Faith And Trust In A World Of Fractured Relationships
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
*** (Use this link for printer friendly version.) ***
This week's texts are a paean to the power of faith -- the gospel reading features Jesus' familiar story about the mustard seed, and the epistle includes a reference to the strong faith lived and passed on by Timothy's mother and grandmother. But as team member Mary Austin points out in this installment of The Immediate Word, these passages also have much to say to us about the conditions in which faith thrives... for in addition they are about the importance of trust and relationships. In a world rife with the cynicism, fear, and anger that inevitably results from broken relationships, Mary notes that these texts have much to teach us about the "sure and certain hope" we have in God and in God's work -- even when it isn't always visible to us. Team member Ron Love offers some additional thoughts on the theme of hope as an integral part of the faith that can sustain us in difficult times, which certainly describes the situation that confronted Jeremiah in our Lamentations text. As Ron notes, our faithful actions to one another can provide hope for those who find themselves in trying circumstances.
Faith and Trust in a World of Fractured Relationships
by Mary Austin
Luke 17:5-10; 2 Timothy 1:1-14; Lamentations 1:1-6, 3:19-26
"Throw Everyone Out" read a sign at a recent Tea Party rally, neatly capturing the current mistrust of politicians of both parties. The Tea Party's current prominence showcases the fractured relationships between dissatisfied citizens and their politicians, who were once called (the term seems almost quaint now) "public servants."
Other fractured relationships are apparent all around us. In Europe, the Catholic church is under fire for the same kind of abuse by priests that America has experienced. Universities across the country have come under NCAA scrutiny for a variety of violations in their athletic programs, ranging from ignoring limits on practice time, to recruiting and transcript recording violations. Teachers mistrust education reform, while frustrated parents mistrust what teachers are doing and wonder why schools aren't better.
The lectionary texts for this week remind us of another, parallel world in which trust is alive and well -- and how our deep connection with God, and with other people, can be trusted as a foundation for living.
THE WORLD
The approach of the mid-term elections is highlighting the anger people feel toward politicians for a variety of reasons: health care reform; an economic bailout that has barely budged the unemployment rate; the expense of two wars, to be paid for years to come.
Adding to the whirlwind of mistrust and questionable accountability are the weekly revelations of things that would have disqualified candidates in other times. Carl Paladino, the Republican candidate for governor in New York, has a child born from an extramarital relationship and told his wife about it as she was preparing for the funeral of their 29-year-old son, killed in an accident. When Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was nominated for his post, he revealed that he hadn't paid proper taxes for his household help. Sarah Palin is still dogged by charges from campaign aides that she took liberties with clothing allowances paid for by campaign donors in 2008. Sharon Angle, currently running for the Senate in Nevada, mentions bodies being found in the desert, unconfirmed by any other sources. And President Obama is being criticized for redecorating the Oval office while people wait in long lines at job fairs, seeking work.
From being tone-deaf to how things appear to serious misjudgments, from incompetence to simple human frailty, politics offers plenty of opportunities for mistrust. Churches have the same problem, as clergy betray the trust of parishioners with financial mismanagement, affairs with church members, and the abuse of young people.
Combined with searing levels of mistrust, our culture of instant results makes any institution's work processes look slow. Congress, state legislatures working on budgets, congregations with governing boards, businesses accountable to long-term bottom lines -- all look impossibly slow in our current climate. In a culture of relationships, we trust the process because we trust the people behind it. Without the base of relationships with our elected representatives, our clergy, our school boards, our bankers, even our neighbors, we have no reason to trust what happens behind the scenes, and so find ourselves in a morass of suspicion and anger.
THE WORD
In contrast, the scriptures for this week talk about how much of God's work is unseen. The story of Timothy is the story of his mother and grandmother, living their faith in such ways that Timothy catches it from them -- the work of years and years of daily, unheralded practice, until it emerges in the faith we pass on to someone else.
The author of Lamentations (ancient Jewish tradition holds that it was Jeremiah, although there is no evidence for that) is in the midst of the pain of the destruction of the temple and the fall of Jerusalem. Interpreting those events as God's judgment on Israel, he notes the city's bitter weeping and emptiness, and notes that his soul is restless and bowed down. Yet, he recalls that "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end" (3:22). There's no evidence at this moment for anything good to come from God, and yet the relationship allows him to trust in something that is unseen, and possibly far in the future.
In the same way, the story from Luke's gospel depends on the relationship between Jesus and his friends. Because they trust him, they come to him with their prayer: "Increase our faith." His answer could be a reminder of the ability of the mustard seed to move an immense tree, with the power of faith. Or it could be taken as a rebuke that they don't even have the faith of a mustard seed, or they wouldn't be asking. Then, paradoxically, he calls them back to the work of the servants of the realm of God -- back to the work they ought to be doing. The correct kind of faith matters less than the work to which God calls us, and the work grows out of the relationship with Jesus. When we serve him in the world, we have done only what we ought to have done.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Fortunately, as people of faith we have an antidote to the poisonous sense of mistrust around us. We, too, have the relationship with Jesus on which to draw. When our faith wears thin, when disaster comes, when the world doesn't look like anything we recognize, our relationship with God allows us to live in the mercy which is new every morning.
And what to do about the broken connections all around us? A community of faith offers a place to live, experience, and then model the richness of living in trusting connection. We can decry the absence of trust around us, but we are also called to create and sustain connections in the name of the One whose servants we are. When it seems that there is no one to trust, we have a deeper connection on which to draw.
We can also try not to be seduced by the quick fix and rely instead on the bonds we have with each other as we do the unseen work of God's realm.
On this World Communion Sunday, we can also celebrate the connections we have with people of faith around the world. Our various forms of bread and cup -- pita bread, tortillas, orderly cubes, whole grain, French bread -- point to a common faith and a common purpose, a shared calling to relationships that make the realm of God alive in this world. That parallel universe can enliven the ordinary world as we turn again to the unending mercies of God, and the connections we have with each other. Faith is slow work, but sure work.
ANOTHER VIEW
I Have Hope
by Ron Love
Lamentations 3:19-26
Dr. J. Philip Wogaman, the former dean of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC and a professor of ethics, began the first day of class with this question: "What is the central theme of the Bible?" He heard from the students the expected responses of love, forgiveness, and salvation. The one answer he did not receive was the word "hope." The professor then lectured that hope is the central message of the scriptures. What I found interesting is the surprise the students expressed on hearing his answer. It was a concept, an idea, that was never before considered. Further, their reaction was that the word "hope" seemed so trite when placed alongside such vibrant words as "love," "grace," and "forgiveness." Yet if we take the time to ponder it, is not "hope" the most significant word in the scriptures?
I often share this story, for it is one worth repeating because the magnificence of the word "hope" should never be lost on us. Each time the word is heard, we should receive it with the same wonderment and surprise as if it were our first. The word should always bring peace to our war-torn souls and quiet a disquieted spirit.
Hope is the message of the Resurrection and that is why it is such an important biblical word. We know that as Christians we live in what is often called "the in-between times." That is, we live between our fall from grace in the Garden of Eden and our restoration with the coming of a new heaven and a new earth. Knowing that Christ will ultimately triumph over evil and restore us to the innocence of creation provides for us a sense of the dawn of deliverance, which is our hope.
Though this hope is real, it is also academic for it seems so distant. The date, the time, the sign of the Second Coming are unknown to us. Knowing we will one day reside in God's kingdom seldom provides the hope we need to endure the day-to-day traumas of life. We also know that hope must be a personal experience. Whether the story of sorrow comes from Wolf Blitzer's The Situation Room or from a private email from a friend, whoever is involved is in equal need of the peace that comes from someone knowing, someone caring, and that someone will help. This, then, becomes the basis of their hope.
We are aware of the Chilean trapped miners, displaced persons from a Caribbean earthquake, and a Louisiana city still trying to recover from a hurricane -- people whose stories beckon our help, but geographical distance places them beyond our touch. We generously provide a financial donation to a relief agency, and we follow their progress of rescue, restoration, and recovery on the news but beyond that there is little we can do. Since these are the big stories they capture the media headlines, and in so doing our attention as well, though we know this is not the complete scenario. There are countless stories of other individuals whose suffering and despondency lack the drama of reality TV. But to the individuals involved and the family and friends who embrace them, their drama exceeds anything that may be scripted for commercial appeal.
Beyond the Ninth Ward and the San Jose copper mine, there are many little stories. We are surrounded by people who are in desperate need of hope. There are individuals who have cancer, others who are going through a divorce, and still more who have lost their jobs. Little? These stories are little only in the sense that they are of no interest to Fox News. Little? They are not little to the individual who is suffering.
As caregivers, if we were in Chile we would be the ones seen on the plasma screen being viewed by a worldwide audience as we desperately drill a rescue well. Certainly these drillers are the forbearers of hope. But having put our checkbooks aside, we are the nondescript person who pushes a wheelchair down the hall for a friend. Absent of community recognition, we take our turn delivering meals. Without accolade, we assist someone in writing a resume. Be assured, these seemingly innocuous acts of kindness are as dramatic as the third well hole piercing into a bottomless cavernous mine.
In our lectionary reading for today Jeremiah is able to say, "I have hope." He is able to say that he has hope, for God's "compassions never fail." I would suppose that Jeremiah's soliloquy would be reported on MSNBC because he is speaking for the restoration of a nation, Judah. Realizing the Bible is read on many levels, Jeremiah's words "I have hope" are also for those suffering from little problems that really aren't so little. So you and I, in our Christian calling, are the prophet's voice to the destitute in our churches and community. You and I, through our actions and words, bring to life God's "compassions that never fail."
Yet in the uncertainties of life, we may not always be the one delivering flowers as much as the one receiving them. Our lives are not problem-free. Most of our aggravations are just those that accompany a daily routine. These we just accept and move on. But none of us have escaped the more intense traumas of grief, illness, and uncertainty. Not knowing the future, we cry out with Habakkuk, "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" At this point in our lives, we know there is a listening God when a Christian friend visits with a Bible in one hand, a coffee cup in the other, and two attentive ears between.
You may want to follow or adapt the following outline in preparing your sermon on hope:
I. Begin by discussing international and national tragedies that are familiar to the congregation. Share how those who are entrapped in these cataclysmic events have a sense of hope and deliverance because of the rescue and restoration efforts of others. Next share the stories of people in our own churches and communities who are suffering from the multiple tragedies and traumas of life. Emphasize that we are their rescuers, their well-drillers, who are to restore them to life.
II. Next, discuss how we are often the one who needs to be rescued. During our personal trials we need someone to bring us the message of hope and demonstrate for us that there is a future. Emphasize that we must also be willing to ask for assistance and be receptive of the kindness of others. You may want to discuss some pastoral concerns, such as the need of congregants to notify the pastor when they are going to the hospital.
III. From the lectionary readings review the messages of Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and the psalmist. Outline the life situation of each prophet. Share the meaning and significance of their message of hope.
IV. Share how we are the Jeremiahs and Habakkuks of today. We are the prophets who speak of God's message of hope. As we know, the message must have an action. Dialogue with your congregation on ways in which we can become involved, offering rescue, recovery, and restoration to others as equally in need as those 33 Chilean men trapped 2,070 feet beneath the surface of the earth.
ILLUSTRATIONS
There are 33 miners trapped 2,070 feet beneath the surface of the earth at the San Jose copper and gold mine in Chile. Yet in the midst of this captivity and the uncertainty of being raised to daylight, they can celebrate Chile's bicentennial with patriotic songs and nationalistic banners. Why? Because they know that nearly a half-mile above them are hundreds of dedicated engineers and drillers who are committed to their rescue and recovery. Recently a new twelve-inch-wide bore hole broke into their chamber of horrors, providing even greater opportunity for them to receive food, medicine, clothing, and additional communication equipment. But most importantly, the recent bore hole offers the promise that the 28-inch rescue tube is soon coming. As one unidentified trapped miner said into the camera, "It's time for the third and final stage." This is an expression and summation of their hope. It is a hope that comes from knowing that their brother miners care and are actively involved in securing their freedom.
In Lamentations, Jeremiah is able to say "I have hope" because he knows that God's "compassions never fail." This is not an esoteric statement for the compassions of God are made real through the words and efforts of his followers. Jeremiah believed in the pervasive presence of God, but he also put his trust in the belief that the leaders of Judah would start to make the right decisions in guiding the Jewish people. A faith in the promises of God and a trust in the nation's leaders had become the basis of Jeremiah's hope that there was a future for the Jews.
The well-drillers have given the entombed miners hope, for with the twelve-inch hole they know "the third and final stage is beginning." We serve as servants of hope. Our actions may not be captured by the international media as have been those of the Chilean well-drillers, but in our many unnoticed ways we restore the lives of many. We are the prophets of hope each time we go to someone to listen, to help, and most importantly to care.
* * *
The New York Times recently published an article by Motoko Rich with the headline "For the Unemployed Over 50, Fears of Never Working Again." The title of the article is sobering, for its statement of truth is beyond dispute. There are many obstacles confronting those in the fifth decade of life as they seek work. It will take eight years to recover the 8 million jobs that were lost in the recent depression. Many people in this age bracket hear the recurring theme that they are "overqualified." This is rather ironic for at the same time they are told their skills have not kept pace with the emerging new technologies. Then there is the stereotyping that older workers are less able to adapt to a changing work environment. These factors create a very bleak employment scenario for the older adult population. As one displaced worker described her situation, "We are circling the drain here, and I am bailing like hell. But the boat is still sinking."
I am sure these unemployed Baby Boomers could easily recite the words of Habakkuk: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" But is it God who is not listening or prejudicial employers? Habakkuk assures his people that an answer will come but "though it linger, wait for it." The church has no employment answers for those who are a part of the aging work force during a recession, except to be patient. But as we expect them to be patient, they expect us to be involved.
If they are to have a sense of hope, then they must be assured that we are working as advocate on their behalf. This means we are politically active, promoting legislation that will benefit job growth. It means we create educational programs to improve technological skills. We offer job counseling and seminars on resume writing. We are willing to extend ourselves into the social network, introducing them to possible employers. We cannot change the economy, but we can offer hope to those who feel their only option is one of patiently waiting.
* * *
"To all the members of concerned organizations. I thank you for feeling our pain. I note you that have taken on almost all our problems and some of our greatest needs." But, Marjorie Saint Hilarie went on to write, "Please -- do something! We don't want to die of hunger and also we want to send our children to school. I give glory to God that I am still alive -- but I would like to stay that way!" Saint Hilarie wrote this letter from Tent J2, Block 7, Section 3, which is her home since the January earthquake devastated Haiti. The letter was part of a program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration to give a voice to the voiceless. Mailboxes were placed in the 1,300 camps of displaced persons, where letters expressing their feelings could be deposited. Unless a letter expresses a need for personal protection, the requests for aid that are often included in the letters are seldom acted upon. But, as all of the letters are read and some broadcast over Radio Guinen, the public remains aware of the plight the victims of a horrendous national disaster. And the letters are important, for as Sandra Felicien, who uses a covered bucket for a writing desk, expressed, "We are so powerless. It is like we are bobbing along the waves of the ocean, waiting to be saved."
The psalmist says, "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?" The answer is they cannot if they do not have the instruments, lack the sheet music, and are not provided with a backup chorus. Haiti has become a foreign land, for an earthquake went beyond changing the landscape, but further disrupted every facet of society. There are some relief agencies that are doing an admirable job of ministering to the victims of the quake, but their resources are far too inadequate for the magnitude of the problem. The answer lies with the industrialized nations who have yet to provide the instruments and music, and most importantly the backup chorus to restore the land and its people. If the people of Haiti, as well as any individual who has suffered tragedy, are not provided to resources needed to restore their lives, then a new song will never be sung.
* * *
A seeker challenged Imam Sadiq, "Convince me of the existence of God."
Knowing that the man had traveled the seas, the Imam asked him, "Have you ever been caught in a fierce storm in the middle of a voyage, your rudder gone, your sails torn, your vessel in danger of capsizing, and no land in sight?"
The man replied, "Yes."
The Imam then asked him, "Yet was not there always, despite your black despair, a glimmer of hope in your heart that someone, somewhere -- some unnamed and unknown power -- could still save you?"
"Yes," the man answered again.
To which the Imam replied, "That power is God."
-- Beliefnet.com
* * *
In the Christian vision, one Greek word has consistently characterized the Holy Spirit: dynamis, from which we get our word "dynamite." The Spirit is Power, the Spirit is dynamite.
-- Walter J. Burghardt
* * *
In the Lamentations reading Jeremiah seems convinced that the hardships the people are suffering after the invasion of Jerusalem and the razing of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar are God's punishment for "the multitude of her transgressions." While we may not agree that God punishes an entire country with the kinds of violence described in the book of Jeremiah, the prophet's words remind us that we can and should occasionally take stock of our behavior and ask to what extent our problems are our own fault.
In his book Rules for Aging, author Roger Rosenblatt offers over 50 "rules" that will, if followed, make life easier and aging less painful. After each simply-stated rule he offers commentary, sometimes long and sometimes brief. One of his rules is: "After the age of 30 it is unseemly to blame one's parents for one's life." His commentary on that rule is simply: "Make that 25."
* * *
After promising in commercials to take full responsibility for the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the cleanup that followed, BP investigators released their 193-page report on September 8, 2010, stating that they were "unable to identify any single action or inaction that caused the Deepwater Horizon rig to blow up."
The cause, they said, was that "a complex and interlinked series of mechanical failures, human judgments, engineering design, operational implementation, and team interfaces came together to allow the initiation and escalation of the accident."
The blame? It should, they said, be shared by BP, Transocean Ltd. (the operator of the rig), and the oil service company Halliburton that cemented the well.
* * *
Members of Alcoholics Anonymous understand the importance of taking personal responsibility for their illness and for their lives. The famous "12 steps" include these:
4. Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves; and
5. Admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
* * *
Last week (September 21, 2010) the National Guard joined forces with firefighters to battle a wind-driven fire that the guard ignited during a machine-gun training exercise. The fire destroyed three houses, damaged a fourth, and forced the evacuation of more than 1,600 homes.
Writing for the Associated Press, Jennifer Dobner and Paul Foy reported that Utah Army Guard General Brian Tarbet said he was "deeply sorry" about what he called a "systematic failure" at Camp Williams, about thirty miles south of Salt Lake City. The commander accepted full responsibility for the wildfire sparked the previous weekend by their live-fire exercises in "tinder-dry conditions."
* * *
In the Anglican and Roman traditions, one is able to fully accept and benefit from God's grace only when one has recognized the need for it in their lives. That is why confession and reconciliation play such a large part in the liturgical traditions of those churches. To recognize that we have failed, missed the mark, sinned, or gone astray is the first step not to receiving God's grace, but to benefiting from it.
That is why both the Anglican and Roman missals contain a prayer that is often referred to as the "Mea Culpa." It is a prayer of confession containing the following words: I confess to Omnipotent God... that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Mary Austin
Call to Worship
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God of mercy.
People: God's love is new every day.
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God of startling grace.
People: God's love is revealed in Jesus our Redeemer.
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God who calls us servants.
People: God's love sweeps through us in the energy of the Holy Spirit.
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God of all people.
People: God's love is made alive in prayerful work.
Opening Prayer / Prayer of the Day
God, who can move mountains, we come in awe for the creation that reveals you, for sisters and brothers around the world who show us your face, and for your Spirit at work among us.
God, who can move hearts, bind us, your servants around the globe, together as we feast at your table today, and as we serve you always.
God, who can move the world, we pray for people of faith everywhere that our hearts would be united in you and our lives would show your blessings. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
God of grace, forgive us, we pray.
In joyful times, we have hesitated to give you thanks,
ignoring your mercies and forgetting your treasure.
In painful times, we have lamented loudly,
ignoring our own part and forgetting your care.
Forgive us where we have failed to serve you,
ignoring the gifts you give us, and forgetting your power at work.
Forgive us, we pray, and bless us with your mercy,
as we begin again as your joyful servants and beloved children. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Leader: Hear God's word of grace. Just as the mustard seed can do great things with God's power, you also are called by God, and blessed, forgiven, and set free to serve God.
People: We will trust in the Lord and live in God's mercy. We will delight in God's ways and live as God's beloved.
Hymn Suggestions
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" (FAITHFULNESS)
"I Sing the Mighty Power of God" (ELLACOMBE)
"Seek Ye First" (LAFFERTY)
"Come Labor On" (ORA LABORA)
"I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me" (I'M GONNA LIVE)
"Though I May Speak" (O WALY WALY)
Communion Hymn:
"Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ" (LINSTEAD)
CHILDREN'S SERMON
The Right Answer
Lamentations 3:24
Object: Several sheets of paper with the following math problems printed on them: 5+5=; 12-2=; 3+7=; 15-5=; 2+8=
Good morning, boys and girls! You are going to have to think this morning in order to help me with our lesson. Let's see how we do with these problems. Can you give me the answers? (Hold up the problems one at a time and offer any help that may be needed.)
Did you notice anything about these problems? (let the children respond) Even though we had a lot of problems to solve, they all had the same answer. The problems were all different, but the answer was always the same.
Did you know that life works that way for people who love and follow Jesus? Life has many problems, but if we trust Jesus and if we turn to him, we find that he is the answer to all of our problems and troubles. No matter how big or how small our problem is, Jesus can help.
If you feel lonely, Jesus can help you know that you are never alone. If you are afraid, Jesus can help you feel safe. If you get sick, Jesus can help you get better. If something really bad happens to you, and you feel hurt and sad, Jesus can help you get through the pain.
Jesus does not always take our problems away, even when we want him to, but he is the answer. No matter what kind of trouble we have, Jesus can make a difference in our lives if we will trust him, turn to him, and ask him to help us.
This week, I'm going to pray that you will remember to turn to Jesus when you have a problem to solve. God bless you.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, October 3, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
This week's texts are a paean to the power of faith -- the gospel reading features Jesus' familiar story about the mustard seed, and the epistle includes a reference to the strong faith lived and passed on by Timothy's mother and grandmother. But as team member Mary Austin points out in this installment of The Immediate Word, these passages also have much to say to us about the conditions in which faith thrives... for in addition they are about the importance of trust and relationships. In a world rife with the cynicism, fear, and anger that inevitably results from broken relationships, Mary notes that these texts have much to teach us about the "sure and certain hope" we have in God and in God's work -- even when it isn't always visible to us. Team member Ron Love offers some additional thoughts on the theme of hope as an integral part of the faith that can sustain us in difficult times, which certainly describes the situation that confronted Jeremiah in our Lamentations text. As Ron notes, our faithful actions to one another can provide hope for those who find themselves in trying circumstances.
Faith and Trust in a World of Fractured Relationships
by Mary Austin
Luke 17:5-10; 2 Timothy 1:1-14; Lamentations 1:1-6, 3:19-26
"Throw Everyone Out" read a sign at a recent Tea Party rally, neatly capturing the current mistrust of politicians of both parties. The Tea Party's current prominence showcases the fractured relationships between dissatisfied citizens and their politicians, who were once called (the term seems almost quaint now) "public servants."
Other fractured relationships are apparent all around us. In Europe, the Catholic church is under fire for the same kind of abuse by priests that America has experienced. Universities across the country have come under NCAA scrutiny for a variety of violations in their athletic programs, ranging from ignoring limits on practice time, to recruiting and transcript recording violations. Teachers mistrust education reform, while frustrated parents mistrust what teachers are doing and wonder why schools aren't better.
The lectionary texts for this week remind us of another, parallel world in which trust is alive and well -- and how our deep connection with God, and with other people, can be trusted as a foundation for living.
THE WORLD
The approach of the mid-term elections is highlighting the anger people feel toward politicians for a variety of reasons: health care reform; an economic bailout that has barely budged the unemployment rate; the expense of two wars, to be paid for years to come.
Adding to the whirlwind of mistrust and questionable accountability are the weekly revelations of things that would have disqualified candidates in other times. Carl Paladino, the Republican candidate for governor in New York, has a child born from an extramarital relationship and told his wife about it as she was preparing for the funeral of their 29-year-old son, killed in an accident. When Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was nominated for his post, he revealed that he hadn't paid proper taxes for his household help. Sarah Palin is still dogged by charges from campaign aides that she took liberties with clothing allowances paid for by campaign donors in 2008. Sharon Angle, currently running for the Senate in Nevada, mentions bodies being found in the desert, unconfirmed by any other sources. And President Obama is being criticized for redecorating the Oval office while people wait in long lines at job fairs, seeking work.
From being tone-deaf to how things appear to serious misjudgments, from incompetence to simple human frailty, politics offers plenty of opportunities for mistrust. Churches have the same problem, as clergy betray the trust of parishioners with financial mismanagement, affairs with church members, and the abuse of young people.
Combined with searing levels of mistrust, our culture of instant results makes any institution's work processes look slow. Congress, state legislatures working on budgets, congregations with governing boards, businesses accountable to long-term bottom lines -- all look impossibly slow in our current climate. In a culture of relationships, we trust the process because we trust the people behind it. Without the base of relationships with our elected representatives, our clergy, our school boards, our bankers, even our neighbors, we have no reason to trust what happens behind the scenes, and so find ourselves in a morass of suspicion and anger.
THE WORD
In contrast, the scriptures for this week talk about how much of God's work is unseen. The story of Timothy is the story of his mother and grandmother, living their faith in such ways that Timothy catches it from them -- the work of years and years of daily, unheralded practice, until it emerges in the faith we pass on to someone else.
The author of Lamentations (ancient Jewish tradition holds that it was Jeremiah, although there is no evidence for that) is in the midst of the pain of the destruction of the temple and the fall of Jerusalem. Interpreting those events as God's judgment on Israel, he notes the city's bitter weeping and emptiness, and notes that his soul is restless and bowed down. Yet, he recalls that "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end" (3:22). There's no evidence at this moment for anything good to come from God, and yet the relationship allows him to trust in something that is unseen, and possibly far in the future.
In the same way, the story from Luke's gospel depends on the relationship between Jesus and his friends. Because they trust him, they come to him with their prayer: "Increase our faith." His answer could be a reminder of the ability of the mustard seed to move an immense tree, with the power of faith. Or it could be taken as a rebuke that they don't even have the faith of a mustard seed, or they wouldn't be asking. Then, paradoxically, he calls them back to the work of the servants of the realm of God -- back to the work they ought to be doing. The correct kind of faith matters less than the work to which God calls us, and the work grows out of the relationship with Jesus. When we serve him in the world, we have done only what we ought to have done.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Fortunately, as people of faith we have an antidote to the poisonous sense of mistrust around us. We, too, have the relationship with Jesus on which to draw. When our faith wears thin, when disaster comes, when the world doesn't look like anything we recognize, our relationship with God allows us to live in the mercy which is new every morning.
And what to do about the broken connections all around us? A community of faith offers a place to live, experience, and then model the richness of living in trusting connection. We can decry the absence of trust around us, but we are also called to create and sustain connections in the name of the One whose servants we are. When it seems that there is no one to trust, we have a deeper connection on which to draw.
We can also try not to be seduced by the quick fix and rely instead on the bonds we have with each other as we do the unseen work of God's realm.
On this World Communion Sunday, we can also celebrate the connections we have with people of faith around the world. Our various forms of bread and cup -- pita bread, tortillas, orderly cubes, whole grain, French bread -- point to a common faith and a common purpose, a shared calling to relationships that make the realm of God alive in this world. That parallel universe can enliven the ordinary world as we turn again to the unending mercies of God, and the connections we have with each other. Faith is slow work, but sure work.
ANOTHER VIEW
I Have Hope
by Ron Love
Lamentations 3:19-26
Dr. J. Philip Wogaman, the former dean of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC and a professor of ethics, began the first day of class with this question: "What is the central theme of the Bible?" He heard from the students the expected responses of love, forgiveness, and salvation. The one answer he did not receive was the word "hope." The professor then lectured that hope is the central message of the scriptures. What I found interesting is the surprise the students expressed on hearing his answer. It was a concept, an idea, that was never before considered. Further, their reaction was that the word "hope" seemed so trite when placed alongside such vibrant words as "love," "grace," and "forgiveness." Yet if we take the time to ponder it, is not "hope" the most significant word in the scriptures?
I often share this story, for it is one worth repeating because the magnificence of the word "hope" should never be lost on us. Each time the word is heard, we should receive it with the same wonderment and surprise as if it were our first. The word should always bring peace to our war-torn souls and quiet a disquieted spirit.
Hope is the message of the Resurrection and that is why it is such an important biblical word. We know that as Christians we live in what is often called "the in-between times." That is, we live between our fall from grace in the Garden of Eden and our restoration with the coming of a new heaven and a new earth. Knowing that Christ will ultimately triumph over evil and restore us to the innocence of creation provides for us a sense of the dawn of deliverance, which is our hope.
Though this hope is real, it is also academic for it seems so distant. The date, the time, the sign of the Second Coming are unknown to us. Knowing we will one day reside in God's kingdom seldom provides the hope we need to endure the day-to-day traumas of life. We also know that hope must be a personal experience. Whether the story of sorrow comes from Wolf Blitzer's The Situation Room or from a private email from a friend, whoever is involved is in equal need of the peace that comes from someone knowing, someone caring, and that someone will help. This, then, becomes the basis of their hope.
We are aware of the Chilean trapped miners, displaced persons from a Caribbean earthquake, and a Louisiana city still trying to recover from a hurricane -- people whose stories beckon our help, but geographical distance places them beyond our touch. We generously provide a financial donation to a relief agency, and we follow their progress of rescue, restoration, and recovery on the news but beyond that there is little we can do. Since these are the big stories they capture the media headlines, and in so doing our attention as well, though we know this is not the complete scenario. There are countless stories of other individuals whose suffering and despondency lack the drama of reality TV. But to the individuals involved and the family and friends who embrace them, their drama exceeds anything that may be scripted for commercial appeal.
Beyond the Ninth Ward and the San Jose copper mine, there are many little stories. We are surrounded by people who are in desperate need of hope. There are individuals who have cancer, others who are going through a divorce, and still more who have lost their jobs. Little? These stories are little only in the sense that they are of no interest to Fox News. Little? They are not little to the individual who is suffering.
As caregivers, if we were in Chile we would be the ones seen on the plasma screen being viewed by a worldwide audience as we desperately drill a rescue well. Certainly these drillers are the forbearers of hope. But having put our checkbooks aside, we are the nondescript person who pushes a wheelchair down the hall for a friend. Absent of community recognition, we take our turn delivering meals. Without accolade, we assist someone in writing a resume. Be assured, these seemingly innocuous acts of kindness are as dramatic as the third well hole piercing into a bottomless cavernous mine.
In our lectionary reading for today Jeremiah is able to say, "I have hope." He is able to say that he has hope, for God's "compassions never fail." I would suppose that Jeremiah's soliloquy would be reported on MSNBC because he is speaking for the restoration of a nation, Judah. Realizing the Bible is read on many levels, Jeremiah's words "I have hope" are also for those suffering from little problems that really aren't so little. So you and I, in our Christian calling, are the prophet's voice to the destitute in our churches and community. You and I, through our actions and words, bring to life God's "compassions that never fail."
Yet in the uncertainties of life, we may not always be the one delivering flowers as much as the one receiving them. Our lives are not problem-free. Most of our aggravations are just those that accompany a daily routine. These we just accept and move on. But none of us have escaped the more intense traumas of grief, illness, and uncertainty. Not knowing the future, we cry out with Habakkuk, "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" At this point in our lives, we know there is a listening God when a Christian friend visits with a Bible in one hand, a coffee cup in the other, and two attentive ears between.
You may want to follow or adapt the following outline in preparing your sermon on hope:
I. Begin by discussing international and national tragedies that are familiar to the congregation. Share how those who are entrapped in these cataclysmic events have a sense of hope and deliverance because of the rescue and restoration efforts of others. Next share the stories of people in our own churches and communities who are suffering from the multiple tragedies and traumas of life. Emphasize that we are their rescuers, their well-drillers, who are to restore them to life.
II. Next, discuss how we are often the one who needs to be rescued. During our personal trials we need someone to bring us the message of hope and demonstrate for us that there is a future. Emphasize that we must also be willing to ask for assistance and be receptive of the kindness of others. You may want to discuss some pastoral concerns, such as the need of congregants to notify the pastor when they are going to the hospital.
III. From the lectionary readings review the messages of Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and the psalmist. Outline the life situation of each prophet. Share the meaning and significance of their message of hope.
IV. Share how we are the Jeremiahs and Habakkuks of today. We are the prophets who speak of God's message of hope. As we know, the message must have an action. Dialogue with your congregation on ways in which we can become involved, offering rescue, recovery, and restoration to others as equally in need as those 33 Chilean men trapped 2,070 feet beneath the surface of the earth.
ILLUSTRATIONS
There are 33 miners trapped 2,070 feet beneath the surface of the earth at the San Jose copper and gold mine in Chile. Yet in the midst of this captivity and the uncertainty of being raised to daylight, they can celebrate Chile's bicentennial with patriotic songs and nationalistic banners. Why? Because they know that nearly a half-mile above them are hundreds of dedicated engineers and drillers who are committed to their rescue and recovery. Recently a new twelve-inch-wide bore hole broke into their chamber of horrors, providing even greater opportunity for them to receive food, medicine, clothing, and additional communication equipment. But most importantly, the recent bore hole offers the promise that the 28-inch rescue tube is soon coming. As one unidentified trapped miner said into the camera, "It's time for the third and final stage." This is an expression and summation of their hope. It is a hope that comes from knowing that their brother miners care and are actively involved in securing their freedom.
In Lamentations, Jeremiah is able to say "I have hope" because he knows that God's "compassions never fail." This is not an esoteric statement for the compassions of God are made real through the words and efforts of his followers. Jeremiah believed in the pervasive presence of God, but he also put his trust in the belief that the leaders of Judah would start to make the right decisions in guiding the Jewish people. A faith in the promises of God and a trust in the nation's leaders had become the basis of Jeremiah's hope that there was a future for the Jews.
The well-drillers have given the entombed miners hope, for with the twelve-inch hole they know "the third and final stage is beginning." We serve as servants of hope. Our actions may not be captured by the international media as have been those of the Chilean well-drillers, but in our many unnoticed ways we restore the lives of many. We are the prophets of hope each time we go to someone to listen, to help, and most importantly to care.
* * *
The New York Times recently published an article by Motoko Rich with the headline "For the Unemployed Over 50, Fears of Never Working Again." The title of the article is sobering, for its statement of truth is beyond dispute. There are many obstacles confronting those in the fifth decade of life as they seek work. It will take eight years to recover the 8 million jobs that were lost in the recent depression. Many people in this age bracket hear the recurring theme that they are "overqualified." This is rather ironic for at the same time they are told their skills have not kept pace with the emerging new technologies. Then there is the stereotyping that older workers are less able to adapt to a changing work environment. These factors create a very bleak employment scenario for the older adult population. As one displaced worker described her situation, "We are circling the drain here, and I am bailing like hell. But the boat is still sinking."
I am sure these unemployed Baby Boomers could easily recite the words of Habakkuk: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" But is it God who is not listening or prejudicial employers? Habakkuk assures his people that an answer will come but "though it linger, wait for it." The church has no employment answers for those who are a part of the aging work force during a recession, except to be patient. But as we expect them to be patient, they expect us to be involved.
If they are to have a sense of hope, then they must be assured that we are working as advocate on their behalf. This means we are politically active, promoting legislation that will benefit job growth. It means we create educational programs to improve technological skills. We offer job counseling and seminars on resume writing. We are willing to extend ourselves into the social network, introducing them to possible employers. We cannot change the economy, but we can offer hope to those who feel their only option is one of patiently waiting.
* * *
"To all the members of concerned organizations. I thank you for feeling our pain. I note you that have taken on almost all our problems and some of our greatest needs." But, Marjorie Saint Hilarie went on to write, "Please -- do something! We don't want to die of hunger and also we want to send our children to school. I give glory to God that I am still alive -- but I would like to stay that way!" Saint Hilarie wrote this letter from Tent J2, Block 7, Section 3, which is her home since the January earthquake devastated Haiti. The letter was part of a program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration to give a voice to the voiceless. Mailboxes were placed in the 1,300 camps of displaced persons, where letters expressing their feelings could be deposited. Unless a letter expresses a need for personal protection, the requests for aid that are often included in the letters are seldom acted upon. But, as all of the letters are read and some broadcast over Radio Guinen, the public remains aware of the plight the victims of a horrendous national disaster. And the letters are important, for as Sandra Felicien, who uses a covered bucket for a writing desk, expressed, "We are so powerless. It is like we are bobbing along the waves of the ocean, waiting to be saved."
The psalmist says, "How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?" The answer is they cannot if they do not have the instruments, lack the sheet music, and are not provided with a backup chorus. Haiti has become a foreign land, for an earthquake went beyond changing the landscape, but further disrupted every facet of society. There are some relief agencies that are doing an admirable job of ministering to the victims of the quake, but their resources are far too inadequate for the magnitude of the problem. The answer lies with the industrialized nations who have yet to provide the instruments and music, and most importantly the backup chorus to restore the land and its people. If the people of Haiti, as well as any individual who has suffered tragedy, are not provided to resources needed to restore their lives, then a new song will never be sung.
* * *
A seeker challenged Imam Sadiq, "Convince me of the existence of God."
Knowing that the man had traveled the seas, the Imam asked him, "Have you ever been caught in a fierce storm in the middle of a voyage, your rudder gone, your sails torn, your vessel in danger of capsizing, and no land in sight?"
The man replied, "Yes."
The Imam then asked him, "Yet was not there always, despite your black despair, a glimmer of hope in your heart that someone, somewhere -- some unnamed and unknown power -- could still save you?"
"Yes," the man answered again.
To which the Imam replied, "That power is God."
-- Beliefnet.com
* * *
In the Christian vision, one Greek word has consistently characterized the Holy Spirit: dynamis, from which we get our word "dynamite." The Spirit is Power, the Spirit is dynamite.
-- Walter J. Burghardt
* * *
In the Lamentations reading Jeremiah seems convinced that the hardships the people are suffering after the invasion of Jerusalem and the razing of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar are God's punishment for "the multitude of her transgressions." While we may not agree that God punishes an entire country with the kinds of violence described in the book of Jeremiah, the prophet's words remind us that we can and should occasionally take stock of our behavior and ask to what extent our problems are our own fault.
In his book Rules for Aging, author Roger Rosenblatt offers over 50 "rules" that will, if followed, make life easier and aging less painful. After each simply-stated rule he offers commentary, sometimes long and sometimes brief. One of his rules is: "After the age of 30 it is unseemly to blame one's parents for one's life." His commentary on that rule is simply: "Make that 25."
* * *
After promising in commercials to take full responsibility for the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the cleanup that followed, BP investigators released their 193-page report on September 8, 2010, stating that they were "unable to identify any single action or inaction that caused the Deepwater Horizon rig to blow up."
The cause, they said, was that "a complex and interlinked series of mechanical failures, human judgments, engineering design, operational implementation, and team interfaces came together to allow the initiation and escalation of the accident."
The blame? It should, they said, be shared by BP, Transocean Ltd. (the operator of the rig), and the oil service company Halliburton that cemented the well.
* * *
Members of Alcoholics Anonymous understand the importance of taking personal responsibility for their illness and for their lives. The famous "12 steps" include these:
4. Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves; and
5. Admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
* * *
Last week (September 21, 2010) the National Guard joined forces with firefighters to battle a wind-driven fire that the guard ignited during a machine-gun training exercise. The fire destroyed three houses, damaged a fourth, and forced the evacuation of more than 1,600 homes.
Writing for the Associated Press, Jennifer Dobner and Paul Foy reported that Utah Army Guard General Brian Tarbet said he was "deeply sorry" about what he called a "systematic failure" at Camp Williams, about thirty miles south of Salt Lake City. The commander accepted full responsibility for the wildfire sparked the previous weekend by their live-fire exercises in "tinder-dry conditions."
* * *
In the Anglican and Roman traditions, one is able to fully accept and benefit from God's grace only when one has recognized the need for it in their lives. That is why confession and reconciliation play such a large part in the liturgical traditions of those churches. To recognize that we have failed, missed the mark, sinned, or gone astray is the first step not to receiving God's grace, but to benefiting from it.
That is why both the Anglican and Roman missals contain a prayer that is often referred to as the "Mea Culpa." It is a prayer of confession containing the following words: I confess to Omnipotent God... that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Mary Austin
Call to Worship
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God of mercy.
People: God's love is new every day.
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God of startling grace.
People: God's love is revealed in Jesus our Redeemer.
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God who calls us servants.
People: God's love sweeps through us in the energy of the Holy Spirit.
Leader: Come, all the people of the earth, and worship the God of all people.
People: God's love is made alive in prayerful work.
Opening Prayer / Prayer of the Day
God, who can move mountains, we come in awe for the creation that reveals you, for sisters and brothers around the world who show us your face, and for your Spirit at work among us.
God, who can move hearts, bind us, your servants around the globe, together as we feast at your table today, and as we serve you always.
God, who can move the world, we pray for people of faith everywhere that our hearts would be united in you and our lives would show your blessings. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
God of grace, forgive us, we pray.
In joyful times, we have hesitated to give you thanks,
ignoring your mercies and forgetting your treasure.
In painful times, we have lamented loudly,
ignoring our own part and forgetting your care.
Forgive us where we have failed to serve you,
ignoring the gifts you give us, and forgetting your power at work.
Forgive us, we pray, and bless us with your mercy,
as we begin again as your joyful servants and beloved children. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Leader: Hear God's word of grace. Just as the mustard seed can do great things with God's power, you also are called by God, and blessed, forgiven, and set free to serve God.
People: We will trust in the Lord and live in God's mercy. We will delight in God's ways and live as God's beloved.
Hymn Suggestions
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" (FAITHFULNESS)
"I Sing the Mighty Power of God" (ELLACOMBE)
"Seek Ye First" (LAFFERTY)
"Come Labor On" (ORA LABORA)
"I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me" (I'M GONNA LIVE)
"Though I May Speak" (O WALY WALY)
Communion Hymn:
"Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ" (LINSTEAD)
CHILDREN'S SERMON
The Right Answer
Lamentations 3:24
Object: Several sheets of paper with the following math problems printed on them: 5+5=; 12-2=; 3+7=; 15-5=; 2+8=
Good morning, boys and girls! You are going to have to think this morning in order to help me with our lesson. Let's see how we do with these problems. Can you give me the answers? (Hold up the problems one at a time and offer any help that may be needed.)
Did you notice anything about these problems? (let the children respond) Even though we had a lot of problems to solve, they all had the same answer. The problems were all different, but the answer was always the same.
Did you know that life works that way for people who love and follow Jesus? Life has many problems, but if we trust Jesus and if we turn to him, we find that he is the answer to all of our problems and troubles. No matter how big or how small our problem is, Jesus can help.
If you feel lonely, Jesus can help you know that you are never alone. If you are afraid, Jesus can help you feel safe. If you get sick, Jesus can help you get better. If something really bad happens to you, and you feel hurt and sad, Jesus can help you get through the pain.
Jesus does not always take our problems away, even when we want him to, but he is the answer. No matter what kind of trouble we have, Jesus can make a difference in our lives if we will trust him, turn to him, and ask him to help us.
This week, I'm going to pray that you will remember to turn to Jesus when you have a problem to solve. God bless you.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, October 3, 2010, issue.
Copyright 2010 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
