Saint Francis of Assisi once invited a young monk to join him on a trip into a new town to preach. The monk felt honored and happily joined him. All day long he and Francis walked - they trekked through all the streets of downtown, then outward into residential areas. By the end of the day, they had interacted with hundreds of people of all ages. But not once did Francis speak to a crowd or share the gospel. This disappointed the eager young monk so much, he vented saying, “Our whole day was a waste! I thought we were going into town to preach, to make a real difference!” Saint Francis said, “My son, we have preached! With every person we greeted, with every word we said, we preached a message of kindness and encouragement. Our behavior was seen. Our conduct was watched. Now the people here know we care.”
Saint Francis taught the young monk the important lesson of first walking the walk as a Christian. He knew that over time the people who’d seen their good conduct would realize that their Christian messages had the same authenticity. Nowadays the same principle applies. People don’t care how much you know, until they first know how much you care about them. They may not remember the names of people from the first church they attended, or even the denomination, but they will remember the many ways people’s walk matched their talk as a Christian. They were genuine, through and through. In the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica, he reminded them that he worked, so no one had to pay for his food or lodgings when he preached and taught in their city. This was a way of showing them the integrity of his “walk”; he placed no financial burden on others. The Thessalonians no doubt respected Paul for that choice. As for Paul’s “talk”, he said the message he shared about Jesus everywhere he went was the same. He never changed it to suit the taste of those who heard it, nor did he flatter people to win them over. Again, we see his integrity. Paul invited others to look at him and judge for themselves. Did he walk the walk, and talk the talk with integrity? Today we are Jesus’ messengers, and the world is watching; so are our neighbors, friends, co-workers, our family and the Lord. If people have no respect for the messenger, they won’t listen to the message, will they? When that happens, the word hypocrite is used to describe inauthentic Christians. We usually have no control over hypocrites, but we do for our own lives. We need to be genuine and consistent so that skeptics we meet see good examples of Christians. Here’s a true story that relates to this. Some years back the pastor of a large city church needed to take the bus downtown. He got on at a nearby bus stop and paid, but he was owed some change. The driver gave him back 35 cents. Some time passed. When the minister got to his stop, he handed the driver back a dime and said he’d given him the wrong change. With a grin and a chuckle, the bus driver said he’d done that on purpose. He’d visited the pastor’s church service the Sunday before and heard his solid sermon on honesty. He said, “I just wanted to see if you practiced what you preached!” In Matthew 23, Jesus points out how some Pharisees showed off their “spirituality”. They were overly concerned with outward piety and forgot that a pure and contrite heart is what God wants. They were prideful about their high positions, enjoying many privileges. Jesus called them blind guides, rebuking them for creating burdensome laws and standards so high they were impossible for anyone to follow. The Pharisees didn’t even manage to practice them in their own life. Knowing all of this, Jesus told his listeners: “Do what they say, but don’t live as they live.” Here’s more examples of Pharisees who talked the talk but weren’t walking the walk. If some unfortunate Jew was walking along and forgot to address a Pharisee as “rabbi”, or another esteemed title, they’d quickly and publicly be told the error of their ways. If there was a large banquet, Pharisees expected a prominent seat, preferably to the left or right side of the host. When they went outside to pray in public places, some of them put on their full religious regalia. What was more cringeworthy was their choice to pray so loudly others couldn’t help but turn and notice. The fringe on their prayer shawls was much longer than that of an ordinary Jew’s shawl. It showed off how they supposedly followed the finer points of the Law. Pharisees also wore extra-large leather boxes on their arms and foreheads called phylacteries. Every adult male did this, but their boxes were smaller, more discreet. Inside them were the words from Deuteronomy 6:6-8: “These commandments I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” I want to pause here and remind us all that Jesus sees into every human heart. What he saw in some of the Pharisees was a disconnect between their talk and their walk. They were “rabbis”, teachers of the law, but some loved their title and high status more than their job of teaching. At banquets they wanted others to be impressed with their importance. The same was true as they prayed; some shamelessly drew attention to themselves, rather than to God. The fringe on prayer shawls was meant to remind all people to obey God’s commandments, not to flaunt one’s holiness. As for the phylacteries, what God wanted was a way for His word to become part of His people, part of their thinking and doing. It wasn’t meant to be worn as a super-sized religious accessory; its purpose was to remind God’s people to keep His wonderful, life-giving truths close to them. Imagine the contrast that would be seen when Jesus was around this sort of Pharisees. He was immensely humble; they were often puffed up with pride. They loved the public recognition and accolades; Jesus preferred to do his good deeds in secret, if possible, helping the least and the lost, who could never repay him. They loved being in a position of power; he lived to empower. They insisted on being served; he insisted on being a servant. What Jesus wanted for these men was the letting go of false religion and the discovery of a true relationship with Him. What they were living was pretense - what Jesus offered was personal. Our calling is to follow Jesus and imitate him. The Bible says, “He emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant.” And later, when his hour had come, He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” for our sins. If you and I want to be great in God’s kingdom, we’ll be the servant of all. We get the chance to do that at home, work, sometimes even when we’re walking in our neighborhood or at the grocery store. Like Saint Francis from so long ago, we can listen and encourage those we know well and even those we’re just connected with for a brief while. People will see we’re genuine, and as time goes by, sometimes that opens the door for conversations about God and our faith. May God help us so our talk matches our walk, God will be well pleased, and He’ll use us in many ways and places. Thanks be to God! The COVID19 committee is pleased to announce that the mask mandate will no longer be in place effective Sunday, March 20th. The community risk has moved to LOW in Saratoga County, and it continues to decrease. Praise the Lord! The church will continue to provide masks and sanitizer at the entrances for those who prefer them, but the use of masks will be at the discretion of the individual and not mandatory for entry into the building. The committee will continue to monitor the numbers provided on the CDC website weekly. If there’s another spike the committee will reevaluate our protocols, any changes that are made will be shared with Church Council and the congregation. Please continue to be mindful of social distancing and hand sanitizing. If you have any symptoms of COVID19 or other serious illnesses, please remain home. If you’d like to be put on our prayer chain, we’d like to hear from you. If you are hospitalized or have other needs please contact Pastor Kelly. Luke 7:11-17 (NIV)
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son 11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. Led by Compassion Luke 7:11-17 March 13, 2022 Compassion, God’s compassion shown to everyone, is a theme that weaves throughout the gospel of Luke. In today’s passage we learn that Jesus has left his seaside home base in Capernaum and has travelled 20 dusty miles south. A large crowd has followed him and his 12 chosen disciples; they’d been listening to his intriguing teachings and were awed when he stopped to heal every person who came before him. He wasn’t like any other healer or rabbi they’d ever seen or heard before. He looked with love, as each bent, broken, hobbling person approached him; he directly touched their vulnerable bodies, showing them compassion, and that was a gift in itself. But then, once severe scars became smooth skin and the crippled began walking and jumping, Jesus and all who were nearby thoroughly enjoyed watching their celebration of new health. The crowd following Jesus on that long-ago day was growing curious; they realized they weren’t headed toward a large city, but to a tiny, and seemingly insignificant, village called Nain. As they got closer there appeared a smaller crowd in the distance, but it was a somber one. Jesus drew near but he didn’t pass by them – instead, he calmly made his way to the front and stood before the grieving mother. Her son, who’d died that very day, was being carried on an open pallet to the cemetery. Can you imagine this real-life encounter? A well-known hometown boy taken too soon, and his grief-stricken mother numbly shuffling toward an open grave? Take a wider view and there’s a large procession marked by death and sorrow encountering a huge crowd filled with great hope and joy. Such opposites. The same is true as you look at who’s at the front of each group; there’s a young person defeated by death in one, but leading the other is Jesus, our Savior, come to defeat death. Can you see the contrast and clash of darkness and light, sorrow versus triumph? Then comes a pivotal moment; the Bible says that Jesus “saw” the struggling widow and he “had compassion” on her. As he drew near, it was obvious that no husband was by her side, revealing that she was a widow. She’d most likely already taken this same path to bury him. Now she’d live with relatives, dependent on them for her welfare. It would protect her from hardship, but it might also feel like a limiting and lonely future. Jesus sensed this woman’s pain and hopelessness as he came and stood before her. Not wasting any time, he looked into her eyes and said, “Do not cry.” He wasn’t being heartless here; he was letting her know that her reason for crying was about to end. He was going to restore her son’s life! Without delay, Jesus turned and laid his hands on the corpse saying,“Young man, I say to you, get up!” And immediately, the boy who was his mother’s pride and joy, opened his eyes, blinked up at the sky, then sat up, bewildered. His mother must have wrapped him in her arms, sobbing and rejoicing. The close-knit community from Nain witnessed this miracle; they watched the amazing reunion of mother and son, then began to shout: “God has come to us, to help His people.” That exultant message was true then, just as it still is today. God has sent his son to help His people. Jesus came to earth showing indiscriminate love and compassion; he taught and healed, forgave sins, and permanently defeated death. The best way I know to describe these realities is to say: “Everything always changes when Jesus gets involved”. Showing Christ-like compassion is our theme this morning. For our life application I want us to think about these questions: Who would Jesus pay attention to if he was here with you or me? Where might he go and who might he spend time with if he lived in our neighborhood? And what might his compassion lead him to do that would change our world? Every day there are opportunities for us, ordinary moments, that can become extraordinary when compassion is present. Do you believe that? It’s so often a matter of staying alert to our surroundings and seeing what’s right before our eyes. Here’s a true story that shows the importance of seeing. A middle-aged woman was on an errand one blustery winter day when she thought she saw something out of place in a pasture she often passed by. She pulled her car over and noticed a man who must have been thrown from his vehicle in an accident. She quickly called for an ambulance, then ran to him. In the precious few minutes she had with him, he was alert and mercifully pain-free. She covered him with her own warm coat and put his head gently on her lap. She bent down to comfort him, and he asked her to pray for him. Then he used his waning breaths to ask her to tell his family how much he loved each one of them. She listened, held him, and offered words of comfort as he lay in the snow under a bleak winter sky. He died peacefully, in the arms of a compassionate stranger. The woman never imagined she’d find herself in such a difficult situation. But even in her state of shock she thanked God for helping her see a man lying in the field under a dull winter sky. She later learned what had happened to him: he’d been stricken with a seizure and lost control of his car, swerving off into a ditch. Words can’t convey the heartbreak that came when a police officer drove to the man’s home, knocked on the front door, and informed the family of his death. He also reported that a compassionate stranger had been with him in his last minutes, and he had felt no pain. That news was such great comfort to his wife, three children and many others. They were so thankful he wasn’t alone, that someone was tenderly listening and caring, just as they themselves would have done if they could have been there. I know all of these details because I was this family’s pastor. I spent time in their living room late into the night, with three small children snuggled around me on the couch. They colored and watched cartoons on the TV as the grown-ups made phone calls, put on coffee, and went through the motions in a state of shock and sadness. A few days later, at that dear man’s funeral, his life was well-celebrated, as was his assurance of heaven. But the lasting impact on the larger community was this: we paid closer attention to our daily surroundings. We realized we might be the stranger God could use to help others, but we had to be alert to see when and how we could be used. A second way we can each show compassion is to listen to the people we encounter. Jesus was still at a distance when he heard the sorrow in the loud, communal lament of the villagers in Nain. He didn’t head away from that; instead, he chose to draw near to a large group of mourners. Sometimes in the course of our week, we too can find we’re choosing to take a detour from our original plans. Say a close friend just got terrible news in a phone call. In their distress they reach out to you, maybe to help them in some immediate and practical way. Or they might need to say out loud what is so frightening for them. Listening to someone when they’re in a state of crisis is an act of love. When someone confides their most private thoughts and realities with us, we need to take great care and ask Jesus to use us to minister to them. Listening is also a wonderful act of love in our everyday lives. I’m not talking about hearing the recap of someone’s day or discussing the weather forecast for the weekend. Those information-based conversations happen throughout our day. What Jesus modeled for us was the importance of being fully present when people need someone to listen to their real inner needs and worries. One day Jesus was at a well in the middle of the day in Samaria; his disciples had gone off to get lunch. A woman showed up who was always shunned by others. Jesus showed genuine interest in her, asking her questions about her life. He listened with patience and then asked some perceptive questions that gave her a chance to reveal her deepest hurts and needs. That was a turning point for her. What difference might it make if Christians, and others, devoted themselves to being radically other-centered, caring, and patient listeners? Experts say we’re living through one of the most frightening and stressful times in decades. People are feeling isolated, without hope or help, and despair is just under the surface, similar to the woman at the well. Jesus gave her his undivided attention, listening carefully, then he asked perceptive, faith-focused questions. The result was that she re-committed her life to God and began to come alive again. Her joy spilled over as she told others about what Jesus had done for her. Who do you know that’s feeling stress or isolation? They may have even once been close to God. Reach out to them, even if you haven’t been in touch for a while. It is such an act of love to listen to others. You may be among those who help them heal just a bit, or head in a better direction. You may give them a boost during a very tough week. And chances are, if you ask them if they want you to pray for them, they’ll say yes, and be grateful. I think every one of us knows how important it is to see others and listen to them; You who are part of this church regularly put your faith into action in these ways. I think what Jesus shows us in today’s story is that it is compassion that should guide and propel us. Do you know that compassion is one of the fruits, or by-products of the Holy Spirit? That means God continually fills us up, so we never lack genuine compassion; we’ll never burn out with giving fatigue. Isn’t that such good, heartening news? I love this promise of provision from God! Just one thing remains. Showing compassion, being Jesus’ servants in this wounded world, means we need time. I raised the idea of a Lenten discipline earlier in the service, unplugging our electronic devices to free up more time in our everyday lives. Is that challenge a fitting one for you? Would it reset your priorities, make relationships stronger, help your body be healthier, give you time to help others and care for your own needs? Would your relationship with God also be refreshed? We all know that if we keep doing the things we’ve always done, we’ll keep getting the same results. If you’re fantastically content with your life as is, carry on. But if God’s giving you ideas and you want more satisfaction in your life or future, do what’s hard, and trust that God will help you. And come Easter morning, when Jesus is declared alive, you might realize you feel the same way! May the old go in each of us and new life come! Amen. Psalm 51: A Psalm for Screwups
Psalm 51 is called a lament, a prayer asking God for pardon. Some faith communities regularly read this psalm, using it as a “confession of sin for believers”. If you want a more down-to-earth description, it’s been called “A Psalm for Screwups”. This was written by David, king of Israel, who in a weak moment gave in to temptation. From his palace he watched a neighbor’s very beautiful wife, Bathsheba, take her evening bath outside. He lingered and looked, then he lied and schemed. David had an affair with her but when he found out she was carrying their child, he plotted a way for her husband to be killed in battle. Several months later Nathan, the prophet of God, visited David and confronted him about his sins. He said there’d be painful consequences, but God, who is compassionate, forgives all who earnestly repent. David wrote this psalm after Nathan’s visit. (For more details, read 2 Samuel, chapters 11 and 12). Do you know that David was called “a man after God’s own heart”? His life was fully oriented toward God; he delighted in worshipping Him, obeyed the commandments, and was a strong and wise leader. But he shows us that even the best among God’s followers will be tempted and may be drawn into sin. When that happened in David’s life, he admitted he’d screwed up. We have also fallen short and sinned before God. When we sin, and guilt is weighing on us, we can turn to Psalm 51 in the Bible. There are five distinct steps David took to return to the Lord and be fully restored. Let’s look at them so we can do the same. First, David took responsibility for his sins, saying, “I know my transgressions; I’ve sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, Lord.” David came out of months of hiding and denial and acknowledged that he’d trespassed against God and others. Honest confession is the first step for all of us. We need to take responsibility for our sin and say, “That’s on me, I own what I did wrong.” That is the first step back toward God. Then, don’t backpedal. Once our sin is named and out in the open, we may cringe on the inside and feel shame. It’s painful to reveal our failures; we know we’ve broken God’s heart. At that vulnerable moment when we feel the weight of our sin and guilt, we can be tempted to minimize our sin. We can say we were just going through a rough patch and slipped a bit, or we may point at others and blame them for leading us into temptation. There are so many ways to spin things or try to sweep them under a rug, but the more we deny things, the longer we remain stuck in place. We need to admit our sin, then stand before God without excuses. Our only hope is God. When our sin separates us from God, we have no way to remove that barrier. We’re powerless and can’t save ourselves. One of the most interesting things I find in David’s confession is his use of three different Hebrew words to describe his sins. He said, “I have sinned (hatta’t)” - meaning he failed or missed the mark. When shooting an arrow at a target, if you miss the target entirely, that’s called a “sin”; each “sin” brings the archer closer to losing the match. David then used the word peta, meaning transgression. That word means he rebelled against God, intentionally defying Him. Can you sense the escalation here? The third word he used was ‘awan, meaning iniquity. That sort of sinning meant you were bent (twisted, crooked) on the inside; your sins were particularly evil. David asked God to wash him and make him whiter than snow. That’s always felt poetic to me, a rather gentle way to have my sins lifted out of me, with just a bit of rubbing and agitation. A bit like a short cycle in a washing machine. But David used another much more intense image for forgiveness. He mentions hyssop, a branch-like herb used for healing - it was thought to help people with respiratory problems during the plague. It was also used for spiritual purification rituals: Jews used it to put lamb’s blood on their door frame on Passover, to deliver their sons from death in Egypt under the Pharoah. David asked God to purge him with hyssop, meaning he wanted to be delivered from his sins, be made pure again. He asked God to purge him, to help him spew out what was vile within him. He wanted to projectile vomit his sins. That’s a very vivid description of how can sins can be expelled! David grieved his sins, wanting them gone because they were harming him. He called on God, whom He knew was faithful and just, to “forgive him and cleanse him from all unrighteousness”. (1 John 8-10) When God forgives us, we walk in freedom. We again feel the presence of God and experience His power in our lives. I particularly like what David asked of God once he was forgiven. He asked for a brand new heart, saying “create” that in me. He wanted a fresh beginning, a pure one, untainted by the past. God can do that - our Creator doesn’t put patch up the putrid in our lives; our God loves us so much, He makes us brand new. To be freshly forgiven is amazing. Our guilt is gone, our joy’s returned. We feel fully alive. David felt that same way - you can read Psalm 51 down to verse 12 and see that for yourself. God is good to us. But there’s more coming in the remainder of the psalm that we cannot miss. David didn’t keep what happened to him private, although that must have been tempting. Instead, he did three things that pleased God. He shared what happened to him with others though original songs. He was a gifted musician, very popular among God’s people, so he used that platform to spread the word about God’s love and forgiveness. David also taught people, making time to be with those who were interested in learning what to do when they were tempted and sinned. Sharing one’s personal experiences with others can have a great impact; as people listen, they may admit to themselves that they’ve sinned and feel guilty, just like us. They may hear, clearly, for the first time in their life that God forgives our sins. That sets people free to hope again and look forward to the future. We who know these things need to be God’s grateful messengers, just as David was in his time. There is a final nugget to take with us - it’s a clue for how we can obey God today and not fall into temptation in the future: David remained humble. He asked God to increase in him, and that his own ego decrease. He prayed that God would show him what mattered most in life, rather than looking around and deciding on his own. Wherever David went, he was a changed man. He had become lost but found his way home to God. Matthew, one of the 12 disciples, wrote this in his gospel: “People were amazed at Jesus’ teaching - he taught as one who had authority, not like the teachers of the Law.” (Mt. 7:28-29). We’ve just heard a portion of Jesus’ first sermon this morning, preached to his newly chosen inner circle and to a larger, diverse crowd. He’s teaching them the true aim of God’s laws and what it would look like to walk that path of faith in their everyday life.
As Jesus began his ministry, there were two well-respected Jewish teachers who were interpreting how to obey the Laws of God. Shammai had a very strict approach, but Hillel was more moderate. We’ll take a look at Hillel today because his view was more expansive, so he’s a good link to what Jesus is about to teach. One day Hillel was asked to explain the entire Torah while standing on one foot. His response was brilliant: “whatever is hateful to you, don’t do that to your neighbor. This is the whole Torah and the rest of it is commentary; go and learn from this.” Here’s an example. If you believe stealing from others is a terrible choice, Hillel says make sure you never steal from your neighbor. Following this formula could keep people safely within the boundaries of the Law. A helpful way to remember this would be to imagine yourself within a fenced-in area. If a person of faith remained aware of such a fence, it could prevent them from crossing over it and harming others. It would help restrain them, so they did not sin. The religious leaders of the day, in an effort to help people follow God’s laws, had fenced them in to tighter and more rigid places by adding on many extra rules. The intent behind the numerous smaller rules was to help people avoid sin, but it was a rigid and nearly impossible way to live out one’s faith. Jesus came to offer a fresh, new way to walk a holy path that pleases God. To understand how radically different Jesus’ way was, compared to Hillel’s or that of the Pharisees, I’ll share some real-life examples. Pay close attention because one choice will focus on the minimum and the other on the maximum. One will be concerned with avoiding sin -- the other aims itself toward the Torah’s true intentions. * When there’s a huge snowstorm, Hillel says: shovel your sidewalk so no one will slip and hurt themselves. Jesus says: shovel your sidewalk, then shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk. * When your little sister borrows your clothes, Hillel says: don’t ransack her closet. Jesus says: open your closet door and see what else she might like to wear. * When you are pinched financially Hillel says: don’t steal. Jesus says: look around to see who’s worse off than you and find a way to help. * When someone annoys you, Hillel says: don’t badmouth that person. Jesus says: find something kind to say to such a person. * If someone forces you to go one mile, Hillel says: go with him. Jesus says: go with him two miles. Can you see the radically different mindsets? People can live their lives of faith in a self-protecting way. They can remain on a narrow but safe path, carefully watching as their feet move them forward. They try very hard to avoid stepping into any pothole or stumbling over stones. And it would be inconceivable to ever consider crossing the well-defined boundary of fences on either side of them on their path through life. This is a confining way to live - a burden, if people were being honest - but many people felt it was all necessary to obey God. Many people have been and still are living out their faith life in the anxious and confining ways I’ve just described. Then Jesus came on the scene; he’d often tell the crowds, “You have heard it said... but I tell you.” I want to pause here and emphasize that Jesus didn’t come to earth to break Old Testament Laws, he came to fulfill them. He didn’t come to update popular interpretations of the Torah, as Hillel did. Jesus came to call people to Himself - to take their eyes off from fences and rules, designed to stop them from sinning. Jesus calls his followers to be in the world, present and available to be used by God. Not depending on our willpower but on the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit. One of the most provoking examples of choices a person of faith can make is this: We may avoid being hateful. Or Love our neighbors as ourselves. Which of the two describes Jesus’ mission on earth, and ours too? Here’s a story to help us see what that might look like: A Christian lady owned two prized chickens that got out of their run and busied themselves in the garden of the lady’s rather grouchy neighbor. The man was incensed when he saw the two hens. He ran out, chased and caught the hens, wrung their necks, and threw them back over the fence. As you can imagine, the woman was upset when she found them, but she avoided her urge to get angry, rush over and scream at the man. Instead, she took the birds, dressed them out, and prepared two chicken pot pies. She walked over and delivered one of the freshly baked pies to the man who’d killed her hens. When she handed him the chicken pot pie, she apologized to him for not being more careful about keeping her chickens in her own yard. Meanwhile, her children, expecting an angry scene, had hidden behind a bush to see the man's face and hear what he'd say… but the man was speechless! He took the chicken pot pie, felt a burning sense of shame, and then apologized to her for reacting so harshly. Each one of us can “avoid being hateful” or “love our neighbors”. That contrast in behavior is what Jesus was asking his audience to consider. In his sermon He said: “If someone slaps you on one cheek, let him also slap the other.” To be struck on the face, usually by the back of the right hand, was a serious insult in Middle Eastern culture; a Jew would be heavily fined. But the focus here is on the victim. It was often done by someone who had more authority or wealth than others. A master might slap his slave, or a well-off landowner might strike a neighbor’s son who’d been caught stealing his chickens. There was often an inequity in power or position in these situations. If slapped, a person of faith could imagine an invisible fence around themselves and choose not to defend themselves or retaliate; you would not sin. But those who often hit people in the face are not easily deterred from doing it again - they may even be emboldened. Jesus said that if a person of faith was struck on one cheek, turn your other cheek toward them. That would allow someone to easily hit them again. Does that sound like a passive and foolish choice? I want to clarify here that Jesus is not telling us to put ourselves in potential danger. He is, however, showing us a radical option that aims to change the future behavior of the offending party. Witnesses would likely have been around, so if a bully in his anger slapped the other cheek, they would be exposing themselves to great criticism. It would expose their temper and mistreatment of others. That could have real consequences: they could be shunned by neighbors, not given good work opportunities, and more. If someone is in a painful place of their own making, could it make them consider what they did, and why, and whether they should ever do it again? Can you see how offering the second cheek to a bully can lead toward future justice? And how a bully who feels remorse may be taking their first meaningful step toward a changed life? Jesus also said: “If someone urges you to give them your coat, give him your shirt as well.” A plain longer tunic was typically worn back then, and also an outer wrap. Is Jesus saying that if a beggar asks a man of faith for help, something to keep him warm at night, they should strip down on the spot and stand in one’s undergarments? Is that how Jesus asks us to live out our faith? To answer that, consider Jesus’ example; he was “moved with compassion”. For me, that begins with seeing beggars as persons of worth. I think it also means honestly looking at their reality. They were living through what was likely the lowest, most miserable days, months, or years of their lifetime. In Jesus’ day, those who begged were legitimately destitute, without any means to support themselves. Lacking shelter, food, and access to newer clothing, beggars remind me of today’s refugees. None of them imagined lacking a bed to sleep in, a table with good food on it, a closet with some clothing, or no shelter overhead to protect them from the weather. Jesus urges his followers to act with compassion, to see the stark needs of people in crisis, then offer practical support. If people of faith have more than a shirt and a coat, will we be generous toward our fellow human beings? Will we love our neighbors as ourselves? Another teaching of Jesus was, “Lend to people in need and don’t be concerned about whether or not they pay you back.” To go into debt was a matter of serious concern back then; it was a last resort, and the borrower had every intention to repay the loan. There was not only a matter of pride involved, but there were debtors’ prisons as well. If someone had so much money that they could give someone a good-sized loan and still afford to live as usual, can you see why Jesus asks that person to release the debt? Helping sustain people through a time of hardship is a generous choice, but to forgive the loan and take away a heavy or nearly impossible burden imitates the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. That is how we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. If you ever are at a crossroads and don’t know how to make a God-honoring decision, consider what Jesus might say. It will not be to avoid difficulty and stay safe. It will likely be a costly discipleship. As we commit all we are and all we have to God, we trust we’ll be shown how to be good and faithful stewards. Now listen to a final promise Jesus gave his followers: “If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give, large or small, will be used to measure what is given back to you.” Thanks be to God - Amen. |
ZOOM WORSHIP SERVICE
SUNDAY @ 11 AM To join by phone, dial (929) 205-6099 and enter the meeting ID and password below: Meeting ID: 876 1875 9099 Password 333 PrayerGracious Loving Lord, please keep all of your children safe in these trying times. Guide us. Open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our minds to understand and our hearts to know and be your love to others. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Want to support RLUMC and our missions? Donate Today
Prayer Chain
For those wishing to activate our Church Prayer Chain, contact Barbara Hurley 518-307-8238 If you want the concern to remain confidential among prayer chain members only please feel free to make that request when calling. Archives
September 2023
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