Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Intersections


17th Sunday after Pentecost
September 16, 2018
Proverbs 1:20-33; Mark 8:27-38

(Or watch here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHXfE2l5KWQ )

            There is a tale told about a 15th century German man named Johann Georg Faust.[1] In real life, he was an alchemist, astrologer, and magician during the German Renaissance. The legend, however, says that Faust was quite successful yet very dissatisfied with his life, leading him to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasure. Several playwrights and authors have since retold the story of Dr. Faust, sometimes called Dr. Faustus, the man who sold his soul to the devil. Today we tend to use that expression more as a caution. To “sell your soul” means to do anything it takes, no matter how immoral, illegal, or just plain wrong it is, to achieve your objective. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus asks, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”[2] Dr. Faust gained unlimited knowledge for 24 years in exchange for then belonging to the devil for eternity. Today on eBay, you can sell your soul for $400, if you can slip through the cracks.[3] Souls are one of the items that are on the restricted list for the online auction company. In 2000, eBay explained that they do “not allow the auctioning of human souls for the following reasons: If the soul does not exist, eBay could not allow the auctioning of the soul because there would be nothing to sell. However, if the soul does exist then, in accordance with eBay's policy on human parts and remains, we would not allow the auctioning of human souls.”[4] There are also stories of musicians, like the guitarist in the movie, “O, Brother Where Art Thou,” who sell their soul to the devil in order to become the best musician ever. These stories of people selling their soul to achieve something run quite the gamut.
Yet the more pressing question is really: Why? What causes someone to sell their soul? In the case of the guy who got $400 for his on eBay, he said he was bored, and anytime he’s bored, he turns to the internet.[5] Dr. Faust was dissatisfied with his life and wanted something more. In the case of musicians, it’s because they really want to have incredible musical talent. What these examples have in common is a dissatisfaction with life and a wanting something more. They’re at a crossroads, and they make very poor decisions. Jesus advises against forfeiting, or selling, your soul. When we’re at a crossroads, when we’re trying to figure out which path to choose, what do you do? Take the road less traveled?[6] Sell your soul? Do nothing? And how do you decide? Let the decision be made for you? Pray for God’s guidance? Consult trusted friends? Where do you find wisdom?
            In Proverbs this morning we read about Lady Wisdom, wisdom personified. She is in the street, in the public square, out in the open, at the busiest street corners and at the entrance to the city gates. In Lisbon, this means she’s across the street at the “Welcome to Lisbon” sign, she’s at the traffic circle, she’s in the Food Lion parking lot and by that High’s gas station, she’s next door at the elementary school and over by the fire station. Wisdom is in these public places, these spaces where people gather. And she’s not just sitting quietly in these intersections of people, she’s calling out. Wisdom longs to be heard. She’s raising her voice, calling aloud, crying out, speaking with urgency, inviting anyone who will hear to listen to her. “How long will you refuse to listen to me? How long will you ignore me? I have called and you refused. I stretched out my hand and you ignored me… but those who listen to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of disaster.”[7] Wisdom longs to be heard. That’s why she’s in these public places, that’s why she’s at busy intersections and where people gather. And most people long to do the right thing. Most people want to be wise; they want to know the right thing to do. The children’s resource that I read for each Sunday defines wisdom as “all of God’s ideas about how the world should be and how we should treat one another.”[8] What does God say about how the world should be? What does God say about how we should treat each other? That is all that Lady Wisdom is asking here. It’s pretty basic stuff, like the book pastor Robert Fulghum wrote in 1990, Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. This is the wisdom that still longs to be heard.
      The problem is we don’t always take the time in each intersection to pause and consider. We don’t always realize we’re at a crossroads where we can choose wisdom or choose foolishness. We just charge ahead, fueled by our emotions or following the lead of someone else. We don’t always take the time to consider what’s wise in each situation, in each interaction, in each intersection. Because we don’t take the time with most interactions, because, frankly, it’s unrealistic to pause each time to think, “What’s God’s idea about how this should be? How am I going to treat this person?” it’s important how we are formed. It’s important how we are shaped. Our spiritual formation is crucial because that impacts our identity and how we’re going to act in any given situation. Spiritual formation is an ongoing journey as we grow closer to God throughout our lives. Author and pastor Richard Foster has this beautiful description of why spiritual formation is important: “We are eternal beings, but have lost sight of eternal living. We spend time, energy, and money on our physical needs, but neglect our souls. Our misplaced efforts leave us feeling powerless and detached from God. That’s not how God intended it to be. We are meant to be in relationship with God and others in a way that is dynamic, whole, and fresh every day – relationship that extends beyond church services into every facet of our lives. Spiritual Formation helps us reclaim our relationship with God as it was meant to be. It’s not trying – it’s training in eternal living, determined discipleship to Jesus Christ, and the way we discover the renewable source of spiritual energy we’ve been looking for.”[9] Spiritual formation is about taking care of your souls. They are not meant to be an unused extraneous body part like your appendix. They are at the core of who you are. And when you tend to them, when you do those practices that feed your soul, then when you’re at an intersection, whether you take the time to recognize it or not, then there is no crisis and you don’t have to think through the possible consequences because you already know how you are going to act. You’re going to act in accordance with God’s principles. You’re going to act with love and mercy. You’re going to follow God’s ideas of how the world should be.
There are still remaining obstacles. One is that there are many other competing voices of wisdom. Wisdoms are in overabundance today, practically overwhelming us with self-help books, TV shows, seven steps to a better life, life coaches. Advice is plentiful these days. Drink more water. Cut back on carbs. Exercise as much as humanly possible. Buy this product. The whole advertising industry is based on telling you what to do and what you need and especially lately, feeding our egos and selfish desires with messages of “you deserve this.” So, which wisdom do you heed? Or do you resist all wisdom because it’s on overload?
The second obstacle worth mentioning is that God’s wisdom is hard to live out. It’s not an easy path. Spiritual disciplines like bible study, prayer, worship, abstaining from something, giving to something, generosity, and self-control help us live by God’s wisdom. Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”[10] At each intersection we have the option to follow Jesus, to choose God’s wisdom. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes, “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”[11] Furthermore, “we preach Christ crucified…a stumbling block to [some] and foolishness to [others], but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”[12] It is not an easy path and there are many crossroads. Yet earlier in Proverbs 1, the author wrote that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”[13] That is, a good relationship with God is the beginning of wisdom. A good relationship with God: that’s the point of spiritual formation. It means that when you come to a crossroad of whether or not to sell your soul, there is no question. You’re not even going to consider it in the first place, because you know the value of your soul and you’re not afraid of what might happen. Proverbs 1 ends with Lady Wisdom saying, “The waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of disaster.”[14]
Even the long-running TV show “The Simpsons” did an episode on selling your soul on an episode in 1993.[15] Homer announces that he’d sell his soul to the devil for a donut. So, the devil shows up to take him up on his offer. Homer tries to outsmart the devil by not finishing the donut; he leaves the last bit on the plate and puts it in the fridge. However, then late one night he gets up looking for a midnight snack and eats the last bite. So much for trying to get out of his deal. 

There are times when you can mitigate the consequences of your foolishness and times when you cannot. So, draw close to God. Listen to and heed God’s wisdom. Some of it will sound crazy, some of it will sound like foolishness. When I left teaching in North Carolina to follow Jesus to teach in Nicaragua, some of my fellow teachers did call me foolish. But in losing my life for the sake of the Gospel, I found my life again.
That summer before I went to Nicaragua was also the summer that we had a pastoral change at my sending church in North Carolina. The pastor who left preached his last sermon at our church on this passage from Proverbs 1 about Lady Wisdom calling out from the intersections. He said that it is your intersections with yourself, with others, and with God that shape your life. It is in your intersections with others that you show Jesus to them and that you meet God. May we also be wise at the intersections in our lives, a people formed by God to show God to the world, a people who continuously seek to meet God, and find him and be found by him.
Let us pray…

[2] Mark 8:36-37
[6] “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
[7] Paraphrase of Proverbs 1:22, 24-25, 33
[8] Forbid Them Not, Year B, by Carolyn Brown, p. 151
[10] Mark 8:34-35
[11] 1 Corinthians 1:18
[12] 1 Corinthians 1:23-24
[13] Proverbs 1:7a
[14] Proverbs 1:32-33
[15] “Treehouse of Horror IV”, airdate October 28, 1993

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Wednesday, September 12, 2018

“Hello, My Name Is…”


16th Sunday after Pentecost
September 9, 2018
Proverbs 22:1a; Mark 7:24-37


You can also watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVlO-ZdVU74 

            “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” laments Juliet to her Romeo. Names can sometimes seem quite arbitrary, is what Juliet seems to be saying. A rose is still a rose whether you call it that or not. The issue for Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers is that they are from rival families, Juliet is a Capulet and Romeo is a Montague. So, if Romeo had a different family name, there wouldn’t be a problem. Juliet asks Romeo to forsake his name and his family so that they can be together, and he does. He tells her “I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptiz’d; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.” Shakespeare knew about the importance of names; otherwise there would have been no tragedy for Romeo and Juliet. He may have even been familiar with the first proverb we read today, “A good name is more desirable than great riches,”[1] or in his contemporary King James, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” Romeo and Juliet say, in effect, “What’s in a name? Who cares about a name? It’s more important that we are together than what our names are.” Yet this proverb makes a different comparison, a good name is more important than money. And it’s not talking about simply your name, like John or Jane, it’s talking about your reputation. Some newer translations don’t even use the word ‘name,’ they say “a good reputation is better than wealth.”[2] Your good name, your good reputation, is more important than your financial status. A good name, a good reputation takes years to build up, and to earn. “It implies integrity, honesty, and responsibility. It cannot be bought.”[3] That’s why it’s more important than money. A good name is more important. Why?
Names play a significant role in our world. There’s the obvious, in things like language and society, where we have to agree to call this perennial shrub that has large, showy flowers and prickly thorns on its stems a rose. If we don’t have agreed on names for things, however are we going to be able to communicate? That’s part of why we have a common vocabulary, and why you can get confused in other parts of the country. For example, in the Midwest soda is called pop, and if you go to a potluck in Minnesota or the Dakota’s, you’re going to get a hot dish, which is to say, a casserole. Names can change on you. Or names don’t change, and you’re the one who’s new. When we moved to Asheboro, North Carolina my freshman year of high school, I was in the marching band and we were supposed to meet in the Old Belks parking lot to line up for a parade. The Belks department store had closed years before, but that was still what everyone called the parking lot. After that the band teacher started including a map or an address so that even those of us who didn’t know the local names could still find where we were supposed to go.
Names can also show respect, or a lack thereof. I grew up calling adults Mr. and Mrs. and it was a process in my early 20s to even start feeling comfortable calling adults by their first name. I think that’s why I picked up on the southern custom of calling elders Mr. and Ms. with their first name, so that I feel like I’m still showing respect to the generations that came before me, and I make sure my children do the same. Names can also show a lack of respect, and there are some that are more subtle than outright name-calling. I served as a pastor in North Carolina before moving to Maryland and I remember one of the first Conference meetings I went to. The Bishop called out the names of each of the District Superintendents. At the time there were 12 total, 9 white men, 2 African-American men, and 1 white woman. The Bishop began, “Brother Smith, Brother Jones,” and so on, until then he called a brother by his first name. It caught my attention and I looked up and it was one of the African-American superintendents. The Bishop went back to using last names until the next African-American superintendent, whom he called by his first name. And he called the one female superintendent by her first name. I don’t think the Bishop recognized that he was doing it; I don’t think it was on purpose, but he was not consistent in using all last names or all first names. Using last names is more formal than the familiarity of using someone’s first name. It shows more respect. In the names this Bishop used, he did not show as much respect for his superintendents who were African-American or female. It was subtle. I don’t know if anyone else even picked up on it. But that’s part of why names matter and the role that names can play in society.
For another example, take a look at our Gospel reading for this morning. Here, a disrespectful name is transformed. Jesus is taking a break from teaching the crowds and has entered a house, where he tries to keep his presence on the down low, or for another generation, on the Q T. But, a Gentile woman finds out, and because her daughter is possessed by a demon and suffering terribly, she flings herself at Jesus’ feet and on her knees, begs for Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus says, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”[4] This story is also found in Matthew’s Gospel, and there Jesus is a little clearer. He says, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel… It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”[5] Jesus was a Jew, born a Jew, died a Jew. Other than living in Egypt when he was little, he did not travel widely. He was sent to Israel. Paul was the one who took on the mantle, the apostle to the Gentiles, and the message spread from there among non-Jewish peoples. So Jesus tells this woman, “Let the children of Israel be fed first. It’s not fair to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” There is no getting around that he calls her a dog. Some commentaries try to downplay it, some try to explain it away, but it’s still there, in every translation. Jesus says she’s not even human, she’s sub-human, lower than people. It’s why that name that rhymes with witch is so horrible, because it says the other person isn’t a person but a dog, a female dog.
Martin Luther wrote that this is precisely how God helps us, by killing us to give us life, that the YES is hidden in the NO, which has to come first. God has to break open our false self in order for us to actually hear the YES.[6] My seminary professor wondered if this woman pulled out from Jesus something even he wasn’t fully aware of because some texts say here that Jesus was surprised by her answer. Does this Gentile woman reveal the truth that Jesus was waiting for, that Jesus will save the Gentiles, too? Because you know what this woman does, she doesn’t argue or get upset with Jesus over the name he called her, she just points out the role of dogs. They eat the food that falls from the table, and children are messy eaters. Our dogs always hang out by my children’s chairs during mealtime, not near me. This Gentile woman takes Jesus’ name for her and transforms it to describe her place in the world. Yes, Jesus is Jewish and sent to Israel, but even Gentiles need this bread, too, and Jesus is the only one who has it. This is just like a couple weeks ago, those wonderful words of life, and Simon Peter asking, “Lord, where else would we go? You are the only one who has the words of eternal life.”[7] This woman feels the same way. And Jesus tells her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”[8] Or, in Matthew’s Gospel, the other place this story is found, Jesus says, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”[9] She gave her name new meaning. Instead of changing names, like going from Montague to Capulet, names can also be transformed and take on new meaning. That’s part of how you build and earn that good reputation, that good name.
For we who are Christians the most important name we take on is that which happens in our baptism. In Romeo’s line, “Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptiz’d,” Shakespeare showed that he knew what happens in baptism, which is that we’re named, or christened, named in Christ. Baptism also invokes God’s name. The minister says, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” We’re baptized in God’s name, God’s full name, you could say, the holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is not a name that is earned or built up or transformed, but a name that is freely given to each of us. When Jesus was baptized, God said “You are my beloved son.” God says the same thing about each of us, “You are my beloved child.” Being baptized, being part of God’s family, it’s as if we all have the same last name of Christian. Christian means little Christ, as Christ molds us and makes us like him. Christian means we’re part of God’s family. It means we live life differently, because we belong to God.
Names are important, what you call yourself and what you call others. Names can make a difference, both in how you treat the other person and how they respond to you. When my oldest was an infant and would wake up at 3 in the morning screaming her head off, I’d call her beautiful. She didn’t look it, but I intentionally called her beautiful to remind me that she was. Names, like all words, have the power to build up. And they have the power to tear down. Pay attention this week to the names you use, both for yourself and for others. See what names need to be transformed. Gently correct someone if the name they use for you is disrespectful. And, make a list from the sermon title. Fill in the blanks. If it’s more helpful, instead of starting with “My name is…”, try heading the list, “I am…” and go from there. If you’re willing to share, send me a copy of your list. I’d love to see it, the names you call yourself, the names others call you, who you say you are. A good name is more important than riches. Perhaps that was the Capulet’s and the Montague’s problem, they were so caught up in their rivalry that both their names were dragged down, which is why Romeo and Juliet didn’t even care about their names anymore. Take care with your name. Take care with your reputation. And take care with others’, too. In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

[1] Proverbs 22:1a, NIV
[2] CEB, VOICE
[4] Mark 7:27
[5] Matthew 15:24, 26
[6] This and the next two sentences are based on my class notes from Dr. Willie Jennings’ course on “Christian Identity and the Formation of the Racial World,” lecture on “Reframing Gentile Existence: The Contours of a Theological Identity,” September 14, 2009.
[7] John 6:68
[8] Mark 7:29
[9] Matthew 15:28

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Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Wise Words


14th Sunday after Pentecost
August 26, 2018
Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-69


“Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” Anyone ever heard that? Anyone ever said that? The nursery rhyme first showed up in print in England in 1844 and later here in America in 1862 in The Christian Recorder.[1] I’ve never seen it in print, but I do remember hearing it on the playground as a kid. I may have even said it, because it’s the perfect comeback for when someone’s calling you names but you want to take the high road and not call them names back. Right? It’s saying that whatever you say can’t hurt me, words can’t give me a broken bone or a bruise and so I don’t care what you say. Yet this adage proclaiming indifference to what’s said isn’t really true. Words can hurt. Words can even have a physicality to them if you think about how you physically react to what someone says, such as taking a step back, or clapping, or laughing. And the scars from words can often take much longer to heal than bruises and scrapes and broken bones. Words matter. Words can hurt, and, thank God, can also heal.
Let’s begin with the words in our Gospel story this morning. Jesus has just finished this long discourse that we’ve been reading the past few Sundays in John 6 about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. At a glance, if you don’t dig into what Jesus is saying, it sounds a lot like cannibalism. Jesus says you have to eat him, and become like vampires and drink his blood. It’s a little bizarre and quite gruesome if you just take it literally. It is definitely a difficult teaching, and we have the benefit of knowing and receiving the tradition of holy communion! The disciples and early followers of Jesus didn’t have association yet. We in the church hear eat bread and drink blood and we think communion. Imagine if we didn’t make that connection! It’s no wonder that many disciples left Jesus after hearing Jesus say this!
Because so many turned back and no longer followed Jesus, the number of disciples went down to twelve, at least according in John’s Gospel. “So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’”[2] Because if everyone else leaves, why wouldn’t they want to leave also? Or at least consider leaving? Yet Simon Peter, God bless him, gave this great answer of faith. He said, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”[3] Peter did not deny that Jesus is teaching them difficult lessons. He didn’t deny that the twelve hadn’t thought about leaving, also. Yet they had also put some major thought into it. There was nowhere else for them to go. Only in Jesus have they found words of life. Only in Jesus is their salvation. They didn’t know just how it was going to work out. Remember, Simon Peter was also the one who said he’d never deny Jesus and that the crucifixion didn’t have to happen. The twelve already knew by this point that following Jesus wasn’t going to be easy. They knew Jesus was going to say some weird stuff that was going to take them a while before they understood, if they ever understood at all. But they also already knew that only Jesus has those wonderful words of life. They weren’t going to find them anywhere else. That’s the wisdom that Jesus has and offers, those words of life.
Let’s take a look at another of those words of life that can also be a bit confusing. In Ephesians this morning we read about “the armor of God.” Paul describes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes that proclaim the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The sword of the Spirit is the only item of armor listed that is designed to be used offensively. And Paul says it’s the Word of God. Now, this isn’t the only place where the Word of God is compared to a sword. Hebrews 4:12 says “the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” This sword isn’t a blunt instrument, and while it pierces and divides, it does so to get down to the root, to the heart, to determine and discern the matters of the heart. There is no hiding from this sword. It may even help you learn things about yourself that you didn’t know, about your deepest passions and desires. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Sometimes we don’t even recognize the desires of our heart until after God has given them to us. The Word of God gets down past the marrow, down into your heart and soul. It goes farther than a regular sword. This is a Word that is more piercing than sticks and stones; it can do a lot more than mere sticks and stones.
You know why this Word can do that, don’t you? Think of one of the names for Jesus: Jesus is the Word of God. The Gospel of John begins by saying “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and lived among us.”[4] This is Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God, the Word made flesh, God come in person to live among us. So of course this Word can pierce down to the heart. Of course this Word can knows the hidden desires of your heart. Of course this Word is alive and active and sharper than any sword. We’re talking about Jesus, Jesus who has the wonderful words of life, Jesus who is the wonderful Word of life. And so Paul writes to take with you “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”[5] which is Jesus. Take Jesus with you, so that you can “stand against the wiles of the devil.”[6] Take Jesus with you, because our only important battle as Christians isn’t against any person or people but against the powers we cannot see but do serious damage to individuals, families, and communities. These are things like selfishness, greed, and cruelty, anger, partisanship, and envy. These are the things we need Jesus’ words to guard against, to remind us that he offers us words of life, words that build up, words that show love, words that heal, words that stand against and undo those evil powers. Words like, “I forgive you,” “I love you,” “You are beautiful,” “I’m so glad you’re in my life.” That is how you use words offensively, to undo the lies, the false words you’ve been told about yourself and to stand in the face of future words that are meant to hurt you. Words can hurt. Don’t deceive yourself. But Jesus offers words of life. They’re not all easy, they’re not smooth words, but they are the words of eternal life.
The others left Jesus because he wasn’t saying smooth words, and that happens throughout the Bible, throughout the life of the church. Through the prophet Isaiah, God says, “They are a rebellious people… who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”[7] God’s people say this from time to time, foolish words of self-deception, or of not wanting to do the hard work of following Christ. Preachers do this sometimes, giving an easy sermon rather than one that convicts or corrects. Some of Jesus’ words are very straightforward: Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Others, like “eat my flesh and drink my blood,” can make you scratch your head.
But Jesus says, “It is the spirit that gives life… The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”[8] Read and listen to Jesus’ words with your spirit open to receive, read alongside God’s Spirit, let the story read you. Where do you find yourself in this story? Are you inclined to leave, like the ones who said this teaching is too hard? Are you feeling resigned, that there is nowhere else to go? Do you know and believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God? Do you trust that he has the words of life, and are willing to follow him, even when his words aren’t smooth, even when his Word divides joint from marrow and gets down into your heart? Are you willing? Are ye able, as the hymn asks, to be crucified with the Master?[9] Are ye able, to follow where he leads, down roads not of your own choosing, serving all of God’s people, wrestling with the hard questions, looking beyond the letter to the Spirit and to life? The answering refrain to that hymn says, “Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine. Remold them, make us, like thee, divine. Thy guiding radiance above us shall be a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.”[10]
Our answer is the same as Simon Peter’s, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” We don’t understand everything, but that’s why it’s walking by faith and not by sight. We just know that these are the wonderful words of life. And we know that words matter, more than sticks or stones. After all, we have all that armor so that we can stand against the devil’s schemes.  Put on that belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes that proclaim the gospel of peace, Hold on to that shield of faith, put on the helmet of salvation, and take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With faith, not with understanding, we stand against those things that would tear our community and our families apart. Yet, as St. Anselm from the 11th century put it, we have faith seeking understanding, and so we trust “we’ll understand it better by and by.”[11] Or, as Saint Paul said, “now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.”[12] Things in the Christian life that don’t make sense is another sermon. This is about those “wonderful words of life [that] offer pardon and peace to all.”[13] May we share these words with all we meet as well.

[2] John 6:67
[3] John 6:68-69
[4] John 1:1, 14
[5] Ephesians 6:17
[6] Ephesians 6:11b, NRSV
[7] Isaiah 30:9-11
[8] John 6:63
[9] UMH 530
[10] Ibid.
[11] UMH 525
[12] 1 Corinthians 13:12
[13] UMH 600

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Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Got Wisdom?


13th Sunday after Pentecost
August 19, 2018
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14

Our Old Testament reading this morning sounds like a happy story. Solomon succeeds his father, David, as King over Israel. His reign is established. And in a dream, God offers Solomon whatever he wants. Open-ended question, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon talks about his father’s relationship with God, and then asks for wisdom. God is pleased with his answer and grants it. After all, this isn’t something that will benefit Solomon only but all of God’s people under Solomon’s rule. Then, as a bonus, God throws in wealth and honor, too, and, if Solomon keeps God’s commands like his father David did, then Solomon will also enjoy a long life. This sounds great, right? What leader doesn’t want and need wisdom? Plus the added benefit of wealth, honor, and longevity! Happy story. Or is it? You may have noticed that we skipped a chunk of chapter 2. You see, the lectionary edited out all the ugly parts. In those sections we didn’t read was about just how Solomon establishes his kingdom.  How do you establish yourself as king? You kill all other claims to the throne, who in this case, were Solomon’s half-brothers, some of whom were older than him and, therefore, had a more legitimate claim to the throne. And Solomon made a couple key political marriages. That’s how he established his kingdom. It wasn’t a smooth transition where David died and Solomon was immediately declared King. There was a little more political intrigue going on behind the scenes.
What I found interesting in preparing for this sermon was that all of the commentaries I read commented on Solomon’s character. Every single one felt the need to point out that yes, asking for wisdom was one good thing Solomon did, but that doesn’t mean that everything he did was good and wise. Solomon does not get the long life God offered him because he actually led Israel astray from God and his kingdom gets split up after his death. There are hints of that even in what we read, about how “Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.” That “except” is because those high places were the places dedicated to Baal, another god. Solomon worshiped God, which is good, but he didn’t worship him in Jerusalem, where the ark of the covenant was; he worshiped God at another god’s altar. And really, this just makes Solomon human. Just like any of the rest of us, he got some things right, like asking for wisdom. And then there are other things he could have done better.
Let’s start at the beginning. Solomon’s father was David, the shepherd boy who beat Goliath, the one chosen by God to succeed King Saul. And Solomon’s mother is Bathsheba. You may be familiar with the story of how David sees Bathsheba bathing, wants her, takes her, gets her pregnant, and then tries to set up Bathsheba’s husband so he’d think he was the father of the baby. But her husband is a good, upstanding soldier who won’t sleep with his wife while his brothers are in battle. So David puts him on the frontline of the fighting, where he is killed. Then David takes Bathsheba to his palace. The prophet Nathan calls David out on what he’s done, and that’s where we get Psalm 51 that we use often during Lent, because it’s a psalm of confession and repentance. That first baby Bathsheba carries dies, but the next baby is Solomon. So Solomon is not the oldest son of David, or even the second or third oldest. He is not set to inherit the crown. But near the end of David’s life, David decides Solomon should be the next king. So, Solomon has his father’s blessing, but then has to establish his rule by killing the other claimants, his half-brothers.
​Now, we’re up to chapter 3. As I mentioned, Solomon doesn’t sacrifice in Jerusalem, where God wants him to worship, but at high places that were holy to Baal. God seems to tolerate it at least, and appears to Solomon one night during a dream. Here is something Solomon definitely does right. He could have asked God for anything! Riches! Deaths of his enemies! World domination! But he asks for wisdom. He needs help governing and leading God’s people. He’s not afraid to admit to God that he needs help. He shows vulnerability in this request, which is not something a king can often show. But he admits to God that he needs help to be a good king. God gives him the wisdom he asks for, and then also wealth and honor, and conditional old age. And that’s where our passage ends. 
​Solomon wanted to rule wisely and render the best decisions for his kingdom. Seeking to live wisely is a process of constant discernment. What’s best? What will happen if I do this? What about that? Who’s affected? How are they affected? There are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Very few things in life are purely good or bad. And the line runs right down the middle of every human heart. That’s why the commentators want to present a whole portrait of Solomon, not just his wise side. The line between good and evil isn’t between groups or countries, good guys and bad guys, cowboys and Indians; the line is in the middle of every human heart. Each of us are capable of being wise; each of us have moments when we’re foolish. There are times we do a better job of loving our neighbor, there are times when we ignore the cry of the needy. That’s why we need confession, too, just like David. We need God’s help, too, just like Solomon. We seek to live wisely. Who doesn’t? We all want to live well and make good decisions. We all want to say words that are loving and healing and helpful. And the right choice isn’t always the easy one or the popular one or even the first one you think of. We all need wisdom.
            This past week I read a novel about a group of friends the summer before their senior year of high school.[1] One of the friends throws a party, with drinking, which the parents know about. The parents figured it was safer because then no one would be driving, everyone was welcome to spend the night, and it kept the kids all in one place. They’d done it many times before and there had never been any problems, until this one night. This one night a few of the kids decide to leave the party and go to McDonald’s. They don’t even make it out to the main road. Four of the kids die; one survives, the one who was sober, the only one who was wearing a seatbelt, the only one who recognized that the driver had had too much to drink to get behind a wheel. But she didn’t want to be “that person” who makes a big deal out of it. He said he was fine to drive; she decided to take him at his word. The novel is told from her perspective and does a really good job at wrestling with her feelings, her guilt, her trying to figure out if this one bad decision made her a bad person, if it defined her whole life. She grieved that it defined the lives of her friends who died, when she knew that there was so much more to them. She ultimately decides that the parents were good people who made a series of bad decisions that led to them allowing and enabling underage drinking. And as she eventually forgives herself for her role in everything, she determines that she is a good person, who made one very poor decision.
            That’s what I mean by the line between good and evil running down the middle of all of our hearts. We want to take people at their word when they say they’re okay to drive. We tend to succumb to peer pressure, at any age, and don’t want to make a big fuss about something when no one else is. We get away with bad decisions so often that we don’t think much of the next bad decision, because we assume we’ll get away with it, too.
            Solomon is known as a great king, renowned for his wisdom and his wealth. He’s the one God chose to build the temple in Jerusalem. Yet Solomon marries women from other religions who lead him away from God. He doesn’t seem to apply his God-given wisdom in all areas of his life. Solomon was a great king, yet also dangerously flawed. He’s hard to put in any one category, other than, he’s human.
            Today there is a strong tendency to emphasize a strong divide between right and wrong, black and white, good and bad, to the point that we demonize those we consider bad. Whether a political party or a religion or wherever else a line may be drawn, and there are so many places a line can be drawn: a TV channel, what kind of car you drive, where you do your shopping, what you believe about a particular issue, we tend to draw a line between groups. We find this tendency in movies, on TV, in sports, even in church, sometimes. This person is good; that person is bad. The truth is a bit more nuanced. Solomon was good in many ways, and he was not in other ways. He followed God in some things, he didn’t in other things. The same is true of us. We are wise about some things; we’re wise-asses in other things. Yet the Lord can redeem all things, make all things new. No one action defines your whole life, because Jesus already did that. The most defining moment of your life happened 2,000 years ago on a hill in Calvary. You are loved. You are forgiven. You are called to go and do the same. Love God, love your neighbor, love yourself. Forgive God, forgive your neighbor, forgive yourself. That’s living wisely.


[1] If There’s No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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