WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 28, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Exodus 3:1-15
“Who Am I?”
Who is he? Who is this man who stands on the mountain talking to a burning bush? By training, he is an aristocrat. Taught at the finest schools he understood the ways of empire. He was part of the society where leadership was simply expected. But he was also the son of slaves which created an identity crisis.
We know the whole story, but Moses comes to terms with his conflicting identity in some unsettling ways. We do not know the day or when he knew, but one day he was confronted by the fact he had a secret. Moses had passed as the grandson of Pharaoh and he did not even know the privileges which had come to him at the expense of his own people. And when he found out the secret kept from him, he had to know. He had to know who he was and from where he had come.
So on one fateful day he saw firsthand what life could have been like for him. He crossed the tracks and came face to face with his identity. It was too much. So he struck out against the injustice by killing a taskmaster. This action cost him all his privilege. Once he was a prince and now he is an outlaw, not even able to find refuge among his own people. So Moses goes into exile.
But on this day, facing the burning bush, his days as a prince and a radical were long behind him. In fact, it was a lifetime ago. By all accounts Moses is now an old man. So when he sees the burning bush he has no clue its light will lead him back to Egypt.
I like to imagine the inner thoughts of Moses as he speaks with God. Imagine the relief, the deep thankfulness when Moses learns that God has heard the suffering and seen the misery. Finally, after all these years Moses knows the struggles for freedom are over. God is going to intervene. And maybe, just maybe, the internal struggle over identity and privilege that has plagued Moses all these years will come to an end. Moses can die a happy man.
This all comes in a moment that seems like a rather holy scene. Sandals are removed. There is a holy light. And, it all comes with the voice of God. It is a sight that could bring peace to our trouble souls. God hears the cries of those who suffer and God is going to act. That is welcome news for anyone who has struggled for justice. Now that God has things under control we can go back to tending our sheep and focusing on ourselves.
It is a powerful picture except for one small detail. The story is not finished. There is one small detail we have forgotten. God says, “So come, I will send YOU to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” While this passage comes all at once without a pause I like to believe there is just enough of a pause for Moses to move from joy at God’s action to dread that he is the one God has chosen. It turns out that the savior Moses was waiting for all along… was himself. Like the saying goes, it turns out that, “We are the ones we have been waiting for.”
God comes to Moses and shows him a future beyond the present suffering and slavery. And after receiving this powerful vision and calling, all Moses can say is, “Who am I?” It is at this point that the excuses begin to come. I am too old! My days as a leader are over. I can’t because of this… or that… or the other… “Who am I?”
God’s response is simple. It really is not about you and your skills. “I will be with you.” God says. I’ve got your back and that is all you need to know. It is a strange promise because the sign that Moses will receive that God is with him comes when everything is over. You will know I was with you when you get back here to this mountain. No promise of signs along the way. There will be no progress reports on God’s presence. God does not promise comfort or personal fulfillment or a life of ease. And with the promise of “I will be with you,” Moses protests further. What if these people don’t accept me? Once again, God makes it clear, it’s not about you. Tell them the story of Abraham and Sarah. Tell them I am the God who Joseph said would come back. It is clear that when God calls people to service it really is not about them.
This is a strange story to our modern sensibilities. God may choose you to serve because your gifts and skills match with the needs. However, if the bible is any indication of the way God works, calling to service often comes despite our inability and lack of skills. Who we are matters only in our willingness to say yes. “Who am I?” is no excuse for skipping out on the life of discipleship. Moses’ age, location, desires, and skills do not matter when God says, I am sending you.
In many ways, this is our story. We have not been called to liberate slaves from the empire, but we have been called to live out the vision of the beloved community in this place. We have been called to do this in one of the most segregated cities in our nation. Like Moses we are called to cross boundaries and speak to people we have been taught are not like us and might even want to do us harm. But we say, “Who are we?” And God says, “It is not about us and our skills, or our numbers, or our money.” God says, I need disciples and we say, “Who are we?” God is calling us to deeper faithfulness as disciples. God is calling us to be disciples and make disciples for just such a time as this.
And just like Moses we will respond, “who am I?” Who are we? We are all prone to this same response. I have my own “who am I?” What is yours? What is your “Who am I?” story? Is it that you think you are too old? Moses was in his eighties when he started this journey. Or maybe it is something else that is holding you back. What is your “Who am I?” What is it that is keeping you from deeper discipleship? Well, let me make clear what I mean when we talk about discipleship. It really is pretty simple to remember. The life of discipleship can be boiled down to three areas: Worship, Study, and Service. Each needs nurturing if we are to live faithfully as Jesus’ followers.
“Who am I?” will stand in the way if we let it. Westminster is moving forward toward this vision of the beloved community. There is no going back or stopping where we are or congratulating ourselves for where we are. We are just getting started. And, in order to make this journey we will need to remember that is not about us. “Who am I?” isn’t the issue. God says, “I will go with you.” You will not be alone. This is no joke friends. People are starving for the vision we have been shown. If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Who am I? Who are we? The good news is that it doesn’t matter… we have been called. Amen? Amen!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Faithful Living in Broken Systems
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 21, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Exodus 1:8-2:10
“Faithful Living in Broken Systems”
Egypt was broken. Pharaoh’s greed knew no bounds. His appetite for power and control led to the demonization of the very labor force which kept the empire forging ahead. Blinded by greed and fear, Pharaoh began to unravel the social contract forged by previous generations. Joseph had helped to create the empire. By getting the Israelites to sell their land and finally themselves for food, Egypt had a built-in labor force. But having a whole race of people enslaved to build the empire was not enough. He wanted more.
Through the use of an elaborate propaganda machine, the magicians of Pharaoh went to work. These slaves were no longer a benign presence. Instead, they were waiting for the right moment to rise up, join our enemies, kill all the men, and take our Egyptian woman. As this myth worked its way through the Egyptian society, any policy of elimination and control, in the name of national security, could be put into effect. Or so Pharaoh thought.
The first stage in this new national security policy was through a couple of midwives. The king summons the two head midwives and orders the killing of all Hebrew boys. This order places the midwives in a difficult place. Shiprah and Puah are on the payroll of Pharaoh. Their livelihood is at stake if not their very lives. What are they to do? These two do what they have the power to do. Direct refusal will result in death. On top of this, if they are removed then Pharaoh may bring in someone else who might do the job Pharaoh demands. So as long as they work in this broken system they will work for justice.
Instead of breaking the law deliberately, they simply bring things to a halt through a work slowdown. If they are not there at the birth, they cannot be held responsible for killing on the birth stool. The midwives may have be there right after the birth, but late enough to give themselves plausible deniability. And what is the punishment for their illegal activity? They are not fired and God rewards them with families.
When Pharaoh cannot get the professionals to do his bidding, he turns to the population. By this time the myth that the Hebrews are a threat to national security is well known and internalized. So it is the duty of every Egyptian to seek out and destroy the baby boys who are Hebrews. If you see them, kill them. The life you save may be your own! But despite the best attempts to nationalize this policy, it turns out that not everyone falls for the propaganda of the powerful.
The first people to recognize the madness, the brokenness of this system are the midwives. Fortunately, they are not the only ones. I have heard what happens next as an anomaly, a once in a lifetime happening. It is as if Moses is the only baby miraculously saved from the systematic murder of children. A mother placed the child in a basket and was so distraught about what she was doing she sends her daughter to watch the child die by drowning in the river. But I do not think this is what is going on at all. Instead, I think we are watching a prime example of what people do when the systems meant to sustain us are broken. Let me explain.
I have come to believe that what we are watching was probably common, though the outcome was not always positive. Imagine if you will, a population stunned by the brutality of its government but unable to be openly defiant. What might happen? What if there were Egyptian people who did not buy the myth and wanted to make a difference in a broken system? Instead of becoming silent and distracting themselves, they formed networks of safe houses where Hebrew people could “leave” their baby boys. These homes would then raise the children as their own. Even though they could not change the policy, they could save the children. We might be seeing an ancient form of the Underground Railroad.
With this in mind, let us turn now to the story of Moses’ sister and the king’s daughter. What is miraculous about the story is to find out that even the daughter of the king is opposed to the policy. The risks to national security do seem so threatening when faced with the baby boy. The king’s daughter does not just stand against the policy she makes sure to pay the mother of the child for the privilege of nursing her own son. In return, this child has the protection of Pharaoh’s house. While it might not have been widespread, it was probably widespread enough to save more than a few Hebrew boys.
From the midwives, to the little Hebrew girl and even Pharaoh’s daughter, we have portraits of faithful living in broken systems. Instead of complaining or believing they had no power to make change, they stood up and figured out a way to make a difference. It is quite a contrast to the law abiding citizens who toss children into the river or the taskmasters who oversee the oppressive labor policies of the empire. At the end of the day, this story really is about us and for us. What do I mean?
Every age has its pharaohs, taskmasters, and citizens who hide behind the guise of, “I am just obeying the law,” even if the law is unjust. And every age has a daughter of pharaoh or midwives or young children who are unwilling to sit idly by as people suffer and die. And if we are honest with one another we can admit that our own systems are broken. Our own politicians use fear to maintain power and enrich themselves and those bankrolling their campaigns. The same question confronts us today as it did for those back in Egypt. Will we be agents of Pharaoh or will we seek to say no to the myths of our own age? Will we stop complaining and figure out ways to live faithfully in the broken systems of our time? This is the message of this passage. This is the message of our faith. Hope is not found out there. Hope is found when we can resist with all that we have. What system are you in that needs humanizing? Let this be your calling today. Find the courage and the power to bring life. Amen? Amen!
August 21, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Exodus 1:8-2:10
“Faithful Living in Broken Systems”
Egypt was broken. Pharaoh’s greed knew no bounds. His appetite for power and control led to the demonization of the very labor force which kept the empire forging ahead. Blinded by greed and fear, Pharaoh began to unravel the social contract forged by previous generations. Joseph had helped to create the empire. By getting the Israelites to sell their land and finally themselves for food, Egypt had a built-in labor force. But having a whole race of people enslaved to build the empire was not enough. He wanted more.
Through the use of an elaborate propaganda machine, the magicians of Pharaoh went to work. These slaves were no longer a benign presence. Instead, they were waiting for the right moment to rise up, join our enemies, kill all the men, and take our Egyptian woman. As this myth worked its way through the Egyptian society, any policy of elimination and control, in the name of national security, could be put into effect. Or so Pharaoh thought.
The first stage in this new national security policy was through a couple of midwives. The king summons the two head midwives and orders the killing of all Hebrew boys. This order places the midwives in a difficult place. Shiprah and Puah are on the payroll of Pharaoh. Their livelihood is at stake if not their very lives. What are they to do? These two do what they have the power to do. Direct refusal will result in death. On top of this, if they are removed then Pharaoh may bring in someone else who might do the job Pharaoh demands. So as long as they work in this broken system they will work for justice.
Instead of breaking the law deliberately, they simply bring things to a halt through a work slowdown. If they are not there at the birth, they cannot be held responsible for killing on the birth stool. The midwives may have be there right after the birth, but late enough to give themselves plausible deniability. And what is the punishment for their illegal activity? They are not fired and God rewards them with families.
When Pharaoh cannot get the professionals to do his bidding, he turns to the population. By this time the myth that the Hebrews are a threat to national security is well known and internalized. So it is the duty of every Egyptian to seek out and destroy the baby boys who are Hebrews. If you see them, kill them. The life you save may be your own! But despite the best attempts to nationalize this policy, it turns out that not everyone falls for the propaganda of the powerful.
The first people to recognize the madness, the brokenness of this system are the midwives. Fortunately, they are not the only ones. I have heard what happens next as an anomaly, a once in a lifetime happening. It is as if Moses is the only baby miraculously saved from the systematic murder of children. A mother placed the child in a basket and was so distraught about what she was doing she sends her daughter to watch the child die by drowning in the river. But I do not think this is what is going on at all. Instead, I think we are watching a prime example of what people do when the systems meant to sustain us are broken. Let me explain.
I have come to believe that what we are watching was probably common, though the outcome was not always positive. Imagine if you will, a population stunned by the brutality of its government but unable to be openly defiant. What might happen? What if there were Egyptian people who did not buy the myth and wanted to make a difference in a broken system? Instead of becoming silent and distracting themselves, they formed networks of safe houses where Hebrew people could “leave” their baby boys. These homes would then raise the children as their own. Even though they could not change the policy, they could save the children. We might be seeing an ancient form of the Underground Railroad.
With this in mind, let us turn now to the story of Moses’ sister and the king’s daughter. What is miraculous about the story is to find out that even the daughter of the king is opposed to the policy. The risks to national security do seem so threatening when faced with the baby boy. The king’s daughter does not just stand against the policy she makes sure to pay the mother of the child for the privilege of nursing her own son. In return, this child has the protection of Pharaoh’s house. While it might not have been widespread, it was probably widespread enough to save more than a few Hebrew boys.
From the midwives, to the little Hebrew girl and even Pharaoh’s daughter, we have portraits of faithful living in broken systems. Instead of complaining or believing they had no power to make change, they stood up and figured out a way to make a difference. It is quite a contrast to the law abiding citizens who toss children into the river or the taskmasters who oversee the oppressive labor policies of the empire. At the end of the day, this story really is about us and for us. What do I mean?
Every age has its pharaohs, taskmasters, and citizens who hide behind the guise of, “I am just obeying the law,” even if the law is unjust. And every age has a daughter of pharaoh or midwives or young children who are unwilling to sit idly by as people suffer and die. And if we are honest with one another we can admit that our own systems are broken. Our own politicians use fear to maintain power and enrich themselves and those bankrolling their campaigns. The same question confronts us today as it did for those back in Egypt. Will we be agents of Pharaoh or will we seek to say no to the myths of our own age? Will we stop complaining and figure out ways to live faithfully in the broken systems of our time? This is the message of this passage. This is the message of our faith. Hope is not found out there. Hope is found when we can resist with all that we have. What system are you in that needs humanizing? Let this be your calling today. Find the courage and the power to bring life. Amen? Amen!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Enough for Everyone
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
July 31, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Matthew 14:13-21
“Enough for Everyone!”
“There is enough in this world for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.” These words from Ghandi remind us of a simple truth: There is enough to go around. At the heart of our faith is the belief that no one should go hungry, no one should hoard, and everyone should have enough for their needs.
This truth begins with creation. God provides the plants and animals for food. But human beings seem to believe that they know better. Over and over again the kingdoms of the earth realize that food is a powerful political tool. With it, they can control their workforce and ensure that people stay in line. Nowhere was this truer than in Egypt. Out of hunger all of the Israelites willingly submit to slavery because they are hungry. Those who are deeply hungry and live with uncertainty about food often make bad long term decisions in order to eat. God’s response to this kind of abuse is clear. God punishes Egypt for the use of food as a weapon and people as tools.
When Israel travelled through the desert God provides manna for them to eat. When God provides the food it comes with an ideological bent. Exodus sixteen shows again what God expects humans to do with food. Whether people can fend for themselves or not, everyone has according to their need. Anyone who is not physically able to fend for them still has enough. And anyone who hoards food finds out that it rotted. Food is not to be used as a weapon, it is not to be hoarded and everyone should have what they need.
Years later, when Israel had become its own nation and had its own kings it seemed to internalize the lessons learning in Egypt. The nation faced a food shortage and as a result the poor, the widow, and the orphan were left to fend for themselves. This does not make Israel unique. After all, empires always act in this way. When there is little to go around, Kings and other leaders will cut back in ways that impact the poor most harshly.
In the midst of what really is a manufactured food shortage, God sends Elijah to a struggling widow. No attention is paid to the deliberations of the kings and leaders during this national crisis. I suppose it is because we already know how those debates will turn out. The cuts will come at the expense of those already struggling. But in this story, God’s story, we are reminded that God wants us to pay more attention to those who are ignored by those in positions of power.
In I Kings 17, God sends Elijah to see a widow who knows something about food insecurity. While this story usually focuses on the Widows’ faith, it highlights how far Israel has gone from God’s intention. If the leaders of the country knew God’s desires, if they remembered God’s commands, there would not have been any starving poor in their land. God does provide for the widow in miraculous ways, but if we stop with that interpretation, we miss that this is intended as a critic to the Imperial policies of Israel. There is enough to go around.
The struggles with food and food insecurity were also part of the life of the Judean peasants. A new Empire arose that did not know the ways and desires of God. They turned food into a commodity, exacted taxes and created a new system which leads to more widespread poverty. And anyone who was a serious threat to this system was killed. And that is where our scripture picks up today. “Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” What was it that Jesus heard? John the Baptist, his cousin and another troublemaker was beheaded by Herod. When Jesus heard this, he was aware of the danger and went away into the countryside alone.
While Jesus goes away, he is followed by the very people who supported John and were moved by Jesus’ teaching as well. These are the people who were at the receiving end of the current Imperial policies. And when Jesus has compassion on them, it is not something that should surprise anyone. However, it should not be seen only as an act of charity. It is a critic of those who turn food into commodity and a concrete lesson on how to survive when food is used as a weapon in this way.
The disciples of Jesus have trouble with their memory. They have forgotten the manna story and they have forgotten about Elijah. When the disciples of Jesus forget the stories of God, their memories and imaginations are trapped by Imperial myths and propaganda. And what does the imperial myth want us to believe? If people are hungry, they need to fend for themselves. The marketplace will provide. Food is supposed to be a commodity like everything else. There is not enough for everyone so let people fend for themselves because there is nothing we can do against the injustice of the day. It is in direct opposition to these myths and against the imperial market policies that Jesus feeds five thousand without money.
How is this possible? Bring me what you have Jesus says. Focus on what you have! Jesus then begins to organize the crowd. He is teaching the disciples and the crowd how to share. No one would have gone into the wilderness without some food in their pocket. What Jesus is showing them is that they do not need to set up an elaborate feeding program to rival the power of Rome. Instead, what he is showing is how God works. If everyone shares what they have, there will be enough to go around and more. Sit down in groups, take what you have, put it on the table and watch what happens. The crowd watching Jesus and the disciples respond and begin to pull out what they have. And by the time it is over there is more food than five thousand people can eat!
In our own time, the disciples of Jesus need to be reminded of how trapped we are by imperial myths. The imperial myths today tell us that there is not enough to go around. We just assume that food is a commodity on which some will make money and others will not be able to partake. The most vulnerable in society are being ignored and we all know it. We know that when our leaders talk about needed cuts, what they mean is less for the middle class and poor because we cannot cut back the cash going to Wall Street. We know this story but we cannot be overwhelmed or in despair because of it. The disciples of Jesus needed to be reminded to begin with what we have.
So what do we have? What do we see when you look around? Do we see a church of just a few people, too young or too old to make change? Do we see a building and community that was a shell of its former self? If that is what we see, we have been trapped by the imperial myths. It is time for Jesus to sit us down and help us focus on what we have. There is enough here already. We do not need to wait for this or that. We do not need to go quietly into that good night. We need to be reminded of our faith that says; God works at the edges, in the wilderness places, with often unnamed and unnoticed people. We already have enough to do the work and ministry of Jesus in this place. There is enough. There is only one question left, the answer to which comes by our action. And that question is, do we really believe that or not?
Amen? Amen!
July 31, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Matthew 14:13-21
“Enough for Everyone!”
“There is enough in this world for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.” These words from Ghandi remind us of a simple truth: There is enough to go around. At the heart of our faith is the belief that no one should go hungry, no one should hoard, and everyone should have enough for their needs.
This truth begins with creation. God provides the plants and animals for food. But human beings seem to believe that they know better. Over and over again the kingdoms of the earth realize that food is a powerful political tool. With it, they can control their workforce and ensure that people stay in line. Nowhere was this truer than in Egypt. Out of hunger all of the Israelites willingly submit to slavery because they are hungry. Those who are deeply hungry and live with uncertainty about food often make bad long term decisions in order to eat. God’s response to this kind of abuse is clear. God punishes Egypt for the use of food as a weapon and people as tools.
When Israel travelled through the desert God provides manna for them to eat. When God provides the food it comes with an ideological bent. Exodus sixteen shows again what God expects humans to do with food. Whether people can fend for themselves or not, everyone has according to their need. Anyone who is not physically able to fend for them still has enough. And anyone who hoards food finds out that it rotted. Food is not to be used as a weapon, it is not to be hoarded and everyone should have what they need.
Years later, when Israel had become its own nation and had its own kings it seemed to internalize the lessons learning in Egypt. The nation faced a food shortage and as a result the poor, the widow, and the orphan were left to fend for themselves. This does not make Israel unique. After all, empires always act in this way. When there is little to go around, Kings and other leaders will cut back in ways that impact the poor most harshly.
In the midst of what really is a manufactured food shortage, God sends Elijah to a struggling widow. No attention is paid to the deliberations of the kings and leaders during this national crisis. I suppose it is because we already know how those debates will turn out. The cuts will come at the expense of those already struggling. But in this story, God’s story, we are reminded that God wants us to pay more attention to those who are ignored by those in positions of power.
In I Kings 17, God sends Elijah to see a widow who knows something about food insecurity. While this story usually focuses on the Widows’ faith, it highlights how far Israel has gone from God’s intention. If the leaders of the country knew God’s desires, if they remembered God’s commands, there would not have been any starving poor in their land. God does provide for the widow in miraculous ways, but if we stop with that interpretation, we miss that this is intended as a critic to the Imperial policies of Israel. There is enough to go around.
The struggles with food and food insecurity were also part of the life of the Judean peasants. A new Empire arose that did not know the ways and desires of God. They turned food into a commodity, exacted taxes and created a new system which leads to more widespread poverty. And anyone who was a serious threat to this system was killed. And that is where our scripture picks up today. “Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” What was it that Jesus heard? John the Baptist, his cousin and another troublemaker was beheaded by Herod. When Jesus heard this, he was aware of the danger and went away into the countryside alone.
While Jesus goes away, he is followed by the very people who supported John and were moved by Jesus’ teaching as well. These are the people who were at the receiving end of the current Imperial policies. And when Jesus has compassion on them, it is not something that should surprise anyone. However, it should not be seen only as an act of charity. It is a critic of those who turn food into commodity and a concrete lesson on how to survive when food is used as a weapon in this way.
The disciples of Jesus have trouble with their memory. They have forgotten the manna story and they have forgotten about Elijah. When the disciples of Jesus forget the stories of God, their memories and imaginations are trapped by Imperial myths and propaganda. And what does the imperial myth want us to believe? If people are hungry, they need to fend for themselves. The marketplace will provide. Food is supposed to be a commodity like everything else. There is not enough for everyone so let people fend for themselves because there is nothing we can do against the injustice of the day. It is in direct opposition to these myths and against the imperial market policies that Jesus feeds five thousand without money.
How is this possible? Bring me what you have Jesus says. Focus on what you have! Jesus then begins to organize the crowd. He is teaching the disciples and the crowd how to share. No one would have gone into the wilderness without some food in their pocket. What Jesus is showing them is that they do not need to set up an elaborate feeding program to rival the power of Rome. Instead, what he is showing is how God works. If everyone shares what they have, there will be enough to go around and more. Sit down in groups, take what you have, put it on the table and watch what happens. The crowd watching Jesus and the disciples respond and begin to pull out what they have. And by the time it is over there is more food than five thousand people can eat!
In our own time, the disciples of Jesus need to be reminded of how trapped we are by imperial myths. The imperial myths today tell us that there is not enough to go around. We just assume that food is a commodity on which some will make money and others will not be able to partake. The most vulnerable in society are being ignored and we all know it. We know that when our leaders talk about needed cuts, what they mean is less for the middle class and poor because we cannot cut back the cash going to Wall Street. We know this story but we cannot be overwhelmed or in despair because of it. The disciples of Jesus needed to be reminded to begin with what we have.
So what do we have? What do we see when you look around? Do we see a church of just a few people, too young or too old to make change? Do we see a building and community that was a shell of its former self? If that is what we see, we have been trapped by the imperial myths. It is time for Jesus to sit us down and help us focus on what we have. There is enough here already. We do not need to wait for this or that. We do not need to go quietly into that good night. We need to be reminded of our faith that says; God works at the edges, in the wilderness places, with often unnamed and unnoticed people. We already have enough to do the work and ministry of Jesus in this place. There is enough. There is only one question left, the answer to which comes by our action. And that question is, do we really believe that or not?
Amen? Amen!
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
A Word for the Struggling
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
July 3, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
“A Word for the Struggling”
Communion Meditation
“…you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.” This passage could be taken out of context and used to justify religious fanaticism and anti-intellectualism. Misunderstanding the passage this way could lead us to believe that Jesus does not want us to be educated and that we should distrust those who are. Unfortunately, there are plenty of followers of Jesus who believe this to be true. The only problem is that interpreting this passage in that way is not only dishonest, it is a misuse of the sacred scripture.
In order not to make this mistake we have to ask some critical questions. First, we have to understand who were the “wise and intelligent” of which Jesus speaks? Jesus lived in a non-literate society. In other words, only a very few people had the ability to read. The vast majority did not have access to formal education. When you add the limited access to information to the power of the Roman imperial myths of power, it becomes easy for those with education to control and manipulate the population. So when Jesus challenges the wise and intelligent he is challenging those who used their knowledge to manipulate and control.
However, to disparage education in our own time through passages like this one is to turn Jesus’ message on its head. In fact, the key to understanding is not the warnings against the “wise and intelligent,” but instead to focus on who Jesus understood to be the “infants.” It seems to be a strange and almost condescending term. And the use of the word infants denotes those who are often labeled as collateral damage today. Women, children, immigrants, and the elderly, are often unaccounted for by our empires, but they are precious in God’s sight. Jesus was concerned with those most vulnerable in society. Jesus’ prayer is a reminder to those who are left out in society that they matter to God. So, if anyone would use this passage in our own society it could not faithfully be co-opted by anyone who has social status or political power. Instead, if Jesus lived in a time when education was more readily available, like it is today, there is no conceivable way that he would encourage sustaining ignorance.
“John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and drunkard, a friend to tax collectors and sinners!” It is a very old tactic. When you do not what to deal with the content of your opposition, simply attack their character. Jesus and John represent a significant challenge to the status quo. Anyone who is advocating real substantive change is often met first with character assassination and ultimately death. Both John and Jesus challenged the authenticity of the political and religious leadership. John called people to greater honesty and integrity of their faith. And Jesus had such an inclusive vision that the religious leadership did not know what to do. When Jesus and John stand together you end up with a message of rigorous discipleship and radical inclusivity.
This was not a message that could be tolerated by the religious and political leadership. If the people followed this pattern of rigorous discipleship and radical inclusivity it would have caused problems for the political leadership that practiced convenient discipleship and the religious leadership who practiced radical exclusion. Jesus encouraged those who would seek to follow in this way by saying wisdom would be vindicated by her deeds. It means that despite the character assassination and literal assassination, the work and ways of wisdom will always live on.
It is honestly hard to hear all of this as good news. “Take my yoke…” No matter how easy or light a yoke is, it is still a yoke. For us, as a people weaned on the idea that freedom means freedom from anything and everything, it is hard to imagine a yoke as a welcome idea, let alone good news. But if we are truly honest, none of us are completely free, each of us answers to someone else. And for those who are really struggling, for the widow who has no food, for the family whose money has run out before the end of the month, for the mother who struggles to put food on the table, giving up the current yoke for another may sound like true liberation. Rigorous discipleship and radical inclusion is not a way out but a way to survive and thrive, particularly in hard times.
The yoke Jesus refers to is the challenge to live the message of John and Jesus. Living out those works, making sure our actions are true is a difficult thing. It requires of us a desire to follow John’s call to authentic discipleship. We move from merely being interested in the Bible and move to living out what it teaches. As well it requires a humility that leads to an inclusivity which may get us labeled accomodationist. “Glutton,” “drunkard,” “friend of tax collectors and sinners,” were terms used for Jesus by the religiously faithful. Placing these two teachings side-by-side provides a reminder that both are needed: rigorous discipleship and radical inclusivity. That is a yoke, a burden, because it requires something more of us. It moves us from saying that everyone is welcome to saying everyone is welcome and I will commit my life to rigorous discipleship as well. Radical inclusivity cannot be maintained over the long haul if one is not rigorous in discipleship.
When things are difficult and uncertain and when the struggles of the day are pushing in, the message of the passage is a call to more rigorous discipleship. But this is not something that leads to fundamentalism. Instead, a more rigorous discipleship that leads to greater understanding of the scriptures, will, if we are listening to Jesus, lead to a radical inclusivity. A word for the struggling in this passage is a call to focus on the most important things in our faith. Doing so will not make the problems magically disappear but will equip us for any struggle that might lay ahead. Amen? Amen!
July 3, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
“A Word for the Struggling”
Communion Meditation
“…you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.” This passage could be taken out of context and used to justify religious fanaticism and anti-intellectualism. Misunderstanding the passage this way could lead us to believe that Jesus does not want us to be educated and that we should distrust those who are. Unfortunately, there are plenty of followers of Jesus who believe this to be true. The only problem is that interpreting this passage in that way is not only dishonest, it is a misuse of the sacred scripture.
In order not to make this mistake we have to ask some critical questions. First, we have to understand who were the “wise and intelligent” of which Jesus speaks? Jesus lived in a non-literate society. In other words, only a very few people had the ability to read. The vast majority did not have access to formal education. When you add the limited access to information to the power of the Roman imperial myths of power, it becomes easy for those with education to control and manipulate the population. So when Jesus challenges the wise and intelligent he is challenging those who used their knowledge to manipulate and control.
However, to disparage education in our own time through passages like this one is to turn Jesus’ message on its head. In fact, the key to understanding is not the warnings against the “wise and intelligent,” but instead to focus on who Jesus understood to be the “infants.” It seems to be a strange and almost condescending term. And the use of the word infants denotes those who are often labeled as collateral damage today. Women, children, immigrants, and the elderly, are often unaccounted for by our empires, but they are precious in God’s sight. Jesus was concerned with those most vulnerable in society. Jesus’ prayer is a reminder to those who are left out in society that they matter to God. So, if anyone would use this passage in our own society it could not faithfully be co-opted by anyone who has social status or political power. Instead, if Jesus lived in a time when education was more readily available, like it is today, there is no conceivable way that he would encourage sustaining ignorance.
“John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and drunkard, a friend to tax collectors and sinners!” It is a very old tactic. When you do not what to deal with the content of your opposition, simply attack their character. Jesus and John represent a significant challenge to the status quo. Anyone who is advocating real substantive change is often met first with character assassination and ultimately death. Both John and Jesus challenged the authenticity of the political and religious leadership. John called people to greater honesty and integrity of their faith. And Jesus had such an inclusive vision that the religious leadership did not know what to do. When Jesus and John stand together you end up with a message of rigorous discipleship and radical inclusivity.
This was not a message that could be tolerated by the religious and political leadership. If the people followed this pattern of rigorous discipleship and radical inclusivity it would have caused problems for the political leadership that practiced convenient discipleship and the religious leadership who practiced radical exclusion. Jesus encouraged those who would seek to follow in this way by saying wisdom would be vindicated by her deeds. It means that despite the character assassination and literal assassination, the work and ways of wisdom will always live on.
It is honestly hard to hear all of this as good news. “Take my yoke…” No matter how easy or light a yoke is, it is still a yoke. For us, as a people weaned on the idea that freedom means freedom from anything and everything, it is hard to imagine a yoke as a welcome idea, let alone good news. But if we are truly honest, none of us are completely free, each of us answers to someone else. And for those who are really struggling, for the widow who has no food, for the family whose money has run out before the end of the month, for the mother who struggles to put food on the table, giving up the current yoke for another may sound like true liberation. Rigorous discipleship and radical inclusion is not a way out but a way to survive and thrive, particularly in hard times.
The yoke Jesus refers to is the challenge to live the message of John and Jesus. Living out those works, making sure our actions are true is a difficult thing. It requires of us a desire to follow John’s call to authentic discipleship. We move from merely being interested in the Bible and move to living out what it teaches. As well it requires a humility that leads to an inclusivity which may get us labeled accomodationist. “Glutton,” “drunkard,” “friend of tax collectors and sinners,” were terms used for Jesus by the religiously faithful. Placing these two teachings side-by-side provides a reminder that both are needed: rigorous discipleship and radical inclusivity. That is a yoke, a burden, because it requires something more of us. It moves us from saying that everyone is welcome to saying everyone is welcome and I will commit my life to rigorous discipleship as well. Radical inclusivity cannot be maintained over the long haul if one is not rigorous in discipleship.
When things are difficult and uncertain and when the struggles of the day are pushing in, the message of the passage is a call to more rigorous discipleship. But this is not something that leads to fundamentalism. Instead, a more rigorous discipleship that leads to greater understanding of the scriptures, will, if we are listening to Jesus, lead to a radical inclusivity. A word for the struggling in this passage is a call to focus on the most important things in our faith. Doing so will not make the problems magically disappear but will equip us for any struggle that might lay ahead. Amen? Amen!
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