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THE UNFINISHED LEGACY - from Sunday, October 29, 2017

10/29/2017

Feeling old? I am. Even my bank told me I'm "elderly." Sheesh. Age and other limitations may cause us to think that we don't have much to contribute any longer. There are helpful life lessons about that as we consider the ministries of Moses and Paul.

[Pictured is Cape Town, South Africa's elevated highway - the Foreshore Freeway Bridge - begun in the 1970s, stopped in 1977 due to financial issues, and remains unfinished today. Read more about this bridge by clicking here.]

There isn't as much to go around when you get older; not as much energy, not as many resources, not as much inspiration. Why bother with some big thing? we ask ourselves. Little me can't change anything, not now at least.

Moses was led by God in leading his people out of Egypt and for decades of wandering in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy 34, the end of the journey has arrived. Moses is brought to the mountaintop and sees the Promised Land spread out before him. Before Moses can get too elated at having achieved this milestone moment, standing on the cusp of fulfilling the dream of the people of their own land, God delivers the other news. Moses doesn't get to go there, only see it. And then Moses dies.

The unfairness of it strikes us immediately, but there is more to be learned here. For this, we can turn to pillar 20th century theologian Reinhold Niebuhr who memorably wrote:

Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love.

These powerful words remind us of our size, no matter who we are or what we have. Neibuhr connects us with the realities of engaging in great things, engaging them despite their seeming futility, and imagining that we're the only ones who can make a difference.

Paul's 2nd Letter to the Corinthians takes us further as he brings us back to the image of the sower as he encourages a generous spirit from the Corinthians for a collection being taken to the ministry in Jerusalem. As we dispense with the corruptions of the contemporary "prosperity gospel," we can see that the work and the resources are, respectively, always too big and never enough. Therein lies the lesson.

Find out where this leads by viewing the sermon video below and taking advantage of the downloads below the video panel.

But wait - here's another quote that I hope has meaning for you:

To the wrongs that need resistance,
To the right that needs assistance,
To the future in the distance,
Give yourselves.

- Carrie Chapman Catt, suffragist and social reformer

10-29-17-ff-answers.pdf
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10-29-17-the_unfinished_legacy.pdf
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COUNTING ON WHOM? - from Sunday, October 22, 2017

10/22/2017

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The one that you're counting on can surprise you. I relate the children's story of "Big Wolf and Little Wolf" thanks to Maria Popova's Brain Pickings blog. Moses counts on God, and vice versa. Then Jesus shows how covenant works by using a coin trick.

"Big Wolf and Little Wolf" breaks down the complexity of the bonds of relationships in a children's story. Like parables, such stories lack the distractions and focus on basics. The longing for another without whom we feel diminished carries into scripture.

As God's people are to set out on the last leg of their journey to the Promised Land, Moses seems to be freaking out about who will go with him. Having had God along on the journey from the beginning, Moses is insistent that God provide an answer. Separation is a painful thought for Moses. Besides, this people is now identified with God and God's promise. Does God hint that God needs Moses, too? Like Big Wolf and Little Wolf?

In Matthew, Jesus finds new challengers in his time in Jerusalem, again seeking to trap him and trip him up. On the question of whether it is lawful (read "faithful") to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus does a coin trick in response. Looking at this carefully, we see the difference between contract and covenant - one a utilitarian matter, the other a relational one.

Enjoy the story of "Big Wolf and Little Wolf" in the sermon video (below a picture from the title book), and the rest of the message about who you're counting on, plus note the file downloads beneath the video panel.

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10-22-17-counting_on_whom.pdf
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CONFLICT RESOLUTION - from Sunday, October 15, 2017

10/15/2017

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Avoid conflict. In today's polarized world, that almost means don't talk to anybody about anything of importance. Avoidance doesn't address an issue; that really gets God ticked off as Jeremiah notes. Jesus reminds us that conflict is to be expected from his good news - 'not peace, but a sword,' he says in Matthew 10. How do you deal with conflict ... or not?

Avoiding conflict is dysfunctional. You can never get anywhere unless you actually engage in the conflict. Of course, you need to do so with an objective of finding common ground, and seeking to build a future that is better than the current state of things. To let a problem continue guarantees it will persist and even worsen. That can lead to despair, and desperation to self-destructive consequences.

Jeremiah 6:10 begins by expressing his fury that no one will listen to him. God agrees with him, calling on him to "pour it out!" - meaning the wrath that God's people deserve for refusing to deal with the problems that surround them, that impact God's "little people" specifically and harshly.

God urges God's people to stand at the crossroads together and discern God's good way that leads to their promise, their best future. But they won't listen to anything.

Jesus wants to dissuade anyone from thinking that he is just a man of nice words, intriguing parables, wonderful healings, and a prophet of love and forgiveness. He knows that his gospel of good news isn't good news for everyone. For those who oppose him and his message, believers should expect conflict, even violence. That's no surprise - see what happened to his mentor John the Baptist.

Jesus' mention of bringing 'not peace, but a sword,' is symbolic speech - Jesus hasn't suddenly decided that violence is the answer to anything. The expression recognizes that conflict is coming and those who follow him need to be prepared to engage it. Jesus would even seem to insist that unless the repercussions from his gospel message are strong, you may be doing something wrong.

It is so problematic that even closest relations may be torn apart by the conflict. But Jesus insists that this sorts out our priorities. He wants us to realize that the promise of new life lies with him and with no other person or thing.

Get the whole story by viewing the sermon video below, noting the downloads below the video panel.

10-15-17-ff-answers.pdf
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10-15-17-conflict_resolution.pdf
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SOUR GRAPES HARVEST - from Sunday, October 8, 2017

10/8/2017

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God creates an awesome vineyard, giving it everything needed, even the right amount of rain. Yet at harvest time, all that comes out are sour grapes. How could this be? What went wrong? What does it mean for us?

Isaiah's depiction of God's delightful vineyard is marred only by the outcome, sour grapes. God provided everything that was needed, and nothing worthy was produced. Of course, the vineyard is God's tender care of God's people. What they produce as a result of God's generous blessings is corrupt, an abomination. God has wasted these blessings and will not continue to invest in a people unable to produce the sweet grapes of justice, righteousness, and peace.

Jesus continues his lecture to the chief priests and elders who have challenged his authority in the Temple - see last week. He likely uses the Isaiah 5 imagery in constructing a parable about another vineyard. (The telling has significant variations between Mark 12, the likely original source, and Matthew 21's version.)

God is the vineyard owner who goes away and leaves the vineyard in the hands of tenants. At harvest time, servants of the owner come to collect the owner's share from the harvest. However, God's servants are beaten, stoned, and killed.

More servants of the owner are sent and they suffer the same fate.

Finally, the owner sends his son, thinking that they wold never harm his son. Yet the son is killed, too, as these tenants think that somehow they can take away the inheritance of the son for themselves.

There are plenty of times when everything has been provided for a wonderful outcome, and the opposite occurs.

And there are plenty of times when information is sent that urges a change in ways, but it gets rejected, dismissed, or ignored. Change gun laws? Not now in the wake of a massacre. Address climate change? Not now in the wake of devastating storms.

Or how about you? How has God provided for you, sown abundant blessings, and seen a disappointing outcome?

Check it all out in the sermon video below (no, I don't know what I'm doing here, but you're welcome to guess), and note the downloads below the video panel.

10-08-17-ff-answers.pdf
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10-08-17-sour_grapes_harvest.pdf
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RELIGIOSITY OR RIGHTEOUSNESS - from Sunday, October 1, 2017

10/1/2017

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Who is the "good Christian? Is it the one who goes to church regularly, but does next to nothing that Jesus wants? Or is the one who never goes to church, but does all kinds of things that Jesus wants? What is God 's priority anyway? Two brief scripture passages shine a lot of light on this.

Amos is one hot prophet, always a fascinating read. In today's passage, God speaks through Amos with an emphatic and harsh denunciation of nearly every act of worship, offering, and traditional religious practice by Israel. God wants nothing to do with their worship, their ritual, their observances of holy days, their singing or music - nothing!

What does God want? Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Clearly what they're doing is lots of worship stuff, and just as clearly what they're not doing is the vigorous practice of justice and righteousness for God's people. Justice and righteousness are the priority for God.

Worship, no matter how devoutly, consistently, and properly done, is a meaningless, contemptible turd pile if it's disconnected from God's demand for justice and righteousness for God's people. Does this say anything to dedicated church-goers today?

Jesus has a brief parable about two sons. He pulls this one out when he gets challenged by the chief priests and elders - the religious leaders in Jerusalem - because Jesus has cleared out the money-changers, performed healing at the Temple, and is busily offering his teachings. He is effectively posing a challenge to these religious leaders.

The religious leaders don't get what Jesus is all about, so Jesus poses the parable of the two sons. When the father (Father!) instructs the first son to go to work in the vineyard, the son says "no" but goes to work anyway. When the father instructs the second son to go to work in the vineyard, the son says "yes" and then doesn't go. Jesus then asks his audience, but primarily the chief priests and elders, Which one did the will of the father?

They answer, The first. Jesus spells out the complete answer to them in terms of the Kingdom of God, framed by "righteousness," just like Amos. Jesus has a harsh statement for the religious leaders to hear. Find out more and get the whole story, including what it means for church people today, in the sermon video below. Also, note the downloads below the video panel.