case study, we are going to look at something that has been in the news here in St. Petersburg for the past couple of weeks: The controversy over the speaker for the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast. This recent topic gives us an example of how we use our holy texts and our Christian traditions to inform our faith today.

Basically, the speaker, who is the pastor of a church, has vehemently preached that homosexuality is a sin. Some felt this message was contrary to the spirit of Dr. King as a civil rights leader. Area pastors defended the speaker saying that he is a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ and he is compelled to uphold the Bible, so he has no choice when it comes to homosexuality. He has to be against it. Their perspective is that Christians can’t help being anti gay when that’s what the Bible says. Period. So, don’t blame the man for preaching that homosexuality is a sin like gambling and drug addiction. [I’d like to see where there is a reference to drug addiction in the Bible. . . but that’s another topic.]

And while these Christian pastors and churches are decrying homosexuality, there seems to be no recognition that there are other Christian churches, like the United Church of Christ, that draw upon the Bible and the Christian faith tradition to advocate for human and civil rights for the GLBT community. The UCC brought the lawsuit to the Supreme Court which led to gay marriage being legal in all 50 states. That was a faith witness by a Christian church based on the Bible and our tradition which is ignored, discounted, and disrespected by those who take a different view.

So we can see that how we access our texts and traditions can inform our faith in different ways. Let’s look at the way that Rev. Bryant and others like him, are using the Bible to inform their faith today. It’s basically, “The Bible said it. I believe it. That settles it.” This approach is challenged by the scripture that we heard this morning from the book of Nehemiah. The leaders have found the book of the law of Moses. This is their holy book, their Bible, their scripture. It is read out loud to the whole community – men, women, and children. The people hear it all directly. But then, the Levites, one group of authorized, educated, trained religious leaders, teach. We are told, the Levites, “helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” So, we are told directly that the law needed to be explained, interpreted, and taught to the people. It wasn’t enough just to hear it read. The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it.

Well, here’s a brief teaching, interpretation, and explanation about some of what we can say about homosexuality and the Bible.

There are a several verses in the Bible that refer to same gender sexual activity. These references do not refer to sexual activity in the context of a mutual loving relationship. Same gender sexual activity was part of pagan religious practice and therefore forbidden by the Jews and later Christians because it was associated with being pagan.

Evolutionarily, the early Hebrews and even the people of Jesus’ day needed to concern themselves with perpetuation of the species given infant mortality and short life expectancy. So same gender sexual activity worked against that.

In addition, the texts were addressing presumedly heterosexual married people who, when engaging in same gender sexual activity, were being unfaithful to their marriage partner.

We also want to note that there really is no reference in the Bible to what we consider homosexuality today. There was no social concept or understanding that there were people who were born with an attraction to others of the same gender and that there could be mutual, life long loving relationships of that kind. That simply was not conceived of just as there was no knowledge of the atom, or the cell, or the speed of light. They were there, but not yet conceptualized. That’s how it was with homosexuality. It was there but not yet defined.

Also we want to note that in the scriptures we have, there is no record of Jesus referring even to same gender sexual behavior.

So blaming the Bible for a stance against homosexuality is a really weak argument to make. We need to apply our God-given reason, intellect, and knowledge to our thinking about our sacred texts, the Bible, to inform our faith today. It simply is not enough to just be “literal.” There is more to it and even the ancients knew that.

Now we turn to another consideration of how we use our texts and traditions. While some Christians may gravitate toward literalism and legalism based on the Bible, Jesus shows us another approach. In the tradition we have of Jesus, we are told that Jesus broke the law of Moses. He directly, knowingly broke the law. He violated the scriptures. The New Testament tells of Jesus healing on the Sabbath. Against the law. He spoke with women to whom he was not related in public. Against the law. We are told that he let a woman touch him and anoint him with oil. Against the law. We hear that Jesus and his followers picked grain on the Sabbath. Against the law. We have stories that tell us that again and again that Jesus broke the law of his faith; he directly violated the holy scriptures of his tradition. Evidently, he was not a literalist and not a legalist. We are given the impression that expressing compassion, healing, and love overrode legalistic considerations. Jesus defied the religious, social, cultural, economic, and civil norms of the day. This has volumes to say about how Christians today are to deal with the Bible and our traditions. And it leaves little room for condemnation of gay people.

We also want to be sure that we take into consideration that Jesus was an embodiment of God’s preferential option for the poor and the oppressed. The stories we have tell us how he reached out to those that his society and his religion had cast aside. He looked for the people on the margins. He healed those who were other, outcast, and enemy. He directly concerned himself with the condition of people who were oppressed, discriminated against, and devalued. This is why the church must always strive to defend the rights and humanity of all people. Now, when you have to hide who you are to get a job, to get a loan, to receive succor from your religious tradition, and you live in fear for your safety and your life, this is oppression. And this is why the church of Jesus Christ is compelled to advocate for human and civil rights for sexual minorities. The commitment of the United Church of Christ and other churches to justice comes directly from the Bible and our Christian tradition.

Now, in the scripture that was read from 1 Corinthians, we have the beautiful image of the faith community as a body. This body imagery was common in the ancient world. Philosophers thought about the cosmos as a body of diverse, complementary elements. So this image of the body as a unity of diverse parts was not new. What was new was the equal valuing of all the parts. The Corinthians were wrapped up in competition and hierarchy. Who had the most important spiritual gifts. Whose gifts made them most important to the community. Who was better and deserved more status. They wanted a pecking order. The letter to the Corinthians tosses this all out the window. The one who empties the trash is of the same value as the one who preaches. [And in our church, it’s often the same person, as it should be.] All should be needed and valued. The early church was a community of rebellion against the hierarchy and stratification of society. Worldly distinctions – social, religious, ethnic, economic, sexual, educational – were all subsumed to the oneness of the body of Christ. Power, privilege, and position were insignificant. What was important was common devotion to service. The writer of this letter is specifically countering the Corinthians’ penchant for boasting about the more flashy, flamboyant roles in the faith community and competing for those roles. They are reminded that the community of Jesus is a community committed to egalitarianism which values diversity as a gift. It was radical rebellion. Again, an image which mitigates for the full inclusion of GLBT people in the church and society.

This image of the body with many parts has been used to account for the diversity of the church today. A big tent. A huge umbrella. But it seems that we are getting to a breaking point which hinges on how we see the Bible and the tradition. There is growing division within Christianity and it is not defined by denomination. Within each communion, there seem to be those who want to use our texts and our tradition to help navigate the change around us. To help us to maintain our values in the face of drastic technological advances. To help us protect our humanity and our soul as we become more machine dependent. Who want to use the rich tradition and texts we have inherited as constructive tools for building a future of peace and mutual understanding. And, then it seems that there are those who, in the face of the massive changes taking place in our context, want to use our texts and traditions by applying antiquated approaches that exacerbate problems rather than solving them. And, ultimately, they betray the gospel and deny humanity’s divinely bestowed reason and intellect. You can’t build a computer with a stone axe. There are those who seem to want to ignore the contributions of culture, history, science, economics, the arts, and education in advancing human development. These strides can help to advance the positive influence of religion as well.

As the old hymn, “Once to Every Man and Nation,” reminds us:

New occasions teach new duties;
Time makes ancient good uncouth.

That was written in 1845.

Can we be one church? People who bring guns to church? People who support reproductive rights? People who berate homosexuality? People who endorse the ordination of women? People who are dedicated to God’s preferential option for the poor? People who teach God wants believers to be rich? People who use intellect to inform faith? People who insist on literalism? Can we be one church? One body?

Our context is complicated. There is a professor at Wheaton College, a professed Christian, who was put on leave for wearing a head scarf and affirming that Muslims and Christians are praying to the same God. But her actions seem in keeping with the teachings and witness of Jesus.

And we have Muslim journalists declaring: “To us, the ‘hijab’ is a symbol of an interpretation of Islam we reject that believes that women are a sexual distraction to men, who are weak, and thus must not be tempted by the sight of our hair. We don’t buy it.” [Quoted in The Christian Century, 1/20/16, Asra Z. Noman and Hala Arafa, two Muslim journalists, who discourage non-Muslims from wearing the hijab out of solidarity with Muslims, arguing that it reinforces a patriarchal interpretation of Islam, Washington Post, 12/21/15] That, too, seems to reflect the way of Jesus.

The way we access our texts and our tradition to inform our faith in a constructive way is a complicated challenge in our complex context. But we have such a rich heritage to draw upon that has all the answers that we need for navigating our perilous and promising times. The way of Jesus, of service, of equality, of generosity, of other-centered living, of rebellion, is needed today to foster life and well-being for the whole human family as well as all of creation.

It seems that our world is in a time of transition. There are divides in society, in politics, and in religion. Maybe two hundred years from now people will look back and see with more clarity what was going on.

In the church, did we err on the side of traditionalism? Did we make an idol of the Bible? Did we try too hard to maintain Christian unity, the body, and so betray the heart of the gospel? Did we ignore the influences of our unique intellectual abilities, discounting culture, the arts, history, economics, science, and education, and cling to the past, not availing ourselves of what we were being given to transform Christianity? Did we let our faith have the constructive impact that was needed? Time will tell.

In Jesus’ day and after the crucifixion of Jesus, those who followed Jesus were Jews. They were Jews, within Judaism. A minority movement, but still part of Judaism. But as time went on, as conditions in society had an impact, as history unfolded, the strain between Jews who followed Jesus as the Messiah and Jews who were still awaiting a Messiah grew so great, that the two camps parted company and Christianity emerged as a separate, though related, religion. There are those who think that kind of transition is happening in the Christian world today. That the strain between the varying factions will lead to a parting of the ways and the emergence of separate expressions of the way of Jesus moving into the future.

When Ezra read the law of Moses to the people and the Levites offered their interpretation, the people saw how far they had departed from God’s way. They were afraid of God’s wrath. They sought to repent. And Ezra affirmed their desire to return to God’s way, but encouraged them to have a festival, to feast, to celebrate, that they have recommitted. He tells them this is an occasion for joy, not sorrow.

Our texts and traditions are to lead us to God. They are to be a guide for equipping us to embody divine, unconditional, universal love on earth. And that path is desperately needed in the world today amidst the competition, alienation, turmoil and violence of our times. The gospel is still, and ever will be, good news. Perhaps needed now more than ever. This is not a time to abandon our texts and our tradition. It is a time to embrace them. And to rejoice in the welcoming mercy of God. 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.

Third Sunday of Advent
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

With continuous terrorist attacks and mass shootings taking place, not surprisingly, gun sales in the US are up. There are already more guns than people in the US. But even so, gun sales are soaring. A recent article in the Tampa Bay Times gave a local perspective. Typically, sales in December are up about 20% because of the Christmas season. Apparently, people don’t only give toy guns as Christmas presents. To me, to give a gun as a gift at Christmas is about as anti-Christmas as you can get but evidently plenty of people disagree. So, in addition to the usual holiday rush on guns, there has been an additional increase in sales this year. This year, sales are up more like 50%. And the sales are more and more to first time gun buyers. Thankfully, I guess, attendance at gun safety classes is also skyrocketing. When asked to account for the significant increases, gun shop owner Paul Digirolamo of Clearwater said, “The sentiment is fear. It’s more fear of terrorism than fear of losing their ability to purchase firearms.”

Doug Jackson, of Bill Jackson’s in Pinellas Park said, “We’ve had a lot of people coming in concerned because the police can’t be everywhere all the time.” [TBT 12/9/15, “Bay area gun shops see spike in sales”] Fear. Fear. And more fear.
We got an invitation at the church for an 8 hour class at St. Petersburg College on “Keeping Your Church and Ministry Safe In An Uncertain World.” The topics include: Domestic, Partner and Workplace Violence; Child Protection; Transportation Protection; Developing Safety and Security Policies; Recognizing High Risk areas; Legal, Insurance, and Liability Issues; Prepare for Emergencies, Natural Disasters, Medical Crises, Active Shooters and Extreme Violence; Mission Team Protection; Church Security Assessment; and Addressing the Aftermath. Again, fear, fear, fear.

Let’s remember that the church has existed in times of peril and violence since its very inception. The Jews living under Roman rule in the first century were fearful day in and day out. They were always afraid of Roman crackdowns and violence. Crucifixions were a regular occurrence. People were thrown in prison and mistreated for all kinds of things including debt. The society was understandably fearful. Humans have forever lived in fearful conditions.

But the issue really is how fear is perceived and used. Actually, people are safer today than in previous times. The crime rate is down. Killing is down. Disease and pestilence is down. There is more justice and empowerment than there have been in past times. People have more human rights than ever before. So, you would think, based on the evidence, that the fear level would be going down. But it is not. It is actually going up.

Fear is a very powerful tool. Fear makes money for lots of people, including weapons manufacturers and gun companies. And, even more importantly, fear makes is easier to control people.

There is a quote, questionably attributed to Julius Caesar, about using fear to gain power and support:

“Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind.

“And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so.

“How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.”

Using fear to manipulate and control people is nothing new. And our government is as good at it as any. When people are afraid, they are much more likely to engage in violence as we see from the gun sales statistics.

Fear is also what is motivating war and terrorism. The Israeli – Palestinian conflict is fueled by fear. ISIS is motivated by fear. Fear of losing a way of life. Of being taken over by Western culture. Fear of losing power and control. Terrorists are afraid and so they lash out perpetrating death and destruction. Fear of losing access to desired land, water, oil, and other resources fuels war and violence.

Fear induces the fight or flight reaction. And, it appears in the world today that fight is outpacing flight in the face of fear.

Do people in the US want all these guns because of hate? Is it their hatred of someone that is leading them to purchase guns? No. Are they purchasing guns because they have a vendetta against someone? Not for the most part. Is it out of vengeance? Not really. Is it the desire to inflict pain and kill? Not in most cases. For the most part, the main motivation for the people buying the guns is fear.

Fear skews our view of reality. It leads us to behave in uncharacteristic ways. It makes us set rationality and morality aside. As the Caesar quote says, it narrows the mind. Fear poisons our humanity, our good will, and our compassion. We become afraid to help others. Afraid to be generous. Afraid to engage with other people. Fear isolates us. Fear can lead us to give up the very things we were afraid of losing and wanting to protect. It is extremely powerful and destructive.

And so we are reminded of the famous words, accurately attributed to President Franklin Roosevelt, president of the United States during World War 2: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

As people of faith, we know that fear can prevent us from living out our faith. It can stop us from being compassionate and generous. It can put the brakes on our impulse to help others and work for the common good. It can stop us from being honest and ethical, let alone good and helpful. We may be afraid for our safety, or our economic security, or our reputation, or our job. There can be all kinds of fears that lead us to be apathetic and not get involved, even if we don’t choose to do something violent or vengeful. But fear can definitely hold us back from acting on our faith and following Jesus.

Fear holds churches and pastors back all the time. They are afraid to make waves in the congregation. They are afraid to ruffle feathers and loose financial support. They are afraid of getting a bad reputation in the community. They’re afraid of getting in trouble with the wider church (though this is not much of an issue in the UCC with congregational polity and a national church that is usually more progressive than most of the congregations). Churches and pastors want to “keep the customer satisfied” and keep the pews and the coffers filled. They’re afraid of loosing members and money. So, the church is not always the bastion of courage and faith and trust that is should be.

Here we want to remember the beautiful story of the annunciation that we heard this morning for it has a message about fear and trust. The story tells of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to inform her that she will be the mother of Jesus and he will be the long-awaited Messiah. We are meant to be surprised that this angel visitation is to someone who is a “nobody.” Mary is portrayed as someone poor from a small village, a person of low status. It would be natural to think that an important figure would be born to an important person, someone of high status, from a family with power and authority. But no, the angel comes to mere Mary. In the story, the angel greets Mary by name. Maybe this is to avoid any confusion, like, that the angel had the wrong person. Then the angel kicks off with, “Do not be afraid.” Or, “Fear not.” “You have found favor with God.” Evidently, the angel expects fear. At the presence of the angel? Or the message that may come? Maybe the angel knows what to anticipate from previous experiences with such visitations. Just a few verses before we are told of the angel visiting Zechariah, who is fearful of the angel and does not trust his words. Maybe the angel knows the pattern with Moses and the prophets resisting God’s call out of fear. So, the angel broaches Mary with, “Don’t be afraid.” And that alone should really put her on her guard!

This scene of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary is so well known in part due to the countless artists that have offered renderings of the scene. Perhaps in a bower. Or a bedroom. Or a garden. Or a portico. Or even while Mary is hanging out the wash. In most renditions Mary appears submissive. Passive. Agreeable. It seems too easy. In a version by John William Waterhouse painted 1914, Mary looks very concerned. One hand on her head, like, “Oh, my God.” The other at her heart. An extremely worried, hesitant, intense expression on her face. The angel is portrayed as a beautiful woman offering Mary a stem of lilies. A bad sign, but Mary wouldn’t know that, yet. Mary is not reaching out to take the lilies. It is as if she is presented with a perplexing dilemma and she is trying to figure out what to do. I wonder if the angel is offering the flowers before or after the message has been delivered. Is the angel trying to soften Mary’s defenses, disarm her before delivering the blow? Or has the angel already given the message and Mary is hesitating and so the angel is offering the flowers to entice her to say yes? We don’t know. But which ever it is, we know that Mary has reason to be wary. She is right to show surprise and hesitation. Even fear.

To me, this is a more helpful portrayal of Mary because I think that the call to live in the realm of God, to follow Jesus, should give us pause.

It can be a fearsome thing to be called by God. It can be fearsome to be part of God’s plans for justice and peace in the world. It can be fearsome to stand up to the powers that be. It can be fearsome to face the risks that come with embodying God’s divine love for the world. It can be fearsome to be confronted by the Holy and have your life turned around. Our faith calls us to put ourselves in the hands of divine love to do the work of redeeming creation. Our faith calls us to submit ourselves to the divine dream for the common good of all creation. Our faith calls us to follow, as Jesus did, often into difficult, uncomfortable, dark situations where God’s love is needed most. We are called to put ourselves at God’s disposal. This we have in common with Islam which literally means “submission.” Islam is about submitting to the will of God. That is what Jesus did and what our faith calls us to do. And that is what we see from Mary. And, yes, it is fearsome, to give up control, and to face the challenges to which we may be called. Mary was right to be afraid. The angel knowingly tries to dispel her fears. And she agrees to what the angel announces. Let it be.

Faith involves overcoming our fears because to live in fear is to strangle life. And our God is a god of life – flourishing, prolific, diverse, teeming life. And fear saps life. Deprives life. It makes us close in and close up. It drives out life and love. It drains joy. Fear takes over. It becomes a tyrant. It enslaves. Fear deprives us of freedom and life and well-being. It forces us to shut down and isolate and wither.

Love fosters life. Living for others gives meaning and purpose. Serving the common good is life giving. Engaging with others brings joy. Yes, faith may involve risks and challenges, but it is a way of life not death. It is also a fearsome thing to contemplate a world where people take matters into their own hands and look out only for their own good.

In this season of Advent, we have been talking about Wonder-Full peace. It seems that peace is becoming harder and harder to imagine. I’m afraid to look at the front page these days. What new horror will be announced? What sickening image will be imprinted on my psyche from the pages of the Tampa Bay Times? Is it time to get a gun? Of course not. That only feeds fear and fear leads to death, either of body or soul. To live in peace does not mean being able to protect yourself. It means living without fear.

The New Testament tells us that love casts out fear. God is about the love that enables us to overcome our fears. We see this in Mary. She submits to the love. And we see it in Jesus.

The enemy of peace is really not so much hatred as it is fear. Because fear takes control of us and drives out the love. We isolate and build walls instead of reaching out with compassion seeking understanding. Fear makes us clench our fists instead of opening them to shake hands and to give and receive. Divine love is about bringing us together, overcoming our differences, helping each other, and learning to live together in peace. That can’t happen when we let ourselves be overcome with fear.

Faith takes us out of the fear spiral. Love casts our fear. God enables us to surmount our fears so that we can trust and risk and engage. Mary overcame her fears and said yes.

On the bathroom mirror at our house are a variety of comics and clippings. One is a picture of Christopher Moltisanti of “The Sopranos” with this quote, “Fear knocked on the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.” May we welcome divine love into our lives so that we can live in peace and not fear. 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.

Second Sunday of Advent

Pastor:  Rev. Kim P. Wells

Why do people climb Mount Everest? The most famous response is, “Because it’s there.” Those are the words of George Mallory, one of the first climbers to attempt to summit Everest. We still don’t know if he made it or not because he never returned from his summit bid of 1924. His body was found in 1999 but it has not been determined if he died on the way up or the way down. Why do people risk life and limb to climb Mount Everest?

At the end of the book, High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places, film director and mountaineer, David Breashears concludes: “The risk inherent in climbing such mountains carries its own reward, deep and abiding because it provides as profound a sense of self-knowledge as anything else on earth. A mountain is perilous, true; but it is also redemptive.” [pp. 304-305]

The incredible challenges involved in climbing Mount Everest evidently bring out your essential character. You find out who you are. If you have seen the movie, “Everest,” or read Into Thin Air, the best seller by John Krakauer, you know the story of the tragic climbing season in the spring of 1996 on Mount Everest. Horrific storms led to 8 deaths in the course of two days.

One of those left for dead, three times, was Beck Weathers. I have read Weathers’ book, Left for Dead, a memoir which includes the Everest story. I must say, in reading about Weathers before the Everest episode, he is not the most likable person. He seemed rather self absorbed, self indulgent, and, consequently, alienated from his wife and family. Yes, he suffered from depression, but he was a successfully employed pathologist and able to function professionally. Personally, it was another matter.

Then you read of Weathers’ Everest experience. He spent two consecutive nights exposed to the frigid temperatures during fierce storms at 26,000 feet. He was left for dead three times by fellow climbers. There was no way that he could survive. But he did. This is how he describes it: “Then, a miracle occurred at 26,000 feet. I opened my eyes.

“My wife was hardly finished with the harrowing task of telling our children their father was not coming home when a second call came through, informing her that I wasn’t quite as dead as I had seemed.

“Somehow I regained consciousness out on the South Col – I don’t understand how – and was jolted to my senses, as well as to my feet, by a vision powerful enough to rewire my mind. I am neither churchly nor a particularly spiritual person, but I can tell you that some force within me rejected death at the last moment and then guided me, blind and stumbling – quite literally a dead man walking – into camp and the shaky start of my return to life.” [p.7]

Weathers’ hands and feet and face were frostbitten. He ended up having to have his right arm amputated between the elbow and wrist, the four fingers and thumb of his left hand removed, parts of both feet removed, and his nose and face reconstructed. It was bad.

David Breashears, the film director referred to earlier, was on Everest that spring filming a movie for IMAX. As a seasoned climber, he was involved in rescuing those who were caught on the mountain. He ended up walking the blind, frost bitten Beck Weathers back to base camp. This is what Breashears says about the experience:

“It wasn’t long before I began to understand how remarkable this stranger at my back really was. We’d just started down, when Beck said, ‘You know, David, I paid $65,000 to climb Everest. And when I left Dallas, I said to my wife, I said, ‘Peach, $65,000 to climb Everest! It’s costing me an arm and a leg!’ Then he added, ‘But I guess I bargained them down.’”

Breashears goes on:
“I was astounded. This man, this mutilated survivor, was telling me a joke? About his own injuries? He was a pathologist. He well knew what lay in store. Both hands were frozen through to the bone. He knew he’d lost them. He still had no idea about his face. We weren’t about to tell him. He probably would have simply invented some jokes about that.

“It went on, pretty much nonstop the whole way down. He was funny as hell. He compared our little string of climbers to a conga line. He wanted to sing ‘Chain of Fools.’ It kept his mind agile and his body moving.

“He didn’t complain. He was so thankful. He had a profound effect on me. After all that death, after being judged dead himself, not once but three times, this man’s spirit was transcendent. He was a gift for all of us from that tragedy. Out of all that horror emerged this great spirit. He never should have survived. . . His first night was spent lying on the edge of an abyss, and his second was spent screaming in a tent with the doors blown open, exposed, his sleeping bags torn away. The very fact of his survival was astounding. He came out of the horror with his humanity and intelligence intact.

“The stresses of high-altitude climbing reveal your true character; they unmask who you really are. You no longer have all the social graces to hide behind, to play roles. You are the essence of what you are. And if I can be one tenth of what Beck was that day, I will have been a worthy man.” [pp. 273-274]

It’s not Everest but this morning we heard about John the Baptizer calling people in the wilderness to confront who they really are. Out in the wilderness, away from the trappings of power and comfort, the social roles that protect, and the wealth that obscures, John is calling people to repent. To come clean. To face who they are and deal with the truth of it. To turn their lives around.

John invites the people to be baptized. This is a ritual cleansing, yes. But in Christian symbolism, baptism represents new life in Christ. The submersion under the water symbolizes dying. The coming out of the water represents new life, like emerging from the waters of the womb. Baptism was a commitment to a new future. Regardless of who these people were in the past, there was a different future ahead once they were baptized; once they had come to terms with their situation and were ready to commit to change. The mountains brought down and the valleys lifted up and the crooked places made straight.

Now one of the things I really like about this story is the specificity. We’re not just given theoretical platitudes. The story includes not only the symbolic but also the practical. The people ask John directly, “What should we do?” He offers advice about concrete changes in real life circumstances that represent substantial transformation. This brood of vipers has a lot of work to do. They are going to have to make major changes if they are going to bear the fruit of repentance.

Two coats? Give one away to someone who has none. That’s pretty direct and specific. And with food, do the same. Take down that mountain of excess.

This week I heard about someone who went out to eat at an extravagant, expensive restaurant. The food was delicious, yes, but the bill was also astounding. To mitigate the sense of overindulgence, the person determined to donate the cost of the meal to an area food bank. That is just in keeping with the counsel from John the Baptist in this story. You have two, give one away to someone with none.

The tax collectors also ask, “What should we do?” They were overcharging people all the time. They gave the expected portion to the Romans and then kept the rest. The Romans didn’t care what the people were forced to pay just so Rome got the amount due. It was a set up ripe for taking advantage of people and that’s what happened. So, what are these repentant tax collectors to do? Just collect the fair amount. No more extortion. That’s a drastic change. A valley filled in.

And soldiers who were essentially Roman police there to keep order, what are they to do, these Gentiles who have come to be spiritually renewed in the wilderness? No threats. No undue violence. And be satisfied with your wages. No extra duty security. There’s something crooked made straight.

John’s strong language and direct appeal seem to inspire a sense of hope and promise. We are told that the people are filled with expectation. His teaching is described as good news: “So, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.”

In our honest moments, it is good news to know that we can change; that God is not finished with us yet, that we can create a different future, that the mountains and valleys can be surmounted.

This Advent season used to be referred to as “little Lent.” It was a time of repentance. A time to examine your life and see how God is calling you to turn around and live in the light of God’s realm. Our faith teaches that we can be transformed. Our valleys smoothed over. Our mountains leveled out. Our crooked edges softened.

In thinking about Wonder-Full peace this season we are aware of the mountains that need to be moved so that all people can live together in peace. We need to level the mountain of violence. And the mountain of racism. And the mountain of environmental destruction. And the mountain of greed. We need to fill in the valley of hunger. And the valley of poverty. And the valley of entitlement. And the valley of alienation. We need to straighten out the crookedness of power abuse and injustice and oppression and self centeredness. How can we face these huge challenges on a societal let alone a world wide basis?

How do they climb Mount Everest? They climb Everest step by excruciating step in the thin air while their bodies are breaking down and their minds are going askew and their energy has ebbed below functionality. Yet they take another step. And another. Sometimes having to wait for minutes until they can summon the power to go just one more. Step. Yet they press on. And the summit appears.

To move the mountains of problems in our world, to fill in the valleys of inequity and scarcity, to straighten out the corruption and selfishness and suffering, we have to face the personal transformation that each of us is being called to make. Each one of us needs to be willing to take another step. Start anew. Turn over a new leaf. Make a change. Be transformed by the power of love. To see the big changes, we have to be willing to change, to be changed, to face the often difficult and painful process of individual conversion.

And it is good news in the context of our faith, because we know that we are called to face who we are so that we can be redeemed. When we are honest, when we let ourselves see the truth, we know that we are missing the joys and delights of life with our dissipation and greed and obsessions. And we are given the opportunity to change. The Christian call to conversion is a call to new life which is purposeful and satisfying and peaceful. It is a life of bearing good fruit.

When you find out who you are on Mount Everest, it may be too late to change. Your character flaws and weaknesses may lead to your death. But our faith teaches us that each and every day, God is seeking to work for our highest good by bringing out our best nature so that we might bear the fruits of goodness and justice. It is never too late to repent. And we are never beyond hope or beyond the scope of God’s transforming power.

Beck Weathers essentially died three times. And he is alive to tell about it. So he knows what it is to have your life upended and turned around. The mountain brought low, the valley raised up, the crooked made straight. And in reflecting on that experience he tells us:

“I learned that miracles do occur. In fact, I think they occur pretty commonly.

“I also now understand that humans are the toughest creatures on Earth. There’s a reason we’re at the top of the food chain, and it is not simply because we’re a smarter cockroach. There’s drive, determination and strength within each of us.” [p. 283]

May we not be afraid to scale the mountain of personal growth and change. 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.

The First Sunday of Advent
Scripture: Luke 21:25-36
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

In July 1969, the first manned spacecraft landed on the moon. Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong took the first human steps on the moon while millions the world over watched glued to their televisions.

Then, on July 20, the day they walked on the moon, there was the first phone call between earth and the moon. Then President Richard Nixon addressed the astronauts:

Hello, Neil and Buzz. I’m talking to you by telephone from the Oval Room at the White House, and this certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made from the White House. I just can’t tell you how proud we all are of what you have done. For every American, this has to be the proudest day of our lives. And for people all over the world, I am sure that they, too, join with Americans in recognizing what an immense feat this is. Because of what you have done, the heavens have become a part of man’s world. And as you talk to us from the Sea of Tranquility, it inspires us to redouble our efforts to bring peace and tranquility to Earth. For one priceless moment in the whole history of man, all the people on this Earth are truly one; one in their pride in what you have done, and one in our prayers that you will return safely to Earth.

It was definitely a historic moment for humanity around the world. An unforgettable experience filled with hope and promise.

As Nixon said it, “the heavens have become a part of man’s world.” Exploration into space has helped humanity to see the place of the Earth in the wider whole of the cosmos, and it has helped us to see the Earth as a whole. The picture of the Earth as a blue marble, taken by the Apollo 17 crew on December 7, 1972, is considered one of the most iconic, and among the most widely distributed images in human history. [Wikipedia, The Blue Marble] This picture gave the human race an image of its home – Earth. Space exploration has given us an understanding of the Earth as barely a speck of dust in vast expanding universe. And it has also given us an understanding of the precious uniqueness of our planetary home.

In the understanding of our Christian tradition, the Earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars, all are seen as part of the creative expression of God. We think of God as infinite mystery, so we are not surprised at the vast expanses of space. And we understand that to God, all of creation is one living, pulsing, dynamic whole. There are many, many references in the Bible to creation, the land, sea, animals, plants, and planets all fulfilling the will of the creator. Air, sun, comets, and nebulae, all play the part they are intended to play in the divine creative design. All of nature and all of the cosmos is seen as God’s self expression. In other traditions and religions, there are myths about the creation of humanity, but the world itself is already assumed. In the Judeo Christian concept of creation, humans are just one small part of a larger story of Divinity revealed in all of reality. It is a cosmic vision from the beginning.

We see this understanding reflected in the scripture we heard this morning. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. . . the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” [Luke 21:25-26] The power of God is not limited to humanity and human history. God’s power extends to the planets and stars, as well as all of Earth and creation. We are given a universal vision of God’s power and intentions. Ours is a cosmic God.

It is also clear in our tradition that the Divine intention for all of the vastness of the cosmos is peace. It has all been created as an evolving whole which supports life in untold forms – past, present, and future yet to be determined. Our faith is founded on a vision of peace that is life-affirming and universal.

This Advent season, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, one in whom we see God breaking into human history with peace. And we remember that the peace that is expressed through Jesus is a universal peace. It is not just peace for one group, or one nation, or one culture, or one geographic area. Divine peace, the peace revealed in Jesus, is universal peace: For all people. For all cultures. For all times. For all lands and seas, planets and stars. In Jesus we see peace for the cosmos.

This is an insight that we want to remember as we think about extending peace in our world. There are so many areas wracked by violence and the absence of peace – from our individual souls and our psyches, to our city blocks, to our borders, to conflict and violence between groups and nations. Bombs, drones, guns, and missiles destroy daily. Where is peace? Where is there hope for peace? As we look at so many conflicts we see that this person, this group, this country, this government, this ruler, this religious expression, is trying to protect itself and extend its power. We want security for ourselves. The goal is not really peace, but self interest, self promotion, or self protection, because peace is for everyone or no one.

When we embrace the Christian view of cosmic peace, we look at paths to peace that extend peace to everyone, to all lands, all seas, all creation, the universe known and still unknown. When we adopt that cosmic perspective which we see again and again in our scriptures, then we are pursuing peace that means security for all and not just, temporarily, for some. Our faith teaches us to work for peace in ourselves and in specific situations from a universal perspective so that just and lasting resolution can emerge.

We can think, for example, about problems in a relationship. In this holiday season, these kinds of issues can become more pronounced. Maybe there is stress in one of your primary relationships. Maybe instead of thinking about what you want and what you think the other person wants, you can try to see things from a broader perspective. What is best for both of you? For the others in your family? What will make a constructive impression on children or young people in the family? What will be in the best interests of everyone in the long term? Maybe you can overcome a smaller issue when together you see there is a greater goal that is good for others that you both care about.

If we only look at certain specific interests in a particular situation without a broader framework, we may very well just be creating another problem. But when we work together to resolve conflicts whether it be in an interpersonal situation, in a work setting, in an ideological conflict, in international disputes, or in dealing with extremists, we want to keep in mind the universal perspective of our faith with the intention of peace for all of creation, the universe, and throughout the cosmos. That kind of all encompassing vision can help us to find specific ways to pursue peace that are truly secure and lasting.

Now, I must admit that for much of my life I was not very interested in space exploration, NASA, or even entertainment involving space. I felt that the energy put into space exploration was taking needed resources away from solving problems here on earth. I mean, was it really necessary to spend all that money so that we could drink Tang, eat dry ice cream, and close our shoes with Velcro? These are just some of the technological ripples of the space program. I saw space exploration as a sign of giving up on Earth and looking to other venues for pursing life. To me it represented having failed here on this planet and I could not accept that. But I married someone who minored in astronomy in college, who used to go out and observe the stars and the constellations every night when we lived in the country and it was actually dark enough to see the stars. Someone who knows all about the planets, space, and the space program, and who even, penny pincher that he is, gave money on a regular basis to the Space Studies Institute at Princeton to work on colonizing space. Now my spouse is a physics teacher. So, through the years, my heart has softened toward space. I have even come to take an interest in new discoveries and developments. But mostly I have been moved by the influence that space exploration and knowledge of the universe can have on our spirits, on our self understanding, on our grasp of our place in the scheme of things, and on our perspectives of life on Earth, our little blue marble home.

Images from space have helped to increase the understanding of global warming. They have given us other scientific insights and understandings. They have helped us to overcome a sense of individual and cultural alienation between humans because we know that we are all together on this tiny planet and there’s no where else just like this.

Space exploration also has the power to enhance our vision and pursuit of peace. While different countries may not be able to work together to solve problems on Earth, we seem to be more amenable to cooperating internationally when it comes to space and space exploration. The International Space Station is one promising example of this. Maybe through these experiences we can learn to work better together here on Earth as well.

In the 2014 hard science fiction movie, Interstellar, a ship is sent out into space to go through a worm hole and follow up on earlier initiatives to find a planet with an environment that can sustain human life. In the course of the journey, the main pilot, Cooper, is having a conversation with the primary scientist, Dr. Brandt, about space.

Dr. Brandt comments, “That’s what I love. Out there we face great odds, death, but, not evil.”

Cooper replies, “You don’t think nature can be evil?”

Brandt says, “No. Formidable. Frightening, but no, not evil. . .”

Cooper goes on to ask, “There’s just what we take with us, then?”

“Yeah,” Brandt responds.

Maybe the only evil in the universe is the evil that emerges from the human heart. No evil in space. No evil in creation. No evil in the universe or the cosmos. So maybe all this exploration of interstellar space can teach us to overcome the evil only we are capable of and to live in peace. In this season we prepare for the coming of Jesus, a figure portrayed in cosmic proportions: Jesus, a Palestinian Jew who has become associated with the cosmic Christ figure, an embodiment of the divine love that is at the heart of the universe. With no evil. A truly stellar figure with a universal message proclaiming peace – on Earth, all the Earth, not just some of the Earth, as well as the entire cosmos.

This season we’ll remember the story of the magi, the wise ones, following a star in search of Jesus. Maybe the stars will help to lead us to peace, in all of our hearts and homes; the peace that is intended for the world, the peace that has been given to creation in Jesus Christ. 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.