Early Words and Sermons  (2)
Reverend Marilyn A. Riedel
1978-1981

Early Words and Sermons (1)Early Words and Sermons (3)
 
 

 
 

ìWe Love by Doingî
23 Sunday After Pentecost
1st Lesson: Lev. 19:1-2, 15-18
2nd Lesson: Thess. 1: 5b-10
Gospel: Matthew 22: 34-40 (41-46)
Internship Pastor
Immanuel Luth., Jackson, Mich.
October 22, 1978

    Come back with me 1900 years in time to Jesus and the disciples. Picture their triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, with Jesus riding an ass through the ecstatic crowds. We watch Jesus clear the Temple of its corruption. The following day, Jesus begins to teach in the Temple. We will be the eyes, the ears and the heart of an onlooker.
    We are witnessing Jesus in the middle of a pitched battle of elders and priests and first with the Sadusees, who don't believe in the resurrection. The disciples are there, listening, but they arenít saying anything. Apparently, all of the followers of Jesus must be in trouble with the religious and political authorities or Jesus wouldnít have to correct their misunderstanding of scripture.
    Jesus was exhausted. Weíve seen the Pharisees and Sadducees, scribes and priests put seven difficult questions to Him about scripture and His authority, each one designed to trap Jesus.
    But theyíve made no sense up to this point. According to Jesus, they donít even know the scripture by the sound of their questions. Although they lack power and conviction, the Pharisees wonít quit! Jesusí powerful replies have caused them to retreat for a moment. They try unsuccessfully though, to arrest Him. This power play by the Pharisees attempts to discredit Jesus' in a religious, and therefore political consequences to diffuse His kingdom, which looks on it's face to be competitors  competing with the godhead of  teligious power. Weíve been taught to respect the Law as part of lifeóa guideline for getting political control of Jesus and His followers, by publically trying to discredit Him. living safely and happily with one another. We study the Law almost every day .
    Wait! The Pharisees are coming back after they hear their rivals, the Sadducees, are unsuccessful in their plot to trap Jesus. Jesus stated He supports the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead! The crowd is amazed and the Sadducees are speechless. The Temple resouds in a rumble of shouting and dissention.
    Now, a lawyer comes toward Jesus as quiet returns. This must be an inquisition! By His words of Good News and  prophetic actions, Jesus is unrecognized as the Messiah by the disputants.. But, they know Jesus as a Teacher of the Law, as a Rabbi. Jesus respects their teaching of the Law. We heard Jesus say that He wants the people to obey these Teachers and their interpretation of the Law of Moses, but not to imitate their hypocritical actions and behavior. Despite their pleas and profession to the opposite, the Pharisees donít practice what they preach. However, Jesus doesnít want the Law to be thrown out all together because of their misbehavior.
    The lawyer begins to speak and asks, ìWhat is the first and most important commandment in the Law?î Are some commandments more important than others? But why all this nitpicking? Well, we ponder, "which one will Jesus choose?". This question is framed in an attempt to confine Jesus' answer to the given commandments. So Jesus reaches  outside the framed box of false choices, and recites the Shema, the daily prayer of every Jew, as written in Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord, our God is one Lord." And the second part of the Shema, is about love. îYou shall love the  Lord, thy God with  all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (with our whole being,  spirit, volition, and intellect.) Jesusí response follows accepted Rabbinic teaching.
    But wait! Jesus continues with a second command! It is equal He says in weight to the first. Love--that word love, again. Love others like you love yourself!  Ah, the basic question is: do you love yourself,  or if you love yourself?. One cannot love, unless one is loved and knows how it feels to be  loved! Some can't even feel love, because they may have not  been loved before! One can return only the love that one feels.
     Jesus is making a gigantic point here. Heís taking the question of the Pharisees out of the realm of intellectualizing discourse about the Law and Prophets and compells us to action, of "doing good" to those around us, even to respect  our enemies, Gentiles and Samaritans, fellow travelers, and eunichs, for example.
    Finally, Jesus is saying that the Law of Moses and the Prophets grew out of these two commands. No one has to debate anymore, "which commandment is the greatest?" Both commands require that we live in a right--ness ( right-- eousness making ) relationship with God and our neighbor, by following the Spirit of the Law of love rather than be taken up with judging by the letter of the Law either innocence, or guilt!. What a turning point Jesus makes about unconditional love and its relationship to the moderation of judgment  found in the Law! Love here is seen as a graciousness, a forgiving of who or what we are or what we have done, or failed to do.
    The questions conclude when Jesus asks the Pharisees about the Messiah, "whose Son is He?" Of course, they canít answer it. and because they can't answer, the Pharisees also don't dare ask Him another question. The  inquisition has stopped by Rabbi Jesus' experience, understanding and keen theological grasp of scripture. He starts talking with the crowd and the disciples.
    As they  leave the Temple, our observer asks herself, what does this teaching about unconditional love and the Law have to do with her? What is love like? What does it mean to her to love, and be loved? Where does it come from? when?-- and will it go?  She is shocked at the realization of the lack of love from her parents! She is merily tolerated! She recalls the unconditionl love from her grandmother, her grand aunt, her  Pastors, churches and choir members, teachers, neighbors, and classmates. Those relationships had in them something like what she wanted to have with her parents. But she couldn't  "fix it, and make it right" with or for her parents, as much as she desired and tried to do. Going for counseling was unacceptable, and shameful to admit one "was crazy!" and in need of help for anything. Her father talked very little about his childhood, except his painful stories of what one would now call, sadism in the "tricks" his father played on him. He expressed hatred for his mom, for leaving them when he was a teenager. Either one or both his parents were alcohollc. Almost everyone and everything was wrong, or a " (racial or religious slur)." Her dad and mom were alcoholics. Our observer is not alcoholic, but a tends toward depression. In her reflection and Bible reading, prayer, and hope, she will try to accept this painfulness of her being unloved, and feeling unlovable. Because when "she was "behaving,"  and a "good littte girl" she earned "their support" a generic term which was pased out as (a conditional) "love."  Where does the letter of the law come into the dynamice of love, if in any way? What will this mean for her parental relationship and relationship with others.
    The observer's pesonal story shared in detail above is my own story in detail. You may be interested to note that, among many other developments, that faith through loving grace  played a key role in my coming of age, of being considered an adult member of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Portage, Wisconsin. The Rite of Confirmation of membership from infant baptism /membership was a mystical, peak exp[eirence turning point and beginning of new life for me, a new life with many loving people, friends the Good News that I was loved, and lovable. And I was shown love  was loved by listening, understanding and befriending me and lovable, but actually showed love! This growth and continuing develoment of unconditional love of God's Spirit was truly an opposing and contradicting movement felt by my folks as "not being from our/their family!"  We spoke in two different languages: conservative, judgmental,  and traditional values versus liberaitng, inclusive, and Christian values, ritual, and culture, and God's Spirit of unconditional love who has not ever left me Ultimately, I was blesssed and nurtured in God's Spirit of unconditional love, and Who has not ever left me!
    The folks weren't interested in church or my activities in it, Then, they thought my using my GI Bill for seminary studies was just a fling and that I would not graduate or get a master's degree in Ministry (M.Div.)! I am no longer invested in carrying around my parent's or anyone else's problems, opinions, or their issues/values in my hearrt, or on my shoulders and myback! My self concern, identity and anxiety that  depended on other's liking me finally receeded with a great deal of effort through individual counseling after my student Pastor parish Internshp and a course in an applied Gestalt Psychology of Religion. Now I could call my "elders" by their first name! My level of anxiety grately diminished, rarely rising oin newq situations hough sometimes will arisae up. peaks it's head.into a relationship..
    I think you can understand why in thankfulness, I stidied for the ministry. I knew that God really loved me, personally, and I know that He will never leave me, no matter what! This unconditional, empowering love and forgiveness.helped me to experience reconciliation on many levels, including finding what the "really real" is, and part of that is "I know what I know!" This faith by grace has brought meaning to my life, and blessing upon blessings that I couldn't  dream was possible!
    So, I will say that I was grateful to my biological parents and siblings for the atruggle I had from birth to today, and how my thirst for the depths and very core of my life and being was to find answers.and my faith at the same time! I was being prepared to know and to depend upon Someone Greator, in Jesus as the Christ, without whom I would not be standing here today, but perhaps residing in a mental institution! God's love lead me into continuous surprises, and the transformation forgiveness provides. And so to my family I give thanks that I could learn to make deep roots from these difficulties I had early on, for which I praise them.who functioned perfectly imperfectly! You motivated my most earnest search for the answers, prayers, love, forgiveness,  and reconciliation.,
    To continue with an analogy this morning's Gospel deals with. the very same questions about love and the Law, in doing justice arise again. What or who is questioning the Truth, that command to love one another in a pitched, devious, and cynicle battle with God, the individual/believer, and the church?, Who wants to trick, dodge, and snare us with the artifice of not answering the questions but by  disinformation, purposed and limiting framing, setting up the question as a false set of dualisms, one being always right, and ther other being always wrong. The limiting duality that on one side compromise with evil, and the lowest ethical, death dealing proposition known to humankind? And the other side would scare and disemble us from our Power, deny our Truth, our love, and commitment! What about the mean  spirited cutting of social services and thus government endorses depradation of the poor, the elderly, and the disabled and the Vets! The worshiping of  individualism, and the necessity to develop and work toward inclusive community building What about our own commitment to each other in this parish for our programs and outreach to the community? Will this be the second year our benevolence falls short?
    Who is our neighbor? Namibia? Jackson? CROP? Catholic Social Services? Lutheran World Relief? The sick and widowed? The divorced, or single mother, the alienated, separated, and orphan brothers and sisters from war and disasters? The unemployed?  All these are waiting for our response in love to God. Would we rather serve our neighbors who we are more comfortable with, or can we open to serve all our brothers and sisters?
    Love is passion for God. Love involves every relationship we have, and makes each one of us a part of God-likeness in our relationships. Love is a consciousness that helps us know where others hurt, where we hurt, and who may need
help. Certainly, we canít help others if we donít know, acknowledge, or canít feel our own pain,  or canít experience,  empathize, or identify with the pain of our neighbor.
    What we offer to one another and therefore, to God, this day, positively affects in huge, ever growing concentric circles the person sitting next to you, and Immanuel Lutheran Church, Jackson, 9th District, Michigan Synod and the State of Michigan, the US, North America, and the world. And our ìdoing goodî feeds Godís sheep and brings justice into the world. Love breaks the bonds of nationalism, militarism, racism, sexism, classism, ageism, Nazism, and every other ìism,î and reunites, reconciles us, one to another, and with ourselves!. One can be who they are! Can you imagine the creation of joy, the release of energy and creativity, and the healthfulness of celebrating that one is unconditionally loved?
    This is the intimacy we can receive in the liturgy of the Lordís Supper, also called the Love Feast. We celebrate as we eat bread and drink wine together in the presence of Jesus Christ, with each other, and with all those saints who are lining up with us who have gone before us. We can imagine our communion  rail encircle in an unending connection, around to include everyone who has, and who now wants this heavenly love, the sacrament of Holy  Communion . I wish we were celebrating the Love Feast  today!
    But there is a meaningful way that we can share with one another and way of closing in a ritual of peace, and love, and community. Iíd like us to express this through a traditional Christian gesture called the "Kiss of Peace." It precedes the liturgy offertory and Holy Communion. Simply  give a sign of affection, a touch, a hug, a kiss, or handshake or handhold, a word, "Peace (of the Lord) be with you,î etc. Letís rise and turn to our neighbors all around us, and across the isle, and to the saints!. Take some time. No need to hurry..Pastor Ray and I will join with you.
    And now the peace of the Lord you have received, which passes all human understanding shall keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen!

     The Gospel lesson we just read has a most startling statement made by Jesus about how we are to lead our lives with othersóand this statement may lead to misunderstanding. Jesus said he came to bring fire and a sword of division on earth, and not peace!
      And further, He tells us that our families will have division in them! How can this be? We Christians are already divided in our own families, whether with our parents or our own families, children, and spouse. Stress in marriage is increasing dramatically, especially as marriage partners experience and question former role expectations and where both of them of necessity must work. Weíre concerned about drugs and our youth and the incidents of child abuse at home and in school, both psychological, sexual, and physical; and the unwanted and careless pregnancies by babies who want a baby to love or to love them!
    Yet, Jesus Christ says he comes not to bring peace but division, even within the household, in families, and among in-laws. Is Jesus saying we will have more crisis in our lives because of His mission? Well, yes and no! Letís explore what Jesus might be saying here. I understand that a sermon should afflict the comfortable, and comfort the afflicted! The last question, I think we must ask ourselves is, what are our priorities and/or greatest crisis facing our lives? Is it a job from which we will soon be laid off? Or is it just passing ìso soî in school, or has tuition money run out? Is it an aging parent who lives with you, who is sick or cranky and seems to ìmake your life miserable?î What is your greatest crisis? Or, to rephrase this, what is the one thing that troubles you ultimately? This is indeed a different question! Does Jesus get lost in the middle of our crisis? Or fade out of view as our problems decrease or even increse?
    I would judge that most of us here today look to Jesus Christ when we need help and donít loose our faith. He helps us through any crisisówhen we ask for His help. Jesus is our Ultimate Helper and our Greatest Lover.
    Getting back to our question about Jesus bringing a sword and division, He is saying that He, the God With Us, must be our top priority, our Top Value even to the extent of our ìfalling outî with our parents, relatives, our school, our government, our wrong--headedness, or lowering of expectations, which blind people to accept the status quo. We must love Jesus more than these, even more than our most closest friend or our parent. So Jesus is calling us not to conform to what society thinks, or what our parents, and friends think or suggest. For as the lesson of Jeremiah says, they might have false information and just be dreaming or gossiping, and failing to give you values God would expect of His followers. Many people claim to have the answers, but not everyone can claim to give us the truth which God gives us in the living, loving Spirit present always each and every day of our lives!
    So Godís truth creates division among people and makes us Christians into fighters for justice and love among our family members, our neighborhood, city, and country. We fight because we love, we have ìlove quarrelsî and we take action. We stand up for the poor, and the dispossessed, and the despised when we put Godís love first in our lives.
    The disposessed Cubans and political pawns of Castro are a prime example of those who need an advocate in us and who need our resources and help until they can be resettled in our society. And this truth also holds for the poor people, the jobless, the prostitutes, and our elders who canít make ends meet on a fixed income. Jesus opposes corruption and status quo, bringing the sword of truth into the middle of our lives, demanding our loyalty to Him and to His way.
    Following Jesusí example of ìdoing the truthî around us means we must make decisions, and these decisions can be and usually are unpopular. Decisions create divisions, because people may become hostile to our choice. However, it is the people who create the division, and not Jesus Christ!
    Jesus asks us to believe and to follow Him and to ìdo the truthî and the consequences can be drastic! We know that we, like Jesus, will suffer the consequences, even of hardship--death! We will be questioned, flogged emotionally or physically, and then hung, by our paycheck, by a friendship, by the government, or even by religious conventional members of the Christian church! This is not uncommon!
    Perhaps we can derive some comfort from the fact in our Gospel lesson, that even Jesus Christ, Himself, was afraid, just as human as we are. He knew the consequences of His decision and He sticks to it anywayóno matter what the consequences! Today's second lesson in Hebrews tells us to look to Jesus as a pioneer, a human pioneer who made decisions pleasing to God, and who encourages us in our ìleap of faithî when we choose Jesus over the world.
 Martin Luther tells us to ìLove God, and sin boldly.î Do something even if it is to sin, he might say. (Some just like to quote the ìsin boldly!î) And do it out of love to God. Jesus is there, encouraging us to run this race of life with perseverance, to ìlift our drooping hands and strengthen our weak knees and make straight paths for our feet, so that  we and the world may be healed and brought under Godís rule of peace.
    And Jesus asks us to have ìloverís quarrelsî with those in our lives. A wise person will learn about Godís love and wisdom, but a foolish person will spurn and resent you. Amen

    Money is something we talk a lot about, especially with the inflation as it is. Yet we talk of it less so from the pulpit except during our stewardship drive. Perhaps itís a taboo subject like speaking of politics or our sexuality in the church. Weíre wondering if perhaps this is a private matter alone.
    In order to get into the mood a little more of money and wealth, I remembered the main movie character, Tevia, of ìFiddler on the Roof.î Like Tevia, we might ask God ìif it would break some vast eternal plan, if I were a wealthy man?î Let me play some of it for you. Maybe youíd like to lean back, relax, and envision yourself as a hardworking farmer with a growing family, and you have a dream of being rich.
    Tevia apparently didnít know of the high interest rates he would find getting a home loan, nor of any energy crunch. His wants are very much  like our own "Mr. Jones": he wants to look successful to his neighbors. More of this a little later.
    In Jesus Christís day, people believed (though I donít thing Tevia did) that wealth meant that God favored you. Perhaps the flip side to this theme can be heard as our very own ìProtestant work ethic:" When we think that "people on welfare deserve to be poor, and that God is punishing them," for failing to do something ("They are lazy."), or for a misdemeanor violation doing something untoward. Thereupon, "God isn't happy with them" ( Iím sure Heís suffering with the poor), or "they want a free rideóat my expense!" "I work for a living, and pay my taxes!" So you don't have to work.Some of us might also say this of the Cuban Boat People who have now been transported to Fort Chaffee. Where are we placing our hearts, on people, or money?
    Another thought people had, in those days, especially those who had businesses like Matthew,  a tax collector and lenderóthe banking system of its day. There are shrude managers. For like the parable of the shrewd manager, the servant does this: ìDo good to those who can return a favor.î Or, ìYou never did anything for me!î
    Those prejudiced, and warping of thje intent of the Biblical Good News ignore the capacity for religion and a greater, more inclusive, and basic form of Christianity. Otherwise, these judgments on the merits or acceptability of certain groups of people saps the very life out of the unsuspecting and the poor. Corrupt politicians in the Abscam case are a recent example which weíre all aware of. You donít have to be a gangster to have this view of lifeóand I donít think Tevia  had this life view. It just takes a stroke of a pen, of a manager, banker, CEO to be a robber!
    Getting back to the Gospel as to the use of money, we know that it  represents Jewish Law against the practice of usury, which was supposed to protect the poor from exploitation. However, what it did was allow huge profits for the lender and the money changers. For example, if a person possessed some of the commodity she wanted to borrow, like oil or wheat, the person by definition in the Law, was not destitute!, and the lender could charge exorbitant rates. After all, everyone had at least some wheat in their bin, or some oil in their lamps!
    What is marvelous about this parable is that the prudent manager had the debtors rewrite their loans to exclude the interest of the loanóonly the principle is asked.
    In this crisis where the manager was about to get his walking papers, his debtors would naturally want to return the favor to the manager and welcome him into their friendship and homes. Jesus commends his cleverness, though not the misuse of his employerís business!
    Jesus lifts up this ethic that left out the religious principle of love of neighbor. He in effect says if such shrewd managers recognize in a crisis their best interest by keeping the good opinion of their neighbors, religious people ought to be equally astute to keep the good opinion of God! If dishonest people use anotherís money to keep and make good friends, how much more should honest people ( whether you and me?) use our money to make friends so God will welcome them into the heavenly mansion!
    Money is a test of our character ówhere there is wealth there is menaceóunless it is used to promote friendship. Money rivals God for our devotions and service of each of us. We can be very self-assertive and act like owners of the world. Malvina Reynolds, the famous folk singer, writer, and activist wrote ìMagic Pennyî about love and money. In this abridgement, she sings and plays, î Love is something if you give it away,.you end up having more. Just like a magic penny. Hold it tight and you havenít any. Lend it, spend it, youíll have so many rolling all over the floor! Money we like to use, but love is better if you donít refuse. Itís a treasure youíll not lose, unless you  lock your door. So give love away.î
    What is our criterion for success and greatness? Where is our true wealth? In things?  In people? We would like to cling to our worldly wealth, but as it is said, ìwe canít take it with us," a U-Haul  hitched behind the hearse!î The only wealth we have an inalienable right to, is our heavenly wealth. Our earthly wealth is but a loan, something we ìsit loose with.î I might put it this way: our greatness is measured in how completely and passionately we need, serve, and love God. God wants us to bring people to Him through our actions, and not bring people to that other master, ":material wealth," or mammon which so many of us hanker for, and gamble for in the lotteries. both national and international.
    The last verse of the parable closes with a most familiar quotation: ìWe cannot serve two masters, God and material wealth, or mammon.î This is a fact, not a coercion Jesus Christ chides us with. God must be a God of our Monday through Saturday world, as well as of our ìSunday.î Thus God must be a part of our whole life, including our shopping, our life style, and how we spend,  share, and save money.
    If we listen to the rest of Teviaís song, we find that indeed his master, "and his greatest joy, would be recognition, not necessarily for his wealth, but as a Rabbi, a wise person to answer and give opiiions, like a teacher of God, as a wise person!" Indeed, his "fantasy would be to study the Holy Books of the Bible seven hours every day with the learned teachers!"
    May we have such a love and desire of God, as Tevia, that our hearts overflow with a wealth of love over the attachment and love of wealth of things! Amen

    When you and I need God, sometimes God seems to hesitate by not being there for us, by  "silence." Other times, God comes to us unexpectedly, as he does to Zacchaeus, right in the middle of our needósurprising even the believersóand certainly noticed by those who are less certain or tenuous of their belief and faith in God. When God is near, you may experience certain things like more focus, meaning, and direction, a joy at being alive, and blessings, and surprises occurring daily, like being organizad, ready to roll, even embrace the day and the people you work with. These attitudes don't often come suddenly, overnight, but is part of our unique process to personhood or may be revealed as an indelible, awesome, unspeakable, or humbling "peak experience" as Wiliam James calls it, or of great insight.
    In our first lesson, I have always been fascinated by the courage Moses had when he asked God to "show himself." How earnest and eager Moses was to see Godís face, i.e. to experience Godís presence, and protection, and  awful power. Although God passed by Moses, He covered Moses' eyes and could not be allowed to see but(tocks), His backside. I think of Cecil B.DeMilleís epic, ìThe Ten Commandments,î and the fantastic cinematography and grandeur that depicts this powerful God through lightening, clouds, and the cyclonic wall of flames, and as in the dramatic parting of the Sea of Reeds ( "Red Sea" ). For you see, God did not want to go with Moses and lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Moses was stunned to realize God was not pleased.
    God comes to us and shows His presence in so many different, subtle, and not so subtle manner that utterly  and forever forgives us our sin and its guilt, the baggage that  we've been carrying on our backs for too long. To have no experience with Godís forgiveness is like a living hellóas if God is judging us, keeping us at armís length.
     Perhaps we need to search ourselves what  gods we are worshiping that we have made into ìsacred cows; or "golden calvesî that---squander our time, and that trivializes and distorts any meaningfulness of our lived experiences,.and leads our rootless days into gsng fighting, and military warfare as acceptable, maybe even  heroic, or patriotic without question! Are we as stiff-necked with pride in the status quo, as God judged the Israelites?
    Like Moses, to ask God's forgiveness for our stubborn sinning, and falling short of the mark, like the Israelites choosing other gods over Yahweh, we can still receive Godís presence, if we ask ernestly, in faith and assurance to know and to see Godís face, that is, Godís presence, and to hear and receive Godís word of unconditional love, and to forgive and comfort us, through the sacrament of Holy Communion. We forgive others. as we are forgiven .This reconciliation we share Godís gracious faithfulness in our lives again, and again.. God does answer our pleas for help, and sometimes in a surprising and unexpected manner, and under unbelievable circumstances. God only knows, that the answers and required help are there for us! Even when we may feel so guilty, that we donít think we even deserve to ask for forgiveness! But forgiveness, and grace for it arrives, when, and how, God knows. And God gives us enough to help us with a reconcilliation brought  on by forgivenese  Such events more than fill the "bottom line" of our expectation and hope, as Zacchaeus will find out!
    Letís turn to the Gospel story of Zacchaeus, one of the most surprising converts of Jesus Christ's ministry,. of forgiving someone who you and I would least expectóof a well dressed, rich, CHEIF TAX COLLECTOR!  People, like him, took bribes, kick backs, became wealthy by usory. As the gigantic empire of Roman grew, so did the tax system grow. It required more and more taxes, draining citizenís resources, hopes, and dreams. There were taxes to Rome and its regional Setrap, and even for the Temple and Priests in Jerusalem. Taxes were collected, yearly, on land, personal property, pole taxes, and on imports and exports..Most everyone knew him and his infamous.and corrupt dealings. They  detested him and his misuse and abuse of his authority..
    Let's look on, in a dialog with the principals and the unfolding of this story of Zacchaeus. He is short, a kind of ìsawed off little runtî of a man ( a Little Person?) who we know has gained an  infamous reputation as a Publican. He therefore risks himself by moving into a crowd of people who tower over him in stature, as well as their swelled heads of self righteousness, and project ab aura of obvious dislike for hkim. We may picture Zacchaeus today as a Social Security agent, or  corporate lobbiest on the take, or elected or govenment official's corruption of votes/elections by perks and favors, or by a CEO insider trading, or a patronage appointment of unqualified cronies, over against the testing  and certification of qualified civil servants, or a millionaire TV evangelist, lawyer, or car salesman!
    Letís listen to Zaccheaus: ìI must see this face of Jesus. Iíve heard of His reputation, and Iím intrigued. No doubt this crowd will want to see him perform more miracles, preach, and teach. Iíve been so isolated and ostracized for so long by the people here, I donít know if I can take their scowling and words of disgust any longer! I hope the crowd doesnít crush me!î
    ìBut the crowd stands in my way, and I canít see past their hostility, or loudness. I hop and hop, and stand tiptoe to see--if someone would only hike me up to their shoulders. Well, I must go around the crowd, and ahead of them to get any glimpse of Jesus. --Heís moving my way!î
    ìI must see Jesus and let him see me!. Wow! A Sycamore tree with low enough branches for me to climb! ìWhat a cool, inviting place and a perfect, open view.î
    ìWhat will happen then? Maybe I will catch His eye! Maybe heíll shake my hand, or pass by like a conqueror, or smile and gladhanding everyone but me, like politicians do. Or see in my eyes that I need him, like a whipped, burned out, hurting, appointed government official, who can take no rest, nor get any peaceî out of his tense, compromising, and punishing work!
    If we could hear Jesusí thoughts, He might be saying: ìthere goes that small, well dressed man dashing ahead of the crowd. Matthew, former tax collector told me of his questionable accounting principles and usuorious loans,  and business practices, and onerous reputation in the city. Heís got a lot of chutzpah to show up  here. He knows what itís like to be rejected by ones fellows, and the Rabbis, and religious and civil authorities of Jerusalem. They have rejected me, its own son. How they despise my speaking with authority!î
    ìThe crowd thinks I favor themóthe religious people of the city. They're just curious. They donít know what itís like to suffer for another, for God's sake; or to be called down as a blasphemer, a sinner.  Meóa Rabbi! All they see is peopleís statusóthey challange my sermon on scripture, or press me to perform  some magic, or miracleóthose rice Christians! But I perceive Zacchaeus is different. He needs something! Iím going to help him  find it.. Yet thereís so much I have to do today, so much on my mind.î...
    And Zacchaeus might be rejoicing, ìBlessed be Jesus  who sees and is coming this way. Maybe heíll say ìhi.ì My detractors almost kept me from this great happening! the biggest day of my life! The citizens really despise me; theyíre so jealous of my wealth. But Jesus seems different. This makes no difference to him! What a beautiful person he is! I vow thereís nothing I wouldnít do for Him! Let me shake His hand! Clap him on the back, and a bear hug!î.
    ìWhat? Did I hear him call me by name? Heís asking me to hurry and come down! He wants to stay in my house! ìIíve been found! Someone loves me. Jesus loves and respects me! And by the look in His eyes, he forgives me. Now I know His healing presence! Iím no longer an outcast, ostracized by everyone, but not by Jesus because he loves me and wants to stay and help me, and even dine with me!î
    People in the crowd grumble, heís unfit for Jesus. ìZacchaeus is a parasite blood sucker upon us. We have more sincerity and faith to offer Jesus than Zacchaeus. What an outrage he didnít choose dinner with us! Jesus must be like this sinner because he eats and associates with them and seeks them out! I donít want anything to do with such a religion. I refuse to associate with such people as Zacchaeus!î
    The drama continues as Zacchaeus says to himself: ìIím feeling a joy well up inside of me;.a gratitude, a new freedom. Now the horizon has opened for me. I am free to be what God intended me to be! I donít need my money to prop myself up to the eyes of  society. Iím secure and feeling ten feet tall. I know Iíve cheated people. Some could even afford to pay  the extra taxes. But no more! Jesus doesnít operate that way, and neither will I.î
    ìJesus, your presence is changing my life! Iím changing, but the religious people and priests around me  donít know what it is like to forgive or be forgiven. It means being loved and healed!
    And Jesus reflects, ìIím with the poor in spiritóyou who are ostracized like Zacchaeus, and know it. I understand your rejection and hurts. Iíve been there with you. You are a real Jew, a person of faith, and a descendent of Abraham who I promised to save from rejection of this life, and you people.from death. You matter to me. I lift you up today in plain sight of these religious people. You and your household have been saved today. Because you needed me I am here with you, and you have confessed to me, and repented, and so you are saved and forgiven!î
    ìSee, Zacchaeus, I came to save those who need me, who need to see my face and experience my presence. Those who have no need of me and my love will not come and be saved until they realize they need me.î
    Dear friends, this story is not a story of our seeking, though each of us would seek the face of Jesus. Rather, it is a story of God seeking us in our wanderings, in our down times when we feel guilty and donít like ourselves. When weíre just beginning roots in a new community or in a new job, or with a new member born to be bapatized into our family.
    When you hear this message today, know for sure that you, like me, and everyone else, need Christ Jesus as Savior. He knows you by name as he knew Zacchaeus.
    Christís call to a faith commitment is always a call for today. Donít postpone. He is seeking you. Welcome Him as your Savior by surrendering your heart to Him. The Lord wants to say to you also, ìToday Salvation Has Come To You!î
    Are you ready to respond, to move out, boldly,when He calls you by name? Amen

    We have images of the Pilgrims in 1621 having a feast, and what it must have been like to eke out a subsistence level of food, shelter, and clothing during the Colony's first fall and winter. The Pilgrims were a persecuted religious people who came to this New Land to find freedom. And the royalty of Europe did not hesitate to send its charters and bankers to underwrite new economic ventures like the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, fur traders, and explorers to find routes to the Northwest Passage, and claim land in the name of Jesus Christ, by approval of the Pope, to build his missions and churches there. This land was ripe for the picking, and it was taken for its many natural resources.
    The Colonies became independent of England for their economic and political growth, to stand on its own two feet and eventually reap the harvest of abundance as a world power to be reckoned with. All of this happened in a little more than 200 years.
    Perhaps we can draw parallels of our Christian faith between our history and that of Israel as we find in our first lesson.
    Moses is talking to his people, telling them how they have survived the forty years of wandering in the wilderness as a test by God of their faithfulness. God provided them with every need while they were in the middle of desolation. And Moses holds out a promise God made to Israel: that because of their faithfulness in this time of testing, they will be rewarded by living in a new land where abundance will meet their every need for food, water, and minerals.
    Some of us have probably gone through some very trying and difficult times, as you look back through the year. Maybe you, or a family member or friend has been sick and you are beside yourself in concern. Perhaps you are just managing to keep ahead of the bill collector each month or venturing into a new job after a long period of waiting, and you feel a bit shaky about how this will go for you. Or this year has created a lot of change, and you really donít see an end or relief in sight.
    One woman whom I met while distributing food from our generous contributors told me how really bad things had been for her and her two disabled teenage children. Sheís had to go asking for food and other help, and people who are her ìfriendsî said, ìHow can you go about begging like that?î And she replied to her neighbors that she wasnít too proud to ask for help when she needed it. And then she asked that we have a prayer. She has had to learn many things through her years of desert experiences, wandering in hostile territory and depending completely upon God for her own survival though the help of community services and people like us who give to others.
    And yet, the remarkable things about stories we could share: We are here tonight giving thanksgiving and praise to God. We are saying God has given us our life, and we love God for being our God. We are being faithful tonight in the midst of and in spite of our hardship. We are drawn closer to one another and to God; we are attracted by love.
    I am convinced it is through our hurts, our weaknesses, and our needs that God works the miracle of faith through us, and not necessarily through our abundance or our skills or strengths! How would we begin to listen, or understand the hurts of others if we didnít experience them ourselves? God does work in many mysterious ways, His wonders to behold!
    Perhaps we can draw another lesson and analogy with ancient Israel. Both our nations had shaky beginnings, like all good things borne of stress and difficulty, is now one of the richest countries in the world.
    Like Israel, we have reached the promised land. We pray ìGod Bless America,î and then, proclaim, "God has blessed America," and finally, ìOur country, right or wrong!î We see the subtle shift as our countrys moved from asking Godís blessing into a pride in our accomplishments, and builds to  a glorification, triumphalism, and a super patriotic history of  super nations. We  assume that we are always right, and donít need God or other accountabily.
    I think the USA is again moving toward such a political climate. We Americans are being tested by our abundance as well as by privation. Pollution of our air and water, the usage of fertile farm land for land fills and condominiums are some of the difficulties. We consume per capita much more food and energy than any other nation in the world, many times over what the poorest nations need just to stay alive. How easy our nation and we people can forget God through our pride, abundance of consumer items, our free time, and disposable wealth. Who needs God when things are instantly and easily accessible?
    And our faith must be more than a Pollyanna phrase that ìeverything works out for the best.î And our faith is more than some sort of fate. Some people say, ìWell, I guess it was my time.î Rather, our faith is a faith in the love and work of a person, Jesus Christ! It is other-centered, rather than me-centered. Fate and philosophical outlook have nothing to do with the Christian faith!
    So gratitude to God is the nature of our faith. And we are grateful to God because God acts in our lives in very concrete and loving ways.
    Tonight, God comes again in a very concrete way, in the bread and the wine of Holy Communion. Jesus gives us His broken body in the bread we eat, and God gave the Israelites manna in the wilderness.
    The Psalmist says, ìOh give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever.î
    Tomorrow, we will sit down together around another table of love and friendship. And we may share the events of the year and what we are thankful for. It is this thanksgiving to God that is our faith. Amen

    Reflect with me upon some of the images and events of the baby in the manger, ìNo crib for a bed...Silent night, all is calm, all is bright...Deck the halls".... The third verse of ìSilent Nightî says a lot about Christmas: ìSilent night, holy night, son of God, loves pure light. Radiant beams from your holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at your birth, Jesus, Lord at your birth.î
    Through these carols, we get a glimpse of who Jesus is and what Jesus means to us. And the verse of ìSilent Night,î particularly, is a kind of a summary of our faith, a doctrine on the nature and purpose of Jesusí life, to give us ìPure Lightî and ìRedeeming Grace.î
    Furthermore, these carols often tell us a story, rather than give us doctrine or statements of what we believe.We love to sing carols and tell stories and see and recreate them in our own imagination.
    Yet in the Gospel we read for today, the story of Jesusí birth is secondary to its main purpose, and that is to provide us with an explanation of what Jesus means, as a doctrine and a theology put in terms of the time in which the people of Jerusalem  could understand, but which these terms were perhaps foreign to us, because they were used by Hellenized Greeks. Jerusalem is making sure we know that Jesus is the Son of God, in contemporary language, terms and images of the day, such as ìWordî or you see, Greeks wouldnít know what a ìMessiahî was, buy knew "Logos," and "Light versus Darkness." These are not as familiar terms to us as they were to the Helenized Greeks, and yet our imaginations are caught up in this dramatic first chapter of John which is in the form of a basic hymn: ìIn the beginning...was the Word...î sounds like Genesis, doesnít it? with its story of creation of our world in seven days and the many images we have of it.
    John uses this first chapter to introduce and lay down a format for all the terms and titles and concepts that Jesus found in the remainder of this Gospel. This chapter says: that Jesus is the Truth, a Divine Reality for us, that Jesus is God-revealed, an event to celebrate even though He was ignored among His own people, and yet He acknowledges all who believe in Him.
    In what terms would you and I describe Jesus today? That is, what does Jesus mean to you and me? To call Jesus ìThe Wordî would perhaps mean very little to us, because we do not esteem or value words. Rather we manipulate and ignore their value and meaning and abuse them for advertising jingles and news reports and propaganda, trying to influence others with exaggeration or half-truths, sloppy or illegible. This situation is deplorable! Yet the question remains, what does Jesus mean? Who is this God we worship?
    Some have described Jesus as a ìgracious soul, a generous person, a teacher, a person of His own time who is fixed and incapable and not relevant for todayís complicated society and economic problems, a quixotic figure.î Can Jesus mean something to us today?"
    Jesus is more than a set of words or doctrines and concepts where we wear our intellect to describe the truth of God to others. God comes to us, yes through our knowledge, but also through our experience. God comes to us as a human being, in Jesus, as a baby, whose life and story and actions we experience in our lives again and again. We are witnesses through our experience, like John the Baptist to Jesus and His Truth.
    Pastor Rhomberg has spoken of holding on to the torch, the Light of Jesus lifted high. We experience light and darkness in our lives. These dark winter days, we would welcome a trip to sunny Florida or California, to experience the warmth of the sun and temperature on our skin. Yet happiness is more than light shining on us, or the absence of darkness!. Our experience of happiness comes out of our hurt, our rage, and our courage out of pain, patience, and endurance, to lead us out of disappointment. As the contemporary song says, ìYou light up my life, you give me hope, to carry on!î
    God keeps looking for an opening in our life, a crack to flood us with Noon-day Light!
    ìDarkness hasnít overcome the Light, this light being Jesus, as we read in verse five of Johnís Gospel. Coals of a fire leap to life with a burst of fanning air. We are at times like little lumps of coal, remnants that are left to survive, only to leap to life and flourish, such as Israel, after its Babylonian captivity and ravishment in the Reformation with its little flames of several reformers eventually lighting up all over Europe and Poland. Today, the rights of the people and of the union won over the lumbering and repressive and inept government. And you and I could reflect and share those moments when we were feeling as small and alone as a glowing, but dying lump of coal. Itís almost ready to go out, only to be revived by God of the  Fresh Start or a Fresh Breath of Air by Someone who loves us very dearly. Itís okay to be a lump sometimes!
    Yes, the Good News is, that goodness is invincible, that darkness doesnít reign and rule our lives! ìGood guys do--DONíT--finish lastî as the new twist on an old baseball adage! You and I witness every day to this Truth, this Grace Upon Grace, that Jesus Lights up our lives, and gives us Hope to carry on. This is tha hope, that  the  Small Baby Jesus means to us today, as we experience His Light, His Enlivening Spirit in our small and fading, lifeless ones, his Burning and Leaping Flame of Love is sparked through the Love of Others.
    As we approach the new year through these twelve days of Christmas, let us reflect the gift of Light and New Life Born again in our lives and let it Flame! Amen

   Our worship service today begins the first day of Lent, and I suspect that I, like you, are not prepared for this day. Some of us may have asked ourselves what weíre going to ìgive up for Lent?î Our response may be sincere or not, and we may start to go through the mechanics of giving something up, and filing our Lenten folder with quarters. Is it worth it? What is to be gained out of this? Maybe weíre missing Something that would help give us a focus to Lent. What place are we in the story of Lent? Some would call this the Babylonian Captivity of the church! Life-changed-Christians could advance faster in their jobs and money was easily available for church projects.
    Although we in the United States donít have an official state church, we do have approval and relative peace. Be that as it may, good or bad, we are accepted and not seen as subversive to our government or to some of our society. Yet there are in many parts of the world where Christian churchs and its members are viewed as a subversive part of society because of their sense of justiceóin El Salvador and the Philippines, in South Korea. Church leaders óeven bishopsóare shot, jailed or interrogated for their sympathies and programs for the poor and dispossessed, whom dictators couldnít care less about. Anyone who tried to help these people must be ìCommunist Sympathizers,î puppets of Castro, and undeserving of any consideration or opinion that is contrary to the dictatorship. Dictatorship doesnít approve of the church, and yet, it was just such a situation of the acceptability of the decree in the 4th Century under Constantine, which prompted the Bishops of the church to initiate the Season of Lent as part of the Church Year. Lent was officiated because standards for church membership had been relaxed, church attendance and other disciplines wavered and people lacked basic understanding and knowledge of the Christian doctrine.
    Consequently, Lent became a special time when catechumens, or those who were preparing to become members of the church, had three weeks of special classes on Christian doctrine and some fasting prior to their admission during Holy Week. The clergy encouraged all believers to join in with the catechumens in the pre-membership instruction as a refresher course and as an obligation for all members.
    Gradually, the three weeks were lengthened into 40 days of study and fasting as Lent became associated with Jesusí 40-day fast and temptation in the wilderness. Lent, as a general study and fasting, arose then because life in the church and society became too easy and cozy.
    This historical sketch brings to us a perspective on faithfulness and its reward, or lack of reward, by society and individuals in it. Our sights must aim higher than acceptability by the world.
    Matthew says that where our treasures are, or our values, there is our heart also. Would you and I sell all that we had, in order to possess one thing or good that would be our only aim in life? A new Jaguar? A new wardrobe? A pair of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans? Election to the board of governors? Being well liked? Winning a million dollars? Recognition in the community? Jesus Christ gives us even more! He gives us the Treasure of Himself, the Highest Source of Love and Approval we could ever hope for and we have the privilege of receiving Christ tonight in the Sacrament of Holy Communion of bread and wine  to remind us again that we are Acceptable, and we are forgiven.
    The early Christians who suffered persecution had to know where its treasure was, or we would not be here as a church today, or would our Christian faith have survived! We cannot expect the world to affirm our Christian virtues and faith or even our personhood.  We will be ostracized, or criticized, and rejected for our faithfulness.
    If you recall in the novel, Magnificent Obsession, Dr. Hudson, the hero, lives his life based on the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing and lives in a secret companionship.
    Our vision must be higher, upon Jesusí life and ministry, and yes, His suffering and death for you and me. The seeker  of Christ or Christian, who seeks for  God in private, will understand the blessings given us in secret.
    We look to this Lenten season to bring us at last to the Easter Experience, to lift up our vision once again in faithfulness to God, and to Jesus, our Savior, our Main Source of Strength, and Most Complete Treasure. Amen

     (Rev. Riedel is wheeled out  in a wheel chair by the head usher, to mount the platform for the sermon.) By their reaction, she assures that "No, please,I'm not hurt or disabled! You will find later how this wheel chair is related to my explerience with the sermon topic and to my new understanding through this experience.
     As I was preparing for todayís worship service, I was encouraged by one of our members to make a practice run in this wheel chair to make sure I anticipate any difficulties or new movements that Beverly Hoppe, my consultant guarantees will come to surprise me, while confined to this or any other wheelchair. So, two weeks ago, I had my very first experience operating this chair, and I began to see how much planning, forethought, and work/experience it takes to try to get 'round in it. A curb, a change in direction of movement to get through a door, a little door sill, wide and large enough bathrooms, and doorways, eye-level mirrors, and today, high altars and pulpits could spell near failure or disaster to an unexperienced ìtemporarily disabled" person like me. Further, I had time given to me by Beverly Hoppe-an excellent tutor preparing for todayís experience, and I feel much more confident that I can get around, with "a little help from my friends," like Ken Peterson, our head usher, and others.
      I am basically very depressed with the kind of preparation that must occur for a disabled person to be successful in their job, or even go out for dinner or theater, or to attend a convention or a new location not evaluated for barriors or given any thought or seen as barriers!
    One could say, it takes a lot of trust, work, physical therapy and faith in a loving God, and planning in order to live in a wheel chair day in and day out. I found myself testing what my wheel chair and I  can and canít do under certain conditions If the wheel spins, I can learn forward up a ramp. Or, how do I keep myself from falling off this step? unless I know I can put on brakes. And how is Ken going to get me off this raised altar? Iíll have to trust some of these new processes and experiences I know little of.
    The other side of the coin is, if I donít like what is happening or donít trust this experience, I can simply get out of this chair and call it quits! I donít have to put up with uncertainty, and inconvenience, and the limitations this chair imposes
on me. To journey through life in this wheelchair requires a lot of help and is an act of faith, and patience, about limitation..
    Now in our first two lessons for today, we read about Abram and the kind of faith he had. He was not one to bail out in uncertainty and frustration. In fact, he is such a model of faith to the Jews that St. Paul writes that Abram is the perfect model of a faithful servant who completely trusted in God to provide all the necessities of life. "Abram is our spiritual model and father," says Paul.
    In the first lesson, we find God calling to Abram to leave his own home, his friends, and even the country in which he grew up. Abram must burn his bridges behind himóhe can only go forward, because God asked him to! All God does is promise to show Abram a new land, and many blessings, none of which he can see or touch. Abram has no idea where he is headed foróno goal, no timetable nor image of what to aim for. What kind of a journey is that? Certainly very few of us are willing to risk it!
    We would want a Triple A "Trip Tic" planning map and guidelines spelling out the whole route along with road constructions, and travel time, things to do and places to see. Costs and reservations to A-1 restaurants, motels and, hotels.
    But to strike out for God-knows-where is too frightening when we have no specific destination. Itís un-American! We are good at solving problems, at going from point A to point B, of starting up businesses and venture capital. We have to set our goals and then spell out ways to reach them. We take tremendous energy, planning, and striving to reach a prescribed destination. Thatís the stuff of which real life is made, we say, or is it? Can we be like Abram? Did the things of his real life make up his faith? Apparently not, or Abram would have never left Haran with God showing the way! He would have asked where the Holiday Inns were along the way! Could you and I venture forth with God or would we call it quits? How much faith do we have in our God to ìshow usî the way on our journey? I suppose that we canít say, ìWe did it!î We need to know it was the sweat of our own brow that brings us the reward, the acknowledgement and the satisfaction that "We can do it." And there is nothing wrong in this, unless we forget where the real credit is dueóto God who guides us on our journey. And when our journey gets rocky, we blow a tire or meet an unexpected set-back in health or of a friend or spouse, get laid off, or go broke, then we might be forced to dig deeper than the life around us and drink of a Living Water that will never let us go thirsty, nor let us down. Abram had trust and faith in God, but you and I need something much more tangible than this to aim for at the end of our journey, or when the road gets rough. We need a road map to help us to the promised land.
    This is where the Samaritan womanís story helps us. And I think it is amazing that given the low position of women in many main-line churches today just as in Bible times, that this story is preserved in John as a witness of her beginning the Christian church in Samaria, calling her friends to hear Jesus. But Iím getting ahead of my story. Here, she is speaking with a tired and thirsty Jesus who asks for water. The woman misunderstands Jesus to be speaking about the physical and mundane things of life, how to get water, digging wells, the history of the Samaritans and the pride they have in their worship and tradition that conflicts with the Jews, whom she knows Jesus to be!.
    She knows real life too well, and is really caught up in itóeven living with her fifth lover. Yet, Jesus patiently brings this discussion to a new level of understandingóand an awareness that Jesus is not speaking of ordinary things like she is. But He Touches Her Life and she begins revealing  herself. And Jesus Understands And Supports Her Truthfulness. She is saved by accepting the fact of Jesusí authority in her life. Jesus Offers Himself to her as the Water that Quenches All Thirst, as the Living Water that no one has to work and dig for, as the Person Who Lifts Her/Us Up, for our salvation through Forgiveness Of Our Sin.
    Abram has no assurance of what or who the Promised One was. You and I and the Samaritan woman doóit is Jesus Himself, the Living Water who comes to Meet Us While We Are Doing our Mundane Tasks. Jesus Comes To  Meet Us In Our Own Samaritan And Depressed Condition because He Wants A Relationship With Us. And the most startling thing about it is, that Relationships Donít Depend Upon What We Plan, To Do, Or Fail To Do. We are like that Samaritan woman who despite five husbands, Jesus Touches Her And Our Lives Anyway. Certainly, if Jesus only came to the ì
"Good People,î you and I may be excluded!
Furthermore our merit wouldnít count in Godís Eyes, but the Quality Of Our Relationship With God Does. And That Relationship Is Grace, Pure And Simple, a relationship not built upon moralizing.
    We may often say with the Samaritan woman, "whew! I thought God would drop me like a bag of hot potatos because of my ____, and ___, etc, and of my affairs!" Jesus doesnít release us to experience the little deaths in our failures. He releases us from death to New Life of graciousness through our forgiveness, so maybe we can ìtry again,î and thus we may learn to "get our relationships right!"
    That forgiveness is the Living Water of  Godís relationship with us. Jesus is like the wheelchair that takes us along over our journey in spite of our many disabilities, and moves us forward in love and grace to our promised land, a life in everlasting fellowship and the Living, Cooling relationship to Jesus Christ. Amen

   The Prophet Jeremiah gives us some of the most powerful and authoritative images of Godís love, power, and authority. God is portrayed as a potter who creates human beings from clay, from the dust of the earth, Genesis says, and breathes in to us the Spirit, the Breath of Life.
    And whatever piece of pottery doesnít turn out properly, when the heat of kiln or of life cracks it, when it doesnít live up to expectations, or an imperfection arises, God takes another chance,  and reforms it with other cracked chards into something new, something else. God doesnít give up on us fallible human beings.
    This image of God creating us like a potter reminds me of last Sundayís Adult Forum presentation on sculpting and the insights the group shared who took the class from Pastor Kinens. For most of you, this was the first time you made a sculpture. You took an opportunity to be like the Potter and made a bust in clay. You related this experience to our Christian faith. The whole process spoke to you in a very special way and I am grateful that you shared it with us.
    You found in the process of sculpting that you had to have such great patience to form the sculptured figure. You had to knead with your hands first, the red and dusty clay, clinging to everything as you mixed it with water. You had to form the head out of hundreds of small pieces, piece by little piece. If you used large chunks stuck together, and also did not work the clay with your hands, the water remaining in these chunks would surely come out later in the firing process and probably crack the piece. We might say the creative process of God making us and the world was good, and yet, in the high temperatured kiln of life and fire, we can became cracked pots. Crack pots! But not one of your sculptures cracked in the firing!
    And then after you decided what image to.sculpt, no matter if you were using a picture of someone, or your spouse, you found that you put a part of yourself into that image! Your effort literally imaged the shape of your nose, eyes, or your ears, or expression became a part of the sculpture!  Try as you may to copy thje image faithfully you found a likeness, a look, a color, a shape of you creeping into that piece of work. Because we use ourselves as a reference point, seeing ourselves daily, in the mirror, we come to see and know ourselves perhaps better than anyone or anything else. The object of our creation reflects us.
    And God must have made us with the same reference to Himself, to make us into a life-giving image, an image that relates to loving others unconditionally, like God loves us. And God did this by putting a part of Himself into us like you did with your sculptureds. Godís gift in us is Jesusí Spirit. Just your struggle to visualize and form the piece, you had to measure the subject, live model, image or picture with great care. You measured the length of her ear or the flair of his nose to get an exactness. And if you preferred a three dimensional model or a live person, you related how you closed your eyes and felt that face, sensing through your finger tips every possible feature so you could visualize accurately the desired image, as faithful an image of your subject as you could make. It takes a passion for the human being and an attention to detail to turn a lump of clay into a life like, and life giving image. You must become intimately acquainted with your subject and know its quirks and features before you can reproduce it. And so God must have known and loved us quite intmately and compassionately before He, Himself, emptied part of himself to create parts of His Life and Spirit, in His image, into human form  of the Living Jesus! ..
   And then in order to complete the sculpting you had to split the sculpture in half! You had to take off the top of the head in order to remove and hollow out the center of the piece. This had to be done so the baking process would dry out the whole sculpture more completely to finish it, and make it strong enough for display. This step flew in the face of all logic! In order to make your sculpture strongóyou paradoxically had to split it and hollow it out!
    Yet God took out of himself, Jesus, out of His very center and placed Jesus into our own form in order to help us be strong and whole to withstand the heat from the kiln of lifeís fire!. The mystery of the Trinity is that we experience God, as a totally human being, and as Spirit. The miracle is that God is in us, and a part of us ìclay pots.î We can become  cracked and looking more like those discarded pieces.
    And so, God is not only our loving Creator and Potter. God fills us and makes our cracking lives strong with the Bread, Jesus Christ, His way that kneeds us cracked pots into wholeness. In the second lesson, God provides us with this Living Bread. An intimate image, of God providing the Food, Jesus, \he Christ, and Nazerine, our Heavenly  Food.
    We know that bread is the minimum food for human subsistence. In the Middle East, people carriy bread in their belts like a sack lunch. That and well water keeps them going on their journeys. You and I can remember when Mom made fresh bread for the family and we gobbled up every warm slice that tasted so sweet and melterd like butter in our mouths.
    Jesus is that Sweet Bread of Life. Jesus is unique although some people would philosophize or rationalize and say believing in Him is like believing in other ìgreat peopleî who dot our history books, like Buddha or Mohammed or Gandhi, or the Prophets. The crowds in our second lesson taught that Jesus was like Moses, only a prophet, and not divine, not the Messiah. They wanted Jesus to prove he was God by doing miracles, and giving them more bread.
    Jesus is unique and original above all others, because God put His uniqueness into Jesus as the Divine Potter, and brought Jesus to us hungering people. And all we can say with the hungering crowd following Christ is, ìLord, give us this bread always.î
    We are fed by Jesus in the Lordís Supper with physical and spiritual food. Like eating a satisfying mealówe feel our tiredness and stress fades away after enjoying it.   One of my more favorite poems by Rev. Alla Bozarth, an Episcopal priest, writes in her book, Womanpriest. A personal Odyssey, poetry that speaks of God as ìBakerwoman God,î kneading us like the Potter His clay, only with home made bread, and like Jesus' body presence in the bread used in the Holy Communion. The poem explores the images of bread, humanity, and God. In a very personal and spiritual way. We also are the Bread of Bakerwoman God.

Bakerwoman God
I am your living bread.
Strong, whitte Bakerwoman God,
l am your low, soft, and being-shaped loaf.
I am your rising
bread, well--kneeded
by some divine and knotty
pair of knuckles,
by your warm earth hands
I am bread well--kneeded.

Put me on fire, Bakerwoamn God,
Put me in your own bright fire.

I am warm, warm as you from fire.
I am white and gold, soft and hard,
brown and round.
I am so warm from fire.

Break me, Bakerwoman God!~
I am broken under your caring Word.
Drop me in your special juice in pieces.
Drop me in your blood.
Drunken me in the great red flood.
Self-givng chalice, swallow me.
My skin shines in the divine wine.
My face is cup-covered and I drown.

I fall up
in a red pool
where your warm
sunskin hand is there
to catch and hold me.

Bakerwoamn God, remake me.

Amen!

    Jesus says tonight: ìa new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.î
    I have placed a bowl, pitcher and towel in view so that we may focus upon the meaning of Maunday Thursday in a very real way. For you see, this Thursday in Holy Week is about washing, about  cleaning, of receiving forgiveness,  as the desciple's place in Jesusí life and therefore, of our own life.
    Imagine with me the room where the meal and the washing took place in the Gospel for tonight. Jesus knows His time has come to die, that he has been anointed for burial by Mary at Bethany and now he is about to give a farewell to His followers. Jesus knows what is to come and this colors everything He does now. Just a question to reflect upon: what would you and I choose to do if we knew we were to die? Want a million dollars, travel, and get away from it all? Surely, not think of doing what Jesus is about to undertake. Not many of us are like Mother Teresa of Calcutta who washes those who are dying alone! We see Jesus get up from a Passover meal. He takes off His street clothes in preparation for some work, and ties on a towel like an apron. He pours water into a basin and begins to wash feet. He dries the feet with the towel around His waist.
    To get some flavor for what is going on, with Jesus and the disciples, Iíd like to try a brief experiment with you. I would like you to turn to your neighbor quickly and ask from your heart right now, ìWould you let me wash your feet?î
    What did that child or person answer you? Were they speechless? How did you feel? Did they ask you if they could wash yours? Were you surprised? Dumbfounded? You might want to continue your conversation later!
    As I thought about how I would respond to this question, Iíd probably think, had I washed my feet? Are they stinky? And if it were in a group like tonight, Iíd definitely say no! My feet are my own private affair! Why should I let you wash them? Further, why would you want to? Do you have a foot fetish? Or I might say, Iíll wash yours, but I donít want mine washed!
    Peter experiences much the same difficulties when Jesus approaches him to wash his feet and he responds in a very human way, ìNever!î. He questions Jesus. and Jesus reminds Peter he would no longer be a disciple, a follower, if he wonít accept this foot washing ritual.. And Peter gets the message and wants a whole bath! The surprise and the wonder that Jesus would do such a thing to us! The wonder that God, the Messiah, would take on such a lowly task or service, as the ritual of washing another's feet!
    The scandal of such an action! We may be more inclined to wash Jesusí feet! Even more, the world is scandalized by the crucifiction of a man, who allegedly claims to be King of the Jews, and is hung, naked, on a cross like a thief! The soldiers, the crowds, and the world scoff at such a claim by this dying King! Why didn't He send His angels and guardians to rescue Him? or to reek revenge on His accusers and torturers?  Unlike the usual, lowly crusifiction and shameful death of the guilty,  King Jesus is not a triumphant, railling, or angry victim. But who would be foolish enough to believe this dead man, who died quite readily, was a King, a Messiah? Did the disciples, followers, and family now question the purpose of Jesus' life and death? Jesud is apparently dead, gone. Jesus has deserted them by  dying on them! The disciples are fearful and confused about their lives as disciples of Jesus. That they are traumatized, they can't remember Jesus' washing their feet after that special meal of Thanksgiving and Rememberance of Him. What Jesus was all about all along was forgiveness, and reconciliation: ìA new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.î
    This is the new command or mandate; we still wonder at the beauty of Jesus washing our own ugly and smelly feet!
    A second surprise and wonder in the Gospel is in spite of Peterís resistance and our resistance, Jesus insists that we must learn to receive, and to give and receive this gift of service and hospitality, without pride. Apparently, foot washing was common in Judaism and was offerred to travelers to take off the dust and dirt from the dayís walk.
    Weíve heard over and over again, ìIt is more blessed to give, than to receive.î So, where we are  gifted and blessed, as the recipiant, we are caught by surprise when we are on the receiving end! I suppose we ministers in particular, or anyone who is in the helping professsion will recognize the great need we have to be approved, and respected, to feel wanted and needed. We get strokes, or ìcookiesî from feeling and being needed. We count! We are trusted and competent. Perhaps in its most adverse form, we could call this human exaggeration, a Messiah urge or Savior complex. For example, we sent missionaries in the last centuries to bring the Gospel to the ìpagan peopleî of the world, and we end up converting them to American pop cultural and social ways, and Puritan or Protestznt work values!
    Today, these same countries are sending missionaries to us from Japan, Indian, and Tanzania. But we are hard pressed to listen to those ìThird World Developing Countries, " who are now in the position of helping our country.î After all, the U.S.A. is a better--no,"the best country on earth!" We need no help!
    Personally, we want to be worthy of other peopleís affection as individuals.
    But this requirrement is unnecessary! What you and I do or say, or fail to do or say, does not stop the fact that God is still loving us. We  are loved for just being you, and me! We are justified by grace through faith  of God's unconditional loving us! As Paul Tillich, the great contemporary theologian preached,îYou are Acceptable!î.
    To be open to receive love, takes faith. To receive the endless love of Jesus, as we do, is miraculous grace!
    Letís look at receiving the gift of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Some people say, and Iíve heard it, ìI donít need CommunionóI havenít sinned enough!î ìGod--stay in your heaven--I need to sin more to earn your even greater love, and  forgiveness!î îIíll be all right if you just stay away for awhile, and leave me alone so I can go on dreamingódonít come near and wake  me!î
    Thus Peter said ":no" to Jesus'footwashing at first, and so have we at times balked or refused help. Whether we like it or not, Jesus comes softly, and gently through grace. He  embraces the believer within the Sacrament of Holy Communion of His Real Presence and Remembrance in the elements of bread and wine. Celebrating Easter morning, we are renewed in the assurance that we are loved and forgiven!  And as we are thus reconciled to one another, we are given the wherewithall to approach and forgive others, as well as to receive the forgive ourselves! Rconciliation of human with human,  and human with nature, is possible--now that Jesus has arisen  to receive us, amidst our feelings of gratitude, relief, and joy!
    Maunday Thursday, the new command to  love, and the Liturgy of the Great Thanksgiving (Eucharist), of Holy Communion, we give thanks for this guarantee through Jesus' dying upon the cross. These scriptures present more than just philosophical or spiritual truths!
    Rather, the gift of Holy Communion is a part of an historic human event. The Hebrew people celebrate its forerunner, Passover, the community meal before the wilderness treck and hasty Exodus from Egypt, slavery, and sure death.into hope for life in a promised.land This celebration remains the major Jewish festival next to the new year. Among others, Lutherans celebrate the Passover meal with Jews as our shared heritage in Godís freeing, loving action. The roast lamb, the bitter herbs, the unleavened bread are the means that God afirms us personally and comunaly we are indeed being saved. And like the Jews, we recall our identity with God reconciling sinners and forgiving our sin and certain death. Jesus has gone before us to prepare a way, and make a room for us.in the Fatherís house.
    We are a blessed, and needy people unmerited/unworthy to be so gifted with Jesusí loving, precious  life, and death, and resurrection. We are sealed as Godís very own in the Eucharist, the Thanksgiving, which helps us to experience again the Good Friday event, and the deliverance from death in the Easter resurrection. This historic act of love we can touch and feel, hear and taste, and smell that Jesusí presence is surely ìin, with, and underî the bread and the wine.
    Oh, you and I can still remain aloof like Peter, for a time.. We can still remain the individual we so strongly fight to be, to the exclusion of the community of receivers and believers. But the mystery of this Holy Communion beckons us to come together, to become the foot washers of one another, a portend that Jesus expected to see the desciples ìhitting the dusty roadway,î to come out from hiding. And ìI will be with you,î in your preaching, teaching, forgiving, and baptising; The pun is: ìto get your feet wetî again, and by Jesusí foot washing ritual, to serve and to be hospitable, an example  for one another, as the servants and deciples of Jesus, the Christ,whose Presence and Life recalled in the Eucharist.
    Jesus gives us a new command today: ìthat you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.î Amen

   We enter the church this Sunday morning with waiving palms as a partial reenacting of Jesusí triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Today is the beginning of Holy Week, of the final events in Jesusí life that lead up to His trial, and judgment, crucifiction, and death, and  resurrection, and likewise to renewal, and to rebirth wherever ones personal circumstance may be, or the needs of your family and community life may require on that beautiful Easter morning.We cannot help but think  about Jesus as a symbol and image of strength, authority, and power over the evil one, and how we feel about His victory over evil.
    First, if we would join Jesus  these final days, we will get a different opinion. The crowds, the religious leaders, Pilate, and the disciples would decide Jesus is weak.
    Such lack of authority and control is not the way a Messiah, a ruler would act, or would a Messiah allow pain, failure, and death to take their pleasure upon His Life? The Messiah would rule like a king, they decide, and not let anyone touch or harm Him. The fact is, Jesus dies a criminalís  death on a garbage heap outside the city limits, totally isolated and dejected by abba,"Father God." His desciples run away and hide, for fear they are next. His own people, have judged and demanded His very life and the government sees to His self-proclaimed authority as a dangerous and seditious act toward Rome and will face death. Jesus is mocked by the servants of the High Priest before he is condemned, and by the soldiers who scourge His flesh and beat him unmercifully, and then by the jeering crowd lining His agonizingway, on to the cross,.in obedience to sacrifice His Life for the sake of all humankind. ,.
    Can't this man, Jesus, be the focus of our study and devotion as an authority, and an example for our own living today? How so? Dare we take up and carry this humbling horrible servant cross? Do we want or need to?
    Letís take a closer look at the events of the Gospel to look more closely at the nature of the authority and power which Jesus displayed. First, all of us human beings like to feel that we are in control, that we have some say in who we meet, where we want to live, the kind of employment we deserve or desire, all as it should be. But do we have power and authoriuty? Where does it come from? How and where do we function or use our authority and power?
    Second, several years ago, you may recall with me the events that led to the rise and then the undoing of the former President of our country, Richard M.(Tricky Dickî) Nixon.
    Though you and I might not agree on politics, on the fairness of the press, and the political process, or the inuendos and ìspin doctoringî of those events. Yet I think we can learn from the fall of power of Mr. Nixon. There was no victory nor any vindication in his loss of control and power of his office. No new life evolved out of his obvious loss and death of both his power, and then his authoriity. The President became.rather "unstable, erratic, and greatly distressed," before he was convinced to leave office by friends. The events taking place after the revelation of the Watergate break-in; and the subsequent Congressional hearing and investigation;  charges of stonewalling; the Saturday night massacre relieving the Prosecutor; and the Presidentís incriminating telephone tape recordings of the Oval Office force Mr. Nixon to lose the power and effectiveness of his fleeing and flagging constituants of his office. Yet he still retained the legal authority of the office of President, until his resignation.
    Third, people began to question the veracity of our government. His administration was not the first one being accused of ìdirty tricks.î However, my/our cynicism, criticism,  and anger mounted almost daily, with each new revelation, until the political pressure on the President gave him no choice but to resign from office.. Vice Pres. Gerald.R.Ford restored power to the office and put the past behind us.
    Fourth,.I particularly remember when Pres. Nixon went on national TV, and after he had reviewed the White House tapes, he raised his hands in victory signs and preofessed to us, ìI am not a crook! I did not commit any crime!î
    Although this may be so, Nixon resigned before the likelihood of any indictment on a bill of impeachment was charged, although some possible issues were alleged to be taking shape in some form. I was struck with the fact that our president had to tell us he was innocent! We, the public, did not see or believe him, obviously, or he would not have had to publically declare his own innocence.
    Fifth, now letís look at Jesus, who is on trial by Pilate and the exchange of words that takes place there.. Jesus is obviously the underdog, being accused of sedition and blasphemy, by both the civil and religious authorities. Mr. Nixon was not an underdog and had authority and power of being elected to office by the people.
    However, the response to questions of wrong doing show that Jesus was the more powerful and in control than  Pres. Nixon!. Look at the difference in their words!
   Pres. Nixon says, ìI am not a crookî to His accusers. Jesus, on the other hand, gives no answer to His accusers! He throws the accusations back to Pilate, without so much as a denial! Jesus says, ìYou have said so! The words are yours.î
    Rather than self-justification or denial, Jesus uses the words of His accuser, and throws them back. Pilate is thus forced  onto His own words of accusation, and to deal with them. Pilateís own words stand in judgment of Pilate, not of Jesus. We see then that Jesus is clearly in command and control and not Pilate nor is Mr. Nixon. Pilate must do something else to resolve this dilemma.
    Sixth.so we might say that power,and authority have nothing to do with oneís own given status or vested power, but derives from ones own integrity and faithfulness to the truth! A seemingly weak, mute Jesus with few but powerful words made Pilate ìwonder greatlyî at Jesus, as the Gospel says. And Pilate tried unsuccessfully to get this apparently innocent man free of His mob of accusers.
    Seventh, another event in this drama of Jesusí death shows that Jesus is more in control than His disciples believe. Maybe we see ourselves in this situation when we think we are in a corner, boxed in, and have no other place to turn to. Maybe we loose our job or are laid off and need to take financial matters into our own hands. Even thoughts of going out and taking money, an illegal scheme, or gambling on chance may seem inviting. Or a spouse is leaving you and you think the only way to solve this dilemma is to fight tooth and nail through the courts and sue your spouse for all theyíve got.
    Again looking at the Gospel, we see Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane. His disciples are sleeping. Suddenly, He is met by Judas and a crowd armed with clubs and weapons. One of the disciples pulls out his sword and cuts off the ear of an accuser. Yet, what did Jesus do? He rejects this act of violence and refuses to run. He tells Judas to do what he must do quickly. He must go through with Godís will, His betrayal, and death. He does not call for an army of angels to come and rescue him, as a heavenly king might do. Rather, he makes a choice in freedom to reject changing the future through force or through His own power and authority. What God wants for Jesus and what God wants for us may not be what you and I want or envision. Our own schemes of revenge and control are not necessarily Godís will..
    What is Jesusí secret? Why does he end up having more authority and control than the very captors who seem to have all the rights, and weapons, and power? Doesnít might make right?
    In conclusion  it seems to me that Jesus is trying to show us seekers for power and authority that we first must be about the business of doing Godís work. That we must serve and do ìthe Truthî in Love. Real strength is to persist through the middle of our fear and seeming weakness to open up and act out what God is hoping, that we find out what Godís will is, what God wants us to do?
    In difficult times, in doubt, in pressing moments, we would be better off if we would ask to be guided by ìWhat would You, my.God have me do?î Then let go of it! It is amazing how different and even most effective and creative Godís timing, guidance, solutions, and answers may come from another that might not even compare to anything we could possibly know or envision. We know and come to trust this strong faith, and confidence in letting God, be God! God within us is the Most Excellent Power and Authority--the Savior of Unconditional Love we can know!
    The second lesson speaks of the way Jesus did the will of God by putting His own feelings and suffering into Godís hands. Jesus does not demand equal standing with God, per se. Jesus is not a self-seeking and self-willed individual. Rather, he acknowledges His own need and fears to God, and then puts them aside and into Godís hands. And God lifts Jesus up into power and exults Jesus by the glory of the resurrection. God brings a new Life to Jesus, in the resurrection and promises to bring us resurrection out of our own hells and the hells of society running through us, our bodies, and our lives.
    Jesus acts as a servant, even though he is God, the Messiah! And through obeying God, he became equal, ìOn the right hand of God, the Father! We can say that Jesusí secret is faithfulness to Godís will of unconditional love for us. With St. Paul and the Philippians, we can thus say, ìthat at the name of Jesus every knee would bow, in heaven and on earth and every tongue can confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!î
    Jesusí example of following Godís will, even to death on the cross brings us to true power and authority through Jesus.He gives us a true model of what it is like to have power and authority in our lives. Suffering for the truth and speaking them to illigitimate power is scary business as Moses tells it.We may loose our peace, financial resource, bemg called unpatriotic, a trouble maker, a terrorist, even jailed or asassinated! But we will regain the blessed life of unconditional love at evey level of our relationships, family, friends, employer,.school, and church, and political and social organizations. One can experience the fullness of life, as it was meant to be and truly blessed, meaningful and ultimately cared for without worry or fear that Jesus Christ will ever abandone you!
    Jesusí image is always before us, entering into Jerusalem like a King..And thatís something to celebrate! We can say, Hosannah! wave our palms for Jesus, because we have the privilege and opportunity to be servants of God like Jesus, and to learn and be uplifted to new life in true power and authority. Jesus took upon himself our sin, the scorn of leaders, and the rejection of intimates.both public and private. And now we praise God today for Jesus obeyed,and broke the grip of deathís fear and power over our lives! We are strengthened.and saved by unconditional love!
Hosannah! Praise God! Amen

    I would like us to walk together to Athens as we follow Paulís footsteps in a  mataphoric comparison with  the way  we live today. This walk, and we have taken so many sermonic walks together, our shoes must look like bald tires!  We're going far away from Jerusalem, and away from the center of events of Holy Week and Easter  We are going to Athens, the center of philosophy, where Jesus seems to be unknown. {More on this later} In fact, no Christian Church takes root in Athens in Paulís memory, though he had several converts.
    Paul calls these people ìreligiousî and in their own way they are. But I wonder in what way or sense? As we approach the city, we begin seeing many temples and statues along the way, in marble and in gold. These are their gods. These stand in mute testimony to their religion, a desire to worship the god/desses of their ancient traditional myths, and what they enjoy of the daily rituls, and apprehend, philosophically their truth. They seem.to worship somethingóanything! I really donít understand how they can find any meaning out of so many gods to worshipóit's overwhelming..
    Oh, here is a shrine, "to an unknown god!" I guess the people want to assure that no god is left out. Religious people can be superstitious sometimes!
    Over there, I see lines of beautiful chariots. Though they  are not supposed to be driven in the city, exceptions can and are  made  for such sales display, made for all the world to see them, adorned in gold leaf and ivory carvingójust like our  contemporary new car sell-a-thons. The difference is here,  in Athens, one only needs one horse to power these chariots  and are available from the herd grazing nearby.
    We finally reach the center square of the city, the Agora, where people are buying bread, meat, and vegetablesósome citizens are eating and you can see the children playing games as their folks talk about the latest events of the day.. Others who fancy themselves as philosophers, are engrossed with the newest itinerant philosopher, a woman, and who are picking her brains. People are pressing around to hear the debate.
    An Epicurean philosopher begins to gesture and the monologue goes something like this: ìeach of us must learn what is best for our lives, how to gain peace and develop the virtuous life, the prudence and self-controlóto do everything in moderation! We must search for peace of mind for ourselves at all costs! It doesnít matter what the gods say, because they  are away in their heaven. They are too busy with their own lives! They leave us alone, and we leave them alone.
    The Stoic philosopher starts to reply, ìI agree, but we are more than individuals seeking after peace and personal pleasure. We know that the highest good is to obey the law of our own reason and not be concerned with suffering and other things we feel. Each of us was given a brain to reason with, and we share this ability with all other human beings as brothers and sisters. Nature provided our reasoning ability to use as we see fitóthis is natureís law, or natural law, and we must obey the laws of nature!î
    What will the Apostle Paul say to minister to this crowd? Heís about to speak. What would you and I Christians say in this debate? I must admit some confusion in the particulars of each philosopher, like the ground, and the context, have shifted out from under me--all those gods! Where and what is the "truth"? Do they really want to know, or would they rather spend their time debating issues while the rest of real life pasesses them by?
    Paul speaks, and the people are really curious about him because he spoke of another foreign god, Jesus. They press him to speak more because they are quite eager to debate every new idea.
    Paul is very empathetic with these philosophers and begins his presentation by building on their own experiencesóshrines, the meaning of gods, and then he turns the table on them.  He knows that religious people practices, rituals, and worship their gods, they just donít seem to know in particular who they are worshiping. What are they living out in their religion? Are they just investigators of religion? Paul quickly proclaims that God is the Unknown One whom they have worshiped, and he fills out for them the missing strands of their religious practice to bring it into a Christian fullness. The journey of philosophical inquiry and curiosity quickly becomes the Good News of the Gospels.
    The apparent materialism of the Stoic lifestyle compares to our own materialism, buying on credit, and growing debt .The material world. Paul reshapes and places it into the  Creation story where God is the Author, Spirit, and Context of all that is material. How God rules over the material world. God further takes away their superstitions and their human-made and unknown god, replacing it with the presence of the Living God, who reaches into our life and really cares for us;  God is not indifferent to our needs: We donít need to be suspect and placate our God. So Paul says that ìIf you are going to be religious, be religious in a big way!î Because the God we believe in is a great and present God, and fills every part of our very livesóa Personal God.
    Finally, Paul agrees with the Stoics that we all are brothers and sisters together, yet he says that God has made us each one of His Children in a very personal way. Paul makes the final move very  specific, that there is One who has Come Back From Death, Jesus Christ. This is too silly for the philosophical and religious debaters. They cannot see this. But there are others who hear Paul, who seem to perceive what he is saying and again, want to hear more from Paul.
    Those who would learn of God perceive things in a different way than the religious debaters. The author, Antoine de Saint Exupery (Upery) was a French pilot during World War II and wrote many books for adults using children. Iíd like to quote from the book, which may give you some help here.The little prince meets a fox on his journey who gives him this secret to remember: ìIt is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.î Reason alone cannot lead us to the truth.
    Somehow, the Athenians canít know God because they canít see Jesus nor the resurrection. Nor can they know God. You and I canít see Jesus either, but we know God and see God with all our heart! Our heart has seen what is essential is invisible to the eye. We donít need statues of gods aroundóthese do not give us the essential truth. Nor do we need to debate among philosophers. And our love comes from  God and leads us to love of one another. Our Gospel lesson promises us some help with this. Jesus sends a Helper, an Advocate, the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us in his absence. We are not left along in Jesusí death to fend for ourselves.
    Godís Spirit of Truth is always with us on our journey away from Jerusalem, in our journey away from Holy Week and Easter, and we can only respond in love to God and to one another, knowing we will see Jesus again. Each time we feel love for or from our neighbor, there God is! Amen
 
 

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