Mission: Control
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
For October 8, 2023:
Mission: Control
by Elena Delhagen
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Some of you may be familiar with the name Roger Boisjoly. Throughout the 1980s, he worked as an engineer at the company that produced the solid rocket boosters used in the space shuttle program. In 1985, a year before the space shuttle Challenger disaster, Boisjoly had been warning his company that the joints used to seal the sections of boosters would fail if they became too cold before launch.
The weather conditions leading up to the launch were unusually cold, with temperatures dropping well below freezing. Over and over again, Boisjoly pleaded for NASA to delay the launch. Over and over again, he was shut down. ‘Who does this guy think he is, trying to tell us what to do?’
A minute after the launch on January 28th, the ring on one of the rocket boosters failed, just as Boisjoly had predicted. The hydrogen tank exploded, killing all of the astronauts on board. Boisjoly had been so certain of an impending disaster that he had refused to watch the launch.
So, what does this have to do with the Ten Commandments? Well, not much — at first glance. But think about the last time someone told you what to do (or even what not to do). How did you react? Most likely, you bristled at the idea, perhaps even becoming angry. Scientists have coined the term “psychological reactance” to describe our vehement, knee-jerk reaction to being told what we can and cannot do. Perhaps this has something to do with all the politicians who have been the news lately, seemingly breaking another commandment — err, I mean, law — every day.
The ironic thing, of course, is that as humans, we need structure, rules, guidelines. Some would say we even crave it. And rules, in and of themselves, are in place to keep things orderly, to keep people safe. The Ten Commandments weren’t given to the Israelites because God is a control freak; they were given as a gift. God wanted to show humanity the ways of living that would lead to fullness, wholeness, and overall thriving.
If we know this, and we believe it, why do we have such a hard time living like it?
In the Scriptures
By definition, the very word “commandment” denotes a restriction or limit on our behavior. Parents have commandments for their children as they teach them how to behave appropriately and in a socially-acceptable manner. As such, synonyms for commandments may include “rules,” maybe even “laws.” The thing is, we don’t really think too much about them until we find ourselves in a situation where we’re enticed to break one. Then we’re reminded of what is right and what’s wrong, what’s good and what’s bad, and we’re left with a choice.
God didn’t give the Israelites (and, by extension, us) the Ten Commandments because God wanted to make our lives miserable. Rather, they were given as a gift, a guideline on how to behave toward God (Commandments 1-4) and toward our human family (Commandments 5-10). God, the source and epitome of all wisdom, gave them to teach us how to walk in ways that are safe, good, and peaceful. They are not a set of arbitrary rules; they are a reflection of how God loves and protects us. Furthermore, they are a reflection of the very character of God. Why are we commanded not to lie? Because God is truth. Why are we commanded to not commit adultery? Because God is always faithful. Why are we commanded to keep the Sabbath? Because even God rested on the seventh day. In the Ten Commandments, God says to us, “You are my people, and you are called to a kind of life that reflects me.”
In the News
Remembering that commandments are meant to lead us in how to behave toward God and others, it becomes quite easy to see the consequences of not following them in any number of recent news stories. Former President Donald Trump has been criminally indicted four times on over 90 charges, dozens of them felonies. US Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey has recently been indicted on bribery charges. A report from early in 2023 found that 78 members of Congress had violated insider trading laws, not fully complying with the STOCK Act that has been around since 2012.
These are just some of the reports that have made the news. How many more dirty deals and total disregard for the ways of honesty have not made the headlines? We live in a culture that has made money and power its god (there we go breaking that First Commandment!), and many of those in positions of business and political leadership continually lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want.
In the Sermon
There are many times in life where I wish someone would tell me what to do! We are faced with so many decisions each and every day that there are times I’d actually love someone to say, “Do this. Buy that. Don’t do this. Don’t say that.” I remember reading an article a few years back that profiled people in high leadership positions, and it was noted these people have a tendency to wear the same thing every day. By not having to choose what they were going to wear, they were conserving mental and emotional energy for bigger, more significant decisions they’d have to make later on.
Interestingly enough, human beings are psychologically wired to crave structure, order, and routine. Without it, things tend to feel chaotic and unpredictable. This challenges our sense of safety, one of the most basic elements of Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. The Ten Commandments provide, at the very least, a roadmap of what such structure looks like in the ideal way of life. It shows us where we ought not to stray, reminding us that outside of these boundaries is all that is unsafe for our bodies, minds, and souls. A wonderful sermon illustration here would be to meditate on Psalm 119, the love of God’s Law.
Yet tell any young child that he or she may not watch another episode of TV, or that they have to eat their vegetables, and you will witness the part of human nature that inherently bucks against rules, order, and being told what to do. This is the theory of psychological reactance on full display. Psychological reactance, first presented in 1966 by psychologist Jack Williams Brehm, is a theory that explains how humans react when their sense of freedom has been lost or threatened. People, according to the theory, walk around every day convinced that they possess certain freedoms to engage — or not — in behaviors. When we are commanded to do (or not to do) something, that conviction is threatened, and our emotions and behaviors change in an attempt to regain our sense of control. This is why you might tell someone not to do something, only to have them turn right around and do the very thing you told them not to! We constantly want to prove that we are masters of our own destiny.
However, as people of faith, we know that we may plan our course, yes, but it is God who determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9). We do have free will; we can certainly choose whether or not to follow God’s commandments. We have seen the good fruit that comes from doing so. If we don’t, then we see the consequences. Our relationship with God and with others become fractured when we act outside of those boundaries, and instead of wholeness, our lives become marked by brokenness. Perhaps this is why the psalmist wrote that the boundary lines God had drawn for him had fallen in pleasant places (Psalm 16:5).
SECOND THOUGHTS
Pressing On
by Mary Austin
Philippians 3:4b-14
In this tender section of his letter to the people in Philippi, Paul reflects on how Jesus Christ has turned his life inside out. His titles and status have become empty, and the accomplishments of the first half of his life don’t mean much to him now. His encounter with Jesus has changed how he sees his own value, and the value of anything visible on the outside. He writes about his transformation with unusual humility, knowing that it’s incomplete. He still has a distance to travel, and he presses on to make this goal his own.
All around us, people new to the United States are longing for a similar transformation. They hope to trade uncertainty and danger for home and safety in the U.S. They hope to be changed from refugees to legal residents.
Chicago is expecting busloads of people. At least 15,000 people have arrived there since the summer, and more are on the way. Volunteers there are feeding people and hoping to make a dent in their needs, and the city plans to spend $29 million to develop a tent city. (Apparently, they’ve forgotten about winter in the Windy City.) New York has migrants in every corner of the city. To accommodate them, shelters have developed all over the city, creating “overnight villages where the town square is a parking lot or a hotel lobby.” The volume of new residents has changed the shape of New York dramatically. “What’s different about the 116,000 migrants who started arriving last year is how many came at once, and how many went straight into the city’s homeless shelter system, already near capacity.”
The financial and logistical challenges of housing people, and absorbing them into American life, are straining relationships between blue state mayors and governors and the White House. Still, these people are pawns in a way that Paul is not. Ten percent of the people in New York were bused from Texas, according to Texas Governor Abbott. He “acknowledged sending 15,800 migrants to New York.”
The stress also filters down to the people who need homes and jobs. As people leave the shelters, they need money and don’t qualify for legal work. Food delivery is the easiest job to obtain. “Anyone with a bike and a smartphone is essentially qualified, and delivery apps, like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub, don’t require much verification.” They rent illegal mopeds, and use apps to do deliveries under other names. For the newest migrants to pay for the use of another person’s login or bike is a common practice, according to Ligia Guallpa, the executive director of the Worker’s Justice Project, which established Los Deliveristas Unidos, an advocacy group for food delivery workers. Normally, she said, these arrangements are not exploitative. “Usually, they know each other,” she said. “They’re friends, or from the same town.” But the migrant crisis has altered the equation. Many people arrive without contacts in the city. Organizations that could help are overburdened. The recent group of newcomers are especially susceptible to scams.”
Behind each picture of children playing on sidewalks, or people waiting for attention at the border, is a person experiencing stress, fear and uncertainty. Inside every argument about funding is a question of how best to welcome people, balancing their needs with the needs of people who already live here and also need shelter, jobs and health care.
Each of them comes seeking a thoroughly transformed life, ready to be amazed at how their lives have changed, just as Paul is amazed by his own life. They point to another place where we need transformation: in our shared life as citizens. The plight of our neighbors invites us to consider how we can re-shape the way we spend money on social needs. Our country has plenty of money, and we would rather squabble than solve problems.
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings,” Paul writes. We, as citizens, are invited into the suffering of our neighbors as they seek safer, healthier lives in the United States. We are invited into the work of altering our attitudes, our fears, our policies and our generosity, until we, too, are changed into the image of Jesus. May we, too, be ready to have our lives turned inside out in search of transformation.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean Feldmeyer
Rules
This week’s lesson from the Hebrew scriptures tells the story about how Moses received the ten rules for being a faithful community. Here are some other stories and observations about rules.
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Irma’s Rules
The late Irma Bombeck wrote a humor column that chronicled her life as a wife and mother and was syndicated in, literally, hundreds of newspapers across the United States. These, she said, are the rules she would suggest to any newlywed couple:
1. Never have more children than you have car windows.
2. Never loan your car to someone to whom you have given birth.
3. Pick your friends carefully. A "friend" never goes on a diet when you are fat or tells you how lucky you are to have a husband who remembers Mother's Day — when his gift is a smoke alarm.
4. Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.
5. Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. Fame is Madonna.
6. Never be in a hurry to terminate a marriage. Remember, you may need this man-woman someday to finish a sentence.
7. There are no guarantees in marriage. If that's what you're looking for, go live with a Sears battery.
8. Never go to a class reunion pregnant. They will think that's all you have been doing since you graduated.
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Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Rules of Etiquette
Why do we need etiquette? Well, according to the web site polishedmanners.co.uk, etiquette is about presenting the best version of ourselves so that other people comfortable in our company.
Etiquette helps us to be thoughtful about our conduct. It helps us to be aware of the feelings and rights of others. By eliminating discourteous behavior and prioritizing other people’s feelings, etiquette promotes kindness, consideration, and humility.
In other words, etiquette helps us get along with each other, and these are the top ten rules of etiquette that everyone should follow:
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Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Rula Obscura
Here are a few obscure rules that even the most fanatical fans probably don’t know about, according to mentalfloss.com:
1. Football: The Fair Catch Kick - When a return man gives a fair catch signal, the player foregoes his opportunity to run back the ball in exchange for not being touched while trying to catch it. If the receiving team asks for a fair catch kick, they can use the next play to attempt a free, undefended field goal attempt. The defense has to line up ten yards downfield with their hands in their pockets and there is no snap from center. The holder simply holds the ball while the kicker does his best.
2. Golf: The Towel Foul - When pro-golfer Craig Stadler hit a tricky shot while on his knees in the 1987 Andy Williams Open, so he used a towel to keep his knees from getting dirty. What Stadler didn't know was that this was a violation of rule 13.3, “building a stance.” He didn’t put the violation on his score card and was later disqualified for submitting a falsely tallied card after a fan called the officials to report the violation.
3. Tennis: Hats off - If your hat falls off in the middle of a match, your opponent can call for a let on the grounds that it's a hindrance (an illegal disturbance to the opposing player), which if granted, will require the now hatless, offending party to replay the stroke.
4. Baseball: Substitute Baserunners - Here's one from MLB's rules that came into play back in 2005. Red Sox infielder Tony Graffanino belted a homer with outfielder Gabe Kapler standing on first base. As the players did their home run trots, Kapler blew out his Achilles tendon rounding second base. Graffanino had to freeze a few paces behind his injured teammate; if he'd passed the downed man, the homer wouldn't have counted. Eventually, the umps determined that the Sox were entitled to substitute a baserunner for Kapler since he was already entitled to make the full run home.
5. Baseball: Nailing the Umps - According to MLB's rule 5.09(g), if a pitched ball lodges in the umpire's or catcher's mask or paraphernalia and remains out of play, all runners advance one base.
6. Football: The Doug Flutie Drop-Kick - In 2006, Patriots backup QB Doug Flutie did something strange in a game against the Miami Dolphins: He converted an extra point after a touchdown ... by drop-kicking the football. The Patriots lost, but Flutie got an A for effort with the first successful drop-kick for points since 1941, when Chicago Bears QB James “Scooter” McLean busted the move to beat the Giants in the championship. The drop-kick rule was invented prior to 1934, when footballs were a little more round.
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Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Rula Obscura 2.0
According to mentalfloss.com, minor league baseballer Vinnie Catricala of the Midland Rock Hounds (the Oakland A's farm team) holds the distinction of being the only professional baseball player to ever strike out on a single pitch.
The rule that brought this calamity about was Rule No. 6.02(c), whereby the ump can call strikes on recalcitrant batters who step out of the batter's box and “refuse” to re-enter in a timely and sportsman-like manner. In Catricala's case, he took his sweet time arguing a strike call while he was outside the chalk lines and was awarded two more strikes for his effort. Moral of the story: If you're going to go at it with the ump, make sure you're inside the batter's box.
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Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
The Infield Fly
Very few of even the most rabid baseball fans understand the infield fly rule in baseball and softball. In fact, most players, coaches and even umpires don’t understand it. And you probably won’t understand it, either, even after I explain it to you:
The IFR is a rule that treats certain fly balls as though caught, before the ball is caught, even if the infielder fails to catch it or drops it on purpose. The umpire’s declaration of an infield fly means that the batter is out (and all force plays are removed) regardless of whether the ball is caught.
The rule exists solely to prevent the defense from executing a double play or triple play by deliberately failing to catch a ball that an infielder could catch with ordinary effort
So, here it is, according to the Official Baseball Rules:
When there are fewer than two outs, and are runners on first and second base or bases are loaded, if a fair fly ball is in play, and, in the umpire’s judgment, it is catchable by an infielder with ordinary effort, the umpire shall call “infield fly.” When the rule is in effect, the batter will be out regardless of whether the ball is actually caught.
Umpires typically raise the right arm straight up, index finger pointing up and call to signal the rule is in effect if “infield fly” is called and the fly ball is caught, it is treated exactly as an ordinary caught fly ball; the batter is out, there is no force, and the runners must tag up. On the other hand, if “infield fly” is called and the ball lands fair without being caught, the batter is still out, there is still no force, but the runners are not required to tag up. In either case, the ball is live, and the runners may advance on the play, at their own risk. So, now you know.
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Paying What Is Owed
The Gospel lesson contains a parable about some tenants who were so reluctant to pay the rent that they owed their landlord that they commit murder to avoid paying what is owed. Here are some illustrations on that same theme.
Matthew 21:33-46
Paying The Piper
Most scholars agree that the idiom, paying the piper, based on the Grimm fairytale that was immortalized in Robert Browning’s narrative poem “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” In it, a town that is plagued by an infestation of rats agrees to pay an exorbitant sum to a piper who can, he says, solve their problem.
When they agree, he plays his flute and the music draws out the rats, which he leads to the river where they are all drowned.
But the town people, now relieved of their problem, refuse to pay what they promised. The piper tries to reason with them but they are recalcitrant so he plays his pipe, again, and the children of the town follow him into an opening in the mountain never to be seen again.
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Matthew 21:33-46
14 Ways To Pay Off A Debt
1. Create a Budget - To repay your debt, start by tracking your income and expenses with a monthly budget.
2. Pay Off the Most Expensive Debt First - A strategy called the debt avalanche involves repaying debts with the highest interest rates first. You continue to pay the minimum on your other, less expensive debts but focus any extra cash you have on the most expensive ones.
3. Pay Off the Smallest Debt First - This strategy, known as the debt snowball, requires tackling the smallest debts first. Starting by repaying a small debt in full is easier than trying to take on a large student loan or mortgage debt. In addition, repaying a small debt may give you the motivation you need to continue on your repayment journey.
4. Pay More Than the Minimum Balance - To make a real impact on credit card debt, you’ll likely need to pay more than the minimum balance each month.
5. Take Advantage of Balance Transfers - A balance transfer allows you to move your debt from one account to another. You may want to do this if the new account offers a lower interest rate permanently or as part of an introductory offer
6. Stop Credit Card Spending - If overspending is causing you to add to your debts unnecessarily, try removing your credit cards from your wallet completely.
7. Use a Debt Repayment App - Debt repayment apps like Tally and Undebt.it help users track their debts and provide a visual, easy-to-understand tool for paying them off.
8. Delete Credit Card Information from Online Stores - If it’s not enough to remove your credit card from your wallet, take the self-control measure a step further by deleting credit card information stored on sites like Amazon.
9. Sell Unwanted Gifts and Household Items - Come up with some extra cash by selling unwanted items from your home. This is easier than ever with shops like Poshmark and the RealReal, which specialize in consignment clothing — and sites like Facebook and Craigslist, where you can buy and sell just about anything. Put all the money from your sales toward paying down your debts.
10. Change Your Habits - Be honest with yourself about your daily habits and spending, then make the necessary lifestyle changes to start repaying your debts.
11. Increase Your Income with a Second Job - The larger your shovel, the faster you can dig. Increase your income stream by taking on a second job or freelance project, then use those extra funds to quickly repay your debts.
12. Consider Debt Consolidation - Debt consolidation allows borrowers to repay their debt to a single loan with one monthly payment. Consolidation can also lead to a lower interest rate, and it can be an opportunity to negotiate a better repayment plan for certain debts.
13. Get Help from a Credit Counseling Agency - Debt repayment can be overwhelming. If you want support, contact the National Foundation for Credit Counseling to receive free help with debt management.
14. Avoid Returning to Bad Habits When You Reach Your Goal - Once you reach your goal, you’ll need to continue your good money habits to stay out of debt. Take the time to understand how you came to be in debt to avoid finding yourself there again.
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Matthew 21:33-46
The Pied Piper (excerpt)
In 2000, I wrote a one-act children’s theater play based on Robert Browning’s “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” It was published by Eldridge Publishing and here is an excerpt, which you have my permission to use:
MAYOR:
Good people of Hamelin! Good people of Hamelin!
Tis a time for celebration, true.
But there are important things to do.
Let us keep this horror from happening again
By seeing that rodents can’t get in.
Go! And get long poles
Poke out the nests, and block up the holes!
Seal the cracks and fill the gaps
Clean up the garbage, the trash, and the scraps
Consult with the carpenters, and builders, too.
What do they suggest we do?
Go and ask the rodent scholars…
(The Piper appears upstage.)
PIPER:
But first! I’ll have my thousand dollars.
MAYOR:
Sir, I think that you will concede
That our town is poor and has many needs.
A thousand dollars, really, sire,
Seems quite a sum for a “fiddler for hire.”
Especially one who dresses like you
In colors of uncompliment’ry hue.
Besides, there is no contract drawn in ink –
Our business was done at the river’s brink.
The rats are dead, we saw them sink
And what’s dead cannot come back to life, I think.
Now from our duty we will not shrink.
Here, have a lovely beverage to drink.
And we’ll give you some money for your poke –
But as to the thousand dollars of which we spoke,
Well, surely you can take a joke!
Times are hard and have made us thrifty.
A thousand dollars? Really? Here, take fifty?
PIPER:
You pit of vipers; you listen to me.
I will certainly have my fee
In full, or you will rue the day
You thought you’d laugh and walk away.
I will not dicker and I will not wait.
I’m expected at five at the Governor’s gate
Where I’m to be feted and wined and dined
As a hero far and wide opined
For saving the guvnor’s loved ones all
From a nest of scorpions in their dining hall.
I did not bargain with such high born
And I’ll not with you who my talents scorn.
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From team member Chris Keating:
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Deep in the heart of Texas
In May, Texas legislators failed to pass a bill requiring the “prominent” display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. Earlier, the state senate had passed the proposed SB1515, which would have mandated that every public elementary or secondary school “shall display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable copy or framed copy of the Ten Commandments.” The bill was not approved by the state’s house of representatives.
A short video clip shows Rep. James Talarico (Austin) posing questions to proponent Sen. Candy Noble, of Plano. Talarico, a Christian, noted her believed the requirement rose to the level of idolatry. He quoted Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:5, “5 'And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.”
"A religion that has to force people to put up a poster to prove its legitimacy is a dead religion," Talarico said. "And it's not one that I want to be a part of, it's not one that I think I am a part of."
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Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
The chief exercise of faith
Reformer John Calvin called prayer and acts of spiritual devotion the primary ways believers exercise faith. As scholar Elsie McKee notes, that sort of faith and piety is motivated by the believer’s following of the Ten Commandments. McKee describes this as an act of corporate witness rather than simply the response of the individual believer. She describes it as shaped by following the two tables of the Law: “Love God,” and “Love your neighbor.” According to McKee:
The first table of the law, summarized as the officia pietatis, the duties of piety, is more closely related to traditional ideas of piety as acts of worship. The second table of the law, the officia charitatis, or duties of love, is for Calvin the necessary corollary. For the regenerate person-of-faith, the law provides the structures of Calvin’s corporate and personal piety.
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Matthew 21:33-46
When the place falls to pieces
Admittedly, this is a tough parable for preachers. There’s a tendency to interpret it as an allegory depicting the replacement of original tenants (the Jews) with new tenants (the Christians), But as Yung Suk Kim has said, a more fruitful path through the vineyard is to hear it as Jesus’ response to questions about his authority. Authority, he reminds them, is not about how one has come to possess that authority as much as it is about doing the things which please God.
So, what does this mean for contemporary disciples? The tenant’s rebellious attitudes sounds like congregations who have eaten up, chewed through, and spit out pastors, church consultants, denominational teams, and others who have showed up to offer their help. Or, perhaps the reverse: how many church members have felt purged from congregations they have loved but had failed to produce the “fruits of the kingdom?”
Following the death of church consultant Peter Steinke, David Lee Jones reflected on some of the things he had learned from Steinke for the Presbyterian Outlook. Some of the nuggets bear the mark of Steinke’s trademark humor: “When you decide to address conflict, do not get out on a limb all by yourself or you will probably get struck by lightning. Always develop a sense of common mission and vision with your most mature members. Learn to spread out anxiety — so all can enjoy it as much as you do!” Others offer more positive reassurance: The Body of Christ always has hope because human beings are made in the image of the Creator to be potentially teachable and possess the capacity to mature, adapt and learn new ways of being and living.” There’s much wisdom here for rehabbing the vineyard of God.
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Matthew 21:33-46
When the leader is not respected
There’s a striking parallel between this week’s gospel lesson and the gathering of Roman Catholic leaders and laypersons for the Vatican’s “The Synod on Synodality.” Many have suggested that the meeting, convened by Pope Francis in an attempt to improve relationships within the church, as the culmination of his papacy and the laying of a foundation for major changes in the church’s life.
Others, however, including the 64-year old bishop of Tyler, TX, see the gathering as an attempt by the Pope to dilute centuries of church teaching, including communion, divorce, abortion, homosexuality, and priestly celibacy. Bishop Joseph Strickland, an antagonist critic of Francis, is popular with traditionalist American Catholics, and is known for his confrontational messages. Last week, Strickland warned that the proposed synod was “emerging as an attempt by some to change the focus of Catholicism from eternal salvation of souls in Christ, to making every person feel affirmed regardless of what choices they have made or will make in life.”
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From team member Quantisha Mason-Doll:
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Maybe they are suggestions
While living in Germany I had the privilege of being in community with a number of people from different religious backgrounds. One of my closest friends was an orthodox Jewish woman, from Israel, who also studies Christianity. Frankly, she was better at understanding the idiosyncrasies of our various Christian communities and was flat out amazing at asking the hard questions. I think it is because she did not come to the table with as much baggage as us Christians, at least when it came to Christianity that is. Through our relationship I spent a number of Fridays celebrating Shabbat with her in her dorm room. Just her and I talking long into the night.
I didn't realize how much time had passed when the lights were off and meals were eaten by candlelight. I was by no means a Shabbes goy, our time together was spent in deep conversation and our own form of apologetics. I don’t know how it happened, yet there was a night where we got on the topic of the Ten Commandment. When I said the word “commandment” she paused and corrected me by stating they were not commandments but sayings to live by. What she said next really stuck with me. She said God would never command us to do anything that would cause us pain or suffering. By giving a command it takes away our free will and our ability to make decisions before our life. If there is anything God wants, it is for creation to live and prosper. That's why these sayings were given.
My friend noted that there are 613 laws or commandments in Judaism. Each of them are meant to guide the life of the person adhering to them; to provide structure and meaning to action. She could easily work, flip a switch, or even catch a train, yet she chose not to because she truly believed everything deserved rest. She chose to rest on the Sabbath not only because it was what was good for her, but by intentionally resting we are able to reconnect with ourselves and with creation.
The ten sayings are a fraction of the laws handed down but each one of them are meant to provide an ease to life. No one likes to be commanded to do something. More often than not, being commanded to do something forces them in the opposite direction. It is human nature to want to rebel. The heavier the hand the more likely one is to run away.
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From team member Katy Stenta:
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Commands or Helpful Suggestions
My eldest child works best by suggestions. They have ADD, and research shows that those with ADD are remonstrated or corrected at least four times as often as those who are nuerotypical. My heart broke a little bit when I read those statistics. Our morning routine consists of me putting on their favorite music in the morning so that they (hopefully) will not fall back asleep and saying things like, “Would you like your toast now?” or “Did you forget that it’s drama club today?” (their favorite club) to try to keep them motivated toward school or silently placing their shoes in front of them instead of telling them to put them on. It’s a rough balance to try to suggest what they should be doing next instead of telling them, but it is much friendlier than commanding them. The idea that God’s commands are friendly suggestions to make our lives easier instead of commands, make sense. If we are the teenagers with ADD, then we definitely do not need the reminder that we are bound to make mistakes. What we need, instead, is a gentle suggestion of what we could be doing instead.
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Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Tell me what to say, but don’t tell me what to say
There are great power dynamics in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Tula continually tries to differentiate herself from her family enough to be happy, but at the same time, she does not want to hurt them or anger them. She is definitely not cutting herself off or running away or becoming disowned, she just wants a little more say in her life. This is what makes this movie so beautiful. There are a couple of really great lines as well. At one point her mother points out that though Tula’s father thinks he is in charge, he is not. She says, “The man may be the head of the house, but the woman, she is the neck and she turns the neck any which way she pleases.” So, too, it works when the mother and the aunt are trying to figure out how to get Tula moved to the aunt’s travel business. The aunt wants help in figuring out how to convince the father — but she does not want to be commanded what to do. She says, “Tell me what to say, but don’t tell me what to say?” How human is this moment? Do we not all want to be told what to say by God, but not told exactly what to say? We say command me, God, but not really. We would rather have hints or suggestions than a command. Let me be in charge, but maybe twist my neck so I can see the right things along the way. We want to differentiate without becoming disowned, belong and be beloved, but be ourselves. Care to help us out with all of that God?
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Psalm 19
God’s Wonders
I love the Calvin and Hobbes comic where Calvin looks at the stars and says, “I’m significant...” and then he adds, “screams the dust speck.” Then there is another one — possibly my all time favorite — where Calvin pontificates to Hobbes about how everyone will make better and more relevant life choices if they are sure to stop and look at the stars. Some of author Madeline L’engle’s earliest memories are going with her family to look at the sky. In the first couple weeks of college, after the attacks of 9/11, pretty much the same group of young adults and I who wandered the campus aimlessly after we heard about the attacks, drove out to the middle of cornfields in Ohio to watch meteor showers that were so close it felt like you could reach out and touch them. Wondering at the beauty of the earth is important, seeing yourself in the manifold of the beauty of the world helps to keep us in our place as both beautiful, important, and still not the center of the universe. All of these pieces of wonder spin in my mind, reminders for me to look for where the heavens proclaim the glory of God and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.
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WORSHIP
by Katy Stenta
Call to Worship
One: The heavens are telling the glory of God.
All: The earth tells of God’s handiwork.
One: The law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul.
All: Come, let us hear God’s word with rejoicing hearts.
OR
One: Come let us meditate together.
All: Let us breathe with the Holy Spirit.
One: Let us speak in voices, with words, or sometimes only in sighs.
All: May the words of my most and the meditations of my heart be acceptable.
One: God you are my rock and my Redeemer.
All: Come let us stand sure in the presence of our Redeemer today.
Hymns and Songs
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
GTG: 12
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
ELW: 834
W&P: 48
AMEC: 71
STLT: 273
Renew 46
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH: 454
PH: 324
GTG: 451
NNBH: 218
CH: 586
W&P: 480
AMEC: 285
Thy Word Is a Lamp
UMH: 601
GTG: 458
CH: 326
W&P: 664
Renew: 94
O God Our Help in Ages Past
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
ELW: 632
W&P: 84
AMEC: 61
STLT: 281
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer of the Day
God you have so much to teach us. May we hear your suggestions with the gentleness and care with which they are offered, so that we might hear the corrections without the sting, and we might have the hope we need to follow your word, for you you remain our God, our Rock and our Redeemer. In the name of our Hope and Resurrection, Jesus Christ, we pray. Almen.
Prayers of the People
God we pray for all those who feel lost and alone. We lift to you those in need in special care because they are feeling hopeless (Names). We lift to you all those who might need a healer, those who are under the care of doctors or who have undergone surgery, or those for whom their suffering is still a mystery, we lift to you those who need healing (names). We also lift to you all those who are suffering in other ways, all those who are in need of special love and care, we lift them to you, our rock, to find special provision for them (names). And we also lift to you all those who are celebrating, those who have experienced joy at this time, we give you thanks and praise for them (name). Finally God we pray for all of our communities, local and around the world, we remember that we are all connected to one another and in need. We pray for our church, our town, our country and all those places in special need (names). God we pray that you continue to teach us how to turn to you as our teacher and shepherd when things get difficult, and that we find ways to connect to one another and you so that we can celebrate and help one another throughout our lives. We know that this time of prayer is one of the times that you promise to be particularly present to us and for that we give thanks for this moment of connection with one another and you…..Optional Jesus we lift these to you praying the prayer you taught us together….(The Lord’s prayer) … Amen.
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CHILDREN'S SERMON
The Ten Commandments
by Tom Willadsen
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
After the kids have gathered up front, ask them if they know what a commandment is. Perhaps their adults or teachers command them to do something. Try to get some examples.
When I was in grade school, sometimes Mom would command me to take out the garbage, or bring the garbage cans back after they had been emptied. Those were some of my assigned chores, but if I forgot, she would command me to do them.
Sometimes my teacher would command the class to be quiet, or stop talking. Once when it was clear to her that she hadn’t given us enough work, she gave us more work. (Pharoah did the same thing back in Exodus 1, you may remember.)
When your adult orders you to do something, do you ever ask why?
And when that happens, do they ever say, “Because I said so!”
Today we heard a very famous passage from the Bible, the Ten Commandments. (Ask whether the kids remember any of the Ten Commandments. A recent study found that a huge majority of Americans believe the Ten Commandments are important, but only 20% of us can name even four of them! If the kids name as many as four, tell them they’re above average!)
Ask if they know the most important thing about the Ten Commandments. Some people even say that it’s the first commandment. Give them time to think and answer.
It’s a kind of trick question: The first commandment is not a commandment at all. It doesn’t order any one to do anything.
The first commandment is “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the houses of slavery.” God is talking about Godself, and not commanding or ordering anyone to do anything.
The first commandment reminds the people that God already loves them enough to liberate them from slavery. In a way it anticipates the “why” question they might want to ask.
Why should we not steal, God?
“Because I am the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” That is a long way to say, because I love you, care about you, and want what’s best for you.”
Sometimes God expresses love for us by giving us rules and laws that help follow God and love others. I hope you remember that.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, October 8, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 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.
- Mission: Control by Elena Delhagen. God gave us the Ten Commandments as a gift — why do we so often treat them like they're a punishment?
- Second Thoughts: Pressing On by Mary Austin based on Philippians 3:4b-14.
- Sermon illustrations by Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Chris Keating, Katy Stenta.
- Worship resources by Katy Stenta.
- Children's sermon: The Ten Commandments by Tom Willadsen based on Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20.
Mission: Control
by Elena Delhagen
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Some of you may be familiar with the name Roger Boisjoly. Throughout the 1980s, he worked as an engineer at the company that produced the solid rocket boosters used in the space shuttle program. In 1985, a year before the space shuttle Challenger disaster, Boisjoly had been warning his company that the joints used to seal the sections of boosters would fail if they became too cold before launch.
The weather conditions leading up to the launch were unusually cold, with temperatures dropping well below freezing. Over and over again, Boisjoly pleaded for NASA to delay the launch. Over and over again, he was shut down. ‘Who does this guy think he is, trying to tell us what to do?’
A minute after the launch on January 28th, the ring on one of the rocket boosters failed, just as Boisjoly had predicted. The hydrogen tank exploded, killing all of the astronauts on board. Boisjoly had been so certain of an impending disaster that he had refused to watch the launch.
So, what does this have to do with the Ten Commandments? Well, not much — at first glance. But think about the last time someone told you what to do (or even what not to do). How did you react? Most likely, you bristled at the idea, perhaps even becoming angry. Scientists have coined the term “psychological reactance” to describe our vehement, knee-jerk reaction to being told what we can and cannot do. Perhaps this has something to do with all the politicians who have been the news lately, seemingly breaking another commandment — err, I mean, law — every day.
The ironic thing, of course, is that as humans, we need structure, rules, guidelines. Some would say we even crave it. And rules, in and of themselves, are in place to keep things orderly, to keep people safe. The Ten Commandments weren’t given to the Israelites because God is a control freak; they were given as a gift. God wanted to show humanity the ways of living that would lead to fullness, wholeness, and overall thriving.
If we know this, and we believe it, why do we have such a hard time living like it?
In the Scriptures
By definition, the very word “commandment” denotes a restriction or limit on our behavior. Parents have commandments for their children as they teach them how to behave appropriately and in a socially-acceptable manner. As such, synonyms for commandments may include “rules,” maybe even “laws.” The thing is, we don’t really think too much about them until we find ourselves in a situation where we’re enticed to break one. Then we’re reminded of what is right and what’s wrong, what’s good and what’s bad, and we’re left with a choice.
God didn’t give the Israelites (and, by extension, us) the Ten Commandments because God wanted to make our lives miserable. Rather, they were given as a gift, a guideline on how to behave toward God (Commandments 1-4) and toward our human family (Commandments 5-10). God, the source and epitome of all wisdom, gave them to teach us how to walk in ways that are safe, good, and peaceful. They are not a set of arbitrary rules; they are a reflection of how God loves and protects us. Furthermore, they are a reflection of the very character of God. Why are we commanded not to lie? Because God is truth. Why are we commanded to not commit adultery? Because God is always faithful. Why are we commanded to keep the Sabbath? Because even God rested on the seventh day. In the Ten Commandments, God says to us, “You are my people, and you are called to a kind of life that reflects me.”
In the News
Remembering that commandments are meant to lead us in how to behave toward God and others, it becomes quite easy to see the consequences of not following them in any number of recent news stories. Former President Donald Trump has been criminally indicted four times on over 90 charges, dozens of them felonies. US Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey has recently been indicted on bribery charges. A report from early in 2023 found that 78 members of Congress had violated insider trading laws, not fully complying with the STOCK Act that has been around since 2012.
These are just some of the reports that have made the news. How many more dirty deals and total disregard for the ways of honesty have not made the headlines? We live in a culture that has made money and power its god (there we go breaking that First Commandment!), and many of those in positions of business and political leadership continually lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want.
In the Sermon
There are many times in life where I wish someone would tell me what to do! We are faced with so many decisions each and every day that there are times I’d actually love someone to say, “Do this. Buy that. Don’t do this. Don’t say that.” I remember reading an article a few years back that profiled people in high leadership positions, and it was noted these people have a tendency to wear the same thing every day. By not having to choose what they were going to wear, they were conserving mental and emotional energy for bigger, more significant decisions they’d have to make later on.
Interestingly enough, human beings are psychologically wired to crave structure, order, and routine. Without it, things tend to feel chaotic and unpredictable. This challenges our sense of safety, one of the most basic elements of Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. The Ten Commandments provide, at the very least, a roadmap of what such structure looks like in the ideal way of life. It shows us where we ought not to stray, reminding us that outside of these boundaries is all that is unsafe for our bodies, minds, and souls. A wonderful sermon illustration here would be to meditate on Psalm 119, the love of God’s Law.
Yet tell any young child that he or she may not watch another episode of TV, or that they have to eat their vegetables, and you will witness the part of human nature that inherently bucks against rules, order, and being told what to do. This is the theory of psychological reactance on full display. Psychological reactance, first presented in 1966 by psychologist Jack Williams Brehm, is a theory that explains how humans react when their sense of freedom has been lost or threatened. People, according to the theory, walk around every day convinced that they possess certain freedoms to engage — or not — in behaviors. When we are commanded to do (or not to do) something, that conviction is threatened, and our emotions and behaviors change in an attempt to regain our sense of control. This is why you might tell someone not to do something, only to have them turn right around and do the very thing you told them not to! We constantly want to prove that we are masters of our own destiny.
However, as people of faith, we know that we may plan our course, yes, but it is God who determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9). We do have free will; we can certainly choose whether or not to follow God’s commandments. We have seen the good fruit that comes from doing so. If we don’t, then we see the consequences. Our relationship with God and with others become fractured when we act outside of those boundaries, and instead of wholeness, our lives become marked by brokenness. Perhaps this is why the psalmist wrote that the boundary lines God had drawn for him had fallen in pleasant places (Psalm 16:5).
SECOND THOUGHTSPressing On
by Mary Austin
Philippians 3:4b-14
In this tender section of his letter to the people in Philippi, Paul reflects on how Jesus Christ has turned his life inside out. His titles and status have become empty, and the accomplishments of the first half of his life don’t mean much to him now. His encounter with Jesus has changed how he sees his own value, and the value of anything visible on the outside. He writes about his transformation with unusual humility, knowing that it’s incomplete. He still has a distance to travel, and he presses on to make this goal his own.
All around us, people new to the United States are longing for a similar transformation. They hope to trade uncertainty and danger for home and safety in the U.S. They hope to be changed from refugees to legal residents.
Chicago is expecting busloads of people. At least 15,000 people have arrived there since the summer, and more are on the way. Volunteers there are feeding people and hoping to make a dent in their needs, and the city plans to spend $29 million to develop a tent city. (Apparently, they’ve forgotten about winter in the Windy City.) New York has migrants in every corner of the city. To accommodate them, shelters have developed all over the city, creating “overnight villages where the town square is a parking lot or a hotel lobby.” The volume of new residents has changed the shape of New York dramatically. “What’s different about the 116,000 migrants who started arriving last year is how many came at once, and how many went straight into the city’s homeless shelter system, already near capacity.”
The financial and logistical challenges of housing people, and absorbing them into American life, are straining relationships between blue state mayors and governors and the White House. Still, these people are pawns in a way that Paul is not. Ten percent of the people in New York were bused from Texas, according to Texas Governor Abbott. He “acknowledged sending 15,800 migrants to New York.”
The stress also filters down to the people who need homes and jobs. As people leave the shelters, they need money and don’t qualify for legal work. Food delivery is the easiest job to obtain. “Anyone with a bike and a smartphone is essentially qualified, and delivery apps, like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub, don’t require much verification.” They rent illegal mopeds, and use apps to do deliveries under other names. For the newest migrants to pay for the use of another person’s login or bike is a common practice, according to Ligia Guallpa, the executive director of the Worker’s Justice Project, which established Los Deliveristas Unidos, an advocacy group for food delivery workers. Normally, she said, these arrangements are not exploitative. “Usually, they know each other,” she said. “They’re friends, or from the same town.” But the migrant crisis has altered the equation. Many people arrive without contacts in the city. Organizations that could help are overburdened. The recent group of newcomers are especially susceptible to scams.”
Behind each picture of children playing on sidewalks, or people waiting for attention at the border, is a person experiencing stress, fear and uncertainty. Inside every argument about funding is a question of how best to welcome people, balancing their needs with the needs of people who already live here and also need shelter, jobs and health care.
Each of them comes seeking a thoroughly transformed life, ready to be amazed at how their lives have changed, just as Paul is amazed by his own life. They point to another place where we need transformation: in our shared life as citizens. The plight of our neighbors invites us to consider how we can re-shape the way we spend money on social needs. Our country has plenty of money, and we would rather squabble than solve problems.
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings,” Paul writes. We, as citizens, are invited into the suffering of our neighbors as they seek safer, healthier lives in the United States. We are invited into the work of altering our attitudes, our fears, our policies and our generosity, until we, too, are changed into the image of Jesus. May we, too, be ready to have our lives turned inside out in search of transformation.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean FeldmeyerRules
This week’s lesson from the Hebrew scriptures tells the story about how Moses received the ten rules for being a faithful community. Here are some other stories and observations about rules.
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Irma’s Rules
The late Irma Bombeck wrote a humor column that chronicled her life as a wife and mother and was syndicated in, literally, hundreds of newspapers across the United States. These, she said, are the rules she would suggest to any newlywed couple:
1. Never have more children than you have car windows.
2. Never loan your car to someone to whom you have given birth.
3. Pick your friends carefully. A "friend" never goes on a diet when you are fat or tells you how lucky you are to have a husband who remembers Mother's Day — when his gift is a smoke alarm.
4. Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.
5. Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. Fame is Madonna.
6. Never be in a hurry to terminate a marriage. Remember, you may need this man-woman someday to finish a sentence.
7. There are no guarantees in marriage. If that's what you're looking for, go live with a Sears battery.
8. Never go to a class reunion pregnant. They will think that's all you have been doing since you graduated.
* * *
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Rules of Etiquette
Why do we need etiquette? Well, according to the web site polishedmanners.co.uk, etiquette is about presenting the best version of ourselves so that other people comfortable in our company.
Etiquette helps us to be thoughtful about our conduct. It helps us to be aware of the feelings and rights of others. By eliminating discourteous behavior and prioritizing other people’s feelings, etiquette promotes kindness, consideration, and humility.
In other words, etiquette helps us get along with each other, and these are the top ten rules of etiquette that everyone should follow:
- RSVP to invitations.
- Know which utensils to use at the dinner table.
- Send thank-you notes.
- Shake hands properly.
- Practice good hygiene.
- Be punctual.
- Introduce yourself and others.
- Use cell phones appropriately.
- Dress appropriately for the occasion.
- Be respectful of others.
* * *
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Rula Obscura
Here are a few obscure rules that even the most fanatical fans probably don’t know about, according to mentalfloss.com:
1. Football: The Fair Catch Kick - When a return man gives a fair catch signal, the player foregoes his opportunity to run back the ball in exchange for not being touched while trying to catch it. If the receiving team asks for a fair catch kick, they can use the next play to attempt a free, undefended field goal attempt. The defense has to line up ten yards downfield with their hands in their pockets and there is no snap from center. The holder simply holds the ball while the kicker does his best.
2. Golf: The Towel Foul - When pro-golfer Craig Stadler hit a tricky shot while on his knees in the 1987 Andy Williams Open, so he used a towel to keep his knees from getting dirty. What Stadler didn't know was that this was a violation of rule 13.3, “building a stance.” He didn’t put the violation on his score card and was later disqualified for submitting a falsely tallied card after a fan called the officials to report the violation.
3. Tennis: Hats off - If your hat falls off in the middle of a match, your opponent can call for a let on the grounds that it's a hindrance (an illegal disturbance to the opposing player), which if granted, will require the now hatless, offending party to replay the stroke.
4. Baseball: Substitute Baserunners - Here's one from MLB's rules that came into play back in 2005. Red Sox infielder Tony Graffanino belted a homer with outfielder Gabe Kapler standing on first base. As the players did their home run trots, Kapler blew out his Achilles tendon rounding second base. Graffanino had to freeze a few paces behind his injured teammate; if he'd passed the downed man, the homer wouldn't have counted. Eventually, the umps determined that the Sox were entitled to substitute a baserunner for Kapler since he was already entitled to make the full run home.
5. Baseball: Nailing the Umps - According to MLB's rule 5.09(g), if a pitched ball lodges in the umpire's or catcher's mask or paraphernalia and remains out of play, all runners advance one base.
6. Football: The Doug Flutie Drop-Kick - In 2006, Patriots backup QB Doug Flutie did something strange in a game against the Miami Dolphins: He converted an extra point after a touchdown ... by drop-kicking the football. The Patriots lost, but Flutie got an A for effort with the first successful drop-kick for points since 1941, when Chicago Bears QB James “Scooter” McLean busted the move to beat the Giants in the championship. The drop-kick rule was invented prior to 1934, when footballs were a little more round.
* * *
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Rula Obscura 2.0
According to mentalfloss.com, minor league baseballer Vinnie Catricala of the Midland Rock Hounds (the Oakland A's farm team) holds the distinction of being the only professional baseball player to ever strike out on a single pitch.
The rule that brought this calamity about was Rule No. 6.02(c), whereby the ump can call strikes on recalcitrant batters who step out of the batter's box and “refuse” to re-enter in a timely and sportsman-like manner. In Catricala's case, he took his sweet time arguing a strike call while he was outside the chalk lines and was awarded two more strikes for his effort. Moral of the story: If you're going to go at it with the ump, make sure you're inside the batter's box.
* * *
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
The Infield Fly
Very few of even the most rabid baseball fans understand the infield fly rule in baseball and softball. In fact, most players, coaches and even umpires don’t understand it. And you probably won’t understand it, either, even after I explain it to you:
The IFR is a rule that treats certain fly balls as though caught, before the ball is caught, even if the infielder fails to catch it or drops it on purpose. The umpire’s declaration of an infield fly means that the batter is out (and all force plays are removed) regardless of whether the ball is caught.
The rule exists solely to prevent the defense from executing a double play or triple play by deliberately failing to catch a ball that an infielder could catch with ordinary effort
So, here it is, according to the Official Baseball Rules:
When there are fewer than two outs, and are runners on first and second base or bases are loaded, if a fair fly ball is in play, and, in the umpire’s judgment, it is catchable by an infielder with ordinary effort, the umpire shall call “infield fly.” When the rule is in effect, the batter will be out regardless of whether the ball is actually caught.
Umpires typically raise the right arm straight up, index finger pointing up and call to signal the rule is in effect if “infield fly” is called and the fly ball is caught, it is treated exactly as an ordinary caught fly ball; the batter is out, there is no force, and the runners must tag up. On the other hand, if “infield fly” is called and the ball lands fair without being caught, the batter is still out, there is still no force, but the runners are not required to tag up. In either case, the ball is live, and the runners may advance on the play, at their own risk. So, now you know.
* * *
Paying What Is Owed
The Gospel lesson contains a parable about some tenants who were so reluctant to pay the rent that they owed their landlord that they commit murder to avoid paying what is owed. Here are some illustrations on that same theme.
Matthew 21:33-46
Paying The Piper
Most scholars agree that the idiom, paying the piper, based on the Grimm fairytale that was immortalized in Robert Browning’s narrative poem “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” In it, a town that is plagued by an infestation of rats agrees to pay an exorbitant sum to a piper who can, he says, solve their problem.
When they agree, he plays his flute and the music draws out the rats, which he leads to the river where they are all drowned.
But the town people, now relieved of their problem, refuse to pay what they promised. The piper tries to reason with them but they are recalcitrant so he plays his pipe, again, and the children of the town follow him into an opening in the mountain never to be seen again.
* * *
Matthew 21:33-46
14 Ways To Pay Off A Debt
1. Create a Budget - To repay your debt, start by tracking your income and expenses with a monthly budget.
2. Pay Off the Most Expensive Debt First - A strategy called the debt avalanche involves repaying debts with the highest interest rates first. You continue to pay the minimum on your other, less expensive debts but focus any extra cash you have on the most expensive ones.
3. Pay Off the Smallest Debt First - This strategy, known as the debt snowball, requires tackling the smallest debts first. Starting by repaying a small debt in full is easier than trying to take on a large student loan or mortgage debt. In addition, repaying a small debt may give you the motivation you need to continue on your repayment journey.
4. Pay More Than the Minimum Balance - To make a real impact on credit card debt, you’ll likely need to pay more than the minimum balance each month.
5. Take Advantage of Balance Transfers - A balance transfer allows you to move your debt from one account to another. You may want to do this if the new account offers a lower interest rate permanently or as part of an introductory offer
6. Stop Credit Card Spending - If overspending is causing you to add to your debts unnecessarily, try removing your credit cards from your wallet completely.
7. Use a Debt Repayment App - Debt repayment apps like Tally and Undebt.it help users track their debts and provide a visual, easy-to-understand tool for paying them off.
8. Delete Credit Card Information from Online Stores - If it’s not enough to remove your credit card from your wallet, take the self-control measure a step further by deleting credit card information stored on sites like Amazon.
9. Sell Unwanted Gifts and Household Items - Come up with some extra cash by selling unwanted items from your home. This is easier than ever with shops like Poshmark and the RealReal, which specialize in consignment clothing — and sites like Facebook and Craigslist, where you can buy and sell just about anything. Put all the money from your sales toward paying down your debts.
10. Change Your Habits - Be honest with yourself about your daily habits and spending, then make the necessary lifestyle changes to start repaying your debts.
11. Increase Your Income with a Second Job - The larger your shovel, the faster you can dig. Increase your income stream by taking on a second job or freelance project, then use those extra funds to quickly repay your debts.
12. Consider Debt Consolidation - Debt consolidation allows borrowers to repay their debt to a single loan with one monthly payment. Consolidation can also lead to a lower interest rate, and it can be an opportunity to negotiate a better repayment plan for certain debts.
13. Get Help from a Credit Counseling Agency - Debt repayment can be overwhelming. If you want support, contact the National Foundation for Credit Counseling to receive free help with debt management.
14. Avoid Returning to Bad Habits When You Reach Your Goal - Once you reach your goal, you’ll need to continue your good money habits to stay out of debt. Take the time to understand how you came to be in debt to avoid finding yourself there again.
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Matthew 21:33-46
The Pied Piper (excerpt)
In 2000, I wrote a one-act children’s theater play based on Robert Browning’s “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” It was published by Eldridge Publishing and here is an excerpt, which you have my permission to use:
MAYOR:
Good people of Hamelin! Good people of Hamelin!
Tis a time for celebration, true.
But there are important things to do.
Let us keep this horror from happening again
By seeing that rodents can’t get in.
Go! And get long poles
Poke out the nests, and block up the holes!
Seal the cracks and fill the gaps
Clean up the garbage, the trash, and the scraps
Consult with the carpenters, and builders, too.
What do they suggest we do?
Go and ask the rodent scholars…
(The Piper appears upstage.)
PIPER:
But first! I’ll have my thousand dollars.
MAYOR:
Sir, I think that you will concede
That our town is poor and has many needs.
A thousand dollars, really, sire,
Seems quite a sum for a “fiddler for hire.”
Especially one who dresses like you
In colors of uncompliment’ry hue.
Besides, there is no contract drawn in ink –
Our business was done at the river’s brink.
The rats are dead, we saw them sink
And what’s dead cannot come back to life, I think.
Now from our duty we will not shrink.
Here, have a lovely beverage to drink.
And we’ll give you some money for your poke –
But as to the thousand dollars of which we spoke,
Well, surely you can take a joke!
Times are hard and have made us thrifty.
A thousand dollars? Really? Here, take fifty?
PIPER:
You pit of vipers; you listen to me.
I will certainly have my fee
In full, or you will rue the day
You thought you’d laugh and walk away.
I will not dicker and I will not wait.
I’m expected at five at the Governor’s gate
Where I’m to be feted and wined and dined
As a hero far and wide opined
For saving the guvnor’s loved ones all
From a nest of scorpions in their dining hall.
I did not bargain with such high born
And I’ll not with you who my talents scorn.
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From team member Chris Keating:Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Deep in the heart of Texas
In May, Texas legislators failed to pass a bill requiring the “prominent” display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. Earlier, the state senate had passed the proposed SB1515, which would have mandated that every public elementary or secondary school “shall display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable copy or framed copy of the Ten Commandments.” The bill was not approved by the state’s house of representatives.
A short video clip shows Rep. James Talarico (Austin) posing questions to proponent Sen. Candy Noble, of Plano. Talarico, a Christian, noted her believed the requirement rose to the level of idolatry. He quoted Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:5, “5 'And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.”
"A religion that has to force people to put up a poster to prove its legitimacy is a dead religion," Talarico said. "And it's not one that I want to be a part of, it's not one that I think I am a part of."
* * *
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
The chief exercise of faith
Reformer John Calvin called prayer and acts of spiritual devotion the primary ways believers exercise faith. As scholar Elsie McKee notes, that sort of faith and piety is motivated by the believer’s following of the Ten Commandments. McKee describes this as an act of corporate witness rather than simply the response of the individual believer. She describes it as shaped by following the two tables of the Law: “Love God,” and “Love your neighbor.” According to McKee:
The first table of the law, summarized as the officia pietatis, the duties of piety, is more closely related to traditional ideas of piety as acts of worship. The second table of the law, the officia charitatis, or duties of love, is for Calvin the necessary corollary. For the regenerate person-of-faith, the law provides the structures of Calvin’s corporate and personal piety.
* * *
Matthew 21:33-46
When the place falls to pieces
Admittedly, this is a tough parable for preachers. There’s a tendency to interpret it as an allegory depicting the replacement of original tenants (the Jews) with new tenants (the Christians), But as Yung Suk Kim has said, a more fruitful path through the vineyard is to hear it as Jesus’ response to questions about his authority. Authority, he reminds them, is not about how one has come to possess that authority as much as it is about doing the things which please God.
So, what does this mean for contemporary disciples? The tenant’s rebellious attitudes sounds like congregations who have eaten up, chewed through, and spit out pastors, church consultants, denominational teams, and others who have showed up to offer their help. Or, perhaps the reverse: how many church members have felt purged from congregations they have loved but had failed to produce the “fruits of the kingdom?”
Following the death of church consultant Peter Steinke, David Lee Jones reflected on some of the things he had learned from Steinke for the Presbyterian Outlook. Some of the nuggets bear the mark of Steinke’s trademark humor: “When you decide to address conflict, do not get out on a limb all by yourself or you will probably get struck by lightning. Always develop a sense of common mission and vision with your most mature members. Learn to spread out anxiety — so all can enjoy it as much as you do!” Others offer more positive reassurance: The Body of Christ always has hope because human beings are made in the image of the Creator to be potentially teachable and possess the capacity to mature, adapt and learn new ways of being and living.” There’s much wisdom here for rehabbing the vineyard of God.
* * *
Matthew 21:33-46
When the leader is not respected
There’s a striking parallel between this week’s gospel lesson and the gathering of Roman Catholic leaders and laypersons for the Vatican’s “The Synod on Synodality.” Many have suggested that the meeting, convened by Pope Francis in an attempt to improve relationships within the church, as the culmination of his papacy and the laying of a foundation for major changes in the church’s life.
Others, however, including the 64-year old bishop of Tyler, TX, see the gathering as an attempt by the Pope to dilute centuries of church teaching, including communion, divorce, abortion, homosexuality, and priestly celibacy. Bishop Joseph Strickland, an antagonist critic of Francis, is popular with traditionalist American Catholics, and is known for his confrontational messages. Last week, Strickland warned that the proposed synod was “emerging as an attempt by some to change the focus of Catholicism from eternal salvation of souls in Christ, to making every person feel affirmed regardless of what choices they have made or will make in life.”
* * * * * *
From team member Quantisha Mason-Doll:Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Maybe they are suggestions
While living in Germany I had the privilege of being in community with a number of people from different religious backgrounds. One of my closest friends was an orthodox Jewish woman, from Israel, who also studies Christianity. Frankly, she was better at understanding the idiosyncrasies of our various Christian communities and was flat out amazing at asking the hard questions. I think it is because she did not come to the table with as much baggage as us Christians, at least when it came to Christianity that is. Through our relationship I spent a number of Fridays celebrating Shabbat with her in her dorm room. Just her and I talking long into the night.
I didn't realize how much time had passed when the lights were off and meals were eaten by candlelight. I was by no means a Shabbes goy, our time together was spent in deep conversation and our own form of apologetics. I don’t know how it happened, yet there was a night where we got on the topic of the Ten Commandment. When I said the word “commandment” she paused and corrected me by stating they were not commandments but sayings to live by. What she said next really stuck with me. She said God would never command us to do anything that would cause us pain or suffering. By giving a command it takes away our free will and our ability to make decisions before our life. If there is anything God wants, it is for creation to live and prosper. That's why these sayings were given.
My friend noted that there are 613 laws or commandments in Judaism. Each of them are meant to guide the life of the person adhering to them; to provide structure and meaning to action. She could easily work, flip a switch, or even catch a train, yet she chose not to because she truly believed everything deserved rest. She chose to rest on the Sabbath not only because it was what was good for her, but by intentionally resting we are able to reconnect with ourselves and with creation.
The ten sayings are a fraction of the laws handed down but each one of them are meant to provide an ease to life. No one likes to be commanded to do something. More often than not, being commanded to do something forces them in the opposite direction. It is human nature to want to rebel. The heavier the hand the more likely one is to run away.
* * * * * *
From team member Katy Stenta:Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Commands or Helpful Suggestions
My eldest child works best by suggestions. They have ADD, and research shows that those with ADD are remonstrated or corrected at least four times as often as those who are nuerotypical. My heart broke a little bit when I read those statistics. Our morning routine consists of me putting on their favorite music in the morning so that they (hopefully) will not fall back asleep and saying things like, “Would you like your toast now?” or “Did you forget that it’s drama club today?” (their favorite club) to try to keep them motivated toward school or silently placing their shoes in front of them instead of telling them to put them on. It’s a rough balance to try to suggest what they should be doing next instead of telling them, but it is much friendlier than commanding them. The idea that God’s commands are friendly suggestions to make our lives easier instead of commands, make sense. If we are the teenagers with ADD, then we definitely do not need the reminder that we are bound to make mistakes. What we need, instead, is a gentle suggestion of what we could be doing instead.
* * *
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Tell me what to say, but don’t tell me what to say
There are great power dynamics in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Tula continually tries to differentiate herself from her family enough to be happy, but at the same time, she does not want to hurt them or anger them. She is definitely not cutting herself off or running away or becoming disowned, she just wants a little more say in her life. This is what makes this movie so beautiful. There are a couple of really great lines as well. At one point her mother points out that though Tula’s father thinks he is in charge, he is not. She says, “The man may be the head of the house, but the woman, she is the neck and she turns the neck any which way she pleases.” So, too, it works when the mother and the aunt are trying to figure out how to get Tula moved to the aunt’s travel business. The aunt wants help in figuring out how to convince the father — but she does not want to be commanded what to do. She says, “Tell me what to say, but don’t tell me what to say?” How human is this moment? Do we not all want to be told what to say by God, but not told exactly what to say? We say command me, God, but not really. We would rather have hints or suggestions than a command. Let me be in charge, but maybe twist my neck so I can see the right things along the way. We want to differentiate without becoming disowned, belong and be beloved, but be ourselves. Care to help us out with all of that God?
* * *
Psalm 19
God’s Wonders
I love the Calvin and Hobbes comic where Calvin looks at the stars and says, “I’m significant...” and then he adds, “screams the dust speck.” Then there is another one — possibly my all time favorite — where Calvin pontificates to Hobbes about how everyone will make better and more relevant life choices if they are sure to stop and look at the stars. Some of author Madeline L’engle’s earliest memories are going with her family to look at the sky. In the first couple weeks of college, after the attacks of 9/11, pretty much the same group of young adults and I who wandered the campus aimlessly after we heard about the attacks, drove out to the middle of cornfields in Ohio to watch meteor showers that were so close it felt like you could reach out and touch them. Wondering at the beauty of the earth is important, seeing yourself in the manifold of the beauty of the world helps to keep us in our place as both beautiful, important, and still not the center of the universe. All of these pieces of wonder spin in my mind, reminders for me to look for where the heavens proclaim the glory of God and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.
* * * * * *
WORSHIPby Katy Stenta
Call to Worship
One: The heavens are telling the glory of God.
All: The earth tells of God’s handiwork.
One: The law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul.
All: Come, let us hear God’s word with rejoicing hearts.
OR
One: Come let us meditate together.
All: Let us breathe with the Holy Spirit.
One: Let us speak in voices, with words, or sometimes only in sighs.
All: May the words of my most and the meditations of my heart be acceptable.
One: God you are my rock and my Redeemer.
All: Come let us stand sure in the presence of our Redeemer today.
Hymns and Songs
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
GTG: 12
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
ELW: 834
W&P: 48
AMEC: 71
STLT: 273
Renew 46
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH: 454
PH: 324
GTG: 451
NNBH: 218
CH: 586
W&P: 480
AMEC: 285
Thy Word Is a Lamp
UMH: 601
GTG: 458
CH: 326
W&P: 664
Renew: 94
O God Our Help in Ages Past
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
ELW: 632
W&P: 84
AMEC: 61
STLT: 281
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer of the Day
God you have so much to teach us. May we hear your suggestions with the gentleness and care with which they are offered, so that we might hear the corrections without the sting, and we might have the hope we need to follow your word, for you you remain our God, our Rock and our Redeemer. In the name of our Hope and Resurrection, Jesus Christ, we pray. Almen.
Prayers of the People
God we pray for all those who feel lost and alone. We lift to you those in need in special care because they are feeling hopeless (Names). We lift to you all those who might need a healer, those who are under the care of doctors or who have undergone surgery, or those for whom their suffering is still a mystery, we lift to you those who need healing (names). We also lift to you all those who are suffering in other ways, all those who are in need of special love and care, we lift them to you, our rock, to find special provision for them (names). And we also lift to you all those who are celebrating, those who have experienced joy at this time, we give you thanks and praise for them (name). Finally God we pray for all of our communities, local and around the world, we remember that we are all connected to one another and in need. We pray for our church, our town, our country and all those places in special need (names). God we pray that you continue to teach us how to turn to you as our teacher and shepherd when things get difficult, and that we find ways to connect to one another and you so that we can celebrate and help one another throughout our lives. We know that this time of prayer is one of the times that you promise to be particularly present to us and for that we give thanks for this moment of connection with one another and you…..Optional Jesus we lift these to you praying the prayer you taught us together….(The Lord’s prayer) … Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN'S SERMONThe Ten Commandments
by Tom Willadsen
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
After the kids have gathered up front, ask them if they know what a commandment is. Perhaps their adults or teachers command them to do something. Try to get some examples.
When I was in grade school, sometimes Mom would command me to take out the garbage, or bring the garbage cans back after they had been emptied. Those were some of my assigned chores, but if I forgot, she would command me to do them.
Sometimes my teacher would command the class to be quiet, or stop talking. Once when it was clear to her that she hadn’t given us enough work, she gave us more work. (Pharoah did the same thing back in Exodus 1, you may remember.)
When your adult orders you to do something, do you ever ask why?
And when that happens, do they ever say, “Because I said so!”
Today we heard a very famous passage from the Bible, the Ten Commandments. (Ask whether the kids remember any of the Ten Commandments. A recent study found that a huge majority of Americans believe the Ten Commandments are important, but only 20% of us can name even four of them! If the kids name as many as four, tell them they’re above average!)
Ask if they know the most important thing about the Ten Commandments. Some people even say that it’s the first commandment. Give them time to think and answer.
It’s a kind of trick question: The first commandment is not a commandment at all. It doesn’t order any one to do anything.
The first commandment is “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the houses of slavery.” God is talking about Godself, and not commanding or ordering anyone to do anything.
The first commandment reminds the people that God already loves them enough to liberate them from slavery. In a way it anticipates the “why” question they might want to ask.
Why should we not steal, God?
“Because I am the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” That is a long way to say, because I love you, care about you, and want what’s best for you.”
Sometimes God expresses love for us by giving us rules and laws that help follow God and love others. I hope you remember that.
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The Immediate Word, October 8, 2023 issue.
Copyright 2023 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.
