Struggle for Food:Exodus 16:2-15; Phil. 1:21-30

Rev. Mark R. Miller “

…live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” These words from Paul can be interpreted in many different ways. Today I want to challenge the ways this and other passages are used when the followers of Jesus find themselves in crisis or when they become too comfortable with the status quo. In these circumstances biblical interpretation becomes much more other worldly. What do I mean by this? While there are many examples of this throughout history the one with which I am most familiar came around the issue of slavery. At the start of the Civil War, Presbyterian theologian Dr. James Henry Thornwell wrote The Spirituality of the Church. It did not present a defense of slavery but did provide the leeway to let it happen with “god’s blessing.” The point of faith, he said, was to focus on spiritual things and not concern itself with day-to-day things. At its best, this theology loses its power to transform human lives. And at its worst, it will stand by as atrocities are committed in the name of God: The genocide of the native peoples of America, American Chattel Slavery, Hitler’s Germany, and Pinochet’s Chile, just to name a few. In each instance, the church chose to focus on spiritual issues while the children of God were enslaved, tortured, and killed. These and other instances are not simply tragic but a sin against God and the very foundations of our faith. When Paul says, “live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,” he is not talking about the condition of your heart. Paul is concerned with how our lives are lived right now. The issue is whether we seek to imitate the life of Jesus Christ. Any attempt to make our faith into an other worldly-life after death centered faith, creates a religion that has detached faith from its very foundation. Nowhere is this more evident than surrounding the issue of food. Well fed people may be comfortable talking about the importance of spiritual food, but hungry people need to eat. The first symbol of our faith was not the cross but a fish. It was a visible reminder of Jesus’ passion for feeding people, with real food. Before he ever talked about faith, he made sure that people were fed. Throughout the gospels Jesus seemed to travel on his stomach. It happened so much that Jesus was known by some as a “drunkard and a glutton.” Even the central act of our faith centers on the sharing of bread in community. We call it communion. While this act has taken on symbolic meaning, it only became symbolic for Jesus after people were fed. Jesus would use eating as an opportunity to teach. However, the teaching always came as part of a meal. And, these meals were never intended to remain merely symbolic. For people who have the luxury of eating out whenever the mood hits, the lesson that God intends us to share food and share resources may seem strange at best. “On the night that Jesus was arrested he took the bread, blessed it, and broke it, saying; ‘this is my body broken for you.” Ever since that moment the followers of Jesus have tried make what we eat in that ritual seem as far removed from real bread as we can. Spiritualizing the teaching of Jesus, or, disconnecting them from real life – real bread – turns our faith into something that was never intended. Food is central to our faith. When this is fully believed by the followers of Jesus it is then that we will be at the forefront of the struggle to feed all people. When Paul teaches about communion to the Corinthian church, he is furious about their table practices. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. (1 Cor. 1:27-28) Traditionally we have been taught that this was about the condition of our hearts. But, what Paul is talking about is very earthy. Some in the community have great wealth and others are poor and this has been lived out in their communion practices. When they eat communion the wealthy folks eat and get drunk while the poor have nothing to eat. Paul is angry because Christians who refuse to share their resources have spiritualized their religious practice. From Jesus and to Paul, we are shown that our faith is intended to have real world, right now consequences. The good news is that they are placing us within the larger story of the God who created heaven and earth. The Hebrew people had been slaves for many generations. They knew what a life of struggle was all about. Life in Egypt taught them well that the powerful will always do anything to protect their power. When tough economic times arose the poor are the first to suffer. This is how they had become slaves in the first place. So, life in Egypt gave them a hard lesson on the survival of the fittest. The economic order in Egypt was simple, the big fish will always eat the smaller fish. It was the natural order of things and ordained by god. Fortunately, the God of the Hebrews condemns this system and makes it clear it was NOT what God intended. The problem facing the Hebrews is how to internalize this truth. When you spend your life in a system like this it is easy to forget that God condemns this system. Having been so trapped by this reality, the Hebrews had to be taught a different way. And the way God chose to help them unlearn this reality was through Manna. A white, flaky substance, that resembled bread, first fed a very real hunger and then taught an important lesson. The lesson was this: There is enough food for everyone. Everyone will receive according to their needs. The weakest in society will not go without. And, the strongest will not be allowed to hoard. After living in Egypt, even as slaves, this must have seemed ridiculous. So from the very beginning of their wilderness journey God provides for their very real needs while teaching them how God intends they live in the world. It is out of this tradition that Jesus comes. Real needs in the real world are where Jesus spent his ministry. Spiritualized faith disconnected from the realities of life was the very thing against which Jesus preached. The life of faith has been about living differently IN the world. The life of faith is not about being comfortable with the world around us or simply living in critical opposition. Instead, it has been about meeting real needs first and understanding their deeper meanings. So what does this mean for us? It means we are called to focus on the very real needs in our midst while understanding the deeper meanings. People are hungry all around us and there is even food insecurity in our midst. We can complain about the state of our nation, and complain we must. But our complaining is not much different from our brothers and sisters who spiritualized the gospel in previous generations. Our complaining must be accompanied by concrete acts. Fortunately, eating together is something that we are quite good at. Last week we had a pitch in dinner. It might have seemed like a simple thing but it was a glimpse of the kingdom of God. We shared what we had. And those who had more shared from their abundance and even those who did not bring food ate, and what you brought was not the marker for how much you were allowed to eat. And when the meal was over there was enough food to send people home with food for another meal! In a world that says we are not responsible for anyone but ourselves, we came together so that everyone who gathered on that day would not leave hungry, unless they didn’t stay to eat. Real world need; deeper meaning. Throughout October and November we will be talking more about food and ways for us to turn our words into actions. Right now we are asked to participate in bringing food for the Pilgrim food pantry. Each week people from our neighborhood go to Pilgrim and eat because of those who more give for those who need. In October we will also join with others in the Crop Walk. We will use our bodies to raise awareness on the growing ranks of the hungry in this city. Real world hungry with a deeper understanding is our calling. Every time we eat this bread and drink of this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again. Living a life worthy of the Gospel does not hinge on how we think or what we think or how we worship. It is about shared resources and real world needs. So let us share as we are able trusting that there will be enough to go around. And let us put actions to our natural inclination to critique the world around us. This is what it means to live a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus. And this is what it means to join the very real struggle for food. Amen? Amen!

“Christians Aren’t Called to Play Power Politics”

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
September 18, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32
“Christians Aren’t Called to Play Power Politics”

            There was a time when the leaders of the major protestant denominations were called to counsel presidents, senators, and congressmen.  There was a time when major protestant denominations would make statements about public policy that were noticed by the national news.  And, there was a time when those statements would actually affect public policy.  That time is over and it is not coming back.  We can hope and plan and wish but it is the truth.  I think a sign of this is the fact that a local congressman refuses to meet with protestant clergy who are actually his constituents.  The fact that this isn’t a major scandal is a clear sign of our loss of power.
            The protestant church, once the standard bearer of the republic, is in decline and irrelevant in popular culture.  Some in our denomination see this loss of influence, money and membership as a sign we are not being faithful.  Insert your favorite issue as “the reason.”  However, the anxiety and the infighting in most of the old-order Protestants has more to do with our unwillingness to name and mourn a reality that is not going to change any time soon.  Instead of addressing the deeper issues, we fight over who has control over our diminishing power in public life.  Some now believe the answer is to leave to form another denomination.  Sadly, that will not bring back the glory days or usher in a new future with more money, membership, and access to power.
            While I could spend energy critiquing the new religious standard bearers of the republic, those invited to speak at inaugurations and give views on the evening news, I think our best energy is to focus on our own house.  After all, when we had access to the powerful, we were not particularly faithful.  Many who complain about our loss of power, point to the confession of 1967 as the moment when we lost our bearings.  I have come to believe that was the moment we chose to speak truth to the powerful.  It was indeed that action, that statement which cost us our access.  But because of our inability to recognize the enormity of its power we have spent many years turning inward fighting amongst ourselves. 
            In its own way, this is Westminster’s story.  When this church could finally imagine that God called them to worship side-by-side with Black folk and not move to West County it cost the church in a traditional sense.  While that is past, many would like to forget because of its painful reality. I believe it is time we revisit it.  Not with the idea to simply bring up the pain, and certainly not to make heroes out of those who stayed.  Instead the purpose is to acknowledge that the decision to remain here and to stop being an openly racist church had unintended consequences.   That decision was too difficult for some.  The idea that God calls the followers of Jesus to be on equal footing, whether white or black, was simply too radical for many people to imagine, so they left.    And, just because many people left, it does not mean those ideas and beliefs left with them.  After all, it is hard to give up ideas that are sewn into the very fabric of our republic.  But whether people left, stayed or have come in the years since, many of us are still captured by the belief that a church’s faithfulness is measured by the number of members and amount of money.  By those standards we do not measure up.  But we know a different story and that story will be instructive to others as our denomination struggles with its own loss of power.
         But it leads me to wonder, what would a west county Westminster have looked like?  Would we be like those once small county churches that now are full of many members, young families, and plenty of money?  Would there be a membership program for all our needs and desires?  And wouldn’t it be mostly, if not all, white and well-to-do?  That isn’t a condemnation of those churches.  It is simply the reality of Saint Louis.  It is the history of this city where we have confused church faithfulness as money and membership with religious institutions that have benefited or struggled because of the racial history of this city.  Isn’t that the history of Saint Louis where white folks going west and black folks going north… each to their own group and economic level?  By now you might be asking, “Why is he talking about race when this sermon is about power politics?”  Good question. I am glad you asked.
        What happened to Westminster in the 1960’s was the confluence of the belief that faithful action would lead to success in money and membership.  No one really knew what it would be like to stand against the tide.  In fact, when folks of privilege stand against the tide, those who have been doing it all their lives are often doubtful of the staying power.  Standing up for justice, real justice, can be costly.  It may mean loss of power, privilege, money and even our very lives.  That is why I have heard it said in the struggle for justice, be wary of those who don’t have skin in the game. 
         So what does that mean?  I think it means that Westminster and churches like her were the canary in the coal mine for our denomination.  And instead of trying to hang on to a past real or imagined, we continue seeking to be faithful.  In fact, I am convinced that as the denomination comes to grips with a new reality we have some things to offer.  Not because we are specially gifted or smarter, though that is entirely possible.  What we have to offer is how to live faithfully and abundantly when the power and access to power is gone.  And it is a lesson we are called to remember and embrace ourselves.  So let us never forget from where we have come. 
       Cornell West and Tavis Smiley do a weekly radio show on NPR which airs on Sunday evening.  While I have enjoyed their work for years I have been inspired by their new found lack of access to the halls of power.  Before he was elected President, these two men had access to Barack Obama.  However, when they spoke critically about the President’s action or inaction on poverty, torture, and the wars, both found themselves completely shut out.  Their access was cut off.  It was not as if they were guest speakers on Fox news or the conservative talk show circuit.  The very opposite was true.
       I mention this because I believe their response to the cold shoulder is the most instructive.  They have not gone on a crusade against the President, though some have claimed that any criticism is unwarranted.  They still hold the President in high regard.  And, they call the president to act on issues of justice.  How did they do that?  They took their show and the power of the airwaves and went on an 18 city poverty tour.  Instead of trying to get back into the good graces of the powerful they doubled down and used their own power to highlight the suffering and struggling of others.  And they did this by talking to real people and had them tell their own stories.  They even turned the microphone over to those who did not agree with them.  And the most impressive thing about the tour was that they didn’t even garner front page news on the nation’s major newspapers.  I would not be surprised if many of you didn’t even know it was happening.
       Those who did know of the tour had visceral reactions.  Smiley and West were labeled sell outs for criticizing the first Black President.  Others said they lacked credibility for this sort of tour.  While there might be valid points with the criticisms, I am more interested in where they have decided to cast their lot.  No matter their motivations or hopes, I believe that there is something to be learned when someone takes a stand and is criticized by both enemies and friends.  And, the fact that their once favored status is tarnished in the process means they are probably speaking a prophetic word.
      Whenever one had power and loses it there are a couple of choices.  You can look for the next program to fix or figure out who is to blame for it.  Or you can look for the opportunity and calling in the midst of it.  In our own denomination many have still not decided to look for the opportunity and want to blame.  It seems many are still trapped by the belief that success and faithfulness of a church is measured by the size of its membership and bank account. 
      One of the earliest statements of faith regarding Jesus is this passage from Philippians.  When we look at that statement of faith how can we come to the conclusion that money, membership, and access to power are the markers of faithfulness?  This Jesus did not use his power for access or control.  Jesus did not see equality with God as something to be exploited, even for the greater good.  This same Jesus was executed on a cross.  Frankly this statement of faith and the belief that faithful churches are measured by money and members simply does not add up.  It is a sign of how trapped some are by this idolatry. 
      When Jesus entered the temple he walked right to the middle of the power structure and called out the religious and political leadership for their abuse of the poor, hungry, and excluded.  While he speaks in cagy and wise ways, he does not do it for access to the powerful.  He uses his gifts and power to reveal the incompatibility of power politics and faith particularly when it ignores the powerless.  It cost Jesus his life.  Follow me, Jesus says.  And that may very well mean giving up access to power and comfort.
       Whenever people of faith have followed this path it has cost them.  The cost has been membership, money and access to power and even their lives.  The struggle for justice, the call to stand with the poor, the widow and the orphan, the excluded, means we too will face exclusion.  When West and Smiley speak of their inspiration they use a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I think it appropriate to end with it here remembering that it was because of his poor people’s campaign for which he was killed and not for the dream.  He said:
        "I choose to identify with the underprivileged, I choose to identify with the poor, I choose to give my life for the hungry, I choose to give my life for those who have been left out of the sunlight of opportunity . . . This is the way I’m going. If it means suffering a little bit, I’m going that way. If it means sacrificing, I’m going that way. If it means dying for them, I’m going that way, because I heard a voice saying “Do something for others.”
Amen?  Amen!

Bigger Chariots Won't Save Us

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH September 11, 2011 Rev. Mark R. Miller Exodus 14:19-31 “Bigger Chariots Won’t Save Us” It seems like every generation has its “do you remember when?” moment. Remember the Alamo, was the rallying cry in 1836 when America headed off to war with Mexico. Remember the Maine, was the rallying cry in 1898 when America headed to war with Spain. Remember the Lusitania was the rallying cry in 1915 when America joined the First World War in Europe. And December 7th, the day which will live in infamy, was the rallying cry when America headed into the Second World War following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Lesser known are the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or the USS Maddox Incident, which became the rallying cry for our invasion of Vietnam. And for this generation we have, Remember 9/11. This was the rallying cry as the War on Terror began. We are currently in the middle of the longest war this nation has ever seen. While it is no longer the top story on the evening news there are still people fighting and dying in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and elsewhere. How did we end up here? Ten years ago there were four commercial planes hijacked with the intent of turning them into weapons, flying bombs. Two of those planes hit two towers of the world trade center and brought down three towers. One plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washington DC and one crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Most of us know the story and can probably tell you exactly where we were when it happened. The shock, the fears, the pain, and the uncertainty; it is this and many other things that we remember on this day about 9/11. However, one day, just like the Maine and Lusitania, these memories will no longer convey pain but only historical curiosity. And when that happens, when the memories are gone and the historians finally have access to all the information, the story will be able to be dissected with dispassionate historical accuracy. So please know that is not my intent on this day. Today we gather to remember, as best we can, and maybe help make sense of where we have come so we might have clarity for the future. As always, in order to do this, we have to go back. And today we go back to the sacred stories of our faith. We will seek to remember these stories as our stories by the virtue of our faith in Jesus Christ. In preparing for today I looked at the scripture lessons from the lectionary, the three year cycle of readings we use to work our way through the bible. In there I came across the Exodus passage and could not walk away. It seemed there might be something of value for Christians living in a time of high militarism in a nation which struggles with its superpower status and its inability to deal with pain. One to one comparisons are never fair. After all, there is no one comparable to the terrorists which attacked innocent civilians on this day ten years ago. In fact, it is Egypt who is seeking to kill the innocent civilians, but they are a nation and not a group of outlaws, so the comparisons fail. However, it is worth considering what, if any, lessons might be contained in this story known as the parting of the Red Sea. In the story of the Exodus we hear a lot about the slaves and oppression but we do not hear much about Egypt as a society. The only glimpse we get of the devastation brought upon that country is through the King and his advisors. In fact, if this was a modern drama each one of the former king’s advisors would be working the talk show circuit selling their book with the ‘real story,’ in its pages. Without that, we can only make guesses at what might have been going on. What we do know is that the great nation of Egypt was in ruins. This former superpower has had its economic sources attacked through horrible plagues. Food was devastated and the people were so depressed they could not even move or work. And this was before the loss of their firstborn children. So even before they have lost their children they are already asking why this has happened. When the economy and the society is in ruin, the King does not care. That is basically how he works. Driven by greed he works the slaves harder than any of his predecessors. When they complain he makes life harder. And what does he do for the people of his country, the people of Egypt, who have little say in the decision of the King? All they know is what they are told: the Hebrew slaves are the enemy to be feared. As his society is falling apart all he can do is make life harder on the Hebrews and point to them if his own people complain. The King does have moments of clarity but they are few and far between. Each moment is short lived which leads to further devastation. With the first born of every living creature sacrificed on the altar of the King’s greed, he finally allows the Hebrew slaves their freedom. It is a time of national grief and mourning and his greed will not rule the day. On this day the King is one of the people in their grief. On this day the King knows what his greed has cost. However, kings are not often ones for self reflection and the story does not end there. The crossing of the Hebrews to the other side of the sea is a power story. Just as Moses is brought from death out of the Nile, the Hebrew people are brought out of certain death under the hooves and wheels of the chariots. It is a day for celebrating and remembrance. But the remembrance of this passage isn’t about a military victory or a way to rally folks to war. It is a somber moment where a mighty army is destroyed because it overreached. The mighty army was no match for a defenseless people when God says, enough! Because Pharaoh could not hear enough, Egypt must mourn again. The mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, and other family members left behind will remember this day as a day of loss and sadness. There will be no battle hymns written or remembrance written in the annals of the kings. It will be as if all of this never happened because it did not fit with imperial myths of superpower. There is a Hebrew Midrash that talks about a conversation that God has with the angels on this day. When the angels ask to break out in song God says no. God says no because on that day his creatures died. It was an important reminder that this national tragedy of Egypt did not have to happen or even go this far. It is a reminder that with all the chariots in the land nothing will compensate for a leader or a people who are not able to be self-reflective. Bigger chariots will only lead to greater loss, mourning, and more hubris. I do not make one to one comparisons. This passage is not a prophetic oracle to the events of ten years ago. That would be wrong and insult to the thousands of men and women who died. It would also run the risk of turning Osama Bin Laden into Moses when in reality he is just another pharaoh who uses myth and religion and his enormous wealth for his own hubris. Instead, I see it as a reminder of what can happen when we refuse to face our pain. I remember where I was ten years ago. I remember going to church that night and I remember the words of our leaders. Everywhere I went people were ignoring their pain and looking for someone to kill. When Egypt lost its children Pharaoh too could not face the pain very long. Someone had to die. Unfortunately, it was more of his own people. I know the danger that exists in this world is real but there is also the natural human need for simplicity and cathartic killing. Unless we hear the prophetic voice of these our sacred texts we will not be able to tell the difference. More will die and more will mourn. As people who were attacked on that day, it is right to feel pain and anger and want to get even. That makes us human. If we didn’t have those feelings there would be something wrong. But as Christians we are called to look into the face of Jesus and ask some hard questions. Reflexive responses are not our calling and they are not our way. Let us remember this day the deaths of so many on that day and the deaths that continue even now. Let us never forget so that we will not make the mistakes of Egypt and sacrifice any more of our children on the altar of greed or hubris. Amen.

Community Ethics

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH September 4, 2011 Rev. Mark R. Miller Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 13:8-10 “Community Ethics” Communion Meditation When it comes to morality and the church it seems that there are basically three approaches. However, the first two are the most common. The first one is fairly basic. The rules for conduct are clear and any breach of those rules requires discipline and removal. The second style is a community where the rules are much less clear. In this second type of community, the rules are communicated in less direct ways. You have to guess at the rules of conduct. You learn the rules by breaking them unintentionally. The discipline often comes through silent exclusion. This discipline, like the rules are difficult to discern. What usually happens is that the one who breaks the rules is left to guess at what happened. Eventually the transgressor will simply drift away from the community once the love has been quietly withdrawn. I am convinced that these two forms are representative of most churches whether liberal or conservative. They message is the same – do things our way or you are not welcome here. I am also sure that this type of community discipline and control was not unfamiliar in the early church. As they sought to sort out Jew and Gentile the easiest thing to do was to turn cultural expectations into divine mandates from God. Fortunately, Jesus expects more from his followers than they expect of themselves. Jesus’ teaching about community rules and reconciliation came when he was responding to the disciples’ question about which one of them was the greatest. Because of our human need to exert dominance over other people and compare ourselves as greater or lesser than our neighbor, Jesus had to speak. When this impulse gets too strong we are bound to hurt someone else. The reality of life in community is that we are going to be in conflict at some point. This is why Jesus lays out a very detailed plan. This is unique since most of Jesus’ teaching is not this direct. The first step is to go directly to the person with which you have an issue. How many late night phone calls or parking lot conversations would have been saved in doing this? Notice that this is intended to be an empowering action. It does not matter whether the person is rich, white and has power; Jesus says any member in the community has the authority to hold them accountable. No one needs to, “remember their station.” What happens if the person does not listen? Step two is to take one or two people with you so there will be no hearsay or church gossip. But the ethic remains the same. Deal directly with the person and seek reconciliation. The goal is not to get even, make them pay or to get your own way. The goal is for the person to admit their wrongdoing which can make forgiveness and reconciliation possible. So what happens if the person still will not listen? Then it is time to bring in the whole community. While this can seem heavy handed, it shows that an issue between two members of the community can impact the whole community. How often has private matters between two members had implications for the whole community? We have seen it happen here. It happens everywhere. So what happens when all this does not work? What if reconciliation does not happen? Is it finally time to shun and remove? Not quite; in fact, not at all. “Treat them as Gentiles and Tax Collectors.” Jesus does not say, ‘There comes a time when you have to cut your losses.” Instead, he says we are still called to love. After all, Jesus spent a lot of time with tax collectors and gentiles. He spent his life telling them to come and follow. They are to be treated as neighbors, not enemies. If reconciliation is not possible the best we can hope for is to treat our estranged neighbor with love. But how are we to love our neighbors? The commandment begins with: love your neighbor as yourselves. But what if you do not think all that highly of yourself? What if, deep down, you do not feel worthy of love? Then, the way you treat your neighbor will reflect this. If you look at the world through purely critical eyes, it is probably because you find yourself so worthy of critique. People who harbor self hatred are incapable of truly loving their neighbors freely and without manipulation. And, this is why reconciliation is not always possible. Love yourself. After all, if God loves you, why would you question that? While love of neighbor does begin with love of self, it does not end there. This is because treating others the way you want to be treated assumes everyone thinks, acts, and believes like you do. The most loving thing to do is to treat someone the way they want to be treated. And, in a community of diversity, this is a critical mistake most of us are susceptible of making. Because Westminster is a community which seeks to witness to the beloved community we can no longer be content with our homogeneous enclaves. We will not thrive if we are truly content with segregated Christian education and segregated close friendships. If this continues it will slowly erode what has been built. But, if we decide that God’s vision is worthy, we will forgo our personal preferences and comfort. We will seek out someone we do not know well each week. We will look for opportunities to create new ways of building this community. And, the reward for doing this will actually be an increase in conflict. Jesus knows this is the way it works. Anything worth doing is worth the struggle. This is why he presented a roadmap. The choice is between Westminster as a truly multiracial community and Westminster as a gathering of cliques who do not know one another but tolerate the differences. Amen!