Saturday, October 14, 2017

Can you Imagine?

Sermon for September 3, 2017


Proper 17A – RCL Track 1



Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Just last week – and indeed just a few short verses ago Peter declared Jesus as the Messiah – the living God and Jesus in response praises Peter and declares that he is the rock on which the church will be built.  And now as Jesus is describing in a little more detail what it will mean to be the Messiah Peter is having comprehension problems! 

In a few short verses Jesus goes from declaring Peter the rock on whom the church will be built to calling him a stumbling block and Satan.  Which is why I like the disciple Peter so much.  He is so much like all of us.  In one moment he gets it and declares Jesus the Messiah and the next minute he is denying Jesus and declaring that the activities of this messiah are not what he understood. 

It is easy – perhaps too easy – to imagine that Peter thought the coming of the Messiah meant a warrior King who would throw off the yoke of oppression – defeat the Roman occupation.  Not a messiah who acknowledged that the leaders would plot to kill him – and indeed that he must go down that path to death – before resurrection and salvation could happen.

Peter could not imagine that the Romans could be overthrown with the kind of power Jesus was displaying.  It was fine that Jesus welcomed everyone – the outcasts, the sinners, the tax collectors.  But in Peter’s imagination perhaps he thought Jesus was just waiting for the right moment to launch his offensive and call in the angel army to establish God’s kingdom.

Peter could not imagine that love of God and this crazy love of neighbor – all neighbors, which even means the Romans who are occupying the land,  could lead to the kind of Kingdom Jesus came to inaugurate.  Peter could not imagine how this would look.  It was counter to everything he understood.  It was upside-down thinking.

And in our reading from Exodus we hear Moses having a similar lack of imagination.  How could he represent God and save the people from Pharaoh?  After all he was on the run from the Egyptians.  But God was calling him out of a burning bush that was not being consumed to be a deliverer to the oppressed.  And Moses was having none of it.  He even tested God and wanted to know God’s name so that he could use that as a tool to show Pharaoh that he was coming from a place of power.  Asking God’s name was pretty cheeky and was right up there with sacrilege. But being able to name God Moses felt would put him in a place of power.  And God gave him a name “I AM”  God is – period.  Not just the God of Moses’ ancestors but God is.  Always. 

And Moses still could not imagine.  In our lectionary we will skip the part where Moses still had his doubts.  Where Moses could not imagine going up against a powerful person like Pharaoh.  Where he complained that he was the wrong person because he did not speak well.  Moses could not imagine that God could use him, this simple man – recused from the Nile all these years ago – that God could indeed use Moses to set God’s people free.  And yet we know how it went.  And it was not all smooth sailing for Moses and for God’s people but ultimately they were set free.

So we can forgive Peter if he can’t imagine either.  The people are once again in bondage under the colonial rule of Rome and are suffering.  And perhaps worse it seems that some of their religious leaders are in cahoots with the Romans.  Or at least have found a way to prophet off of the imperial power so have no interest in freeing the people.

In our current political and social climate we too may have the same problem that Peter had.  We want to proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah – the son of the living God who is the great I AM.  But when we see everything happening around us we can’t imagine doing anything that will really help usher in God’s dream of Love of God and Love of neighbor. 

When we see the devastation of Hurricane Harvey we wonder if climate change is going to increase the intensity of storms out of the Atlantic Ocean as scientists are predicting.  And if so how do we, as simple people, take actions to reduce and even reverse some of the causes of climate change?

When we see on the news and in other venues the expressions of white supremacy and hate can we imagine a way forward?  When we see the violence of anti-fascist groups can we imagine loving those people – or perhaps we like Peter wonder if such anti-fascist violence is necessary to throw over the hate and violence that we see from the other side?  Can we imagine a way forward without hate that will embrace and spread God’s love for all of creation? 

When we see people hungry and thirsty on the streets of the capitol of California can we imagine a way to serve them?  California is the sixth – and I read approaching being the fifth largest economy in the world.  And yet we have many people without homes and without food.   We have many people who have no one to love them and therefore retreat into self-medication.  We have people who have mental illnesses without access to healthcare.  And this is in a state that is one of the largest economies of the world.

With all that is going can we imagine a way forward that is different?  David Lose – a preacher I follow, asks us “Can you imagine that God is at work in and through your life for the good of the world? Can you imagine that this congregation has something of value to offer its community? Can you imagine that when you befriend the lonely or encourage the frightened heaven rejoices? Can you imagine that, though afraid, when you stand up to those who spew hate God is with you? Can you imagine that even small acts of love and generosity challenge the world order and introduce a different reality? Can you imagine that God wants for us not just comfort but freedom? Can you imagine that love is more powerful than hate? Can you imagine that God raised Jesus from the dead?[1]

Peter is not Satan but it seems he lacked the imagination that there was a way forward that was different than the world expected.  Peter could not – at that time – imagine that Love and acceptance could change the world. 

And I am sure that you have the same problem from time to time.  How are we, located in the heart of the Capitol of one of the largest economies of the world going to change the world?  After all our governments have not been able to find a way to provide housing for those priced out of the housing market.  We have not been able to find a way forward as a society to make sure that everyone has affordable and accessible health care – including mental health care and addiction treatments.

But we can imagine and we can do more than imagine.  We can advocate for affordable housing.  We can be a voice that counters something called the Nashville Statement issued this week that espouses that God only values what they call traditional households.  You know the ones – a working father and a stay at home mom with 2.3 kids and a dog and cat.  And while I am being a little facetious with that description it is not far off.

  We at St. Paul’s need to frequently say we welcome and love all families.  Families with single mothers or single fathers,  Families with two mothers or two fathers.  Families with no kids – no matter what the make up of the genders.  When we love and value our neighbors as God commanded we can make a difference

And I am frustrated at how slowly things change but I am also heartened.  I am heartened with I see folks at our mid-week service who appear to have almost nothing taking care of each other as family.  I am heartened when people who have little help to open our parish hall as an impromptu cooling center for folks in downtown.  And provide a simple meal for those getting out of the heat. 

Jesus asks us to recognize that ministry can be disruptive.  That the cross – especially at this point in Jesus ministry in a symbol of disruption as much as it will become a symbol of salvation.  Opening up our lives to those around us is likely to be disruptive.  Opening our doors to those society shuns will be disruptive. 

But keeping the doors closed to a hurting society is death.  Keeping our hearts closed off to those the rest of society shuns is death.  And when we act to shun and hate those different from us then we are stumbling blocks.  It is then we too will hear Jesus say to us to “Get behind me Satan.” 

Can you imagine?  Imagine a society that really acts out the great commandment to Love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds and with all our strength. Imagine a society that really and truly loves our neighbors as ourselves.  Can you imagine it?  If you can imagine it you can help bring it to fruition. 

It is not an accident that this church is still active.  God has work for us and I believe it is to mirror and model God’s dream.  A dream where all of God’s creation is loved and welcomed – no matter what society would say.  A dream where we can model how to turn our society right side up.  And we do that every time we open this place up to our community.  Every time we offer a sack lunch.  Every time we offer communion to those who dare walk into this building. Every time we welcome the stranger.

Can you imagine?

Amen.




[1] http://www.davidlose.net/2017/08/pentecost-13-a-can-you-imagine/

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