Our Way of Life - Sermon for 4 Lent

A Sermon for the 4^th Sunday in Lent (RCL B) 3-18-2012

Offered by Nathan Ferrell for Trinity Episcopal Shared Ministry

Texts:              Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3,17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21

Themes:         complaining, nostalgia, sin, gifts of grace
Title:               Our Way of Life

“You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world” (Ephesians 2:1).

This, as the great apostle Paul and all of the Bible tells us, is the story of all of us – all human beings.

Dead. Lost. All of us are like the people of Israel in this very old – and very strange! – story from the Book of Numbers.

We like to complaint, don’t we? Here the people complained against God and against Moses because they missed the food of Egypt. They missed their old life in Egypt! Do you believe that?

Well, that’s how nostalgia works, don’t you know. Our minds only remember certain details from the past and it can become quite easy to gloss over some other inconvenient ones. Such as the dreadful labor demands under which the people suffered. But, hey, at least they had food back in Egypt!

This pattern has been going on for as long as human beings have been around.

Raise your hand if you have ever heard someone older than you talk about how much better things used to be back in the good old days!

Oh yes, this is quite normal. We like to complain, don’t we?

But St. Paul declares that this normal state of life is more than just business as usual.

Just as the complaining people were dying from the bites of the poisonous serpents, so this path of ingratitude and negative complaining which is normal in this world leads us to a state of spiritual death. 

In contrast to that state of spiritual lifelessness, consider the alternative: a new life that is saved by grace.

A life filled with the knowledge that God loves us and saves us from our own blindness and selfishness and foolishness.

This is what we heard read in our midst just a few minutes ago:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” (Ephesians 2:9-10). 

Loved and redeemed and saved so that we might live a life of good works, a life of service to others.

I can talk about my son, Angus, this morning, because he is not here! Angus is a 16 year old young man who is obsessed with the size of his muscles. He is convinced that he must work out in the gym every single day in order to get as big as possible. It’s a competition, you know. He has to keep up with all of his friends, and his wrestling team-mates. 

Of course, I know that this is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. But I believe that it will fade in time. And there certainly are worse things about which one can become obsessed, right?!

The one thing that I am trying to continually explain to him, as a way to re-focus his priorities somewhat, is that his strength is a gift of grace, and that with such a gift comes responsibility.

How is it that he was not born with a physical defect or with a disability that would not allow him to exercise like he can now?

Why was he not born into a community like Afghanistan embroiled in war and violence so that he could not work out like he does, but would rather just focus on survival?

The fact of the matter is that he has been given a gift. Every gift that we receive also requires our best efforts. We work cooperatively with God’s grace in order to reach our potential.

But these gifts are always given for one primary purpose: “to do good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

The gift of strength is given in order to serve and protect others, not for the sake of vanity and pride.

We’ve already established the fact that we all generally love to complain. But the truth of the matter is that every one of us here this morning has been given gift upon gift upon gift – all by the grace of God. We have been blessed beyond measure.

If you doubt this, let’s consider together for a minute simply the material facts of our lives as Americans. You probably heard the Occupy movements over the last 6 months speak out about the growing contrast between the wealthy 1% and the 99% of the rest of us who are being left behind as they continue to amass more and more of our nation’s wealth in their own hands.

Well, guess what. On a global level, on the only level of comparison which actually matters – which includes all humanity – when considered on that level, every one of us here is part of the wealthy 1%.

If you live in a household with an annual income of at least $47,500, or at least $913 a week, then you, my friends, are part of the very elite of humanity. The upper echelon of wealth and privilege. The wealthiest 1% of humanity! (BTW, you can look this up for yourself at www.globalrichlist.com ).

Congratulations! That is what you are. That is the truth.

Now, I can complain about my lot in life with the best of you. It comes quite naturally, you know.

But, by the grace of God, when I am able to step back from my own selfishness and foolishness and then look at my place in humanity, then I remember and I know that I am truly blessed.

“For we are what God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

You and I, my friends, are wealthy and blessed. Materially blessed indeed.

And even more, if we have come to the Lord Jesus with trust and confidence in his saving love, then we have come into the light, and we have come into a beautiful new life together with Christ – a life which overflows with gratitude for the gifts of God and which puts those gifts to use in the service of others.

 And in case you did not know it, that is the very core of the life story of St. Patrick.

(You didn’t think I could let this weekend pass by without mentioning St. Patrick, did you?)

He was captured by Irish raiders and enslaved by them far from his home. But he trusted in Christ and he prayed and by the grace of God he was delivered from his slavery and allowed to go home.

And how then did St. Patrick use this gift? What did he do with this gift of freedom?

He did not use it for his own selfish ends, but he chose to make himself a servant to the very people who had enslaved him!

Patrick went back to Ireland as a free man, but as one compelled by the love of God to serve the people of Ireland, to bring to them the same freedom and joy and hope which he knew and felt in Jesus Christ.

St. Patrick recognized the gifts that God had given him, and this inspired him to share those gifts with those who needed them the most.

What about you, my friends?

Can you see and recognize and acknowledge how many gifts the Lord has given you?

Does your heart then overflow with praise to God?

Are you then committed to a life of good works, a life of service to others out of gratitude for all that you have received?

May it be so among all of us who have received the gift of eternal life through trust in the Son of God. Amen.

The blessing of St. Patrick’s day upon you!

Beannachta na Faile Padraig oraibh!
(Ban-ock-tee’ na fay’-lah paw’-rig ur’-iv!)

We Are All Students

A Sermon for the 20^th Sunday after Pentecost (RCL A) 10-30-2011

Offered by Nathan Ferrell for Trinity Episcopal Shared Ministry

Texts:              Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7,33-37; Matthew 23:1-12

Themes:         crossing the river, hypocrisy, the unity of the new community
Title:               We Are All Students

Billy Graham tells a story of a time early in his preaching career when he arrived in a small town where he was scheduled to lead a revival meeting as a guest preacher for the local Baptist church. Wanting to drop a letter in the mail, he asked a young boy for directions to the post office. After the boy had pointed him in the right direction, Dr. Graham thanked him and said, “If you’ll come to the Baptist church tonight, you can hear me give directions on how to get to heaven.”

That young boy replied very seriously and said, “I don’t think I’ll come for that. You don’t even know how to get to the post office!”

(From The World’s Greatest Collection of Church Jokes, Barbour Publishing, Inc., 2003)

It’s not always easy to be a leader among God’s people, to be someone who is called to lead the people on their journey into being the kind of community which God desires them to be.

Today, we heard the conclusion of the story of the creation of the nation of Israel, which we began just after the Feast of Trinity Sunday back in June. Abraham’s descendents had been enslaved in the land of Egypt. God brought them out of the land by the hand of Moses, and in the wilderness of Sinai God made a detailed and arrant covenant with them, also through the leadership of Moses.

The promise which the LORD originally made to Abraham many centuries earlier was that his descendents would come back to Canaan and possess the land as a strong and mighty nation.

And so here today, we read the conclusion of this long journey to finally enter into the land of Canaan as the people of the Covenant.

The crossing of the River Jordan by the people of Israel under the leadership of Joshua is the final ritual act that establishes the Israelites as the unique community of God’s faithful people in this land chosen and prepared for them by God, and in which God promises to dwell with them in a unique and distinct way.

This story purports to tell us of events from nearly three thousand years ago, but please remember - their story is also our story.

Have you ever wondered WHY it is that John the Baptist was baptizing in the River Jordan, and that our Lord Jesus Christ was himself baptized in the waters of the Jordan?

It is no accident. Baptism is itself the ritual act by which you and I take our place as members of this unique community, as participants among God’s faithful people.

In and through the waters of Baptism, we are able to cross through the River Jordan along with the Israelites, along with the Ark of the Covenant, and enter the promised land along with our ancestors in the faith, in order to live as God’s covenant people.

The unfortunate reality, however, is that, as the people of God, we often fall short of God’s intentions and hopes and dreams for us.  

Today in Matthew’s Gospel, we hear these harsh words from the mouth of Jesus against the scribes and the Pharisees. They paint a very negative caricature of the leadership of the Pharisees during an abundantly difficult period in the life of the Jewish people. The criticism leveled here is clear: “they do not practice what they teach.” But notice that the words spoken by Jesus are directed to his disciples and the crowds gathered around them. This is a teaching sermon, and Jesus is teaching them – and us! – about the quality of community that God has always intended for the covenant people.

We’ve seen this vision before. This egalitarian vision of Jesus is seen quite clearly throughout Matthew’s Gospel.

It is a vision of a community based upon equality, simplicity, humility, and compassion, where the leaders of the community are it’s servants.

This is the kind of covenant community which God originally intended when the people crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan. And this is the kind of covenant community which God intends for us today.

There is no major surprise here. I believe that there is a deep hunger latent in all human beings for this kind of community which is envisioned by our Lord.

We can see this hunger in the Occupy Wall Street movement that has now spread around the world. Of course, the people in these random encampments have their own personal motivations and favorite causes which vary widely from person to person, and from place to place. But, at its core, and in its original impetus, we know there is the strong desire for humility, equality, and compassion to serve as the guiding values of our society, rather than greed, arrogance and selfishness.

It goes without saying that this is not the case, hence the reason that these protests continue!

Nor is this kind of widespread change in society likely to happen anytime soon.

You can label me a pessimist, but I prefer to think that I’m a realist.

I understand the reality of sin, the reality of self-interest among humankind. And I understand that it takes more than protesting to change the fundamental character of human beings.

It takes the power of a different vision for life, the wisdom of a Master Teacher, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is a story from the life of St. Francis which speaks powerfully to this alternative vision for human society. Once when St. Francis was very ill, Brother Leo – one of Francis’ early companions – was taking care of him. And one time, while in the room with Francis, Brother Leo entered into a time of deep prayer in which he had a vision of a large and fast-flowing river.

And as he was watching, Brother Leo saw several of St. Francis’ followers enter the river with heavy loads of their backs. But the powerful current of the river suddenly swept them away and they were lost. Some made it half-way across the river, some nearly all the way across. But – alas – all of these brothers finally fell and were horribly drowned because of the heavy burdens which they were carrying.

Then Brother Leo saw a new group of Franciscans come to cross the river without carrying any loads at all. And these brothers came and crossed over the other side without any difficulty.

After seeing this, Brother Leo awoke from his vision and he found Francis also awake and alert.

And St. Francis explained to Brother Leo the meaning of this vision in this way: “What you saw is true,” St. Francis said, “for the great river is this world.

The friars who were swallowed by the river are those who do not want to follow the teachings of the Gospel and do not keep voluntary poverty.

But those who went across without danger are the friars who, having the spirit of God, neither love nor desire nor possess any carnal or earthly thing in this world, but ‘having food and sufficient clothing’ they are ‘content’, following Christ naked on the cross. And joyfully and willingly they embrace, take up and carry every day the very light and sweet burden of His Cross and the yoke of His very holy obedience.

And consequently, they pass easily and without danger – indeed with joy – from this world to God, who is blessed for ever and ever” (The Little Flowers of Saint Francis, Image Books, 1958: P.124-125).

In the Lord’s sermon in Matthew’s Gospel, we hear these words: “You are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.”

Indeed, we are all students, learning together at the feet of the Master how to live this life the way that God desires, for this – we are convinced – is the way of joy and peace and freedom. To embrace the Gospel, to follow Christ naked on the cross in this way, is to embrace simplicity, humility, equality, compassion as the key values of our common life.

We all know that the world needs to change, that human beings need to change, that our society needs leaders who will guide us in the ways of truth and goodness.

Thanks be to God that here in the Body of Christ we have a Teacher, an Instructor, who is shaping us to be God’s faithful people in this world.

Thanks be to God that we can follow Christ in his way of the cross which is none other than the way of life and peace. Amen.