Monday, November 24, 2014

Journey of Generosity: Philosophy of Abundance


November 23rd, 2014                                                                    Rev. Heather Jepsen
“Journey of Generosity: Philosophy of Abundance"
Matthew 25:31-46
          Today we continue our Journey of Generosity together.  We have spent this month gathering around Jesus’ teaching in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s gospel and wondering how God might be calling us to share who we are and what we have with the world around us.  We have been considering the question, “Lord, what would you do through me?” and today we get a pretty clear answer.
          As you know, the setting for our reading is Jesus teaching the disciples on the Mount of Olives.  This is part of a larger discourse about eschatology or the end times.  Jesus has been telling the disciples what to do while they await his return.  The parable of the 10 bridesmaids reminded us that we need to keep busy with the works of faith while we wait.  The parable of the talents from last Sunday reminded us that we need to get out in the world and take risks with the blessings that God has given us.  This morning’s reading challenges us to approach the world with a philosophy of abundance.
          Found only in the gospel of Matthew, this text is not a parable like our other readings rather it is an apocalyptic vision of the last judgment.  The Son of Man has come in glory and now sits enthroned before the nations.  The people gather at the king’s feet and are separated into two groups, the sheep and the goats.  Both groups are separated based on their treatment of others and people in both groups are surprised at how they personally ended up in either the good camp or the bad camp.  The sheep are welcomed into the promised kingdom, the goats are sent away to eternal punishment.
          This is one of those tried and true texts that we have heard many times here in church and it can be a challenge for a pastor to find something new to say about this story.  But, despite our familiarity with the text, I believe there are still some challenges and opportunities for fresh insight wrapped up inside this familiar reading.
          First of all, just who is this being judged?  Lots of commentators have struggled with the “all the nations” (panta ta ethne) in verse 32.  The word used for nations (ethne) is often used to describe all the folks who are not of Israel, namely the Gentiles.  And the word used for little ones (mikroi) could refer just to the followers of Jesus, the disciples sent out in his name.  A common exegesis, or interpretation, of this passage has come to say that this is not the judgment of the followers of Jesus.  Rather, it is a story of the judgment of all other people, and those folks will be judged on how they have responded to the followers of Christ who are in need.
          I have to tell you, I think that’s a cop out.  Saying that we will be judged only on faith and others will be judged only on actions related to us does not feel right to me.  Nope, I am afraid I come from the camp which assumes Jesus is telling this story to all of us, not everyone but us.
          So if we reject that interpretation, than we have to face the other question “isn’t this then just judgment based on works?” because it sure looks that way.  And if it is, it totally goes against a lot of Paul’s writings as well as our favorite reformation slogan, “justified by grace through faith.”  This sure looks a lot like works righteousness.  If I do the right thing then I will get into heaven.  But of course, the folks who got in didn’t seem to know they were doing the right thing so maybe that too doesn’t work after all.
          In fact, no one seems to understand why they are on the side they are on.  Both the sheep and the goats stand there looking at the king with their mouths open, wondering how they ever managed to find themselves on the good or bad side of Christ’s judgment.  As I asked in the lectionary reading group this week, “why bother?”  If I can’t do anything to get in, or do anything to get out, “why bother?”  If we understand this text as a literal view of our future judgment, than we will have to throw a lot of our theology out of the window.
          But that in turn begs the question, “When is Christ ever speaking literally?”  What if this isn’t a literal picture of the judgment at the end of things, what if this is simply a vehicle for ethical instruction?  What if this is simply a story to catch our attention, to get our gears spinning, to call us to account for the ways we live our lives in this world with each other?  What if we thought of this as a diagnostic tool rather than a prescription; a diagnostic tool to tell us how we’re doing, rather than a prescription to tell us what to do?
          What I think Jesus is laying out here are two different ways of living, two different ways of approaching the world.  One way is to put the needs of others before our own, and one way is to put our own needs before the needs of others.  It’s that simple.  Will we live with a philosophy of abundance or will we live a philosophy of scarcity?  How we choose to live will determine the world we experience.
          People that live with a philosophy of abundance are people who live as if there is enough.  There is enough in the world to go around; enough energy, enough time, enough food, and yes, enough money.  If I have a philosophy of abundance, then I believe I can give away 5% or even 10% of my income to the church and know that I will continue to be OK.  It’s a belief in abundance, there is enough to go around.  And if I have a philosophy of abundance, than I can give of my time to the church and to service in the community and still take a Sabbath at home where I can do nothing but sit on the couch with my kids.  There is an abundance of time.  If I believe that there is enough time to do the things that matter, than there will be enough time.  What needs to get done will get done, and what doesn’t get done doesn’t need to get done.
But if I have a philosophy of scarcity, then things look a lot different.  If I believe there is not enough money than I will hold on to my money very tightly.  I will fret and fret over a 1% donation of my income.  I can’t afford it, there won’t be enough, I need every penny I earn for myself.  And if I believe there is not enough time in the day, then I will horde the time I have.  I cannot help at the church or the Food Center, I am too busy, there is not enough time.  This is a philosophy of scarcity.
What if it is our philosophy which divides us in the end, rather than a judgment from our Lord?  If I approach the world with clenched fists, holding on to what is mine,  I will experience a world of missed opportunities.  I will be shut out, not because God has shut me out, but because I have shut myself out through my own belief in the scarcity of resources.  I will not be at church, for the blessing of worship and friendship.  I will not experience the warmth of giving, because I have held on so tightly to my money.  I will not be involved in the work of the church because I do not have the time or money to be involved.  If I do that, than I have shut myself out of the kingdom of God.  I have locked myself into a place of eternal loneliness.  I have missed opportunities to interact with others in love.  If I approach the world with a philosophy of scarcity, than that is the world that I will experience.
But, if I approach the world with open hands, then I will experience the abundance of the kingdom of God.  If I give of my time and energy to the church I will be blessed by the friendships here and I will experience the presence of God as we gather together in worship.  If I give my money away, I will know the joy of sharing and my faith will deepen as I learn to trust in God to provide.  If I approach the world, believing that there is enough for me and for everyone else, believing that God will provide and sharing what I have been blessed with, than the world I experience will be a world of abundance.  I will have the time and energy and opportunity to interact with the hungry, the thirsty, the prisoner, and the stranger in love and I won’t even know I am doing it.
I believe that this is what God is looking for in us.  God is looking for a philosophy of abundance; a natural overflow of love and compassion in our world, sharing what we have with our neighbors here in Warrensburg and with people as far away as Malawi.  God’s reign is present in acts of generosity.  This is the kingdom we are invited to.  This is the kingdom we are welcomed into.  This is the land of inheritance that has been promised since the foundation of the world, a land where there is enough to go around, a philosophy of abundance.
          I believe that we are not divided by God based on actions that we take.  I believe that we divide ourselves based on the way that we approach the world.  Do we see a world of abundant blessings, or do we see a world of scarce resources?  This will determine our generosity.  This will determine the world we experience.
          Today we are offering our pledges for the coming year here at this church.  It is my hope and prayer that you have joined me in a philosophy of abundance.  It is my hope and prayer that like me, you have grown on this journey of generosity.  It is my hope and prayer that together we can make this a more abundant world, together we can experience the kingdom of God though the life and ministry of this church.
          This is Christ the King Sunday, and God’s reign is present in acts of mercy, deeds of love, and gifts of generosity and abundance.  May the reign of Christ, the kingdom of God, the promise of abundance be among us this day and always.  Amen.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Journey of Generosity: Risky Business

November 16th, 2014    
  Journey of Generosity: Risky Business      Rev. Heather Jepsen
Matthew 25:14-30
          This morning we are continuing our stewardship sermon series as part of our journey of generosity together.  We have been praying and asking God how God might work through us as individuals and as a church.  This morning’s scripture reading from Matthew invites us to consider taking risks in our lives of faith.
          Today’s reading continues right where we left off last week.  Jesus is with the disciples on the Mount of Olives and he has been teaching them about the end times.  Last week we studied the parable of the 10 bridesmaids, which reminded us that we need to be prepared to wait by making sure we have enough oil, or faith to get us through the lean times.  This Sunday’s parable is also concerned with what we do while we wait.
The kingdom of heaven is like a generous land owner who was headed out on a journey.  Before he left he gave extravagant gifts to his slaves, to each according to his ability.  To one slave he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one.  A talent was more than 15 years’ worth of wages.  In today’s terms, if you made about $10 an hour, then a talent would be over $300,000 dollars.  That means the slave with five talents received over 1.5 million dollars.  That’s quite the gift!
The first two slaves invest their money, doubling their return.  The last slave is afraid of the wrath of the master and so he does the only safe thing he can think of . . . he buries the money in the ground. 
          The master comes home and is pleased with the work of the first two slaves.  Both enter into the joy of their master, which seems to be some reference to heaven.  The master is upset with the last slave, who didn’t even invest the money and this slave is thrown into the outer darkness . . . not good.
          There are lots of ways to preach this parable.  The most common one of course, and one I am sure you have already heard, is to preach a sermon based on a literal reading of the word talent.  It is from the Greek word, talanta, used in this reading, that we get our modern word, talent, which has come to mean any natural gift we possess.  I have a talent for playing the harp, maybe you can sing or sew, maybe you are good with woodworking or good at fishing, maybe you can really throw a football, maybe you are great with numbers or an excellent chef.  All of us possess some talent, some gift, given to us by God. 
          The traditional sermon here is to ask you to go out and use your talent for the good of the kingdom.  Don’t hide your light under a bushel basket but put it on the lamp stand for all to see.  Find some way to harness the power of your gifts for ministry in God’s name.  If you have attended one of our stewardship small groups you received a time and talent pledge card.  Considering sharing your gifts of talent with the church is an important part of stewardship.  If you didn’t get one of these pledge cards, you can grab one from me after the service today.  Jesus encourages us to use our talents for the good of the kingdom.
          Of course, its pledge time and this morning I have another great opportunity to make you uncomfortable by talking about money.  This parable is about money after all.  Now is the time to ask you how you are investing your finances for the kingdom of God.  We all know that churches need money to function.  It is money that pays the salaries of those who work here, and money that keeps the lights on and puts that bulletin in your hand.  Now is not the time to bury your money, and your head, in the sand.  Now is the time to give extravagantly for God’s mission here at First Presbyterian Church.
Those are two great ideas, two great sermon possibilities, but I think you’ve heard them before.  You heard last week about giving money and you’ve heard about giving talents as well.  Today I really want to go another direction.  Today I want to talk about risk, faith, and the person and image of God. 
When we read this parable, it seems to us that the master going on the journey is God, or perhaps Jesus Christ.  That assumption makes good sense since this is a part of a greater discourse on what we are to do while we await Jesus’ triumphant return.  What doesn’t fit that is the part where the slave says the master is a harsh man who reaps where he does not sow.  That doesn’t sound like God.  Well I got to thinking this week, what if that isn’t really the way the master is but simply the way the slave views the master.
          Follow me here.  First of all, the master is one who understands the servants on a deep level.  He specifically gives gifts that match each servant’s ability.  That doesn’t sound like something just any master in Jesus’ time would do.  In fact I wonder how many masters even knew their slaves’ names, let alone their abilities at various tasks.  This master sounds a lot like God, who knows each one of us intimately and personally.
          Second, the master gives generous and abundant gifts.  That doesn’t sound like any earthly master I know.  We’ve already talked about the sums; this was more than a lifetime’s worth of money for any slave.  This master gives super generously and he does not say that he expects anything in return.  That sounds like God to me.
          Third, when he returns the master welcomes the slaves into his presence, putting them on a level playing field with himself.  That also doesn’t sound like an earthly master.  When he welcomes the first two slaves into his joy he is making them equal to him.  What master wants to welcome his slaves into his household like an equal?  That doesn’t sound like any earthly master I know, but it sure sounds like the welcoming nature of God to me.
          So, when we finally get to the third slave his claim that the master is a harsh man who reaps where he does not sow just doesn’t ring true.  That just isn’t the way the master has acted in the parable so far.  But it seems, if that’s the master he wants, than that is the master he gets.  And the last slave is treated harshly as he is thrown into the outer darkness.
          This got me thinking, just how do we imagine God?  I personally imagine a loving and generous God, full of grace and mercy.  I imagine a God who will forgive the mistakes I have made in the pastorate, which is more than I can say for myself.  I imagine a God who wants to entrust me with great gifts and a God that wants me to go out and risk with those gifts.  I imagine a God who longs to welcome me and everyone else into the joy of God’s company.
          But this is not the God everyone imagines.  I know quite a few people who imagine a harsh God, a judgmental God, a God who is more concerned that we get it right rather than we just get it.  I hear about this God all the time on TV and on the radio and even here in conversation in Warrensburg.  This is the God of judgment and wrath, the God of hell fire, the God who is going to throw us into the outer darkness if we don’t measure up.
          I have noticed that when I talk to people who worship this God, they often live and worship in fear.  Like the third slave, these people take their gifts from God and bury them because they are afraid of doing the wrong thing.  They are afraid of God’s wrath and so they tow the party line, even if they don’t really believe it, just so they won’t find themselves on the wrong side of this God.  This experience of faith driven by fear and guilt is a common one.
          While we can read this parable as a lesson about using our gifts or about giving our money, I think we can also read it as a lesson about how we view God.  The first two slaves thought of the master as a kind and generous master, and that is the master they experienced.  The last slave saw a harsh judge, and that is the master he experienced.  Perhaps the God we face is the one we imagine.
          If we go with that thought, then I think this parable is asking us not be afraid of God, but rather to respond to God with trust and risk.  What if the master was pleased not so much that the slaves doubled his money, but that they went out into the world and used the gifts he gave them?  I think the master was pleased that the slaves weren’t afraid of his anger but rather were willing to take risks with his gifts.  In fact, I imagine that even if they had lost the money, the master would have been pleased with their endeavors
          I think this parable challenges us to take more risks in our faith.  We have made church and faith a pretty boring thing.  It’s all about coming here on Sunday, spacing out for an hour, eating a donut, and then going home.  Where’s the fun in that?  We have forgotten that for Jesus and the early church, faith was anything but boring.
          Jesus risked everything to teach us about a generous and loving master.  We remember that when we gather around the table.  Jesus didn’t play it safe in the temple preaching about towing the party line.  No, he put himself in risky situations, got out there with the people, and paid the ultimate price.  A God who dies on the cross is not a God who avoids risks.  Likewise the early church risked life and limb to gather together in worship.
          Today our faith is all about being comfortable and that’s not right.  Your faith should challenge you to take risks, to say what you believe and to preach the gospel in our world.  This parable teaches us that God has been and will be generous with us, but God calls us to spread that generosity around in the world.  As a church, we took a risk in doing to Africa this year.  Has God not doubled our efforts, wasn’t that risk worth it?  I certainly think so.  What is the next faith risk on the horizon for our church?  And what is the next faith risk on the horizon for your life?  If you are willing to make a risk in faith, what could God do through you this year?
          Like the parable of the 10 bridesmaids, Jesus is telling us what to do while we wait for his return.  It seems to me today that this parable urges us to get out into the world and take risks with our faith.  If you believe that God is a generous and loving master who wants to welcome you into his presence, than you can take that confidence, rather than fear, out into the world in ministry.  Be willing to risk what God has given you for God’s ministry in the world.  It’s about our talents, it’s about our money, and it’s about our hearts.  Let us not be motivated by fear, but let us be motivated by love and joy.  Let us get out there and take generous risks for the gospel.  Amen.

 

Monday, November 10, 2014

Journey of Generosity: Be Prepared


November 9th, 2014        
 “Journey of Generosity: Be Prepared”     
 Rev. Heather Jepsen
Matthew 25:1-13
          Last week we finished our stories of Moses and this week we are changing gears a bit.  As you know, the church is in the season of stewardship, a time when we specifically consider how God might be calling us to give of ourselves to the church community.  As we spend a few weeks praying “God, how would you work through me?” we will be talking about Stewardship here in worship.  Luckily, the lectionary, Matthew, and our friend Jesus have three great lessons lined up for us this month. 
In our first reading of this series we find ourselves with Jesus on the Mount of Olives.  Jesus has been teaching the disciples about the end times.  He has been warning them to watch out for false Messiahs, he has been teaching them that no one can name the day or hour of his return, and he has been urging them to keep awake.  In the midst of this discourse, Jesus tells several parables which allude to the nature of the end of things, and one of these is the parable of the 10 bridesmaids.
          This is an interesting parable and one of the few sayings that is found only in Matthew’s gospel.  It is a simple story that appears to clearly lend itself to an allegorical understanding.  The kingdom of heaven is like 10 bridesmaids who go out to meet the bridegroom.  It seems clear that the bridesmaids represent the church, and this is not the first time we have heard of Jesus referred to as the bridegroom.  The maids have brought lamps which they will light for the ceremony. 
The tradition at the time was for the wedding party to gather at the home of the bride.  Here they would be entertained by her parents until the arrival of the bridegroom.  At that point, he and the bridesmaids would lead a processional to the home of his parents where the wedding ceremony would take place, as well as a party which could last for several days.
          In our story, the groom is delayed, and all the wedding party falls asleep as they wait.  When the groom arrives, the wise bridesmaids that came prepared to wait with extra lamp oil, light their lamps and are off to the party.  The foolish bridesmaids who were ill prepared have no oil left.  They ask the wise ones to share but the wise maidens refuse.  And so off the foolish maidens rush to find a place to buy oil in the middle of the night.  Of course there is no Walmart in ancient Jerusalem and the foolish bridesmaids are out of luck and delayed for some time.   Unfortunately when the foolish bridesmaids finally arrive to the party, the great feast of heaven, the doors are shut and they are shut out.  Judgment has been cast and they must now pay for their foolishness.  Jesus then warns his listeners to keep awake for they do not know when he may return.
          In the earliest days of the church it was believed that after Jesus died on the cross, he would return immediately.  That’s why we read all that stuff about believers not falling asleep or dying before he comes again.  Of course, as the years passed his time of delay grew and grew which began to make some people anxious.  The gospel of Matthew was written about 50 years after Jesus died and already people were beginning to wonder if he really was coming back at all.  That is why we find all these discourses telling us to keep watch, and stay awake.  Jesus is coming, it just might be awhile.
          Of course some 2,000 years later we have gotten pretty good at waiting.  While some Christians are convinced we are living in the end times, I think that in their hearts, most Christians probably don’t think it will happen in their lifetime.  Sure we keep a small flame of faith lit regarding the promised return of our Lord, but in general it doesn’t consume much of our attention.  Like the bridesmaids, we have our lamps ready but we have fallen asleep and there is nothing wrong with that.  In fact, this parable seems to encourage a certain comfort in waiting.  The groom is coming but we don’t need to be anxious about it, we just need to be prepared to wait for him.
          I think that in our modern Christian experience, we often have a much more direct experience of waiting for God in the little things in our lives.  While we are waiting for the final glorious day of Christ’s return, we have a more pressing sense of waiting for God to act in other spaces in our world and our personal lives.  On the big scale we are waiting for God to intervene and heal the conflicts of our world.  We are waiting for the end of war and violence, for the just distribution of the earth’s resources, and for a sense of peace and brotherhood for all humanity.  We are waiting for the kingdom to come on earth, even bit by bit.
          In our personal lives the wait can be much more trying.  We are waiting for healing from cancer for ourselves or someone we love.  We are waiting for someone we love to finally be touched by the Holy Spirit and to turn their life to Christ.  We are waiting for the Spirit to move between us and a family member to help heal a rift that threatens generations to come.  We are waiting for a word of direction regarding our future.  We are waiting for God to finally call us home.  We are waiting, waiting, waiting, for God to move in our world and in our lives.
          This is where that extra oil comes in.  We need to be prepared to wait.  If the bridesmaids represent the church than some of us have the oil we need to wait for God, and some of us don’t.  The oil is good works, faith, prayer, patience, love.  The oil is the stuff that keeps us running while we wait.  It’s your own faith practice, which is why the wise maids couldn’t share their oil with the foolish ones any more than I can give you some of my faith. 
The oil is all about going through the motions even though you don’t know the direction you are heading.  You are waiting for healing, so you keep praying for healing until it happens, that’s the oil.  You are waiting for someone to know Christ, so you keep modeling Christ like behavior daily, that’s the oil.  You are waiting for direction, and so you keep studying the word of God searching for guidance, that’s the oil.  It’s all about keeping on as you wait, instead of sitting on your haunches.  The foolish maidens thought God would show up on their terms, the wise ones knew that God arrives on God’s terms alone.
          In this season of stewardship, I can’t help but think of the important role the church plays for us as we wait.  Part of having the oil, part of being prepared to wait, is giving of our time and energies to the church.  None of us that are here this morning were here when this church first started.  We don’t know the toil and sweat of those first members, we don’t know their hopes and fears, we don’t know how they made the commitment to start this church family, but we do know their dream.  They dreamed of a Presbyterian church in Warrensburg and we are the ones who are living their dream today.
          So too, we are called to make a commitment of our resources for the church of the future.  How often do we just assume this church will be here in the future, even in our own future when we need it?  How much are we like the foolish bridesmaids who just assumed they had enough oil, or assumed someone else would take care of their problem?  Sometimes I think we say to ourselves “Sustaining the church is not my responsibility, it will just be there.”
          But, like the foolish bridesmaids, if we don’t plan ahead for the future, we will be shut out.  If we don’t take the initiative to care for the church today, we could come here in a moment of need and find the doors closed to us.  It sounds harsh, and is not something we want to think about, but it’s true.  We plan a deficit budget every year, and every year we end up spending more money than we bring in. 
Right now, in 2014 the church has spent over $20,000 more than it brought in.  And don’t think it’s from frivolous spending, you’ve seen our narrative budget, you know all of our money goes to the ministries that we need.  We just aren’t bringing in enough money to cover the costs of running our church and that’s not sustainable.  We have that $20,000 here today but it’s in your pockets and not in the offering plate.  Only a foolish bridesmaid thinks that’s not their problem.      
          The oil of our faith is what sustains us; it is what keeps us going through the difficult times of our lives.  The church is the place where we get the oil for our lamps.  Today as we gather around the communion table as a family we will be fed and nourished by the church and by our faith.  Today we will have the opportunity to refill our lamps with oil.  If we were without the church, we would be out of luck.  Sustaining the church family, helping this community of faith is an integral part of our own individual faith lives.  Jesus tells us to be prepared to wait.  And maintaining this church is an important part of that preparation.
          The reality of our faith life is that sometimes we are really on fire and sometimes we are not, but always the church is here.  Sometimes we come here and we feel God’s presence in our lives, and sometimes we come here and we feel like we are simply waiting and searching for God.  What keeps us going through that broken relationship, that cancer diagnosis, and that uncertain future are the motions of our faith.  Even when we don’t feel like praying, we pray.  Even when the Bible seems boring and irrelevant, we read it.  Even when our good works seem in vain, we do them.  Even when we don’t feel like going to church, we go.  That is the oil.  It’s about keeping that lamp lit, and keeping up the faith walk whether we feel like it that day or not.  What makes a wise bridesmaid is patience, diligence, and being prepared to wait.  And you cannot be prepared, without the church to nourish you.
          Today as any day, we are waiting.  We are waiting for God to move in our lives.  And as we wait, we don’t just sit watching; rather we keep busy with the oil of faith.  We keep praying and keep singing and keep studying and keep giving of our lives to our Lord and each other.  We keep doing what we can, giving what we are able to sustain this church community for our own times of need and for the people of the future.  That is how we keep awake and keep watch for the coming of God in our world.  My prayer today is that God would continue to sustain our efforts, and continue to sustain this church, now and always, as we continue to wait for God.  Amen.

 

Monday, November 3, 2014

Bittersweet Ending


November 2nd, 2014         “Bittersweet Ending”   Rev. Heather Jepsen
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
          This morning’s reading was in the lectionary to be read last week but I wanted to save it for today because I wanted to finish out the Moses cycle together with you.  Also, it is a perfect reading for our All Saint’s celebration as this is basically the obituary for our friend Moses.
          We have spent two and a half months here in worship telling the story of Moses.  We began with his very beginning, a small baby floating in the reeds; a kernel of hope for the people of Israel.  We studied Moses’ call, as the voice from a burning bush promised to save the people of Israel.  We marveled at the Red Sea, and wondered on what a gift it is to have friends beside us as we travel on our own wilderness journeys.  We have faced stories that made us uncomfortable like the death of the innocents at Passover, and the swift and bloody justice for the sin of the golden calf.  We have also marveled at the love of God; expressed in the sustaining gifts of manna and water, as well as in the grace of a gentle shielding as the glory of the Lord passed by. 
          It has been a wonderful and beautiful journey, full of ups and downs along the way, and today the journey comes to an end.  Today the life of Moses is over.  God calls upon Moses one last time, telling him to ascend Mount Nebo to view the Promised Land.  The Lord grants a vision to Moses, enabling him to see beyond the reach of normal human sight.  From corner to corner, North to South, East to West; Moses is able to see the entire spread of the land of promise, all of the hills and vales that the Lord God is granting to the people of Israel.  From the sweet land of Gilead to the palm trees of Jericho, Moses sees it all.
          But, there is a catch.  And here is the rub of the story, the part that makes us uncomfortable and even sad.  Moses sees the entire Promised Land but he will not enter it.  God grants him the vision, and then tells Moses that though he has seen it, he shall not cross over to it.  The time has come for Moses to die, and it is undeniably a disappointment.  Here the faithful servant of the Lord, the one who has led the people of Israel for so long, comes right to the edge of his dream and mission, and seems to die unfulfilled.
          At least that’s the way the story looks to us.  Unlike us though, Moses does not appear to have difficulty with this news; at least there is none recorded in the text.  It appears from the text that Moses is able to accept this news without great trauma. Moses seems to be at peace. To accept his own death, here on the edge of the Promised Land, is a true act of serenity and grace.  In the famous words of Frozen’s Elsa, Moses is simply able to “Let it go.”
          Of course, the vision that Moses had for the people lives on.  Those of us that read the book Dare to Dream by Mike Slaughter this summer are familiar with this idea.  Although Moses died, his vision as a leader remained strong.  That is how Mike understands verse seven where it says “His sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated.”  The vision that Moses had for his life and for the people of Israel is carried on through the leadership of Joshua.  Even the text tells us that Moses had laid hands on Joshua so he is now full of the spirit of wisdom.  Moses had passed on the mantel of leadership.  Though Moses has died, the dream to enter the Promised Land did not die with him.
          The people of Israel are understandably saddened at the death of their great leader.  Readers of the story know that Moses will go down in Biblical history as the greatest leader, prophet, and hero of all time second only to Jesus the Christ.  As the writer of the text reminds us, “He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him.”
          The people are heartbroken, and they gather together to mourn and weep.  They share in the ritual time of grief, thirty days, and then the people of Israel do something amazing.  The people of Israel, literally, move on.  They leave behind the unmarked grave of their leader Moses, and they move on into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua.  It truly is a miracle.
          This is a wonderful reading for us today as we gather to remember and celebrate those friends that this church community has lost over the past year.  This has been a hard year for us, with deep grief and loss.  We have said goodbye to wonderful mothers, aunts, wives, and grandmothers.  We have even had to say goodbye to a child.  From watching the onward march of cancer, to reeling with the sorrow of adolescent suicide, this has been a year of trauma and pain, and we have been a congregation in mourning.
          This reading, this obituary for the prophet Moses, has many a profound message for us.  Like all of our own stories, the story of Moses is a bittersweet one.  There were wonderful times, when the love of God worked through this man and the world was a place of joy and beauty.  And there were hard times, when the Lord was angry and vengeful and Moses found himself trapped between a disappointed God and a stiff-necked people.  And then there is this bittersweet ending, where Moses views the Promised Land but is not allowed to enter. 
          So too are the stories of our lives, and the stories of the lives of those that we love.  All of us have periods of great height and wonder; from that first moment when we held our child, to those wonderful vacation days that truly are just perfect.  We have moments when we feel the presence of God and all is right with the world.  We also have horrible moments; when we face death and injustice, when we suffer injury and illness, and when we experience loss beyond measure.  We have days which are simply dark and dismal and we feel utterly alone.  And like Moses, all of us die without entering a promised land.  All of us will leave this earth before we get the chance to do that one last thing; be it to see the face of a grandbaby or to take that trip of a lifetime.  There will be promised lands that elude us, it is guaranteed to happen.
          But, of course, though Moses did not enter the Promised Land here on earth, the physical land from Dan to Zoar, Moses did enter that other land of promise, the eternal kingdom of heaven.  So also have our loved ones that have died this year.  They too have gone before us into the kingdom of our Lord.  For that is what we gather here to celebrate today, this All Saints’ day.  We gather to celebrate the promise that all believers will gather together in the kingdom of heaven, all people of faith will enter into that final land of promise.  That is the hope to which we cling when we read this story of death, the same as so many stories of death in our own time and place.
          As those who have been left behind it is important for us to remember the actions of the people of Israel.  “The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.”  The people rise from their sorrow and follow Joshua into the land that the Lord their God was giving them.  They mourn, and then they move on.
          The mourning time will be different for each of us, depending on our loss and depending on our grief.  But at some point, at some time, the period of mourning for our loved one must end.  At some time we must go on, into those promised lands this side of heaven.  We don’t move on without hurt and sorrow, but we do move on, gathering up the courage to live forward into each day.  This is the story of Moses and the Israelites, and this is our own story, a cycle of grief and loss.  We suffer, we weep, and then we pick ourselves up and move on.  Life continues, and God has plans for us which extend beyond our moments of grief.
          The Israelites were able to let Moses go because they knew that he had gone to be with God.  So too, we are able to release our own precious loved ones into the hands of our creator.  We know that someday, all of us will gather in that land of promise, all of us will be together again in the kingdom of our Lord.  That is the blessing which we believe in.  That is the hope that sustains us.  That is the vision that keeps us going, right up to the very end of our own lives.
          Today, on All Saints’ Sunday, we remember and honor those that we love who have died this year and in years past.  We remember that all of our loved ones are gathered together, with our friend Moses, in the kingdom of heaven.  Though all of the endings in life are bittersweet, we rejoice in the promise of God’s love and grace.  Though there are bound to be promised lands that we are unable to enter on this side of life, there is one true land of promise where we will all gather in the age to come.  May God bless us today as we mourn our loved ones, and may God guide us into that Promised Land when our own day comes.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.