Kiss
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This week’s lectionary passage from Second Kings features the intriguing tale of the healing of Naaman. A commander in the army of Aram who suffers from leprosy, Naaman hears from a slave girl about a prophet who could cure him of his dreaded disease. Desperate for any treatment that will work, he sets out to meet with the king of Israel, armed with a letter of introduction from his own king and a generous amount of treasure. But all of that is of little use, and it is only when Elisha gets wind of this and sends word for Naaman to meet with him that a potential solution seems possible. When Dr. Elisha offers his simple prescription -- wash seven times in the Jordan River -- Naaman stalks away, offended that this quack is trying to hoodwink him with such a simple treatment (and at an inferior spa to boot). Finally one of servants talks some sense into Naaman, pointing out that if the directions had been more complicated he surely would have followed them -- and that his main issue seemed to be with the simplicity of the prescription.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Robin Lostetter points out that the real underlying issues are Naaman’s stubbornness and initial inability to KISS (Keep It Simple) -- all because he let his pride and ego get in the way. Robin notes that like Naaman, we too usually look for the complicated solution -- and assume that we have to grease the skids with material goods -- when all we usually have to do is to, as the adage puts it, “let go and let God.” This theme is also echoed in the gospel text, where Jesus counsels the disciples to dispense with material goods (“carry no purse, no bag, no sandals”) as they go out to spread the message of the kingdom. Taken together, Robin tells us, these stories remind us that in order to take meaningful action we must keep things simple and dispense with our baggage -- whether it’s material goods or the psychological and spiritual baggage that often limits our thinking and our responses. And as Robin suggests, a glaring example in current headlines of letting pride and other considerations prevent simple actions that might contribute to our healing is Congress’ unwillingness to pass (or in the House, even to allow a vote on) mild gun control measures that polls indicate the public overwhelmingly supports. In the wake of the Orlando shootings, the responses of those frustrated by this static state of affairs has escalated -- first Rep. Jim Himes walked out on the House’s moment of silence for the Orlando victims, then Sen. Chris Murphy engaged in a filibuster to force Senate votes on four pieces of gun control legislation. But matters went to a new level when several congresspersons -- including legendary civil rights figure John Lewis -- engaged in a sit-in on the House floor. When House Speaker Paul Ryan responded by suspending the session and shutting off cameras, the protesters used cellphone video and social media to livestream the proceedings. While matters remain unresolved at the moment as the House is in recess until after the July 4 holiday, Robin suggests that this may be an opportune time to reflect on the broader paradigm in our lives of whether we’re open to taking simple actions that might offer some healing -- and to consider whether we’re willing to discard the baggage we need to in order to take those actions... and to effectively proclaim the gospel.
Team member Mary Austin shares some additional thoughts on this week’s Galatians text and Paul’s call for Christian unity as well as restoration in a spirit of gentleness -- a sentiment that seems sorely lacking given the deep divisions revealed by the results of Great Britain’s “Brexit” referendum. As both Britain and the world deal with the financial and geopolitical implications of the vote, it seems that there has been a rise in hard feelings -- and the general atmosphere appears to have parallels to the roiling passions raised by the presidential campaign here in America. As Mary notes, Paul points the way toward a Christian community where we “bear one another’s burdens” rather than blaming one another -- where we look to support one another rather than looking down on those who we define as “others” and trying to exclude them from our civic life.
KISS
by Robin Lostetter
2 Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Naaman didn’t know the familiar acronym KISS -- which for our purposes stands for “Keep It Simple, Servant!” Washing seven times in the Jordan just didn’t match his image of a cure for his leprosy. No one else had a cure, and simple washing had never accomplished it -- so how could washing in this paltry river in Israel do anything?
How many times have we imagined or actually created complicated plans to achieve a goal? And when we are presented with a simple solution by someone else, we are first startled, and then sometimes defensive about our beautiful design? How could one simple step -- one brief effort... one move -- accomplish the intricate pattern we have devised?
And then someone breaks into our ego fantasy and reminds us to KISS -- Keep It Simple!
Perhaps “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” is the Hebrew equivalent of KISS.
Perhaps KISS is what Congress needed to be told last week. Was that the message of the House sit-in? Is that the message of the myriad social media memes and constituent communications? “We don’t care how you do it, just limit the sale of assault weapons and demand background checks! KISS! (Keep It Simple, Senators!)”
In the Scriptures
Oh Naaman, Naaman! Why must you put stumbling blocks ahead of your healing? Why go off in a rage? Listen to your servants: “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” (2 Kings 5:13).
You can just hear those servants “managing” their superior. They’re being careful and rational about it because, after all, our text says he’s in a rage. And when Naaman calms down and listens to them, he does go down to the Jordan to follow the very simple instructions -- and “his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean” (v. 14). Success!
Sadly, our lectionary reading doesn’t take us to Naaman’s response to the healing. In fact, only one sentence of his response shows up in any lectionary reading, and that not until this October. But I think it is important to note that verses 15-19 show a remarkable change of heart in Naaman. Not only is he converted to the God of Israel, but he is granted a pardon or peace for bowing down to the king’s false god, Rimmon, when Naaman assists the king of Aram:
Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.” But [Elisha] said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” [Naaman] urged him to accept, but [Elisha] refused. Then Naaman said, “If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord. But may the Lord pardon your servant on one count: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I do bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant on this one count.” He said to him, “Go in peace.”
So the successful healing and the successful conversion both came about after Naaman left his ego and stubbornness behind, listened to his servants’ message of KISS, and submitted to the words of Yahweh’s prophet Elisha.
Similarly, the 70 that Jesus sends out in Luke 10 must shed physical burdens, their dietary customs, and possibly their keeping to the Holiness Codes if they are to heal the sick. There will be little time for ritual bathing between touching the sick bodies.
They are given very simple instructions: to greet families with peace, to accommodate to the family’s culture if they are welcomed, to heal, and to proclaim. There is nothing in these instructions about the 70 themselves -- no ego trip, no complicated “if/then” instructions besides finding a welcoming house. There’s no table setting with three forks, two knives, four spoons -- nothing complicated about the meals. There’s nothing about proper clothing, or anecdotes to start a conversation, or what day of the week they’re likely to be most receptive, or taking change for the parking meter -- not even a water bottle or sandals! And just as in last week’s reading, the mission is urgent -- do not stop along the way and chit-chat. No greetings along the road. You have your mission, now “go on your way”!
In the News
Oh Congress, Congress! Why must you put partisan stumbling blocks ahead of the good of the people? Why go off in a rage? Listen to your constituents, not your SuperPACs.
When “92% of voters, including 92% of gun owners and 86% of Republicans, support background checks prior to all gun sales,” one wonders why that simple change can’t be made without all the amendments and “what-ifs” and exceptions and protections that both houses of Congress had to add to such legislation. The why is complicated, of course, and political. And until those political, financial, and emotional reasons are dealt with and/or eliminated, there will continue to be a disconnect between the will of the people and the action of Congress.
Despite a filibuster, a sit-in, and the stance (that is catching on nationwide) that a moment of silence is a good but insufficient response to killings -- all prompted by the record-breaking slaughter in Orlando -- Congress remained stubbornly unwilling to set aside ego, partisan politics, and financial indebtedness to seek the simple solutions before them. KISS -- “Keep it Simple, Senate and House!” The people of your country are nearly of one mind; your servants are speaking: step out of your rage, and take the simple steps before you. And yet healing in this land seems far off.
Mr. and Ms. Smith now go to Washington with more baggage than one luggage cart can carry. Let’s hope that when they return next week that they will have listened to the people and will have left a few pieces behind. At least call for a vote -- and at best, pass reasonable gun legislation in tune with the desires of the majority of the people.
In the Sermon
Since the Luke passage is Jesus’ exhortation to his missionary preachers, I’d like to defer to Lutheran bishop Michael Rinehart’s comments on our Luke 10 passage, and address myself and my colleagues:
Travel lightly. This will preach. It is best to travel lightly in life as well. Jesus warns of the lure of materialism. What does it profit you to gain the world, but lose your soul? Parables like the man who built barns warn us that life is more than the accumulation of things.
I keep thinking about my growing library of books, which I had to pack up in boxes and move when I accepted a new call. In time, they became a burden. I began to thin out my collection, realizing many of the books were never used, once read, and some were out-of-date.
We, who have invested our lives in ministry, have to remember there’s no “stuff” that will make this work. It is the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in us that accomplishes the ministry. “Let the Spirit do the heavy lifting,” one professor said to me.
Luke 10 adds the comment about not talking to people along the way. Parsons [Mikeal C. Parsons, Luke (Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament)] sees this as a time-saving measure. Oriental greetings could be quite long. The 70 were to have a clear focus and mission. Don’t lollygag. Get to work. This brings to mind the saying about not looking back once you’ve set your hand to the plow and also the angel’s comment after the Ascension: “Why do you just stand there staring up into heaven.” Get to work.
The instructions to the 70 in chapter 10 of Luke mirror the instructions to the 12 in chapter 9, where they’re told to “take no staff, bag, money, or tunic”; “whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there”; and “if they do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” This seems to be Jesus’ standard set of instructions for itinerant missionaries, not just a whim. Perhaps we should listen to him.
In order to be able to proclaim the gospel without our “stuff” getting in the way, to respond to people where they are, pastors -- even as sheep among wolves -- must travel light.
But what do we say from the pulpit to those with whom we minister? It’s the same with them, as Christians sharing the gospel -- it’s about the gospel, not about them. But even in a larger context, in order to act without expending useless energy on self-oriented stubbornness, beliefs, habits, and accumulated stuff to protect, we need to consider KISS as a motto when we begin to feel frustrated and blocked.
It may simply boil down to idolatry... idolatry of self, idolatry of everything that we count higher than our health, our relationships with others, and our relationship with God.
This little meme that showed up on Facebook may sum it up for Naaman and for us: “Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.” Or a corollary: “Don’t cling to material accumulations, just because you spent a lot of money getting them.”
Even Naaman was able to change, to take the simple step to healing, and to admit that the prophet’s word and the prophet’s God were good.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Mary Austin
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
Paul calls us to a spirit of harmony in community, which is difficult work. As Christians, we are assured of God’s spirit guiding our efforts -- but in the world of politics, lawmakers don’t have quite the same motivation or guidance. The “Brexit” vote in Great Britain has revealed deep divisions in public life, separations paralleled in the U.S. presidential race.
Free from the burdens of national politics, Paul makes a strong case for unity as he writes to the Galatian church. “Bear one another’s burdens,” he urges. He’s nudging them toward the kind of interweaving that makes a strong community of faith, where people care for one another without keeping score.
Elisabeth Johnson observes that “Galatians 6:11-18 is not the only postscript Paul writes in his own handwriting (e.g., 1 Corinthians 16:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:17), but it is the longest. Instead of including the usual greetings, Paul returns again to the main themes of his letter.... In speaking of the world (kosmos) here, Paul does not mean the created universe, but rather the ‘present evil age’ (1:4). It is the world in which ‘weak and beggarly elemental spirits’ (4:9) still enslave, the world in which barriers between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female still divide (3:28). Paul must still contend with this world, but lives in a ‘crucified’ relationship to it. He recognizes that it is passing away, for in the death and resurrection of Christ, a new creation has shattered the old order.” Paul can see beyond the current day to this rich hope of connection between people.
In our political life, many want to move in the other direction. Rising tensions about immigration have played a part in the U.S. presidential race, and are not unique to America. Stephen Marche argues in Esquire that Britain’s vote to depart from the European Union (EU) is a vote for separation and against unity: “Brexit is the first major victory for the rising xenophobia that is sweeping the world, which has already overtaken the Republican party in America, and which has gathered significant support in almost every major democracy. We have to face up to an ugly truth about the world as it is: The hatred of difference is winning.”
In Britain, the generations see the benefits of unity differently, and the vote divided along interesting generational lines. The same Esquire article comments: “The old people of England -- and the Leave supporters were overwhelmingly elderly and rural -- have denied their children a passport to 27 countries. Seventy-five percent of voters under 25 wanted to stay.” There are divisions even within Britain itself. The New York Times reports that Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the Union (as did the city of London). Those countries may now choose to separate from England rather than from the EU. Northern Ireland shares a porous border with Ireland, which is part of the EU.
Anti-immigrant sentiment fueled the “Leave” campaign, as people sought economic gain and voted their worries about security. But shared lives are not so easily untangled. Post-win, some promises will be difficult to keep: “Promises to quickly reduce immigration levels are also being played down. Migration was the cornerstone of the Leave campaign, which objected to the European Union’s insistence on the free movement of labor, capital, goods, and services. Since 2004, when 10 more countries joined the European Union, large numbers of eastern and southern Europeans have moved to Britain for work.” The campaign, much like politics in the U.S., “effectively stoked fears of an immigrant influx to garner support, and the baiting of refugees was further fanned by concerns about terrorism, the influential euroskeptic tabloid press, and by the far-right, which attributed Britain’s economic problems to immigration. They also conflated legal immigrants to Britain from Europe with refugees from Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere, portraying them as storming the country’s shores and threatening the country’s economy and security.” Many fear increased violence against immigrants, both legal and illegal, and intolerance for foreign workers in England.
Christian unity begins with the belief that all of us are equal in the realm of God. Seeking that kind of accord among Catholics, Pope Francis said recently that “Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should seek forgiveness from homosexuals for the way they had treated them.”
Blogger Jan Edmiston, who was recently elected co-moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), writes about our human impulses toward division, asking “Why are we quick to believe that someone on the other side of the theological fence is evil? Why do we spread half-truths about people? Why do we take words out of context in order to create a better story? Why do we presuppose that someone we don’t like or don’t know has said/thought/done something vile without knowing what we’re talking about?” Instead, as Paul urges, we might try to “restore one another,” trying the spirit of gentleness he commends.
Our human desire for security and status, and our need for importance, all move us to look out for ourselves. We mistrust one another. We see our own needs before those of others. World events remind us that community -- whether national or spiritual -- is hard to create on our own. It is beyond the reach of human power, although Paul calls us to work toward it. It’s God’s claim on all of us that pushes us together. Our better impulses move us toward harmony, guided by God’s unifying spirit.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Chris Keating:
2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman, the Powerful Refugee
Naaman served the king of Aram, which is essentially modern-day Syria. Although Naaman was a powerful military leader, he had to flee his home country in order to find relief -- a situation somewhat akin to the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have been exiled from their homeland in search of freedom.
Like Naaman, these refugees are suffering. The world has been moved by the pictures and stories of these refugees. But as the world’s leaders work to find solutions to the large problem of displaced persons, one mother from California found a simple way to bring hope and relief to refugees in their often peril-filled journeys.
As she was working at a refugee camp in Athens, Cristal Logothetis spotted a 10-year-old boy struggling to carry a baby. The boy acted tough, assuming what Logothetis presumed was the role of patriarch among a crowd of women and smaller children. She knew his job would be easier with a baby carrier, and so she convinced the boy to give it a try. He soon discovered that this simple solution would make his life easier.
When she returned to California, Logothetis initiated a funding campaign to buy baby carriers for refugees. By November 2015, Logothetis and friends had delivered more than 3,000 baby carriers for refugees. “We all have a responsibility to help out on this planet,” she says, almost echoing the intent of the servant girl who told Naaman to seek healing from Elisha. “Everybody has their own calling and [if] we each embrace it... this would be a much smaller world.”
*****
2 Kings 5:1-14
Healing after Brexit?
Naaman’s experience of healing and transformation may provide a helpful and hope-filled opportunity to reflect on Great Britain’s need for healing following the divisive vote last week to leave the European Union.
The so-called “Brexit” vote has left England and other nations perplexed about the future. As commentator Peter Apps noted, “As you drive across Southeast England, you don’t even have to talk to anyone to see the depth of anger and division the EU referendum has released. In gardens, by roadsides, and on farmland, huge pro-‘leave’ banners read: ‘We want our country back.’ ” The painful debate has divided the nation, but Apps says what both sides have missed is the sense that voters are trying to navigate uncertain waters: “What both sides seem to have lost sight of, however, is that most voters are reasonable, largely admirable people trying to make a tough decision in an imperfect world in which it’s impossible to know the consequences of jumping either way.” Like Naaman, perhaps voters are perplexed and uncertain how to choose a solution to bring healing and transformation.
*****
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
Carrying Each Other’s Burdens
Paul provides the faith community with explicit instructions regarding the roles mutual forbearance, forgiveness, and bearing each other’s burdens have in sustaining faithful community.
A recent decision by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) demonstrates what this could mean across an entire denomination. When Kris Schondelmeyer was a young man in Missouri, he was sexually assaulted by a chaperone at a national Presbyterian event. The abuse, perpetrated by a leader who was known to have a history of inappropriate behavior, created a burden that remained with Schondelmeyer for many years. After his ordination, he became aware of the repressed memories and began an effort to improve child protection policies across the church.
Last week, the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved comprehensive policies to protect children, youth, and adults. Commissioners heard Schondelmeyer’s emotional testimony, and responded by approving actions to protect the most vulnerable.
But what happened next was truly amazing. After the vote, Rev. Gradye Parsons, the PCUSA’s stated clerk, stepped to the podium and offered a public apology to Schondelmeyer on behalf of the entire denomination. “I offer a public apology for how hard it was to find justice,” Parsons said. “I offer our commitment that his child and my grandchild will be safe.”
Carrying each other’s burdens fulfills the law of Christ -- and is a remarkable step toward creating sacred community.
***************
From team member Ron Love:
2 Kings 5:1-14 / Independence Day
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks got on the Cleveland Avenue bus in Montgomery, Alabama, at the Court Square by the Empire Theater. She refused to sit in the back of the bus, where people of color were assigned. Because of her defiance two policemen came on the bus, arrested her, and took Parks to jail. It has been reported that Parks was too tired to move to the back of the bus, but in reality she was an active member of the NAACP and her protest was planned. In response to her actions Rosa Parks said, “I was brought up to believe in freedom and equality and that God designs all of his children to be free.”
Application: Independence Day carries the message that we should have courage for the causes we believe in. Kings informs us to have the courage of Elisha to stand our ground with our beliefs.
*****
2 Kings 5:1-14
With the recent death of Muhammad Ali, the Nation of Islam (which Ali joined in 1964) is back in the news. Its current leader, Louis Farrakhan, is a controversial individual who has led the group away from its origins. Farrakhan has repeatedly asserted that he has visited a great wheel in space which he has nicknamed “Allah’s calling card.” Farrakhan believes that this great wheel hovers above the United States, poised to annihilate the nation for its evil deeds. Because of Farrakhan’s radical beliefs, Muhammad Ali left the organization and became an orthodox Muslim who remained true to the teachings of the Quran.
Application: Naaman needed some discretion to understand the truth of Elisha.
*****
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
At the World Youth Day held in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, Pope Francis set forth a reversal of a doctrinal stance established by Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul was opposed to liberation theology, which is an exodus theology where people gain freedom, independence, and equality. Liberation theology began in South America, and moved to the United States as black theology. Pope John Paul opposed liberation theology because he believed that it was too similar to communism. John Paul grew up in Poland under a communist regime, and he was sensitive to any manifestation of a communist doctrine. Under Pope John Paul, any priest who practiced liberation theology could not be promoted, or was transferred to Rome where he could no longer be a parish priest. Pope Francis recognized the importance of liberation theology, and once again introduced it at the World Youth Day.
Application: Paul cautions us to be sure to know what we believe.
*****
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
Louis Farrakhan, the current leader of the Nation of Islam (colloquially known as the “Black Muslims”), promotes the stereotype of Jews being warmongers who seek world domination. One of the ways the Jews are doing this, according to Farrakhan, is by controlling the movies that are made in Hollywood. Farrakhan said, “The Jewish people have said that Hollywood is theirs. Can any of you deny that they are the masters of Hollywood, where sex, lesbianism, homosexuality, and violence are promoted?” Muhammad Ali left the organization and became an orthodox Muslim who remained true to the teachings of the Quran -- and who quietly rejected Farrakhan’s radical beliefs.
Application: Ali understood that he was going to be judged by his own faith and works.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 / Independence Day
John F. Kennedy was once asked by a reporter how he became a war hero. Jesting, Kennedy responded, “It was involuntary. They sank my boat.” The sinking of PT-109 could not have been prevented; but leading his men to safety and rescue demanded leadership and courage. This event was captured in the movie PT-109, starring Cliff Robertson as Kennedy. In the movie Robertson, as Kennedy, encourages his crew to swim to safety on Plum Pudding Island, which is a part of the Solomon Islands. One sailor protests that the island is 12 miles away... to which Robertson replies, “It’s only three inches on the chart.”
Application: Independence Day demonstrates the courage to go three inches on the chart; Luke informs us to have the courage to walk the three inches to each village and town.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
My first appointment out of seminary in the mid-1970s was to Lawrenceville United Methodist Church, an inner-city congregation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was instructed by the bishop to close the church due to a lack of members and finances to support the building. In two years the keys were surrendered to a black Baptist congregation. Over the century since the church was established, the neighborhood became both primarily white Roman Catholic and black Baptist. The church failed to establish an interfaith and integrated ministry, and thus ceased to exist. Reflecting on this closure, the bishop said he would never again lose another church property in the city. (Note: You can personalize this story by introducing it with the phrase “A friend told me...”)
Application: When we go out in pairs to evangelize, we are to go to all people -- not just those of our own culture and ethnic group.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Pope Francis has said that the problem with the church today is that we are “small-minded.” The pope said we lock ourselves up in small things and small-minded rules. Instead, the pope believes we need to reintroduce that “the most important thing is first the proclamation that Jesus Christ has saved you.” The pope said that we have lost “the freshness and fragrance of the gospel.”
Application: When we go forth to the towns and villages, we are to once again reintroduce the freshness and fragrance of the gospel.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) is the smallest mainline Protestant denomination, with 252,000 members. Yet the number of evangelicals to members ranks it as having the highest percentage of any Christian denomination. The reason for this, according to CRC spokesman Rodger Rice, is that the CRC people are nourished. Rice said undernourished Christians do not give money and participate in missions. Rice concluded, “Generosity is just a natural outcome of spiritual health.”
Application: Those who Jesus selected and sent forth were nourished.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Everyone in the village believed Pendle Hill was haunted by demons. In 1652 George Fox courageously walked up that hill to exorcise Satan and call for the saints in the name of Christ. While in prayer a vision appeared before Fox, which he described as “a people in white raiment, coming to the Lord.” The vision signified that proclaiming Christ’s power over sin would gather people to the kingdom. And it did. By 1660 Fox had 50,000 followers. At first they called themselves “children of the light,” “publishers of Truth,” or “the camp of the Lord.” Gradually they came to prefer the term “Friends,” in accord with Jesus’ words recorded in John 15:14 -- “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Today the group is often referred to as the “Quakers.”
Application: The 70 sent forth by Jesus had the courage to walk up Pendle Hill.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
In a Bizarro comic, a woman is standing at a counter buying a bottle of wine. As she makes her purchase, the clerk says, “And can I get your e-mail address where we can send you reminders three times a week that we sell wine?” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this comic.)
Application: Enough is enough. Remember Jesus di say there is a time when it becomes necessary to dust the dirt off our sandals.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Sing praises to God, O you faithful ones.
People: Give thanks to God’s holy name.
Leader: God’s anger is but for a moment.
People: God’s favor is for a lifetime.
Leader: You, O God, have turned our mourning into dancing.
People: We shall praise and give thanks to you forever.
OR
Leader: The God who is always present calls us together.
People: We come to seek God’s blessing and our wholeness.
Leader: God’s grace is offered if we will only seek it.
People: We have come to still our hearts and seek our God.
Leader: God welcomes us and all creation.
People: Thanks be to our gracious God!
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“Ye Servants of God”
found in:
UMH: 181
H82: 535
PH: 477
NCH: 305
CH: 110
LBW: 252
W&P: 112
“Lift High the Cross”
found in:
UMH: 159
H82: 473
PH: 371
AAHH: 242
NCH: 198
CH: 108
LBW: 377
ELA: 660
W&P: 287
Renew: 297
“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”
found in:
UMH: 206
H82: 490
ELA: 815
W&P: 248
Renew: 152
“Take Time to Be Holy”
found in:
UMH: 395
NNBH: 306
CH: 572
W&P: 483
AMEC: 286
“Jesus Calls Us”
found in:
UMH: 398
H82: 549, 550
NNBH: 183
NCH: 171, 172
CH: 337
LBW: 494
ELA: 696
W&P: 345
AMEC: 238
“Every Time I Feel the Spirit”
found in:
UMH: 404
PH: 315
AAHH: 325
NNBH: 485
NCH: 282
CH: 592
W&P: 481
STLT: 208
“O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”
found in:
UMH: 430
H82: 659, 660
PH: 357
NNBH: 445
NCH: 503
CH: 602
LBW: 492
ELA: 818
W&P: 589
AMEC: 299
“All I Need Is You”
found in:
CCB: 100
“Sanctuary”
found in:
CCB: 87
Renew: 185
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who has told us what is right and good: Grant us the wisdom to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come into your presence, O God, seeking life and blessing. We come to be reminded of what we already know -- that you are always with us and simply ask us to be just, merciful, and to humbly walk with you. Help us to be mindful of this. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our failure to let go of the things that hold us back from being better disciples.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. There is so much in our lives that demands our attention, our time, and our resources. Sometimes we allow these things to overwhelm us and we just don’t have time for you. The baggage of our lives becomes more important than our lives. Send your Spirit upon us once again, to settle us into your presence so that we can rearrange our priorities. Fix our hearts on you so that we may follow Jesus into life eternal. Amen.
Leader: God is patient and kind. God waits for us and welcomes us when we come to our senses and return to our life-giving God. Receive God’s love and forgiveness, and the power to live in new ways.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
We praise you, O God, for you are the center of our lives. Even when we forget it, you are there.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. There is so much in our lives that demands our attention, our time, and our resources. Sometimes we allow these things to overwhelm us and we just don’t have time for you. The baggage of our lives becomes more important than our lives. Send your Spirit upon us once again, to settle us into your presence so that we can rearrange our priorities. Fix our hearts on you so that we may follow Jesus into life eternal.
We thank you for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us. We thank you for your presence in our lives and for your never-failing love. We thank you for those who bring your love and care to us day by day.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray to you for one another in our need. We pray for those who have forgotten or never known your sweet presence in their lives. We pray that we may faithfully be your people and your presence for them.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Tell the children that you are going to play pitch and catch. Then ask one of them to play with you. Tell that person you have something important you don’t want to lose, and ask him or her if they would hold it for you. Give them a big, empty cardboard box. Then ask if they are ready to play. Talk about how, just like you can’t play pitch and catch with your hands full, we can’t follow Jesus if we are always doing something else. Just as we need to put the box down to play catch, we need to free up time for Jesus -- time to go to church and Sunday school, to read our Bibles and pray.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
A Simple Solution
by Chris Keating
2 Kings 5:1-14
Gather ahead of time:
* a tennis ball
* a piece of cloth
* a permanent marker (like a Sharpie)
* a bottle of hand sanitizer
(As you greet the children, encourage them to gather close and place the items listed above on the floor in front of you.)
This morning we hear the story of Naaman, who was a powerful commander for the king of Aram, which was a kingdom that stretched from the mountains of Lebanon to near the Euphrates River. It was an area we now know as Syria. (Depending on the ages of the children, they may be familiar with modern Syria and all the challenges it faces today.)
But Naaman had a big, big problem. He needed someone who could help him.
Naaman suffered with a terrible skin disease that the Bible calls leprosy. Even though he was a powerful (and probably rich) leader, a very important person, Naaman didn't know where to go to find relief from the awful itching and painful sores. Everywhere he went, he couldn’t find a cure -- until he listened to a very young girl who was his wife’s servant. She told him to go to her homeland in Israel and ask a man named Elisha for help. Elisha was God’s servant, and she knew he could help Naaman.
It’s interesting that in this story it’s not the people in power who can help Naaman. He is rich and important, but only a young girl can help him find healing.
But when Naaman goes to Israel, he isn’t impressed by Elisha. In fact, Elisha doesn’t even come out to meet him! Instead, he sends a message to Naaman to go and wash himself in the Jordan River. Naaman is mad that Elisha doesn’t come out to see him. And he thinks that Elisha’s idea isn’t very good. Compared to the great rivers back home in Aram, the Jordan was a dinky little creek. This doesn’t sound like a good idea at all. How could this little river help?
Naaman doesn’t understand that sometimes the biggest problems have simple solutions. All we need to do is trust in God to help us.
(As the children think about that, pick up the tennis ball. Remind them that there are many ways to use a tennis ball. You can throw it for your dog to chase. You can try to squeeze it and use it as a “stress ball”; you can play catch with a friend. You can even use it to play tennis! But who knew that you can use a tennis ball to remove a scuff mark from a tile floor? It works! Just ask the janitor! You rub the tennis ball over the scuff mark on the floor and -- voila! The mark disappears!)
Sometimes the best solutions are so simple we think they won’t work.
Another example: if you ever make a mistake and use a permanent marker on a piece of cloth, there is a chance that something as simple as hand sanitizer will remove the stain. (As you demonstrate this, remind the kids that you are not giving them permission to write on clothing using permanent markers!) Someone discovered this when their child spilled a little hand sanitizer on a cloth name tag. As they cleaned it up, their name disappeared!
When the powerful Naaman had a problem, the only person who could help him was a young girl who didn’t have much power. She told him about the prophet of God, who helped him find healing. While God healed Naaman, he needed to rely on the help of others, including the young girl. Sometimes the best solutions are so simple that we don’t think they can work.
It’s a reminder that even children can help others find God’s love. Even simple actions can help. (Conclude with a prayer that encourages the children to tell others about the love of God.)
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, July 3, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 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 or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Robin Lostetter points out that the real underlying issues are Naaman’s stubbornness and initial inability to KISS (Keep It Simple) -- all because he let his pride and ego get in the way. Robin notes that like Naaman, we too usually look for the complicated solution -- and assume that we have to grease the skids with material goods -- when all we usually have to do is to, as the adage puts it, “let go and let God.” This theme is also echoed in the gospel text, where Jesus counsels the disciples to dispense with material goods (“carry no purse, no bag, no sandals”) as they go out to spread the message of the kingdom. Taken together, Robin tells us, these stories remind us that in order to take meaningful action we must keep things simple and dispense with our baggage -- whether it’s material goods or the psychological and spiritual baggage that often limits our thinking and our responses. And as Robin suggests, a glaring example in current headlines of letting pride and other considerations prevent simple actions that might contribute to our healing is Congress’ unwillingness to pass (or in the House, even to allow a vote on) mild gun control measures that polls indicate the public overwhelmingly supports. In the wake of the Orlando shootings, the responses of those frustrated by this static state of affairs has escalated -- first Rep. Jim Himes walked out on the House’s moment of silence for the Orlando victims, then Sen. Chris Murphy engaged in a filibuster to force Senate votes on four pieces of gun control legislation. But matters went to a new level when several congresspersons -- including legendary civil rights figure John Lewis -- engaged in a sit-in on the House floor. When House Speaker Paul Ryan responded by suspending the session and shutting off cameras, the protesters used cellphone video and social media to livestream the proceedings. While matters remain unresolved at the moment as the House is in recess until after the July 4 holiday, Robin suggests that this may be an opportune time to reflect on the broader paradigm in our lives of whether we’re open to taking simple actions that might offer some healing -- and to consider whether we’re willing to discard the baggage we need to in order to take those actions... and to effectively proclaim the gospel.
Team member Mary Austin shares some additional thoughts on this week’s Galatians text and Paul’s call for Christian unity as well as restoration in a spirit of gentleness -- a sentiment that seems sorely lacking given the deep divisions revealed by the results of Great Britain’s “Brexit” referendum. As both Britain and the world deal with the financial and geopolitical implications of the vote, it seems that there has been a rise in hard feelings -- and the general atmosphere appears to have parallels to the roiling passions raised by the presidential campaign here in America. As Mary notes, Paul points the way toward a Christian community where we “bear one another’s burdens” rather than blaming one another -- where we look to support one another rather than looking down on those who we define as “others” and trying to exclude them from our civic life.
KISS
by Robin Lostetter
2 Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Naaman didn’t know the familiar acronym KISS -- which for our purposes stands for “Keep It Simple, Servant!” Washing seven times in the Jordan just didn’t match his image of a cure for his leprosy. No one else had a cure, and simple washing had never accomplished it -- so how could washing in this paltry river in Israel do anything?
How many times have we imagined or actually created complicated plans to achieve a goal? And when we are presented with a simple solution by someone else, we are first startled, and then sometimes defensive about our beautiful design? How could one simple step -- one brief effort... one move -- accomplish the intricate pattern we have devised?
And then someone breaks into our ego fantasy and reminds us to KISS -- Keep It Simple!
Perhaps “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” is the Hebrew equivalent of KISS.
Perhaps KISS is what Congress needed to be told last week. Was that the message of the House sit-in? Is that the message of the myriad social media memes and constituent communications? “We don’t care how you do it, just limit the sale of assault weapons and demand background checks! KISS! (Keep It Simple, Senators!)”
In the Scriptures
Oh Naaman, Naaman! Why must you put stumbling blocks ahead of your healing? Why go off in a rage? Listen to your servants: “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” (2 Kings 5:13).
You can just hear those servants “managing” their superior. They’re being careful and rational about it because, after all, our text says he’s in a rage. And when Naaman calms down and listens to them, he does go down to the Jordan to follow the very simple instructions -- and “his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean” (v. 14). Success!
Sadly, our lectionary reading doesn’t take us to Naaman’s response to the healing. In fact, only one sentence of his response shows up in any lectionary reading, and that not until this October. But I think it is important to note that verses 15-19 show a remarkable change of heart in Naaman. Not only is he converted to the God of Israel, but he is granted a pardon or peace for bowing down to the king’s false god, Rimmon, when Naaman assists the king of Aram:
Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.” But [Elisha] said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” [Naaman] urged him to accept, but [Elisha] refused. Then Naaman said, “If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord. But may the Lord pardon your servant on one count: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I do bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant on this one count.” He said to him, “Go in peace.”
So the successful healing and the successful conversion both came about after Naaman left his ego and stubbornness behind, listened to his servants’ message of KISS, and submitted to the words of Yahweh’s prophet Elisha.
Similarly, the 70 that Jesus sends out in Luke 10 must shed physical burdens, their dietary customs, and possibly their keeping to the Holiness Codes if they are to heal the sick. There will be little time for ritual bathing between touching the sick bodies.
They are given very simple instructions: to greet families with peace, to accommodate to the family’s culture if they are welcomed, to heal, and to proclaim. There is nothing in these instructions about the 70 themselves -- no ego trip, no complicated “if/then” instructions besides finding a welcoming house. There’s no table setting with three forks, two knives, four spoons -- nothing complicated about the meals. There’s nothing about proper clothing, or anecdotes to start a conversation, or what day of the week they’re likely to be most receptive, or taking change for the parking meter -- not even a water bottle or sandals! And just as in last week’s reading, the mission is urgent -- do not stop along the way and chit-chat. No greetings along the road. You have your mission, now “go on your way”!
In the News
Oh Congress, Congress! Why must you put partisan stumbling blocks ahead of the good of the people? Why go off in a rage? Listen to your constituents, not your SuperPACs.
When “92% of voters, including 92% of gun owners and 86% of Republicans, support background checks prior to all gun sales,” one wonders why that simple change can’t be made without all the amendments and “what-ifs” and exceptions and protections that both houses of Congress had to add to such legislation. The why is complicated, of course, and political. And until those political, financial, and emotional reasons are dealt with and/or eliminated, there will continue to be a disconnect between the will of the people and the action of Congress.
Despite a filibuster, a sit-in, and the stance (that is catching on nationwide) that a moment of silence is a good but insufficient response to killings -- all prompted by the record-breaking slaughter in Orlando -- Congress remained stubbornly unwilling to set aside ego, partisan politics, and financial indebtedness to seek the simple solutions before them. KISS -- “Keep it Simple, Senate and House!” The people of your country are nearly of one mind; your servants are speaking: step out of your rage, and take the simple steps before you. And yet healing in this land seems far off.
Mr. and Ms. Smith now go to Washington with more baggage than one luggage cart can carry. Let’s hope that when they return next week that they will have listened to the people and will have left a few pieces behind. At least call for a vote -- and at best, pass reasonable gun legislation in tune with the desires of the majority of the people.
In the Sermon
Since the Luke passage is Jesus’ exhortation to his missionary preachers, I’d like to defer to Lutheran bishop Michael Rinehart’s comments on our Luke 10 passage, and address myself and my colleagues:
Travel lightly. This will preach. It is best to travel lightly in life as well. Jesus warns of the lure of materialism. What does it profit you to gain the world, but lose your soul? Parables like the man who built barns warn us that life is more than the accumulation of things.
I keep thinking about my growing library of books, which I had to pack up in boxes and move when I accepted a new call. In time, they became a burden. I began to thin out my collection, realizing many of the books were never used, once read, and some were out-of-date.
We, who have invested our lives in ministry, have to remember there’s no “stuff” that will make this work. It is the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in us that accomplishes the ministry. “Let the Spirit do the heavy lifting,” one professor said to me.
Luke 10 adds the comment about not talking to people along the way. Parsons [Mikeal C. Parsons, Luke (Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament)] sees this as a time-saving measure. Oriental greetings could be quite long. The 70 were to have a clear focus and mission. Don’t lollygag. Get to work. This brings to mind the saying about not looking back once you’ve set your hand to the plow and also the angel’s comment after the Ascension: “Why do you just stand there staring up into heaven.” Get to work.
The instructions to the 70 in chapter 10 of Luke mirror the instructions to the 12 in chapter 9, where they’re told to “take no staff, bag, money, or tunic”; “whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there”; and “if they do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” This seems to be Jesus’ standard set of instructions for itinerant missionaries, not just a whim. Perhaps we should listen to him.
In order to be able to proclaim the gospel without our “stuff” getting in the way, to respond to people where they are, pastors -- even as sheep among wolves -- must travel light.
But what do we say from the pulpit to those with whom we minister? It’s the same with them, as Christians sharing the gospel -- it’s about the gospel, not about them. But even in a larger context, in order to act without expending useless energy on self-oriented stubbornness, beliefs, habits, and accumulated stuff to protect, we need to consider KISS as a motto when we begin to feel frustrated and blocked.
It may simply boil down to idolatry... idolatry of self, idolatry of everything that we count higher than our health, our relationships with others, and our relationship with God.
This little meme that showed up on Facebook may sum it up for Naaman and for us: “Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.” Or a corollary: “Don’t cling to material accumulations, just because you spent a lot of money getting them.”
Even Naaman was able to change, to take the simple step to healing, and to admit that the prophet’s word and the prophet’s God were good.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Mary Austin
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
Paul calls us to a spirit of harmony in community, which is difficult work. As Christians, we are assured of God’s spirit guiding our efforts -- but in the world of politics, lawmakers don’t have quite the same motivation or guidance. The “Brexit” vote in Great Britain has revealed deep divisions in public life, separations paralleled in the U.S. presidential race.
Free from the burdens of national politics, Paul makes a strong case for unity as he writes to the Galatian church. “Bear one another’s burdens,” he urges. He’s nudging them toward the kind of interweaving that makes a strong community of faith, where people care for one another without keeping score.
Elisabeth Johnson observes that “Galatians 6:11-18 is not the only postscript Paul writes in his own handwriting (e.g., 1 Corinthians 16:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:17), but it is the longest. Instead of including the usual greetings, Paul returns again to the main themes of his letter.... In speaking of the world (kosmos) here, Paul does not mean the created universe, but rather the ‘present evil age’ (1:4). It is the world in which ‘weak and beggarly elemental spirits’ (4:9) still enslave, the world in which barriers between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female still divide (3:28). Paul must still contend with this world, but lives in a ‘crucified’ relationship to it. He recognizes that it is passing away, for in the death and resurrection of Christ, a new creation has shattered the old order.” Paul can see beyond the current day to this rich hope of connection between people.
In our political life, many want to move in the other direction. Rising tensions about immigration have played a part in the U.S. presidential race, and are not unique to America. Stephen Marche argues in Esquire that Britain’s vote to depart from the European Union (EU) is a vote for separation and against unity: “Brexit is the first major victory for the rising xenophobia that is sweeping the world, which has already overtaken the Republican party in America, and which has gathered significant support in almost every major democracy. We have to face up to an ugly truth about the world as it is: The hatred of difference is winning.”
In Britain, the generations see the benefits of unity differently, and the vote divided along interesting generational lines. The same Esquire article comments: “The old people of England -- and the Leave supporters were overwhelmingly elderly and rural -- have denied their children a passport to 27 countries. Seventy-five percent of voters under 25 wanted to stay.” There are divisions even within Britain itself. The New York Times reports that Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the Union (as did the city of London). Those countries may now choose to separate from England rather than from the EU. Northern Ireland shares a porous border with Ireland, which is part of the EU.
Anti-immigrant sentiment fueled the “Leave” campaign, as people sought economic gain and voted their worries about security. But shared lives are not so easily untangled. Post-win, some promises will be difficult to keep: “Promises to quickly reduce immigration levels are also being played down. Migration was the cornerstone of the Leave campaign, which objected to the European Union’s insistence on the free movement of labor, capital, goods, and services. Since 2004, when 10 more countries joined the European Union, large numbers of eastern and southern Europeans have moved to Britain for work.” The campaign, much like politics in the U.S., “effectively stoked fears of an immigrant influx to garner support, and the baiting of refugees was further fanned by concerns about terrorism, the influential euroskeptic tabloid press, and by the far-right, which attributed Britain’s economic problems to immigration. They also conflated legal immigrants to Britain from Europe with refugees from Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere, portraying them as storming the country’s shores and threatening the country’s economy and security.” Many fear increased violence against immigrants, both legal and illegal, and intolerance for foreign workers in England.
Christian unity begins with the belief that all of us are equal in the realm of God. Seeking that kind of accord among Catholics, Pope Francis said recently that “Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should seek forgiveness from homosexuals for the way they had treated them.”
Blogger Jan Edmiston, who was recently elected co-moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), writes about our human impulses toward division, asking “Why are we quick to believe that someone on the other side of the theological fence is evil? Why do we spread half-truths about people? Why do we take words out of context in order to create a better story? Why do we presuppose that someone we don’t like or don’t know has said/thought/done something vile without knowing what we’re talking about?” Instead, as Paul urges, we might try to “restore one another,” trying the spirit of gentleness he commends.
Our human desire for security and status, and our need for importance, all move us to look out for ourselves. We mistrust one another. We see our own needs before those of others. World events remind us that community -- whether national or spiritual -- is hard to create on our own. It is beyond the reach of human power, although Paul calls us to work toward it. It’s God’s claim on all of us that pushes us together. Our better impulses move us toward harmony, guided by God’s unifying spirit.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Chris Keating:
2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman, the Powerful Refugee
Naaman served the king of Aram, which is essentially modern-day Syria. Although Naaman was a powerful military leader, he had to flee his home country in order to find relief -- a situation somewhat akin to the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have been exiled from their homeland in search of freedom.
Like Naaman, these refugees are suffering. The world has been moved by the pictures and stories of these refugees. But as the world’s leaders work to find solutions to the large problem of displaced persons, one mother from California found a simple way to bring hope and relief to refugees in their often peril-filled journeys.
As she was working at a refugee camp in Athens, Cristal Logothetis spotted a 10-year-old boy struggling to carry a baby. The boy acted tough, assuming what Logothetis presumed was the role of patriarch among a crowd of women and smaller children. She knew his job would be easier with a baby carrier, and so she convinced the boy to give it a try. He soon discovered that this simple solution would make his life easier.
When she returned to California, Logothetis initiated a funding campaign to buy baby carriers for refugees. By November 2015, Logothetis and friends had delivered more than 3,000 baby carriers for refugees. “We all have a responsibility to help out on this planet,” she says, almost echoing the intent of the servant girl who told Naaman to seek healing from Elisha. “Everybody has their own calling and [if] we each embrace it... this would be a much smaller world.”
*****
2 Kings 5:1-14
Healing after Brexit?
Naaman’s experience of healing and transformation may provide a helpful and hope-filled opportunity to reflect on Great Britain’s need for healing following the divisive vote last week to leave the European Union.
The so-called “Brexit” vote has left England and other nations perplexed about the future. As commentator Peter Apps noted, “As you drive across Southeast England, you don’t even have to talk to anyone to see the depth of anger and division the EU referendum has released. In gardens, by roadsides, and on farmland, huge pro-‘leave’ banners read: ‘We want our country back.’ ” The painful debate has divided the nation, but Apps says what both sides have missed is the sense that voters are trying to navigate uncertain waters: “What both sides seem to have lost sight of, however, is that most voters are reasonable, largely admirable people trying to make a tough decision in an imperfect world in which it’s impossible to know the consequences of jumping either way.” Like Naaman, perhaps voters are perplexed and uncertain how to choose a solution to bring healing and transformation.
*****
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
Carrying Each Other’s Burdens
Paul provides the faith community with explicit instructions regarding the roles mutual forbearance, forgiveness, and bearing each other’s burdens have in sustaining faithful community.
A recent decision by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) demonstrates what this could mean across an entire denomination. When Kris Schondelmeyer was a young man in Missouri, he was sexually assaulted by a chaperone at a national Presbyterian event. The abuse, perpetrated by a leader who was known to have a history of inappropriate behavior, created a burden that remained with Schondelmeyer for many years. After his ordination, he became aware of the repressed memories and began an effort to improve child protection policies across the church.
Last week, the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved comprehensive policies to protect children, youth, and adults. Commissioners heard Schondelmeyer’s emotional testimony, and responded by approving actions to protect the most vulnerable.
But what happened next was truly amazing. After the vote, Rev. Gradye Parsons, the PCUSA’s stated clerk, stepped to the podium and offered a public apology to Schondelmeyer on behalf of the entire denomination. “I offer a public apology for how hard it was to find justice,” Parsons said. “I offer our commitment that his child and my grandchild will be safe.”
Carrying each other’s burdens fulfills the law of Christ -- and is a remarkable step toward creating sacred community.
***************
From team member Ron Love:
2 Kings 5:1-14 / Independence Day
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks got on the Cleveland Avenue bus in Montgomery, Alabama, at the Court Square by the Empire Theater. She refused to sit in the back of the bus, where people of color were assigned. Because of her defiance two policemen came on the bus, arrested her, and took Parks to jail. It has been reported that Parks was too tired to move to the back of the bus, but in reality she was an active member of the NAACP and her protest was planned. In response to her actions Rosa Parks said, “I was brought up to believe in freedom and equality and that God designs all of his children to be free.”
Application: Independence Day carries the message that we should have courage for the causes we believe in. Kings informs us to have the courage of Elisha to stand our ground with our beliefs.
*****
2 Kings 5:1-14
With the recent death of Muhammad Ali, the Nation of Islam (which Ali joined in 1964) is back in the news. Its current leader, Louis Farrakhan, is a controversial individual who has led the group away from its origins. Farrakhan has repeatedly asserted that he has visited a great wheel in space which he has nicknamed “Allah’s calling card.” Farrakhan believes that this great wheel hovers above the United States, poised to annihilate the nation for its evil deeds. Because of Farrakhan’s radical beliefs, Muhammad Ali left the organization and became an orthodox Muslim who remained true to the teachings of the Quran.
Application: Naaman needed some discretion to understand the truth of Elisha.
*****
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
At the World Youth Day held in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, Pope Francis set forth a reversal of a doctrinal stance established by Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul was opposed to liberation theology, which is an exodus theology where people gain freedom, independence, and equality. Liberation theology began in South America, and moved to the United States as black theology. Pope John Paul opposed liberation theology because he believed that it was too similar to communism. John Paul grew up in Poland under a communist regime, and he was sensitive to any manifestation of a communist doctrine. Under Pope John Paul, any priest who practiced liberation theology could not be promoted, or was transferred to Rome where he could no longer be a parish priest. Pope Francis recognized the importance of liberation theology, and once again introduced it at the World Youth Day.
Application: Paul cautions us to be sure to know what we believe.
*****
Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16
Louis Farrakhan, the current leader of the Nation of Islam (colloquially known as the “Black Muslims”), promotes the stereotype of Jews being warmongers who seek world domination. One of the ways the Jews are doing this, according to Farrakhan, is by controlling the movies that are made in Hollywood. Farrakhan said, “The Jewish people have said that Hollywood is theirs. Can any of you deny that they are the masters of Hollywood, where sex, lesbianism, homosexuality, and violence are promoted?” Muhammad Ali left the organization and became an orthodox Muslim who remained true to the teachings of the Quran -- and who quietly rejected Farrakhan’s radical beliefs.
Application: Ali understood that he was going to be judged by his own faith and works.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 / Independence Day
John F. Kennedy was once asked by a reporter how he became a war hero. Jesting, Kennedy responded, “It was involuntary. They sank my boat.” The sinking of PT-109 could not have been prevented; but leading his men to safety and rescue demanded leadership and courage. This event was captured in the movie PT-109, starring Cliff Robertson as Kennedy. In the movie Robertson, as Kennedy, encourages his crew to swim to safety on Plum Pudding Island, which is a part of the Solomon Islands. One sailor protests that the island is 12 miles away... to which Robertson replies, “It’s only three inches on the chart.”
Application: Independence Day demonstrates the courage to go three inches on the chart; Luke informs us to have the courage to walk the three inches to each village and town.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
My first appointment out of seminary in the mid-1970s was to Lawrenceville United Methodist Church, an inner-city congregation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was instructed by the bishop to close the church due to a lack of members and finances to support the building. In two years the keys were surrendered to a black Baptist congregation. Over the century since the church was established, the neighborhood became both primarily white Roman Catholic and black Baptist. The church failed to establish an interfaith and integrated ministry, and thus ceased to exist. Reflecting on this closure, the bishop said he would never again lose another church property in the city. (Note: You can personalize this story by introducing it with the phrase “A friend told me...”)
Application: When we go out in pairs to evangelize, we are to go to all people -- not just those of our own culture and ethnic group.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Pope Francis has said that the problem with the church today is that we are “small-minded.” The pope said we lock ourselves up in small things and small-minded rules. Instead, the pope believes we need to reintroduce that “the most important thing is first the proclamation that Jesus Christ has saved you.” The pope said that we have lost “the freshness and fragrance of the gospel.”
Application: When we go forth to the towns and villages, we are to once again reintroduce the freshness and fragrance of the gospel.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) is the smallest mainline Protestant denomination, with 252,000 members. Yet the number of evangelicals to members ranks it as having the highest percentage of any Christian denomination. The reason for this, according to CRC spokesman Rodger Rice, is that the CRC people are nourished. Rice said undernourished Christians do not give money and participate in missions. Rice concluded, “Generosity is just a natural outcome of spiritual health.”
Application: Those who Jesus selected and sent forth were nourished.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Everyone in the village believed Pendle Hill was haunted by demons. In 1652 George Fox courageously walked up that hill to exorcise Satan and call for the saints in the name of Christ. While in prayer a vision appeared before Fox, which he described as “a people in white raiment, coming to the Lord.” The vision signified that proclaiming Christ’s power over sin would gather people to the kingdom. And it did. By 1660 Fox had 50,000 followers. At first they called themselves “children of the light,” “publishers of Truth,” or “the camp of the Lord.” Gradually they came to prefer the term “Friends,” in accord with Jesus’ words recorded in John 15:14 -- “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Today the group is often referred to as the “Quakers.”
Application: The 70 sent forth by Jesus had the courage to walk up Pendle Hill.
*****
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
In a Bizarro comic, a woman is standing at a counter buying a bottle of wine. As she makes her purchase, the clerk says, “And can I get your e-mail address where we can send you reminders three times a week that we sell wine?” (Note: If your sanctuary has a projection screen, you may want to display this comic.)
Application: Enough is enough. Remember Jesus di say there is a time when it becomes necessary to dust the dirt off our sandals.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Sing praises to God, O you faithful ones.
People: Give thanks to God’s holy name.
Leader: God’s anger is but for a moment.
People: God’s favor is for a lifetime.
Leader: You, O God, have turned our mourning into dancing.
People: We shall praise and give thanks to you forever.
OR
Leader: The God who is always present calls us together.
People: We come to seek God’s blessing and our wholeness.
Leader: God’s grace is offered if we will only seek it.
People: We have come to still our hearts and seek our God.
Leader: God welcomes us and all creation.
People: Thanks be to our gracious God!
Hymns and Sacred Songs
“Ye Servants of God”
found in:
UMH: 181
H82: 535
PH: 477
NCH: 305
CH: 110
LBW: 252
W&P: 112
“Lift High the Cross”
found in:
UMH: 159
H82: 473
PH: 371
AAHH: 242
NCH: 198
CH: 108
LBW: 377
ELA: 660
W&P: 287
Renew: 297
“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”
found in:
UMH: 206
H82: 490
ELA: 815
W&P: 248
Renew: 152
“Take Time to Be Holy”
found in:
UMH: 395
NNBH: 306
CH: 572
W&P: 483
AMEC: 286
“Jesus Calls Us”
found in:
UMH: 398
H82: 549, 550
NNBH: 183
NCH: 171, 172
CH: 337
LBW: 494
ELA: 696
W&P: 345
AMEC: 238
“Every Time I Feel the Spirit”
found in:
UMH: 404
PH: 315
AAHH: 325
NNBH: 485
NCH: 282
CH: 592
W&P: 481
STLT: 208
“O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”
found in:
UMH: 430
H82: 659, 660
PH: 357
NNBH: 445
NCH: 503
CH: 602
LBW: 492
ELA: 818
W&P: 589
AMEC: 299
“All I Need Is You”
found in:
CCB: 100
“Sanctuary”
found in:
CCB: 87
Renew: 185
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who has told us what is right and good: Grant us the wisdom to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come into your presence, O God, seeking life and blessing. We come to be reminded of what we already know -- that you are always with us and simply ask us to be just, merciful, and to humbly walk with you. Help us to be mindful of this. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially our failure to let go of the things that hold us back from being better disciples.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. There is so much in our lives that demands our attention, our time, and our resources. Sometimes we allow these things to overwhelm us and we just don’t have time for you. The baggage of our lives becomes more important than our lives. Send your Spirit upon us once again, to settle us into your presence so that we can rearrange our priorities. Fix our hearts on you so that we may follow Jesus into life eternal. Amen.
Leader: God is patient and kind. God waits for us and welcomes us when we come to our senses and return to our life-giving God. Receive God’s love and forgiveness, and the power to live in new ways.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord’s Prayer)
We praise you, O God, for you are the center of our lives. Even when we forget it, you are there.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. There is so much in our lives that demands our attention, our time, and our resources. Sometimes we allow these things to overwhelm us and we just don’t have time for you. The baggage of our lives becomes more important than our lives. Send your Spirit upon us once again, to settle us into your presence so that we can rearrange our priorities. Fix our hearts on you so that we may follow Jesus into life eternal.
We thank you for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us. We thank you for your presence in our lives and for your never-failing love. We thank you for those who bring your love and care to us day by day.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray to you for one another in our need. We pray for those who have forgotten or never known your sweet presence in their lives. We pray that we may faithfully be your people and your presence for them.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord’s Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children’s Sermon Starter
Tell the children that you are going to play pitch and catch. Then ask one of them to play with you. Tell that person you have something important you don’t want to lose, and ask him or her if they would hold it for you. Give them a big, empty cardboard box. Then ask if they are ready to play. Talk about how, just like you can’t play pitch and catch with your hands full, we can’t follow Jesus if we are always doing something else. Just as we need to put the box down to play catch, we need to free up time for Jesus -- time to go to church and Sunday school, to read our Bibles and pray.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
A Simple Solution
by Chris Keating
2 Kings 5:1-14
Gather ahead of time:
* a tennis ball
* a piece of cloth
* a permanent marker (like a Sharpie)
* a bottle of hand sanitizer
(As you greet the children, encourage them to gather close and place the items listed above on the floor in front of you.)
This morning we hear the story of Naaman, who was a powerful commander for the king of Aram, which was a kingdom that stretched from the mountains of Lebanon to near the Euphrates River. It was an area we now know as Syria. (Depending on the ages of the children, they may be familiar with modern Syria and all the challenges it faces today.)
But Naaman had a big, big problem. He needed someone who could help him.
Naaman suffered with a terrible skin disease that the Bible calls leprosy. Even though he was a powerful (and probably rich) leader, a very important person, Naaman didn't know where to go to find relief from the awful itching and painful sores. Everywhere he went, he couldn’t find a cure -- until he listened to a very young girl who was his wife’s servant. She told him to go to her homeland in Israel and ask a man named Elisha for help. Elisha was God’s servant, and she knew he could help Naaman.
It’s interesting that in this story it’s not the people in power who can help Naaman. He is rich and important, but only a young girl can help him find healing.
But when Naaman goes to Israel, he isn’t impressed by Elisha. In fact, Elisha doesn’t even come out to meet him! Instead, he sends a message to Naaman to go and wash himself in the Jordan River. Naaman is mad that Elisha doesn’t come out to see him. And he thinks that Elisha’s idea isn’t very good. Compared to the great rivers back home in Aram, the Jordan was a dinky little creek. This doesn’t sound like a good idea at all. How could this little river help?
Naaman doesn’t understand that sometimes the biggest problems have simple solutions. All we need to do is trust in God to help us.
(As the children think about that, pick up the tennis ball. Remind them that there are many ways to use a tennis ball. You can throw it for your dog to chase. You can try to squeeze it and use it as a “stress ball”; you can play catch with a friend. You can even use it to play tennis! But who knew that you can use a tennis ball to remove a scuff mark from a tile floor? It works! Just ask the janitor! You rub the tennis ball over the scuff mark on the floor and -- voila! The mark disappears!)
Sometimes the best solutions are so simple we think they won’t work.
Another example: if you ever make a mistake and use a permanent marker on a piece of cloth, there is a chance that something as simple as hand sanitizer will remove the stain. (As you demonstrate this, remind the kids that you are not giving them permission to write on clothing using permanent markers!) Someone discovered this when their child spilled a little hand sanitizer on a cloth name tag. As they cleaned it up, their name disappeared!
When the powerful Naaman had a problem, the only person who could help him was a young girl who didn’t have much power. She told him about the prophet of God, who helped him find healing. While God healed Naaman, he needed to rely on the help of others, including the young girl. Sometimes the best solutions are so simple that we don’t think they can work.
It’s a reminder that even children can help others find God’s love. Even simple actions can help. (Conclude with a prayer that encourages the children to tell others about the love of God.)
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, July 3, 2016, issue.
Copyright 2016 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 or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
