Category: Sermon Texts

Date: March 27, 2011
Scripture Lesson: John 4:5-30, 39-42
Sermon: Go with the Flow
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Imagine a small village in the mountains where the people could not eke out an existence from the land, and so had to work on large plantation farms for months at a time, for a pittance, often ending up with little more than a few cents for their labor. Imagine a village with no school or means for formal education. Where most of the adults, including the leaders of the village, could neither read nor write. Where villagers speak an Indian dialect and have no way of communicating with the government authorities or the state, because of the language barrier. Consider a village where sometimes people went for days without eating because there simply was no food available. Where on cold nights families slept huddled together for want of a blanket. A village in which some of the beloved children were expected to die of malnutrition. A village in which people did not have the means to wear shoes. Imagine circumstances of extreme poverty, far more severe than even homeless people face here in the US.

Imagine a village in which there is a coming of age ceremony when children turn 10 years old, and the children are officially accepted as adults in the community. At 10, the children are told about their new life. They are told that they will have many ambitions, but will not have the opportunity to realize those ambitions. Children are told that life will not change. It would continue on – work, poverty, and suffering. The 10 year old children are thanked for their labor and contribution to sustaining the family, and then given additional adult responsibilities. [I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala, ed. Elisabeth Burgos-Debray, p. 48]

Even though these villagers had values and traditions focussed on working
together and sharing responsibilities and helping one another, no one could have expected much of these people. These nameless subjects. Not considered worthy of notice in their society. And yet, it is in just such a village in Guatemala that Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, was born and raised. In the book, I, Rigoberta Menchu, Menchu discusses the circumstances of the Indian people in Guatemala. The circumstances in which she grew up. She tells us, “We each had a mat to sleep on and a little cover over us. We slept in the same clothes we
worked in. That’s why society rejects us. Me, I felt this rejection very personally, deep inside me. They say we Indians are dirty, but it’s our circumstances which force us to be like that. For example, if we have time, we go to the river every week, every Sunday, and wash our clothes. These clothes have to last us all week because we haven’t any other time for washing and we haven’t any soap either. That’s how it is. We sleep in our clothes, we get up next day, we tidy ourselves up a bit and off to work, just like that.” [p. 48]

Menchu did the best that she could in her circumstances. She was given the opportunity to spend some time in school. As a young adult, she decided that she needed to learn Spanish, and become literate so that she could defend the rights of the Indians of Guatemala. She became active in organizing villages like hers around the country to defend their rights against an oppressive government with an aggressive army. Menchu, along with her parents and siblings were very active in speaking out for the rights of the Indians of Guatemala. Her parents were killed by the government for their advocacy, as was at least one of her brothers. Eventually, Menchu herself faced the choice of being killed or leaving the country. She chose exile in Mexico where she continued to work for indigenous rights.

It was the combination of the direct personal experience of poverty in an oppressive socio/economic system perpetuated by the government combined with exposure to Christianity and the teachings of the Bible that fueled Menchu’s activism.
Her Christian faith combined with her native beliefs blended to form a powerful mix
which motivated Menchu to not only seek justice for her family and village, but for all indigenous people. She has spent her life, and indeed risked her life, in the pursuit of inalienable human rights for those who are denied those rights. No one, especially in Guatemala, would have expected a poor, Indian woman to have gained international recognition in the form of the Nobel Prize and participation in the United Nations. And yet, she has become an inspiration to millions around the world. Menchu is an extremely unlikely recipient of such adulation and admiration. Yet her personal experience inspired her to give her life to what she believes in. And she was ready to accept the cost of that commitment, even if it meant facing death as her family
members had to do.

Menchu was considered an unlikely channel or vehicle for the grace of God. This is the case with the Samaritan woman at the well, also. No one would ever have expected that Samaritan woman to be an agent of the grace of God. No one expected anything from her, but maybe sex and trouble! From the perspective that this story is told, this woman has three strikes against her. She is a woman. Certainly no more than a second class human being. Jewish rabbis, like Jesus, were not to talk with women in public, not even their wives. So, this woman should not be having any kind of conversation with Jesus. And yet their discussion is the longest conversation portrayed in the Gospels.

The next strike against the woman at the well, is that she is a Samaritan. The Jews and Samaritans were basically feuding cousins going back to the Babylonian exile and before. They had differences about who were the real Jews, the true chosen people, the authentic righteous ones before God. The Samaritans believed they carried on the au- thentic tradition of Moses and the Hebrews through worship at the temple on Mt. Gerizim. The Jews believed they carried on the authentic tradition of the Hebrews with worship at the Temple in Jerusalem. The two groups had been feuding for centuries. And as often happens, the antagonism was all the more bitter because of their close relationship. Jesus interacting with a Samaritan, man or woman, was scandalous! Can we think of a comparable conflict today? Maybe an Israeli and a Palestinian? Or an illegal Mexi-can and someone from the border patrol? Or a fundamentalist Christian and a fundamen-talist Muslim? Or maybe two teens from rival neighborhood gangs? It’s hard to say. But there is no way Jesus and this Samaritan woman should be talking with each other.

Then, there is the questionable relationship status of the woman at the well. We don’t know the specifics, but there is a reason that she is going to the well alone at noon in the heat of the day, instead of at dawn with the other women, or at sunset, when the village women would go together to the well to visit and gossip and share the news of the day as well as to get water. This woman is going to the well alone, she is an outcast.

So from a Jewish perspective as well as a Samaritan perspective, this woman is of no account, an outcast, trash. And yet, here she is, the recipient of Jesus’ living water. Favored by God. Gifted with grace. And she goes back to her town, where no one has any respect for her, and she tells these people who have shunned her what has happened. She wants them to have what she has been given. She is moved with love, generosity, and grace for the very people who have made her life miserable. And they are moved by her testimony, by her experience, and they, too, encounter Jesus as living water: As the Messiah.

This unlikely woman is the agent of God’s grace for her community and for the whole of Samaria. She facilitates reconciliation between the Samaritans and the Jews. With the disciples, the chosen ones, the ones who have been coached, tutored, and trained by Jesus for this very kind of mission, watching and grumbling from the side lines.

You never know about grace. You never know who will be an agent of grace in your life. You never know where that word of life and hope will come from. You just can’t count anybody out when it comes to grace from the God of cosmic love. It may come from the most unlike sources.

This Lenten season as we reflect on the theme Grace ABOUNDS!, the story of the Samaritan woman invites us to be open to grace from what we may consider unlikely sources. It may come to us from someone we consider an enemy. From someone that we find distasteful. From someone we have no respect for. It may come from someone whose lifestyle we abhor.

Think of the barriers, divisions, and animosities that separate us. Like those Samaritans and Jews. Like those men and women of ancient times. Like those considered sexually abhorrent. Think of our divisions today. This story invites us to think about grace coming to us form where we would least expect it: Maybe grace comes to a teacher from the parent of the most obstreperous child in the class. Maybe a homeless person is an agent of grace to someone from the chamber of commerce staff.
Maybe someone incarcerated is an agent of grace to a jailer. In the religious divisions of our day, can we imagine a Muslim woman wearing a hijab as an agent of grace to a fundamentalist Christian? Given the political divisions of our day, we can imagine:
A Tea Party supporter the agent of grace to a Democrat?
A Democrat an agent of grace to a Rubio Republican?
A Republican an agent of grace to a Green Party supporter?

Maybe a message of grace is coming to us from those who were caught in the earthquake and tsunami in Japan; in their notable civility and consideration and compassion for one another. We don’t get to decide who will convey divine grace. But we may choose not to see or accept the grace provided.

Perhaps another unlikely source of grace is the current entertainment idol Lady Gaga. In her newest hit song, she celebrates diversity and denounces society’s judgement of those considered different. She sings:
A different lover is not a sin
Believe capital H-I-M
Don’t be a drag, just be a queen
Whether you’re broke or evergreen
You’re black, white, beige, chola descent
You’re lebanese, you’re orient
Whether life’s disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
Cause baby, you were born this way.
I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way.

So, from Lady Gaga, an affirmation of empowering grace that some would say exceeds the message of many churches!
Lady Gaga, like Rigoberta Menchu and the Samaritan woman, remind us that no matter who you are, no matter what you have done, no matter how much you think you don’t care, no matter what your legality with the government, no matter your employment status, your educational status, your ethnic, physical, relational, or religious status, YOU may be an agent of God’s grace. There is no one in this room, or in this world, that cannot be an agent of grace.

When she accepted the Nobel Prize, Rigoberta Menchu offered this important reminder:
Please allow me, ladies and gentlemen, to say some words about my country and the civilization of the Mayas. The Maya people developed and spread geographically through some 300,000 square km; they occupied parts of the South of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, as well as Honduras and El Salvador; they developed a very rich civilization in the area of political organization, as well as in social and economic fields; they were great scientists in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, agriculture, architecture and engineering; they were great artists in the fields of sculpture, painting, weaving and carving. The Mayas discovered the zero value in mathematics, at about the same time that it was discovered in India and later passed on to the Arabs. Their astronomic forecasts based on mathematical calculations and scientific observations were amazing, and still are. They prepared a calendar more accurate than the Gregorian, and in the field of medicine they performed intracranial surgical operations. One of the Maya books, which escaped destruction by the conquistadores, known as The Codex of Dresden, contains the results of an investigation on eclipses as well a table of 69 dates, in which solar eclipses occur in a lapse of 33 years. Today, it is important to emphasize the deep respect that the Maya civilization had towards life and nature in general. Who can predict what other great scientific conquests and developments these people could have achieved, if they had not been conquered by blood and fire, and subjected to an ethnocide that affected nearly 50 million people in the course of 500 years. [Acceptance and Nobel Lecture, December 10, 1992, http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1992/tum-lecture.html, 3/27/10]

These haunting words remind us of the consequences of rejecting those who may seem to be unlikely agents of grace. We see this in the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. Her testimony could have been rejected because of the source. Her people could have ignored her. But she had the courage to risk that rejection to offer her people the life giving water she had received from Jesus Christ. And the people of her village were open to her witness. And so they witness to us. Friends, God’s grace is being offered to us and through us. May we overcome the barriers and let the living water flow! 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: March 13, 2011
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 4:1-11
Sermon: Tempted to Settle
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Experts tell us that the number of people in the world suffering from hunger is diminishing. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that the number of hungry people decreased from 1023 million in 2009 to 925 million in 2010. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger, 3/13/11] Even with this decline, which is of course to be applauded, especially considering the economic situation worldwide, an estimated 16,000 children die daily from hunger-related causes. In the US, one in four children experiences food scarcity. 16.7 million children in the US suffer from hunger. [Bread for the World, http://www.bread.org/hunger/us/, 3/13/11] While we may not see the images of naked children with bloated bellies on the news each day, there are people who are dying of hunger, and people who go hungry every day, not just in Africa, but in most countries of the world, including ours.

Experts also tell us that the earth is capable of feeding the current population. The Food and Agriculture Organization projects that the world is currently producing enough food to feed 6 billion people and could double that output to feed 12 billion. The land is capable of supporting the needs of the human community for food. But there are untold decisions that would have to be made for this to happen. A concerted international effort would be required. Decision making at all levels of society and government would be involved. Which takes us into the realm of politics and government.

This is another area of human social life in which we are evidently also wanting. One indication are the numerous movements seeking change in government spontaneously emerging around the globe. We see other indicators of the problems of government in this country. While we may or may not agree with the objectives of the so called Tea Party, it has emerged out of a sentiment of dissatisfaction with the government. A desire for change characterized the mid term elections in the fall. And now people don’t like the change they implemented. So when we look at the world around us, from our communities to the world scene, there is a relatively high level of conflict and contention around government.

We also see an alarming level of conflict and contention around religion. We saw evidence of this in this past week’s report about the investigations of the House Homeland Security Committee into the domestic radicalization of U.S. Muslims. Interesting since Western society has a history of political activity being couched in religious garb specifically to avoid this kind of scrutiny. We should understand religion being used as a veneer for a political agenda. And yet here is an investigation that appears as an attack on religion to many.

While I understand from those of my parents’ generation that there was religious conflict between Catholics, Protestants, and Jews in times past, the relative tolerance that was developing has eroded with the rise of conservatism in this country. As a child of the 60’s and 70’s, if you had told me that we would be experiencing this level of religious conflict in this country in the 2000s, it would have seemed inconceivable. And it is not only in the US. On a visit to Scotland this past summer, we visited two major museums which had displays specifically aimed at diminishing, in fact, eliminating, religious intolerance and bigotry. At least they are tackling the problem in a forthright manner. But religious conflict is not unique to any one country or culture. And it appears to be growing.

So, this morning, we heard the familiar story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. It is read each year on the first Sunday of Lent. Like Moses, Elijah, and Noah, prime figures in his faith tradition before him, the story tells us that Jesus is led to the wilderness, a wild place, away from human influences and institutions. And here, by himself, he undergoes a time of spiritual testing. The aim is to strengthen his commitment to God, and his reliance on God, and his loyalty to God. Jesus’ testing comes in the form of the devil offering him food, political power, and religious power. He resists these temptations by staying focused on God’s realm and God’s hopes and dreams. Jesus stays rooted in God’s reality and does not let himself be swayed by the context of the moment from broader visions and values.

As we have noted, we, too, face challenges and temptations around food, world hunger, government and political power, and religious power and authority. The same temptations that we hear about in the story of Jesus in the wilderness. We face the temptation to abuse our abilities. We face the temptation to misuse our authority. And we easily and readily deceive ourselves that this is being done for good intent. The very carrots dangled at Jesus in the temptation story.

While the temptations are related to physical needs, political power, and religious authority, the overarching issue is vision. Perhaps we see only the immediate circumstance and won’t look at the long term consequences. Maybe we will let ourselves see only one small facet of an issue, instead of looking at multiple dimensions and perspectives. Maybe we let ourselves be swayed by immediacy without seeing past and future ramifications. We settle for some little good we can do, while remaining blind to the greater good that could be accomplished. We accept small, limited dreams. We accept disempowerment and apathy. We are reticent to embrace a more all encompassing universal view, a Godly perspective. Instead, we are swayed by our tribal and sectarian views. And we let ourselves believe this limited reality and think we have limited ability to effect wider reality.

While I have watched the saga of high speed rail unfold here in Florida, I have asked myself, if there are enough people who want it, why don’t they rise up? Get 1000 people to head onto I 4 and at the appointed time, all stop and park their cars. Have a widespread public, non violent action that bears witness to our values and passion. Do something. Not just accept a limited vision.

In the church, I went to a meeting this past week with representatives from area UCC churches. One of the topics of discussion was the marketing campaign for the UCC that is planned in conjunction with the national meeting of the UCC, the General Synod, which will take place in Tampa the first week of July. Each church has been asked for $1000 to help pay for the ads. The last General Synod was in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There was no information available about what these ads accomplished in in Grand Rapids. Did area churches get any visitors due to the ads and these thousands of dollars being spent? One person who served in Grand Rapids said his church got no response to the ads. Hmmm. Then there is the issue of July 4th week. That’s when the meeting and the ads will take place. How many people are going to be paying attention to church ads the week of July 4th? People are focussed on family reunions, picnics, the beach, boating, etc. So, I suggested at the meeting that we have an action at the Synod. Some kind of public demonstration about something that we care about as a church. Like all wear red t-shirts and join hands and circle the convention center in Tampa, or something to represent something we care about. Some kind of peaceful, non violent witness. Let the news cover it. And there’s your publicity. But there is no interest in this. They don’t want to offend people. They are assuming a limited vision of a market driven America and the church adopting consumerist marketing models for its ministry, which is offensive to me.

You see, the temptation is always to get caught up in what seems to be going on around us and accepting that limited view. This season of Lent at Lakewood, we are focusing on the theme Grace ABOUNDS! This is an invitation to expand our horizons. To see that there is so much more going on around us and within us than our usual limited scope of vision shows us. Each and every day, we are benefitting from blessings that we did not create or achieve or construct. Each day we are recipients of experiences and gifts that we had no hand in designing. With our eyes opened wider to grace, we can appreciate the incredible riches provided for us. We don’t have to function from the artificially constructed mode of scarcity that stymies generosity and compassion and love. We can function from a much larger
reality.

In addition, this Lenten celebration of Grace ABOUNDS! is intended to help us to see with more clarity the riches and blessings within us. We are created with an incredible capacity for love and good. Divine power is at our core. As we explore and experience this grace within us, we can free ourselves from the the attitudes and assumptions that constrain us and limit us and hold us back.

This increase awareness of grace is intended to influence all of our attitudes and thinking. Including our approach to issues such as world hunger, politics and government, as well as religion. Our expanding experience of grace is intended to help us see things from a larger perspective, from a longer view, from a global, creation context, instead of a limited, self centered perspective. The presence and power of God is greater than the contemporary issues, politics, or religious challenges we face. Grace ABOUNDS! is an invitation to experience ourselves as part of a much larger reality. A cosmic, sacred reality that benefits and blesses us continuously.

These Lenten days take place in the season of spring. In a temperate climate, the appearance is that things are dead. But really, they are dormant and preparing to erupt in new life. In the church, these Lenten days are more
subdued, introspective, and reflective. A time of dormancy leading to germination, and the celebration of prolific life at Easter, a festival of new beginnings.

When Jesus came out of the wilderness he began to preach saying, “Repent for the realm of God is here.” This Lenten season at Lakewood, you are invited to be part of the many opportunities to see that Grace ABOUNDS! Individually and collectively may we expand our vision to see God’s hopes and dreams for us. As we experience grace abounding may our eyes be open to God’s realm in our midst with all of its amazing power and potential. 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: February 27, 2011
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 6:24-34
Sermon: A Dog’s Life
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Two mountains were separated by a valley. On the top of each mountain was a castle. Down in the valley a dog lay under a tree. Suddenly a trumpet blew from one of the castles signaling that supper was about to be served. The dog immediately ran up the mountain, hoping to find some tasty morsels to eat. When the dog had gone halfway up the mountain, however, he heard a trumpet blow from the other castle. The dog stopped, and hearing no trumpet from the mountain he was climbing, ran down the mountain and up toward the other castle. Halfway up that mountain he heard another series of blasts from the horn on the first mountain. Once again the dog changed his course and headed for his original destination. He kept changing mountains until both horns were silent and the meals were over. Alas, the dog received no tasty scraps from either castle. [“The Dog in the Mountains: An African Fable,” Stories for the Gathering: A Treasury for Christian Storytellers, William R. White, p. 144]

We know what it feels like to be chasing around after what we are told is the good life. We are told we have to pursue wealth, financial stability, health, youth, success, education, self-sufficiency, meaningful relationships, all to be happy. So, we go after it all. And we know what it feels like to be divided by all these competing claims and responsibilities to job, community, family, extended family, school, friends, neighbors. We know what it is to worry about paying for college, having money for retirement, covering health care bills, even if we have health insurance. We know what it is like to feel overwhelmed by our many commitments and cares. Our property, homes, cars, and things all take time and space and money to maintain. We have our finances and taxes and other obligations to maintain. We have our social networks to keep up. Gotta check Facebook, myspace, email, twitter, and texts. It’s up this mountain, only to be distracted by another mountain, each luring us with promises of satisfaction and happiness, if we only get to the top.

It can feel like endless chasing, trying to keep up, and never being on top of anything. Trying to get by and manage day to day living. Snowed under by financial obligations, committees, appointments, demands and expectations. So much for labor saving devices and technology giving us endless leisure!

Back in the mid 20th century, the Hayden Planetarium in New York offered to take reservations for trips to space. This was well before the days of space travel. It was intended as a fun, educational publicity effort. People filled out forms signing up for the trip they wanted to take. Evidently, “The applications came in by the thousands. For some, of course, it was all in fun. But then someone started to wonder why so many people responded to the offer. The conclusion was that worried and weary people wanted a chance, if only imaginary, to escape from the problems and hassles of this life. One applicant wrote: ‘It would be heaven to get away from this busy earth. I honestly wish God would let me go somewhere where it’s nice and peaceful, good, safe, and secure.’” [The Sermon on the Mount, Roger Shinn, p.62] And that was more than 60 years ago, back in what some remember as the olden days, when life was far simpler than it is today!

On the opening page of the book Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What’s Holding You Back, there is this quote from Ramesh Balsekar, a contemporary sage and spiritual teacher from India: “With all the things you have in your life, are you any more happy than your dog?” [Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What’s Holding You Back, Brooks Palmer] Of course, Balsekar is echoing the teachings of spiritual masters throughout the ages, including Jesus, as we heard today. Jesus, recognizing the fragmented commitments and desires of his disciples, teaches material and spiritual simplicity. The disciples have left their homes and families, but are still hesitant and half hearted. “Oh you of little faith,” Jesus says. This expression is used repeatedly in the gospel of Matthew to convey the doubts and misgivings of the disciples. Yes, they are following Jesus, but they are holding back. So we hear the famous teaching, “You cannot serve two masters.” Of course. The master/slave relationship is all consuming. The slave is owned. Fully under the control of the master. So how can a person be controlled by more than one all encompassing commitment? Anything done for one master means rejection and neglect of the other master. With two masters, you are always favoring one and rejecting the other. Always falling short. We know what that is like. Trying to be a good person. Trying to do well at our job. Trying to be financially stable, or even just get by. Trying to be a good friend, spouse, parent, child, citizen, worker, volunteer, etc., etc., etc. We can feel enslaved to many masters. Jesus responds to our fragmented existence, full of worries and distresses about money, food, clothing and everyday life. Have one controlling commitment. One gravitational center. One central purpose. The realm of God. Trust God completely. God who sees that all of nature is taken care of in beauty and splendor, is worthy to be trusted. Focus on God and God’s hopes and dreams, and everything else will be taken care of. Yes, the sparrow still dies, there is still pain and death. Just a few verses earlier, the disciples are told that they will be persecuted and suffer. There is no promise of a Disneyesque “happily ever after” life. But there is the promise of a worry-free life of fulfillment to be found in God-centered living. Jesus is painting us a picture of a simple life. Focused. Without fretting about daily needs. Without needless fragmentation. Without the hassles that divide and distract. It is a life based on trust, dependent upon the loving source, secure in divine providence: Free from self reliance, free from independence, free from fragmentation, free from divided loyalties and commitments.

The Psalms talk about this kind of centered commitment to God as purity of heart. Give me a pure heart. Give me a whole heart. May my whole life be devoted to God.

This simple, focused approach to life runs counter to the society we live in. We are assaulted with messages that tell us to save for college, save for retirement, invest wisely, get a higher paying job, be a good parent, coach the little league team, keep up on all health issues so that we can be informed consumers of health care, be a good friend and neighbor, have the right things, eat the right foods, wear the right thing, have the right body, stay young looking. All this we hear day in and day out. Demands and expectations that no one could ever fulfill. And when we don’t keep up with what society seems to expect we feel deficient.

Last weekend, the St. Petersburg Times had an article about the first wave of baby boomers turning 65. There were interviews with individuals about their circumstances. We are told the story of Thomas Fales. That’s F-A-L-E-S, though he seems to think it should be F-A-I-L-S. We’re told: “Because he never expected to live to 65, he didn’t plan for it. He should have died a dozen times. . . He didn’t save, and he didn’t go to doctors. The Great Recession passed him by because he had no 401(k) to lose. Fales is regretful, almost apologetic, about living all those yesterdays only for the todays. But the sensible, precautionary things other people do were somehow beyond him. . . ‘I don’t worry about tomorrow,’ he said. ‘It’s not a good way to be, but I’ve been that way all my life.’” [“Turning 65 this year,” John Barry, St. Petersburg Times, 2/20/2011] Ironic, isn’t it. He is living the very simplicity that Jesus advocates as an antidote to endless chasing after ever elusive security and prosperity, and he regrets it because it is so against the grain of society. Fales has failed to fulfill the expectations of the culture around him and he feels like a failure.

It isn’t easy to overcome our cultural programming to embrace the spiritual wisdom of our teacher, Jesus. The simplicity and serenity he teaches is something that has to be learned. It has to be mastered. Think of how we take time to educate ourselves about other things. Say, to prepare for a job or a career. Think of the time and energy we invest in our material lives – homes, clothes, cars, property, etc. Last night Jeff and I happened to be downtown and honestly the way some of the people looked you know it took them a lot longer to get dressed than it would take to go to church on Sunday. Think of the commitment we make to mastering other skills such as tennis, or karate, or soccer, or woodworking, or needle crafts, or music or cooking or golf or surfing. We expect the things we need to do or the things we do for enjoyment to take time and energy. But somehow, we seem to expect that our spiritual life will just take care of itself. Perhaps with an assist from a church service on Sundays and a prayer before meals and bed. In the early church, people who were attracted to the Christian life were basically apprentices for a full year before they were baptized. They ate, worked, worshiped, prayed, studied scripture, and performed acts of charity and service in the company of other Christians in a devoted, consistent, and dedicated manner for a year before they could join up. There was the awareness that the Christian life was a complete change of life, a total transformation, from the ways of the world, and it would take time and effort and coaching for someone to really begin to grasp the God-centered life. It was expected to take time and training to live according to the values and vision of the realm of God. Practice and reflection and indoctrination would be needed to leave the ways of the world behind and embrace the new life offered by the Christian community.

When you think about it, we have spent our lives being taught to worry and to fret that there won’t be enough, that we won’t get our turn, that we have to take care of ourselves, that we won’t be accepted or successful if we don’t keep up. We are tutored in this outlook day in and day out. We have learned to be busy, fragmented, and anxious. It takes time and concerted effort and dedication to unlearn this approach. To experience the serenity, the security, the simplicity of Jesus, takes time and effort and concerted commitment. We can learn to focus our spirits, to live in God’s realm, to orbit around love’s center. It takes prayer, engagement with scripture, worship, spiritual practices and discipline, service to others, and immersion in the fellowship of the faith community. We can engage in meaningful Christian formation that leads us to this simple life of trust that Jesus describes, leaving worry and anxiety behind, learning to ignore distractions and not get waylaid or side-tracked. Focused loyalty and dedication on that which offers serenity and joy through life’s journey is possible. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t be busy, but you’ll be focussed and know the reason for your busyness.

As a tutor in this kind of life, in addition to the church and scripture, I have my dog. I’ll admit my bias straight out. We have three dogs and I am very attached to them. Once accused by a family member of neglecting them, I defended myself saying, “I love those dogs more than anyone else in this household.” Our son Malcolm retorted, “I hope you don’t mean that the way it sounded!” So I am known for a bias toward my dogs. Early Christians mystics tell us that we can learn all we need to know of God from scripture and nature. So, I have my dogs, especially our one dog, Fergus, the 136 pound Newfoundland, as a spiritual teacher. Fergus follows me around the house. He knows where I am at all times. He knows when I sit down and when I stand up. He knows what room I’m in. He knows if I am awake or sleeping. I’ve been told that when I am asleep, he will come and look at me, to check on me. And then take his place on the floor near the bed. He greets me at the door when I come home. If we go for a walk, he stays right beside me. If he were here this morning, he would be standing or laying right beside me. He’s seldom even minutely distracted from his attention to me. In his loyalty and devotion, I am reminded of the constancy of God’s providential care. As we hear this morning, Are we not of more value to God than the birds of the air? Is not God’s devotion to us greater than that of my dog? Of course! I am also reminded that the loyalty, trust, and attention that my beloved Fergus gives to me is a model for the devotion and dedication to God that will set me free from the fragmentation and failure and fretting of chasing after elusive expectations that never truly satisfy. We began with the story of the dog chasing up and down the mountain and coming up empty. We end with the beautiful devotion of my beloved Newfie, Fergus. The spiritual wisdom of the ages, the core of Christian discipleship. It’s all there, in a dog’s 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: February 20, 2011
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 5: 38-48
Sermon: Risky Business
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

In 1978, Michael Hart, a scientist with advanced degrees in law, physics, and astronomy, published a book called the The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. The book was revised in 1992 to reflect events that had transpired in the intervening 14 years, but the top three most influential persons remained the same on Hart’s list. As we review a portion of Hart’s ranking, it is important to remember that his list reflects those he considers most influential, not necessarily the greatest.

So, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Who is number one in Hart’s ranking? Hart starts his list with Muhammad who lived from 570 – 632 CE. Why Muhammad? Hart defends his choice noting that Muhammad was not only the founder of a major world religion, but also an extremely effective political leader. In terms of Islam, he developed the religion, outlined its moral and ethical tenets, established its religious practices, proselytized to gain adherents, and is personally responsible for the Quran, the holy scripture of Islam.

As a political leader, Muhammad led the Arab conquest, extending the Arab empire from India to Spain and into northern Africa, making it the largest empire known in human history at the time. So Hart believes that Muhammad is the most influential person in human history.

Second on Hart’s list is Isaac Newton, the scientist who lived from 1642 to 1727. Newton developed a unified system of laws with an enormous range of application that still governs science and mathematics today.

By now, you may be wondering, Where is Jesus of Nazareth on Hart’s list of the 100 most influential persons in history? Well, we are coming to that. Jesus is number three. Hart explains this ranking noting that Jesus is the inspiration for the most influential religion in history, but he did not actually found Christianity. Nor is he responsible for its scriptures, or its worship practices, or for proselytizing and gaining adherents to a new religion. Hart notes that much of this can be attributed to Paul. Jesus died with a relatively small group of followers. We don’t know much about his life from a historical standpoint. And he left no writings. While he was an ethical, spiritual leader, unlike Muhammad, he was not a political leader. Hart notes that Jesus is responsible for the basic ethical ideas of Christianity, its basic spiritual outlook, and its main ideas concerning human conduct. He cites what he considers Jesus’ most unique contribution as a spiritual leader: The teaching from the Sermon on the Mount that we heard this morning.

“You have heard it said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Hart points out that these ideas were not a part of the Judaism of Jesus’ day, nor of most other religions. He goes on: “They are surely among the most remarkable and original ethical ideas ever presented. If they were widely followed, I would have had no hesitation in placing Jesus first in this book.”

Hart continues, “But the truth is that they are not widely followed. In fact, they are not generally accepted. Most Christians consider the injunction to “Love your enemy” as – at most – an ideal which might be realized in some perfect world, but one which is not a reasonable guide to conduct in the actual word we live in.” [Quotes and ideas related to Muhammad, Newton, and Jesus are from The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History by Michael Hart, 1992]

I am interested in this phrase, “a reasonable guide to conduct.” What is a reasonable guide to conduct? Love your enemy may not seem reasonable, but is it reasonable to perpetrate two wars, with enormous destruction and loss of life, in retaliation for one terrorist attack, heinous as it was? Is it reasonable to spend $1 trillion on those wars and kill an undetermined number of people, since we don’t seem to think it is important to keep accurate track of civilians killed? Is it reasonable to deprive people of needed health care, medication, social services, and education, to fund these wars?

We can extend this line of thinking: Is it reasonable to maintain an ever increasing population of incarcerated people, instead of making a significant investment in rehabilitation? Is it reasonable to punish people who have done wrong, and then prevent them from re-assimilating into society in a legitimate way? Is it reasonable to perpetrate violence to the earth, which sustains all life, citing immediate economic considerations?

This past week, we saw the money allocated for high speed rail, which would have made a significant contribution to needed mass transit in Florida, scuttled by our governor. Was that reasonable? Is it reasonable to keep driving cars powered by dwindling reserves of fossil fuel and build ever bigger and better freeways? Is that reasonable?

In the newspaper this past Thursday, in the business section, there was an article entitled, “CEOs not on Scott track.” Robert Rohrlack, CEO of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce reminds us that roads, like rail, “do not pay for themselves either.” And Chris Steinocher, newly named CEO of the St.Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, says he understands the pressure on the governor to balance the budget and protect the economy from undue risk. But, regarding the high speed rail initiative, he asks, how much risk is there in Florida doing nothing? [St. Petersburg Times, 2/17/11]

When we look at the core, unique teaching of Jesus, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, as Hart notes, we consider this impractical and unreasonable. Too risky. And yet, how much risk is there in doing nothing – in ignoring this core, ethical standard? The cost has been beyond calculation in terms of lives lost, invention and technology devoted to armed defense instead of enhancement of human life, and in terms of resources devoted to violence and its aftermath, instead of human uplift and enhancement of quality of life, especially for those on the bottom. There is a cost to ignoring this teaching. So we are left wondering just how practical we have been with the path we have chosen, the path of conquering, subduing and punishing our enemies. Has it really been that reasonable and the cost justifiable?

In concluding his remarks on the influence of Jesus in the book The 100, Hart comments on the “Love your enemy” teaching of Jesus: “We do not normally practice it, do not expect others to practice it, and do not teach our children to practice it. Jesus’ most distinctive teaching, therefore, remains an intriguing but basically untried suggestion.”

So, Jesus remains third on Hart’s list of the 100 most influential persons in history not because of what he has done, but because of what his followers have not done. I know that love of enemy does seem reasonable or practical in the world as it is. I know that our society, our government, our world, will not adopt this as a guiding ethical principle in our lifetime or maybe ever. But we, as Christians, are called to be salt and light. The core teaching of Jesus and Christianity, Love your enemy, may not become dominant but it can still have great influence. The ethical standard of Jesus can have a much greater impact on the world if it is accepted and practiced by the people claiming to be the body of Christ. Yes, there may be great risk and sacrifice involved. But there is also an enormous risk and maybe even a greater cost to ignoring the heart of the teaching of Jesus: Love your enemies. 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: February 6, 2011
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 5:13-20
Sermon: Briny and Bright
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

I can remember as a child we had a food crisis in our house. One morning, my brother and I sat down for our morning bowl of cereal and started eating only to notice that it didn’t taste right. We tried the milk. Was the milk sour? No. We didn’t know what the problem was, but we threw the cereal out and headed on to toasted bagels. Then at dinner, we had one of my favorites salads as a child – a wedge of iceberg lettuce with lemon juice and a dusting of sugar. It just didn’t taste right. I refused to eat it. The rest of the family ate their iceberg with Italian dressing, so they thought I was just being difficult. The next day, it was the iced tea. None of us could drink it. What was wrong? It wasn’t the refrigerator. It wasn’t the water. It wasn’t soap residue from the dishwasher. Why was our food tasting strange? We finally solved the mystery. Somehow, the sugar bowl had been refilled with salt! So we had put salt on our cereal, salt on the lettuce wedge instead of the expected sugar, salt in the iced tea. And one thing was clear – salt is powerful. Even a little salt can have an enormous effect!

Salt was a precious commodity in ancient times. It was used as a condiment. It was sprinkled on offerings to the gods. It was used as a preservative in the days before refrigeration. It was used to purify and cleanse. [Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 4, “salt”] In the ancient world, salt was so valuable that it was traded ounce for ounce for gold. In the Mediterranean area, salt cakes were used as currency. Taxes were paid in salt. [World Book Encyclopedia, vol. 17, “salt”]

Salt is necessary for the human body to live and for cells to function properly. So salt is an extremely important, powerful substance. It is a very valuable necessity. Salt sustains life. So when we read that Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth,” we want to make sure to see the power and significance of salt. Today we take salt for granted. It is cheap. And we concern ourselves with moderating our salt intake because too much salt contributes to high blood pressure. So given our contemporary associations with salt, we want to be sure that we see the significance of salt in the context in which Jesus lived. Salt was a vital, life-sustaining necessity and was highly valued as such.

Light also has significant, powerful associations. Imagine the difference light made in a world without electricity. In the days before light pollution, a single oil lamp illuminating the pitch black darkness had an enormous impact.

Maybe you remember that crime thriller movie from 1967 starring Audrey Hepburn, “Wait Until Dark.” Hepburn plays a blind woman who is the unwitting recipient of a heroin-stuffed doll. She is terrorized in her apartment by the man who wants the heroin back. To get the advantage, the blind woman disables all of the lights in the apartment because she is accustomed to functioning in the dark. She gets every light. Then the refrigerator opens and the light fills the apartment. You see the impact of just one small light in the pitch black darkness.

Salt and light are images of incredible power. And Jesus is remembered for saying, “You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world.” And he is remembered as saying this to ordinary people. To the crowd gathered on the hillside to listen to his teaching. To a mix of people, perhaps. From those who didn’t feel good enough for traditional organized religion to those who were sincerely wanting to go deeper in their faith commitment. All are told: You are salt. You are light. This is saying: You are valuable. You are necessary. You sustain life. You are powerful. You make a difference. You change the game. You. You have the power of salt and light.

There are no conditions attached. You could be like salt if . . . You would shine like light if . . . You should have an impact if . . . No. What we are told is: You are salt. You are light. There are no conditions. This is not determined by training. Or economics. Or ethnicity. Or education. Or income. Or piety. Or gender. Or sexual orientation. Or anything else. To whosoever is listening, to whosoever is reading: You are salt. You are light.

The community of followers of Jesus is completely egalitarian. Everyone is salt and light. Despite the hierarchy and patriarchy that has become infused in the faith community, the original intention was egalitarian. Everyone endowed as salt and light. Everyone making a difference. Everyone necessary. Everyone valuable. Everyone sustaining life. No exceptions!

We see that sense of power, passion, and purpose in the stories of those early disciples and in the stories of the early faith community, especially in the book of Acts. But through the ages, there seem to be influences undermining that sense of knowing you have a life-changing, world-changing impact.

What are some of those influences and factors that seem to undermine the power of the faith community as salt and light? There are forces in society that want people to think they can’t make a difference so that they don’t interfere with the status quo, or with the agenda of a certain group. We are told that things are so big and complex now, it’s harder to make a difference. There is the cultivation of fear. All the reporting on crime and violence makes people afraid to involve themselves in the community. The recent crack down on peace activists in this country is meant to intimidate and instill fear in those who would speak out for peace and the end of the war in Afghanistan. We’re told that the people who make a difference, who have power, are the executives in large corporations. They control everything. They are running the government. Average people have no power. Columnist Nicholas Kristoff recently observed, “The U.S. military now has more people in its marching bands than the State Department has in its foreign service – and that’s preposterous.” [Columnist Nichoal D. Kristoff, cited in “The Christian Century,” 1/25/11, p. 9] And even if we did change things here in the US, the rest of the world is still contributing to problems like global warming and violent conflict and resource depletion and the violating of human rights. So what can we do?

So many messages assault us everyday that are disempowering. Then there is the flip side of the coin. The focus on status and prestige. You are special. You deserve the best. You should be recognized. So people expect to be extolled for any “good” that they do. And if there isn’t some pay off, some recognition, some status or publicity, then don’t bother. You should expect to be extolled and appreciated.

There was a growing congregation that needed to build a new building to accommodate its ministry. The leaders of the church decided to honor the New Testament spirit of egalitarianism, and Jesus’ teachings like don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing, and let your light shine so that people give glory to God. So it was determined that all contributions to the building fund would be kept secret. The concept was that giving was a pure act of selfless, Christian devotion. The fundraising for the building began and returns were disappointing. Some made sacrificial donations. Others, some of the wealthiest people in the congregation, were not fully supportive. The church leaders decided that in the interests of having the building and ministry fully funded, the contributors would be publicized. Many people increased their support, and the building was erected. But there were those in the congregation disturbed by the motives for giving. They were not donating to give glory to God, but to themselves. [The Sermon on the Mount: A Guide to Jesus’ Most Famous Sermon, Roger Shinn, p.30]

There are many influences that can undermine our being salt and light in the world. It can seem overwhelming. But let us remember that the same was true in Jesus’ day. The people were living under Roman rule. What could they do? They were living in an extremely stratified, hierarchichal society. They were mostly poor. Salt and light? Really? What could they possibly do to change the world? It is the issue of disempowerment that lies behind the comments about hiding the light under a bushel. Having the light is one thing. Hiding the light is another. And it was a temptation then, as it is now, or the business about the the bushel basket would not be in the Gospel.

In a recent Gallup poll which asked, “At the present time, do you think religion as a whole is increasing its influence on American life or losing its influence?” 70 percent of respondents said that religion is losing its influence on American life. [CC 1/25/11, p. 8] In some ways, that could be a good thing. But in thinking about light and salt, images pointing to common, humble, virtually unnoticed substances having a significant influence for peace, compassion, and goodwill, the US could use more salt and light. In the wake of the recent incidents of horrific violence that we have witnessed, I am wondering how things might be different if Christians, who are salt and light, were not hiding their light under a bushel. Would this have prevented the shootings in Arizona? Would this have changed the course of the life of Hydra Lacey who recently killed two St. Petersburg police officers? We can’t change the past, but we can look to the future. How are we needed as salt and light in the world?

I recently read about about a salt/light initiative in Bethlehem, as in “O LIttle Town of.” We’re told that “in Bethlehem . . . 70,000 Palestinians are walled in by Israeli military occupation and surrounded by illegal settlements on confiscated Palestinian land. Here Palestinian Lutherans have defied all odds by building a wellness center, a medical clinic, a first-rate cultural center hosting local and international events and a K-12 school for Muslim and Christian students. Two months ago, the first fine arts college in the Arab world was opened under their sponsorship. Dar Al Kalima . . .has 200 full-time students and a thousand more in part-time studies. Despite a dwindling number of Arab Christians, the inclusive organization called Diyar (“home”) serves women, children, youth and the elderly; it is the third largest employer in Bethlehem.” Mitri Raheb, the pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church and founding director of Diyar, was asked what keeps him from going crazy under relentless pressures. “I start a new project,” he said. This is his way of being salt and light, in spite of the challenges he faces. (“The Christian Century,” Reflections on the Lectionary, F. Dean Lueking, 1/11/11, p. 21] We can always make or find excuses. But that does not change that we are salt and light.

Recently in the life of this church, it has been suggested that as a follow up to the focus on peace of the Advent/Christmas season, we pursue an initiative specifically aimed at addressing gun violence. Plans are in the works to take action on this important issue since we are peacemakers and followers of the one who taught love of enemy. This is a way of being salt and light to the world.

Another recent initiative that has surfaced in our church is the Property Improvement Initiative which you will hear more about following the service this morning. The focus of this effort is to improve the visual presentation of the church to the public so that people know that we are here and that we are a vital, vibrant presence and not dilapidated or defunct. This is about shining our light and not hiding it under a bushel. So both seeking to end gun violence and sprucing up the property are part of the church being light and salt, and not hiding under a bushel.

We are salt. We are light. We have power. We have influence. We are needed. We sustain life. Each and every day, may we bring glory to 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.