Strong Words
November 13 , 2005
Luke 22:28-37
James 5:12-18
We’re going to have a dialogue sermon this morning. Instead of me just preaching about a topic, we have a guided dialogue about a topic. I’m going to be the facilitator and guide. I have a beginning, a middle, and an end I would like us to reach. But, I need your illustrations and input to make the journey work. We’ll use the conversation guidelines to help this process work well:
- Please take turns contributing, and allow the facilitator to guide the dialogue.
- Please use "I" statements—don’t speak for the entire community…only speak for yourself. (This will be critical today. Even if you do not share out loud, think for yourself where you are, how you might answer the questions.)
- Express and welcome divergent views.
- One conversation at a time - please don’t interrupt others or hold side conversations.
- Please take responsibility for your own participation - please share as well as encourage all in the group to share.
- Please make sure others have had a chance to talk before you share again.
- If you’re someone who doesn’t usually share in groups, please challenge yourself to participate.
- Assume good intent from others.
- Please be aware of your assumptions about others.
- Search for the strengths and opportunities in other positions - don’t just focus on the flaws or weaknesses.
Who knows why we’ve been working our way through the book of James? Yes, we’ve been studying it as a book of moral theology. A way to craft our community with a common set of goals and interests centered in a common set of morals.
According to Encarta, morals are described as:
- Issues of right and wrong
- How individuals should behave
- Personal conscience based on what is believed to be right or wrong in spite of the law
- What is known to be right or just
- Giving guidance on how to behave decently and honorably
- Able to distinguish right from wrong and to make decisions based on that knowledge
I think that James was most interested in the last two definitive points. Because he wanted to instruct the community of disciples on how to live in community with one another. And, in this end section in particular it’s an exhortation from James to organize the community in a particular way. James’ determination is to organize the community around being able to distinguish between right and wrong and making decisions on that knowledge. And, also for James there are particular things that make it right or wrong.
We do this kind of work all the time, organizing communities. Let’s talk a bit about how you’ve organized your self, your family, your lives. What are some of the guiding principles that guided you to move into “the right” place to live?
We do this kind of work all the time, organizing our families. Let’s talk a bit about what we’ve done as teachers, mentors, siblings, parents, grandparents to guide our children to behave decently and honorably and to encourage them to make decisions based on those principals?
Now, occasionally, in spite of all of this fine training. In spite of all of this intention, we break covenant. The story from the gospel of Luke reminds us of this today. With our favorite disciple, Peter who is Simon Peter and both names are used interchangeably in the story. It’s the story of Jesus talking with the disciples right before he is taken away. And, Peter is challenging Jesus, because, of all the disciples, Peter gets this moral code, and he is ultimately faithful to God and God’s leader Jesus. And, Jesus says, you know what Peter? You are going to be sifted out. The dark places within yourself are going to make you question everything you ever stood for. The fear that lives within you is going to take over. And, you’re going to fall away and break covenant for awhile. But, when you return, find your brothers and sisters. And, talk about what happened. Because everyone at one time or another lives into denial, abandonment, and then is the time that the Spirit, the Risen Christ comes and dwells within.
What are those denial and abandonment issues in our lives today? Is anyone willing to risk sharing? Addiction, abuse, neglect, overeating, overworking, self loathing, the isms: racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism. Power, hatred, fear…
What would James say our denial and abandonment issues are? Abandoning God, Forgetting to pray, Speaking without thinking, Turning one’s back on the sisters and brothers of faith. Controlling and power issues, for God is first.
What kinds of things have we done to create a moral community here at First? Our vision statement Open Always Open All Ways. Accessible sanctuary where all can participate. An open communion. A governing structure that invites all in based on each person’s invitation and call.
And sometimes we break that covenant. We don’t want to work with everyone in the community and we quit working with that person. We don’t want to make God central and we push that presence to the Sunday morning slot. And, sometimes we say things that we should not.
How many of you realize that we have a web ministry? Yes, Betsy, who is away today for her Grandfather’s birthday, keeps a web presence and ministry alive for us. I have occasional email contact with many regulars from the website. People we have never seen. People we may never see, but who listen to us on the web. People who get fed by our website and our presence on the web. One of our regulars wrote this week. It took her a week to write to me:
Dear Rev. Nicholson,
I have been reading your sermons since they have been on line and have really enjoyed listening since your audio went live. I like to get up on Sunday morning and have some quiet time which includes listening to you on the web. I first started poking around on your website because of the blinking sign Always Open Open All Ways. I thought perhaps if that were true, you might even welcome me.
However, last week that all changed. I have been thinking about whether to tell you or not for a week now. I took my bookmark off your site. I erased your email address. I yelled and screamed and wished I could make you hurt for your deception. And, I just can’t get this out of my mind so I’m telling you for me. You see, I am Mexican American. I was born in this country as were my parents. However, my parents speak only Spanish and grew us up with a strong Mexican heritage. When I heard the audio sermon a couple of weeks ago, the one called The Station I was devastated. Rev. Nicholson, you asked the question, “What’s the main economic product of Mexico?” And, someone said, “Marijuana.” And then everyone laughed. I stopped listening right there. I never heard one more thing you said. I spend every day in this state trying to be a good citizen. Trying to pay taxes, work my job, support my family, be a good human being and citizen. I can not believe, my Open Always All Ways Open community slammed the door in my face by perpetuating this racist stereotype. I can not believe that the rest of you laughed. I see the photos on the website and I’ve noticed, not many people of color. I guess that you’re not as open as you thought.
I’ve been so sad about this all week. Of course I responded, I got nothing back. Betsy and Chuck helped disable and edit the audio so that the comment and laughter are gone. And, I said that I’d be sharing this information with you today. But, I’ve been so sad, because it’s all true. I listened to the audio and sure enough it was all there. I was absolutely devastated that I wasn’t more present, that I didn’t address the issue right there, that I didn’t edit the sound bite before spinning it onto the web. That I contributed to the stereotyping of our brothers and sisters. And that I missed a teaching opportunity. I love this community of faith. I love each one of you. I know that God is here and present in our midst. I love our web ministry and take it just as seriously as this ministry. But, that was a moment of covenant breaking. And, everyone who was here that day contributed by our comment, our silence our laughter. This goes against every single thing we’ve been learning in James this Pentecost about using our speech correctly and building up the community with the compassion of God.
Would any of you like to share how you’re feeling? Similar experiences?
And, James meets us right in this place today, calling us to make it right. Luke reminds us this is going to happen. We’re going to be sifted throughout life and occasionally we’re going to make the wrong choice. James and Luke remind us that in order to strengthen our community I have to confess my part in supporting racism that Sunday. Not being present enough to respond more swiftly on the spot addressing the reality of the comment and our response. It is true, we have mostly white faces here. And, I’m clear that God’s people come in every color and hue. It’s proof that we haven’t worked hard enough to have a multi-ethnic, multi-racial community. I confess that I broke covenant with this sister of faith. That I contributed to death-dealing stereotyping and that I recognize it is not consistent with our vision statement. I ask forgiveness from her and all of her brothers and sisters that the forgiveness of God and the presence of the risen Christ will help us all build a new bridge that reinforces our radical welcome of unconditional love. And, I believe as James said to us today, that this kind of confession will restore our community to spiritual health. Let us pray.
Oh God of Wide Forgiveness we come to you a bit broken. Teach us how to love. Teach us how to think before we speak. Help us to heal with your unconditional love and forgiveness. Help us to reach out to one another and see Your face. Help us with our discomfort and dis ease. Help us to use those opportunities when we break covenant to reclaim ourselves, our call, our centering in you. Help those we hurt intentionally or unintentionally with our words or actions and please, like today, help us to have opportunities to learn from our mistakes. We ask this with the forgiveness and compassion of Christ, Amen.