Worship this weekend — Palm Sunday

In our nation, what would someone who wants to gain political power do? He might use the holiday celebrating independence — July 4. She might invoke the nation’s founding, using words like freedom or liberty. That was the strong sentiment is Jerusalem on this day we call Palm Sunday. The city was filled with faithful Jews and with outsiders who admired the Jewish faith. They were gathered to observe Passover, remembering their liberation from the tyranny of Egypt. [This is the story told in the book of Exodus. See also Psalm 106.] In addition to looking back, they looked forward to a time when their God would, once more, upset the powers of oppression and lead to freedom.

Into this mixture of religious belief and political expectations, of memory and hope, comes Jesus. He had proclaimed that the kingdom of God has come near. [See Mark 1:14; Luke 4:16-21; 10:1-11.] Jesus supported this claim with miracles of healing and with teaching that felt authentic. He had changed lives! Now, he rode into the city on a donkey, a powerfully symbolic act. [Zechariah 9:9] The crowd’s expectation for liberation climbed to an agitated – and dangerous – level. What does Jesus do?

Preparing for the Easter celebration, we are looking at some of the stories from Jesus’ life that included a table.

With our technical ability to make artificial light, we can have subdued or bright light.  We can light the whole space/room or focus on the only spot needed.  We can accentuate this color or that hue.  And, we may be able to adjust according to personal preference.  Never-the-less, what are we to see in order to have a fulfilling life?  Indeed, what is necessary so we can truly see?  Today we read a portion of a passage often heard in the dark night of Christmas Eve – Isaiah 9:1-4.  We also hear the proclamation that Jesus’ ministry is the fulfillment of the promise God made in those words – Matthew 4:12-23. Walking in darkness?  Sitting in darkness?  Whichever may be our experience, what will help us truly see, help us to be lifted out of despair, help us to know the way forward?  And how does the future, which God promises, make bright the way today?

Old Testament Lesson – Isaiah 9:1-4:  The Bible claims that all humanity, all human beings, are siblings, children of the God whom Jesus said we can address as Our Father.  Although our self-centered ways lead us from God and would destroy the world.  Even so, God keeps coming back to restore the world.  This saving work included the family of Abraham and Sarah, and then their great-grandchildren.  The Promised Land was given to the descendents of these brothers, half-brothers.  However, human conflict caused separation and despair.  To this darkness, the Messiah would come. (See Genesis 3-4; 12:1-3; 29-30; Joshua 13 – 19; 2 Kings 15:29, and a lot of other places.)

The Gospel – Matthew 4:12-23:  The previous stories in the Gospel of Matthew set the stage for Jesus’ work, now beginning.  The prophet’s words (Isaiah 9) are quoted so we see this as God’s ongoing work to restore the world.  Jesus is this great light (John 1:5).  And we start to see that Jesus calls us to be part of his expanding light. In two weeks we will read more about this (Matthew 5:14).

                This story may also leads us to ask: what kind of decision making process leads to faith, to faithfulness? Here we see the Disciples drop everything and follow.  Last week’s reading (John 1:29-42) suggested there may also have been some personal thinking as well as interaction with those around.  What (or who) has helped me along in my faith?

Key Verse:  …Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of God has come near.” Matthew 4:17

Message:  For the Present

Gathering Song – Take, O take me as I am – 814:  Everything begins with God’s grace.  Everything that follows must ask:  Do we claim to be in control of our lives?  Or do we commit ourselves in trust to the God Jesus claimed is Father of all humanity.  The Iona Community of Scotland is devoted to God’s work of justice.  This song is part of their weekly service of commitment.

Gradual Hymn (before the Gospel) – This little light of mine – ELW 677:  This African American spiritual expresses Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:16. We may hear a traditional call – response form, yet we are all calling to one another to live in this way.  The music was arranged by Horace Boyer, who was a gospel singer, composer and ensemble director at various institutions, including the FiskUniversity and the University of Massachusetts.  

 

Hymn of the Day (after the message) – Rise shine you people – 665:  The Epiphany theme of light – God’s light rising in a world overshadowed by the result of sin – guided the writing of this hymn.  Author and composer are both contemporary Lutheran musicians.

Sending Hymn (as we are being sent out into the world) – Let us talents and tongues employ – ELW 674:  The composer and the author collaborated on a hymn that helps us celebrate the thanksgiving nature of Holy Communion – the Eucharist (from the Greek word that means thanksgiving and derives from the word that means grace.)  We also remember that this Communion – Eucharist – is not just private, but sends us out on Jesus’ Epiphany mission.

Life around us is getting back pretty much to normal after the holidays.  In the Church year we are no longer in Christmas.  We are challenged to move beyond the cute stories of a baby, shepherds and wise-men.  We ask if this all really has anything that relates to real life.  Our Gospel reading shows Jesus, now grown up, maybe even thirty years old.  (He may have stayed at home that long, but we are not really sure.)  And, our Gospel tells of Jesus’ entry into Baptism.  We must ask, what is Baptism really if Jesus needed to do it.  And, as always, we must ask what this has to do with life today?

Old Testament Lesson – Isaiah 42:1-9:  The Hebrew scripture – what we call the Old Testament – was formed in scrolls of a specific length.  The scroll might include the writing of one author/prophet or of several.  The first portion of the scroll of Isaiah pronounces great warning.  The faithlessness of the people towards God, exhibited in their shallow worship and their indifference to justice, would lead to the horrendous and horrible downfall of their once mighty nation. Even so, along with the dire warning, Isaiah spoke beautiful words of hope. We are in a portion of this long book that speaks after the destruction had come, telling now of promise and restoration.  This would come through a promised Servant.  Following traditional Jewish interpretation, this servant would be the people (a nation or race) God chose for this purpose – Genesis 12:1-3.  Christ-followers see this promise pointing especially to Jesus.  We also realize that this servant includes us, the people (regardless of nationality, ethnic background or whatever) who follow Jesus to do God’s saving work in the world.

Psalm 29:  This ancient hymn mentions various phenomenon in nature.  Some of these, however, can have tragic results.  So we offer praise to the God who created nature even as we trust in the God who can give peace in all circumstances.  We pray this Psalm as we think of Baptism, because it is the Voice of God – God’s Promise – that makes the water of Baptism effective, giving us true peace.

The Gospel – Matthew 3:13-17: At the time of Jesus, the Jewish faith offered baptism – a ritual washing – so outsiders could start to enter their religion.  John (Jesus’ second cousin) changed that saying even his fellow Jews needed to be washed.  Jesus says he is “to fulfill all righteousness.”  We remember righteousness is not just obeying certain rules, rather is a right relationship with the God Jesus called father.

Key Verse:  Here is my servant…in whom my soul delights. [Isaiah 42:1]

Message:  Into Service

Who would Jesus Praise?

Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much…

Text:  Luke 16:1-13

Have you ever been listening to someone and in your mind you go, Huh?  You have been paying attention but you just do not get what is going on.  You have the choice of continuing to listen, maybe work harder to understand.  Or, you may leave.  Or, you may pretend you are getting it, yet your mind wanders to more enjoyable thoughts.  This may happen in a meeting at work or a class at school.  This may happen between spouses; or child with the parent, or parent with the child.  I won’t ask if this ever happens during a sermon.

I know some of you listened to Jesus, to the words of our Gospel, the words of the story he told.  And, if you went, Huh? that is most likely because you are paying attention and want to pay attention.  But what is Jesus really saying?  Why is he praising a guy we find questionable at best.

It may help to ask what Jesus is doing when he tells these stories we call parables.  Last week we heard a comforting story – inviting us to picture ourselves as lost sheep – and the shepherd cares so much that we are found.  Why didn’t Jesus stop there?  Folks that study teaching methods as well as literature may help us.  A parable is not a fable.  A fable or a fairy tale generally has one point, the moral to the story.  The story of the tortoise and the hare reminds us about slow and steady.  I like that when the big powerful car that jumps off as the light turns green, is then waiting at the next stop light and my little car moves ahead.  When Jesus tells these stories, there is a purpose, but it may not be an obvious point.  I remember hearing a sermon on one of Jesus’ shorter parables.  The sermon made some very good points.  But I had to go, I am not sure that is what Jesus was getting at.  And, based on other discussions I had read, that may not be the message Jesus wants the church of today to hear.

Regarding that lost sheep:  Did Jesus want us to put ourselves in the place of the one lost sheep?  Or, might we imagine ourselves as one of the ninety-nine, wondering why the shepherd is not caring for us, instead of risking everything for that one stupid member who is always off doing crazy things.

Wednesday morning, our men’s Bible study worked hard trying to figure out today’s parable.  Driving from that gathering to the office, I caught a bit of a book discussion on the radio – the title of the book is I don’t know.  The author was explaining that when we quit pretending that we know, when in whatever situation we are in we admit we do not know, that gives us a freedom and, in fact some power to move forward.  We think about the academic community in which we live.  Even though we are about research, we live with great fear that others will think we do not know what we are talking about.  The author mentioned No Child Left Behind in which kids are measured by the ability to fill in the blanks, instead of developing the ability to dig into what they do not know.  And, I have to turn those thoughts on myself.  I have to recognize that when I try to build up myself by appearing to know, I am most likely exposing my shortcomings.  The humility to say, I don’t know is essential for basic human knowledge.  And, above all, this ability to admit what is lacking in us, including knowledge, is essential for our relationship of faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

Another point here quickly:  The challenge to a congregation like ours is that we have a good history with a lot of people who have good experiences in the life of the church.  With all of that knowledge we do have, are we open to the perspective and questions of the person who has no recent experience in the church.  Are we open to people who have lived two or three generations without any experience of church.  I think many of us are open; but does the outsider sense that when they try to check out life here?

It may sound like I am trying to avoid addressing this story, which I consider the most perplexing of Jesus’ teaching.  Yet Jesus is the model teacher.  He used parables to challenge the smug.  He offered parables so that those who are willing to say, before God, I don’t know! might grow in greater understanding and faith.  So, a few questions:  Do we really need to equate the rich man with God?  We naturally do that as we read of the shepherd seeking the lost, of the farmer scattering seed with no apparent regard for the condition of where it may land.  In today’s story, maybe some aspects, but maybe not.  I don’t know.  If the manager acted shrewdly when he was in trouble, why did he squander – the word could imply carelessness or we might see ongoing selfishness – why was he not conscientious all along?  Who are the managers today?  Who can manipulate the resources of our nation, our institutions, our infrastructure, our earning power – be they politicians, investment bankers or consumers?  And what does that story about managing have to do with the goods that truly belong to our Creator?

Now, I do not know who all needs the challenge of a perplexing parable.  But I do know some of you need the word of God’s grace.  We cannot fully understand why Jesus’ story acclaims this manipulative manager.  I think, however, we can be pretty sure of some of the people Jesus would praise.  He would praise the person who says, I don’t know a lot about the Bible, but I know Jesus loves the little children, so I will help with Sunday School.

Jesus would praise the person who says, I’m not very accurate with a hammer and I can’t solve the problem of homelessness, but I can help with Habitat for Humanity.

Jesus would praise the person who says, I don’t know what a cappuccino is, but I can help prepare coffee for the enjoyment of people after worship.

Jesus would praise the person who says, My regular offering is not a big amount like some can give, and I do think about the things I could buy for my children with that, but I want them to see that our offering is part of God’s big picture. 

Jesus would praise the person who says, There are a lot of questions about God I cannot answer, but I am willing to be Christ’s presence, to be a little Christ, to that person I know who is seeking.

I don’t know what all is going on in your life – but I do know Jesus wants to help you so that who you are, what you have, the circumstances and knowledge of your life will help grow the kingdom of God.