God is our Refuge and Strength

November 20^th, 2016         “God is our Refuge and Strength”          Rev. Heather Jepsen

Psalm 46 and Jeremiah 23:1-6

          This morning is Christ the King Sunday; one of those little liturgical holidays that the church celebrates but that does not seem to exist outside of our doors.  This is the final Sunday of the liturgical cycle and next week we start a new liturgical year with the beginning of the Advent season.  This is the Sunday that we conclude all that we have spoken of in the past year, this is our big finish, this is the day that we say no matter what has happened this year we still believe that Jesus Christ is king.

          When examining the texts for this week I was drawn to the reading from the book of Psalms.  I think that Psalm 46 truly is my favorite Psalm for this is one I always return to in moments of crises and fear.  When I am feeling down and sad, or when I am feeling overwhelmed by the world; the words of Psalm 46 offer me comfort and peace.  I think all of us could use a little comfort and peace today.

          The Psalmist encourages people to find comfort in the presence and knowledge of God.  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  People are encouraged not to fear, though the natural world around them seems to be in a state of upheaval.  From earthquakes to hurricanes, tornadoes to floods, God continues to be with us even when the very earth appears to be against us.

          The city of Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God, is the place of life.  That is what that river in the city is all about, as there obviously isn’t really a river running through Jerusalem.  The water represents life, and life is found in the presence of God.  The surrounding nations are in an uproar but the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of our ancestors is our refuge.

          The reader is told to “come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.”  Desolations sounds like a bad thing but what God has really made desolate are the warring armies.  God makes wars to cease, breaks the bow, and shatters the spear.  It is disarmament that is promised, God will disarm the warring forces and God will disarm us as well.  God will assert power by destroying what we use to impose power over others.

          Thinking this way brings new meaning to the beloved line, “Be still, and know that I am God!”  Rather than a request to slow down and meditate, this is more of a command from a parent to two fighting children.  “Knock it off and listen!  I am in charge here!”  God is the one who is exalted over the nations.  God is the one who is in charge of this earth.  God is the one who is the boss of this mess, not us.

          I think the words of the Psalmist are helpful this week as we look at the world around us.  Our world is in upheaval.  Now is a time of wars and of rumors of wars.  It appears that we have undergone a populist revolt in this country.  There is a lot of anger and fear on both sides, and as a nation we seem more divided than ever.  We know this is nothing new, as even the Psalmist is familiar with “nations in an uproar”, yet still we are afraid.

          It is one thing to say that God is a help in times of trouble but it is another thing to actually believe it.  When we look deeper at this Psalm, we find ourselves asking that sticky old theodicy question, “Why does God let bad things happen?”  We know God is with us, but we also know that that promise of the presence of God is not a promise of the end of suffering.

          As I mentioned at the start, this is Christ the King Sunday, and when we look to Christ’s reign we find that it is no throne he sits upon on this earth.  Christ was certainly not a king in any traditional sense of the word.  He held no earthly position of authority and he had no wealth or earthly power.  Christ the king’s crown was made of thorns, and his robe was only a symbol of mockery and derision.  This king we worship was king of the losers, king of the outcasts, king of those on the fringes of society.  This Christ the king was really Christ-no-king by earthly standards.

          And yet in this image of weakness and suffering, we find our hope for it is here that we see proof that God is not to be found in ways of earthly power and authority.  Rather, God is to be found in suffering and pain.  Our God is the one who identifies with us in our suffering for our God is one who knows suffering.  When the mountains shake and the nations are in an uproar, our God is with us in our weakness.  And this knowledge of the presence of God is what gives us the strength to move forward.  God is our refuge and strength, because God is on our side as we seek justice and peace in our broken and hurting world.

          There is a lot of fear in this nation at the election of Donald Trump.  Some of it is well placed, as he seems to bring out the worst in some people.  Also, if he follows through on all of his campaign promises, a lot of good people will have their lives turned upside down.  I think Trump’s election is in response to the rise of fear in our nation and around the world to those who are different.  Folks have been disenfranchised by the global economy and they are feeling left out.  If we feel we aren’t getting what we deserve then we look around for who is taking those things instead.  Immigrants are a perfect scapegoat for these fears.  We see this rise of nationalism not only in the election of Trump but also in Brexit.  There is talk that France too may move in this direction.  As a nation, we are not alone in this struggle over resources.

          I don’t want to assume that Trump will be an awful President or the end of our country, any more than I assume that everyone who voted for him was a racist.  I don’t think that’s true and those kind of statements don’t bring us together, they only divide us even more.  I want to assume the best of Trump, which can be a challenge when he puts people like Bannon in the White House, but I want to give Trump a chance.  I don’t believe we have a choice and I want to stay positive as long as I can.

          In the meantime, I find comfort in the fact that if he does turn out bad, we have survived terrible leaders in the past.  Terrible leaders are nothing new, as evidenced by the writings of the prophet Jeremiah.  “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture. . . It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and have not attended to them.  So I will attend to you for your evil doings.”  Jeremiah reminds us that God will judge bad leaders.  God will repay those who have handed out evil and misery in the world. 

          Jeremiah looks to a day when God will bring a new king, a righteous branch from David’s line.  Though we find this king in the reign of Jesus Christ, we also find ourselves still longing for healing among nations.  Still we look to God, hoping for the day when justice and righteousness shall be executed in the land.

          Soon our nation will move into our annual holiday season.  This week we gather with family at the Thanksgiving table and soon we will be looking toward Christmas.  Olivia and I have been reading “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” and I have been musing on the idea of Christmas.  You may remember that in that story, the White Witch gains power over Narnia and plunges the land into a state of perpetual winter.  It is winter and never Christmas.  Thankfully, that cannot happen here.  Though we may feel that we are in a time of darkness, Christmas is still coming.

          The hope of Christmas is the arrival of “Emmanuel” God with us.  This promise rings true from the prophet Jeremiah’s messianic claims, to the Psalmist’s promise that God is in the midst of the city.  Even though the world around us appears to be in darkness and strife, the promise of Emmanuel carries us through.  God is with us.  God is our refuge and strength.

          This week, as you gather with family and friends to celebrate, remember that Christ is the King.  Not in a cheesy sort of way, but in a hope filled powerful way.  No matter what happens, no matter what tomorrow brings Christ the king is with us.  And this king encourages us to continue to stand on the side of justice and peace.  Even if it means we end up looking like losers.  The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter, yet still God is our refuge and strength.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

           

Stewardship of Treasure

November 13^th, 2016   “Stewardship of Treasure”  Rev. Heather Jepsen 

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 and John 12:1-8 

This morning we conclude our sermon series on Stewardship.  We have spent the past month considering all the good things that God has given us and how we as Christians are called to respond to and share those gifts.  We have talked about loving and embracing our physical bodies as perfect gifts from a loving creator.  We have talked about using our minds as we engage the scriptures, theology, and the world around us.  And we have talked about spending our time wisely, on our own self-care and together here in the church community.  Today we finally get to the traditional stewardship topic: our money.

I have chosen my two favorite Stewardship texts for us to look at today and I want to explore the idea of why we give.  Our reading from Deuteronomy illustrates giving as a ritual in worship.  This is giving that is commanded.  This is giving that is obligation.  When you finally enter the Promised Land you are supposed to offer a gift.  You bring the first fruits, a tithe of your harvest, and you present it in the worship space and you tell your story.  Giving is how you demonstrate that you are a “good” follower of God.     

This is wonderful sermon fodder for convincing ourselves and each other in the church community to give.  I think that often the reason we start to give is that we are motivated by guilt and obligation.  We give because it is what we are supposed to do, and it is a part of how we worship.  As a pastor I can’t ask you to put money in the offering plate while I keep all of my money for myself.  What kind of example would that be setting?  This obligatory giving works for you and it works for me.

This giving in the Deuteronomy narrative isn’t generous giving, it’s “get ur done” giving.  People gave what they were commanded to give because they were commanded to give it.  A tithe seems generous now, since we have spent generations convincing ourselves that God doesn’t really ask for a tithe.  I’m not sure where we got that idea, but we like it and so we are sticking to it.  “Get ur done” giving nowadays is simply putting money in the plate.  Not a tithe, but just enough so we don’t feel guilty on Sunday mornings.  Just fill out a pledge form, we think, it doesn’t matter if we follow through, it just matters if we do enough to look good and make ourselves feel better.

I think the story from John’s gospel is a good conversation partner with Deuteronomy because Mary doesn’t demonstrate “get ur done” giving.  Rather, she is modeling extravagant generosity.  I am sure everyone here knows the story.  Lazarus was ill, and then died.  He was dead for four days.  He was gone and Mary was moving through the period of mourning, when suddenly Jesus brings Lazarus back to life.  Can you imagine how grateful Mary would feel?  Can you imagine the depth of love and thanksgiving she felt toward Jesus?   

Mary wants to respond to Jesus’ generosity with generosity of her own.  She wants to give him a gift.  But, what can one give to Jesus?  She thinks of the most valuable thing she owns, her jar of pure nard.  She will give him that.  She will anoint him with it.  And although it is so little compared to the gift he has given her, it is a way for her to express her love, her thankfulness, her joy, and her devotion.  It is a way for her to give to her Lord, a way for her to show Jesus how she feels.   This isn’t “get ur done” giving, putting something in the plate because we have to, instead this is generous giving that comes from the heart.  It is powerful, it is beautiful, and it is so very perfect. 

Judas wants to spoil the moment because he is uncomfortable.  Mary’s generosity makes him nervous, it makes him feel bad, it makes him feel guilty, and so he tries to stomp all over her moment.  But Jesus doesn’t let him.  Jesus knows that Mary is giving all that she can give, and he honors her gift and calls others to do the same.  Of course we should give to the poor as Judas suggests.  And I’m sure Mary probably also supported them.  The more you give the easier it is to give, trust me I know.  I assume Mary had to have been a giver before if she was going to offer a gift now on such a grand scale.  But this gift was different; this was her gift specifically to Jesus.  Mary is going beyond a tithe.  This was her moving and extravagant response to God’s abundant generosity in her life. 

You and I both know that the theme of extravagant generosity will continue throughout the close of John’s gospel.  Judas does not understand, and he is jealous of Mary’s ability to be generous.  Within the week to come, Jesus will gather with his friends in the upper room.  He will mirror Mary’s act of love, as he washes the feet of his disciples, another act of generosity and love.  Even Judas, whose betrayal looms large in the future, will have his feet washed by Jesus.   

Jesus gives the final commandment, to love as God loves.  To love with a generous, extravagant, abundance that knows no bounds.  Jesus will then demonstrate that extravagant love as he gives the greatest gift he is able to give, his very life.  He gives his life for Mary, for Martha, and for Lazarus.  He also gives his life for Judas, for the generosity of Jesus is the most extravagant generosity there is.  He gives his life for them all, and for us as well. 

I’ve told you all this before and I am sure you will have to hear me say it again but my favorite idea from all of the stewardship conferences that I have attended is that we are called to give because we are made in the image of God.  That is why we give.  Not because we are commanded to, not because it is a part of worship, not because it is an obligation, and not because we feel guilty.  We give because it is our very identity to be generous givers.  Not “get ur done” givers, but extravagantly generous givers.   

Throughout the scriptures God is one who gives and it is a theme that is woven throughout John’s gospel.  We all know John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that God gave.”  In John’s gospel Jesus gives and gives until there is nothing of him left, and then he rises from the dead and gives some more.  Mary is responding to that love, Mary is made in the image of God the giver and so Mary gives.  She gives abundantly, she gives extravagantly, she gives all that she has, her most costly and prized possession.  She pours out that perfume, worth a year of labor, all over Jesus and all over the floor.  The perfume is gone, but her act of love remains.  Mary gives, because she worships a God who gives.  Mary gives because Mary was made in the image of God. 

When we gather together as a family at the communion table then we express our identity as those made in the image of God.   When we gather here we remember the gifts of our generous God.  We think of the life that Jesus led, of the things he taught us about living in faith.  We think of the gift he gave of that very life, so that we may know the depth and extent of God’s love.  We remember Jesus’ resurrection, and embrace the knowledge that even death cannot bind God’s generosity.  And in the midst of this very divided world, we look to the future, when all people, from all places, will gather together at God’s most generous banquet.  Through the months and years as we gather again and again and again at this table we are sustained and lifted up by God’s extravagant generosity and we are formed into extravagantly generous givers. 

          As I mentioned in my prayer last week, we knew that this election week would be a difficult one for half of our country.  As we woke up to the results on Wednesday morning some of us felt relief and rejoiced.  Others of us were profoundly disappointed and hurt.  And I know that there were quite a few whose hearts were filled with fear.  In these unsure and uncertain times, it is more important than ever that we commit ourselves to our faith.  Now is the time to gather with neighbors, friends, and strangers and look for the things we have in common.  Now is the time to be extravagant givers sharing our resources as much as we can.  We have been gifted with faith, hope, and love.  Let us share those extravagant blessings with the world around us. 

God has given us countless blessings that we are asked not to horde for ourselves but to share with the world around us.  We are called and created to be those that give.  And we give not because we have to, or because it is the right thing to do.  We give because we are made in the image of God, and before anything else, God is one who gives.  When we give generously, when we give extravagantly, when we give with love and joy and abandon, that is when we most reflect the image of God in the world.  Thanks be to God for the opportunity to give.  Amen. 

 

 

 

Stewardship of Time and Talents

November 6^th, 2017           “Stewardship of Time and Talents”        Rev. Heather Jepsen

Luke 5:15-16 and Luke 10:38-4

          This week we continue our sermon series on stewardship.  We began with a discussion on stewardship of our bodies and learning to love the bodies that God has given to us as a blessing for life.  Last week we talked about stewardship of the mind and the joy of theological play as well as the responsibility of good mental health during this maddening election cycle.  Today we are talking about our time and talents, other good gifts that God has given us for the up-building of the community of faith.

          Let’s begin today with a show of hands: who here feels like they are really busy?  Just about all of us, right?  The question I have for us today is “why?”  “Why are we so busy?”  Some of us work full time jobs which can certainly fill up the schedule, and some of us have small kids at home which need our constant attention.  But some of us are retired and we are also very busy.  Once we had an idea that as we got older we would get the chance to rest, but I don’t see that happening very much.  In fact, to me, it seems like most of us are spread pretty thin in life.  So, again I ask, “Why are we so busy?”

          Some of us, myself included, are very busy because we have a hard time saying “no”.  We are driven by a sense of responsibility to get things done and it is a lot easier to say “yes” than to deal with the guilt of saying “no”.  In our culture, being busy is a status symbol.  If I am busy then that means I am in high demand, I am an important person; it is a way of feeling good about ourselves. 

          The catch here is that it doesn’t feel good to be busy.  On those weeks when we are spread thin and we can never seem to catch up, we get stressed.  It doesn’t feel good to be constantly completing tasks and yet also feeling like we are drowning under an endless list of “to-dos”.  It doesn’t feel good to be busy, and yet we keep ourselves in that place.  We let ourselves take on too much.  We allow ourselves to become overloaded.  We don’t say “no” because we feel bad when we say “no”, but then we end up feeling bad for saying “yes”.  It’s a no-win situation.

          This is where stewardship of time comes in.  The perfect example of a really important person taking a break is our friend Jesus Christ.  Our first reading from Luke tells us that Jesus was busy.  Word about him had spread throughout the area and crowds of sick and needy people were gathering to hear him teach and to be healed.  Jesus was very busy, very important, and in high demand.  And what did he do?  Jesus took a break.  “He would withdraw to deserted places and pray.”  Were there people in need of immediate help?  Yes, of course there were.  And still, Jesus walked away.

          One of my favorite sayings that circulates on Facebook is that “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”  Good stewardship of our time means taking the time to take care of ourselves.  We need to do whatever it is that refills us.  I am an introvert, so I need to make sure I have some quiet time alone.  That means I can’t be doing something every night.  I need to have a few nights each week when kids are in bed and I can be by myself and just do nothing. 

          Beyond just taking a break, good stewardship of time means that it is my responsibility to do the things that nourish my own soul.  I need to read books, I need to play the harp, I need to take walks, and I need to chat with my mom on the phone.  I need to sit silently and pray.  I need to do all these things to keep my cup filled, so that when the needs of others are presented, I am able to pour from my cup into theirs.  You can’t pour from an empty cup, so take time to fill yourself up.  Jesus sets a wonderful example for us.  If the world doesn’t stop spinning when Jesus takes a break, it certainly won’t stop spinning when we do.

          The other half of this sermon is good stewardship of talents, and for that I want to look at the second reading from Luke; the story of Mary and Martha.  We are all familiar with this story, women especially, and over the years most of us have grown to either love or hate it.  Folks have often said that this story shows that contemplation is better than service.  I’m not going to say that and I don’t think the text supports it either.  Martha is doing good work, and she has a right to be frustrated as she feels she has been abandoned to service that is supposed to be shared.  I get that, we all get that, and at times we can all relate to Martha in this story.  “Just hurry up and help me” is something that we often say to each other here in the church family.

          The thing is, the moment we say that is the moment we get off base.  Mary and Martha were siblings, and as with any family, there is a certain amount of familiarity and frankness of discussion.  We have a tendency to be less patient with those we are familiar with.  So too, we are a family here in the church.  When visitors come we are open, welcoming, extremely friendly, and very patient.  But when it comes to committee meetings and the busy work of the congregation, we act more like Mary and Martha.  We get short with each other, we are less polite, and we have a tendency to step on each other’s toes.  “Just hurry up and help me” is not good stewardship of our talents or of the talents of others in the congregation.

          Jesus chastises Martha which is a painful part of the story.  We don’t want to be chastised for doing the right thing.  We don’t want to be chastised for completing the mission and ministries of the church.  And yet we are often like Martha, “worried and distracted by many things” and we are often found stepping on the toes of the Mary’s around us.

          Jesus says that only one thing is important, and that thing, I believe is discipleship to Jesus Christ.  Mary has placed herself in the position of a disciple, sitting at the feet of Jesus to learn.  Martha is trying to take Mary away from that, trying to put the busy tasks of the day in-between Mary and Jesus, and that is why she is chastised.  Martha is trying to draw Mary away from Jesus and that is what gets her in trouble.  So too, our zeal to get things done in a hurry, from preparing a luncheon or to completing committee tasks, can draw other people away from Jesus.  We have so many burdens laid on us, often by the church itself, that we lash out at our friends in the church family.  We get so focused on getting it done we forget why we are doing it in the first place.

          Good stewardship of talents means making space for each other here in the family that is the church.  There is room for everyone, a place for everybody, in the service and leadership of this congregation.  And we encourage everybody to get involved.  But we need to recognize that not everyone is going to do things the way we want them done in the time frame we want them done in.  The different calls we experience to different forms of service are all equally good gifts from a loving God.  We need to practice good stewardship of our own talents and of the talents of others by making space for each other here in the church.  The last thing we want to do is get between someone and their following of Jesus because we want to hurry up and take down the tables after lunch or hurry up and fill all the slots on our to-do roster. 

          Good stewardship of time and talents is twofold.  First, take care of yourself.  Do whatever it is you need to do to re-charge your batteries and practice saying “no” to the things you can say “no” to.  Second, take care of each other.  When it comes to sharing our time and talents as a church family, we need to make space for each other’s unique gifts.  Recognize that getting it done in a hurry is not as important as getting it done right.  The most important thing is being good disciples of Jesus Christ.  We need to be patient with each other and to make time for each other.  If we take care of ourselves first, then we are better able to be generous when we share our time with others.

          God has given us many rich blessings in life.  From bodies that carry us through each day, to minds that help us analyze and understand the world, to the time we have for sharing with each other.  As good stewards of God’s good creation we are called to treat all of these things with respect and love.  It is my prayer that God would fill up each of our cups this week, and that we would then be able to be generous with each other here in the community of faith.  Amen.