Lenten Poetry: Day 1

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Normally this blog is for my sermons, but for the season of Lent it is also going to be home to some Lenten poetry. These poems are from the book "Kneeling in Jerusalem" written by Ann Weems. May this poetry nourish and sustain you on your Lenten journey. Blessings on the journey!

Ashes

Two nights ago I knelt and
took the ashes form the fireplace.
It was some time before I saw evidence
of the smudge of ash upon my face.
I washed it quickly away.

Last night I knelt and took the bread
and dipped it in the cup,
and then I felt the cool smooth
finger of ash upon my forehead,
ashes from last year's palms
saved for this holy time.
I wondered if there might still be
some remnant of Hosanna!
lingering in the ashes.

All evening long I wore the ash,
that holy ash,
and when others saw the smudge,
I wondered if they were inclined
to wipe it clean
or to lean closer
in the hope of hearing
some soft Hosanna!
burning still
in ash
or heart...

--Ann Weems

Don't Worry, Be Trusting

Matthew 6:24-34

When I think back over the many things I have worried about there is one particular instance that sticks out. This is the first memory I have of worrying. I was in elementary school and had gone to church with my grandma one Sunday morning. After church I went to use the restroom, which was an outhouse at the time. Yes, I lived in a time when my church did not have indoor plumbing. When I came back from the outhouse my grandma had already left along with all the other church folks. So I sat there on the front step of the church worrying that no one would notice that I wasn’t at home and that my grandma would not remember that she had forgotten me at church. I only lived a little over two miles from the church and could have walked home, but I didn’t know what to do. This was also before the time of cell phones and my church didn’t have a land line either. So, there I sat worrying and waiting for my grandma to return and pick me up. Of course she remembered pretty quickly that she had forgotten me and returned to pick me up. Yet, I couldn’t help but worry.

That may have been my first memory of worrying, but it surely wasn’t my last. I must admit that I am a worrier. I worry about almost everything. I worry about traffic. I worry about the weather. I worry about my debt. I worry about what classes I am going to take next semester. I worry about being so far away from my family. I worry about getting sick. I worry about safety. I worry about the future. I worry about worrying. And even though Jesus commands us not to worry in our text for today, I can’t seem to stop. If there were a Worriers Anonymous group I would be a participant. It is a habit that I just can’t seem to kick.

I would venture to say that some of you worry as well. We worry about our treasures, our homes, our possessions, our investments. We worry about finances, about children, about parents, about jobs. We worry about our health, our futures. And 98% of the time our worrying doesn't accomplish anything, yet we continually worry.

If worrying accomplishes anything it makes us sick. Statistics tells us the 85% of the people who visit a doctor are ill because of stress and worry. 85% of all illness is caused by stressful emotions and not germs or viruses. So when Jesus asks, “And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?, the answer really is “no.” In fact, we likely lose minutes and hours of our lives by worrying.

When I think back on my childhood there are a few non-worriers that stick out. One was my brother’s Big Mouth Billy Bass. It sang the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Released in September 1988, this song became the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a position it held for two weeks. The performer was Bobby McFerrin. The song begins, “Here is a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note. Don't worry be happy. In every life we have some trouble when you worry you make it double. Don't worry, be happy.”

The other non-worriers I think about were characters in a Disney movie that was released in 1994. Timon and Puumbaa, the meerkat and the warthog from the movie, “The Lion King.” These two loved to sing their theme song, “Hakuna Matata.” “It means no worries for the rest of your days. It’s our problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata.”

And today in our Gospel lesson we encounter Jesus, who is also telling us not to worry. At first thought, Jesus’ command seems as ridiculous or even silly as the Lion King and Big Mouth Billy Bass. This famous teacher taught people not to worry with some very memorable sayings, for example: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.” Jesus told people to be as worry-free as the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. “Do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'”

Jesus’ message is more than “Don’t worry, be happy.” And it is more than “Hakuna Matata,” too. Jesus’ message is more like, “Don’t worry, be trusting.” Jesus attempts to alleviate our worrying by reminding us of the blessings we have received, and about the vastness of God’s care and love. Do not worry, but trust that God will provide. Trust that God will make sure that you have food to eat, water to drink, and clothes to wear. Do not worry, but trust that God will take care of you. Trust that God will take care of you, because you are just as important, if not more important, than the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.

Jesus teaches us that we cannot remove worry from our lives by trying to remove it. I think we are able to push it out by replacing it with something else. That something else is thankfulness. Once we trust God we are able to see the ways in which God is working in our lives. That recognition can help us to move forward with an attitude of thankfulness. Worry usually deals with what we don't have. Thankfulness deals with what God has given us. Worry usually thinks about what bad things might happen in the future. Thankfulness trusts that the future is in God's hands.

So, I challenge us to focus on living lives of trust and thankfulness, not worry. Especially as we embark on our journey of Lent to the cross. Be thankful for the food you have to eat. Be thankful for the clothes you have to wear. Be thankful for the One who daily provides for you and takes care of you. Be thankful for the God who made you, loves you, and will never forget you. I understand that this is difficult to do. It is even difficult for me. Yet, this is what we are called to do. We are called to trust in God who has created us, claimed us, and called us. We are called to be thankful people. We are called to be thankful for the many blessings God has given us. We are called to trust in the One who was, who is, and who is to come. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.” Don’t worry, be trusting. Amen.

Come and See

John 1:29-42

I remember the first real “wrong turn” I took in DC. I was coming home from taking my mom to the airport and was coming back to St. Paul’s for my first day in the office. The drive there was fast and non-stressful. The drive home took a bit longer. I ended up coming back into the city via US 1 and I was really afraid I would never make it back to NW DC. And there I was in the middle of the National Mall. It was absolutely beautiful. It was one of those “come and see” moments, where I pulled out my camera at the stoplight and took a picture of the beautiful city that I live in. Now every time I drive to the airport I make that “wrong turn” and drive up US 1, no matter how much longer or stressful it might make my trip. It is that view that I love to see and that view that I love to invite others to “come and see.”

“Come and see.” This is what Jesus says to the two disciples that are with him, when they ask where it is he is staying. Instead of telling them where it is he is staying, he simply says, “come and see.” “Come and see” what you may be asking. “Come and see” the way God is working in this place. “Come and see” Jesus Christ who takes away the sins of the world. “Come and see” the Holy Spirit actively moving through each one of us.

Inviting others to “come and see” is one of the most important duties of Jesus’ disciples, which means it is one of our most important duties, too. You might be thinking this is much easier said than done. Yes, I know the task of talking about Christ is not easy. I will admit it is not even easy for me. Studies tell us that 50% of Lutherans never speak to anyone about Christ. And 40% rarely do. That means 90% of Lutherans rarely or never reach out verbally to the unchurched. I think that the most difficult part of this is the “verbally” part. There is a quote that is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, which says, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.” This is a great quote and a legitimate way to evangelize, but it is not what the Gospel of John is talking about. This way of evangelism isn’t as focused on how we act or what our Christ-like actions say to the unchurched. It is about actually speaking about Christ.

I remember my speech class my first year of college. Sam was in my class. He was also in his first year of college. He stood at the podium; it was his turn to give his speech. His knees were knocking together. His palms were sweaty. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton balls. He tripped over his words. He was afraid. Sam had glossophobia. The fear of speaking in public. This fear often ranks in the top ten fears list and in a few instances is number one. Of all the people in the world that fear speaking in public, Jesus was not one of them. John the Baptist didn’t seem to be bothered by it either. And in our text today we encounter Andrew, a fearless disciple and public witness of Jesus Christ.

Andrew is not afraid. Andrew does not even seem to think twice about going and finding his brother Simon and sharing with him the good news of the Lamb of God, the Messiah. After all that is the job of a disciple. His job is to echo the words of Jesus, “Come and see.” Throughout the Gospel of John, Andrew isn’t mentioned a lot, but when he is, he is always publically bringing someone or something to Jesus. He invites his brother Simon to “come and see” the Messiah. He also brings to Jesus the young boy, who has the five barley loves and the two fish, which Jesus miraculously uses to feed 5,000. Andrew does not suffer from glossophobia. Rather, he is an exemplary model of a public witness of Jesus Christ.

It might be difficult for us to reach out verbally about Christ. Yet, we reach out verbally about other things; inviting others to “come and see.” “Come and see” our new house. “Come and see” my new car. “Come and see” our new baby. “Come and see” me graduate from high school. “Come and see” our blooming garden. “Come and see” the beautiful view from my office window. We want people to “come and see” what is important to us.

When I first arrived in Washington I was bombarded with recommendations about the city; it was really good advice. Make sure you go to the zoo. Comet Ping Pong has good pizza. Politics and Prose is a great bookstore. Don’t forget to see all of the Smithsonian museums. Get a SmarTrip for the Metro. Avoid rush hour. Stand right. Walk left. Make sure you go to the Kennedy Center. Don’t forget to go to the cherry blossom festival. People were inviting me to “come and see” the places that they liked; the places they frequented. There was a sense of fervor about these invitations and pieces of advice. What if there was the same sense of passion about inviting people to “come and see” Jesus? What if we could reach out verbally to others about our faith?

“Come and see” how God is actively working to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless. “Come and see” children learning about the love that God has for them. “Come and see” a group of dedicated people knitting and crocheting prayer shawls for those who are sick, grieving, or lonely. “Come and see” people receiving the bread and wine, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which offers the forgiveness of sins. “Come and see” Charolette Kjersten, who will be washed in the waters of baptism at St. Paul’s and marked with the cross of Christ forever. “Come and see” a community of believers that shares their faith and love of God with each other. “Come and see.”

Many of us have spent the last week with a “come and see” attitude in the midst of a tragedy. As I held hands with the youth and the chaperones on the youth retreat last weekend only moments after we first heard about the shooting in Arizona, we prayed to God for help, for healing, and for peace. Throughout the week many Facebook statuses have invited me to “come and see” what is happening in Arizona, to learn more about the victims, and to read updates about Congresswoman Giffords. In the midst of tragedy and bad news, it is our job to look for God in the midst of it all, and to show God and God’s work to those around us. We may not always feel like we have something worth of inviting other to “come and see,” but the truth is that God is always working, even in the midst of darkness and tragedy. In the words of President Obama at the memorial service in Arizona, “in the fleeting time we have on this Earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame, but rather how well we have loved and what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better.” God is working in our midst. God has given us the chance to enhance the lives of others. God is counting on us to invite others to “come and see.”

This is our calling. This is our duty. To share the good news. To be witnesses of Jesus, the Messiah. To put aside our fears of speaking in public and start proclaiming the Lamb of God. To echo those words that Jesus spoke to his disciples, “Come and see.” To invite the colleagues we work with, the friends we go to school with, the strangers on the side of the road to “come and see.” Invite them to “come and see” what Jesus is doing at St. Paul’s. To “come and see” the place where we worship on Sunday mornings. To “come and see” the new thing that Christ is doing in our midst. To “come and see” global transformation. To “come and see.” Amen.

The Presence of God

Matthew 2:13-23

There are so many wonderful stories in the Christmas saga. We know the story about the sheep and the shepherds and the angels above them, singing “Glory to God in the highest.” We know the story of the shepherds going to the stable and the manger and visiting the baby Jesus who is lying in a manger. We love the story of the wise men with their gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These are wonderful Christmas stories. But then the story turns ugly. It turns ugly fast. Today our gospel confronts us with the death of innocent children at the hands of Herod. We are reminded today that the birth of Christ does not remove the power of evil from our world. Just as quickly as Christ enters the world, the silent night is jolted back to reality by the power of Herod.

I love Christmas and my guess is that many of you love it as well. So, the jolt of reality that appears in our text today is difficult to swallow. Here we are still in the Christmas spirit, with our decorations still up and maybe some holiday celebrations still on the horizon, hearing that Herod ordered all the children in Bethlehem under the age of two to be killed. Since the first time I read this text a few weeks ago, I have been asking myself if I think this massacre really happened. Did Herod actually kill approximately 20 infants in the 1,000 person village of Bethlehem, in an effort to kill the newly born babe, Savior of the nations, the Messiah? To tell you the truth, I really wish I would have stumbled upon an answer. What I can tell you is that scholars really disagree about it. Some think that Herod, who was not a very nice king, did in fact kill these children and others argue that it did not actually happen. Regardless of whether or not Herod, in a fit of anger, killed the innocent children of Bethlehem, we are still met with this text in our lectionary for today. This text is still a part of Matthew’s Gospel and we are still called to try and make sense of it in our world today, on this First Sunday of Christmas.

O God, we hear the crying for little ones of yours;
For many still are dying in conflicts and in wars --
In every troubled nation, on every violent street,
How great the lamentation when fear and anger meet!

Our text today is the story of the first martyrs of the church – the first people killed for Jesus Christ. Albeit, I don’t think they died knowing the full purpose of their death. I still think that they died for the faith – because of Jesus Christ. Throughout history many innocent people have been killed. Over 150 were killed in the Wounded Knee Massacre in South Dakota. Millions were killed in the Holocaust. Over one hundred thousand were killed in Hiroshima. Almost 3,000 died on 9/11. And thousands have been killed in Iraq.

More recently, the midnight Christmas Mass was canceled in Baghdad as a consequence of the never-ending assassinations of Christians and the attack against Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral on October 31^st, which killed 57 people. For security reasons, churches will not be decorated. Masses will be somber and held during the day. All of the parish churches have security guards, but when worshipers step outside the church and into the street, they become an easy target. In Iraq, Christmas is a time of hope and joy as well as pain and martyrdom.

We could easily read this as only a doom and gloom text. One could suggest that there is no good news to be found in this gospel lesson. However, I think there is good news to be found in this text from Matthew. The good news is that God is always with us.

God was present in the massacre of the innocents and in the massacres that continue to happen throughout the world. For Joseph, God was present in the form of an angel. God was present on 9/11; we have evidence in the Ground Zero cross made of steel beams that was found amidst the debris. God is present in the kind words spoken to us in times of grief. God is present in the small acts of kindness done by friends during times of tragedy. Emmanuel, God with us, is with us when we are in Bethlehem, scared for the lives of those we love, and when we are in Egypt, fleeing from our homes. God is present when we reach an age or a point in our health that we have to move from the place we have called home for so long. God is with us when our jobs cause us to relocate. God is present when we are called to move to another country, another state, or another house. God is with us when times are favorable and when they are unfavorable.

Mary and Joseph feared Herod's order;
Soldiers were coming! They had to flee.
Taking young Jesus, they crossed the border;
So was our Lord a young refugee.

Some heard the promise — God's hand would bless them!
Some fled from hunger, famine and pain.
Some left a place where others oppressed them;
All trusted God and started again.

Mary, Joseph, and the babe born in Bethlehem knew what it was like to be forced to leave behind friends, family, and security. Because of the angel’s message they knew that God was present in Bethlehem, but they also knew that God would be with them in Egypt. Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus knew what it was like to be refugees. They knew what it was like to flee their homeland.

Our world is filled with refugees. Throughout the world there are many people fleeing their homelands, seeking refuge and safety. By the end of 2009, there were an estimated 10.4 million refugees under the United Nations Refugee Agency’s responsibility.

Often we hear about people that are trying to get into the United States by fleeing Mexico. In August of 2004, US Border Patrol agents in Texas, found a life-sized crucifix, minus the cross, on a sandbar in the middle of the river Rio Grande. When no one claimed it, they donated it to the local Catholic Church. Many call this crucifix “Jesus Christ of the Undocumented.” It has become a symbol of the struggles of undocumented immigrants trying to reach the Promised Land – The United States. It is a symbol for refugees who are seeking safety in a country of freedom and opportunity. It is a symbol of Christ being with them.

In Bethlehem, the birth place of the Messiah, there is a 30 foot wall that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem. Bethlehem residents find themselves cut off from relatives, unable to worship at religious sites in Jerusalem, and limited in their opportunities for higher education and employment. The concrete wall not only separates the West Bank from Israel, it cuts through Palestinian land, separating farmers from fields and effectively annexing their land. Many Palestinians who have the means have left the Holy Land in search of a better life elsewhere. The Christian population of Bethlehem has declined from a majority several decades ago to about fifteen percent today. There are people fleeing the land where baby Jesus was born seeking refuge, safety, and better opportunities.

Whenever one is weeping, the whole world suffers, too.
Yet, Jesus, as we serve them, we're also serving you.
So may we not ignore them, nor turn our eyes away,
But help us labor for them to bring a better day.

O Prince of Peace, you lead us in ways of truth and grace.
May we be brave to practice your peace in every place --
To love each fear-filled nation, to serve each troubled street.
How great the celebration when peace and justice meet!

After we have been cheered by the Christmas season and made wishes for peace on earth around our Christmas trees, these texts wrench us back to reality like a winter wind, taking our breath away. We do not live in a peaceful snow globe; we live in a world where children die and mothers grieve—not just occasionally, but every day, not just in hospitals but on city streets and in mud huts. We live in a world where the oppressed suffer and the oppressors get away, literally, with murder.

On Christmas we were met with quite a story. Bethlehem. Sheep. Shepherds. Stars. The sky full of angels singing “Glory to God in the highest.” The stable, the manger, the baby Jesus, a cow, a donkey, the wise men, the gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. It was such a perfect night. It was so beautiful. It was so wonderful. And in a short time, it turned real ugly. That is the way life is sometimes. So, this is part of the Christmas story, but it’s not the end of the Christmas story. The story of Christmas does not end with a massacre of innocent children in Bethlehem. The story cannot end, because Jesus fled from his homeland and was not killed by the anger of Herod. The story cannot end here because there is good news in this story. The good news is that God is always with us: God was present, God is present, and God will continue to be present in and through our lives. That is good news! The good news of Christmas. Amen.

Unexpected Promise

Matthew 24:36-44

This week the Christmas music began on the radio station I listen to at night as
I fall asleep.  Just as I was thinking that they could have held off a few more
days with the Christmas music, at least until after Thanksgiving, inspiration
struck.  The song “Christmas Shoes” came on.  Maybe you have heard the song,
read the book, or seen the movie that is based on this song.  The chorus goes
like this:

“Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight.”

In essence this song is about a little boy that is preparing for his mother
to die at an unexpected hour.

            A lot of unexpected things happen in our lives.  The traffic can
make us unexpectedly late for a child’s school event.  There can be unexpected
delays on the Metro, quite often on the red line, which make us late for work.
There can be increased airport security that can make us unexpectedly late for a
flight.  Now these sorts of unexpected things can make us very upset, but
chances are they really are not that big of a deal in the larger scheme of life.

The other unexpected thing that happens to many of us is the sudden death of a loved one. I saw this happen to several families while I was doing my summer unit of chaplaincy at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. The unexpected situation that I encountered one night was a 17-year-old patient who had recently undergone open-heart surgery at another hospital. While he was in that hospital he developed MRSA, which is an antibiotic resistant staph infection. As his condition continued to worsen the family decided to have him transferred to Mayo for a second opinion. I met the patient and his family at 11pm on a Thursday night. He was awake and alert. He was asking many questions of the medical staff. Throughout the night his condition worsened and at 4am I was called to come back to be with his parents. They were a Roman Catholic family with deep faith. They had seven children and had lost a set of twins at birth. The patient was the third oldest of his siblings. He was an athlete and was going to be a senior in high school. As his parents and I walked the hallway together praying the rosary I kept thinking about the life of this teenage boy. He was sick. He was suffering. His once normal earthly life had gone awry. Then he died on Saturday afternoon after several surgeries on his heart and a few episodes of cardiac arrest. His family was heartbroken. They had faced an unexpected hour.

In today’s Gospel text we hear an unexpected promise. We are told that no one knows when the Son of Man is coming and we are not talking about December 25^th. While December 25^th is the day we remember and celebrate Christ’s first coming into the world, the Gospel today teaches us that no one knows when the Son of Man is coming again. We only know that he is coming again, just as He promised He would. Yet, we are instructed that we must be ready, for Christ will come at an unexpected hour. We’re to "be awake" - not just for what is to come, but to be in continuous preparedness for what is already taking place in our midst. Each day should be lived in the promise of the Lord's nearness, because Christ is indeed near us all the time.

Our text today tells us that Jesus’ coming will be as unexpected as the flood, which caught a careless and unprepared generation off guard. Before Noah entered the ark, the people were eating and drinking. They were getting married and attending weddings. Of course there is nothing wrong with eating and drinking or even with having weddings. But we must always remember that there is something more important than feasts and weddings, the Son of Man could come. God often shows up without an appointment. God arrives unexpectedly. What would we say if God showed up unexpectedly? "Go away, I'm busy getting this meal ready. We've got guests coming tonight." “Don't bother me now; it's my wedding day. I've got a million details to take care of." We are called through this text to open our eyes, and recognize that God is coming to us in the eating and drinking and in the joys of weddings.

What if the Son of Man comes while you are working – while you are in the field or grinding meal. Work is important, but there is something more important than your work, the Son of Man could come. God often shows up without an appointment. God arrives unexpectedly. What would we say if we were busy at work when God showed up? "Don't bother me now, I've got work to do. Come back during my break, then we can visit. Make an appointment with my secretary." We are called to open our eyes, even when we are at work, and recognize that God is in our midst.

We don't know when a thief might break into our house, so we prepare for him at all times. We lock our doors and windows. We invest in home security systems. We leave a light on when we’re gone. We insure our possessions. We have our eyes open and awake at all times, looking for things that may be awry or out of place or suspicious. We do things now because a thief could come at some unknown time. He surely won't make an appointment.

I remember a skit that we used to do when I worked at Bible camp. It was called “Jesus is coming to dinner.” A visitor comes and knocks on the host’s door and asks for food. The host turns the visitor away without any food, explaining that she is too busy preparing for an important guest to arrive to bother with this unexpected visitor. Another visitor comes and knocks on the host’s door and asks to use the bathroom. The host says “no, I am too busy preparing for Jesus to come to dinner” and shuts the door. The next visitor to knock on the door asks to use the phone. But the host again closes the door providing no help to the visitor. The host was too busy preparing for Jesus to come to dinner, to assist the visitors with their needs. Lo and behold, Jesus never comes, or at least Jesus doesn’t come in the form that the host was expecting. Actually, it had been Jesus that had come asking for food, a bathroom, and to use the phone. Jesus had come, but the host was too busy preparing for Jesus’ arrival to even take time to extend hospitality to the one at the door. The host’s eyes weren’t open; her senses weren’t awake to Christ-incarnate, showing up, unexpectedly, three times.

Barbara Brown Taylor says this, "Every morning when you wake up, decide to live the life God has given you to live right now. Refuse to live yesterday over and over again. Resist the temptation to save your best self for tomorrow. Live a caught-up life, not a put-off life, so that wherever you are….you are ready for God.”

This Advent season we are preparing for Christmas and the coming of Jesus as a small baby in a manger in Bethlehem. We are trimming our trees, putting lights on our houses, making Christmas goodies, wrapping presents, and sending cards to our friends and families. Yet, there is something more important than all of this, the Son of Man is coming in the midst of it all, in little and big ways. The reality is that God always shows up. God is always there, but God is not always announced, nor does God make an appointment.

I encourage us, this Advent season, to prepare for Christ in the here and now. I encourage us to care for the poor in our community. I encourage us to find time for prayer in our busy lives. I encourage us to spend time in community with other people. I encourage us to think about our “presence” and not just about the “presents” under the tree. In and through these activities, Christ is coming to us. God is showing up, even when we least expect it.

This Advent season, we are called to prepare for the second coming of Christ – not just the babe born in Bethlehem. We are called to be ready for this unexpected promise. We are called to stay awake for the unexpected hour. We are called to purchase those Christmas Shoes, because while we cannot be sure of the day or the hour when we will meet Jesus at his second coming, we can be certain that He is in our midst always, often unannounced and unexpected. Amen.

Freed From -- Freed For

John 8:31-36

Today we celebrate the Reformation. We celebrate the work of Martin Luther as he on this day in 1517 posted the 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church. Today we celebrate the past, the present, and the future. We celebrate where we have been, where we are now, and where we hope to go.

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the meaning for Reformation is, “a 16th century religious movement marked ultimately by rejection or modification of some Roman Catholic doctrine and practice and establishment of the Protestant churches.” The Reformation is over. This word in its capitalized form refers to the 16th century movement. Under the leadership of many influential reformers, several doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church were rejected. As a result, Protestant churches were established. So, in this sense the Reformation is over.

However, I do not think that reformation is over. The definition for reform is to amend, change, or improve. As we work towards ecumenical agreements, ordain women, and look at the sexuality statement, we cannot deny that we are a church that is ever changing and continuing to make amendments. If the reformation were over we would continue to be a denomination that looked exactly like it looked in the 16th century. That is not the case. We, as Protestants, have not become stagnant. We, as Lutherans, are part of a church that continues to reform.

Luther knew the truth and the truth set him free. The Son made him free and he was free, indeed. So, he acted. He acted for freedom. He acted for reform. In Luther’s work titled “Freedom of a Christian,” he explained the doctrine of justification. He said, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” Let me repeat that, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” This doctrine of justification is two-fold. In this, Christians are given the ability to live in freedom and servanthood.

Jesus sets us free from, and Jesus sets us free for. Jesus sets us free from “sin, death and the power of the devil,” to quote Martin Luther. Jesus defeats all those things that would separate us from God.
Jesus also sets us free for – for a life that reflects his life and strives for the positive impact on people’s lives that Jesus achieved in his life. The incredible gift given to us by our Lord is that we are freed from having to try to earn God’s favor; we have that as a gift. We can now steward that freedom through a life dedicated to praising God and serving those people with whom we travel on our journey through life. We don’t have to count the cost of being a servant to those around us. We can simply serve them because our place in God’s household has been secured.

A steward is, by definition, one who cares for that which belongs to another. Our freedom is not our own, it comes from God. What a joy to have the gift of freedom. What a privilege to live a life in which we care for that freedom through caring for others.

Another way that we can think about this two-fold freedom is to think about the beams of the cross: vertical and horizontal. The vertical beam refers to God’s relationship with us. We are freed from. We are the slaves. We are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. Jesus paid the price of freeing us from our bondage to our sin. Jesus paid the price with his own life by standing in humanity’s place, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin. Jesus gave his life as a ransom for humanity. In response to that ransom we are redeemed for good works. We are freed for good works, not because we must, but because we are able.

The horizontal beam refers to our relationship with each other. We are freed for service. We are called to shine the light of Christ into the dark places of our world. We are called to live in justice, love, kindness, and service to all people. Often this servant way of life calls us to make personal sacrifices, sacrifices of our finances, our time, and our talents. We are called to live in relationship with the rest of the world, which is not always easy. Despite the difficulty we might face, we are called to mission, God’s mission.

This year as Pastor Omholt and I began teaching the confirmation class, we started with Martin Luther. As we talked about Luther’s 95 Theses and the Reformation, I asked the class how the church has been reformed in their lifetime. Now, I ask that same question of you: How has the Lutheran church been reformed in your lifetime?

Maybe you remember the Lutheran church prior to the formation of the ELCA, back in the day of the ALC, the LCA, and the AELC, prior to 1988. Or maybe you can recall a time when churches were divided by race. Some of you can likely recall a time when women were not permitted to be pastors and when women were not allowed to be acolytes, crucifers, and other worship assistants. Maybe you can recall a time in the church when communion was not typically offered weekly. Most of us can recall a time when homosexuals did not feel welcome in the church and were not allowed to be ordained. These are all products of a reforming church. These are all products of a free church.

The next question I asked the class was how would they like to see the church reformed in the future. Again, I will pose the same question to you: How would you like to see the Lutheran church be reformed in the future? Maybe there needs to be more biblical education. Maybe we need to increase our evangelism efforts. Maybe we need to be more involved in inter-faith dialog. I am not certain how the church needs to be reformed in the future, but I am certain that we need to continue to be a church body that is open and willing to be reformed.

We know the truth. The truth has made us free. The Son has made us free. We are free, indeed. May we live as people who have been freed from sin and freed for service to our neighbors. May we walk in the footsteps of Martin Luther, who has showed us how to reform the church. May we, together, be the reformers of the church in the years to come. Amen.

Faith Alone, Grace Alone, and Mustard Seeds

Luke 17:5-10

This week I celebrated an anniversary – my baptismal anniversary. When I decided to go to seminary I had to put the date of my baptism on the forms I submitted. I never quite knew what the date was, so I had to research it a bit. This year, for the first time, I remembered that date when it arrived. I think it was partially due to the fact that we celebrated a baptism last Sunday. That baptism aided me in remembering my own baptismal anniversary. As I went about my day on Tuesday, my baptismal anniversary, I thought about grace. I thought about the waters of grace that were poured on my head when I was just over two months old. At that age I had no idea what baptism would mean for my life or why it was even happening. Now I know that it was happening because I am an unworthy sinner. I am a worthless slave. I am undeserving. In the act of baptism I was given the gift of God’s grace and God’s unconditional love. In baptism I was given faith – the same faith that the disciples in our text today asked Jesus to increase.

In the four verses that precede this text Jesus sets a standard for discipleship and servant hood. Jesus tells the disciples to repeatedly confront and forgive those who sin. The disciples are not sure that they are up for this challenge. They demand, “Increase our faith!” I don’t think Jesus responds the way the disciples were hoping. Jesus says, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed…”

When we hear “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed,” it is easy to think “of course I don’t have that much faith.” In Greek, this sentence has a different emphasis—the gist of this sentence is: "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed (and you do) ..." or “Since you have faith the size of a mustard seed…” Luke is affirming that they have the faith to do what is expected of them. No increase in faith is necessary – they already have ample faith. If they would believe and act on the faith that they already have, then they would be able to rebuke and repent and forgive within the community. In essence, he seems to imply that they don't need more faith, but to make use of the faith that they already have.

While the faith I have today is similar to the faith given to me at my baptism, it is also different. I think that our growth in faith is nearly always a movement from faith to faith, rather than from unbelief to faith. Similarly, who I am today is both the same and different than who I was as an infant. My essence – my DNA is exactly the same, but my knowledge, physical size, abilities, etcetera have changed considerably since birth.

The same is true of the disciples in our text today. They have faith. They have DNA. Their essence has not changed. However, their life circumstances have. When the disciples were each called to follow Jesus I bet their faith leaped to a new lily pad in the pond. When they witnessed Jesus doing miracles I would imagine they hopped to another. And in today’s text they are challenged to adopt the attitude of servants whose actions are responses to their identity rather than works seeking reward.

The same is true for all of us. We have the faith that was given to us at baptism. We have a DNA that is exactly the same as it was the day we were born. Our essence has not changed. Yet, our life circumstances have. Maybe your faith was altered when you traveled to Nicaragua or Zambia. Maybe your faith leaped to a different lily pad when your first child was born. Maybe it was when you helped with the food pantry or participated in the walkathon for the homeless shelter. Maybe it was when someone you loved died. The beauty of being individuals is that our faith is not identical. Faith cannot be shaped by a cookie cutter or a Jell-O mold. For this reason we cannot measure our faith by its quantity, nor can we compare our faith the person sitting next to us. Faith is ever-changing for all of us, yet different for each one of us.

We are each disciples. We are each called to servant hood. We are each called to adopt the attitude of servants whose actions are responses to our identity, rather than works seeking reward. We are called to live in a manner that proclaims “For it is by grace we have been saved, through faith—and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” It is not about living a life of servant hood “if” we have faith. It is about living a life of servant hood “since” we have faith.

I spent Friday and Saturday at the Bolger Center with the church council and the chairs of the ministry committees. We spent our time together strategizing how to live out the new vision statement for St. Paul’s: “SAVED by God's grace and nourished through Word and Sacrament, we, the community of believers at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, are SENT by the Holy Spirit to SHARE the Good News and to SERVE our neighbors following the example of Jesus Christ.” We prayerfully considered what this church and its members are being called to do in the years ahead “since” we have faith. We don’t need God to increase our faith. Since we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we are called to be active in the way we live as servants who already have faith.

May we be filled with faith so that we can live lives of servant hood in response to our identity as God’s children redeemed and forgiven by Jesus’ gift of grace. As we work together in the kingdom, may we remember that we do not need Jesus to increase our faith, because Jesus has already given us all the faith we need. May we have the courage to live out the reality that we already have faith the size of a mustard seed and can therefore do whatever it is God is calling us to do.

Let us pray. O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.