tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204069612024-03-17T22:01:20.444-05:00Episcopal Chaplain On the High GroundAn Episcopal (Anglican) Chaplain in retirement, reflecting on work and faith and life. NOTA BENE: my opinions are my own and do not represent the Episcopal Church or any health system that has ever employed me.Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.comBlogger837125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-70623413853633228812024-01-16T14:33:00.002-06:002024-01-16T14:48:29.947-06:00No, Jesus Is Always Watching: a Sermon for Pentecost 15, Proper 18A<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Again, this is a sermon that's been waiting to be edited. This was preached at <a href="https://straphaelcrossville.org" target="_blank">St. Raphael's Episcopal Church </a>September 10, 2023.</i></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I may have told this story before, but I don't think I've ever told it from the pulpit. And I'm going to have to be delicate in how I tell it. You will understand why. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I was in one of the hospitals I worked in, and I walked into a conversation. It happened all the time . One of the people looked up and saw me and said, “ Uh oh, God is watching. Better be careful!” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And I said, “You know, God is always watching.” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And she laughed and she gave a certain hesitant chuckle: “Well, I hope God isn't always watching.” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And I said, “Oh, no. God is always watching.” And her eyes got a little round. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And then I didn't see her for nearly a week. I don't know why; our schedules didn't mesh. And she said, “Marshall, my fiancé is really mad at you!” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I said, “Why?” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Well, every time he starts to get affectionate, I start thinking about how God is always watching….”</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, we believe God is always watching. Indeed, we say we are the people of Emmanuel, of God with us. But, how conscious we are of God being with us?</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> Well it varies, doesn't it? And we have some frameworks of that in today's lessons, if you think about them, not in terms of when we think they happened or were said, but of when we think they got written down. I'll say more about that. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Think first about the night of the first Passover. Boy, were they conscious of God being with them! Moses is saying, “This is what God says. Make this preparation because God's going to be in your living room tonight. God's going to be walking past your front door. And what God sees on your front door has consequences.” Their sense of God being present took this frightened and vulnerable community and said to them, “Here, now, God is in the midst of you. God is coming among you.” And this was the first night of what for them would be 40 years. As they left after this night with the Egyptians, as Scripture said, driving them out, giving them their valuables to bribe them out, to get them to leave, they went, led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And when Moses came down from the mountain, his face shined; and from what Scripture says, continued to shine for the rest of his life so that he wore a veil over his face, lest the presence of God in his face terrified people. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In great crisis sometimes it's hard, but we can also claim a sense of the presence of God. But crises, they don't linger. I mean, not withstanding the way our normal news cycle runs from crisis to crisis to crisis (and God help our brothers and sisters in Morocco this morning), crises don't linger. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And we begin to see this as we look at the New Testament lessons. There's a difference between the Romans lesson and the Gospel as scholars see it. And that is that Paul, if we understand the New Testament timeframe, was wandering around in the late 30s AD and these things were recorded on paper by the early 40s AD. And in that community there was a very clear and present sense of people who could remember Jesus, who could remember the crisis for Christians, which was the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. And for whom some sense that this was still “with us” was present. That's why Paul says at the end, “Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires because you are closer now than you ever have been.” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now if you ever ask me about the second coming, well it's there in scripture. I do believe it. And I believe it could happen on any given Thursday. But Paul was enough closer to Jesus incarnate that he figured it could be <i>next</i> Thursday. And so he's talking to them about how to live as a community with some sense of God's presence while you wait for this to happen. And when you're trying to figure out how to live waiting for the next crisis, a simple principle that's easy to hold onto works. “Owe no one anything except to love one another for the one who loves, has fulfilled the law.” And he goes through the commandments and comes back to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Now remember that the Gospels at this point probably weren't down on parchment. And there might be people who remembered, but for more of his community that would be more familiar from Leviticus, Leviticus 19:18 that says, “Don't do injustice in the gate, in the public square, and love your neighbor as yourself.”</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For them, that memory from Torah would shape them to understand that love is an active word. It's not about affection, it's about how you treat people. It's not about wanting to be with someone. It's about treating them the way they should be treated. It's about doing justice in the best possible sense. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I grew up in this culture. My mother's people are from Caryville, which is, oh, about 50 miles northeast. So I grew up with a very high sense of duty. You can talk about high church and low church and how we understand theology and liturgy in the Episcopal church, whether we're very formal and structured or where we're more relaxed. I grew up in that sense with a high sense of duty. Duty is an expression of love. We often think of it as expression of love of something bigger than ourselves. Some of you - I did not - some of you served in uniform, you will have a high sense of duty. I grew up with that too. It was enculturated into me. That's what Paul's talking about. To love has encased in it that sense of how you're gonna treat people. "Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love is the fulfilling of Torah." So, when you're waiting for Thursday, when you think the times are coming, a simple principle holds you in place.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Which is how we get to the Gospel. Scholars understand that Matthew probably came together sometime after 64 AD; and if you wanna get into deep weeds, you can get into a conversation with a scholar as to whether Matthew is the original and Mark is the Reader's Digest Condensed version; or Mark is the original and Matthew is what we would now call the Director's Cut with all the added scenes. But it came together after 64 AD, so, 20, 25, 30 years after Romans. And this is a community that's having to figure out how to live with the thought that it's not next Thursday, with a thought that we've got to figure out how to live together, and we need some rules for this. And so we have this model of how to resolve a conflict. Now, I want to caution you, it's a decent model of how to resolve a conflict. It's not the only one. And for a lot of things it's not the best one because, you know, if you have to choose two or three people to go with you, if you choose the right people, then how can they argue? And it sort of misses another nuance of language in that, in this context to listen also implies to accept, even to obey; and we still use it that way sometimes. But trust me, when I was Director of a department working for a health system, I had to help people sometimes understand that I heard them. I just didn't find what they told me compelling. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So this is not the model for every kind of dispute. But when you're trying to figure out how to live together, not expecting the next crisis, you need to put these kinds of models together. In fact, we're pretty sure this is late because Jesus doesn't talk about church. Jesus wasn't part of “church.” “Church”hadn’t come together until after the Resurrection. So this is the community building on Jesus's words to say, “Okay, now how are we gonna live with you together?” And then it does come back again to this basic principle that is, “Whenever two or three are gathered in my name, I'm there. I am there. I’m there, who we will also proclaim is Love. Whenever two or three are gathered, I - Love - should be at the middle of it."</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, that makes an interesting sort of spin on conflict resolution, or any human interaction. We can think about how many of you will see me at Kroger after church, and when we talk to each other, to kind of figure out how God is among us. When I was instructing students as chaplains, I would focus and say - and those of you that have been in social work, in education, you'll grasp this - the encounter happens in the relationship. And I would say, “What's going on in the space between you, and what is God doing in that space linking you?" When two or three are gathered, I am with you. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, I say we create structures to hold onto that. And we are a people who now know that there've been an awful lot of Thursdays since the Resurrection. It could happen this coming Thursday. And as I often say, if it does, we'll have many other concerns. But there've been a lot of Thursdays since the Resurrection. And we have to stop and think about how we embrace the presence of God with us. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Well, one of those is to go back to the night of the Passover. Because as Moses said, “God says, make this the new beginning for you. Make this a day that you remember.” And to this day, our Jewish brothers and sisters, remember. I don't know if any of you have ever been to a Passover Seder, one that begins with someone saying, “Why is this night different from any other night?” It is to take them in that shared meal, shared standing, eating roast lamb and bitter herbs, that they bring themselves back to that night, to remember how God was, and to recognize how God can be, present in their community. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This, of course, is meaningful for us because, honestly, this is the first last supper, their last supper in Egypt, their last meal - you know, they're gonna be out there for a few days, run out of provisions, and it's going to be manna until they're in the Holy Land - which is also our last supper. Remember what Matthew will tell us Jesus is doing in what we talk about as his last supper. It is a Passover meal. He is with his disciples, he is with his close contacts, men and women. Somebody at that table was probably planning on saying, “How is this night different from any other night?” for Jesus to tell the story.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And instead, Jesus tells something different to hold together the community that will form around him. And that is what we do. We say the Communion is food for our journey, but more, it is a way that we recall how God has been present among us in flesh and blood to help us be prepared for God to be present with us when we're not here, when we run into each other at Kroger, when we have someone with whom we have a dispute, to stop and say, “God help me.” And to wonder how God might be acting as we look for resolution, as we look for reconciliation. Remember that I said last week, “it's not about me,” It’s about how God is calling me to be for another. So even in the hardest reconciliation, how is God calling me to be for that person? In this gathering certainly, or in evening meals, or even in the produce section at Kroger, among ourselves we can think about how God is with us. And then to take that into even the most difficult situations. And remember that when anyone is gathered, if you remember the name of Jesus, Jesus is there. What will the world look like when we always remember to act like Jesus is actually present and watching?</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-42069708270839458282024-01-16T14:19:00.000-06:002024-01-16T14:19:08.247-06:00It's Not About Me: A Sermon for Pentecost 14, Proper 17A<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>I'm more than a little behind editing and posting some of my sermons. This was preached at <a href="https://straphaelcrossville.org" target="_blank">St. Raphael's Episcopal Church</a> September 3, 2023.</i></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I have said in this room that I am a General Convention junkie. I've more made more than half of the General Conventions since 1976 for at least a few days. And one of the fun things I saw was that I was in New Orleans in 1982. If you look at the back of the Hymnal, you will say, it says the Hymnal 1982 because that's the general convention where this hymnal was approved. And one of the really fun things was to be on the floor of the House of Deputies. I was in the gallery and it was a joint session. So it was both deputies and bishops and they were debating things about this hymnal. And this was where people could say from the floor, “why isn't this one proposed? Why isn't that one proposed?”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, my favorite of those stories is about why “He's got the whole world in his hands” is not in the hymnal. And one of our scholars stood up and said, “The joy of that song is that you can make it up as you go along. And our fear is that if we put it in the hymnal, no matter how many various verses we put in there, somebody wouldn't be able to do, or wouldn't think they could do, what they wanted to do.”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So a lot of hymns were debated and one of them was this:</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I walk in the garden along when the dew is still on the roses </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">and the voice I hear falling on my ear, the son of God discloses. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Why is that not in the hymnal?</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, before anybody gets concerned, we can sing it in church. The Hymnal is not like the Prayer Book and, and you can bring in outside stuff to sing in a way that you can't to pray, at least not in a Sunday service. And in any case, it actually is when in one of the two supplements to this Hymnal. But they said, “Why is that not in the hymnal?” And they said, “Well, sing the refrain.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And they said, “That leads to bad theology.” What? </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You know, one of our heartfelt and well understood - excuse me, often misunderstood - tenets of Protestant Christianity is the idea of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Wonderful and important. The problem is that for too many people, that's it. “I’ve got my relationship with Jesus; and heaven help - actually, I will send to perdition - those who want to challenge that, who want to challenge what that means.” It can lead, and has too often led, to a sort of, “It's all about Jesus and me” perspective</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And that encapsulated by itself is bad theology; because if we've been paying attention to Scripture, it's never about me. It's never just “about me.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Look at Moses today. Moses is out there in the wilderness and he sees this wonder, he sees this bush burning. You know this story well. You've heard umpteen sermons preached on it. So Moses is listening to God telling him what God wants him to do and he comes to this question. His question is, “Who am I to stand before Pharaoh?”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now there's a lot of history behind that question. Moses was someone special. Moses was raised in Pharaoh's household; and Moses ran because he broke the law. He committed murder, he brought dishonor on Pharaoh's household. He fled to the desert. “Who am I to go stand before Pharaoh?” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And God's response is this as if to say “This is not about you. This is not about who you are. This is about who I am. I am sending you.” This is one of our wonderfully introductory instances of that aphorism you've heard so often in church, God doesn't choose the skilled, God gives skills to the chosen. I know that's not the way you've heard it most often, but you get the point.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And that's what God will go on and say to Moses again and again and again. “It's not about who you are, it's about what I'm sending you to do and what I'm empowering you to do. It’s not about you and me; it's not about who you are. It's about you and me and Israel.”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">By the same token, we get Jesus, having heard over the last two weeks about this whole “You are the Messiah, the Christ;” and then last week “And don't tell anybody.” Why. Well, this week we understand why. He's trying to tell the Twelve, “This is what's going to happen. There's going to be pain and suffering, and I'm going to die. And then there's promise.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And Peter says, “Oh no Lord, no, no, it can't happen that way. God forbid that it happened that way.” And Jesus's response - let’s skip past the really shocking part: “Get behind me Satan” - and go on to “You’re thinking the way humans think. You're not thinking how God thinks.” Or to turn that: “This is not about how you see things. This is about how God sees things and about what God is doing, not with you, but for everyone.” It's never just “about me.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, in our day and time, that's a real challenge. I read within the last week an opinion piece about an evangelical pastor - it didn’t say which of our evangelical sibling traditions he's in - preaching about the love of God and preaching perhaps from our Romans lesson where it says, “Bless your enemies and don't curse them;” or where Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek.” And a man comes up to him after the service and says, “Pastor, where did you get that?”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“It's in the Bible. It's literally in the Bible. It's in the Bible that you say you believe literally.”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Well, pastor, it doesn't work that way anymore.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">if it doesn't work that way anymore, if Christians say it doesn't work that way anymore, it's not because of what Christ told us or showed us; because what God has been saying, really from Adam: “It’s not about us.” An awful lot of people approach the first creation story where we human beings are the height and pinnacle of creation; and skip over the first part of the second creation story where it says we were created to manage and take care of things, to tend and care for. From the very beginning, God's call for us has been to tend and care for.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And so if we've lost that, we can argue that we've lost Jesus, and we've lost our personal relationship with Jesus, because we're not listening anymore. The wonderful piece about a personal relationship with Jesus is to remember that Jesus is with us still and is a person; that God comes to us in personality and so offers us the opportunity to be in relationship, to be listening to and learning from Jesus in Scripture, in prayer, in meditation, in moments of wonder. If we get somehow triumphal about it being “me and Jesus,” we end up leaving Jesus out of the conversation. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And so Paul, after working with the Romans and saying, “Life in Christ begins with an understanding that you're saved by God's grace, and that nothing can come between you and the love of God,” - that wonderful passage at the end of Romans 8 - “nothing at all creation can come between you of the love of God in Christ” - he then goes on to the rather pedestrian understanding of what's expected of us. Out of that, Adam and Eve were expected to tend and care for; Moses was expected to lead a brazen-necked people. Jesus said, “All the world will come to me.” And to participate in that, then Paul says, “Let love be genuine. Hate what is evil. Do what is good, even to the point of do not repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. Never avenge yourselves. Leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written, ‘vengeance in mine;’ that it is God’s, not mine. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">How shockingly different that is from some, not all, probably not most, but some of the noisiest rhetoric in the air around us. “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. (What!) if they're thirsty give them drink;” a high set of expectations, but, really, they shouldn't be a surprise if we understand that it's never been “about me.” And to the extent that we want to identify our community as somehow distinctive or special, it's never been about us. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We can get distracted if we focus too much on walking in the garden alone and how wonderfully comforting that is. We don’t pay attention to the third verse. I don't think it's entirely adequate, but it does say that he calls us out of that garden. We are called to remember in Christ, in God, yes, we are very much involved, but what God calls us to is not “about me,” but about how God calls me for others.</span></p><div><br /></div>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-43226988957885334502023-07-20T17:15:00.003-05:002024-01-16T14:44:37.034-06:00Liking (the Idea) of Jesus: A Sermon for Proper 17, Year C<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Preached at <a href="https://straphaelcrossville.org" target="_blank">St. Raphael's Episcopal Church </a>August 28, 2022.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> Now then: so, as I was reflecting on things, I found myself with this in my head. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"I like the idea-dea of you</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I like the idea-dea of you</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Wonder how it's be, be to love you</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I like the idea-dea of you"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">That’s the refrain from a song by an artist named Tessa Violet. Tessa is a YouTuber, but she's been very successful, going from YouTube to album with her music. And she's kind of interesting. That song always strikes me as interesting because it's about a young woman who has a young man who she's attracted to but not certain about. He <i>is</i> certain, but she is kind of reflecting on all of this. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I've got a radar for trouble and you're a renegade</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I take a leap and stumble while you are unafraid</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I keep repeating, repeating the way you say my name.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I try convincing my friends that you're not right for me"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's on and on. And then she comes back to, "I like the idea-dea of you."</span></div>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, I think that what got me to that today is that - you might not see it this way - but it seems to me that there are a lot of folks out there who seem to like the idea of Jesus, but not so much Jesus. And that's because, as my wife reminds me now and again, if you read the Gospel and you're not uncomfortable, you're not reading the Gospel. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Take today's Gospel lesson, an interesting lesson. Like last Sunday, it's another Sabbath. Jesus is dining in someone’s home. We read verse 1 and then skip verses 2 through 6, and we skip over another public healing on the Sabbath. We pick up again with verses 7 through 14. And then with verse 15 we have another lesson after this that is Luke's version of the story of the King and the wedding banquet. In this case, it's a rich man and a wedding banquet; and because it's a rich man and not a king, it ends slightly differently. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But in the middle of it, in today’s lesson, Jesus gives the lesson that we all know: “When you are invited to a big event, show some humility, and if things go well your way, you'll get lifted up.” The thing is, is that everybody around the room heard that and probably went, “Uh huh, uh huh, yes, we understand;” because there was nothing particularly new or distinctive about Jesus saying that. It appears at least once in the wisdom literature earlier in the Hebrew scriptures, a verse in Proverbs, I believe. And there are other sitings of humility in Proverbs and in Ecclesiastes, et cetera. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But then Jesus goes on and he said, “So next time you have a party, don't invite the people who can invite you back.” He said, Invite the poor, invite the crippled, the lame, the blind, invite the cursed, invite the unacceptable. And no, they can't repay you, but it'll be okay. God will take care of that.” And suddenly what they thought they knew wasn't enough. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And this is not just Jesus, this is all through the scriptures. We heard it in the lesson from Sirach today, that God turns things over, plucks up the roots of the nations, plants the humble in their place. And we heard it before in Luke. Should we sing the Magnificat? “He has taken down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.” And go all the way back to Samuel's childhood and the song of his mother, Hannah, praising God for her vision. And the language is almost the same. And Samson's mother says something very much the same. Funny how women see this before men. I don't know what that says about us, guys. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But this idea that what God is about is not just sustaining good manners of the status quo. Now, there are lots of ways that we can catch people in this idea of, “Well, yeah, I go to church and I trust Christians in all of that. And I am a Christian - as long as it works for me.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I started my priesthood, actually, in Memphis, in west Tennessee when it was part of one diocese of Tennessee. And one of the things that my friends in small congregations would tell me is, “Well, we lost so and so. He's not coming anymore.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Well, what's the problem?”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Well, he came and explained it to me. He's got an insurance company, and, you know, the Methodist church is just enough bigger than the Episcopal church that he has more opportunities there.” And he said it with a straight face! </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Or, we seem to have enough people around us to pay attention to, that seem to think when they say God is the same yesterday, today and forever, that somehow society should be the same today as yesterday, forever. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But that's not Scripture. That's not making the wealthy hungry, feeding those who have been struggling as in the Magnificat.That's not inviting those people who in their common society would've been seen, literally and commonly, as cursed. How else do you become lame or crippled? How else do you end up in poverty? </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I think the thing about that song that struck me was exactly how many people have an <i>idea</i> of Jesus that they're quite happy with. And heaven forbid that Heaven challenge it. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But things are changing, and that's uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable for me and I'm maybe the most progressive person in the room. I may not be, but I do tell people that I usually stand somewhere to the left of Jesus, and let them figure out how much room there <i>is</i> to the left of Jesus. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But it's because of this image and it's because of Luke. Remember that Luke has a much more hardcore version of Jesus and a much more down to earth version of Jesus. Matthew says, “Blessed to the poor in spirit;” Luke says, “Blessed to the poor and cursed to the rich.”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, how do we challenge for ourselves where we may be complacent? Well, in many ways that's an individual decision. And what's a step forward for one person or in one direction, may not be what another person is called to do. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But we are called to remember that God presents God as someone who is prepared to overturn things for the benefit of his people, his people as individuals. And if we are too comfortable, especially if we're too comfortable with our own - and I know mine; I have enough guilt that one of my favorite canticles really is the Song of Hezikiah: “I have Sinn, Oh Lord, I have sinned and I know my wickedness only too well.” I had a classmate in seminary, a Nigerian priest, and he came up after class one day and he said, “Father, the problem with American religion is people are not conscious enough of their sins.” And I said, “Oh, no, Mbachu, we are quite conscious of our sins. We have favorites.”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We become complacent with those things that we are comfortable with, those things that we find acceptable, those things that we just assumed didn't change. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We are called by Jesus, and not just in Luke, but you know, in that wonderful passage in Matthew where he says, “Well, you did it to the least of my people. You did it to me.” Where Paul says, “It's important that we are gathering food, giving up something of our own, because there's a famine in Jerusalem.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This idea that we are always called to question where we may be complacent, to question where we may be complacent as a society, or where we may be complacent as individuals. And remember that it's not enough to like the idea of Jesus. We're called to like Jesus, who calls us not to stand pat nearly so often as he calls us to make progress.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-59866608252202682452023-07-20T15:18:00.004-05:002023-07-20T17:04:20.079-05:00What Do You Need to See? Sermon for Easter 2, Year A, April 16, 2023<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i> I'm still catching up on sermons. This was preached Easter 2, April 16, 2023 at <a href="https://straphaelcrossville.org" target="_blank">St. Raphael's Episcopal Church, Crossville</a>.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So when you live in a household of a person with a theological degree and a person with a philosophy degree, you get interesting conversations, </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We have been known to debate - not debate. We've been known to discuss whether the verb “to be” actually applies to God. And one of the things that would come up in this "world of us" was to talk about something. And one or the other of us would say, “yeah, but how do you know?” And the other one would respond, “Oh God! the epistemological question!” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For those of you that have been away from it for a while, epistemology is the study of what you know and the study of how you know what you know and the study of how you know that you know what you know…. And that rabbit hole can go on forever. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Today's lessons are about epistemology; or more, they're about, what do you need to see? Now, we talk about this Sunday and Thomas. and I love Thomas; and I have talked about Thomas the Doubter and I have talked about Thomas the Skeptic and I have talked about Thomas the Scientist. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Thomas wasn't there, at least not the first time. It's Easter Day. Remember it is still that day. It is the evening, although probably not yet sunset since it's still that day. They're still getting over Mary Magdalene saying, “oh my god guys, they've taken him,” and Peter and the beloved disciple run; and those of you here last week noted that the beloved disciple only had to look in to believe, he didn't have to actually go in. Peter had to go in. Mary Magdalene didn't go in, but it's Mary Magdalene who actually has Jesus call her name, and she knows Jesus. So here we are, late in the afternoon and they're in a muddle. “What do we do? First, he’s gone. Second, we know what Mary says He said, but we didn't see it. We know that with the body missing, if the authorities get upset, they're likely to blame us.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And please remember when it says that they are in fear of the Jews, this is not your next door neighbors that go to Temple. This is authority. This is political authority and religious police. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And then in the middle of all of that, there's Jesus, who begins with “Shalom aleichem, Peace be with you.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Peace has so many different connotations, or more, shalom has so many different connotations. One of them is peace as in no conflict. One of them is peace as in wholeness or health as in wholeness. Or, don't be afraid. How many times is the first word that God says, in Jesus, through the angel, “Don't be afraid.” And they know it's Jesus because things haven't changed that much. His hands are wounded, his side is wounded. They know it's Jesus. “Don't be afraid,” he says, and he breathes; like at creation, when God breathes and human beings are <i>human beings</i>. He says, “my peace is now with you and my spirit is now in you and you are my people here on earth.” Because that's the import of this whole event. “Whatever you say is blessed, is blessed. And whatever you say is not blessed, is not blessed.” I know that's a bit broader than what Jesus said, but it was empowering them as individuals and as a body to be active in the world and to say, “yeah, this looks godly to me.” And,”yeah, that doesn’t.”</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And so, what do you need to see? Well, Thomas - Lord knows where Thomas was. Thomas wasn't there; and Thomas needed to see. Now understand, Thomas wanted to believe. Thomas was ready. Remember in the story of the raising of Lazarus, when Jesus says, “We’re going to go back into this dangerous place.” They said, “Lord, the Jews are looking for you.” He says, “we're going.” And Thomas says, “Let's go. If he's going to die, we're going to die with him.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So Thomas is not fainthearted. Perhaps he is too afraid of being disappointed, too afraid that this wonderful thing that happened isn’t - just isn’t. And so he has to see; and he tells the apostles, “Look, I love you guys. I love all you people (we don't know whether any of the women were there) - I love you all, but I’ve got to see.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And so the following Sunday, they're together again and the doors are locked, and there's Jesus. And Jesus begins again, “Peace ,” with all of its meanings. And then he says, “Thomas, here I am. These are the hands. Here's the spear wound.” And it doesn't say that Thomas then had to stop and touch him, had to do close examination. It just says Thomas fell and said, “My Lord and my God.” Which Is actually the first time in John that anybody says that Jesus is God. What do you need to see? </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But you know, there are all sorts of measures of what you need to see. <i>This</i> is on the day of Easter, on the day of the Resurrection; and then eight days later, the following Sunday. Peter in Acts is now 50 days out. This is part of the addresses that Peter gives on Pentecost, empowered by the Spirit. And Peter starts telling a story. But what he says about that story is, “Hey, do you remember what happened seven weeks ago? What do you need to see?” And he focuses on a particular community. “All of you, you Israelites;” it’s in the text, it's not in what we have printed in the bulletin, but it is in the text that he begins “all of you who are Israelites.” So he's focusing on a people of faith, and he talks about what they might need to see. “You saw him, you participated in his wonders, you participated in the mob reaction out of which he was crucified. You participate in the faith that has been talking about him because this is what David said.’ And he starts quoting the Psalms. Those passages that Peter is reciting are from the Psalms. “I saw the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.” He says, “You will not abandon my soul to hell nor let your holy one experience corruption.” He says, “These are from the Psalms.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So he's talking to them again in evidence that they might well believe. “What do you remember from seven weeks ago? Can you make sense of that in light of what you already believe about the faith? And now can you believe that we have seen him resurrected? For David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah and you know he's not talking about himself because David's dead, and we know where he is buried. This Jesus God raised up. And of that, all of us, all of us Christians standing around with tongues of fire on our heads, all of us talking in these various language, all of us are witnesses that he's been raised up. What do you need to see?”Peter spends his time trying to help them see out of their own faith, out of what they believe, what it is that reinforces that and can help them come to appreciate what it is that he and other Christians have witnessed. How do you know? What do you need to see? </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But of course, time passes in the Christian community. We started in Acts, but time passes, and now we have it in the First Letter of Peter. We know what we were hoping for hasn't quite happened yet. And so Peter, in talking to this community of Christians probably scattered in small house treasures across what now we would call Western Turkey is talking about what do you need to see? And he says, “Yes, you're being tested, but as you're tested you realize that in the midst of all of this God continues to be with you. Indeed you're passing these tests is evidence of God with you. And so you can support one another and give praise. These are the things you need to see so that you can remember that you are receiving the salvation of your souls.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As things change, what does the community need to see? Which seems awfully apt these days, doesn't it? We live in a time when there's a lot of question about, how do you know? What do you need to see to trust? What do you need to see to believe? And we've got those that want to say, “I can only trust it if it always looks like it always has.” I mean, you can pick any number of issues in our society today, but the complaints about the possibility of new things keep coming back to “I'm only going to trust it if it always looks now like it always has in the past.” </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now I will share with you one of my own personal theological opinions. I am of the opinion that the sin against the Holy Spirit, which cannot be forgiven is certainty. Now, I used to tell students that and someone would be bright enough to look up and say, “Are you sure?” And I would say “No, but I believe;” but it is certainty that gets in the way of maybe what we need to see. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Some of you have heard me before, talk about people who asked me and and those of you that don't know, I spent most of my career as a hospital chaplain and bright and excited. People would say, “Oh, it must be wonderful to be a hospital chaplain. I bet you've seen miracles.”And I say, “Yes, I have seen miracles, but what I think of as a miracle may not be what you think of as a miracle;” because a miracle for me is a sign that God is present in the world. And so when the medicine works, it's, it's a miracle. The fact that we have some idea about how the biochemistry functions doesn't change the fact that it's evidence of God in the world, to me There are those people who for it to be a miracle, want it to be unexplainable, want it to be somehow deep and mysterious. No, no, no. I’m, at a certain basic level, trusting that the universe is in God's hands and literally the earth keeps turning because God keeps spinning it. And so the fact that I see the sun come up in the morning continues to be a sign of God's presence, and so, a miracle. What do you need to see? </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And in a world where people are so determined that they constantly have to challenge, “What do you need to see?”, we as Christians are challenged, the way Peter challenges that Christian community, to go beyond not only what do you need to <i>see</i>, but what do you need to help <i>others see</i>? What do you need to show? What do you need to show in the face of trials and tribulations? What do you need to show in the face of just the day-to-day dullness of waiting for the kingdom; which is in some sense already here and yet not in fullness. Many of you have heard me comment that the kingdom may come anytime now and when that happens we'll have more things to worry about than we're thinking about right now. What do you need to see to sustain your own faith? It’s interesting that one of the commentators I listened to said that when you look at the gospel and it says “these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah,” you can also read the Greek to say these are written so that you can <i>continue to believe,</i> so that your faith is sustained and supported. Not that you're without faith before and need to be convinced, but that all of us in the face of the world need some reinforcement. </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And it's always worth stopping for me to say, what do I need to see to continue to trust in God's presence in the world and in my life? And what do I need to show so that others may see in me what they need to see the presence of God in the world? Because unfortunately, if Christians have a bad reputation, it's by and large because of Christians.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We are constantly asked one question, “What do you need to see?” What do you need to see to sustain your faith in a world that on the one hand challenges it by making it too easy; and that challenges it on the other hand, by making it hard to embrace the work, when you discover it's not too easy. What do you need to see? And when you understand, when each of us for our own under understands, what do I need to see, then the next question is, “Okay, so then what do you need to show so that they may see that we are witnesses to this Jesus whom God has raised from the dead.”</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-57223980958640228742023-07-20T14:06:00.005-05:002023-07-20T17:05:10.087-05:00I'm (Not) Looking Out for a Hero: Sermon for Proper 8, Year A, 5th Pentecost (July 2, 2023)<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> I realized that I'm behind on posting a few sermons from this year. This is my most recent, preached at <a href="https://straphaelcrossville.org" target="_blank">St. Raphael's Episcopal Church, Crossville, Tennessee</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I thought I would try this again: instead of transcribing, I'm posting the audio of the sermon. For me, transcribing involves a good deal of "cleaning up." With the audio file, you'll hear what I said, clumsy spots and all. It will require you to download it to play it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, if you want to hear what I shared, you can link <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/16vS8zEDT_00eZtEneLWDPzRZtOPqjMZ8/view?usp=share_link">here</a>.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-91714756295720148652023-01-14T14:05:00.001-06:002023-01-14T14:05:20.729-06:00Finding the Other Blog. <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> Some of you know that I’ve recently had surgery. News is good, However, this blog has been primarily professional, not personal. With that in mind, I started a new blog, <a href="https://chaplainotherrail.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chaplain on the Other Side of the Rail.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The problem has been that Facebook has a problem with the url and title for the blog. I still don’t know what the problem is. So, if you’re looking for the blog on my experience as a patient, that’s where to find it. I hope this helps. Let me know.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-87342357062629919342022-12-26T14:09:00.011-06:002024-01-17T15:49:44.020-06:00Sermon for Advent 4, Year A: A Good Man<p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> I'm trying something a little different. Usually, when post a sermon I'm posting the transcript. This time I thought I would add something different and post the audio of the sermon itself. I can come back and add the transcript, but I wanted to try this. It is going to require you to download it to listen. Let me know what you think.</span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sermon for Advent 4, Year A, December 18, 2022: listen <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fNvC3OlXzB8J_QxlKfzrqe1Frfd3F3pX/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For those not inclined to listen, the transcript is below:</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Most of you have heard at one point or another, sometimes when I'm preparing for a sermon, a song comes to me This time it was not a song, it was a poem from my childhood. And I don't know how many of you, probably most of you, are aware that in addition to the stories of Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Milne wrote a number of wonderful poems for children. And as I was preparing for the sermon, this came to me.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">King John was not a good man. He had his little ways,</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">and sometimes no one spoke to him for days and days and days.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And when men came across him when walking in the town,</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">gave him a supercilious stare.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">or passed with noses in the air.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">and bad King John stood dumbly there, </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">blushing beneath his crown.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">King John was not a good man, and no good friends had he,</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">he stayed in every afternoon, but no one came to tea.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And roundabout December, the cards upon his shelf,</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">which wished him lots of Christmas cheer.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">and fortune in the coming year.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">were never from his near and dear, </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">but only from himself.</span></p></blockquote><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Those are the opening stanzas of "King John's Christmas" by Milne.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We were talking about the lessons, my wife and I, and noting that this is that one kind of odd Fourth Advent. In Fourth Advent, we begin to turn to talking about the Incarnation. And in the second year of a three year cycle, Year B, and in the third year, Year C, we're in Luke. It's either the Annunciation to the blessed virgin or it's the Visitation. But Matthew does have his stories of the Incarnation. And so inYear A we get Matthew, and we get the story of Joseph. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My wife had run across a meme on Twitter saying, “Of all the people talking about Christian manhood, I wonder how different it would be if they had really taken their model from Joseph.” So this kicked me back to a Milne’s poem, “King John was not a good man,” because King Ahaz was not a good man. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We get a piece of Ahaz’s story today, but not the be most important piece. And in fact, this is one of those where it would make a whole lot more sense if they'd given you more verses upfront. Isaiah has a reason that he goes to talk to Ahaz, and it is this, (this is from earlier in chapter seven of Isaiah).</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“In the days of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Arum and King Pika, son of Remeliah of Israel, went up to attack Jerusalem, but could not mount an attack against it. When the house of David heard that Aram had allied itself with Ephraim, the heart of Ahaz, and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. Then the Lord said to Isaiah, go and meet Ahaz.” </span></blockquote><p></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And that's what he goes to see Ahaz about. And that is why he says to Ahaz, “It shall not stand. It shall not come to pass.” And it’s that reason that he said, “Look, Ahaz, trust God. Ask a sign. Ask a sign that is as high as the top of heaven, is as low as the pit of hell. Ask a sign.” And Ahaz said, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I I can't test the Lord.”</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There's a problem with this. See, we think on the first hand that this is a wonderfully pious and humble moment. It's not. If you wanna get the rest of the story of Ahaz, you gotta go to the 16th chapter of Second Kings. And what you find out in the 16th chapter of Second Kings is why he didn't want to hear from Isaiah. See, Ahaz already had a plan. He had his own plan.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Broader context: the reason that Pika and Rezin had gone to war was that they wanted to rebel or at least put up a buffer against the Assyrians. And they wanted Judah to join them, or to be unable to come at them from behind; one way or another. So they wanted to take Judah first, put up their own, um, put up their own puppet king so that they could add Judas armies to their own, or at least not have a potential enemy at their back when they go up against Assyria. This is why Isaiah goes to Ahaz. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But Ahaz had his own plan, and his own plan is laid out in the 16th chapter of Second Kings, “Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Arum and from the hand of the king of Israel who are attacking me.”</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">That puts a whole different light on it. Ahaz had a plan and it had nothing to do with trusting God. It was perhaps expedient militarily, politically: ask the great power and say, “Listen, they're coming against you, but I'm not against you. When you come against them, come and save me from them.” And he said, “I will be your vassal.” And what did he do to demonstrate that he would be the vassal? </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the House of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria.” Worse, </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"></span></p><blockquote>When King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, he saw the altar that was at Damascus. King Ahaz sent to the priest of Uriah, a model of the altar and its pattern exact in all its details. Uriah built the altar in accordance with all the king Ahaz had sent from Damascus. When the king came from Damascus, the king drew near to that altar, went up on it, offered his burnt offering and his grain offering, poured out his drink offering and dashed the blood of his offerings of wellbeing against that altar. The bronze altar that was before the Lord he removed from the front of the house, from the place between his altar and the house of the Lord and put it on the north side of his altar. </blockquote><p></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Ahaz did not want to hear from Isaiah because he had a plan, and his plan had nothing to do with trusting in the Lord. And in fact, having executed his plan, he did what was again, politically and militarily expedient. He appeased Assyria’s gods; which is why he is remembered as one of the worst kings in the Books of kings, in the Books of Chronicles, one of those who did not do as the Lord had commanded,He did not want to hear from Isaiah. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And then Isaiah does this. He said, “Doesn't matter, you can pretend to be pious. I see through it and you are about to have a sign. Anyway, there is a young woman there. She is pregnant, she is going to have a child, and she is going to bring peace. That child is going to bring peace to Israel. And before that child is eating solid food and able to taste well, and is able to understand, if not respond to the word no, (I mean, we all know how two year olds are about the word no.) these kings that you're so afraid of, they'll be gone.” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now it's interesting that, this child was out there. We don't have a concrete identification of who this child is, but this child is going to demonstrate despite Ahaz, despite Ahaz as apostasy, that God can be, will be with Israel, Emmanuel. And it is interesting that, the next child born in the Royal House, the child of Ahaz’s Queen Abi, was Hezekiah. And Hezekiah in the 17th chapter of Second Kings is hailed as one of the great kings of Israel who restores the temple, who restores the worship of the Lord, who moves that abomination of an altar out and cleans up the temple and remembers what God called for, and had peace in his reign. His wasn't a perfect reign. He sinned some and he had to do some penitent things. But in his reign, God was with Israel and there was peace. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But Ahaz: Ahaz was not a good man, which is why I am so struck at the direct relation that Matthew puts between Ahaz and Joseph. He actually creates it in a couple of different ways. First, before we get to the Christmas story in Matthew, in Matthew we get the genealogy, the genealogy that demonstrates that Joseph is of the house of David. And so Jesus will be understood to be of the House of David, even though Jesus' father is through the Holy Spirit. And guess who is in the lineage of David, whether we like him or not, but Ahaz. So there is that connection of Joseph to Ahaz. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There is another that we will come to. It is this reference to Emmanuel and who this new child will be. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But we know that Joseph is a good man. First of all, Matthew tells us that Joseph was a righteous man, but beyond being a righteous man, because righteousness can have some overtones that are not always that pleasant… </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You know, I used to meet with people and, and I would say, how are you doing? And they would give a very common response: “I’m upright and taking nourishment.” We've all heard that. And I would stand there in my clericals and say, “I never say upright. In my business that has connotations I haven't always lived up to.” </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But Joseph was a righteous man. Beyond that, by our standards, we would say Joseph was a good man, because he's engaged, he's betrothed, and Mary's pregnant. The obvious thought is that she has been unfaithful and she is pregnant by some man she is not married to. And Joseph would have every right to publicly disgrace her, to bring community shame upon her. But Joseph is a good man, unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planning to send her home quietly, break the marriage contract, but not put Mary through more. Joseph is a good man. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And here is the piece that both connects and discriminates Joseph from Ahaz: because as he's about to do this, God comes to Joseph in a dream. But pretty much as God had sent Isaiah to Ahaz who said, </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“No,” in the dream Joseph hears, “This is of God. Trust in God. This child will be again God with us and will be for the salvation of Israel. To which point you will name him Joshua, Yeshua, ‘The Lord is salvation.’” </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And Joseph was a good man, and he believed. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Ahaz was not a good man, and he did not want to believe; he had his own plan. Joseph was a good man. We knew he was righteous, and we knew he was kind. And now we know he is faithful because he bought into God's plan, and he took for his own this child. And although we don't have a lot about Joseph in the rest of the Gospels, what we do have is that he raised a good boy. He was a faithful father to this child that was not his. Joseph was a good man. </span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, I won't go through the rest of the poem of King John's Christmas. It's actually a little long for this setting.I will encourage you to read it because not only does this person who's not a good man actually end up having Christmas, it is entirely by grace. And so it is that Ahaz not willing to trust in grace was not a good man. And Joseph willing to trust in grace showed himself a good man. And in this time, when we look again to recognize God with us, let us remember not only the Blessed Mother, but also Joseph and what that kind of goodness can mean in a world so torn.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-28579926000157969242022-11-15T21:57:00.003-06:002023-07-20T17:05:35.925-05:00Sermon for Proper 28, Year C: Don't be unregulated!<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>This sermon, or something like it, was preached November 13, 2022, at <a href="https://straphael.dioet.org" target="_blank">St. Raphael's Episcopal Church</a>, Crossville, Tennessee.</i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, “All scripture is for your learning.” You are to “read mark, learn and inwardly digest;” and they give us these lessons. I think here there are some of the most mis-digested texts in Scripture. But one of the things that caught me as reading through this - can’t imagine why - “They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be and what will the sign that this is about to take place?’ And he said, ‘Beware, Do not that you are not let astray; for many will come in my name and say ‘I am he,’ and ‘the time is near.’ </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And the most interesting memory popped up in my head. A few of you know that in the summer of 1980, Bishop Sanders assigned to St. Rafael's Mission Station in Crossville this recently graduated, not yet ordained seminarian to be the lay minister in charge. He went on to do hospital chaplaincy and a lot of other stuff. Yes, I was here all those years ago; and there used to be a used bookstore in the strip mall that now has the Gondola - it’s not there anymore. And I was in there one day looking through the piles of books and I ran across a book. I don't remember exactly what the title was, but the subtitle was “Why God Sent Elvis to Earth, What he had to say to us, And When He Will Return.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> Now this had an odd resonance for me because one of my lesser claims to fame is that Elvis is my seventh cousin twice removed. I’m always happy to share that because that's a relationship such that everybody knows there's no money involved. And I also know how Elvis died.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So here we are, Elvis - St. Elvis. Now, I have lived in Memphis and I have been to Graceland. And let me tell you, when you go to Graceland, you may see some things that strike you as odd. They have rearranged it, but when I went to Graceland, they had three entire display panels talking about all that Elvis did to fight in the war on drugs. And I was with a couple of other people and I said, “Do not laugh. There are true believers here and they will hurt you.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, yeah, there are those in the oddest of places who will say, or someone will say about someone, “I am he.” This is one we hear all the time. I can remember growing up and watching, and even as an adult watching on Sunday morning, “The World Tomorrow” with Herbert W. Armstrong and it's all apocalyptic and it's all pretending to - well I shouldn't say pretending, they actually believe it - but with this idea that you can predict the end of the world. What I really liked was that they had the most wonderful graphics, the most wonderful images of those monsters. They're beautiful art in a kind of way. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And yet Jesus says, “Do not be led astray.” This is a passage that is in all the Synoptics at this point, almost at the end of the church here - because next Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year - we get to what is usually referred to as the Little Apocalypse. There's something like this in Matthew and Mark and Luke. We don't know the circumstances under which Jesus said these things. Really we think, scholars think, that they took on a particular resonance because the written versions that we have of the Gospels probably did not come together until around 65 AD. Depending on who you ask, Mark is first and Matthew is the expanded edition, the director's cut. Or Matthew is first, and Mark is the Reader's Digest Condensed Version. But we think they came together around 65 or a little after; and then Luke was 70 or a little after, which is significant because this was after the Temple was torn down. And for this Christian community that was still in Jerusalem - there was persecution, you see it recorded in Acts but there were still still Christians around - who were still at that point thinking of themselves as Messianic Jews. It's not a term they would've used, but they were still worshiping in the Temple. And then the Romans come in and the Temple is desecrated, the walls are torn down and they say, “Whoa! Jesus had something to say about this!” And so they are looking for the end times. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And of course the end times always, always sound dreadful; because, after all, major turnover is dreadful. Anything that uproots what we know and are used to feels uncomfortable, even threatening. And so Jesus said, “Yeah, these things will happen. And guess what? You've got a while to wait.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, remember that in all of the Synoptics he also says, “You don't get to know the time.” That's the problem with folks who are trying to read mark, learn and inwardly digest the scriptures as if they could figure out a calendar. Jesus said, “You don't get to know the time. You get to know there's going to be trouble. You get to know this being a Christian is not going to be the easiest and most comfortable thing. You get to know that there are going to be some people that don't like you being a Christian;” or, I guess now that we live in a Christianized culture, we live with a lot of people who don't like how other people go about being Christian. You know, I grew up in Knoxville and I remember people who would encounter you interesting encounters at West Town Mall when it was still a thing and and they would say, “Are you Christian or are you Catholic?” So you know people who are uncomfortable with how other people go about being Christian; and sometimes the people who most claim to be persecuted really seem to want to use it as a justification to challenge others. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But Jesus says, “Do not go after them, as awful as things may be. Do not go after them. Wait on me because you don't get to know.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Which gets us to Second Thessalonians. Now second Thessalonians also has one of these really badly digested passages in it: “For when we were with you, I gave you this command. Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.” Now there are places in Paul when Paul really sounds rather un-Jesus-like, and this is one of the worst. Jesus said, “Give to anybody that begs of you.” Period. Jesus spent his time feeding and healing and he didn't ask whether they deserved it. And we've known in our own time people, happily few people in churches, but people who wanted to use that and say, “See these people are undeserving. They're not putting up enough effort to help themselves;” usually without any reflection about what opportunity or capacity they have to participate. Somehow this is less about what it means to be meaningfully involved in the Christian life and more about, “That’s fine, but I don't want 'em to have my money.” </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Paul is talking to the Thessalonians who are a long way past waiting, probably not to the destruction of the temple - Paul’s earlier than the Gospels - but they had kind of expected something to happen on the Monday after the Resurrection, and it's now been decades. And so Paul is in encouraging them all the way through Second Thessalonians and and saying, “You guys are doing a good job” outside of this passage. He spends a good deal of time saying, “Look at the ministries you have. Look at how well you have lived in faith. Look at how well you have sustained it in the face of everything else.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“But,” he said, “I've heard some of you are living in Idleness.” Well, at least hopefully he didn't mean retirement. That “idleness” is interesting. It's an odd word according to the scholars I read. It's an odd word in Greek. It doesn't really mean sitting around. It means disorganized, it means disorderly. When you say disorganized and disorderly to me in context of what it means to live the Christian life, I fall back to the concept of Rule. This is “unregulated,” and I think of the Rule. I am an Associate of the Order of the Holy Cross, a Benedictine monastic order for men in the Episcopal Church. I have my own Rule. I confess I'm not the best at keeping my own rule. The Daughters of the King have a Rule; and I wonder if the word here is not better understood as “irregular,” not “sitting around wasting time.” </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I think it's significant that in here he's talking to believers, he's not talking to the world. And Jesus in this Gospel lesson, when he talks about what's going to happen, the “they,”, it's believers. So we are clearly focused on how we as believers live the Christian life. And scholars debate: are these Christians who said, “We still believe that next Thursday it's going to happen and we might as well just sit and wait?” That's possible. I don't know about anybody else - I'm sure I was particularly attentive to it because I think it happened while I was in seminary -I remember there was a small apocalyptic congregation out in Arkansas, and they decided that the time was coming. And families went out dressed in white robes, adults and children, and sat on the roofs of their houses waiting for it to happen. And they sat there and they sat there and they sat there, until the truant officer came and showed up to wonder why the kids weren't in school. So we don't know if that's a possibility. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The other possibility is that other evangelists had come through, other ministers following in Paul's tradition and they were acting somehow privileged. They were acting somehow, “Well I have the Word, you take care of me.” We don't know for sure who Paul was unhappy about, but we are pretty sure this was not simply Paul saying, “Look, I was sewing tents while I was in Thessalonica and these other people, you know, they ought to be out doing trade. They ought to be out making pottery. They ought to be out working.” </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">No, this is about believers and believing, and what it means to live as a believer. So what does it mean to live as a believer? And I found myself thinking that we are at the end of Luke; because starting with Advent, we get back into Matthew again. And thinking about the beginning of Jesus's ministry in Luke because it clarifies both ends of this. It clarifies what Paul may be talking about and what Jesus certainly is talking about, about who to follow and who not to follow. Remember that wonderful and powerful passage in the Fourth Chapter? Jesus is in the synagogue. They hand him the scroll. He reads from Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has sent me to preach release of captives, recovery of sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed, the year of the Lord's favor: God demonstrating goodness.” And Jesus said, “Now you're seeing that be fulfilled:” Jesus demonstrating God's will, which in Jesus' ministry is about proclamation and actual healing; is about proclamation and actual feeding; is about proclamation and actual care for the poor; is about proclamation and actually showing in the world by how he lived, that God was indeed at hand. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And you've heard from me and others, as we say that's Jesus's ministry. And if we're gonna claim to be Jesus, literally the Body of Jesus now present, that's our ministry. And suddenly it becomes clear what we at least can think about, about who to follow when they say, “I’m with Jesus.” Well, are they with Jesus in <i>that? </i>When people say, “I am working within as a part of the Christian community,” are they working with Jesus at <i>that</i>? When people talk about what it means to live as a member of the body of Christ, then that means we are embracing some portion, none of us totally, but some portion of <i>that</i> ministry of Christ; and that ministry of Christ, at least as Luke understood it, was all about that kind of service and care, and demonstrating God's loving and caring presence in the world.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now, before you leave today, we're going to get to the closing prayer. Pay attention because it says, “And now Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do,” which is “to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.” That is, in some sense or another, a life that is not idle and not disorderly, but as each of us is called, as each of us structures what each of us understands “Christian” to be, to follow the Rule, to stick with the path; knowing that, yeah, the time will come when all things are torn down, and it may be next Thursday, and it may be long after all of us are resting. In the meantime, we are called to remember who Jesus was, and therefore who we are called to be. And as Paul said, “Do not become weary in doing what is right.”</span></p><div><br /></div>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-5061332058283475342022-02-05T11:19:00.004-06:002022-02-05T11:19:56.356-06:00General Convention is Coming - And You Can Play a Part!<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> I think most folks who have seen this blog know that it began reflecting on matters beyond chaplaincy. That’s why, among others things, I have written many posts about General Convention. General Convention has always been important to me as an Episcopalian (I know that may seem obvious, but I bet we all know enough Episcopalians who don’t think about General Convention), and especially as a wonk. I appreciate that the ecclesiology expressed in the Episcopal Church considers that the Holy Spirit moves in each person, and so we hear the Holy Spirit most clearly when the greatest number of us are thinking together. That is the value of General Convention: more than 1,000 folks are gathered to share how they’re hearing the Spirit and lead the Episcopal Church accordingly.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">With that in mind, there is a great opportunity available to all of us this year. The 80th General Convention was delayed a year by the pandemic, and will gather this summer. That also allowed for time for an unexpected chance for so many to participate. From the Episcopal News Service: “<a href="https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2022/02/04/general-convention-committees-to-welcome-public-to-online-legislative-hearings-for-first-time/" target="_blank">General Convention committees to welcome public to first-ever online legislative hearings.</a>”</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">If you’ve never been to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church (and I think every Episcopalian should attend, even if only as a Visitor -yes, that’s an official status - and only for a day or two), you may not be aware how matters are decided in General Convention. It looks an awful lot like legislative meetings of the United States or of the various states. Things are voted on. And like those other legislative bodies, a lot of the important work happens in committees. It’s really in the committees that legislation is considered and shaped, and, especially, that testimony is heard. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">In General Convention, any person registered (including Visitors and Exhibitors, another real status) can testify before a Committee, as time allows. Granted, in meetings in person Deputies and Bishops get the first chance to testify, because they may be from other committees, and so need to get back to that work. However, anyone else can put a word in. Testifying by individuals adds information and often a lot of reality and emotional power to the consideration and shaping of a resolution. A resolution is less abstract when you hear how real people are affected by the issues addressed. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">This year at least some committees are meeting ahead of Convention, and meeting online. That will give opportunities for testimony in the Zoom meetings, and that might allow testimony from many of us who wouldn’t otherwise be involved in Convention. As a chaplain I think that’s a great opportunity. We have perspectives on how issues affect people who are receiving healthcare or working in healthcare institutions, perspectives that aren’t heard that often. That’s not to suggest our parish-based clergy and lay siblings wouldn’t care, but that we live in an environment they don’t see every day.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, ready the article carefully to see how you might participate. Then, go the <a href="https://www.vbinder.net/menu?house=HD&lang=en" target="_blank">General Convention Virtual Binder</a>. You can find all the resolutions currently received. For background on the A resolutions (remember, there are A, B, C, and D resolutions, but for this purpose the differences aren’t important), check out the <a href="https://www.generalconvention.org/bluebook2021" target="_blank">Reports to General Convention, also known as the Blue Book</a>. A few meetings will have happened before you see this, but many more will be coming. You can find the schedule <a href="https://www.vbinder.net/legislative_meetings?house=HD&lang=en&page=2&per_page=20" target="_blank">here</a>. And remember to check back regularly on both resolutions and committee meetings. Resolutions will be coming in right up to the first days of Convention; and while you might not have an opportunity to participate in Zoom testimony, you will certainly have an opportunity to let your own bishop and Deputies know what you think. You can also find the lists of committee members <a href="https://www.generalconvention.org/legislative-committees-for-the-80th-general-convention" target="_blank">here</a>, and so perhaps share perspectives with a bishop or Deputy you know. Oh, and if you don't know who's in your own diocesan deputation (and every one of us who's endorsed has a diocesan connection) you can find that out <a href="https://extranet.generalconvention.org/governing_and_interim_bodies/house_of_deputies" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">This really is an important opportunity. Please take the time to read the article, and then explore your own innate wonkiness to help shape the positions and direction of the Episcopal Church</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-60415463481497981092022-01-11T21:33:00.000-06:002022-01-11T21:33:11.716-06:00Philip and the Evidence: a Sermon for the Baptism of Christ, Epiphany 1, 2022<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> <i>This sermon, or one something like it, was preached January 9, 2022, at <a href="https://straphael.dioet.org" target="_blank">St. Raphael's Episcopal Church</a>, Crossville, Tennessee.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">When I was ordained - both times I was ordained - I was ordained a deacon on March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation, at the Church of the Ascension in Knoxville. And I grew up in Knoxville. You've heard that before. And my mother's people are from Caryville, in the coal country north of Knoxville, on lower reaches of the Plateau, but north and east of here. When I was ordained I found myself wondering, so I'm going to get to this point in the service and the Bishop is going to lay hands on my head. What would happen if I were slain in the Spirit?</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">And a little over six months later, when I was ordained a priest at St John's Church in Memphis - then it was the Bishop and also all the other priests laying hands on my head - what would happen if I were slain in the Spirit?</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Now, if you're not familiar with that phrase, it is one of those moments, common in Charismatic and, Pentecostal expressions of Christianity, where the Spirit comes on someone and they are laid out on the floor, bang! Let’s call it a holy faint, but it’s believed to happen because the Spirit overwhelms the person. And having grown up in this part of the country and knowing something about and even experiencing Pentecostal worship, I wondered about that. What would happen if Bishop Sanders laid hands on my head and I were slain in the Spirit?</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Which brings us to today. No, not me being slain in the Spirit, but today, for all that we talk about the baptism, all of the focus is on God being present in the Spirit and God being present where we don't expect it. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Today I want to talk about Philip. Where did Philip come from? Anytime you look at the Lectionary and you see a set of verses as short and truncated as we have in the Acts lesson today, the first thing to do is ask yourself what's missing; because when they've made that tight of selection, the context may be really interesting. And I found the context today really interesting because it's about Philip. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The disciples heard that the word had come to Samaria - well, wait a minute! How did that happen? And why? Samaria of all places! We know, and especially from Luke, that Jews and Samaritans, they didn't talk to each other. They actually had some common roots, but some significant differences. And it was one of those things where they were in many ways so alike, they couldn't stand each other. Why Samaria?</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Well, the answer to the question is Philip, Philip the Deacon. Now, how does Philip become a deacon? If you remember, and we hear earlier in Acts that the members of the early Christian community who were Greek-speaking Jews kind of felt like they were being shorted by the early Christian community who were Hebrew-speaking Jews, Aramaic-speaking Jews. And so the Apostles said, “Well, we're going to appoint seven good men as <i>diakonoi,</i> waiters - basically seven leaders in the Greek-speaking part of our community, who will make sure that the widows and orphans get their due.” The most famous of them was Stephen, but also justly famous is Philip. And when you look into the rest of the story and you look into the eighth chapter of Acts as a whole, the first thing you see is that after Stephen was martyred, there was persecution in Jerusalem and the Christian community, or some scholars think maybe just the Greek-speaking part of the Christian community, got scattered. And in that scattering, Philip goes to Samaria.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">This is also the same Philip who at the end of this chapter meets the Ethiopian eunuch on the road. See, there is this consistency about Philip. He was ordained, we would say now, for the function of taking care of the people who were left out. And so when he is thrown out of Jerusalem, he goes to some of the most left out people that he can imagine. He goes to Samaria. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And by God's grace, he's successful in Samaria. He is convicting in Samaria. They believe, and they see him doing wonderful things. In fact, one of them who sees him doing wonderful things is a guy by the name of Simon. We know him as Simon Magus, the guy who, after he sees what happens with the Apostles will say, “Listen, lay hands on me, too, and give me this power and, and I'll pay you for it.”</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And Peter will say, “You keep your money. You do not understand. And your heart is not in the right place.” And this is interesting, because Simon believed, Simon had been baptized, too. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">He and others had received baptism in Jesus, but had not yet received the Spirit. Isn't it amazing what happens when they just give you this little chunk here: we have a minister, someone who is committed to the ministry of those who've been left out, and he goes to those who've been left out and time after time he is successful. And in fact, we know that the Spirit is with Philip because at the end of the chapter, it is the Spirit that catches Philip up, carries him out of Samaria, and takes him down to the road south of Jerusalem to meet the Ethiopian eunuch.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> At the same time, Philip for all his success needed, or at least the early Church felt he needed, confirmation of his authority. And in Jerusalem the remaining Christians and the Twelve hear, my Lord! My Lord is doing something in Samaria. Phillip’s got something going in Samaria. And they don't go down there and say, “You shouldn't have done it.” They don't go down there and say, “This is a good start, but we're gonna finish it off.” They go down there and say, “Okay, so far so good. And we will now lay hands on all of them.” It's easy for us to confuse this, and I imagine some people have seen this, as a model for Confirmation as we practice it in the Church post the Apostolic Age. I don't think this is really that because this is not so much liturgical. This is a new step in bringing these outcasts - and believe me to Peter and John the son of Zebedee, these people would still have been outcast: they’re Samaritans! - and they bring them into the Body. And we know they're brought into the Body because when they lay hands on them and pray, they receive the Holy Spirit</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And whatever they do, there is enough evidence that the Holy Spirit has been received, that, again, Simon wants in - unfortunately wants to buy his way in and not believe his way in - because he sees something. We don't know exactly what, but he sees something. Now we've spent a lot of time in the years since thinking about what that something is. And we know that it's important because in the baptism of Jesus, in all of the stories we have in the Synoptic gospels of the baptism of Jesus, this moment happens. Luke all but ignores that Jesus was baptized, doesn't even say that he was baptized by John. Look in your bulletins and you'll see that they took a few verses out. In those verses John gets arrested. In Matthew and Mark it's a little bit later, but in Luke John gets arrested apparently before Jesus gets baptized. Odd, considering it's Luke that makes a concrete connection between John and Jesus. And we still believe he was actually baptized by John, but Luke doesn't make a big deal of that. What he does continue to make a deal of is that after the baptism and as Jesus is praying, it is under those circumstances is that the heavens are opened and the Spirit descends visibly as a dove, “in bodily form.” There's something there to see that lands on Jesus. And there is a voice. There is something there to hear, or at least that Jesus hears: “You are my beloved Son. And I am pleased with you.”</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So we know how critical the Spirit is in empowering people, right? Because this is where Jesus' ministry starts. John is now off the table. This is where Jesus' ministry starts, and it has to do with this wonderful Trinitarian moment. Don't miss that. The Son here's, the Father speaks, the Spirit descends, the Trinity's present. And it is from this moment that we start seeing the evidence. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">See, the church has always taught that when theS pirit is moving, there's evidence. We have lists from Paul in Romans and in First Corinthians of the gifts of the Spirit. Actually, there are several different lists of the gifts of the Spirit. And I've seen some people try to say there are seven and some nine - I actually read was something that said they were 18 because with all of these different lists, they wanted to make them additive, not overlapping. But there are certainly the ones that Paul talks about in Romans 12: prophecy, ministry, teaching, preaching, charity or giving, leading or governance, mercy. And later on, he also talks about tongues and interpretation of tongues, but in a context where, okay, that happens, but that's hardly the most important of the gifts. Elsewhere, Paul talks about fruits of the Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long suffering, meekness, faith, modesty, self-control, chastity. So the expectation has always been when the Spirit moves, there’s evidence. Understand, if you look at those lists, it doesn't have to be dramatic. Again, I had that wondering about what would happen if I were slain in the Spirit, but it seems that the most profound and important evidences of the Spirit aren't that dramatic. They're in day-to-day living and in day-to-day functions that serve to reflect God's presence in the world. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It’s kind of like my perspective on miracles. Most of you know that I spent nearly 40 years as a hospital chaplain, and people would say to me, “Have you seen any miracles?” I would say, “I've seen lots of them.” But I want you to appreciate my perspective on a miracle. A miracle is an event that shows God's presence in the world, whether we think we understand it or not. It’s a miracle when the medicine works - Not because we didn't think it would, but because it's evidence of God working in the world. It's a miracle when people get better. And I will tell you sometimes as a chaplain, it is a miracle when people find rest at last, not because we don't understand what's going on, or we don't have a perspective on how God is working in the universe, but because these are signs of God's presence in the world.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So Jesus, having been baptized and praying, receives the Spirit in this sense, and I say in this sense for a reason, and his ministry begins and we see the evidence; and Philip goes to another group of cast out people, the Samaritans, and he's preaching and baptizing and there's evidence. And the Apostles come down to confirm the evidence. And the evidence is certainly perhaps healings and wonders, but also the way the church is built up. And also the way people who had been cast out, left out, are brought in and made part of the community. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Ordination is like that. My ordination, your ordination - I mean, you knew that right? One of the best comments I knew from my recently retired Bishop, Bishop Marty Fields, was that the primary ordination for ministry is in baptism. And we receive the Spirit from God, which we know is going on in baptism - if not only in baptism - for ministry, to see the evidence. And lay people have the broadest perspective on where that evidence can be shown. Bishop Field said that in ordination, your focus, or where you show your evidence, just gets narrower and narrower. The Bishop has the least scope of all because that's most focused. The layperson has the most choices of where and how to show evidence of the Spirit working in the world and the most opportunities with these varied gifts that any one of us may have. - and one of these gifts each one of us surely does have - to show the evidence of the Spirit working in the world. Maybe it's like what happened with the Lectionary. What I mean by that is, I saw this little snippet and said, “There's got to be more to the story than this. There's something going on. I’ve got to put in some effort to look for it.”</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">By the same token, we believe that by virtue of God's presence, the Spirit is working in the world. We believe that by virtue of our baptism, the Spirit is in some sense working in each of us. And we may need to put in some extra effort to see it. Sometimes it's harder to see it working in other people. Sometimes in our overly-expressed humility, it’s hard to see it working in ourselves; but the opportunity is there to see and participate in the work of the Spirit in the world. For after all, we have been baptized in the baptism of Christ in a tradition that comes to us from the Apostles. We have been baptized and we can start looking in our own lives and in the lives of others for the evidence that in us is the Holy Spirit and the fire, the power, to show the Spirit in the world.</span></p><div><br /></div>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-69561978269834708462021-12-14T18:37:00.003-06:002021-12-14T18:37:51.367-06:00Looking Back and Forward: A Sermon for Advent III, Year C<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i>Preached at <a href="https://www.pleasanthillucctn.org" target="_blank">Pleasant Hill Community Church (UCC) </a>in Pleasant Hill, Tennessee. If you'd like to see the service and sermon in context, you can see that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEKBIue87UQ" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The Gospel lesson tells this story from Luke’s text. We also have it in Matthew, but today we’re looking at Luke. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, the people went to the Jordan to hear from John, the Baptizer. And when they arrived, this is what they heard:</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">"You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Now, this is different from Matthew. In Matthew, John is speaking especially to the Scribes and the Pharisees. In Luke, John is speaking to everyone.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">In either case, it seems a very familiar sermon. It’s an expanded version of what we’ve seen so often by the roadside: a cross-shaped sign emblazoned with, “Get Right With God!”</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And what were they getting right for? </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">"I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And avoiding the fire seems to have been on the minds of those who heard John. “What do we do?” they asked. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“If you have two coats, share!” said John. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">If you have more than enough to eat, share!,” said John.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“If you have a job that gives room for theft, fraud or extortion, </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>don’t!” said John. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">This is also different from Matthew. Matthew just left his listeners hanging. Luke at least gave them something to do.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Again, this seems a very familiar sermon. How many of us have experienced sermons with just this point: either you live right, or it’s fire! </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I have to imagine it was also familiar to most of John’s congregation. We sometimes speak of John as the last of the prophets of the Old Covenant, largely in recognition that he proclaims the Lord’s intention of the New Covenant. That’s true; and it’s also true that among the prophetic writings in the Hebrew Scriptures this was a well known proclamation. The Jews in the congregation would have known that well. And even the soldiers would have had some idea. In the Roman Empire there were plenty of ethical teachers to remind folks that it’s wrong to steal or extort. They might have had different ideas of what the consequences would be, but they agreed that there were consequences for doing wrong. Everybody in the crowd would have had some opportunity to look forward to those consequences, and to look back at what they’d heard, what they’d learned, so as to avoid the fire.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And what a relief in what they heard! It was all familiar! There was something they could do! They could be in control!</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">But, then, that’s a problem, isn’t it? If it’s just about right behavior, then we’re in control. Oh, there’s lip service to God being in control. After all, it’s God that has the fire and knows how to use it. But, really, God’s not in control. We are! And, oh, how reassuring that is!</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It’s how we are, really. There’s plenty of research that human beings are hardwired to fear losing in the present more than to hope for the future. That makes it really reassuring when we can look back to find the tactics to move forward. Indeed, it can lead us to the false conclusion that we can use the past to shape a future that doesn’t have to change. We’re in control, and what we see looking forward will look as familiar as the present.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">But, what if we’re not in control? What if the future is being shaped in ways we don’t expect? What if God is in control, and not only in control, but free to do new, unexpected things?</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It’s possible, you know. If God really is in control and we aren’t, doesn’t that mean we can’t just look back to see forward? </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Maybe, it means looking back to see when God has not been predictable. Maybe it means looking back to see God call, not just for a justice we can control, but for a hope that is beyond our shaping.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">That theme is in the prophets, too. That’s what we see in the passage today from Isaiah. You can find some interesting parallels between Isaiah’s day and John’s. The province of Judea was under Roman domination. In Isaiah’s time, the nation of Judah was threatened by the large, powerful armies of the Assyrian Empire. And, while at the time of our passage Judah hadn’t fallen, Judah’s neighbors had or soon would. The Assyrians in their time were just as infamous as the Romans would be for imposing their laws and culture on conquered nations. Indeed, they were, if anything, worse, tearing conquered peoples from their homelands and settling them in the midst of strangers.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">In the face of this, the prophets in Isaiah certainly call for righteous behavior, but they also call for trust: trust that God is in control, and trust that God can bring about a future that’s not just another round of the past we already know.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And so we have the hymn from Isaiah in today’s lessons.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Surely, it is God who saves me; *</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> I will trust in him and not be afraid.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> and he will be my Savior.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> from the springs of salvation.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And on that day you shall say, *</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Make his deeds known among the peoples; *</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> see that they remember that his Name is exalted.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> and this is known in all the world.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Now, this is a very different proclamation, isn’t it! This is not about us getting right with God to escape the fire. This is about God making things right, and our joy in it. This is not about us doing what we’ve always done, hoping to get something no worse than we always got. This is about God being free to do new things, unexpected things, which we will recognize in faith and for which we will give thanks.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">There is a turn this Third Sunday of Advent. Since August our lessons have, one way or another, spoken to the coming Reign of God. That peaked on the last Sunday of the Church year when the lessons reflected ideas of what the complete presence of God’s reign might look like; but even in the first Sundays of Advent, we have still been hearing about the promise of God’s reign. If we look back at how earthly empires appear, like John’s congregation we might expect God’s reign to look like any other conquering force.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">If, on the other hand, we look back to see how God has surprised us, and how God has called for faith in hope, and not simply obedience in fear of fire, we might glimpse a different future, one that we don’t control but that offers so much promise; one where we live right, not to avoid the fire, but to participate in God’s grace. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">We might look forward, then, and recognize it when God does unexpected things - like, providing children to a woman long past her time and to a man near dead; or leading a people to freedom through the depths of the sea; or proclaiming promise in the midst of a frightened people; or sending an angel to talk to a young girl; or starting the restoration of the universe in a village shed.</span></p>
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<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><br /></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-42940111298597115482021-08-22T21:33:00.002-05:002021-12-21T20:58:42.049-06:00Time to Suit Up: a Sermon for Proper 16, 8.22.2021<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> <i>Preached at St. Raphael's Episcopal Church, Crossville, Tennessee, August 22, 2021.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">You know, there is always a story. That used to be the bane of people I used to work with because it didn't matter what the topic was, there was always a story. The story this morning is actually not a teaching story. It's an experience out of my own life. Early in my ministry, I got asked to do a wedding and this was a great pleasure for me because the groom was a very good friend of mine from college, very close friend. And he was a little out of his element. He had grown up in the country in Tennessee, although he by this time had gone on and graduated from college and completed his law degree and was doing quite well. But there was that part of him that was still an East Tennessee country boy, and his wife was from a different culture: the reception took place at the James River Country Club in Newport News, Virginia.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It went very well: as interesting wedding, lots of fun stories, and a black tie reception. But, of course, I was working, so I was in clericals, not in black tie. And about, oh, 45 minutes into the reception, I realized there was somebody who was always at my elbow. It was my friend's cousin. My friend's cousin was interesting in and of himself. He had grown up in the country in west Tennessee, and decided he wanted to see the world. So he joined the Merchant Marine. And after serving a number of years in the Merchant Marine, he left the Merchant Marine, joined the Army, became a Ranger and served with honor in the Rangers. And he was at the wedding, not in black tie, but in full dress uniform. Now those of you that have served, understand that when I say full dress uniform, this was quite something. I looked at him and I said, “What's going on?” He said, “Well, you know, I see all these people around me and I'm just staying close to the guy who's in uniform.” </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">When we talk about being in uniform in American culture and in American history, there's a certain expectation attached. Usually we talk about it as military service; but the fact is, is that we have a lot of different uniforms in our lives. And many of us have been in a uniform, if not in the armed services. Nurses still have uniforms. I mean, scrubs look a little bit different, but I can tell you that hospitals do things like have different colored scrubs on registered nurses versus licensed practical nurses versus nurse aides: a sense of a uniform. I served in a uniform for a number of years, not in the military, but because I was in marching band. And I remember my college uniform for the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Band. Even more I remember my high school uniform because being a high school uniform - this was at Bearden in Knoxville - they had opted for a dual use uniform. It was basically a tux suit with a red vinyl overlay over it. And trust me, in late August and early September, there are a few things hotter than a red vinyl overlay laid over a wool suit.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So. I had my time in that uniform. Or, you see me when I'm working Sunday mornings in clericals and that uniform. Many of us have some sense of what it is to be in a uniform, even if it's just a bowling shirt, because we want those things that being in uniform gives us. They identify us with a particular group. They give us a sense of solidarity with the other folks who are in uniform. Generally, they imply a certain skill or a certain training, even if it's just those highly visible t-shirts that the moms wear when they're the chaperones for the field trip. It’s for the people to be able to see them and come to them and ask them about things they are supposed to know about and be authorized and prepared to do - a lot of different kinds of uniforms. I miss actually when nurses wore caps, because most of you probably know each different educational institution for nurses had a distinctive cap. And back in the days when nurses wore caps, you could learn where a person got their education. A lot of things you got out of the uniform.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The author of Ephesians talks today about a uniform. I know it's armor, but if you think about it, it's a uniform. Those who wore armor didn't just wear armor when they were going into battle. They wore armor pretty much anytime they were on duty. And especially in Rome when so much of the work was civil unrest. You never knew when something was going to come up. They were in uniform and it was a uniform that would have been very familiar to Jesus's listeners. In fact, if you know much about armor or know much about the history of military service, you will remember that different groups at different times had different kinds of armor, different shapes of the breast plate, different shapes of the sword. You could identify who they fought for by what they wore, which in the middle of a crunch was really important. You wanted the right person at your shoulder, not the wrong person.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So the author of Ephesians, who, as I said last week, has been talking to us how to live in the presence of Christ in the world, talks about putting on armor to withstand the evil that besets us. And the evil that besets us, says the author of Ephesians, is not people. It’s not, as he said, enemies of flesh and blood. It's against rulers. It's against authorities. It's against the cosmic powers of this present darkness. Some years ago there was an author, and I'll blank on his name for a few minutes, but the title of one of his book was <i>The People of the Lie</i>.It it was talking about demonic powers. I was a priest in Memphis at the time, and one of my colleagues did a book review of it for the other Episcopal clergy. And this colleague of mine said, “I’m much too educated and much too sophisticated to believe in demonic powers.” And I looked at a colleague of mine right next to me. He said, “I'm glad I'm not that sophisticated.” Depending on how you want to understand creation to be, you may or may not want to talk about personified expressions pursuing evil, but all of us will remember that there are forces that are a whole lot bigger than us, in the face of which we fear we have no control. And some of them seem to be doing people harm.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">One of the commentators I listened to, a professor at Luther Seminary said that there are some people that say this is that idea of systemic problems. That is, the author of Ephesians is not just talking about - in fact, it's particularly not talking about - defending against individual sins, but against the waves of sinfulness that go through society, the waves that no one person is responsible for, but that we have some responsibility to meet. And that's one way to think about what this armor is about. It's about being prepared to meet, however you want to understand it, not just the wickedness of the person next door, (because as I used to say to nurses, I'll hear your confession. And if you're concerned about it, I'll match you sin for sin), but about, again, those things for which we trust in God’s support and work with God because they certainly seem to be beyond us as individuals.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So we are called to be prepared for that. Not just thankfully on our own strength: the Greek of “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power,” Delmer Chilton says could be better understood as “be strengthened in the power of the Lord:” God working in us to do these things. And therefore God calls us to put on the uniform, to suit up, to put on the belt of truth and to be truthful, to put on the breastplate of righteousness, which means to do rightly. (That’s not an attitude of self righteousness. There's too blessed much of that around already.) To hold the shield of faith, to have on your feet whatever makes you ready to proclaim the Gospel of peace - individually and as a community: St. Raphael's Episcopal Church. What is it that prepares us to proclaim the Gospel of peace? And then the sword, which is the Word. But note that again, this is about defending against evil. This is not about going out and beating anybody up. Being prepared, being in uniform, being in company, because all of these “you-s” are plural in the Greek -to take our place against those principalities and powers and authorities that on the one hand seem beyond our control and therefore we need God's strength for them; and on the other hand, we clearly see, they are doing harm.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The author of Ephesians calls us to put on the uniform and to become part of the company. Remember I said, that being in uniform is part of a team; part of being in a group; part of being identifiable in the group; and also part of being identifiable outside the group. The hardest part about putting on any uniform, not withstanding my experience in marching band, is not getting the suspenders. Those of you who served in the armed forces will appreciate, and those of you who've ever been in marching band will appreciate the hardest part about being in uniform is the drill. It's the getting out and doing what you're supposed to do again and again and again and again, when you don't need it, so that you'll be prepared when you do need it. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And that's a tough commitment. That's what we think people found tough about Jesus. He kept saying these odd things, and if you paid attention in the Gospel of John, with me preaching about it or somebody else, Jesus has a tendency in the Gospel of John to say some pretty interesting things. And scholars are not sure what it was that caused these people in this lesson to turn away; whether they were just at a gut level offended at Jesus's words, because remember I said in the Greek, Jesus is saying, “He who munches on my meat” when he says, “eat my flesh,” a very physical and tangible understanding of the Incarnation and also a very physical and tangible appreciation of what it means to be in Christ; or whether it got to them when he said, “Well, then what would it mean if you were to see the Son of Man returning to heaven?” That is, “Listen, I've been telling you all along: I'm God.” So I'm not sure which of those things or both of those things got those folks to say, “Who can keep this teaching,” because they weren't sure they were prepared to live with either of those things.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“That’s the drill,” Jesus said to the disciples. Now, you know there is a distinction here. We can think of the apostles as people that Jesus called versus the hangers on. In John Jesus doesn't have a good opinion of the hangers on. He says, “You know, you're just here because I keep feeding people. You're just here because the miracles are exciting.” And when he says to the Twelve, “What about you,” they say something different. Peter says “There's no place else to go where we know there are the words of eternal life. We're willing to embrace you. We're willing to embrace that life.” They're willing. They commit to do the drill. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So Ephesians calls us to this uniform that prepares us to be defended in the world against evil and, we hope, to help others in the world defend against evil, and not just our own individual sins, but against those things that are bigger than us, that we see doing harm. And Ephesians tells us that to do that, you take on a uniform, you take on a community, you take on a lifestyle, you take on the drill. We are those among those who say we're prepared to embrace that lifestyle and embrace that drill, to say with the Twelve that we know where are the words of eternal life. Very good. So, let's suit up!</span></p><div><br /></div>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-77879154130250447902021-08-21T15:22:00.004-05:002021-08-21T15:24:55.528-05:00Wisdom: a Sermon for Proper 15, August 15, 2021<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i>So, as I prepare my sermon for Proper 16, here is my sermon from last Sunday on Proper 15.</i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I am a big fan of teaching stories, especially middle Eastern Sufi and other teaching stories. This is one from the person I read most often, an Afghan Englishman named Idries Shah. He said that two men found themselves crossing a river on a ferry. This was an old ferry in an old country, and it was strung on ropes. And the ferrymen basically pulled the rope to get you from one side of the river to the other. So these two men were on the ferry. One of them was a professor of logic and rhetoric. And the other one, he was a local farmer. In the midst of their conversation, the rustic gentleman said, “Well, you know, if’n y'all were really prepared,” at which point the academic stopped him. He said, “Wait, no, there is only one of me. It has to be ‘you.’ And there is nothing to be added to ‘if. It’s not, ‘if’n,’ it’s just ‘if.’ If you haven't learned proper grammar, you've lost half your life.” At which point, the cables holding the ferry snapped, and the ferry began to rise on a rush of water and the head down river quickly. And the farmer said, “You know, professor, if’n y'all, hadn't learned how to swim, you've lost all your life.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The theme today is wisdom. What is wisdom? And it's an interesting thing to think about, what we think of as wisdom or as wise. You know, we live in a time where a little owl appears on our TV screen and says that being wise has to do with taking the right antihistamine. (And as somebody with perpetual sinus issues, I pay attention.) Now, wisdom is something we talk about a lot in scripture. We say that there are portions of scripture that we speak about as “wisdom literature.” For example, that includes Proverbs or Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, or Ecclesiasticus and the Wisdom of Solomon in the Apocrypha (Ecclesiasticus is a favorite of mine.)</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">They are, as we say, about wisdom. And the wisdom they are about is how to live a proper and righteous life in the world. Now, granted, in all of this, walking before God, as it were, is assumed, but it's not really what they talk about very much. They talk about right relationship between one person and another, or right ways to fit in with the structures of society, or ways, if you can, to do well for yourself and others. You know, the, the content is somewhat different from Confucius, but the intent, if you will, is the same. This is how to live a righteous and sober and productive life in society. And, if you get the opportunities, to do well. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">We still talk about wisdom today. Unfortunately it seems to me to have a bit of a different edge. It’s more personal; it's more selfish. It's less about having a successful life and more about winning - and all too often winning at any and all costs: you know, weakest to the wall and the devil take the hindmost. “I've got mine, and you have to look after yours.” We're told by voices around us, that “wise” means, “He who dies with the most toys wins.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">But in the lessons today, we have a different standard for what is “wise.” It's in Ephesians. We’ve been in Ephesians for the last few Sundays, and the last half of Ephesians is all about what it means to live in Christian community. And there's a bit of a summation, if you will, in today's lesson, because it says to be careful - or more accurately, be thoughtful, be attentive - to live in the world as wise rather than unwise, That has to do, Ephesians tells us, with understanding what the will of the Lord is.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, in Ephesians, it's clear that living wisely is understanding and participating what the will of the Lord is. And perhaps that shouldn't be that hard for us. I don't mean it's not hard to do. Sometimes it is. But I mean, it shouldn’t be hard for us to have a handle on this idea of living with what the will of the Lord is. That is because we are people who say the Lord is not just coming. We say the Lord is with us. That’s all through the Gospel of John, and I’ll get back to today’s lesson in a minute. But it is in John that Jesus keeps saying eternal life is now. This is not something you wait for. Life in the kingdom is already ongoing. And we are the spiritual descendants of that. To live by understanding what the will of the Lord is begins with understanding that the Lord is present here and now.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">One of my favorite spiritual writers focused on that. Perhaps some of you will know of him, Brother Lawrence at the Incarnation whose collected works were published as T<i>he Practice of the Presence of God.</i></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Brother Lawrence was an interesting character. He was a Carmelite monk in Paris, and he was a sculler. You've heard of a scullery maid: He was a sculler brother. He worked in the kitchen. He cleaned vegetables. He hauled out the trash. He wasn't even the cook. And also, he was so recognized by his order as being wise, so wise that he was in a number of cases the ambassador of his order to the civil authorities or the ambassador of his chapter to other houses of the Carmelites. And in fact he was a famous spiritual director in his own time. And his focus was on practicing the presence of God. That is, “If I operate with the assumption that God is with me right now, then how should I behave in light of that?” You know, we have that old joke, “Jesus is coming! Look busy!” But Brother Lawrence was really focused on the concept that Jesus is here; and it's not about looking busy, but it is about participating in what it is that Jesus and God and the Spirit have going on in the world around you.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">In his way, that's exactly what Solomon asked for. David has died. By the way, I can't tell you how many commentaries and podcasts I listened to this week that said, “Let’s stop using a euphemism. David didn't sleep. He died.” However, to say “he slept with his ancestors” means that he died at peace. He didn't die in war. He didn't die because he was smitten. He died of old age. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, David died. And because Bathsheba who had been a victim had also learned how to be a sharp political person, Solomon, who was not the oldest son, becomes king. And so King Solomon is offering sacrifices. He’s offering sacrifice at Gibeon. And he has a vision, a dream, that’s really a message from God. God says, “How shall I equip you?” And Solomon says, “What I really need is the wisdom to lead, to lead this people who are yours.” Now, capture that. It's not that he's simply leading Israel, <i>his</i> kingdom, but he is leading the people who are <i>God's</i> people and is asking to be part of <i>God's</i> will for that people. So as with Brother Lawrence, Solomon is in the presence of God; and he’s thinking wisdom is about how does he, as king, participate in the will of God.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">If you read the rest of Solomon's story, you'll discover that he's pretty spotty about actually doing that, but it's the right prayer. And God says it's the right prayer. And he says, “There will be no one of wisdom ever like you after nor has there been anyone before.”</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> So we have clear guidance in our own tradition and in scripture about this idea that to be wise is to seek the will of the Lord. And it shouldn't be that hard for us to understand what the will of the Lord might be. Now, never claim perfection in this. I have this personal conceit. I believe that the sin against the Holy Spirit that cannot be forgiven is <i>certainty</i>. Always hold a little bit of humility. I'm bad at that myself, but always hold a little bit of humility about one’s sense of what God is doing. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">But we have plenty of guidance in the Gospel of John. We know about God's commitment to God's people because the Word became flesh to live with us; because the Word came, as in my favorite passage from John, John 3:17, God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that all the world might be saved through him. That the Incarnation is about bringing salvation into and among all of creation. And Jesus in today's lesson brings that Incarnation home because what the Greek says is, “those who munch on my meat.” We don't like to translate it that way, but this is different in the Greek from other places where he talks about eating flesh. It's a different word for eat. It's a different word for flesh. It is those who are “those who are chewing my muscle tissue abide in me and I in them:” that God's will, is that all of us and all of creation be so intimately involved in God and in what God is doing that salvation embraces all. And when I worry about what "all" means, I always come back to another passage of John and the Good Shepherd where he says, “and remember that I've got sheep you won't recognize. But when I call them, they will come.” All, all, all.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So to be wise is to participate, as best we can, in our own circumstances and in our own moments, with the will of God; that the love of God should be so demonstrated in how we live, that we share that sense of God's purpose to embrace all people and all creation in salvation. That is what Ephesians tells us wisdom <i>really</i> is. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 4px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, we have that standard to live by. We are called, not to be careful because we're afraid, but to be observant and careful and particular about living wisely. We are committed to live in a world of wisdom where <i>wisdom</i> is to seek to understand and to seek to participate in what the will of the Lord is. That in and of itself will bring us sufficient joy that the alcohol won't be necessary; sufficient joy, that we will be singing hymns and psalms and spiritual songs. If we are going to live, we are called to live as those who are wise which means we're seeking to understand and to participate as fully as we can in what the will of the Lord is.</span></p><div><br /></div>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-48855001270482873352021-02-18T15:07:00.003-06:002021-02-18T15:07:31.854-06:00Thought on Deferred Maintenance<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i>As with the past few posts, this was first shared on Facebook.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Can we talk for a minute? Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Let’s talk about Texas.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">No? Not talk about Texas? Okay, let’s talk about Kansas City, where we used to live.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">We moved to Kansas City in 1994. That was a year after one of the worst floods in the city’s history. There were signs everywhere of the water damage. In the Country Club Plaza, an historic and high value shopping district, stores still showed where the Brush Creek had risen to more than three feet in first floor rooms, having completely flooded the basements below.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">There were several matters that contributed to the floods, and especially to the Plaza area and also to working class residential neighborhoods downstream. One that was recognized by the time we arrived was that the storm drainage system and the sanitary sewer system were linked. When these were installed in the 1920’s and ‘30’s the idea was that if there were unusually heavy rains the sanitary system would be able to absorb some of the excess.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It’s hard to deny that for decades that had worked, or at least worked well enough. However, after the 1993 floods it was recognized that some important things had changed. Our standards about treating the stuff in our sanitary sewers had changed. Our water quality concerns about our storm runoff and other waters had changed. Most important, there were now tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people living in the Brush Creek drainage, many of them miles upstream of the Country Club Plaza, and quite a number of them across the state line in Kansas. All those roads, driveways, homes, and people were adding to the storm runoff and to the sewage that went into the system. The problem was similar all over Kansas City, although it was especially visible in the Plaza district and downstream.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, when we moved to Kansas City, the City Council was thinking about how to address the issue. The concern, and for a majority the stopping point, was that it would require an investment of $40 million. (I may be a bit off, but that’s my memory.) So, it was talked about and talked about, and a few small tweaks were accomplished, but the systemic problem was never addressed.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Of course, as it was talked about, you could see one consequence of delay, and I bet you can guess what it was. The cost kept going up. They were still talking about it when we left Kansas City, and over those almost 25 years the cost had grown to $4 billion - 100 times the initial requirement, more or less. Now, I’m sure about the last figure; but even if I’m really wrong about the first figure and it was $400 million, that’s still 10 times the cost. And while the tweaks had helped the Country Club Plaza, there had still been bad storms and significant flooding in the Brush Creek drainage above and below. People still died and people still lost a lot of money to flood damage.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, there’s a very clear monetary example of the real cost of deferred maintenance - of putting off hard and expensive stuff until “better times.” Too often, though, it doesn’t really seem to be about “better times.” It seems to be about leaders who don’t want responsibility for the hard decisions, especially when those decisions include taxing citizens.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I know, I know: perhaps you thought I was just going to stop with “spending money.” For good and ill, though, the money that governments have to do the jobs we want of them comes from taxes. Now, my wife will tell you that I’ve never seen a tax I didn’t like, which isn’t true; but do understand that paying taxes is one of the responsibilities of having “government... by the people,” alongside voting. Sometimes we find other terms like “user fees” to avoid calling them taxes; or tools like municipal bonds to put off, perhaps for decades, paying the taxes (but, how do you think those bonds are paid off when they become due?) And, yes, we might disagree on how broad the scope should be of what we want government to do. I will tell you I’m really glad when my town can plow my street when the snow is deep. I’m glad my water district has laid mains well below the freeze line and has the resources to respond quickly to a break.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Many, many of us make decisions to tend to matters and avoid deferred maintenance. We keep our cars serviced, and we keep our houses in repair, and we see doctors and dentists regularly. We do those things because we know problems caught early are cheaper than crises caught too late; and that problems prevented are cheaper still. So, why shouldn’t we not only support but expect our leaders to address problems early, including the expectation that we’ll be paying for them?</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-8861045723774431342021-01-24T15:12:00.004-06:002021-01-24T15:12:48.223-06:00How About Unity of Purpose Before Unity of Opinion?<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> This was posted first on Facebook and has been copied here.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Can we talk? Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I’m not anxious about conservatives. I’m not one, or at least not one in ways that would be acknowledged by most folks who call themselves “conservative” these days. But, the thought that someone presents as conservative doesn’t automatically put me off.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">That takes me back to a conversation I had some years ago. I was at perhaps my first clergy conference in the Diocese of West Missouri. Being Episcopalians, there was social time after the evening activities. Being Episcopalians, there was beer. And, being clergy (pretty much of any tradition) there was a lot of conversation.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I found myself in conversation with a colleague from a congregation down around Springfield. Folks who know Missouri will know that the general environment around Springfield is notable more conservative than that in Kansas City. He was also more conservative than I. We have a long and thoughtful discussion about poverty and how to address it. We didn’t come to a conclusion (who could imagine we’d have enough time to talk that out in one evening!), but I do remember that we came to important agreement. We agreed that poverty in American society was a real problem; that it caused real suffering; and that it was worthwhile to work on ways to address it. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And once we’d agreed on that, we had plenty of reasons to keep talking, and even to find common ground. He was definitely more conservative than I, but he did realize that there were some problems that should be addressed through government because only government involves, and also is accountable to, all of us. I was more progressive than he but I agreed that we needed to have some expectations and requirements of folks who were being helped. Sure, we didn’t come to a final conclusion, but we definitely found grounds on which we could work together.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As I still think about it, I still feel the most important thing about that conversation was that we agreed that there was a real problem and real value in addressing it. We have a number of problems like that. We’ve been talking about infrastructure problems for years. and roads and bridges have continued to age. We’ve seen all too clearly in the pandemic that the gaps of economic poverty vs stability, and of urban vs suburban vs rural make for tremendous issues in health care. It seems to me there is a lot we might do if we can first agree there is a problem that is worth fixing, so that we can then put our collective minds to how.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">These days “unity” seems to be the theme of the day. A lot of folks want it, but some at different ends of the spectrum seem committed to the idea that “unity” can come only when it means “everybody comes around to my way of thinking.” To me that sounds like a pretty cerebral, pretty academic sense of “unity.” Maybe we would get more done if we started finding our unity in agreeing on the problem to be solved and in committing our efforts to solving it. To me that seems a pretty conservative idea, really, even coming from this progressive.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-56471224267935300622021-01-13T14:19:00.002-06:002021-01-13T14:19:24.511-06:00Leadership and Focusing on Facts<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i>This was posted first to Facebook and has been copied here.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Can we talk? Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, you know I’m a preacher, right? When I was in seminary, we talked about a big change in how we do things (in Western culture) that took place in the 13th Century. With the teachings of Albertus Magnus and of Thomas Aquinas, European culture made the change from seeing the world based on the teachings of Plato to seeing the world based on the teachings of Aristotle. Without getting too deep in the weeds (but, please do invite me! I love the weeds!), the difference was about what you could know and how you could know it (and what follows is a clearly Christian way of using these categories). For followers of Plato, the truest truth was in the mind of God, and if you thought long and hard enough you could intuit the truth as God saw it, or as close as you could get. For Aristotle, you couldn’t know God’s mind directly but you could see what God had done in the world; and by carefully observing you could see that and from that deduce the truest truth, or as close as you could get.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">My professor of Christian Thought and Systematic Theology (same professor, different classes) had a clear understanding of why Aristotle’s position quickly became dominant in Europe: “it built a better cannon.” It was by observing, trying, and adjusting that you improved useful and effective things were, and in those days better siege weapons were considered really important. Sure, cannon would not come to western Europe until the 14th Century, but in those days that was “quickly.” Still, they were clear that observing, trying, adjusting, and observing facts was more effective than simply imagining in making things work better.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">We’ve come a long way with those principles, even if we don’t always use those terms. One shorthand we have for that approach is the scientific method. In keeping with our European cultural heritage, we’ve used it to make better bombs. We’ve also used it to make better medicines. The scientific method was critical with getting us to new vaccines for coronavirus that are going to help bring us out of this pandemic (along with mask wearing and social distancing, also supported by scientific method). </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">We’ve used them in our industries. Whether we’ve heard of it as performance improvement or continuous quality improvement (CQI) or total quality management (TMQ), we’ve seen how it reformed the Japanese auto industry and then the American auto industry, and many other industries besides. They stopped just imagining what might work and started finding and focusing on facts of how things worked, and used those facts to make things work better.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">With all that demonstration of the value of using facts for decisions, perhaps we should expect the same things of our leaders. If our leaders focus on facts rather than simply on theories and principles, they should be able to offer better programs, better government. If we focus on facts rather than simply principles, or worse, rumors, we should be able to select better leaders who will then offer better programs, better government. Principles have a place because they can help us think about how to use facts. I am after all a Christian and that certainly informs how I might want to respond to the facts in front of me. But I can best apply my principles if I start with observing and testing facts.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-70639800525907397732021-01-11T13:06:00.001-06:002021-01-11T13:06:09.140-06:00Accountability, Unity, and Voting<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><i>This was posted first on my Facebook stream and has been copied here.</i> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Can we talk? Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I am thinking about unity and accountability. Actually, I’m thinking at the moment about unity and accountability and voting.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">In most of these United States, at some points convicted felons receive again the right to vote. We heard a lot about that this past year in light of changes (before 2020) in Florida. Felons there could regain the right to vote, but only after completion of sentence, completion of any probation, and payment of any outstanding restitution and fees. Now, some think the requirements are too great, and that the system can be set up to make it practically impossible even it it’s theoretically possible. What I think we can agree on, though, is that this is unity that is possible, but only after accountability.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Unity after accountability is really pervasive in our culture. Kid misbehaves? Send said kid to bedroom or sit said kid in the corner, and only after that accountability can that child return to the community, to friends, to chosen activities. I was (rarely but occasionally) spanked as a child; and once I had endured that I was returned to my own (hopefully) better choices and behavior.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">It makes sense, too, in so much that has shaped our culture. Since I’m a preacher, I can think particularly of our religious texts. All those sacrificial laws in the Hebrew Scriptures were about unity after accountability. I’m among those who has preached about atonement as “at-one-ment,” to emphasize that it was through accountability, and not without it, that one could return to right status in the community. Jesus in Matthew 18 gives a format for reconciliation when one member of the congregation sins against another. In that format, reconciliation requires accountability, even if there’s no punishment per se. The sinner has to own the sin - to be accountable - to be reconciled.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">So, I think many of us would agree that there can be unity, but there has to be accountability first. Felons in Florida, and in most other states, can regain the right to vote after sentence is completed - accountability and then unity.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Which brings us to last Wednesday. After last Wednesday’s assault on elected leaders and a completed election, there are some who want to talk about unity. Well and good; and in our tradition, that should also require accountability. And if unity after accountability should apply to the drug user and also to the drug dealer, it should apply to the ones who stormed the Capital and also to any person whose rhetoric helped them think that was an acceptable thing to do. </span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Of course, I can only speak for myself.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-27358255814811227862020-12-15T20:03:00.004-06:002020-12-15T20:03:42.767-06:00Still Becoming an Episcopal Chaplain<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> While I’ve been pretty slow in postíng in this strange and difficult year, I know some folks are still looking for my posts on becoming an Episcopal chaplain. With that in mind, our friends at the Episcopal Church Center want to be sure we have the best link to open the Application for Ecclesiastical Endorsement. The best current link is <a href="https://episcopalchurch.org/application-ecclesiastical-healthcare-endorsement" target="_blank">here</a>. I’ve also shared this in Facebook and have updated the link at our website, <a href="episcopalchaplain.org" target="_blank">Assembly of Episcopal Healthcare Chaplains</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">And, if you have found your way here searching about becoming an Episcopal healthcare chaplain, those are also good resources. There is the AEHC Facebook page, and information on our website, including a flowchart about the process. You can contact me to ask for help, or contact AEHC from the web site, or find a connection on Facebook. We’re happy to provide information and support your process.</span></p>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-88465472258723747902020-07-02T21:29:00.000-05:002020-07-02T21:29:13.886-05:00The Collapse of Western Civilization Seems Closer....<div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="aqoju-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aqoju-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="aqoju-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5">Fourteen years go I wrote a post on my blog call <a href="https://episcopalhospitalchaplain.blogspot.com/2006/03/collapse-of-western-civilization.html" target="_blank">Collapse of Western Civilization</a>. It was built around this quote from Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister of the UK:</font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="3lbro-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3lbro-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="3lbro-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5"><br data-text="true" /></font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="fv6vh-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fv6vh-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="fv6vh-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5"><blockquote>"I think we've been through a period where too many people have been given to understand that if they have a problem, it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm homeless, the government must house me.' They're casting their problem on society. <u>And you know, there is no such thing as society.</u> There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. <u>It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also, to look after our neighbour.</u>" (From "Statecraft" by Margaret Thatcher. Although this quotation is from her book, I believe she also used it in public addresses.)</blockquote></font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="cpi7u-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cpi7u-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="cpi7u-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5"><br data-text="true" /></font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="68eo2-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="68eo2-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="68eo2-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5">I've highlighted two of her comments. Hers is the attitude we've heard from conservative leadership (small "c," as it's not just her party in UK or the Republican party in the US) for a long time. It certainly wasn't new when I wrote about it then.</font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="c0k1u-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c0k1u-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="c0k1u-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5"><br data-text="true" /></font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="6npmv-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6npmv-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="6npmv-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5">And now we're seeing the results in the midst of the pandemic. "Me and mine first; and no society to which to be responsible." She may have complained about some who wanted (and arguable needed) more support from government than she wanted government to give. However, there are times (and we are in such times now) when it simply can't be just about me and mine. My impact on my neighbor is so much less in my control than I think. My need can be so much greater than I can manage. It is these circumstances that show not only that society does exist, but that it must exist. To be civilized - to live in a civilization - establishes those responsibilities beyond me and mine. If we don't want to lose that, we have to challenge such an attitude as the late Lady Thatcher and her current adherents. For there is an alternative to civilization. As the philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote, "No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death: and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." (<i>Leviathan</i>, chapter 12)</font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="bq7ul-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bq7ul-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="bq7ul-0-0"><font face="helvetica" size="5"><br data-text="true" /></font></span></div></div><div data-block="true" data-editor="e3388" data-offset-key="eldsc-0-0"></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-40072991664608527972020-04-27T19:23:00.000-05:002020-04-27T19:23:08.149-05:00Reflections for the Times 2<div style="font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">When I was a child in the Knoxville City Schools, I was required to read </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-style: italic;">Christy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"> by Catherine Marshall. While not the only reason it was required (I can only imagine that the explicit Christian context didn’t hurt), a central reason was that the book described Appalachian community life in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Catherine Marshall’s mother was a teacher in a small community in Virginia, and the town in the novel was based on a town in Tennessee, not far from where I grew up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will be honest that I don’t remember much about the book. However, one chapter has stayed with me over the years. One of the central characters is the preacher, David. Like Christy, David is an outsider in the community, but thoroughly committed to his people. In one chapter a member of the community needs to clear a field to be plowed. This becomes a work of the whole community. The men gather, and each takes a portion of the field to clear with scythes and axes. David steps up to do so, too. This comes as a surprise to the community. He’s not a farmer, used to the tools, or even to the hard physical work it entailed. And, then, too, he’s the preacher! He insists; and even though it takes him much longer to finish, he gets his part done.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What has long stayed with me about this is David’s determination to give of himself, at, really, great expense, for the good of one family, and to model serving the whole community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">But, then, the whole chapter was an example of a community coming together to serve one another. Once upon a time, that was a common example of American values. Perhaps from recent movies we attribute it especially to Amish communities; but it was once a more general idea. One of the major scenes in the musical, </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-style: italic;">Seven Brides for Seven Brothers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">, takes place at a barn raising. Communities gathered to help because there were things to accomplish that no one person could do. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is, in American public life, that countervailing theme of the individual - commonly called in arts and letters “the rugged individual.” It’s been pitched at us especially since the Reagan Administration as the model of American freedom. But, American freedom, and American history, has also involved individuals sharing common purpose, working as communities to accomplish things no individual alone could do - like building a barn; or flattening the Coronavirus curve.</span></div>
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Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-50821967745836381342020-04-20T10:16:00.000-05:002020-04-20T10:16:05.384-05:00Reflections for the Times 1<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First published on Facebook.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am a citizen of the United States. There are many folks these days that want to remind me that as a citizen I have rights, some guaranteed in the Constitution, some set by laws, and some determined by how various courts have defined those laws in light of the Constitution.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And, as a citizen of the United States, I also have responsibilities. For this point, I have responsibilities to my fellow citizens - to *all* my fellow citizens. That includes my neighbors here in rural Tennessee, and the neighbors of my children in California and the neighbors of my niece in New York (just to give as broad a range as possible).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a responsibility to consider the welfare of my fellow citizens - the ones who live with me in my retirement community and the ones I encounter in church and the ones I encounter at Walmart. I have a responsibility as a citizen (without even going to how I understand my responsibilities as a Christian) to consider the health of my fellow citizens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I wear a mask when I go into town; I stay six feet from folks I encounter walking my neighborhood; and I stay home. I pay attention to medical information. I recognize that we’re far from knowing just how prevalent the current corona virus actually is in my own county, much less anywhere else. Sure, I haven’t had the identified symptoms; but “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” I may have a right to be out and about, but I have a responsibility to my fellow citizens to limit myself to protect the health of others, whether I know them or not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I was a boy, I was taught, “My rights end at your nose.” These days there seem to be a lot of folks asserting “*Your* rights end at *my* nose.” This is a difference that makes a difference.</span>Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-89937960014045307002020-01-07T18:12:00.000-06:002020-01-07T18:12:06.113-06:00Power to Become Children of God: Sermon for 1st Christmas, 12.29.19<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a few of you know, I've been back in Cumberland County about a year. My wife has been here a little over a year. We brought her down and moved her in. I went back to Kansas City and worked for another six weeks and then came back in February. But while we were down in that first week, we got invited to - well it was billed as an open house in a neighbor's home, but it was really about “show off Marshall and Karen.” Uplands Village is that kind of place. We're very sociable and we all want to meet each other.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, we are in this big circle, and everybody says a little something about themselves and what their association is with Uplands; and then they come to us and they want more. They want the full story. And I got started telling some of my history and in the middle of that, three more people arrived. We got them in and we got them settled and we sort of heard their names and somebody said, “Okay, Marshall, start again.” And I said, “Where would you like me to start?” And they said, “Well, start at the beginning.” And I said, “Ah! At the beginning of God's creation of the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep;” to which somebody said, “No, no, no, Don’t go <i>that</i> far back.”<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, that's a bit of clergy humor but, as some of you will know, there are a lot of retired clergy in Uplands Village. And so it, the joke worked. What struck me about that story this morning, though, is that that's exactly what John does. We have, as we've heard many times, four gospels with two nativity stories that we weave together for our holiday celebrations. Nothing in Mark: Mark is laser focused on the ministry of the adult Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then there's John, who is so sufficiently convinced that you already know Jesus was born, that he's not telling a story. We have no reason not to think he knew Luke or that he knew Matthew, that is, their written texts; but he's really more interested in what this is all about. And to place this in context, as far as John is concerned, you have to go back to the beginning - the very beginning. In the beginning was the Word. In the beginning, God said something. Now that's right out of Genesis, right? God speaks and that's how things happen. God said, “Let there be light.” And, light. So, John goes back to God speaking the Word. But John also points out that there's no separating God's expression from God. The Word was with God. The Word <i>was</i> God. And without God's Word, there's nothing. God speaks six times as it were – there seem to be a whole lot more sentences than that, if you go back and read all of Genesis, but there are six days in which God speaks and things are done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is to put this whole Incarnation thing in, not our historical context, which is what Luke is about; or if you want to our imperial, our administrative, our social construct, which is what Matthew is about; but into God's context. In the beginning was the Word and the Word became flesh and dwelt or lived or - and yes, you've all heard this before, but the Greek says pitched a tent among our tents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We really enjoy the stories. Granted, some of the more contemporary expansions on the stories get annoying or tiresome. I heard on the radio a couple of weeks ago about a group of people whose real goal is to get through the entire advent and Christmas season without once hearing “The Little Drummer Boy.”I started to wonder how you did that. In fact, because of the Pandora stream for music that we chose for Christmas, I've almost done it myself,.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But John is really not looking at the stories we love so much, but at the big picture; and the whole big picture for John is in these 18 verses. Pay attention to that. The whole big picture for John is in these 18 verses. Scholars will say that this is John's Prologue, but what does a prologue do? A prologue sets up the rest of everything that gets written in the document. It's the framework, the boundaries. And everything that John is going to try to say through the rest of the Gospel is highlighting themes that come up in these first 18 verses; and especially, “And the Word became flesh and lived with us.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's something particularly Anglican in that focus. I am not the first person to have said it. In fact, it's attributed to the Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann. He said something like, “If you want to think of how important the Eucharist of the Resurrection is among the Orthodox, think how important Christmas is among Anglicans.” This idea that the Word becomes flesh is something that we particularly highlight. In fact, the English-speaking world spends a whole lot more time on December 25<sup>th</sup>, than the whole rest of the world combined. Most of the rest of the world, certainly the Orthodox East, but also many non-English speaking countries, are really much more focused on the Epiphany, on the arrival of the Kings, or Tres Reyes. In other parts of the world that’s when the gifts come.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are focused on December 25th and I think the reason for that is because, at least in my opinion, that's the hardest thing God did. I mean God being <i>human</i>, dying sort of comes with it. God being <i>God</i>, being raised makes sense. But God choosing not to be God: <i>that,</i> that seems to be hard; and we focus on that. You know, we want to use the word <i>condescension</i>, which we usually think of as a bad thing, but in this case a very good thing. God descends with us. God condescends to be not only with us, but to <i>be</i> us. And as John will point out, again, staying in these first 18 verses, that's not just God taking a little break from heaven. That's not just God wanting to see what's going on. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, even among us who are his own and didn't recognize it, who didn't even see the light in the darkness, that the darkness could not comprehend, that the darkness could not overcome. No, this is part of a big plan. And it is in that big plan that, to those who see, to those who are God’s, comes the power to become children of God: children not by biological birth, children not by some other process. If you want to, although the word doesn't exactly apply to God, organically, fundamentally children of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now Paul likes that. That's what's going on in this passage of Galatians. It's emphasizing this whole “children of God” thing. But Paul being Paul, he has to try to figure out a way to describe that that is going to kind of make sense. John is wonderfully big on mystery; and unfortunately we, we Western Christians, shaped by Greek physics and metaphysics and Latin law, kind of often want to understand what the process is. That gets us into trouble. But Paul is trying to do that here when he says that we are adopted, and being adopted, we are fellow heirs. Adopted is not a second-class “child-ship,” if you will. It is not somehow less. There is something in what it is that Jesus is the Son, something unique. But it is not something that somehow excludes or diminishes God's relationship with us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">John says to those who receive, there is the power to become the children of God and I thought that's an interesting word. One of the commentaries I was listening to said that's an interesting word. It’s been many years since I was really flexible with this, but I can go back in my book and I can look at the Greek; and lo and behold that word we translate power is not like electrical power. It's like it's like legal authority. It's like having a right. Indeed in some contexts it is explicitly having a right. By virtue of the Light having come into the world, by virtue of the Word made flesh, we flesh have rights to be children of God. And Paul just tries to put that in a Roman legal context, saying that we are not any longer slaves or servants or clients or some other attached-but-not-family-member of the household; but we are children, we are heirs. We share in the kingdom in Christ. I know you've heard much of this before, but it certainly bears repeating. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, I want to get back to that concept of Logos because we get a little weird at our household. I have a seminary degree and my wife's first degree was in philosophy and in ethics; and so it doesn't shock her when I come out and say, “I often think that the right term for God is not that God <i>is</i>, but that God <i>does</i>.” That's what we know of God. I mean, the God-ness of God - there's formal language for it_ but the God-ness of God is basically beyond our comprehension. The God-ness of God is something that we can't grasp with the minds we have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the actions of God we have, and we talk about them all the time. We talk about the mighty acts of God. We tell the stories. Isaiah, and this is from late in Isaiah, is talking about God <i>doing</i> something in bringing Israel back to Jerusalem. The psalm today talks about God <i>doing</i> something in God, turning the world over so that the weak become strong and the hungry are fed. And the Word becoming flesh is a part of God <i>doing</i> something, and us becoming children and heirs is a part of God <i>doing</i> something. If you're not sure about that, go back and read the Baptismal rite, and remember what was said over you, or what you said as an adult., when you were baptized. The Word becomes flesh and we flesh become children and this is a part of God <i>doing</i> something. This is the continuing presence of the Logos in the world, of God saying something in the world. And we as children have the opportunity to be part of God's saying something in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't know about you, but in the context I grew up in in Knoxville, in the family I grew up in, there were certain things it meant to be a Scott. There were some family traditions and some family themes. There were certain things it meant to be a Newport, which was my mother's family - other family traditions. There are certain things it means to be God's children and thus heirs in Christ. And if those things mean anything, they mean something about us continuing to be a part of God's expression in the world, which then makes Christmas last an awful long time. Another sappy song that happily I haven't heard this year is, “Why can't every day be like Christmas?” Well, the answer we have from John, the answer we have from Paul, the answer we have from God, is that, as expressions of God's Incarnation in the world, if we're doing that right, maybe it can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-49761394807934008872019-12-04T21:55:00.000-06:002019-12-04T21:55:31.104-06:00Striking a Balance<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was struck last week when I had these two articles on the Washington Post on the same day. The first, by physician James Hudson: “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/11/27/our-dangerous-fear-pain/?arc404=true">Our dangerous fear of pain</a>”; and the second, by Amber Petrovish: “<a href="https://www.blogger.com/(https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/im-not-a-junkie-give-me-the-painkillers-already/2019/11/27/8d05db6e-0fc8-11ea-9cd7-a1becbc82f5e_story.html)">Some of us actually need painkillers. Can doctors ease up on us?</a>”.<span style="color: #535353;"> As chaplain-types, we are, I think, aware (or we certainly should be) of the difficult balance. Our physician colleagues are caught between anxiety about over- or inappropriately prescribing and anxiety about leaving patients suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With that in mind, I would remind folks about General Convention resolution <a href="https://www.vbinder.net/resolutions/C037?house=hd&lang=en">2018-C037 “Call to Respond to Opioid Epidemic.”</a> The resolution explicitly speaks both to opioid addiction and to the need to adequately address real and chronic pain. It does spend more text on addressing addiction, but it is balanced in its intent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s worth some time to read both opinion pieces, and then to review the Convention’s response. We need to be aware of the difficulty, and to be aware that the Church has spoken to it.</span></div>
Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-67321227726305375702019-10-17T20:20:00.002-05:002019-10-17T20:21:20.742-05:00In the Middle-Of: Sermon for Proper 23, Year C<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Preached October 13, 2019, at St. Raphael's Episcopal Church, Crossville, Tennessee.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, the story we have today of Naaman is one of my favorite stories in scripture. I've worked with it a lot. That shouldn't surprise you. Many of you will remember that what I retired from was nearly 40 years as a hospital chaplain. And so, it's an interesting healing story to me. I wish they had told you more. That is, they cut off some things in the lectionary selection that I think are very interesting and relevant to today's lessons. You heard that the King of Israel got la etter, but you have no knowledge about where that came from. They clipped those verses. Basically, Naaman was really important, and so the King of Aram sent an introduction letter from one King to another. But when the King of Israel read, “I'm sending Naaman to you to be healed of his leprosy,” then you see the King of Israel reads the letter. “Am I one to give life or take it away,” et cetera.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The other thing they cut off is what happens after the healing; because Naaman comes up, he proclaims that there's only God in Israel. And then he offers great gifts to Elisha who refuses them. And then he says, “Okay, but I want to tell you something. First I need two mule loads of dirt from here to take back with me to Syria because from now on I'm going to do all my praying in Israel. And the way to do that is to take some of Israel's dirt and that's what I'm going to stand on in kneel on as I pray. The only exception is I'm a big public figure. Once a year I’ve got to take the king in as he says his prayers and I want the God of Israel not to think I'm reneging on anything, because my regular prayers are going to be on this dirt from Israel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now part of the reason I like this story is it is a great example of modern healthcare.Let me retell this story. There's an important official and he has a chronic wasting disease - can't get shed of it; but he gets a verbal referral. He gets a word of mouth referral. And so based on this word of mouth referral, he goes and he tries out a new practitioner. Now he gets to this new practitioner and the new practitioner says, “Okay, we're going to start with a very conservative treatment.” And the patient is really unhappy: “I'm too important. Shouldn't I have the latest medication? Shouldn't I have the latest procedure? Shouldn't we be going through about $1,200 worth of tests?”<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the family says, “You know, it's not a big deal. And if he'd ask you for a big deal, you'd have done it. Try this conservative procedure.” So he goes in, he tries just some basic self skin care and he's healed. And he comes back and he thanks the practitioner and then he goes and he says, “Okay, I'm going to need a new insurer to fit with this practitioner.” So he sets up his new insurance plan (that's the two mule loads of dirt). He sets up his new insurance plan, and he negotiates with his caregiver for ongoing after care and lifestyle change to deal with his disease. Doesn't that sound like modern medicine? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But it also tells us something about how people saw one's relationship to God. You see, a god had to do with a place. And if you're in a different place, you're dealing with a different god. Zion is the Hill of God and all these other gods - you know, the gods are Tyre and Sidon - you don't bring them here. It’s a constant refrain in the Books of Kings. And so Naaman says, “Well, if I'm going to be worshiping Israel's God, I need a piece of Israel,” and he takes two mule loads of Israel back with him.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So now we get to the gospel. Jesus is going through no man's land. Well not exactly, but he's on the boundary between Samaria to the West and the Galilee to the East, an interesting conjunction of places. It's sort of in the Jordan river Valley; and it's sort of culturally different. The Galilee was basically settled by Greek-speaking, folks. Now, a lot of them were now Jews. There were Jews in the Galilee, but it was traditionally a Greek kind of cultural area. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And Samaria: well, we've all heard about Samaria, but let me remind you about Samaria because it'll also make sense of something else Jesus said. You’ll remember that Israel for a while did fine. And then after Solomon things sort of fell apart, and we find them divided into two kingdoms, Israel to the North and Judah to the South. And they don't agree on things. And one of the things they decide not to agree on is that Israel said, “We can't go down to Jerusalem anymore in Judah to worship. We've got to have our own place.” And so they set up worship according to the Torah, but on a different mountain, Mount Gerizim. And if you read through the Books of the Kings, you'll see the things that happened in Israel and you'll see the things that happened in Judah. And you'll find, for example, that Amos and his prophecy was primarily in Israel. They tell him, “We're not interested in you here. Why don't you talk to the folks in Judah?” Other prophets are much the same. And Elisha spends a good deal of time up in Samaria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the Samaritans are problematic. First of all, the folks who have Jerusalem think the Samaritans have gone too far by setting up their own altar and their own temple. And then when Israel falls to the Assyrians, the Assyrians have this relocation program. They take a lot of the population of Israel, and they move them and instead they import a lot of other folks. The idea is that, you take people away from the land they know and you give them land, and now they are not dependent on what they've known. They are now dependent on the empire. They're now dependent on the person who put them there and gave them land to live on. Honestly, it's kind of a lot like what China does in its Western territories these days. They keep trying to say everything is part of the Han culture and they keep moving more Han folks in.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And so that's what the Assyrians did. So now for the folks in Judah, that's a double problem. You've got these folks who claim to live by Torah and the new folks come in - and remember you go with the God of the locality. So, they begin to pick up with the God of the Torah, but now there’s an intermingling of bloodlines and of cultures. And as far as the Judeans are concerned - the Judah-ites and ultimately the Judeans, the Jerusalem folks, - as far as they’re concerned the Samaritans are impure. They are not right. And, they make not right worse by trying to be faithful when they've already fallen too far away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And now Jesus is well out of Judea, well away for Jerusalem. He's up between Samaria and Galilee and he encounters 10 lepers, 10 lepers, who are aware of what's going on and aware of something about Jesus.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now we know actually remarkably, literally little about leprosy in the Bible. We think of Hansen's disease. We think of what puts people in leper colonies in a few places, even today, although now it's very treatable. But actually the old Testament describes a whole bunch of skin symptoms that are leprosy. So we didn't know what exactly was afflicting these ten medically. We do know what was afflicting them socially and culturally. Luke said they kept their distance, but they called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” They kept their distance because that's what lepers did. They also were impure. They were not quite right. They weren't fit company for man nor beast, as we say, and they had to keep their distance from anybody. They were cursed, and their curse was very visible. It was on their skin. It was affecting their bodies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So they keep their distance and Jesus, he doesn't even get close. He just says, “Go show yourselves to the priests;” and they go. And they are all ten healed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found myself wondering who these 10 were. They're between Samaria and Galilee. That would make you a long way from Jerusalem. Likely they're Jews, although there wouldn't exactly be priests in the Galilee or in Samaria; except for this one, because he's a Samaritan. He's close to Samaria, and as far as he is concerned, there are priests that Mount Gerizim to go see. For all we know, they were all ten Samaritans.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But they are all ten healed; and one then comes back and gives praise, and says, “God did this.” Jesus says (we presume the entourage was there. It doesn't say that, but who else is he talking to?) - Jesus says, “Wait a minute. Did 10 get healed? Only one comes back. And as far as my people are concerned, he's a - a foreigner! Go on your way,” he says. “Your faith has made you well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Think about how different and understanding this is from what I was talking about with Naaman. We are a long way from God's Holy Hill in Zion, and ten were healed. Only onr saw God in that, but ten were healed; and we are a long way from Jerusalem. And suddenly it looks like God is going to <i>do </i>things we don't expect and God is going to <i>be </i><i>where </i>we don't expect.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of you may know that one of the things that complicates the lives of preachers in this season of the year is that, in fact, in the lectionary they give us two choices of Old Testament readings; and I read both of them. The second one is from Jeremiah and it's very interesting. This is after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. They also remove people, but they just remove the elite: most of the court, most of the professional class. They put their own puppet king in place, and they remove everybody above a certain income to Babylon. And by the same token, the Babylon community of Jews writes to Jeremiah the prophet - who they didn't listen to and now they realize a little too late was telling the truth - they write and they say, “What do we do now? As the Psalm says, ‘How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?’” And Jeremiah says, “Plant trees, plant vineyards, establish lives for yourselves. Have children, have families, have a future. And also, pray for the larger culture around you because they're prospering will lead to your prospering.”<br /><br />Well, how could we do that? How could we do that, unless the God of Jerusalem continues to be God in Babylon; unless the God of Jerusalem continues to be God in the wasteland between Samaria and Galilee; unless God continues to be God in the wasteland that is illness. I spent all that time working in hospitals and also in nursing homes, and I came to the realization that being a patient in an institution is like foreign travel. It really is. It's like traveling abroad. The people speak a strange language that you don't understand. They have strange customs that you don't understand. They have a strange wardrobe that you don't participate in. They have really strange rituals that you do participate in; and your money's no good. It's like foreign travel and the God of Jerusalem is in the midst of that strangeness.<br /><br />We need to hold onto that because, you know, being sick is one example, but all of us have some experience of having to take what we are to another place. I don't know how many others of you around here grew up in Crossville. I don't need to show of hands, but I know most of us moved here from somewhere else. I grew up in Knoxville and yet I moved here from Kansas City. And we brought some things, but some things we found. And all of us had that experience in different ways and in different times of our lives. And, when those experiences are tough enough, they can bring us even to despair. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the God of Jerusalem is in the midst of those places. Why? Because as the author of Second Timothy says, “You know, we can fall away. But God is always faithful because God can't deny God's Godness.“God cannot deny God's Godness, and God's Godness, as we human beings are slow to learn. embraces all of it. In the midst of it, God is there,<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was watching a YouTube video. And part of what it says is, is that Elon Musk is offering hope about going to Mars (some people hope Elon Musk goes to Mars), and about what that could mean for us as human beings. But, of course, going to Mars is going to mean some people take something with them to a very strange place; and the God of Jerusalem is there. It is important sometimes that we take our two loads of earth with us to get started. It is important that we have our new insurance plan in place; but in the face of the stresses and the troubles of being in that “middle-of,” of being caught between this territory and that, between this life and that - with the lepers, literally between life and death - the God of Jerusalem, God in Christ is there. Sometimes we'll notice. Maybe 10% of the time we'll stop and see that we’re healed and we'll turn and we'll say “We give thanks for what God has done for us.” That gratitude is the appropriate response, but it's not an appropriate response in a vacuum. It's not a discipline that we learn just to remember to say it. It is <i>the </i>appropriate response to the fact that between Samaria and Galilee, between Kansas City and Crossville, literally between life and death, God, God’s self is there: there with us; there for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marshall Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02807749717320495495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406961.post-87448715924244856412019-10-06T22:25:00.001-05:002019-10-06T22:25:29.211-05:00Ecclesiastical Endorsement in the Episcopal Church, 2019<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>As I have of late, this is also posted at Chaplair, the blog of the Assembly of Episcopal Healthcare Chaplains.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve written before about ecclesiastical endorsement in the Episcopal Church. I have been through our process, and I have been watching the process now for going on 40 years. Over that time, some things have changed; and some things haven’t; and AEHC has been in the midst of it for almost all our 70 years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In my last post I recalled how endorsement had gone from the individual bishop to AEHC, then the Office of the Bishop of Federal Chaplaincies. After that it went to the office of Mission. With that history in mind, let me clarify how the process works now. (And attached I have provided a flowchart.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once upon a time, it was individual bishops who endorsed for healthcare ministry. Now, it continues to be individual bishops who endorse for healthcare ministry. Yes, there is a process, but if an Episcopalian feels called specifically to healthcare ministry the first step is to be sure to have met with the bishop. This is true whether or not the prospective chaplain feels called to ordination or is pursuing certification. Healthcare chaplaincy is recognized as a specialized ministry and the Episcopal Church can endorse persons in any of the four orders for ministry. So, first be sure to connect to the bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As referenced, for many of us the interest in ecclesiastical endorsement began in the pursuit of board certification. It is still required for the largest chaplain organizations (and I would encourage it for whether seeking certification or not). If you are pursuing certification, the next step is completing the form on line <a href="https://www.episcopalchurch.org/form/application-ecclesiastical-healthcare-endorsement">here</a>. At this time this will be received by the Rev. Margaret Rose, Ecumenical and Interreligious Deputy to the Presiding Bishop, and our Endorsing Officer; and processed by Ann Hercules, Associate for Ministry Beyond the Episcopal Church. Note that the persons have changed at times, but the process has actually been stable for some time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Note, too, when you look at the form, there is a requirement to affirm that you are up to date with the Church’s education on preventing and recognizing sexual abuse and ministry misconduct. This is normative for many ministries in the Episcopal Church, ordained and lay, paid and volunteer. Your diocesan office can help you get what you need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once the form is received, the Endorsing Office will reach out to the relevant bishop, asking if the bishop can endorse this applicant specifically for healthcare ministry (remember what I said to do first?). She or he will send the endorsement to the Office. Once received Margaret will send letters of endorsement to the endorsed chaplain and to the certifying body, with a copy to the bishop and a copy for the records.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some have looked at the application and noted that it asks about certifying bodies. There has been concern that a person can only be endorsed if pursuing certification. Others have wondered whether chaplains not seeking certification are required to pursue endorsement. In fact, while many chaplaincy positions require certification, that’s not universal. However, I strongly believe every Episcopalian providing professional healthcare ministry should seek endorsement. For the reasons I have written before, I believe endorsement serves the Church, serves the chaplain, and serves the persons to whom the chaplain ministers. A person not seeking certification can be endorsed. Endorsement in that case, though, need not involve the form or the Endorsing Office. The chaplain can simply request and receive that directly from the bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is one further consideration. As noted the Episcopal Church will endorse persons in all four orders of ministry. However, if a lay person is endorsed, it is required that the endorsed chaplain arrange for a public service of commissioning. This both publically acknowledges the chaplain’s specialized ministry, and also the chaplain’s recognition of the authority of the Episcopal Church for that person’s ministry. Certifying bodies used to require this of all endorsed and certified lay chaplains. Because of the breadth of faith communities now involved in chaplaincy, the certifying bodies no longer require it. However, the Episcopal Church expects it, whether the endorsement is processed through the Endorsing Office or directly with the bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, once endorsed, do you ever need to do it again? Really, that depends. Are you in a certifying body that requires periodic peer review or a similar significant review of the ministry? For example, APC requires that every five years. The Endorsing Office would like you to renew your endorsement at that point, including the Church’s abuse prevention training. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It would also be appropriate to renew endorsement if a job change takes you to a new diocese. You would in any case want to meet with the new bishop, and would likely need to meet the expectations of that diocese for abuse prevention training. It would be appropriate at that point to renew endorsement. The process would be the same: either to resubmit the application through the Endorsing Office or to work directly with the bishop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, that is the process. Again, check the flowchart below. I have tried in it to concisely describe the steps of the process. Margaret Rose has also reviewed it, and approved it. We hope, then, that this description and the attached flowchart make the endorsement process clear. And, always feel free to reach out to AEHC colleagues for help.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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