Psalm 1
Preaching
A Journey Through the Psalms: Reflections for Worried Hearts and Troubled Times
Preaching the Psalms Cycles A, B, C
Object:
It would be an easy thing to read through this psalm and nod in assent before moving on to the next. It all seems pretty obvious. "Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread...." It is tantamount to what the young people refer to as a "no-brainer." Much of this bad advice could be avoided by turning off our televisions. And the sinner's well-worn walkways? They too seem fairly apparent. Yet somehow they continue to be well worn.
Today it is the seat of the scoffers that merits attention. Scoffing, or as the King James Bible has it, being "scornful," is considered high sport these days. From a burgeoning host of television shows where people are scorned and insulted in public, to a peanut gallery of scoffers who take delight in deriding most anything that tries to rise up or to be even slightly noble, it is ubiquitous. Cynicism is in fashion. There can be no heroes anymore. Everyone is under the microscope, and any flaws that are found are hoisted up as proof of perfidy.
Heroes like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, and many, many more have been examined and found wanting in their humanness. The role of scorn and derision has become so central in our culture that many who would take a stand or assume the mantle of leadership decline to do so. Shoulders shrug and a sharp breath escapes, "Who needs it?"
The psalm is clear and hits at a stark truth. "Happy, very happy, is the one who does not sit in the seat of the scoffers...." It follows then, that blessings and happiness are not a part of the vernacular of scorn.
Perhaps the most distressing piece of all this is the fact that our churches are not immune. In some places, the pews where we worship have become the "seats of the scoffers."
In this maelstrom of negative energy, the voice of the holy calls to those of us who call ourselves Christians. Can we, who must navigate the currents and eddies of this culture, create a true sanctuary in our church? Can we, who claim Christ as Lord, reclaim Christian community as a place where people are truly safe?
Dare we unseat the scoffers? Dare we make it clear that in our churches it is imperative that each person be physically, emotionally, and spiritually safe? Dare we stand together to create a community where everyone is welcome, and everyone is respected?
The answer, coming from Jesus who went before us is, "Yes. Yes. In fact, I double dare you."
Today it is the seat of the scoffers that merits attention. Scoffing, or as the King James Bible has it, being "scornful," is considered high sport these days. From a burgeoning host of television shows where people are scorned and insulted in public, to a peanut gallery of scoffers who take delight in deriding most anything that tries to rise up or to be even slightly noble, it is ubiquitous. Cynicism is in fashion. There can be no heroes anymore. Everyone is under the microscope, and any flaws that are found are hoisted up as proof of perfidy.
Heroes like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, and many, many more have been examined and found wanting in their humanness. The role of scorn and derision has become so central in our culture that many who would take a stand or assume the mantle of leadership decline to do so. Shoulders shrug and a sharp breath escapes, "Who needs it?"
The psalm is clear and hits at a stark truth. "Happy, very happy, is the one who does not sit in the seat of the scoffers...." It follows then, that blessings and happiness are not a part of the vernacular of scorn.
Perhaps the most distressing piece of all this is the fact that our churches are not immune. In some places, the pews where we worship have become the "seats of the scoffers."
In this maelstrom of negative energy, the voice of the holy calls to those of us who call ourselves Christians. Can we, who must navigate the currents and eddies of this culture, create a true sanctuary in our church? Can we, who claim Christ as Lord, reclaim Christian community as a place where people are truly safe?
Dare we unseat the scoffers? Dare we make it clear that in our churches it is imperative that each person be physically, emotionally, and spiritually safe? Dare we stand together to create a community where everyone is welcome, and everyone is respected?
The answer, coming from Jesus who went before us is, "Yes. Yes. In fact, I double dare you."
