Eyes Open (Ruth 2)

Ordinary 33B

November 15, 2015

Ancho + Corona

Scripture:
Ruth 3: 1-5; 4:13-17 + Mark 13: 1-8, 32-33

Comfort in Troubled Times

Earlier this week, there were several terrorist actions throughout the world. On Thursday evening, two bombers killed forty people in a Shia suburb of Beirut. Then, on Friday morning, a Daesh (ISIS) militant blew himself up at a funeral in Baghdad, killing 18 more. On Friday night, several more militants across Paris killed over a hundred people. As it happens, all of these actions have been connected in one way or another to Daesh - and it seems that threats of greater violence to come have been made around the world.

We live in dark times - when hatred can reach across the entire globe. But we also live in times when hope can spread more rapidly than terror. 

You may have seen on Facebook or other social media a new image - a symbol of peace in Paris. Constructed of a sketch of the Eiffel Tower and the cold-war era peace sign, made of the semaphore symbols for the letter ND - Nuclear Disarmament - it seems in description to be mish-mash of parts. 

But this symbol has transcended cultural boundaries, and is being shared from countries all around the Earth - this image of hope, a wish of peace, a simple sign does not require translation. And subsequently, people have been showing support for Beirut and Baghdad as a result of the high-profile nature of the Paris attacks. It's truly wonderful to see the forming of a global consciousness of peace.

In the time of Mark's community of faith, the world they knew was also experiencing troubled times. At the level of Empire, Rome was continuing their practice of execution and torture of people rebelling against their rule by crucifixions. Outside the empire, Parthia was threatening to not only war against Rome - but possibly to win that war, as they had already defeated several legions sent after them. Parthia, at the height of its power, stretched from modern-day Turkey, through Syria and Persia, and reached all the way to India.

Additionally, a Jewish revolt had been forming for years against Rome, as the people continued to be oppressed, kept from their worship practices in the Temple, and taxed heavily by a succession of Roman governors. 

Mark's Gospel was written to a community of Christians who found themselves stuck in the midst of a very chaotic world. Not only were these continent-wide events transpiring, but persecution against Christians had begun in Rome itself. Though the depredations of Nero were still in the future, the Christians were a large enough minority to be noticed - and their refusal to fight in the army or in the Colosseum meant that they stood out against the power of the state quite visibly.

In Jerusalem, the situation was equally tense. Word was spreading that Rome would move against the city, and Christians feared that the city would be razed or torn down. Some groups of Christians even were spreading sayings of Jesus that suggested exactly that - and many were urging the community to leave the city before a Roman siege began. To help comfort his community - and other Christian groups who would read his words - the author of Mark wrote the Gospel, the first to be written, and compiled it from many sources. Several of these sources included predictions of a future time of trouble, and Mark stitched most of those together in Chapter 13, our reading today.

This chapter is often titled the "Little Apocalypse." No, that doesn't mean a short end of the world, or a small disaster - it means a short time of opening eyes. Apocalypse - apokalupsis in Greek - means, literally, "to raise the veil" - that is, to see something previously unseen. To describe eye-opening moments. These predictions of a future are not meant as a literal roadmap, but are a part of an ancient culture of prophesy. Notice how vague many of the descriptors are - "There will be wars," "earthquakes," "famines." These apply at many times, in many ways, to many groups of people. The point isn't that it will happen just-so - but that no matter what happens, in the midst of this darkness, Jesus will be there. That this isn't it - this isn't the end. And when Jesus returns, the Kingdom of God will not contain this pain and suffering.

All that said - the time of Jesus' return is unknown, even to him. He made that point specifically in the end of the passage. When I re-read that portion of the scripture, I was reminded of a news article I read this week, of a family in Texas that pulled their kids from school because the Rapture would be coming soon, and surely their kids didn't need to learn anything! Hmm...

These times of darkness - the wars, the quakes, and famine - represent the "birth pangs" - labor pains - of the coming kingdom. As painful as all of this is, to us today and to the early church, the promise is that this isn't all that will ever be. When my wife Elana and I were talking this week, she put it this way: On the one hand, if Jesus comes immediately, all this pain is turned into joy at the new kingdom that has finally arrived. On the other, the worst-case scenario is that the kingdom doesn't come in our lifetime, and we get to be a part of building it. 

All of this is a comfort to us in these dark times - when lives are lost, they are not lost forever. Even as far away as we are, there are ways in which we can help, if we keep our eyes open.

Darkness leads to light - but requires change

The story of Ruth and Boaz illustrates the point of keeping our eyes open. Last week, we talked about Ruth and Naomi leaving Moab for Bethlehem. Their lives were practically over; even though they had each other, they were in a very dark place personally. The lectionary text skips over part of their story, but they did find shelter on the farm of a man named Boaz, who is a cousin of Naomi's. Ruth has been working with him on the farm, and hoping that he will notice her and ask her to marry him. It hasn't happened - he has referred to her as "daughter" and made references to his older age - but now, Naomi decides to make things happen. She give some advice to Ruth to meet with Boaz and be direct in her affection for him. Then the lectionary skips over more parts - we'll call it a holy yada, yada, yada - and things end up working out for Ruth and Boaz, they get married, and have a child - a child whose name means "provider" - and provides not only for Naomi but for all of Israel in the form of his grandson, David, who was later to become king.

You see, Ruth and Naomi begin the story in a dark place - they exist only on what they can glean from the fields and then later on what is given to them by Boaz. Naomi has been keeping her eyes on Boaz' routine. She's decided, with Ruth's consent, to try to encourage Boaz to see Ruth differently. This threshing-floor story thus becomes the closest story in the Bible to anything illustrating that non-Biblical phrase, "God helps those who help themselves." 

Ruth and Naomi are working to change perceptions in their community - and they do it according to an ancient practice. As widows, they are low on the status ladder - so low, that there's not much hope for them, even together. But, in Israelite society, the closest male relative was supposed, if able, to take a widow as their wife in order to continue the family line, if at all possible. That's what's happened here - despite Ruth not being Israelite, she has claimed Naomi's family as her own.

Even in their darkness and fear, Ruth and Naomi keep their eyes open. Naomi even literally says to Ruth, "Notice where he lays down" - that is, hide and keep your eyes open for the right situation! And that right situation brings hope - not just for themselves, but for all of Israel. And, as Jesus is in the line of David, hope arises for all the earth, too.

Eyes open to see the light

In times of darkness, you have to keep your eyes open to see even the faintest hint of light. Look at Ruth and Naomi, who take risks to build a better life for themselves - and are willing to deal with the consequences if those risks don't work out.

But, it's very important that, even with your eyes open, you focus on the right things. Look at the beginning of our Mark passage - the disciples point out the beauty of the Temple to Jesus, looking closely at it, noticing the huge stones. But Jesus responds that the temple will not stand - that nothing human made will last - but that God will be there with the people the whole while. That this isn't the end, but the beginning - the birth pangs of a new and better world to come.

With your eyes open, work to make the world more like the coming kingdom. Take care of yourselves and your family - and warn others of danger. Like Mark did, in warning the community to flee Jerusalem for Pella. Like Ruth and Naomi did in changing the perceptions of their community. Like we can do in changing perceptions about Christian love - to show that, no matter where the darkness falls, Christ's light will live in our hearts, and shine like a beacon.

And not just in our hearts, but in the hearts that love all around the world. Hearts that can shine brightly in the darkness, till that time of peace, love, and joy finally arrives. 

Until then -

May God hold you close in the darkness around. May the Holy Spirit point you in the direction of the light. And may Christ's way of love and peace fill your heart with light at every turn. Amen.

If You Seek God, Circumspice (Job 3)

Ordinary 29B 

Oct 18, 2015 

Ancho + Corona 

Scripture:
Job 38: 1-7, 34-41 + Mark 10: 35-45

(This sermon has been transcribed from an audio recording)
In Sept, 2012, I was on my way to Nome, Alaska. I was waiting around in the Detroit airport, preparing for the many legs of the journey - my flight would take me from Detroit to Minneapolis to Seattle to Anchorage to Kotzebue and finally, to Nome. As I was waiting there, just past security, I saw over the windows a large Michigan flag hanging on the wall.

State Flag of Michigan

Now, the Michigan flag contains the state seal, complete with a Latin motto, and as I had a bit of time to kill, I walked up and read the motto to myself. It reads: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circumspice. It means, If you seek a beautiful peninsula, look around you. So I did look around me, and it was a beautiful peninsula. Later - many, many legs later - we were heading from Anchorage to Kotzebue, and the stewardess hopped on the intercom: "Thank you for flying Alaska Airlines," she said, "and welcome to God's country." Now, that's the first time I'd ever heard that expression, and at first, I thought it's the state motto, kinda like Land of Enchantment is the New Mexico state tourist phrase to bring people here - same idea, I thought "God's country" was it for Alaska.

State Flag of Alaska

But it's not. Alaska means "The Great Land" - it has nothing to do with God's country, and since then I've heard it in multiple places and learned that it's usually referring to wide open expanses of land. Thus, I've heard it in New Mexico as many of you probably have too, referring to the wide open expanses of land here in New Mexico.

State Flag of New Mexico

Why open land? Because apparently we don't see God in areas of population density. It's - it's as though, when people get together, God's not seen. As though we need to be away from people. Is God's presence masked by the freewill and choice that we all have? Is God drowned out by the swirling masses of humanity? These are questions. Questions that you will see are related to our story from Job today.

So, let's listen to this story from Job, chapter 38, some selected verses: 1 through 7 and 34-41.
The Lord answered Job from a whirlwind: Who is this, that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you MUST answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much, who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together, and all the angels shouted for joy? Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain? Can you make lightning appear, and cause it to strike as you direct? Who gives intuition to the heart, and instinct to the mind? Who is wise enough to count all the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heaven when the parched ground is dry and the soil has hardened into clods. Can you stalk prey for a lioness, and satisfy the young lion's appetites as they lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket? Who provides food for the ravens, when their young cry out to God and wander about in hunger?

Job has been crying out to God for 35 chapters - and finally, finally God responds. Job has been crying out to God to "lift this veil of darkness" from in front of Job's face - we talked about that veil of darkness last week. Job has been crying out to God to answer Job's subpoena to appear in court - I still think that's pretty audacious, to say, "God, appear before me - I'm serving you!" I don't know how you would serve God with a subpoena, but that's what Job's been trying to do.

And now, finally, finally, God does appear to Job - in a whirlwind - and starts asking Job questions that Job and all of us can only answer, "No, God, I wasn't there. No, I didn't do that. No, I can't do that. Only you can." Our little snippet of God's answer to Job today gives you a taste for these questions, and you'll note, it's a very abbreviated taste - this questioning runs on for three chapters, right up to chapter 41.

Job, through these questions, is taken from one end of the universe to the other, and then, on a zoology tour of the earth, looking at all the animals, and all the ways they interact together. Whether or not he's actually taken, and whether it's just the questions that are leading his mind there, he's got a very wide breadth of these answers of "No" that he's gotta be constantly saying to God. This "constant barrage of questions", as one commentator puts it, leaves you wondering what God's purpose is. Is God trying to overwhelm Job? Is God trying to make Job insecure?

Another commentator wrote, that if Job were the example given of God in Seminary, God would have failed pastoral care 101. None of these questions seem to answer any of Job's questions - at first glance. It's really easy to get overwhelmed with these questions.

So, let's take a moment - slow down, take time to look at these carefully. Despite the whirlwind, despite the presumptive booming voice of God, God isn't telling Job anything new. Throughout Job's ordeal, he has claimed that God is magnificent, just, holy, and so on. Job has still claimed God, throughout everything. That's why Job wants God to appear, after all, because Job wants a good, fair trial, and Job trusts God to give that. And now, God is taking Job on a journey through creation to show how God is involved in everything.

There are three major threads that run through these questions that God asks: First thread - God has been present, is present, and will be present in the largest and smallest of all things. Second, God sets limits on chaos, but doesn't remove it. Third, God provides for creation.

God provides for creation. We see this in the questions, "can you stalk prey for a lioness?" "Who provides food for the ravens?" "Who tilts the water jar of heaven onto the parched earth?" God is clearly the one who does these things, and God is the one who is providing for all of creation in them. There are many more questions like this, these are just exemplar questions.

God sets limits on chaos. "God defines boundaries" is another way to put this. "Who determined the limits of the earth? What supports its foundations?" Who determined the limits of the earth, saying the earth should be the sphere with the atmosphere, and no further? God. Who determines where earth is placed in its orbital path? God. In the Goldilocks zone, as scientists like to call it, the place where we have liquid water abundant, heat and light from the sun, but not too much - just... right. God is the one who sets the limits on chaos around.

God is present, has been present, and will be present. "Who laid the cornerstone while the stars and angels sang for joy?" God is saying, "I was at the very beginning, I am now, and I will be."
Truly, from these, we can see that everything is God's country. God is present in greatest joy, in deepest suffering. In widest plain, in narrowest alley, God is present. God sets limits on chaos. Job thought he had lost everything - in fact, this is a point I've been making through and through, week-by-week, but truly, Job had not lost everything. He still had life. He still had breath. He still has friends, a wife. He had his speech, he had mobility, he had more than anything I can list here. Not everyone is so lucky. Even Job, as much as he had before that was taken from him, was loved by God. God loves all, from the greatest lion to the littlest raven, from the most beautiful star in the distance, to the depths of the human heart, God loves all of us.

God sets boundaries on Job - takes away some things, narrows the boundaries around Job, but hasn't taken everything away. Job had many options available - he has the freedom to act in many ways. Though his grief is crippling, he did not need to argue with his friends for many chapters. I think many of the Biblical scholars would appreciate that. Maybe ONE friend. Not three. This didn't need to happen for so long.

Nor did he need to remain in this ash-pit; for however long 35 chapters of arguing has taken. Job could have gotten up. But Job became so focused on God that he neglected everything and everyone else - his mind was so focused on connecting with God and proving himself innocent that he wasn't looking for other ways to live, other ways to be in the world. Instead of looking for God around him, Job looked only inward and upward.

God provides for creation. Even though Job had these other options, and God could have left Job alone, God provides for Job. God appears, exactly what Job has been asking for, God does. God didn't have to, but God does appear before Job, and brings Job on this tour of creation. God shows Job where God is active, what God is doing, has done, and will do. God is encouraging Job to look outward, to see God at work, providing in the world, instead of narrowly focused inward and upward. Look for God around you. If you seek God, look around you.

Our Gospel lesson from Mark tells us the other half of this equation: that not only do we need look around us to find God, but when we do find God, we need to listen to God. It's not just about finding God in the first place. Listening is just as important. Our Gospel lesson shows James and John angling to get the best seats at the glorious banquet they believe is coming soon. You can just see these two brothers, the "sons of Thunder" - I imagine they were loud and pushy, that's just how "sons of thunder" rings in my mind - sons of thunder, James and John, angling to go to Jesus, and say, "Hey, Jesus, grant us this thing..." Waiting for Jesus to say, "Ok, sure, you're my friends!" But no, he says, "What do you want?" He's canny, along this way. And they say, "Ok, well, we would like to sit on your right and left hand at the glorious banquet to come."

 Now - that's all fine and dandy, except... do you know what this follows in the Bible? Jesus telling them that he's going to be tortured and killed. Jesus tells the disciples that he's going to be tortured and killed, and James and John's reaction is, "Hey, Jesus, we want to sit next to you." I don't think they're listening to what Jesus is saying. When Jesus tells them, "Are you ready to take this cup of suffering, this baptism of suffering that I have?" they say, "Yes, Jesus, we're ready!" And Jesus says, "Well, you will," referencing James' death. He has to tell them that, sadly, they're right, they will take part of this cup and baptism. But even though they do this, who is honored in heaven isn't for Jesus to say. Following that passage, he tells the disciples once again that it is the ones who serve - yes, the ones who serve even as far as slaves do - who will be honored in heaven.

Jesus, you see, is present with the disciples. Jesus is present, just like God is present. Jesus is present with the disciples, though he's not happy with their not listening to him, he is still present with them. He's present with James and John and with the other ten disciples. He doesn't leave them for another set, say, "Ok, you guys, that's the last straw, you haven't listened to me anywhere along the line, I'm going to go find another twelve. Maybe they'll listen to me over in Egypt - or in Syria - or in some other area near here. You guys are done." He doesn't do that. Jesus stays with them - and tries time and time again to get them to listen to what he's saying.

Jesus sets boundaries. Jesus won't tell James, John, and the other disciples, or whoever reported this story to Mark, who specifically will be honored in heaven. This gives us wonderful freedom within these boundaries. It gives us a freedom to think, "Hey, it might be you! It might be me! It might be my grandchildren, it might be my great-ancestors." There's a freedom in wondering, and that leads us to act in a good way, to act as God would have us act, to use our freedom to choose to choose wisely, to choose for God. He does provide the boundary, though, that it's about serving. Those who serve will be honored. Not those who take for themselves, who make themselves better, who puff up and wear the best of bow-ties, and top hats. No... it's those who serve.

Lastly, Jesus provides for the church. These stories, though they weren't understood originally, as we can tell by Mark's depiction of the disciples completely missing the point, were passed on, and give us a chance to understand them today. A chance - maybe we have it wrong, too - maybe we're not understanding completely either - that's fine. Jesus has provided throughout the years, giving us much to think and ponder on, and helps to guide our freedom and action to be more aligned with God's plan for us. Just like the disciples, after Jesus' death and resurrection, finally get it. Finally start telling people who Jesus is, and what that means, that God loves you, the Good News is that there is NOT an angry God - but a God who loves you - and you - and you - and everyone.

So, Job tells us to see God around us. Mark tells us to listen to God when we find God. God is telling us that God's Country isn't just Alaska, or New Mexico, or even America - God's Country is all the heavens, all the stars, all the planets, all the heavenly host, all the mountains, all the prairies, all the lakes, streams, oceans. All the people, all the rural areas, all the urban areas, and yes, even all the suburban and exurban areas.

If we want to see God, we have to look around us. Not just in our nature walks, our homesteads, and our isolated hunting and fishing, hiking and skiing trips, but also in our trips to town. Our talks with friends. Our interactions with people we meet at Knowledge Bowl, or Sports events, or anywhere else. Because God is present in it all. Is, has been, and will be. We look for God in our environment around us, and we will find God. Then, after we've found God, we should listen - and try to understand what God is telling us. Even if we don't get it immediately. Even if, like the disciples - and thank goodness we have their example - we don't get it on the first try... or the second... or the third... we need to listen to what God is saying, and get it, eventually, when the time is right.
You've heard it said, preach the gospel constantly; use words if necessary. I say, God is preaching the Gospel constantly, use your eyes and ears to see and hear it.

When you see and hear God's Word in all creation, that's when you can share God's word with others. Sing along to the tune. Mesh with harmonies of the stars and the depths of the human soul. If you seek the Good God, look around you. Amen.

Lament in Unknowing (Job 2)

Ordinary 28B
Oct 11, 2015
Ancho + Corona

Scripture:
Job 23: 1-17; Mark 10: 17-31

I’d like to open and close this sermon time with a song that my Great-grandfather wrote the lyrics to:

Stars that shine above
Tell of God’s love
For even when clouds hide,
Still, they are there
So, we, dear Father
Though shadows hide Thee,
Know Thou art keeping watch
With tenderest care.

Last Friday was the day of the Ancho Star Party, when we gathered to study the heavens and marvel at God’s beautiful creation. Yet, in Corona, the world seemed shrouded in cloud. It was like a blanket, covering over everything – that cloud clung to the ground and to the sky above. As I drove down to Ancho, I kept thinking that it was like the world was disappearing around me. Even after heading through the Tecalote pass, the clouds covered the skies above. We had gathered to view the heavens, but the heavens were closed to us.

Yet, like the blanket it resembled, it was comforting too. After all, we were able to have fellowship and food – to warm the church not only with the woodstove, but with love and affirmation. Even not being able to see the stars, we studied about the history of the constellations, and practiced with our star charts. Could we identify the stars? Could we remember their relations to each other?

That’s where Job is in our passage today – in the midst of cloud-wrapped darkness. Verse 17, in the Revised Standard Version, reads “For I am hemmed in by darkness, and thick darkness covers my face.” For Job, it’s worse: not only can he not see the stars, but he has no food or fellowship with his friends or his wife. He and his friends have spent 20 chapters discussing theological points, about why Job “deserves” to be punished with suffering, and Job refutes all their points. The arguing has already gone on so long that it’s stopped being about what the other person said. We’ve all had arguments that have done this, right? Where you stop listening to the other person , and just argue, almost against yourself? Well, Job’s response to Eliphaz, which we read today, does not directly address the concerns he raised in the last chapter. It seems as though these friends did their best for Job while they sat with him silently, in vigil for the first week; now, all their yammering is just making things worse.

This darkness that Job finds himself in is a form of unknowing – Job is asking, “how can I know how to find God?” After all, Job desperately wants to see God – look at verse 3, “If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court.” But why does Job want to go to God? To argue his case before the great judge.

It’s clear that Job initially thinks that God either doesn’t know about his situation, or that God just hasn’t taken everything into account. Look at verse 7 – “Honest people can reason with [God], so I would be forever acquitted by my judge.” Job’s not wrong that God is an honest judge – but he is wrong in thinking that God is avoiding him. Every direction that Job goes, he feels like God is not there. This is directly opposite the experience of God described by the Psalmist in Psalm 139:

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and settle at the furthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me fast.

Compare that to verse 10 of our Job text: “For [God] knows where I am going, and when [God] tries me, I will come out as pure as gold.” You see? Job thinks God is purposefully avoiding him, so as to not let him come to trial – as Job thinks he will surely come out “as pure as gold.”

Job’s reaction is not to curse God, as his wife suggested last week, or to falsely seek absolution for sins that he truly hasn’t committed – but to lament. Now, this isn’t immediate; remember, we’ve been listening to Job talking for 20 chapters about God; but here, Job starts to address his own fears.

Lament is a Latin word that we’ve adopted through French influence into English. It means, literally, to “weep, wail, or mourn” in Latin – and that’s a good translation of the Hebrew, “saphat”, meaning literally to “tear your hair” or figuratively, to mourn openly. Mourning and Lamenting tend to go hand-in-hand, but lamenting has an extra sense of seeking retribution for unjust treatment. Therefore, we lament more situations than we mourn – after all, when we say the Lord’s Prayer, we are lamenting that God’s kingdom is not yet on earth, and asking for the strength to help build it. When we stand up for not only ourselves, but those whose voices are not heard, we are participating in lamentations.

Job, in the darkness of unknowing, illustrates what to do: Lament! Cry against the systems that hold back justice. Speak up for yourself and others who are being mistreated.

To see what happens when we don’t lament, let’s take a look at our Gospel lesson. Here, we see Jesus approached by an unknowing man. He runs up, throws himself at Jesus’ feet, and asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life. The man is showing such enthusiasm – even calling Jesus, “Good Teacher,” a title which is never repeated by anyone else in the Bible. But Jesus deflects his question, first responding that no one but God is truly good. The man shows that he is listening by next calling Jesus by the plain title, Teacher.

So, Jesus asks him if he’s kept a series of commandments: Don’t murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t cheat/defraud. Honor your father and mother. It’s interesting that these commandments are all (but one) from the Decalogue, the ten commandments. The ones left out from that list are all about God: Keep God first, make no idols, keep the Sabbath.

Oh, and one is swapped – Jesus says don’t cheat or defraud, instead of don’t covet. We’ll come back to this in a bit.

The man responds that he has kept them all, and Jesus tells him, “But wait… there’s one more thing! Go, sell all you have, give the money to the poor, come and follow me.” There are five verbs in this “one more thing” – Go, sell, give, come, follow. And this seems straightforward, if a bit convicting: Just keeping the commandments isn’t enough. One must also eek the bettering of the world – acting against the injustice of poverty.

But… that’s not the whole story. Look at the question and answer again: “What must I DO to INHERIT eternal life?” Jesus' answer: Commandments. The commandments Jesus lists – even the wonky “don’t cheat/defraud” – are proscriptions against actions that you DO to get an inheritance. Don’t murder – you can get an inheritance usually only after a person dies, so murder might seem like a way to get it. Don’t commit adultery – Well, Jesus has just finished saying that divorcing someone and remarrying is committing adultery. Whether or not we still hold to that today, the point is that by re-marrying someone, you could receive an inheritance from someone else. Don’t steal – this is straightforward, don’t steal someone else’s inheritance. Don’t lie – don’t say that an inheritance is yours in order to receive that inheritance. Don’t cheat/defraud – this is similar to don’t lie – don’t pretend to be someone else to receive their inheritance. If Jesus had said, “don’t covet,” it wouldn’t have been as strong an indicator, as coveting often leads to a desire to cheat/defraud. Honor your father and mother – after all, if you don’t, they’ll cut you out of their will, and you won’t receive an inheritance.

All of this is Jesus checking to see if this man has done anything that he REALLY shouldn’t have. It is this man’s unknowing – of the fact that inheritance isn’t something you DO something to get – that leads to Jesus’ exchange that it is difficult for the rich to enter heaven. Often, wealth is associated with power, or with goodness – just look at Job’s friends, who think he must have done something bad, since he’s lost all of his wealth. With that mindset, you might very well think you can DO something in order to secure for yourself what you want – that is, what you covet.

This man wanted eternal life for himself – and wanted to throw his wealth at the problem in order to get it. But you can’t buy eternal life! It’s not like you’ll find it on Amazon or E-bay, listed under “Salvation – Eternal life!” So, Jesus is telling the rich man to publicly lament – to cry against the injustice of poverty and do something about it.

Job has lost everything, and laments that God seems far away – and so, Job laments in the darkness of unknowing. He cries against the injustice and cries for a fair trial. The rich man has lost nothing, has much, and wants more. Jesus calls him to lament against the injustice of his standing, and the way society is structured, and he refuses, going away sad. 

That leads us to this question: Which of these men does God look on with favor?

The answer? Both of them – but only one is truly seeking God.

Just as we at Ancho were seeking the stars – by studying, and waiting together, the clouds cleared up just in time. It was a beautiful miracle that that which we were seeking was revealed to us when it suited God – in God’s own time. As we’ll see next week, that’s how it is with Job, too.

May you seek God – lamenting against injustice, and doing what you can to help bring God’s kingdom here on earth. Amen.

I am not afraid
When the shadows fall
And it grows too dark to see
For Thou, dear Lord,
Who watches over all,
Will care for my loved ones and me

Creative Peace (Job 1)

Creative Peace
Ordinary 27
Oct 4, 2015
Mountain Ministry Parish

Scripture-
Job 1:1; 2:1-10

A tree grows despite adversity

In 1933, two Jewish men named Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the first modern superhero – Superman. Now, most of us have encountered Superman at some point in our lives – the comics, the movies, the audio dramas, they’re all around us – but just in case you haven’t, let me give you a bit of background. He is an undocumented immigrant to this country, arriving as a baby to be raised by a couple from Kansas with no ties to his birth family. He blends in with society as best he can, and ends up reporting for a newspaper in the biggest city in America. He struggles with his identity – who is he really, the immigrant or the Kansas farm boy? – and falls in love with a fellow reporter, Lois Lane, who is initially indifferent towards him. As part of his identity crises, “Clark Kent” uses his gifts to help the people of Metropolis while wearing his ancestral crest proudly, but hiding his identity as the reporter. When physically reminded of his origin by a rock from his homeland, he becomes weak and nauseated, and loses many of his special gifts. His gifts are many – originally, speed, strength, and a terrifically tall jump, but later “improved” with flight, heat and x-ray vision, cold breath, and nigh-invulnerability. Yet none of these physical gifts, which are taken away by kryptonite, match his moral gift – his ability to maintain morality in the face of difficult choices. This gift is one instilled by his adopted parents, and at its core, is the true super-power of Superman.

Return of the Taleings

It has been a long while since I last wrote in this blog... three years have passed, and a lot has changed. Before I reboot the blog with some new content, I thought it would be a good idea to share where life has taken me!

In 2012-2013, I worked for KNOM in Alaska. My morning show co-host and I ended up winning five communicator awards between us for our spots and promotions. She alone out of the five of us volunteers stayed at KNOM for a second year. The rest of us went off into the lower 48, in various positions and to various new lives, enriched by our living together, and by our work at the station.

Communicator awards!

My position was to be a Teaching Elder (that's Pastor, for non-Presbys) for two small, rural churches in central New Mexico. Soon after submitting my PIF to the Church Leadership Connection, I received a call from the Pastoral Nominating Committee (PNC) of this yoked call. They had me fly out to preach to them in April, and I accepted the position that evening, though I wouldn't start working at the churches until October 2013.

My first blessing over the table at Corona - at the installation service!

Meanwhile, my best friend from Seminary and I started to realize that we were called to be more than friends. We dated long-distance, as she was still in Kentucky, and ended up getting engaged in September 2013, and married in March 2014 - in a city that neither of us lived in, Greensboro, NC (though it was her hometown before Seminary). We like to joke that we have the shortest time of anyone we know between first kiss and engagement - only a month!

From the wedding - we asked everyone to wear hats!

So, since May 2014, Elana and I have been living in New Mexico, putting our lives together, and adjusting to married life. It sounds simple, putting it that way, but there have been some significant challenges - including an 8-month bout with low blood pressure that kept her confined to the couch that was resolved only after realizing she was one of the "lucky" 1-in-10,000 that have a low-blood-pressure reaction to a particular asthma medication.

Recently, I've been asked by several of the church members to make the written text of my sermons available online - and I recalled that I had set up this blog three years ago! To that end, then, I will be posting my weekly sermons here - and perhaps some other thoughts as appropriate, too. I know it marks a shift in tone for the blog, but since it's been three years, perhaps that's appropriate!

Sometimes, we even worship outside!