Jesus In Today's Political Atmosphere
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
"What do you want me to do for you?" is a question that we all wish our public servants would ask and sincerely mean. That would mean that our public servants would have to make themselves more open to the community -- more vulnerable to the community. This week Stephen McCutchan will look at how Jesus made himself more vulnerable in Mark 10:46-52. James Killen has supplied the final installment of his four-part examination on the book of Job. There are illustrations, a worship resource, and a children's sermon for this week as well.
Jesus In Today's Political Atmosphere
by Stephen McCutchan
THE WORLD
Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." Certainly the confused atmosphere of corruption, greed, scandal, and immorality that seems to be a daily diet of political news is trying the souls of the average Christian as we seek to sort out our role as citizens and Christians. In a recent book, Testing Faith, it is even revealed that the conservative Christian leaders who thought they were in a position of major influence, were simply being manipulated by politicians who held them in disdain. And consider how it must feel for the politician who feels tarnished by the general cynicism about politics that seems to infuse our society and yet genuinely wishes to serve his country through politics.
Columnist John Hall recently wrote: "During the Enlightenment, the idea of virtue translated literally as 'public spirit.'... As the United States was being founded, virtue was the opposite of factionalism, in which private interests were pursued in a lust for power, riches and fame." He continued, "You look at Congress now -- indeed at the wreckage that has been done to public service in this city -- and it is astounding how much the definition of virtue has been changed."
Try to imagine Jesus in the guise of a modern day politician. How do we see the actions of Jesus informing how we are to respond to the challenges of the political atmosphere of our time?
THE WORD
The political tensions were always high in Israel as the time of the Passover approached. Because of setbacks in Israel's history, many Jews were forced into exile. They now built their homes, raised their children, and made their living in other countries, but even several generations later they never forgot that their true home was in Israel. Once a year, many of these "exiles" from all over the world would make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Even as they approached Jerusalem, the symbols of their reproach were everywhere in the form of soldiers and officials that represented the occupation by the Romans. The contrast between seeing Jerusalem as the city of their faith and the signs that it was considered a mere colony of the great Roman Empire felt like an insult to all Jews.
Exacerbating that tension was the festival itself. The Passover celebrated that great moment of liberation when God reached down from heaven and intervened on behalf of the Jews. They remembered that they had been seen as mere slaves and that Egypt was considered the greatest military power in the world. Yet God demonstrated the absolute contrast between God's power and that of Pharaoh and his armies and brought the Hebrews out of slavery and into the Promised Land. Not only did the Passover bring to mind God's great liberating act on behalf of the Jews, but it climaxed with the confidence that God would soon intervene again and set them free from Roman occupation. The huge influx of pilgrims together with a central festival that caused Jews to chafe under Roman occupation made the Romans very edgy as they tried to keep order. It was into this atmosphere that Jesus made his journey toward Jerusalem.
Jesus left Jericho and headed for Jerusalem. His ministry was coming to a climax, and this was a significant part of his journey. He knew what was ahead of him, and he had tried three times to prepare his disciples for these events. In this time of high political tension, it was important that they stay focused on what lie ahead. Suddenly there was this shouting from the side of the road. "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Not only was this an interruption in the journey, but also the shouts were messianic claims that could easily draw a response from the Roman soldiers who were already tense because of the events of Passover. In the name of protecting the order, they could easily have Jesus arrested even before he reached Jerusalem. Those around Jesus recognized the problem and tried to hush the blind beggar.
As with the entire gospel, this story is told for the sake of the church. There always seems to be a Bartimaeus interrupting the important plans of the church. The church makes plans to serve the needs of the many, and then its plans are interrupted by the cry of an insignificant beggar that is not even a part of the community of faith. As at the time of Jesus, there are always the practical members who become concerned that taking time out for a specific need will interfere with what they perceive as the larger picture.
Jesus, the head of the church, told his disciples to bring the blind beggar to him. He not only interrupted his very valid journey but he paid attention to the needs of one whose cries might endanger the fulfillment of those plans. "Then Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' " Despite the much larger problems that were facing Jesus, he paid direct attention to the beggar and his perceived needs. Jesus made himself vulnerable on behalf of one who was vulnerable. In Jesus, Christians see the character of God who becomes vulnerable on behalf of us. In the politics of faith, the larger programs and plans of the faith are not a reason to ignore the needs of the individual. Yet there is full awareness that in responding to such needs, we make ourselves vulnerable.
The beggar was equally direct. "My teacher, let me see again." Notice that in responding to the beggar's request, Jesus did not ask for any prior commitments from him. Jesus simply said, "Go; your faith has made you well." The grace of God that responds to our needs without precondition is made visible. It was out of the freedom made possible by that grace that the beggar chose to follow Jesus "on the way." The Passover celebrated the gracious act of God's taking the initiative to liberate a people from their bondage. In Jesus, this blind man experienced that liberation from his bondage and the release to a new "way" of life.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
One could easily begin this sermon by trying to picture Jesus in the guise of a modern day politician. Jerusalem is where the critical events take place. Jerusalem is the parallel for Jesus of election day. If you don't get to Jerusalem, then what is important can't take place. His entourage, like those who work to get a politician elected, understand the importance of the journey. Like a good campaign staff, they work to protect their candidate from anything that could endanger the accomplishment of the agreed upon goal.
Having painted that picture, one could then reflect on the pressures on politicians to shape their responses to their constituents in a way that protects the possibilities of their election. The question that Jesus asked the blind beggar is not a lot different from that which politicians ask their constituents, "What do you want me to do for you?" The danger for many contemporary politicians, however, is that in response to the political pressures of a campaign, the question gets reversed. They begin asking the question, "What can you do for me?" Fund raising activities, even those outside of their district, become a high priority. Risk taking, even on behalf of a direct need of a constituent, is to be avoided.
A third move in your sermon development would be to contrast the behavior of Jesus in response to human need. Here Jesus, while on a journey of immense importance to the world, took time and made himself vulnerable to the need of another. One should not be cavalier about the difficulty of politicians taking such risks. Jesus knew the risks that he was taking both in interrupting his journey and in his arrival in Jerusalem. Many years ago, John F. Kennedy, before he became president, wrote a book called Profiles in Courage in which he celebrated those politicians that took major political risks in the exercising of their responsibilities. In some of the cases that he reported, their courageous acts cost them their election. In a time in which the scandalous actions of some politicians have painted a shameful picture of politics, it is important to both pray for and support those politicians that do take risks on behalf of the needs of those that they represent. It is not an easy time to be a politician, but it is an important time to recognize the critical virtue of public service. Not only our lives but the lives of our neighbors are affected by the type of people we elect to public office.
ANOTHER VIEW
By James Killen
Affirmation Of Vulnerability
The pace of political activity is picking up as we approach election day. When we see what politicians have to risk and to endure, we may wonder why anyone would want to be involved in politics. They make themselves vulnerable to all kinds of abuse, to the stress of always having to work in the world of ambiguities, and to the risk of losing, or, worse, of winning and then doing something wrong. They must certainly have to come to terms with the fact that vulnerability is the cost of decisiveness. But there is even more to it. Vulnerability is part of the cost of living life in depth. One can only avoid vulnerability by avoiding life -- or by living it in some superficial way.
There are several passages in the Bible that give us to understand that God has a special love for those who let themselves become vulnerable. Consider Job. Job was a man who chose to be somebody and to stand for something. That is always a risky thing to do. Then a series of tragedies overtook him and his world began to fall apart. Job did not just allow himself to be defeated by the tragedies. Neither did he give in to the idea that he must have done something to cause them, as his friends kept suggesting. Instead, Job said, "No! This is all wrong. What's the deal here?" He began shouting at God and demanding that God should come and reckon with him and explain the causes of his misfortune.
Doing that can make you really vulnerable, especially if God chooses to answer you as he answered Job: "Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you and you will answer me." Certainly Job must have gulped deeply when he heard that. Then he must have trembled as God showed him the complexity to the world in which we all live. This eventually brought Job to the place where all he could say was "... I have uttered things that I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.... I had heard of you by the hearing of my ears, but now my eyes see you; therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job never really got the answer he had wanted from God. But, he got something much more profound, a vision of the shape of reality and an understanding of how he fit into it -- and that made him to know how utterly vulnerable he was.
That is not at all what most of us would call a happy ending. But look how God responds to Job. He responds in a way that demonstrates that God has a special love for people who allow themselves to become vulnerable. First, he rebukes the self-righteous theologians who have been tormenting Job with their pat answers. "... you have not spoken of me what is right as my servant Job has." He tells them to go and ask Job to pray for them because, in this drama, Job is the one who was really in touch with God. God affirms Job by restoring his fortunes. Many there are whose fortunes have not been restored as Job's were, but who have come to know that by risking vulnerability, they have experienced life in depth and gotten in touch with God.
That is not at all how many of us expect the story of a meeting with God to end. Most of us think that God is powerful and that he will make us powerful, too. Why would God affirm one who was so vulnerable? The theologian, William Placher says that we need to take another look at the way in which God acts. (Narratives of a Vulnerable God, Louisville: Kentucky, Westminster John Knox, 1994) He reminds us of a God who took human flesh, the flesh of a helpless baby to dwell among us, then waded into the Jordan and asked to be baptized so that he could stand beside us in our need and, lived a life in which he was tempted in every way just as we are, and finally allowed himself to be rejected and killed in a cruel way. Why did God become so vulnerable? Because it was necessary in order for him to live out the life of love. Then God called us to follow him in living the kind of life of love that he lived. God chooses to affirm the vulnerable because he has himself chosen to be vulnerable for our sake.
ILUSTRATIONS
i would wear
steel-toed boots
to nudge my friends
out of the way,
or high-heeled boots
so i am not dirtied
by the muck of the world,
but you rub
my Achilles' heel raw
with the pebble of
servanthood;
i would take
self-defense courses
to protect myself
from all the blows
the world throws at me,
but you pull off
my gloves
and show me
the wide open stance
of grace;
i would build a fence
of cynicism and doubt
around my soul
so no one can sneak past
with their pain and need,
but you hold out
your heart to me,
naked and bleeding
from its brokenness.
Jesus, Son of David,
have pity on me:
so when I want to be
safe and secure,
i can become a sitting duck
for your vulnerability.
* * *
"John Woolman is worth remembering because, more than most Christians, he kept his inner and outer life together. In the happy expression employed by Elizabeth O'Connor, this man of travel engaged, at the same time, in both an inward and an outward journey. The inward journey was marked by an unusual sense of holy obedience. 'I have been more and more instructed,' he wrote near the end, 'as to the necessity of depending... upon the fresh instructions of Christ, the price of peace, from day to day.' The outward journey was marked by an increasing sensitivity to suffering and to an intelligent effort to eliminate as much of this suffering as is humanly possible."
-- Elton Trueblood, The New Man for our Time
* * *
"What is most remarkable in Woolman's potent example is the complete bridging of the chasm that so mars our current Christian scene. His devotional experience and his social concern, far from being in conflict, actually required each other. He was acutely conscious of the danger of a social witness that could have become hard and cruel in its denunciation of others. 'Christ knoweth,' he said, 'when the fruit-bearing branches themselves have need of purging.' "
-- Elton Trueblood, The New Man for our Time
* * *
In many churches this is Reformation Sunday, a day to remind ourselves of the basics of our Christian faith. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, calling the faithful to remember "the Word alone, Grace alone, and Faith alone."
God's Word is the basis of our faith. We need to turn to it daily as our guide, and as the light for our path.
God's Grace is our hope in this life. It is God's unfailing love and mercy and forgiveness for us that offer us a new life in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We need to respond in faith. By God's grace we are saved, through our Faith alone. This is not of ourselves; it is a gift of God. We can't achieve salvation by good works, but, after we have accepted this new life in Christ we are to follow him and do the good works that he does.
* * *
According to a survey done recently by Johns Hopkins, MIT, and a prestigious Iraqi university, the body count of civilian casualties in Iraq since the conflict began there in the spring of 2003 has now reached 600,000 people.
Meanwhile North Korea flaunts its nuclear capabilities and is threatening to use them.
In the midst of such difficult times, it's good to remember our alternate Psalm for the day, Psalm 46, which begins:
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, thought the mountains tremble with its tumult.
* * *
This Psalm, 46, was very important to the people on the island fortress of Malta, a tiny, rocky island scarcely ten miles long that lies off the coast of the much larger island of Sicily, which in turn lies off the tip of the toe of the boot of Italy.
During World War II, the Allies counted on the little island of Malta to hold its ground in the battle for Europe, and not let itself be overrun by Axis forces. Lieutenant General Sir William Dobie, who served as the British commander of the tiny island during those trying times, reported that whenever the air raid sirens sounded and people scurried down to the island's rocky caves, he and those around him would begin reciting Psalm 46 as they heard and felt bomb blast after bomb blast shake the small island.
The people of Malta were thereby able to hang on and provide support to the troops that would march up through Italy and into Germany and defeat Hitler's murderous hordes in his homeland.
You could encourage your people to memorize at least the first three verses of this mighty Psalm today, to have in their memory bank to draw on during the difficult times that come to all of us. Individuals and families could work on memorizing it at their dinner table. Or as they ride home in their car, or as they take an afternoon walk.
God's Word stored up in our hearts can be our best help in times of trouble.
* * *
One of the tenets of the Reformation was "The Word Alone." The Bible is meant to be that grounding foundation particularly in times of crisis and unrest. When Luther went up against the teachings of the Catholic Church he said that he would be more than willing to be the first one to throw his books on the fire if they were able to show him in scripture where he had erred. In other words, he conceded that he might be wrong but he refused to say that he was wrong simply because the pope said he was wrong. According to tradition, Luther stood at the trial for his life in 1521 in the city of Worms, Germany, choosing to believe the Word alone instead of recanting his works and saving his life. His final defense went something like this:
Unless I am convinced by scripture and reason, I cannot and I will not recant. I do not trust either councils or popes who have so often contradicted one another. My mind is held captive to the word of God and to go against conscious is neither safe no right. Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me God.
In agreement to this bold stance, his followers wrote these words in the Formula of Concord:
We believe, teach and confess that the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged... Other writings of ancient and modern teachers, whatever their names, should not be put on par with Holy Scripture. Every single one of them should be subordinated to the Scriptures.
This commitment to the Word alone was not a passing thought of Luther. On his deathbed, after writing some 60,000 pages throughout his life, he advised that all of his words should be thrown away and that the Scriptures alone ought to be read.
* * *
The second tenet of the Reformation was Faith Alone.
While I was serving a church in Florida, there was this young Catholic priest who was killed under questionable circumstances in the red light district of Orlando. His tragic death received much attention by the Orlando Sentinel. One editorial wrote that while the priest had indeed made some mistakes, we all do. He is only human. He hoped that we could all remember the good things that he did. And he hoped that God would remember the good things, also.
No one among us would want our private lives displayed for all to see for we all have our hidden fault, secret skeletons and deep sins. The answer, however, is not to return to all of our good works as if these brownie points will outweigh the scales of God's judgment. The answer is to return to the hallmark of the Reformation, Justification by Faith Alone. This is the doctrine, the Reformers said, upon which the Church stands or falls. Romans 1:17 -- the just shall live by faith.
Speaking about the person who appears pious and good, Luther wrote, "You can train a monkey to follow commands. You can dress him up to look like a person. But deep down inside, where it counts, he will always be a monkey." Deep down, where it really counts, there lives a rebel who needs faith and not a God who remembers all the good that he has done.
* * *
The third tenet of the reformation was Grace Alone
There is a story told about a man who searched his whole life for meaning. "What is the meaning of life?" His search ended when he found a guru on top of a high mountain in the Himalayans. The guru asked the man to write down what he thought was the meaning of life. He returned a year later with a 20 chapter book. The guru said, "Too much. Try again." The man returned a year later with a tightly condensed chapter. Again, it was too much. Another year brought it down to a page, then a paragraph until finally, after years of condensing all of his knowledge down to one page, the man discovered the meaning of life (ready for this?) There is no free lunch.
Isn't that what you've discovered? Everything comes with a string attached. Every international move comes with a political agenda. Everything is based on "if/then." If I eat my broccoli, then I get my dessert. If I study hard, then I get a good grade. If I work hard, then I will get that promotion. It is only natural to continue this thinking toward God.
"If I go to church, then God will love me."
"If I tithe, then God will reward me."
"If I teach Sunday School, God will bless me."
The power of the Reformation comes in changing that "if/then" mentality to a "because/therefore." That's the foundation of Grace Alone.
"Because Jesus died for me, therefore I will life for me."
"Because God forgives my sins, therefore I will forgive others."
"Because Jesus reached out to me, therefore I will reach out to others."
There may not be any free lunch in this world but we believe in a God who offers us a free lunch each time we come to his table, receive his grace and taste and see that he is good.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
Leader: With our lips and with our hearts:
People: we will bless God
every moment of our lives.
Leader: With our ears and with our hearts:
People: we will hear the cries
of our sisters and brothers
every moment of our lives.
Leader: With every gift and with our hearts:
People: We will serve God
every moment of our lives.
Prayer Of The Day
Wise God,
you name us as your children:
raising us,
rescuing us,
wrestling with us,
watching over us.
Servant of the world:
you listen patiently
when we wail
our anger and pain,
our loss, our loneliness,
our fears, our exhilarations,
our words, our silence.
Wisdom of Creation:
you do not walk by
when we sit in the dust
of our despair,
blinded by the ashes
of our actions
cloaked by our lust
for all the world offers.
God in Community, Holy in One,
name us as your children,
even as we pray as your Child has taught us,
Our Father...
Call To Reconciliation
God can do anything and everything -- God can even clean up the messes we make; God can even heal the hurts we have caused. And God is willing to do anything and everything -- for us! -- simply because God loves us. Join me as we pray to our God, confessing our sins, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
We confess, Holy One, how often we ignore your call to us. Blinded by the ways of the world, we cannot see the ones who are crying out to us. Deafened by the siren calls of our culture, we cannot hear your Word of service. Consumed by our doubts and fears, we are unable to be fed by your grace and hope.
We are not ready to repent in dust and ashes, but we do ask for mercy as we face up to the sins we have done, and the hurt we have caused. Forgive us, Loving God, and set us free to follow your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, as we grow in the way you would have us live and serve.
(Silent prayers may be offered.)
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: Take heart; God hears your prayers and heals
your brokenness. Get up; for God calls to
with words of hope, of grace, of forgiveness.
People: Our eyes are now opened and we see;
our feet are set on the path to the kingdom.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
"I can see!"
Object: a blindfold for as many children as you think might want to participate (a dish towel works fine with children)
Once Jesus entered the town of Jericho. Jesus and his disciples must have stayed for a while and then it was time for them to leave. As they were leaving the town, a man by the name of Bartimaeus was sitting there. Bartimaeus had a problem. Who knows what Bartimaeus wanted? (let them answer) He was blind. He couldn't see!
This morning I would like for us to try to see what that would be like. Who here would like to see what Bartimaeus saw that day? (let them respond -- give each child who wants one a blindfold to put on) Good. Let's put on these blindfolds so that you can't see anything! Bartimaeus couldn't see anything.
In those days when a person couldn't see, about the only thing he or she could do was beg. In other words, they could not work; they had to depend on others to give them money. Blind people often sat alongside the road, asking people for help. That is exactly what blind Bartimaeus did that day. He cried out for help. More than that, he said, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" How he knew about Jesus, we don't know. Somehow Bartimaeus knew that Jesus could help him in ways that others could not.
Jesus called for Bartimaeus and asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" What do you think Bartimaeus asked for? (let them answer) That's right! He asked for the ability to see again. He knew that Jesus could give him something much more important than money. He knew that Jesus could give him sight.
What did Jesus do? (let them answer) That's right! Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus and made it so he could see again. (have them remove their blindfolds now) Jesus made it so Bartimaeus could see. Bartimaeus was so thankful to Jesus, he followed him and became a disciple. We are also thankful to Jesus. Jesus gives us many things and protects us from danger. Even today Jesus heals -- through prayer, medicine, and treatment. So we also are thankful to Jesus.
Dear Jesus: Thank you for helping us see how great you are. Amen!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, October 29, 2006, issue.
Copyright 2006 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
Jesus In Today's Political Atmosphere
by Stephen McCutchan
THE WORLD
Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." Certainly the confused atmosphere of corruption, greed, scandal, and immorality that seems to be a daily diet of political news is trying the souls of the average Christian as we seek to sort out our role as citizens and Christians. In a recent book, Testing Faith, it is even revealed that the conservative Christian leaders who thought they were in a position of major influence, were simply being manipulated by politicians who held them in disdain. And consider how it must feel for the politician who feels tarnished by the general cynicism about politics that seems to infuse our society and yet genuinely wishes to serve his country through politics.
Columnist John Hall recently wrote: "During the Enlightenment, the idea of virtue translated literally as 'public spirit.'... As the United States was being founded, virtue was the opposite of factionalism, in which private interests were pursued in a lust for power, riches and fame." He continued, "You look at Congress now -- indeed at the wreckage that has been done to public service in this city -- and it is astounding how much the definition of virtue has been changed."
Try to imagine Jesus in the guise of a modern day politician. How do we see the actions of Jesus informing how we are to respond to the challenges of the political atmosphere of our time?
THE WORD
The political tensions were always high in Israel as the time of the Passover approached. Because of setbacks in Israel's history, many Jews were forced into exile. They now built their homes, raised their children, and made their living in other countries, but even several generations later they never forgot that their true home was in Israel. Once a year, many of these "exiles" from all over the world would make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Even as they approached Jerusalem, the symbols of their reproach were everywhere in the form of soldiers and officials that represented the occupation by the Romans. The contrast between seeing Jerusalem as the city of their faith and the signs that it was considered a mere colony of the great Roman Empire felt like an insult to all Jews.
Exacerbating that tension was the festival itself. The Passover celebrated that great moment of liberation when God reached down from heaven and intervened on behalf of the Jews. They remembered that they had been seen as mere slaves and that Egypt was considered the greatest military power in the world. Yet God demonstrated the absolute contrast between God's power and that of Pharaoh and his armies and brought the Hebrews out of slavery and into the Promised Land. Not only did the Passover bring to mind God's great liberating act on behalf of the Jews, but it climaxed with the confidence that God would soon intervene again and set them free from Roman occupation. The huge influx of pilgrims together with a central festival that caused Jews to chafe under Roman occupation made the Romans very edgy as they tried to keep order. It was into this atmosphere that Jesus made his journey toward Jerusalem.
Jesus left Jericho and headed for Jerusalem. His ministry was coming to a climax, and this was a significant part of his journey. He knew what was ahead of him, and he had tried three times to prepare his disciples for these events. In this time of high political tension, it was important that they stay focused on what lie ahead. Suddenly there was this shouting from the side of the road. "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Not only was this an interruption in the journey, but also the shouts were messianic claims that could easily draw a response from the Roman soldiers who were already tense because of the events of Passover. In the name of protecting the order, they could easily have Jesus arrested even before he reached Jerusalem. Those around Jesus recognized the problem and tried to hush the blind beggar.
As with the entire gospel, this story is told for the sake of the church. There always seems to be a Bartimaeus interrupting the important plans of the church. The church makes plans to serve the needs of the many, and then its plans are interrupted by the cry of an insignificant beggar that is not even a part of the community of faith. As at the time of Jesus, there are always the practical members who become concerned that taking time out for a specific need will interfere with what they perceive as the larger picture.
Jesus, the head of the church, told his disciples to bring the blind beggar to him. He not only interrupted his very valid journey but he paid attention to the needs of one whose cries might endanger the fulfillment of those plans. "Then Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' " Despite the much larger problems that were facing Jesus, he paid direct attention to the beggar and his perceived needs. Jesus made himself vulnerable on behalf of one who was vulnerable. In Jesus, Christians see the character of God who becomes vulnerable on behalf of us. In the politics of faith, the larger programs and plans of the faith are not a reason to ignore the needs of the individual. Yet there is full awareness that in responding to such needs, we make ourselves vulnerable.
The beggar was equally direct. "My teacher, let me see again." Notice that in responding to the beggar's request, Jesus did not ask for any prior commitments from him. Jesus simply said, "Go; your faith has made you well." The grace of God that responds to our needs without precondition is made visible. It was out of the freedom made possible by that grace that the beggar chose to follow Jesus "on the way." The Passover celebrated the gracious act of God's taking the initiative to liberate a people from their bondage. In Jesus, this blind man experienced that liberation from his bondage and the release to a new "way" of life.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
One could easily begin this sermon by trying to picture Jesus in the guise of a modern day politician. Jerusalem is where the critical events take place. Jerusalem is the parallel for Jesus of election day. If you don't get to Jerusalem, then what is important can't take place. His entourage, like those who work to get a politician elected, understand the importance of the journey. Like a good campaign staff, they work to protect their candidate from anything that could endanger the accomplishment of the agreed upon goal.
Having painted that picture, one could then reflect on the pressures on politicians to shape their responses to their constituents in a way that protects the possibilities of their election. The question that Jesus asked the blind beggar is not a lot different from that which politicians ask their constituents, "What do you want me to do for you?" The danger for many contemporary politicians, however, is that in response to the political pressures of a campaign, the question gets reversed. They begin asking the question, "What can you do for me?" Fund raising activities, even those outside of their district, become a high priority. Risk taking, even on behalf of a direct need of a constituent, is to be avoided.
A third move in your sermon development would be to contrast the behavior of Jesus in response to human need. Here Jesus, while on a journey of immense importance to the world, took time and made himself vulnerable to the need of another. One should not be cavalier about the difficulty of politicians taking such risks. Jesus knew the risks that he was taking both in interrupting his journey and in his arrival in Jerusalem. Many years ago, John F. Kennedy, before he became president, wrote a book called Profiles in Courage in which he celebrated those politicians that took major political risks in the exercising of their responsibilities. In some of the cases that he reported, their courageous acts cost them their election. In a time in which the scandalous actions of some politicians have painted a shameful picture of politics, it is important to both pray for and support those politicians that do take risks on behalf of the needs of those that they represent. It is not an easy time to be a politician, but it is an important time to recognize the critical virtue of public service. Not only our lives but the lives of our neighbors are affected by the type of people we elect to public office.
ANOTHER VIEW
By James Killen
Affirmation Of Vulnerability
The pace of political activity is picking up as we approach election day. When we see what politicians have to risk and to endure, we may wonder why anyone would want to be involved in politics. They make themselves vulnerable to all kinds of abuse, to the stress of always having to work in the world of ambiguities, and to the risk of losing, or, worse, of winning and then doing something wrong. They must certainly have to come to terms with the fact that vulnerability is the cost of decisiveness. But there is even more to it. Vulnerability is part of the cost of living life in depth. One can only avoid vulnerability by avoiding life -- or by living it in some superficial way.
There are several passages in the Bible that give us to understand that God has a special love for those who let themselves become vulnerable. Consider Job. Job was a man who chose to be somebody and to stand for something. That is always a risky thing to do. Then a series of tragedies overtook him and his world began to fall apart. Job did not just allow himself to be defeated by the tragedies. Neither did he give in to the idea that he must have done something to cause them, as his friends kept suggesting. Instead, Job said, "No! This is all wrong. What's the deal here?" He began shouting at God and demanding that God should come and reckon with him and explain the causes of his misfortune.
Doing that can make you really vulnerable, especially if God chooses to answer you as he answered Job: "Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you and you will answer me." Certainly Job must have gulped deeply when he heard that. Then he must have trembled as God showed him the complexity to the world in which we all live. This eventually brought Job to the place where all he could say was "... I have uttered things that I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.... I had heard of you by the hearing of my ears, but now my eyes see you; therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job never really got the answer he had wanted from God. But, he got something much more profound, a vision of the shape of reality and an understanding of how he fit into it -- and that made him to know how utterly vulnerable he was.
That is not at all what most of us would call a happy ending. But look how God responds to Job. He responds in a way that demonstrates that God has a special love for people who allow themselves to become vulnerable. First, he rebukes the self-righteous theologians who have been tormenting Job with their pat answers. "... you have not spoken of me what is right as my servant Job has." He tells them to go and ask Job to pray for them because, in this drama, Job is the one who was really in touch with God. God affirms Job by restoring his fortunes. Many there are whose fortunes have not been restored as Job's were, but who have come to know that by risking vulnerability, they have experienced life in depth and gotten in touch with God.
That is not at all how many of us expect the story of a meeting with God to end. Most of us think that God is powerful and that he will make us powerful, too. Why would God affirm one who was so vulnerable? The theologian, William Placher says that we need to take another look at the way in which God acts. (Narratives of a Vulnerable God, Louisville: Kentucky, Westminster John Knox, 1994) He reminds us of a God who took human flesh, the flesh of a helpless baby to dwell among us, then waded into the Jordan and asked to be baptized so that he could stand beside us in our need and, lived a life in which he was tempted in every way just as we are, and finally allowed himself to be rejected and killed in a cruel way. Why did God become so vulnerable? Because it was necessary in order for him to live out the life of love. Then God called us to follow him in living the kind of life of love that he lived. God chooses to affirm the vulnerable because he has himself chosen to be vulnerable for our sake.
ILUSTRATIONS
i would wear
steel-toed boots
to nudge my friends
out of the way,
or high-heeled boots
so i am not dirtied
by the muck of the world,
but you rub
my Achilles' heel raw
with the pebble of
servanthood;
i would take
self-defense courses
to protect myself
from all the blows
the world throws at me,
but you pull off
my gloves
and show me
the wide open stance
of grace;
i would build a fence
of cynicism and doubt
around my soul
so no one can sneak past
with their pain and need,
but you hold out
your heart to me,
naked and bleeding
from its brokenness.
Jesus, Son of David,
have pity on me:
so when I want to be
safe and secure,
i can become a sitting duck
for your vulnerability.
* * *
"John Woolman is worth remembering because, more than most Christians, he kept his inner and outer life together. In the happy expression employed by Elizabeth O'Connor, this man of travel engaged, at the same time, in both an inward and an outward journey. The inward journey was marked by an unusual sense of holy obedience. 'I have been more and more instructed,' he wrote near the end, 'as to the necessity of depending... upon the fresh instructions of Christ, the price of peace, from day to day.' The outward journey was marked by an increasing sensitivity to suffering and to an intelligent effort to eliminate as much of this suffering as is humanly possible."
-- Elton Trueblood, The New Man for our Time
* * *
"What is most remarkable in Woolman's potent example is the complete bridging of the chasm that so mars our current Christian scene. His devotional experience and his social concern, far from being in conflict, actually required each other. He was acutely conscious of the danger of a social witness that could have become hard and cruel in its denunciation of others. 'Christ knoweth,' he said, 'when the fruit-bearing branches themselves have need of purging.' "
-- Elton Trueblood, The New Man for our Time
* * *
In many churches this is Reformation Sunday, a day to remind ourselves of the basics of our Christian faith. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, calling the faithful to remember "the Word alone, Grace alone, and Faith alone."
God's Word is the basis of our faith. We need to turn to it daily as our guide, and as the light for our path.
God's Grace is our hope in this life. It is God's unfailing love and mercy and forgiveness for us that offer us a new life in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We need to respond in faith. By God's grace we are saved, through our Faith alone. This is not of ourselves; it is a gift of God. We can't achieve salvation by good works, but, after we have accepted this new life in Christ we are to follow him and do the good works that he does.
* * *
According to a survey done recently by Johns Hopkins, MIT, and a prestigious Iraqi university, the body count of civilian casualties in Iraq since the conflict began there in the spring of 2003 has now reached 600,000 people.
Meanwhile North Korea flaunts its nuclear capabilities and is threatening to use them.
In the midst of such difficult times, it's good to remember our alternate Psalm for the day, Psalm 46, which begins:
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, thought the mountains tremble with its tumult.
* * *
This Psalm, 46, was very important to the people on the island fortress of Malta, a tiny, rocky island scarcely ten miles long that lies off the coast of the much larger island of Sicily, which in turn lies off the tip of the toe of the boot of Italy.
During World War II, the Allies counted on the little island of Malta to hold its ground in the battle for Europe, and not let itself be overrun by Axis forces. Lieutenant General Sir William Dobie, who served as the British commander of the tiny island during those trying times, reported that whenever the air raid sirens sounded and people scurried down to the island's rocky caves, he and those around him would begin reciting Psalm 46 as they heard and felt bomb blast after bomb blast shake the small island.
The people of Malta were thereby able to hang on and provide support to the troops that would march up through Italy and into Germany and defeat Hitler's murderous hordes in his homeland.
You could encourage your people to memorize at least the first three verses of this mighty Psalm today, to have in their memory bank to draw on during the difficult times that come to all of us. Individuals and families could work on memorizing it at their dinner table. Or as they ride home in their car, or as they take an afternoon walk.
God's Word stored up in our hearts can be our best help in times of trouble.
* * *
One of the tenets of the Reformation was "The Word Alone." The Bible is meant to be that grounding foundation particularly in times of crisis and unrest. When Luther went up against the teachings of the Catholic Church he said that he would be more than willing to be the first one to throw his books on the fire if they were able to show him in scripture where he had erred. In other words, he conceded that he might be wrong but he refused to say that he was wrong simply because the pope said he was wrong. According to tradition, Luther stood at the trial for his life in 1521 in the city of Worms, Germany, choosing to believe the Word alone instead of recanting his works and saving his life. His final defense went something like this:
Unless I am convinced by scripture and reason, I cannot and I will not recant. I do not trust either councils or popes who have so often contradicted one another. My mind is held captive to the word of God and to go against conscious is neither safe no right. Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me God.
In agreement to this bold stance, his followers wrote these words in the Formula of Concord:
We believe, teach and confess that the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged... Other writings of ancient and modern teachers, whatever their names, should not be put on par with Holy Scripture. Every single one of them should be subordinated to the Scriptures.
This commitment to the Word alone was not a passing thought of Luther. On his deathbed, after writing some 60,000 pages throughout his life, he advised that all of his words should be thrown away and that the Scriptures alone ought to be read.
* * *
The second tenet of the Reformation was Faith Alone.
While I was serving a church in Florida, there was this young Catholic priest who was killed under questionable circumstances in the red light district of Orlando. His tragic death received much attention by the Orlando Sentinel. One editorial wrote that while the priest had indeed made some mistakes, we all do. He is only human. He hoped that we could all remember the good things that he did. And he hoped that God would remember the good things, also.
No one among us would want our private lives displayed for all to see for we all have our hidden fault, secret skeletons and deep sins. The answer, however, is not to return to all of our good works as if these brownie points will outweigh the scales of God's judgment. The answer is to return to the hallmark of the Reformation, Justification by Faith Alone. This is the doctrine, the Reformers said, upon which the Church stands or falls. Romans 1:17 -- the just shall live by faith.
Speaking about the person who appears pious and good, Luther wrote, "You can train a monkey to follow commands. You can dress him up to look like a person. But deep down inside, where it counts, he will always be a monkey." Deep down, where it really counts, there lives a rebel who needs faith and not a God who remembers all the good that he has done.
* * *
The third tenet of the reformation was Grace Alone
There is a story told about a man who searched his whole life for meaning. "What is the meaning of life?" His search ended when he found a guru on top of a high mountain in the Himalayans. The guru asked the man to write down what he thought was the meaning of life. He returned a year later with a 20 chapter book. The guru said, "Too much. Try again." The man returned a year later with a tightly condensed chapter. Again, it was too much. Another year brought it down to a page, then a paragraph until finally, after years of condensing all of his knowledge down to one page, the man discovered the meaning of life (ready for this?) There is no free lunch.
Isn't that what you've discovered? Everything comes with a string attached. Every international move comes with a political agenda. Everything is based on "if/then." If I eat my broccoli, then I get my dessert. If I study hard, then I get a good grade. If I work hard, then I will get that promotion. It is only natural to continue this thinking toward God.
"If I go to church, then God will love me."
"If I tithe, then God will reward me."
"If I teach Sunday School, God will bless me."
The power of the Reformation comes in changing that "if/then" mentality to a "because/therefore." That's the foundation of Grace Alone.
"Because Jesus died for me, therefore I will life for me."
"Because God forgives my sins, therefore I will forgive others."
"Because Jesus reached out to me, therefore I will reach out to others."
There may not be any free lunch in this world but we believe in a God who offers us a free lunch each time we come to his table, receive his grace and taste and see that he is good.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
Leader: With our lips and with our hearts:
People: we will bless God
every moment of our lives.
Leader: With our ears and with our hearts:
People: we will hear the cries
of our sisters and brothers
every moment of our lives.
Leader: With every gift and with our hearts:
People: We will serve God
every moment of our lives.
Prayer Of The Day
Wise God,
you name us as your children:
raising us,
rescuing us,
wrestling with us,
watching over us.
Servant of the world:
you listen patiently
when we wail
our anger and pain,
our loss, our loneliness,
our fears, our exhilarations,
our words, our silence.
Wisdom of Creation:
you do not walk by
when we sit in the dust
of our despair,
blinded by the ashes
of our actions
cloaked by our lust
for all the world offers.
God in Community, Holy in One,
name us as your children,
even as we pray as your Child has taught us,
Our Father...
Call To Reconciliation
God can do anything and everything -- God can even clean up the messes we make; God can even heal the hurts we have caused. And God is willing to do anything and everything -- for us! -- simply because God loves us. Join me as we pray to our God, confessing our sins, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
We confess, Holy One, how often we ignore your call to us. Blinded by the ways of the world, we cannot see the ones who are crying out to us. Deafened by the siren calls of our culture, we cannot hear your Word of service. Consumed by our doubts and fears, we are unable to be fed by your grace and hope.
We are not ready to repent in dust and ashes, but we do ask for mercy as we face up to the sins we have done, and the hurt we have caused. Forgive us, Loving God, and set us free to follow your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, as we grow in the way you would have us live and serve.
(Silent prayers may be offered.)
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: Take heart; God hears your prayers and heals
your brokenness. Get up; for God calls to
with words of hope, of grace, of forgiveness.
People: Our eyes are now opened and we see;
our feet are set on the path to the kingdom.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
"I can see!"
Object: a blindfold for as many children as you think might want to participate (a dish towel works fine with children)
Once Jesus entered the town of Jericho. Jesus and his disciples must have stayed for a while and then it was time for them to leave. As they were leaving the town, a man by the name of Bartimaeus was sitting there. Bartimaeus had a problem. Who knows what Bartimaeus wanted? (let them answer) He was blind. He couldn't see!
This morning I would like for us to try to see what that would be like. Who here would like to see what Bartimaeus saw that day? (let them respond -- give each child who wants one a blindfold to put on) Good. Let's put on these blindfolds so that you can't see anything! Bartimaeus couldn't see anything.
In those days when a person couldn't see, about the only thing he or she could do was beg. In other words, they could not work; they had to depend on others to give them money. Blind people often sat alongside the road, asking people for help. That is exactly what blind Bartimaeus did that day. He cried out for help. More than that, he said, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" How he knew about Jesus, we don't know. Somehow Bartimaeus knew that Jesus could help him in ways that others could not.
Jesus called for Bartimaeus and asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" What do you think Bartimaeus asked for? (let them answer) That's right! He asked for the ability to see again. He knew that Jesus could give him something much more important than money. He knew that Jesus could give him sight.
What did Jesus do? (let them answer) That's right! Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus and made it so he could see again. (have them remove their blindfolds now) Jesus made it so Bartimaeus could see. Bartimaeus was so thankful to Jesus, he followed him and became a disciple. We are also thankful to Jesus. Jesus gives us many things and protects us from danger. Even today Jesus heals -- through prayer, medicine, and treatment. So we also are thankful to Jesus.
Dear Jesus: Thank you for helping us see how great you are. Amen!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, October 29, 2006, issue.
Copyright 2006 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
