Promises of Grace

June 25^th, 2017          “Promises of Grace”      Rev. Heather Jepsen

Summer Sermon Series: Wrestling with Jacob

Genesis 28:10-22

          This morning we continue our summer sermon series “Wrestling with Jacob.”  We have observed so far that Jacob is a less than upright character in our scriptures.  Early on in his story, Jacob convinced his brother Esau to trade his inheritance right as the firstborn son away for a bowl of stew.  Not exactly a fair trade.  In our reading from last week, Jacob and his mother Rebekah, conspired against Isaac and Esau to trick Isaac into blessing Jacob with the blessing Isaac had intended to give Esau.  It was a painful story and the result was that Esau was prepared to kill Jacob at the first chance he got.  And so, this morning, we find our hero (or more likely anti-hero) Jacob on the run as a fugitive.

          (Read Genesis 28:10-22)

          Throughout our series so far, we have often wondered just where God was in the story.  Today’s reading leaves no doubt about that as God is very much present in our narrative.  The first part of the reading concerns Jacob’s dream.  Often called “Jacob’s Ladder” scholars think that it is more likely that Jacob is describing a ramp like in this picture here . . . This is a middle eastern Ziggurat which would have been built by other ancient tribes for religious ceremonies.  The Ziggurat was a microcosm or mini-representation of the whole cosmos of earth and heaven.  The ramps would have been used by priests and they represented a pathway from earth to heaven.

          Jacob is dreaming of a ramp between heaven and earth where angels travel up and down on that ramp.  We could wonder for days at the details of such a dream but the point of the author of Genesis is pretty clear.  Jacob is realizing that earth and heaven are connected.  They are not totally separate realms, but they are woven together.  What happens on earth matters in heaven and what happens in heaven matters on earth.  More basically, what Jacob does, the actions he takes and the choices he makes, actually matter to God.

          That is evidenced in the next section of the narrative as God appears not on the ramp but beside Jacob himself.  God makes promises to Jacob within the framework of the dream.  God will be with Jacob, God will provide Jacob with protection, and though he is fleeing for his life right now, God will bring Jacob back home. 

          Jacob wakes from the dream and realizes that he is upon holy ground.  He sets the stone he was sleeping upon up as a monument and anoints it with oil so others will recognize it as a holy site.  He declares that this place is “none other than the house of God” (bêt ‘elòhîm), and he names the place Beth-El “House of God”.  Jacob makes a vow, that if God will keep God’s promises, then Jacob will be faithful to God.

          As readers, we have wondered whether or not God’s blessings could really fall upon such a character as Jacob the heel, and this morning we find irrefutable proof that they do.  Jacob is the one that God has chosen to continue the line of ancestry.  God declares that God is the God of Jacob’s ancestors and that through Jacob’s line the offspring will be numerous and the land will be acquired.  God is transmitting the ancestral promises of Abraham unto Jacob.

          This is an interesting text for modern readers, as much of the Jacob narrative is, and we often get distracted by the dream sequence.  “Isn’t that amazing!” we declare.  “How strange that God would contact someone in that way.”  But when we focus on the dream, we miss the point of the author.  It is no wonder at all to the author of Genesis that God would appear in a dream.  That was just the normal way of encountering the divine world.  Even Jacob himself does not seem surprised at the experience. 

          Instead, the wonder that the author is trying to convey is that God would appear to Jacob at all.  Throughout the narrative, the author has done everything that they can to portray Jacob in a negative light.  The dream encounter is all God’s initiative; it is God reaching out to Jacob.  The miracle of this text is not the vision itself, but that God would choose to bind God’s self to a figure like Jacob.  This is the story that the writer is trying to shock us with.

          And it is a shock.  All along we have seen nothing but treachery from Jacob.  He has done nothing but trick and scheme his own family, all for personal gain.  There is no sense of him acting out of a place of faith; rather his sole motivation appears to be greed.  Jacob is a scoundrel of the highest order, and yet he is the one that God makes binding promises to.  He is the one that receives God’s grace.

          God’s promises of grace bring Jacob into the covenant that God made with Abraham.  Like his grandfather, Jacob will be known as the father of the nations.  There is a reason God is so often referred to in the scriptures as the “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”  This is the chosen ancestry through which the promises pass.

          When God makes promises to Jacob, God is making promises to what will become the nation of Israel.  God promises the land, the covenant of a place, a Holy Land.  God promises a people, “your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth”, the people of the nation Israel.  God promises that all families of earth shall be blessed by this chosen family.  And as followers of Christ, we have grafted ourselves into this covenant.  Finally, God promises presence, “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.”  This is the promise that lives on in the person and nature of Jesus Christ, “Emmanuel”, God with us.

          I’ve struggled a bit this sermon series to connect Jacob’s story to our own lives, but this week the connection is really clear.  If God would choose to bind God’s-self to someone like Jacob, then perhaps God might choose to bind God’s-self to someone like us as well.  If God makes promises of grace to Jacob, then God makes promises of grace to us as well.  Jacob’s story can be our story.

          Even though Jacob has not been faithful; he hasn’t looked for God, he hasn’t prayed to God, and he hasn’t worshipped God, still God reaches out to Jacob in love.  Jacob’s vision reveals the connection between heaven and earth.  Neither earth nor heaven operate alone. They are connected.  We are connected with God, whether we recognize that connection or not.

          The story of Jacob’s dream at Bethel is a story of grace.  No matter who we are, no matter what we have done, God’s promise to Jacob is a promise that God makes to us as well: “Know that I am with you.  I will not leave you until I have fulfilled my promises.”  Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, our lives are connected with God, and God’s spirit is ever present with us. 

          If we connect the theological dots, between our modern experience of the world and our modern understanding of religion, we can trace the line of God’s promises of grace made to Jacob to promises made to us today.  Through the blessings of the Israelite people, to the person and nature of Jesus Christ, to the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of faith that continues to unite us today, God continues to make these promises of grace.  “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.” 

          When we wrestle with the character of Jacob we also wrestle with ourselves.  We might not be jumping up to say it out loud here in church, but we all know there are parts of our lives where we have failed God.  That is the nature of the human condition.  As Paul reminds us, all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s call on our lives.  When we read the story of Jacob the scoundrel, we can marvel at the miracle it contains.  Even though Jacob is a liar and a cheat, still God loves him and is with him.  Even though Jacob causes strife and hurts his own family, still God is with him in love.  When we can recognize God extending that grace to a character like Jacob, then perhaps we can allow that God might extend the same grace to us.  Even when we make poor choices and act out of self-centered places, even when we try to ignore or hide from God, still God is present with us in love. 

          I have had lots of opportunities this week to chat with folks about the God I believe in.  And over and over again I have tried to explain that I believe in a God of love.  A God who is constantly trying to reach out to us in love, and encouraging us to reach out to others in that same love.  I see evidence of this God in the Jacob story.  Jacob does nothing to deserve it, and yet God comes to Jacob in love and blessing.  God chooses Jacob, when perhaps we would not.

          And that is the rub of the story.  Jacob is very underserving of God’s love, and yet it is offered anyway.  This can be offensive to us in our moments of proud perfection, just as it can be a comfort to us in moments when we are confronted with our own brokenness.  To wrestle with Jacob, is to wrestle with the God of love.  As Jacob’s dream shows us, that love of God is always present, always connected to the lives of people here on earth, whether we are aware of that love or not.

          We will notice as we move forward in the Jacob story that he has been changed by this encounter.  Don’t get me wrong, he is still a heel, but now he is also a man in covenant relationship with the divine.  Come back next week to find out what happens next for Jacob, God’s beloved trickster . . .

 

Stolen Blessings

June 18^th, 2017           “Stolen Blessings”       Rev. Heather Jepsen

Summer Sermon Series: Wrestling with Jacob

Genesis 27:1-45

          This morning we continue our summer sermon series, “Wrestling with Jacob.”  Last week I introduced the series by introducing Jacob and his family.  Before his birth, Jacob’s mother Rebekah received an oracle from the Lord.  At that time God told her “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided: the one shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.”  As they grew the differences between Jacob and his brother were made clear.  So too, was parental preference, as the author tells us Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 

          Last week we saw the beginning of lasting division as Jacob convinced Esau to trade his birthright, the right to the greater share of inheritance, for a bowl of lentil stew.  We were left to wonder if God’s blessings could really come from such trickery.  Today we find that in fact does appear to be the truth.  In the story of Jacob, the blessings of God are often the result of deception and bad behavior.

          The story for this morning is one of the most wonderfully written and dramatic texts in our scripture, so I am going to read it in sections throughout the sermon instead of all at once.  This gives us a chance to look at each part of the drama separately.  The author begins by setting the scene:

          (Read Genesis 27:1-4)

          Isaac senses that he is nearing the end of his life and so he asks his beloved child Esau to prepare for the blessing ritual.  In the culture, the blessing ritual is an important part of passing on the family line.  It is a combination of both spoken word and promise of the father, as well as a theologically significant holy event.  It is a spoken word that is also binding with holy power as an act of God.  It is something both in Isaac’s control as a father and out of his control as well.  Esau is the eldest, he is the chosen son, and he is Isaac’s favorite child.  The blessing of the father rightfully belongs to him.  The meal is part of the ritual of the blessing and so Isaac sends Esau out to prepare the meal.

          (Read Genesis 27:5-17)

          Now the deception begins.  Rebekah overhears Isaac and Esau planning the blessing ceremony and she decides to take action.  The author does not tell us what her motivation is.  Perhaps she is just trying to provide a path forward for her favorite son.  The mother has no blessing to give, so this would be her only way to offer something like that to him.  Or, in what I imagine to be the case, perhaps she is attempting to fulfill the words of God’s oracle herself.  If Jacob receives the blessing instead of Esau, then that certainly is a way to insure that “the elder shall serve the younger.”

          No matter her motivation, Rebekah takes action.  She calls Jacob to her and explains the plan.  She will prepare a savory meal, and Jacob will take the meal in and receive the blessing instead of Esau.  Jacob immediately senses a flaw in the plan; even though Isaac can’t see, he will certainly attempt to touch Esau during the blessing ritual and Jacob will be given away.  Jacob fears he will receive a curse instead of a blessing, but Rebekah declares her willingness to take the curse instead.  No matter what might happen, she is determined to secure this blessing for her beloved son.

          The two devise a plan to cover Jacob with the skins of the baby goats so he will feel hairy like Esau and smell of the field.  They dress Jacob in Esau’s clothing so the costume will be complete.  While the real Esau is out hunting fresh game for his father, Rebekah and Jacob move forward with their planned deception. 

          (Read Genesis 27:18-29)

          Jacob goes into his father’s room and the deception begins.  Isaac right away seems suspicious, asking over and over again which son it is that stands before him.  Over and over again, Jacob lies claiming to be his brother Esau.  Isaac tests the man, feeling him and smelling him.  As he says “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”  Even after the blessing ritual begins he asks “Are you really my son Esau?” and again Jacob lies “I am”.

          After the meal is consumed Isaac pulls his son toward him for a kiss.  He smells and feels the garments of Esau and so he offers his blessing.  With holy and binding power, he confers the blessing of the first born son, the blessing that belongs to Esau, onto his son Jacob.  The language of the fertile earth implies both a material blessing and a large family.  Jacob is given the blessing of leadership; he will be lord over his brothers.  He is given the blessing of divine favor “cursed be those who curse you, and blessed be those who bless you.”  The deception is complete, the blessing has been stolen, and Jacob departs.

          (Read Genesis 27:30-40)

          This is truly a heartbreaking scene.  Esau comes back from the field and prepares the ritual meal for his father.  As he presents himself and his meal for the blessing Isaac is immediately aware that something terrible has happened.  He asks which son this is, and upon recognizing Esau’s voice Isaac is so angry that he begins to shake.  He explains in his exasperation that he has already given the blessing, and Esau is crushed. 

          He cries out for his own blessing but they both know it is too late.  The blessing is a holy power, and it is an act of God.  It cannot be changed, it cannot be altered, and it certainly cannot be taken back.  Esau is very angry.  Of course Jacob, his heel and jerk of a brother, has done this to him.  He stole the birthright and now he has stolen the blessing. 

          Esau was supposed to be the chosen one, he was supposed to be the father of the nations, and now he is nothing.  Both Esau and Isaac are heart broken.  They mourn the loss of the future they had dreamed together, this is not the way things were supposed to be.  In grief Esau cries out “Have you only one blessing father?  Bless me, me also, father!”

          Any parent who has wanted to “make it right” for their child, can relate to Isaac’s frustration and pain, as well as his helplessness.  He knows that the power of blessing is already gone, but he still manages to make a small offering to Esau.  He will not be rich and will be forced to live on the fringes of the land.  He will survive by the power of the sword, and he will be forced to serve Jacob.  But, at some point, at some time, the yoke of servitude to Jacob will be broken and Esau will be free.  This is his only hope for the future.

          (Read Genesis 27:41-45)

          Esau is understandably upset and so he consoles himself with visions of violence. After Isaac dies Esau will kill Jacob.  That way he will be free from his meddlesome brother.  The blessing is forever lost, but with Jacob out of the way, Esau might have access to the inheritance that was rightfully his.

          Once again Rebekah intervenes.  She cannot bear to lose her beloved son Jacob, and so she sends him away to live with her brother Laban.  The one who received the blessing of power and promise, is now a fugitive. 

          Well, this certainly isn’t a happy story for Father’s Day.  When we read a text like this we can only marvel at how dysfunctional this family is.  Who are these people we ask?  Who would do this to their own family?  And yet we can all think of examples of dysfunction like this in our own time and place.

          The question from last week still lingers in the air . . . “where is God?”  The only mention of God in the text is in the actual blessing itself.  And it does appear that God will bless Jacob, even if the blessing was stolen.  That is what is so interesting about this story.  The writer has deliberately swayed our hearts.  We are drawn to the characters of Isaac and Esau.  We admire their honesty and the love they share together.  We are moved by their heartache and shared grief at their betrayal. 

          By contrast, we are repelled by the characters of Rebekah and Jacob.  They seem heartless and cruel.  They deliberately hurt and trick their own family members for what appears to be personal gain.  And yet, Rebekah feels that she is bringing about the will of God, even the kingdom of God.  This act will fulfill the words of the oracle, “the elder shall serve the younger.”

          We will find that as we move through the Jacob cycle this summer, that this is the persistent rub of the story.  God does bless Jacob, God will bless Jacob, and Jacob never, ever seems deserving of that blessing.  The point of the writer of Genesis is that God chooses the one whom God will choose, whether we like that guy or not.  When we look at the story thus far, we could argue that all this has come about because of the oracle that Rebekah received.  It appears that God has evoked this conflict and this conflict has caused pain to all involved.  But God just goes right ahead with it, because God has bigger plans.  In the book of Genesis, the ways of God will not be explained.  And as readers we are left to wrestle with the character of Jacob. 

          Join us next week, as the story of this blessed fugitive continues . . .

Wrestling in the Womb

June 11^th, 2017      “Wrestling in the Womb”    Rev. Heather Jepsen

Summer Sermon Series: Wrestling with Jacob

Genesis 25:19-34

          This morning we embark on our new summer sermon series, “Wrestling with Jacob”.  The narrative of Jacob and his family weaves throughout the middle of the book of Genesis and I have found it to be one of the most intriguing and entertaining stories in our sacred text.  What is so wonderful about the Jacob story is how it seamlessly weaves together humanity’s brokenness alongside the blessings of God.  Much like the stories of David that we studied last summer, Jacob is hardly one we would consider an upright, morally sound, individual.  And yet it is precisely through this trickster of a character that the blessings of God come to the people of Israel.  Jacob is a person that believers must figuratively wrestle with, and he does plenty of literal wrestling himself, hence our series title “Wrestling with Jacob.”

          Our story begins as all good Bible stories do, with a perfect lineage.  The writers of the scripture want to remind us just where this family is situated historically.  Abraham of course, is the father of the Jewish people and their particular faith tradition.  It is with him that God made covenant to select and bless a chosen people.  Abraham has two sons, Ishmael, born of his concubine Hagar, and Isaac born of his wife Sarah.  Isaac is the beloved child of promise and most of you will recall the biblical narrative where Abraham nearly kills him because he believes that to be the will of God.  (Already we are getting a sense of the interesting family dynamics here!)  Isaac is 40 when he marries Rebekah, who is also of good stock coming from the Aramean tribe, close relatives to Abraham and his people.

          The stage therefore is set, for a perfect and noble birth.  But as usual, best laid plans often amount to nothing.  Like many a modern couple, Isaac and Rebekah are relegated to waiting and trying and still have nothing to show for their efforts.  This is hardly the way to give birth to a promised nation, and so finally Isaac turns to the Lord in prayer, asking for a blessing on behalf of his seemingly barren wife.  God answers the prayer, and after 20 years of trying, Rebekah finally conceives.

          It soon becomes clear that this is not a normal pregnancy.  Rebekah is pregnant with twins and the two children wrestle inside the womb.  The Hebrew verb used for “struggle” in verse 22 could also be rendered as “crush”.  The two children are literally trying to crush one another inside her body.  Any woman who has been pregnant, can easily understand Rebekah’s fear and frustration at this nightmare scenario.  What pain and discomfort this must have caused her!  I can hardly imagine trying to get through the day with that going on, let alone trying to sleep at night!

          Rebekah now turns to the Lord in prayer with a question that would surely be on any of our lips “Why is this happening?!?”  Rebekah is offered an oracle in answer to her prayers of frustration and fear.  God makes it clear that there are two nations, two distinct tribes of people, at war within her womb.  The twins she bears will be divided, one against the other.  One of them will be stronger than the other.  And in a reverse of common fortune and cultural tradition, the elder will be a servant to the younger.  Though I am certain Rebekah was pleased to receive an answer from God, I imagine that it offered her little comfort.  No one wants to give birth to children who will always be against each other.  And no woman wants two nations, at war, wrestling with each other, inside her very body.

          Finally the time comes for the children to be born.  In what I imagine was a painful, frightening, and uncomfortable process for Rebekah, the children wrestle their way right out of her womb.  Esau is born first and the author tells us he came out red, his body like a hairy mantle.  This is confusing for modern readers, as many of us start asking if Rebekah has given birth to some sort of Sasquatch.  What we are missing here is all the Hebrew play on words.  Esau will become the Father of the Edomite tribe.  The word for “red” is a play on the word for Edom the name of the tribe.  The word for “hairy” is a play on the word Seir which is the region of the Middle East where the tribe is located.  Esau may very well have been born red, (many babies are red right when they are born) and he may very well have had a bunch of red hair, but he probably wasn’t some sort of hairy monster baby.  The writer just wants to connect Esau strongly with the Edomite tribe.

          Jacob is born second, hanging onto Esau’s foot, his heel.  The image given is that the children are fighting their way out of the womb.  It is a fight over who will be first, who will inherit the rights of the first born.  Esau wins the birth order, but Jacob didn’t give up without a fight.  Jacob’s name of course is also a play on words.  Jacob’s name means “he grasps the heel”.  It also can mean “he deceives.”  In our modern use of language one might say they named him “Heel” because he was a “heel”.  As we will find out, Jacob can be a bit of a jerk, and he was certainly jerking Esau around on his way out of the womb.       

          As the twins grow up the difference between them is plain to see.  Esau is a man’s man who enjoys being outside tracking and hunting animals.  Jacob is the quiet one, who enjoys spending time at home in the tent.   What would be taboo today is hardly given a second glance as the author makes clear that each parent has their favorite son.  Isaac loves Esau since he loves to eat meat.  I imagine that Esau was the stronger one, the bigger one, the man’s man and that is why Isaac is drawn to him.  Surely this is the child through which God’s blessing will pass.  Rebekah loves Jacob.  I imagine she loves him because he is the one staying at home with her; he is her helper around the house.  He is the youngest, he is the smallest, and he is her baby, a real momma’s boy.  Already we are getting a sense of the un-healthy family dynamics in this royal household.

          The relationship between the grown brothers is evident in the next narrative the author offers.  Jacob is back home making lunch while Esau is out working in the field.  Esau is hungry and asks Jacob to share his meal.  Sensing an opportunity, Jacob offers Esau a trade: lunch for a birthright.  Of course, we can all see that this is a bad deal for Esau.  The right of the first born son is the right to double the inheritance amount.  Only a fool would trade that away for the momentary satisfaction of some lentil soup.  And yet that is exactly what Esau does, he swears away his birthright to Jacob, eats his stew and bread, and goes on his way.

          The Biblical narrative offers nothing in way of commentary on this troubling family scene.  As modern readers we are offended by the actions of both of these brothers.  How could Esau trade away his fate, and as the author suggests, “despise” his birthright?  How could Jacob be so cruel and greedy, as to trick his brother out of such a precious and valuable thing, just because the guy was hungry?  Our moral barometers are left reeling.  “How can this be?” we cry, “Where is God in this story?”

          But of course, like with any good Biblical narrative, we don’t get any answer to that question.  At least not any satisfactory answer.  The only sign of God we have in the story so far is the miracle pregnancy and the offering of the oracle “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.”  “Is this how that comes about?” we ask ourselves.  Does God’s promise really come to life through the questionable actions of Jacob? 

          Found out more next week as our sermon series continues . . .   

A Fire in the Belly

June 4^th, 2017          “A Fire in the Belly”   Rev. Heather Jepsen

Acts 2:1-21 with John 7:37-39

          Since we have already all had cupcakes, I don’t need to remind you that this is the Birthday of the church.  Pentecost is the day we honor and celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit among the Jesus community.  It is the day that the fledging followers of the Jewish Jesus begin to grow and define themselves as a separate group, a new religious movement.  It is the day that a fire came among the people, the good news was spread far and wide, and the Christian church was born.  Certainly a day worthy of a little cake and frosting.

          But to tell the truth, there is something about our celebration that rings a bit hollow.  Like someone getting up there in years, the church has had a lot of birthdays now.  Think of your own life.  Few adults I know are as excited to see another birthday as they were when they were children.  Olivia will be 8 next weekend and the excitement in our household is palatable.  We have been talking for months about what she wants for her birthday and you can feel it like electricity in the air.  When I turned 39 last April there wasn’t nearly the same amount of energy.  In fact, the older we get, the more our birthdays are less of a big deal.  Those first 21 years are awesome, and then we hold back on the celebrating until it becomes meaningful again like 80, 90, or even 100. 

          So imagine the church celebrating a birthday today; it’s been like 1,984 years give or take a few.  The church is getting up there in years, and just like we do, it seems to be slowing down a bit.  We certainly don’t seem to have that spunk and vigor that the writer of Acts describes on this Pentecost birthday.  And so while we might enjoy a bit of cake, the celebration itself sometimes rings a bit hollow.

          And yet, here we are anyway, and the question is why.  The answer, I believe, is in that small reading from the gospel of John.  We are here because we are thirsty.  It’s the last day of the Fall Harvest festival and Jesus announces to the crowd that those who have thirst should come to him.  It’s a bit of a play on words as the festival included a water ritual but the point is clear.  Jesus has what will quench our thirst.

          I think all of us can get in touch with the idea of a thirsty human spirit.  Our world wears us out.  We are parched, we are dry, and we are wandering lost in a desert of false gods and misinformation.  We are thirsty for meaning, we are thirsty for truth, and we are thirsty for love.  We are thirsty for connection with each other and with our God.

          In the gospel of John, Jesus promises that our thirst will be quenched with the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The writer of Acts describes that moment with the day of Pentecost.  Our thirst is quenched not with water, but with fire.  We are burned, we are cleansed, we are fed, and we are sent out to feed others, to make connections with others.

          In the Pentecost story, the people are given a gift of language.  Not babbling tongues of glossolalia described by Paul and experienced in the Pentecostal traditions; but actual language.  The people speak the languages of all those gathered from near and far, and connections are made, community is formed, and the church is born.

          I love that the church is based in connection.  The early disciples don’t ask folks to conform to their tradition, rather they go out into the world and conform to the traditions of others.  You don’t learn the language of the church.  Rather, the church learns the language of the people.  Outsiders like Elamites, Parthians, Asians, and Arabs don’t learn the language of the Jews to become the church.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jews learn the languages of others.  The church is made when we conform, when we humble ourselves, when we strive to learn about others so we can make those connections that we are so thirsty for.

          This may seem like a stretch to you but I am sure you can find examples of this in your own life.  I am reminded of my relationship with my children.  They are big fans of a Lego cartoon show called “Ninjago” which I am truly not interested in.  And yet, I learn the language of “Ninjago” so I can follow the adventures of Cole, Jay, Kai, and Zane with them.  This is a way I learn another language, a way I conform to make connections.  Similarly, when in Malawi I picked up a few small phrases.  Haltingly offering a “Muli Bwanji”, “Zikomo”, or “Yewo” to those I meet is a way to conform myself and to make connections with another.  When we take the time to learn the language of another, we are rewarded with the community that we are so thirsty for.

          In the reading from the gospel of John, Jesus says that “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow living water.”  Those who receive the Holy Spirit, those who are part of the church community, will be able to share this Spirit with each other.  We will be able to quench the thirst of others, with the connection that flows from our hearts.

          Now in my study this week, I noticed that the Greek doesn’t really say “heart” in this passage, it actually says “belly.”  A better translation of this verse is “Out of the belly of him, will flow rivers of living water.”  This idea of “belly” really got to me.  Ages ago when I studied the Korean martial art of Tae Kwan Do I learned that the source of my power was in my belly.  If I was going to punch or kick with enough force to break a wooden board I needed to harness my belly power.  So it makes sense to me that out of my gut, out of my core, out of the center of my body, will flow the water that will quench others.  Out of my belly comes the power of connection that I form with God and with other people.  This idea really works for me, as I think of my faith as the core of who I am, and my belly; not my mind, not my heart, my belly is my true core.

          What does that feel like for you – to imagine the center of your faith down in your belly instead of your head and heart?  How does it frame your ideas of relationship to other people to consider that a connection in the belly?  Perhaps those Pentecostal tongues of fire, were really a fire in the belly, urging the early believers to forge deeper connections with others.

          This Sunday of course, we are celebrating new connections as we welcome new members into our midst.  People everywhere are thirsty for God, they are thirsty for connection, and that thirst has led some people into our midst.  We have been eager to share with others the joy of our faith and so we thankfully celebrate this opportunity to reach out.  Today is a great day for us to make commitments to learn the private languages of these new folks in our midst.  Let us conform ourselves to them, and seek opportunities to learn and grow together.  Let us share the fire for God that lives in our bellies as we make connections here in the church community. 

          The power of God is always the power to surprise us.  I am sure that as the early church community gathered together in prayer that Pentecost morning, they had no idea what was about to happen.  They had no idea what God was about to do in their midst.  They could not imagine the fire that would be placed in the bellies, urging them to go out into the world and learn new languages to form new connections in the name of Jesus Christ.

          So too, I am sure you had no idea that you would be leaving this place this morning thinking about your belly.  Though the church may feel old and boring some days, we still have that fire in the belly.  We still have that opportunity to learn new languages and to make new connections.  We still have that chance to share our joy of faith with others, to announce to the thirsty people of the world that we have the living water; we have the fire of faith, deep within our core.  People are thirsty for meaning, for love, for truth, for God, and for community.  Here in this church, we have the power to quench that thirst with the gift of the Holy Spirit.  I charge you to go out in the world this day, and embrace that fire in your belly.  Learn new languages and share your faith with our thirsty world this day!  Amen.