Doing Justice
Stories
Object:
Contents
"Doing Justice" by John Fitzgerald
"A Good Recommendation" by Frank Ramirez
* * * * * * *
Doing Justice by John Fitzgerald
Isaiah 42:1-9
When asking the question: Are there any prophets among us? The answer most commonly given is that within America's last fifty years, Martin Luther King Jr. most faithfully witnessed to a prophetic tradition. King lived out in the United States a Hebrew prophet call for justice and righteousness. It is fitting we remember this with Dr. King's birthday celebrated next weekend.
This past summer the nation recalled Rev. King's epic speech given fifty years ago in Washington DC. Here is an excerpt of this inspirational message which still today has meaning and power for our country: I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgian, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood... I have a dream that my four little children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I HAVE A DREAM TODAY!
The God-given vision of justice for this nation given to Martin Luther King is still something we wrestle with as evidenced by discussions concerning raising a minimum wage for hourly work and income inequality among our citizens. The struggle for justice is a biblical theme stretching from Moses to Isaiah and Jesus in our New Testament.
It is interesting to review the very first sermon our Lord preached as recorded in Luke's gospel. According to Luke 4:16-21, Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth on a Sabbath day and heard a scripture read from Isaiah. The Bible text proclaimed that "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has called me to preach good news to the poor." Jesus saw in this promise a call to ministry. Luke tells us that our Lord said to the amazed synagogue audience, "Today this text from Isaiah is fulfilled in your hearing."
This story from Dr. Luke informs us that from the very beginning, Jesus saw God's claim upon him as ministering to poor and outcast folks. If our Savior and Lord deemed the struggle for justice as an important thing, it says that we too must be about business of ensuring equality in our workplaces, schools, and communities.
Our scripture reading for this morning from the prophet Isaiah has echoes of what Jesus heard in that synagogue in Nazareth recorded in Luke 4. In verse 7 of our lesson, we read God gave to his servant an ability to "open eyes that our blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." The servant referred to us now has come in a person of Christ Jesus. It is Jesus who sets people free from oppression, bondage, and darkness. If we desire to follow in his footsteps, we must be involved in ministry to those who sit in chains of injustice.
Isaiah warns in our Bible passage that the movement toward justice is not one of violence. The prophet instructs that God's servant will not "shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets." This is not a revolution of guns and bloodshed. Rather, justice is enacted through a witness of non-violent love. As the text says, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." This is a model of Christ on the Cross. At Calvary, Jesus proclaimed his love and forgiveness for a world bent on beastliness and brutality. Martin Luther King Jr. followed the Savior's call for changes brought about by non-violent protests. Voting laws and customs that enforced inequality between blacks and whites in this nation were altered because of Dr. King's dream and demands for transformation. Where is the struggle for justice taking place in your world this morning? It could be something simple such as making sure that our personal finances witness to integrity and honesty.
There is the famous story told about Abraham Lincoln as a young man. Lincoln working as a story clerk in a pioneer village of central Illinois happened to mistakenly overcharge by a few pennies one of his customers. Upon realizing his error, Lincoln took on a strenuous walk of five miles to repay the money due to the man in his store. Do we have a similar forthcoming when it comes to paying taxes or supporting God's ministry?
Justice takes on many shapes and forms. This New Year, God may call you to visit a homeless shelter or work at the local food pantry. The Lord may challenge you to think about laws and customs that promote inequality and oppression. Our Bible text instructs that "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles."
The Doobie Brothers were a popular rock & roll group who had a string of hit single records in 1970s and 1980s. The lead singer from this group recorded a song extolling people to fight world poverty by taking this message to the streets. This really is what the message of God's justice is. To be in the struggle for justice means we must be taking it to the streets.
John Fitzgerald lives in Leesburg, Ohio, with his wife Carolyn and has served as pastor at the Leesburg Friends Meeting for the past 27 years. Cornfield Cathedral (Fairway Press, 2013) is the second book authored by Pastor Fitzgerald. John has earned a Master's of Ministry Degree from the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.
A Good Recommendation
by Frank Ramirez
Matthew 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by (John the Baptist).
-- Matthew 3:13
(Because churches have different ways of baptizing, different ages when it takes place, and different means of transferring church letters, feel free to alter the opening and closing of this story to suit your circumstance better).
Sometimes when people join our church they may be baptized, or in other instances there may be a transfer of a church letter. A church letter confirms that someone has been baptized, has been a faithful church member, and is in good standing with their last congregation, but for the most part these church letters are formalities. We're not going to track down references to make sure that this letter is true. After all, why would someone lie about being a Christian?
Church letters were not a formality as they are today. In the early Christian church, they served as letters of recommendation, proof that someone was actually a baptized Christian, or was at least "in training."
Even among pagans, letters of recommendation were generally needed when traveling through the Roman empire. In an era when our faith was illegal, a Christian letter was needed to confirm that these individuals were true Christian believers, and not spies out to arrest Christians.
A few of these letters have survived in the Egyptian desert, where scraps of papyrus have been centuries in the dry climate. Some are from a man named Sotas, a leader of a Christian community some miles outside of the town of Oxyrhynchus. Several letters have survived that are associated with Sotas, who seems to have been highly respected and revered.
On this Sunday where we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, these letters don't tell us anything about baptism -- but how our ancestors in the Christian faith prepared for baptism.
The first letter from the late third century, when Christianity was still illegal, was sent from a revered Christian named Sotas to a man named Paul.
Greetings in the Lord, beloved brother Paul.
I, Sotas, greet you.
Our brothers and sisters Herona, Heriona, Philadelphos, Pekusin, and Naarous, catechumens of the gathered, and Leona, catechumen in "the beginning of the gospel," are to be welcomed as is fitting. They will greet your fellowship in the name of our fellowship.
I pray for your health in the Lord, beloved brother.
The second letter is written to Sotas.
Greetings in the Lord, beloved Papa Sotas.
The elders of Herakleos send many greetings.
Our sister Taiown is coming to you. Receive her in peace. Receive also into your household Anos, who is a catechumen in Genesis, through whom we and the ones with us greet you and the brothers and sisters with you. We pray for your health in the Lord, beloved papa. 204.
A catechumen was a person who was learning the fundamentals of Christian belief before being baptized. These two letters mention three kinds of catechumens. No one is sure quite what these categories mean, but perhaps one person is learning about the faith through the stories of Genesis. The phrase "the beginning of the gospel" reminds us of the first verse of Mark. Perhaps they were studying Mark or another gospel to learn about Jesus. Another group, referred to as "catechumens of the gathered," might be learning about the responsibilities of being part of the church.
It sounds, anyway, as if there were more than one entry point to learn about what we believe and more than one thing to learn! What do we believe is important about our beliefs? What do we consider as the beginning of the gospel? What is important to know from the Old Testament? What about living together as church is necessary to learn?
Frank Ramirez has served as a pastor for nearly 30 years in Church of the Brethren congregations in Los Angeles, California; Elkhart, Indiana; and Everett, Pennsylvania. A graduate of LaVerne College and Bethany Theological Seminary, Ramirez is the author of numerous books, articles, and short stories. His CSS titles include Partners in Healing, He Took a Towel, The Bee Attitudes, three volumes of Lectionary Worship Aids, and Breakdown on Bethlehem Street.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 12, 2014, issue.
Copyright 2014 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
"Doing Justice" by John Fitzgerald
"A Good Recommendation" by Frank Ramirez
* * * * * * *
Doing Justice by John Fitzgerald
Isaiah 42:1-9
When asking the question: Are there any prophets among us? The answer most commonly given is that within America's last fifty years, Martin Luther King Jr. most faithfully witnessed to a prophetic tradition. King lived out in the United States a Hebrew prophet call for justice and righteousness. It is fitting we remember this with Dr. King's birthday celebrated next weekend.
This past summer the nation recalled Rev. King's epic speech given fifty years ago in Washington DC. Here is an excerpt of this inspirational message which still today has meaning and power for our country: I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgian, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood... I have a dream that my four little children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I HAVE A DREAM TODAY!
The God-given vision of justice for this nation given to Martin Luther King is still something we wrestle with as evidenced by discussions concerning raising a minimum wage for hourly work and income inequality among our citizens. The struggle for justice is a biblical theme stretching from Moses to Isaiah and Jesus in our New Testament.
It is interesting to review the very first sermon our Lord preached as recorded in Luke's gospel. According to Luke 4:16-21, Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth on a Sabbath day and heard a scripture read from Isaiah. The Bible text proclaimed that "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has called me to preach good news to the poor." Jesus saw in this promise a call to ministry. Luke tells us that our Lord said to the amazed synagogue audience, "Today this text from Isaiah is fulfilled in your hearing."
This story from Dr. Luke informs us that from the very beginning, Jesus saw God's claim upon him as ministering to poor and outcast folks. If our Savior and Lord deemed the struggle for justice as an important thing, it says that we too must be about business of ensuring equality in our workplaces, schools, and communities.
Our scripture reading for this morning from the prophet Isaiah has echoes of what Jesus heard in that synagogue in Nazareth recorded in Luke 4. In verse 7 of our lesson, we read God gave to his servant an ability to "open eyes that our blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." The servant referred to us now has come in a person of Christ Jesus. It is Jesus who sets people free from oppression, bondage, and darkness. If we desire to follow in his footsteps, we must be involved in ministry to those who sit in chains of injustice.
Isaiah warns in our Bible passage that the movement toward justice is not one of violence. The prophet instructs that God's servant will not "shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets." This is not a revolution of guns and bloodshed. Rather, justice is enacted through a witness of non-violent love. As the text says, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." This is a model of Christ on the Cross. At Calvary, Jesus proclaimed his love and forgiveness for a world bent on beastliness and brutality. Martin Luther King Jr. followed the Savior's call for changes brought about by non-violent protests. Voting laws and customs that enforced inequality between blacks and whites in this nation were altered because of Dr. King's dream and demands for transformation. Where is the struggle for justice taking place in your world this morning? It could be something simple such as making sure that our personal finances witness to integrity and honesty.
There is the famous story told about Abraham Lincoln as a young man. Lincoln working as a story clerk in a pioneer village of central Illinois happened to mistakenly overcharge by a few pennies one of his customers. Upon realizing his error, Lincoln took on a strenuous walk of five miles to repay the money due to the man in his store. Do we have a similar forthcoming when it comes to paying taxes or supporting God's ministry?
Justice takes on many shapes and forms. This New Year, God may call you to visit a homeless shelter or work at the local food pantry. The Lord may challenge you to think about laws and customs that promote inequality and oppression. Our Bible text instructs that "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles."
The Doobie Brothers were a popular rock & roll group who had a string of hit single records in 1970s and 1980s. The lead singer from this group recorded a song extolling people to fight world poverty by taking this message to the streets. This really is what the message of God's justice is. To be in the struggle for justice means we must be taking it to the streets.
John Fitzgerald lives in Leesburg, Ohio, with his wife Carolyn and has served as pastor at the Leesburg Friends Meeting for the past 27 years. Cornfield Cathedral (Fairway Press, 2013) is the second book authored by Pastor Fitzgerald. John has earned a Master's of Ministry Degree from the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana.
A Good Recommendation
by Frank Ramirez
Matthew 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by (John the Baptist).
-- Matthew 3:13
(Because churches have different ways of baptizing, different ages when it takes place, and different means of transferring church letters, feel free to alter the opening and closing of this story to suit your circumstance better).
Sometimes when people join our church they may be baptized, or in other instances there may be a transfer of a church letter. A church letter confirms that someone has been baptized, has been a faithful church member, and is in good standing with their last congregation, but for the most part these church letters are formalities. We're not going to track down references to make sure that this letter is true. After all, why would someone lie about being a Christian?
Church letters were not a formality as they are today. In the early Christian church, they served as letters of recommendation, proof that someone was actually a baptized Christian, or was at least "in training."
Even among pagans, letters of recommendation were generally needed when traveling through the Roman empire. In an era when our faith was illegal, a Christian letter was needed to confirm that these individuals were true Christian believers, and not spies out to arrest Christians.
A few of these letters have survived in the Egyptian desert, where scraps of papyrus have been centuries in the dry climate. Some are from a man named Sotas, a leader of a Christian community some miles outside of the town of Oxyrhynchus. Several letters have survived that are associated with Sotas, who seems to have been highly respected and revered.
On this Sunday where we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, these letters don't tell us anything about baptism -- but how our ancestors in the Christian faith prepared for baptism.
The first letter from the late third century, when Christianity was still illegal, was sent from a revered Christian named Sotas to a man named Paul.
Greetings in the Lord, beloved brother Paul.
I, Sotas, greet you.
Our brothers and sisters Herona, Heriona, Philadelphos, Pekusin, and Naarous, catechumens of the gathered, and Leona, catechumen in "the beginning of the gospel," are to be welcomed as is fitting. They will greet your fellowship in the name of our fellowship.
I pray for your health in the Lord, beloved brother.
The second letter is written to Sotas.
Greetings in the Lord, beloved Papa Sotas.
The elders of Herakleos send many greetings.
Our sister Taiown is coming to you. Receive her in peace. Receive also into your household Anos, who is a catechumen in Genesis, through whom we and the ones with us greet you and the brothers and sisters with you. We pray for your health in the Lord, beloved papa. 204.
A catechumen was a person who was learning the fundamentals of Christian belief before being baptized. These two letters mention three kinds of catechumens. No one is sure quite what these categories mean, but perhaps one person is learning about the faith through the stories of Genesis. The phrase "the beginning of the gospel" reminds us of the first verse of Mark. Perhaps they were studying Mark or another gospel to learn about Jesus. Another group, referred to as "catechumens of the gathered," might be learning about the responsibilities of being part of the church.
It sounds, anyway, as if there were more than one entry point to learn about what we believe and more than one thing to learn! What do we believe is important about our beliefs? What do we consider as the beginning of the gospel? What is important to know from the Old Testament? What about living together as church is necessary to learn?
Frank Ramirez has served as a pastor for nearly 30 years in Church of the Brethren congregations in Los Angeles, California; Elkhart, Indiana; and Everett, Pennsylvania. A graduate of LaVerne College and Bethany Theological Seminary, Ramirez is the author of numerous books, articles, and short stories. His CSS titles include Partners in Healing, He Took a Towel, The Bee Attitudes, three volumes of Lectionary Worship Aids, and Breakdown on Bethlehem Street.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 12, 2014, issue.
Copyright 2014 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
