A Mighty Fortress is Our God

 

SERMON

April 18, 2021

"A Mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our help amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing…"

Hopeful, and I believe courageous, words written by Martin Luther, the German theologian and religious reformer who was the catalyst of the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Luther taught that salvation was not earned by good deeds but was received as the free gift of God's grace through the believer's faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority and office of the pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge, and that God alone has the power to bestow salvation.

Luther did not come to his belief that salvation was freely given through God's good grace easily. He began life as a Catholic and spent many years in a monastery where he struggled, continually, with the painful thought that his tendency to sin was far greater than any repentance he could offer God. Despite regular confession and acts of repentance, he despaired that he would never be worthy of God's heavenly Kingdom.

 It was only when Luther, after many years, read Paul's Letter to the Romans; specifically, Chapter One: verse 17, that he shifted to the belief that it was, and is, through faith, not good works, that we are recipients of God's grace; his gift of salvation.

 In this verse Paul wrote, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith."

 It was upon hearing those words that Luther's Reformation was born and the journey to our Anglican and Episcopal tradition was initiated.

 With this brief piece of history in mind, the opening phrase of this morning's gospel hymn is given a context and a link to the theology of salvation that is both ancient and now ours. A theology that offers us peace of mind, and a theology that gives us courage to go into the world as bearers of the Christian faith as a way of life. The way of life…

 "A Mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our help amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing…"

 As we slowly emerge from a long, long struggle against the effects of a frightening and deadly disease, we are all exhausted. Many of us are numb, stuck, unable to concentrate, bewildered, traumatized. Hours, days, weeks, and months have been spent in isolation. Unremitting time during which we were afraid to touch anyone, afraid to get too close to anyone – anyone, even family members. An unending string of days, during which we were shut-ins. Prisoners in the solitary confinement in our homes.

 And now, here we are slowly, ever so slowly, crawling out of isolation and onto the banks of the "other side." Grasping at hope – the hope of an effective vaccine and a return to "normal." Grasping in faith at hope. Hope in God's grace. Exhausted but alive.

 "A Mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our help amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing…"

 In this covid time, Fr. David and I have been focusing on the psalms as inspiration for our sermons. Today's psalm, once again, is especially relevant. The psalmist is crying out to God, "Answer me when I call, defender of my cause…have mercy on me and hear my prayer." Have we also not been crying out to God? "God, are you there? If so, hear us, please. We are asking for your mercy, your intervention in this bewildering and frightening time."

 The psalmist continues. He reassures us "…the Lord does wonders for the faithful; when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me." But the psalmist also understands that this assurance is based on God's expectation of faithfulness to his sovereignty. He says, "Tremble then, and do not sin…offer the appointed sacrifices (worship) and put your trust in the Lord."

 We are told that, "Many are saying, "Oh that we may see better times!" But despite the voice of the doubters, the psalmist trusted in the Lord. He cried out to the Lord, "You have put gladness in my heart…I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; for only you Lord, make me dwell in safety."

 "A Mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our help amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing…"

My question to all of us today is are we among the doubters or are we among those who trust in the Lord. Do we lie down in peace, or are we simply too numbed by our Covid 19 trauma to recognize God at work in our midst? Are we too numbed to experience the peace that God's continual outpouring of grace in our everyday lives should bring us? In our numbness, are we, like the disciples in Luke's gospel, unable to recognize the risen Christ's presence among us? Are we too numbed to experience the power and the peace of Martin Luther's revelation, "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing?"

 I ask these questions in light of the fact that there are dramatic changes taking place in our lives and in the world. Changes that began long before Covid 19, but changes that were amplified with an accelerated and terrifying speed during this past year. In just 12 short months, the world, including the church, has changed in ways that have yet to be understood. Changed in ways that have yet to be revealed.

 But now that God is bringing us to the other side of the Covid 19 pandemic we need to wake up. We need to emerge from our benumbed state of being. We need to live in faith, assured that the Lord has heard us and will continue to hear us – always. Hear our cry, "Answer me when I call, defender of my cause…have mercy on me and hear my prayer."  

And importantly, we must understand that the gift of God as our fortress, our bulwark is not just ours. It is a gift that belongs to all – the needy, the suffering, the imprisoned, the isolated – all of God's beloved children should experience him as their fortress, their bulwark. All should be able to say, "You have put gladness in my heart…I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; for only you Lord, make me dwell in safety."

At the close of Luke's gospel reading today, Jesus says to his disciples, "…repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in [my]) name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem."  To all nations.

 As the church, God's voice in the world, we must look outward and ask challenging questions. Questions that identify ways in which God is at work loving this troubled world. Questions that identify how we can resume our work, God's work, loving this troubled world. We must find ways in which we can put our faith to work. We must find ways in which we can be a bulwark to those in need as we emerge from the tragedy of Covid 19.

 

 

 

William Lee Funeral

 WILLIAM LEE FUNERAL

I do not believe that I ever had an encounter with William in which, in some way, he failed to present me with a challenge either to consider an interpretation of Scripture, or to examine my relationship with God, or God’s relationship with the world. Not once in the four and one-half years that I have been at St. Simons was there ever a deviation from his probing inquiry into God’s presence in the world. It was his hallmark.

I should add that I will never forget the New York Times’ clippings which he would handily whip out from his inside jacket pocket, saying as he handed them to me “You should read this.”

Yes, William was always pushing me to look at my relationship with God – from all points of view, through all lenses

So, it was no surprise to me – well, maybe a little bit of a surprise – when during my last visit with him he issued me yet another clear directive. He asked that I talk about John verses 1-2 and the Shema – when I spoke at his funeral.

Talk about a challenging assignment!!!

The first and second verses of John’s gospel, as you probably know, are, of course, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” 

The Shema, which you may not be familiar with, is found in Deuteronomy and is the centerpiece of Moses’ first speech to the Israelites as they embark on their exodus from Egypt. In it he is warning them that their allegiance to the one God, and one God only, is central to their well-being as they enter the wilderness. Within the speech is the prayer called the Shema – the Hebrew word for “Hear.”

The word “Shema” begins what is now the most important prayer in Judaism. The whole prayer is spoken daily in the Jewish tradition:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

This, of course, is God’s great commandment to all, including us Christians. The follow-up, or second great commandment was given to us by Jesus at his last supper: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” 

As I began to think about writing this homily, I felt compelled to uncover the puzzle that William had given me in this last directive. What was it that he really wanted me to talk about, to say about him - this delightful person, loved so dearly by everyone gathered together today in this sacred space; and by so many others who could not be here?

Well – believe me I spent quite a bit of time pondering before putting pen to paper. So, William, here goes. I hope and pray that in some small way I have it right.

Let’s begin with the Gospel of John. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Put simply. God has been there always, as has Christ. God is eternal and God is creator. Christ is eternal and Christ is the Word, the Way. And the Word was God. God and Christ are one, co-eternal. The Word, God’s gift to us, came into being to show us the way to God. To point us to the divine.

The Shema is our guide to what is entailed in following the Way – the Word – our guide to developing a relational commitment to God. A relational commitment that is based in faithful obedience as a response to God’s grace. A pointer to the divine.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

In Hebrew, the word “love” in the context of the Shema means to make a commitment to walk faithfully with God. The word “heart” connotes the very center of our being, our volition, our will. In the Shema we are committing our will to align with God’s will. Finally, the word “soul” is defined as the whole person – the “you.”

Basically, in praying this prayer we make a commitment to walk faithfully with God with the very center of our being, with all of who we are, and we commit our will to align with God’s will. We say, “I am all in.”

William, for sure you were, “all in.” Your assurance of God’s eternal presence, of Christ’s Word – his Way, and your commitment to walk faithfully with God; to devote the very center of your being, your “you” to God, and your vow to align your will with the will of God was unceasing.

You were a key member of the St. Simon’s community. A community that strives always, and in all ways to point to our creator, the divine. You never failed to question, to comment, to contribute to our unceasing efforts to commit ourselves with our whole being to God – to make us really think about our relationship with, our faithfulness to God.

Your faith as expressed in John, verses one and two, and your work of committing yourself to God as expressed in the Shema was evident – always.

In our last meeting you assured me of your peace. You said, “Don’t worry about me, I am one with God.”

Yes, my friend, you are, and you were, one with God. On behalf of Jennifer, your family, and your many, many friends, I say “thank you,” for your diligence in keeping us alert to God’s presence in our lives. You will be missed.