Epiphany 4 A Sermon: Rejoice and be Glad

Micah 6:1-8

Matthew 5:1-12

 1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  

Conversation

Describe to me what these people look like in your mind… then give me a description of someone who is opposite.

• Those who are poor in spirit     (dis-spirited) (proud) (humble of heart)
• Those who are mourn      (greave)
• Those who meek      (aggressive)
• Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness        (what God wants for each person, equity and humanity)
• Those who are merciful   
• Those who are pure in heart    (the whole heart)
• Those who are peace-makers  (reconciliation)
• Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake

 Sermon

Lately it seems that Jesus has been speaking in the imperative.  Today it is rejoice and be glad.  And attached to his imperatives are references to heaven.  Today the connection is worded; for your reward is great in heaven.

        This past week the news in our world has been about revolution.  We have been anxiously watching the violence hoping that peace will prevail… In Tunisia, Egypt, and various other countries… people… whose spirits have been broken and crushed… and who have mourned for friends and family imprisoned or killed… no longer meekly accept being persecuted… and reviled by their oppressive governments.  They are unwilling to give up the rights… which all people are entitled to.  They can no longer accept governments… which violently oppose peaceful protests … governments which squash their hunger and thirst for the righteousness…and justice that which all people are deserve.

        Often the governments in question are under the control of dictators…who want to continue their hold on power.  They and the small circle around them are corrupt… enriching themselves at while their citizen live in poverty.  They often encourage religious extremism to control people.  They suppress any who expresses discontent.  Their armies and the police are ordered to brutally enforce strict martial law. 

        From the safety of our homes we watch with the interest…that distance allows us.  Some…who believe in strict law and order… and who believe that governments should control their citizens… may not support these anti-government demonstrations.  On the other hand others believe that in the face of political corruption and governmental persecution…citizens have the right and should be able to demonstrate their displeasure…with as much passion as necessary to make their positions known.

Considering what is happening in these countries… and then hearing the blessings of Jesus in today’s gospel… can cause us some confusion.  We want to know how the meek will inherit the earth…or how those mourning the loss of their son or friend will find comfort…knowing that their government had something to do with it.  We wonder… how will the promise of receiving the kingdom of heaven… satisfy those whose spirit are crushed and are impoverished by those who hold power?  What good are the pure of heart, the peace maker, or the merciful…when everyone who has the power to make changes… is corrupt, an evil persecutor, and who refuses to change?  It almost seems that in today’s world the blessings of Jesus just do not apply very well… In today’s world ruthless evil dictator governments seem to out number good government leadership.

When we carefully recall our history lessons…bad government is not new to our present time.  In the homeland of Jesus…Jewish Palestine was controlled by Roman governors…and kings who persecuted their citizens and squashed any dissent.  Out of fear that a king is rising with the star of the east…King Herod ruthlessly kills all the boys under four years of age in Bethlehem… Ultimately Jesus is executed as a revolutionary …because he is called a king by his followers.  So even in his time these blessing are likely as confusing as they are for us today.

In light of present world situations…it is tempting for us to concentrate on only a portion of Jesus’ beatitude blessings at a time.  Because the job of making things better for citizens in countries with oppressive regimes…or in countries where the poverty and disease rates are very high…it is appealing for us to hear and separate the beatitudes into different categories of concern.  We lump the poor, meek, mourners, and persecuted into one category…who are thought of as victims.  In another we want to allocated those who are merciful, the pure of heart and who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  In yet another we put the peacemakers. 

When the grouping is done…we like assigning people to each position.  We are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people in the first group of victims…not knowing what we can do to change their lives.  In the second group we see chaplains and missionaries…the Mother Theresas of the world…who through compassion and mercy…minister to those in the first group.  In the peace-maker group we see politicians and members of the military who either negotiate or impose peace.

When membership is determined…we rationalize…how we fit into it all.  Our most important goal is to stay out of the victim group… We send bits of money to world missions, and relief efforts to help people who are victims of war, or nature.  We watch politicians do the dance trying to negotiate peace …and comment on their failures.  When our personal efforts seem too insignificant…we revert back to the words of Jesus.  At least the victims are blessed and are assured a place in the kingdom of heaven.

However, in his beatitude blessings, Jesus does not see separate groups… His blessings are all meant to be interwoven into the character of each of us.  We are blessed …when we let go of our personal pride …and simply give our lives over into God hands…  We are blessed when we are saddened and can greave with another living through grief.  We are blessed when our aggressive nature is replaced by the meekness which becomes hope rooted in our relationship with God.  We are blessed when we hunger and thirst and stand up for others…even if it means that we may be persecuted for it.  We are blessed when we are merciful…which is not pity…but is compassion for the whole person body and soul.  We are truly blessed when we desire a deep contented peace for every one of God’s created people.  Most importantly we are blessed when everything we do comes from deep within our hearts …through a loving trusting relationship which is rooted in our God’s love for us.

I have a short story which relates to the beatitudes… which comes out of the November issue of Canadian Lutheran.  Dennis Aiken shared in his journal about his mission trip to isolated communities in Tanzania.  He went to teach but learned much more than he taught.  His comparison of Canadian and Tanzanian church members was enlightening.  “In Canada we are easily distracted by the false gods of wealth, materialism, comfort, and pleasure, while in Africa Jesus is all that many have to hang onto.”  They are truly poor in spirit and put their lives into God’s hands. 

He also wrote about their true caring from the heart.  Like the woman with two pennies they bring significant offerings; money, vegetables, and livestock to support the church and those in need.  “The lay people love to share their faith are deliberate about inviting their neighbors and friends.”  And God has truly blessed them… Through the work of church members… the Tanzanian Lutheran church is the fastest growing Lutheran church in the world.  The roots to the Tanzanian church can be also understood in the words of today’s Old Testament reading; “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.”

Let us rejoice and be glad theirs is truly the Kingdom of God.  Thanks be to our God.  Amen

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Epiphany 3 A Sermon

Matthew 4:12-23

^12 Now when Jesus^a heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. ^13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ^14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

^15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—   ^16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”                                                             

^17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”^{b  18} As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ^19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” ^20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ^21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. ^22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.     ^23 Jesus^c went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news^dof the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Sermon

In the Prayers of the People…when we pray the prayer for the church…we often pray similar to this: Holy God, you have created the church to proclaim your Good News…which is for all people… or the Good News found in your Kingdom… or the Good News of your steadfast love…  There are many parts of the Good News named in that particular prayer but in general the prayer is always about proclaiming or declaring God’s Good News or God’s Gospel… Gospel and Good News are inter-changeable…the words have the same meaning. 

Today as Jesus begins his ministry…he begins proclaiming … However in today’s reading, we hear the words; Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”  What does this sound like for us?  Every time I have heard imperative or demand verbs…I become guarded, defensive, or sometimes worried… I especially become concerned when the imperative is followed by words such as; “Because”, “or else”, or even the simple word “for” heard in today’s reading.  I hear consequences…rather than good news.  For me these words following imperative verbs usually have an ominous ring…  Probably my discomfort… with the two parts of these phrases… is rooted in my childhood…and I remember them beginning with imperatives like; BEHAVE or else…  Be GOOD because if you aren’t…  Sit STILL or…  Being who I am quite often I managed to learn what the “or else” meant.  As a young boy was not always the well behaved man you know today…on a very rare occasion I caused some mischief.  I have a clear recollection of the words which accompanied me to school; “If my children get into any trouble at school…they will be in double trouble when they get home.”  

From the point of view of a person whose hand is in the cookie jar or doing something wrong this first statement of Jesus’ new ministry…seem like a disapproving parent, frustrated teacher, or any other person in authority… standing with arms crossed, maybe frowning, and maybe tapping their foot…just before the hammer drops.  I am sure that we all have a certain discomfort when hear demanding expectations connected to a consequence.

What is amazing about this though…is that immediately after he issues this statement…Jesus he does it again saying to people; “Follow me.” expecting them to leave their fishing boats and their family businesses to follow him.  Incredibly they immediately leave their familiar lives… and their families to do just that.  That brings into question: What motives them…in the midst of mending their nets for the next day’s work…to pick up and leave so quickly?  This is not normal…normal thoughtful people just don’t make rash immediate decisions to leave what they know for something so very different…especially when he has just delivered the demand to repent which we heard earlier. 

There are two possible explanations for why they follow.  The first possibility is that Andrew, Peter, James, and John are motivated by the fear that their world is coming to an end…or that that God is coming fiercely or forcefully to bring the kingdom of heaven.  In fear they leave what they know well to follow Jesus orders.  In other words according this possibility…the first disciple joined Jesus…because they are afraid of the consequences for not joining.

A second possible explanation for why they leave their present lives centers around a different understanding of the words Jesus uses.  The first is the word to consider is the meaning of the word repent… Most often we equate repenting to the act of apologizing or confessing.  The act of confession and apology are too often forced through interrogation or through a feeling of guilt…  However, when we look closely at the word repent there are other possibilities.  It is composed of two parts…the prefix “re” in words like retry, redo, reintroduce…and so on.  The second part of the word is “pent” which is Greek for “think”.  We use words about thinking which are very familiar such as; pensive, penance, even the word penitentiary is derived from “pent”.  Properly thought through penitentiary is a place where people have a chance to think about what they have done and learn to change or reform their ways.  Literally repent means “re-think” or “think it over”.

Jesus continues; “for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  This can be disturbing if we think that God is coming trying to catch us doing something wrong.  However, in the Lord’s Prayer we pray; “Thy kingdom come.”…wanting God’s kingdom to be present on earth, just the same as it is present in heaven.  We associate this part of the Lord’s Prayer…to the great gift of God’s goodness and love coming to the earth.  It is our intention that we learn to love as God has first loved us.  We are asking God to change us to think about God’s creation in the same way as the creator thinks about it.  We are praying for God to change us to be like the angels and saints of heaven.  Literally… in the Lord’s Prayer …we are asking that God teach us to rethink or repent so earth will be the same as heaven.  In the Lord’s Prayer the coming of the kingdom is prayed for…it is desired…it is looked forward to with anticipation and even joy. 

After careful thought it seems that the first disciples hear the proclamation; “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” They hear the phrase with the same anticipation we have when we pray; “Your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.”  Then when Jesus says; “Follow me and you will fish for people.”…they follow because they truly want to experience the Kingdom of Heaven for themselves.  They want to be part of the wondrous proclamation of the good news of the kingdom…which Jesus is teaching in Galilean synagogues. There certainly does not seem to be any fear about God’s kingdom coming near to them.

As the disciples of old are called to repent…we too are called to repent.  We are called to put away any fear about God’s nearness.  We are encouraged to think it over realizing that when God comes near to us…that it is out of love for us.  We are encouraged to open our hearts and minds to see to see good news.  God who could have just left us to helplessly struggle …through all our difficulties by ourselves.  God could have been demanding, and punished us for each and every sin we committed.  But when God come near it is because loves us and has true love and compassion for us.  Through this unbelievable love…God’s son Jesus comes into the world for our salvation and to change our lives. 

As the disciples are called to follow Jesus into the new kingdom… We are encouraged to think differently about our God putting away our fears.  We are encouraged to rejoice at the kingdom coming near… and we too are encouraged to leave our sinful selves behind and follow…Jesus into the land of good news. 

Let us open our hearts to the newness and the freshness…and let us follow Jesus into the kingdom we pray for in the prayer of our Lord.  Amen

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Epiphany 1 A Sermon

Conversation

Today we are going to look at the important words that lawyers use…to convince a jury about guilt or innocence.

What are words that lawyers use?

Testimony        Witness   Eye witness     Reveal the Truth       Signs       Believe            Examine   Proof                   Evidence

I want to do a little study on John’s gospel.  John is a dramatic writer…and his stories about Jesus have much more detail than in the other gospels.  He is somewhat like a lawyer in how he approaches his writing. 

Nouns:     Signs, Testimony, Truth, Light,

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.^[2 John 1:6-9

What does John want to prove?

17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made God known. John 1:17-18 (NRSV)

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17 (NRSV)

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31 (NRSV)

What are words that lawyers/detectives use to prove something?

Verbs:      Looking for, See, Reveal, Come, Said, Declared, Found, Watched, Testify,

Listen to the gospel for words that are heard in court.

John 1:29-42

^29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ^30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ^31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ^32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ^33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ^34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”^i

^35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, ^36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” ^37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. ^38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ^39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. ^40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ^41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed^j). ^42 He brought Simon^k to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter^l).

Sermon

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” John 1:38 (NRSV)

What are we looking for?  Like lawyer of the court we are looking for answers… Like the disciples…Andrew and Peter…we are looking… Like the writer John we are looking for the truth about Jesus… we are looking for enlightenment and the truth about God… This has been the pursuit of people forever.  We have always wanted to know about God.  We wish to know whether God is like us or whether God is very different… We want to know ordinary things like: Who is God and where does God live?  Does God live in a special place separate from us?  What does God do?  How does God decide and what decisions does God make? 

Today the gospel writer begins proving what he knows to be the truth about God and Jesus God’s Son.  John the Baptist becomes the first witness…and he is not a silent witness…like the ones who see a robbery or abuse of spouses or children and walk by without comment… Rather he becomes an active witness who begins testifying and answering our questions.  In his testimony he points to Jesus telling us to have a good look.  The Baptist tells how God has spoken to him directly… telling him to look for special signs… which will reveal the appearance of the anointed Son of God.  His eyes are open and he witnesses the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining on Jesus.  He points Jesus out and declares that he is the Son of God…and he also declares Jesus’ purpose…to take away the sin of the world.

In case his testimony has been missed it the first time… John repeats it again the next day.  This time, the eyes two of his own disciples are opened.  They too become active witnesses wanting to learn more about Jesus.  After seeing and spending time with Jesus…one of them begins to also testify.  He finds his brother and tells him; “We have found the Messiah.”

Today we are challenged Jesus to come and see.  We are challenge to look as John the Baptist and as Andrew and Peter looked.  We are challenged to see the truth of God’s steadfast love for us…and what God desires for us and for the world.  We are challenged to see God’s love active among us.  During this Christmas season… our family has seen evidence of God’s love…present in two new little grand babies.  We have seen evidence of God’s love in how people have responded in the midst of tragedy… Without regard for her own life… a woman wrestled the gun away from a killer before he could reload.  We see God’s compassionate love in the expressions of grief and condolences for the nine year old girl killed in the cross-fire…and in the thankfulness her parent express for having her in their lives.  We see God’s unselfish love in the fire fighter or the rescuer who enters dangerous buildings to save lives of people trapped there.  We see it when people help other stranded by the devastating floods in Australia or Brazil.  We see God’s love when people respond generously to catastrophes…with their physical presence or their financial assistance.

These are the signs which we have been looking for…and which we have seen … They tell us a great deal about our God… Our God lives among us…during the happy times of new birth… and is even more present during times of tragedy.  Our God is present with us… when we are good and holy…and also when we are no so good and even sinful… Our God is not afraid of living in the muck… After all Jesus comes for salvation and to take away our sins.

In addition looking for signs about our God…and seeing them…we are also encouraged to be active witnesses…like John the Baptist.  We are also challenged to follow Jesus… like Andrew and Peter follow him… We are challenged to believe as they believe… all the things we have learned about our God…

Finally…knowing what we do…we are challenged to testify about what we have seen and believe.  Like Andrew and John the Baptist we are encouraged to testify about what we have seen, and what we believe about our God.

Let us be always ready to see…to believe…to testify.  Let it be so.  Amen

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