Save Us!

April 9^th, 2017           “Save Us!”         Rev. Heather Jepsen

Matthew 21:1-11, 26:17-29

          This morning our focus returns to the story of Jesus Christ.  During the past five weeks while we were busy studying the book of James; Conan and Dennis were busy reminding us of the work of Christ, through the companion scripture readings each Sunday.  We heard stories of Jesus and Nicodemus, Jesus and the woman at the well, Jesus and the healing of a man born blind, and Jesus and the raising of Lazarus.  Though our focus has been on the book of James, the stories of Jesus have provided the background.

          Today Jesus is front and center, as he rightfully should be on this Palm and Passion Sunday.  The shadow of Holy Week looms large and we begin with the celebration of Palm Sunday.  In Matthew’s gospel, the Palm Sunday processional seems pre-arranged.  Jesus knows there will be a donkey and a colt, and it appears he has already secured permission to use them, as he encourages the disciples to say “The Lord needs them” and the animals will be sent.

          Last week, I received negative feedback online regarding my sermons, accusing me of being too political.  My reply was that I was simply a follower of Jesus, who is by his very nature a political figure.  And I believe our reading today is one of the most politically charged readings in the church calendar, as here we see Jesus setting up a political demonstration.  I know I have stated this on previous Palm Sundays but it is good for us to remember that on the very day Jesus was entering the city by the back gate, Pilate was processing in by the front gate with a full showing of the Roman Empire’s power and might.

          Jesus is making a planned political statement, addressing the supposed power of the Roman Empire in contrast to the power of God in the lives of the people of Israel.  Pilate marches in with armies, horses, chariots, and banners; instruments of war and violence on display to be feared and worshipped.  Jesus comes in on a donkey, the cloaks of poverty strewn upon the road, the branches of nearby trees serving as banners.  Matthew tells us this fulfills the words of the prophet, “Look, your king is coming to you, humble.”

          I don’t know what they said but I am sure the people watching Pilate enter the city cheered.  Don’t we always cheer for shows of power and strength?  Here is the mighty arm of Rome, come to the city for Passover, come to keep us safe in a time of insecurity and fear.  The Jewish rebels are always threatening violence, they threaten terrorism, and now is the time to stamp terrorism out.  Now is the time to keep the city of Jerusalem safe, through the violent nationalistic power of the Roman Empire.

          I do know what the people said when they saw Jesus go by, they said “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest heaven!”  Biblical scholars will tell you that “Hosanna” comes from the Psalms, and though we often associate it with celebration, it actually translates as “Save us, we pray!”

          So as some worship the power of violence and empire; others watch a man ride humbly into the city on the back of a donkey and cry out “Save us!  Save us, Son of David!”  I was really touched by this vision this week.  Folks were looking at a “king coming to you humble, on a donkey” yelling “Save us!”  How can a man on a donkey save us?  How can he offer us anything?

          I wouldn’t be surprised if “Hosanna” was also shouted at Pilate.  How often even today do we cry “Save Us!” to the powers of violence and empire?  Save us with a wall, save us with immigration restrictions, save us with drone strikes, save us with increased military spending.  Save us, we shout at the empire we live in.  Save us and we will worship you.  “Hosanna” they said to Pilate and his empire, and “Hosanna” they said to Jesus, the man on the donkey.  “Save us!”

          I think we ask the man on the donkey to save us, only after we realize that the kingdom of empire power cannot.  It is only after we see the true cost of violence that we turn away from empire.  Only when we realize that bombs are bought at the cost of food, do the hungry ask the donkey king to save them.  Only when we realize that we are as likely to be killed by the empire as helped, do the fearful ask the donkey king to save them.  Only when we see the faces of those who have suffered a chemical weapon attack, struggling for breath like a fish out of water, do we finally say “no” to the violence of empire and ask the king who is humble, the king on the donkey, the king who is no king to save us. 

          Save us, Jesus, because without you we are nothing.  Save us, Jesus, save us from ourselves and our desires for power and privilege and empire and security.  Save us!

          And Jesus will save us.  He will save us by showing us the way into death.  The empire will save us by killing others in our name, but Jesus will save us by helping us to let go of our own lives.  Jesus shows us a new way when he gathers with the disciples to celebrate the Passover. 

          They are all there, even Judas who has fully bought into empire power, and they all receive the gift that Jesus offers.  “Take, eat; this is my body”.  Jesus offers the whole of himself for consumption.  “Drink from this cup, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant.”  Jesus offers his blood, his life force, his everything, to form a new covenant with a people who have worshipped empire for generations.  Yes, Jesus will save us, by offering his life, and telling us that the path of salvation is to offer our own lives as well.

          This Holy Week, I encourage you to look at the world you live in.  How many people are crying “save us” as they watch the parade of empire, nation state, violent oppression, and power roll on by?  How many people are crying “save us” as they sit hungry in the street, homeless on the corner, or lost in some forgotten war torn land struggling to live each day?  Where do we shout our “Hosannas!” and what exactly, who exactly are we worshipping?

          The power of empire is very much on display this morning, and you are free to worship it.  Many folks do.  But another power is on display as well.  “Your king is coming to you humble, on a donkey.”  This king leads with the power of his own death.  This week we remember that he was whipped, he was mocked, he was spat upon, and finally he was executed by the empire.  This is the king who shows us a new way.  Will we take up our cross and join the covenant of his blood, or will we continue to worship Pilate and his vast empire?  The choice is yours.  Amen.

The Community of Faith

April 2^nd, 2017         “The Community of Faith”     Rev. Heather Jepsen

Lenten Sermon Series: Lessons from James

James 5:1-20

          Those who have been regularly attending worship will know that we have spent this season of Lent reading the book of James together.  James has been a wonderful companion for us on our Lenten journey, as the author of James offers many insights into sinful human behavior and the corrective actions we can take. 

          The main focus of the book of James is the idea that how we act, how we behave in relationship to other people, should be a reflection of our faith.  As James famously states, “faith without works is dead.”  James has called us to specific acts of faith including caring for those in need, and not offering special treatment to the rich.  James has also warned us of the dangers of careless speech, and the selfishness that resides in each of our hearts.  James has offered examples of arrogance, and how we can overcome arrogant actions in the things we do and say, showing a closer reliance on our faith in God rather than our own actions to get us through.

          Today is our final sermon in the series, as we study the words here in chapter 5, the last chapter in the book of James.  You are encouraged to follow along and you will find our reading on page 982 in your pew Bible.

          (Read 5:1-6)

          This first section for today continues with the ideas we were discussing last week, namely how our arrogance shows in the things we say and do.  The example that James offers today is the arrogance of wealth, and James saves his harshest critique for the rich oppressors. 

          James calls upon the rich to weep and wail.  Those who have spent their lives investing in the closed economic model, reaching and grabbing for all they can attain for themselves, will suffer in the end James warns.  Your riches will not save you, and in the last days they will amount to nothing.  Moreover, James warns, if riches have been obtained at the cost of withholding wages, unfair business practices, or enjoying pleasures at the expense of others, our riches will lead to a harsher judgement.

          We have to remember last week’s discussion connecting envy and violence.  James argues that we always want more, and that we are willing to kill to get it.  If there is only so much stuff in the world, then I am willing to knock other people down in order to get my share.  James argues that it is this sinful behavior that has enabled folks to be rich, and it is by this sinful behavior which they will be judged in the end.

          Lest we think this isn’t about us, in his commentary on James, Luke Timothy Johnson points out;

“Envy and arrogance take a public form in economic and political systems that privilege the few and punish the many, that exploit the resources of the earth for the extravagant life-style of those privileged to live in the first world rather than the third, that reduce the laborers in the fields (and factories and sweat shops and fast-food eateries) to slaves by systems of reward and taxation that perpetuate inequity, that so marginalize major portions of the population that they are unable to sustain their existence at a meaningful human level, that commit legal murder against the innocent by means of litigation and the corruption of the courts. . . James tells us that we cannot close our eyes to these realities, that even if we cannot by ourselves change them, somehow we must by our own changed lives challenge them and that, in our own envy and arrogance, we stand within that same distorted view of the world and, therefore, under the same judgement of God.”

(Read 5:7-11)

          After slapping us on the wrist and telling us all the things we have been doing wrong, James now switches gears to offer us instructions on how to live as the community of faith.  James encourages the faithful to be patient and wait, as the coming of the Lord is near.  Here, James refers to the second coming of Christ, who will bring judgement in his wake.

          As the community of faith waits, the people are called to strengthen their hearts.  This is not an admonition to keep our hopes up; rather it is a call to keep focused.  The Christian community is called to endure in faith, until the time of judgement arrives.  Until the Lord comes, the rule of oppression leveled by the rich and powerful in our world will continue.  Under such negative and stressful circumstances, people will be tempted to turn against each other.  Instead, James encourages the community to stand strong together.  Just like the prophets or Job, the Christian community is called to suffer in faith, until the compassion of the Lord rescues them in the last days.

          (Read James 5:12)

          James now goes on to detail the life of faith within the Christian community, beginning with a discussion of oaths.  This may sound familiar to you because Jesus says this in the gospel of Matthew.  We are encouraged to be plain and trustworthy in our speech.  Our yes is yes and our no is no. 

          If we are not honest and clear in the community of faith then we cannot get the work of ministry done.  If we are not honest in our communication, then we open the door to manipulation and deceit within the community of faith itself.  James wants us to stand strong together so he encourages us to be truthful and clear with each other.  We don’t need to swear oaths, if we have first built a foundation of trust within the community.

          (5:13-20)

          In the final section of his letter, or sermon, James continues to offer encouragement to the Christian community in how to live in ways that are different than the ways of the world.  Following along the thought of clear speech that was offered in the earlier verse, in this passage James is encouraging the community of faith to share the truth of their experiences with each other.  Those who are suffering should be lifted up in prayer.  Those who are blessed should lead the community in singing songs of praise.  And those who are ill should call the church to their bedside.

          This section on illness is important because it contains subtleties regarding the ways of God and the ways of the world conversation that we had last week.  Sickness is a threat to any community, as it can spread among us and harm us all.  In a world of competition and closed resources, the natural response is to leave the sick person behind rather than to risk the spreading of sickness.  James is revolutionary then, when he calls the community to gather around the sick person instead.  We are to pray together, to touch each other, and to show that the sick person is a vital member of the community of faith.  We come together in solidarity, even when it may put the community in danger, as a sign of our faith in God and our rejection of the ways of the world.

          The community is encouraged to confess our sins to each other.  This is a call to be honest about who we are in our private lives, when we come together as a community of faith.  We are called to pray together, so that the community itself may experience healing and grace.  James mentions the power of prayer Elijah experiences and suggests that the Christian community can share in that power as well, if we are willing to be honest with each other and to pray together.

          Finally, James encourages us to bring back into the fold any that may wander from the faith.  This is a bit touchy, as James is asking us to correct each other when we see sin.  This was a common moral teaching in the time of James through it can be a bit of a challenge in our modern time and place.  Rather than engaging in slander, judging, or grumbling against one another; if someone is causing problems in the community or headed in the wrong direction, we are encouraged to gather around them and patiently help them redirect.  I am sure you can imagine this resulting in anger and hurt feelings, but in James’ mind, this is the way the ideal Christian community would operate; mutual confession and mutual correction, all within a culture of support and honesty.

          We can see here at the end of the book that James offers none of the traditional closings that many other letters in scripture offer.  That is one of the reasons it is often thought that this wasn’t a letter at all.  Rather, the letter of James is a famous sermon and teaching tool that was passed around among the early Christian faith communities.

          Because this isn’t a letter addressed to a specific time and place, we could argue that this is a sermon addressed to the church as a whole.  And I hope that throughout the past five weeks, you have noticed with me, how readily James’ sermon could be addressed to this very church.  We too live in a world that is driven by selfishness, envy, and greed.  We too are in danger of speaking harsh and negative things about our neighbors.  We too have fallen prey to the ways of the world and the fallacy of a closed economic system over the truth of God’s deep and vast abundance.  We too, as a community, would benefit from clear speech, more prayer, care for the sick, and mutual correction.

          This Lenten season, the letter of James has been a worthy companion on our journey of faith.  I am hopeful that like me, you have found the message that James offers to touch your life as an individual.  I know I am trying to engage with the world in a new and better way each day.  Following the teachings of James, I want my actions in the world to be a sign of my faith in the Lord, marked by integrity in thought, speech, and action.  I hope that you do too.  These lessons from James are a wonderful instruction for the church and for our particular community of faith.  Thanks be to God for this wonderful little book hiding in the back of our Bibles!  Amen.