Here I am

 

SERMON

December 24, 2023

Luke 1:26-38 

Over the past few weeks, I have participated in several Zoom meetings with the Archbishop of Jerusalem and the diocesan clergy who are serving churches in Ramallah and Nablus on the West Bank. The meetings, organized by the Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations, were and will continue to be, important windows into the work of that Diocese and the massive challenges its archbishop and clergy currently face as they continue to serve their congregations and community in the midst of war. 

These Zoom calls have been heart wrenching. Fr. Fadi, rector of St. Andrew’s in Ramallah, reported that the terror and profound grief experienced throughout the West Bank have left all of its citizens “in shock” and in the midst of a deep economic and spiritual crisis. Fr. Fadi’s parishioners wonder aloud in the midst of their prayers for peace, “Why is God silent.” Tears and terror are ongoing, unceasing throughout both day and night.

Fr. Jameel in Nablus reported that his congregation members and indeed the entire community of Nablus insist that “We all need hope”, but then quickly add, “Is there really any hope?” 

By the end of each of these Zoom calls we on the U.S. side have been left speechless and desperately seeking ways in which to reach out to these brothers and sisters, all members of the Anglican Communion. All God’s beloved children. These calls have been, and I am certain will continue to be incredibly painful and profoundly tragic experiences.

Despite the grim reality of their war-torn world, however, Frs. Fadi and Jameel along with their parishioners continue to express a fundamentally deep faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. They display, even in the face of such shockingly grim circumstances, a commitment to Christ that is most incredibly moving.

This deep faith and commitment to Christ was emotionally expressed by Fr. Jameel when he responded to the interviewer’s question, “Will you all want to relocate when it is possible?” saying “No, we will never move. We cannot desert this Holy Land. We cannot abandon Jesus. God is asking us to stay here.”

“We cannot abandon Jesus. God is asking us to stay here.” Very, very powerful words that can only stem from the courage, resilience, and commitment that is based on an extraordinary faith in God’s heavenly kingdom. 

Today we hear the incredibly beautiful and quite wondrous story of a young teenager’s life changed forever by the appearance of the Angel Gabriel. Can you imagine how frightened this innocent unmarried young woman must have been? In a flash her simple and settled life was filled with the unknown. Luke tells us that initially Mary was perplexed. She was stunned and bewildered. Who is this apparition? What is happening to me?

The apparition, the Angel Gabriel, understands Mary’s distress and offers calming words, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” The angel announces that Mary will now become pregnant. That her child will be a son. That he is to be named Jesus and that he is to be called the Son of the Most High. That he will reign over a kingdom. A kingdom that will have no end.

Mary, still perplexed, wonders aloud, “How can this be for I am still a virgin.” The angel responds, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy.”

Can you imagine how frightened and confused this young girl must have been? How terrifying for an apparition to inform you that God will send the Holy Spirit to come you and that as a result you will become pregnant. No marriage. No father. Just a baby who is destined to be, according to the apparition the Son of God; the Lord of a kingdom that will know no end.

What if an ancient interviewer had asked Mary, “Will you leave this place? Would you prefer to escape from this terrifying new reality that has become your life?” Mary, still perplexed, overwhelmed would have answered, “No. Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be according to [his] word. 

“Here I am, the servant of the Lord.” Mary’s commitment to God in this one brief sentence echoes the words of so many others tested by God throughout biblical history; Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Moses, Hannah, Samuel, David, Esther, and the Prophets to name just a few, and now most certainly the clergy in the Diocese of Jerusalem.  Men and women chosen by God to ensure that his Holy Word, will be a continual presence throughout creation. Men and women who face perplexing, confusing, terrifying situations with courageous faith saying, God is asking us to stay here. God is asking us to ensure that his kingdom will know no end.

Mary’s obedience to God’s call should act as a hallmark for us Christians, the present-day stewards of Christ’s good news, the present-day heralds of God’s desire for us all to live a life filled with peace and love of self and neighbor, now and to the end of time.

Mary’s overcoming the apprehension, perhaps downright terror, at the sudden appearance of the Angel Gabriel and the announcement of her immanent pregnancy, her soon to be motherhood of a holy child despite her virgin status, is a model for those of us who are prayerfully striving to welcome God’s angel into the life of the St. Simon’s congregation, to hear his/her command for us.

And, once that commandment is heard, most assuredly in wonderment and fear of a journey into the unknown, will we as Mary say, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be according to [his] word?” Will we have the courage to act on God’s call for us as we enter a new year which promises to be filled with, as yet, many unidentified challenges?

The Jerusalem clergy’s commitment to courage, presence, and leadership in listening to and hearing in their hearts God’s call to remain in the Holy Land despite the anxiety and fear that was clearly visible in the recent Zoom calls. The continual prayer and commitment to Jesus Christ and his gospel of love demonstrated by their many congregation and community members despite the ongoing terror, death, and grief that is now a part of their 24/7 war-torn lives, these also are, most assuredly, models for those of us who question the challenges that God is commanding St. Simon’s to face at this moment in time. Will we in the face of such disruptive challenges say, “Here I am Lord; let it be according to your word?” 

This morning we arrive at the close of Advent. Four weeks of prayer and reflection during which we anticipated the arrival, once more, of the Christ child, the Son of the Holy One. This evening our period of anticipation ends, and we will joyfully celebrate the incarnation of God’s Word, Jesus Christ, who will walk with and among us throughout our journey with him to Jerusalem, to the cross, and beyond.

In celebration we will sing many beautiful hymns filled with words of wonder and praise. The service will end, as always, with the 205-year-old hymn Silent Night. As we sing this final hymn, we will light our individual candles in a darkened nave. The candles, of course, represent the Light of Christ. By lighting them we are committing to bring the Light of Christ into the world.

Silent Night, holy night, Son of God, loves pure light radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Tonight, as our candles shine in the darkness let us pray that we will continue, as God’s community at St. Simon’s, to seek his command of how best to be the radiant beams of Christ’s holy face, the Light of Christ in the world. How we will face and overcome the challenges of taking our candles, our little stars of light, out of these four walls and into the community?

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that, if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton

Stand Firm...

 

SERMON

November 26, 2023 - Matthew 25:31-46

My very favorite thought in all of Scripture is found in today’s passage from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. “…so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.” (Eph: 1:18)

This one quite brief but exquisitely poetic phrase contains all the thoughts that I have been pondering in my mind over the past several months. Rather jarring thoughts that have emerged as I along with many, many others seek ways in which the church can adapt and become increasingly relevant in the complex global context in which we live.

In doing this work of discernment I have turned not only to the wisdom of scripture, but also to the compelling voices of several current day theologians who have brought to the forefront the urgent need for the church to do the work of flinging open its doors and emerging into solid partnership with a world greatly disturbed but also a world seeking peace.

So…let’s have a look at what has been said by so many about the mission of God’s beloved people, and importantly, what these various thoughts mean for the people of St. Simon’s on the Sound today.

Paul was in prison in Rome around AD 62 when he wrote to the Ephesians and in prayer to them, he began with this exquisite phrase “…so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened.”  

This past summer in Baltimore Dr. Kwok Pui Lan, Dean's Professor of Systematic Theology and Special Advisor to the Dean for Strategic Changes at Candler School of Theology passionately preached, “AWAKE.”

In Ephesians Paul continued saying, “that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.”

In the early 1940’s just before his death in Flossenberg concentration camp Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his unfinished book, Ethics, “[The moral life is] an ongoing process of discernment that listens for and responds to the reality of Christ in the world.”

In Baltimore Dr. Kwok preached. “ARISE, ACT.”

In a speech given at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Rally in London's Hyde Park, July 17, 1988, the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu cried out to the thousands who had gathered to hear him speak, “Go forth to make the world a better place for you can make a difference. The task is daunting – of course, but it is a necessary struggle.” 

“Awake, Arise, Act…” 

“…so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.”

And then, “Go forth to make the world a better place.” 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was written to the Christian community in Ephesus, a major city on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor, around 62 CE. The letter describes the church as a new community in which Jews and Gentiles equally share in God’s blessings. In it Paul speaks of God’s intent, through the death of his Son, Jesus Christ, to bring about the salvation of all humankind. He writes that in recognizing Christ as Lord and the example of a new way of being, the church becomes a spirit-filled community that brings the power and the presence of God to the world. The church becomes the body of Christ and works toward the reestablishment of God’s sovereignty over creation. All are reconciled to God – ALL.

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph 4:1-4)

“Finally, be strong in the Lord…put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph 6:10-11)

Throughout Ephesians Paul is underscoring again and again the importance of awaking to and acting upon God’s call, the calling to which I, you, we have been called; for enduring with love and patience the hardships encountered in going forth in unity as we participate in the creation of a better world.       

Dr. Kwok Pui Lan’s exhortation to Awake, Arise, and Act that rang through the convention center at the It’s All About Love conference in Baltimore last summer and Archbishop’s Tutu’s passionate directive to “Go forth…” broadcast to thousands of South Africans suffering under the weight of apartheid both speak to the imperative of initiating long overdue acts of reconciliation. Reconciliation between the Episcopal church, God’s beloved community, and the many peoples that continue to carry the burden of racism, discrimination, injustice, and the agony of poverty. People who continue to be counted as “less than”, not fully human, unworthy.

Reconciliation that supports equality and justice for all. Reconciliation that brings about a community united by God’s love for all his beloved children.

These stunningly powerful statements demand that as the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement we Awake, Arise, Act, Go Forth and make Jesus and his saving grace known throughout the world community. That we partner with God’s world to share the love of Jesus.

This work is not easy, but it is imperative if the Good News of Jesus Christ is once again to become the central guidepost of our lives.

Next week we begin the sacred time of Advent. A time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas.

We hear in our scripture readings the phrase “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isa 40:1-5)

This past week we celebrated Thanksgiving Day. In various ways we spent time giving thanks for all that we have. Giving thanks for God’s gifts of abundance, for all that he has given us. Now it is time to plan for our St. Simon’s Advent journey. A journey of reflection and listening. Listening for the voice calling in the wilderness and reflecting on what we hear and how we will respond. How we must prepare for our Lord as he arrives once again this Christmas eve. Arrives to be with us as we journey into the challenges of 2024. 

And, without doubt, there are many challenges that we will face.  The world is increasingly besieged by war, violence, poverty, and the tragedy of climate change. Our nation increasingly struggles under the burden of angry and divisive political arguments as we approach the presidential election of 2024. 

Closer to home, here at St. Simon’s we are engaged in difficult conversations about how best to ensure a safe home for our beloved congregation. Conversations that lead to difficult decisions. Decisions that must acted upon however painful if we are to grow, to have a future in which we face the challenge of partnering with the world to share the love of Jesus in our community and beyond.

During our Advent journey will we strive to awake to God’s call for God’s beloved community. Will we arise from a position of comfortable old ways to face the challenge of going “beyond.” Beyond comfort to the challenge of new and perhaps previously unimagined ways. Will we act by going forth to make a difference knowing that Christ is with us always as we make way for his voice in the wilderness of our troubled world.

In his book The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The first step, which follows the call, cuts the disciple off from his previous existence. The call to follow at once produces a new situation. To stay in the old situation makes discipleship impossible.” (p. 62-63)

Paul concludes his Letter to the Ephesians as he writes, “Stand firm…and fasten the belt of truth around your waist and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace…take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 10:13-17) 

Awake, Arise, Act. Put on the whole armor of God and shoes for your feet that will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace…the word of God.

Together let us prepare for Advent. Let us seek scripture and other writings that assist in [knowing] what is the hope to which he has called [us].”

 

 

 

Rise Up Ye Saints of God

 

 

SERMON

October 08, 2023

Matthew 21:33-46 

Wow! That’s all I have to say after reviewing today’s readings. We begin with Moses proclaiming God’s Ten Commandments to the Israelites who are wandering in the desert in search of the promised land. The commandments represent the initiation of a unique relationship between God with his chosen people. Nahum Sarna in his wonderful book, Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Israel, writes “[The Ten Commandments] forge a special relationship between God and Israel. This relationship is sealed by a covenant, which establishes Israel as God’s ‘treasured possession,’ a ‘kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.”’

Sarna closes this portion of his exegesis saying, “The narrative tells us that Moses transmitted to the people God’s vision for their future destiny, and that ‘All the people answered as one, saying, ‘All the Lord has spoken we will do!’ God’s election of Israel as his chosen people is matched by a corresponding response and commitment on the part of the people. The mood has been set for the solemn, formal enactment of a covenant between God and Israel. A covenant that will seal for all time this reciprocal relationship.” (p. 130-131)

From there we move on to Paul’s advice to the Philippians as he urges them to maintain a steady path in their right relationship with Jesus Christ. He points out, not for the first time, that in order to maintain this right relationship it is mandatory to cease boasting of worldly achievements in order to gain salvation through their relationship with Christ. Rather, in humility they must fully engage in their covenant with God to be a holy people. A people set apart by God for him and his purposes.

Paul spells out the difficulties that he has suffered in his journey to adhere to this covenant. He writes “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Toss out the rubbish in your life, the worldly stuff. Strain forward to meet the divine and the prize of the heavenly call of God given to us through the incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ. 

And finally, in our Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples “…I tell you; the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken into pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”

Jesus is placing a big exclamation mark on the Father’s commandments issued to us way back in the desert when Moses descended from Mount Sinai. Stay in the path outlined in the covenant that establishes you as a holy people. Straying from this covenant will lead you into the weeds. Will lead you far astray from my Father’s heavenly kingdom.

God lays it all out for us, right from the very beginning he sets the score straight with the ten commandments: I am God, your God…you shall have no other Gods but me…and I am a most jealous God, punishing those for any sins their parents pass on to them…But I am also an unswervingly loyal God to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments. If you want to be on my team, you must be loyal, and I must be your only God.

Centuries later Paul urged the Philippians to steer clear of being influenced by those who publicly do anything to keep up their appearance of loving God. Paul reiterates that real believers are those who quietly seek to be in relationship with Christ. Those who work tirelessly at Christ’s ministry. Christ’s ministry of love, compassion, and healing. Christ’s ministry of loving “The least of these.” Paul urges the Philippians to embrace true righteousness. Righteousness that comes from trusting Christ and being in continual relationship with Christ. Righteousness comes from keeping God’s covenant with us.

And then we have Jesus in the Jerusalem temple teaching the crowd that gathers around him, eager to hear what he has to say. Speaking in the midst of his followers, Jesus shares the parable of the two sons and the vineyard owner. Through this parable Jesus makes clear that those who do what the father says, no matter who they are, will go immediately to God’s kingdom. But those who fail to heed the father’s commandments will fall away from God’s covenant with his people and become lost in their search for membership in God’s eternal kingdom.

Amidst all of these critically important words from scripture, Dr. Kwok Pui-Lan’s exhortation that I spoke of last week rings loud and clear. “Awake, Arise, Act. It is time to make Jesus Christ known again. 

No matter what page we turn to in our bibles, the message is always the same. The same now as it was in the time of the Exodus which took place about 1310 BC, or in the time of Jesus around 30 CE, or of Paul around 60 CE. That message is that God has chosen us to be in right relationship with us and it is up to us whether or not we chose to be in right relationship with him.

It is our choice, and that choice carries with it many responsibilities. Responsibilities which many of us throughout our community, and throughout the world have lost sight of. We are chosen to be a holy people. And being chosen as a holy people means being fully devoted to and invested in God's kingdom.  

We are called to be a holy people. A people called to be fully devoted to and invested in God’s covenant with us. 

Of course, this devotion and investment looks different for different communities, in many different periods of time, and in many different places. But no matter time or place it remains the basis of our covenant with God and our life as Christ’s disciples.

In all cases it means that we must continually discern what the Spirit is saying to us. Where the Spirit is leading us. 

Now more than ever we at St. Simon’s must awake, arise, and act to the call of the Holy Spirit, to the covenant that we have with God and the relationship that we have with Christ.

What is the Spirit saying to us St. Simonites? Where is the Spirit leading us? How must we strain forward to what lies ahead? What rubbish must we toss aside in order to hear our call from God as we strive to live a life as true followers of Christ Jesus? As our participants in God’s covenant with us? 

With the words of Dr. Kwok in our minds and hearts, how do we press on, how do we ensure that the voice of the Holy Spirit is speaking loudly to all of us sitting here today and to others who are not here today? How do we make St. Simon’s shine like a star and move into the night to light all who are seeking, all who are lost so that they too many become members of God’s astounding covenant and Jesus Christ’s offer of eternal salvation? 

Rise up ye saints of God! Have done with lesser things, give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the Kings of Kings.

Rise up ye saints of God! His kingdom tarries long: Lord bring the day of truth and love and end the night of wrong.

Lift high the cross of Christ! Tread where his feet have trod: and quickened by the Spirit’s power, rise us, ye saints of God!

 

 

Awake, Arise, Act

 

SERMON

October 01, 2023

Matthew 21:23-32 

The Episcopal Church continues to decline in membership. A press release issued by the Episcopal News Service two weeks ago indicated that “The Episcopal Church’s 2022 annual parochial reports…continue to show a church experiencing gradual long-term membership decline...The Church’s tally of baptized members dropped just below 1.6 million in 2022, down 21% from 2013….” And “The church recorded an even sharper drop in average Sunday attendance in the past decade, down 43% to 373,000 in 2022.”

Perhaps most graphically the data indicated a drop from 33,000 marriages performed in 1980 to 5500 in 1922; with numbers much the same for baptisms. It is a small wonder why we do not have more youth in our congregations.

That same week Stewardship Reality, a New York City based organization our diocese has contracted to perform an assessment of St. Simon’s community demographics and potential ways in which to sustain our parish in the long run, also reported some alarming data. Within our immediate community over 60 percent of the population falls in the category “nones”, meaning no religious affiliation; and over 50% of the population falls well beneath the U.S. poverty guidelines and struggles to pay either rent or mortgage burdens.

At Elliott Point School 97% of all children qualify for the school lunch program, and currently the Okaloosa County School district has identified approximately 465 elementary and secondary school children who live without a permanent roof over their head.

Sharing and Caring, our local food pantry, sees over 25 families each day. Families who struggle to feed their children and themselves.

What is the message in the midst of these grimmest of realities?

I believe that Dr. Kwok Pui-Lan a scholar and theologian who is also a life-long Episcopalian responded both accurately and powerfully when she spoke at a conference in Baltimore last summer.

In an incredibly passionate voice Dr. Kwok implored us to Awake, Arise, and Act. She said, “It is time to Awake, to Arise, and to Act. It is time to make Jesus known, once again, in our communities and in the world.” It is time to leave behind the comforts of home and to venture into a community that is in desperate need of love, compassion, hope, and peace. The hope and peace that only faith in our Lord Jesus Christ can bring. Love and peace that offers reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing among all in our community. All in the world.

Dr. Kwok does not believe in the “nones.” Bravo Dr. Kwok.

I also refuse to believe that the “nones” are lost to the love that God has for all his beloved children. Rather, I choose to believe that the “nones” are seekers. Seekers whom we have failed to help “see” how stories like the Good Samaritan, the Woman at the Well, and the Prodigal Son apply to them, just as they apply to us. 

I refuse to believe that the “nones” are not seeking God. And more importantly that God is not seeking them. I refuse to believe that just because people are not sitting in church pews they are not seekers – seekers of God’s love.

I refuse to believe that God’s love is only for those who attend church. God’s love is for all. We are all made in the image of God. We are all God’s beloved children.

Awake, Arise, Act. We are all Jesus’ disciples whom he loved and whom he sent into the world as healers for those who suffer. We have been sent into the world to love as Christ loved us. To love those who have failed to understand that they, just like we, are beloved children of God. 

Of course, Paul did not believe in the “nones” either. In his evangelism journeys he traveled over 10,000 miles on foot, donkey, and boat to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Gospel, to the “nones” of his day, the Gentiles. He suffered numerous encounters with hardship – stoning, jailing, and more – all in the name proclaiming the love of God, and the love and salvation brought to us through the incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ. And, he met with tremendous success. He alone is responsible for the initial spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, and its future as a world religion. 

Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians, written while he was in jail in Ephesus, is a letter filled with joy and praise for a group of people in Philippi who held fast to his teachings. Gentiles who were now Christians and who refused to bend to the pressures of the Roman Empire and their imposed worship of many Gods. In his letter he wrote,

“Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13) 

He went on to say, 

“Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15)

In The Message, Eugene Peterson translates these verses into language more accessible to us in today’s post-modern world. Peterson writes:

“Be energetic in your life of salvation…that energy is God’s energy; an energy deep within you…Do everything readily and cheerfully – no bickering, no second guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night…” (The Message, Philippians 2:12-16)

Awake, Arise, Act.  Shine like stars in the night. Carry the light-giving Message into the night. What joyous and exciting directives to those of us who know that as beloved children of God we are filled with sufficient energy and enough love to light the entire world. To demonstrate a way of being, a way of life that provides the guidepost and the path to reconciliation and peace.

We at St. Simon’s face tremendous challenges as we head into 2024. How will our Stewardship Campaign fare? What decisions must be made to ensure a solid and vibrant future for St. Simon’s in the Ft. Walton Beach community? How do we bring God to the “nones?” What is the Spirit Saying to St. Simon’s Church?

I end with Thomas Merton’s Prayer from his book, Thoughts in Solitude:

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,

though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

 

 

 

Lift High the Cross

 

SERMON  -  September 03, 2023

Matthew 16:21-28

Anyone who has visited my office at St. Simon’s can easily see my love of books. I have books in and on any free shelf and table space available. Without doubt I am one of Amazon’s best customers. However, no matter how many books I acquire there is always another that I have learned about and that will soon be squeezed into some tiny space amongst all the other resources that have proved so valuable in helping me to understand what it means to take up my cross and follow Jesus.

As you can well imagine each book has a slightly different way of answering the same question: How do we keep the Word of Christ as the standard, our standard, as we encounter an ever-increasing globalized, multi-cultural society in which scripture as the essential guidepost of life is infrequently understood, or even sought? How do we proclaim the overarching importance of scripture in a way that is relevant to the culture which we seek to welcome and to serve? 

As I consider today’s Gospel reading in which Jesus tells his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who have lost their life for my sake will find it,” two of my many books come instantly to the forefront of my mind. The first is one that I am currently deep into; Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues, by Paul G. Hiebert and the other is The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a classic that I continue to read time after time in order to grasp its complex theology.

Hiebert’s book, which is utterly fascinating, makes many excellent points about the challenges of taking up the cross and following Jesus; of bringing the standard of scripture into the lives of those whose way of being has drifted from a focus on God to a way of being that focuses on one’s self. 

Hiebert writes, “The church must also challenge the values of our day: the obsession with the self, with the present, with health, success, and personal fulfillment. It must guard against popular and pragmatic methods that provide immediate solutions but, in the end, subvert the gospel. Satan did not challenge God’s goal for humans. He simply offered them an instant, easy means to get there.” (p. 253) 

Hiebert’s views are essential as we seek to reinforce the presence of the Episcopal Church in our community and in the world. A straightforward reminder of our call to lift high the cross of Christ as we go forth into this troubled world with its many challenges and complex ways of being, all outgrowths of confusion, suffering, anger, anxiety, and fear. 

However, to successfully realize our call as Christ’s disciples both in our community and in the world it is essential to understand and respect the complex and so frequently unfamiliar ways of being of those whom we strive to incorporate within our fold. It is crucial to learn and speak a language that touches the hearts of those to whom we seek to bring the standard of the gospel, without allowing it to compromise our message or the way in which we live our lives. We are called to live lives that without the slightest doubt convey the message of Scripture as the ultimate guidepost to a Christian life. 

Put quite simply, we must strive to understand the cultures and ways of being of those whom we encounter while at the same time and without ceasing remain firmly grounded in Scripture as manifested in our words and behavior.

Hiebert characterizes this as an ongoing response that sees the gospel outside culture. We respect the culture of others through engagement, presence, and sensitivity to language and ways of being, but never at the expense of Scripture which remains the standard by which we are all called to live our lives. 

Bonhoeffer used different concepts and language in his writings that address our call to take up our cross and follow Christ, but his overall message is much the same. You might call it the front end of what Hiebert has to offer. Bonhoeffer believed that “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” And that, “The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world.”

Bonhoeffer did not offer these observations without including a firm directive on what a decision to take up the cross entails. He indicated that “…the act of discipleship comes only after a process of discernment that listens for and responds to the reality of Christ in the world.” And that “The first step, which follows the call, cuts the disciple off from his previous existence. The call to follow at once produces a new situation. To stay in the old situation makes discipleship impossible.” (p. 62)

Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” 

Hiebert lectures, “We are called to live lives that are firmly grounded in scripture as manifested in our words and behavior.” 

Bonhoeffer and Hiebert each in their own way agree that the life of the church must be linked to the life of the people. That people of all cultures must hear, see, and believe in the gospel because it is communicated in ways that they understand and value.

The theologies offered by Bonhoeffer and Hiebert must be carefully considered as we at St. Simon’s face the, at times, daunting challenge of reaching beyond our four walls to a community and a world that has changed and continues to change in so many ways.

Communities that have never seen the light and love of Christ, never understood that they are beloved children of God, forgiven, saved, members of the Communion of Saints. Communities that speak different languages and have skins of different colors. Communities that reflect the face of a globalized, multi-cultural world.

To meet this challenge our community, the community of St. Simon’s on the Sound, must as Bonhoeffer instructed us, enter into “…a process of discernment that listens for and responds to the reality of Christ in the world.” And, importantly, we must be ready to take the first step, which follows our discerned call. We must be prepared to free ourselves of the confines of these sacred four walls. We must discern a commitment to abandon these walls and enter into new relationships. Relationships without walls. Relationships that engage, listen to, and love new communities.

Christ speaks to us quite clearly today as he commands, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who have lost their life for my sake will find it,”

I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back. 

Tho' none go with me, I still will follow,
No turning back, no turning back. 

The world behind me, the cross before me,
No turning back, no turning back 

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=842127887202877 – Sermon is at 23:24

 

The Power of Community Love

 

SERMON

July 30, 2023

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 

It took me a long time to grasp the meaning of community and the power of love that God’s community holds as it moves in the world. 

As a young child I was a loner. I deemed it safer to keep myself separate from the confusion of my family’s comings and goings. But, during my adolescence as I struggled to be included in my peer group’s activities I began to understand the social consequences of years of keeping myself apart from others. It was a hard lesson to learn; one which continues to impact my current life.

When I was 14, I hesitantly joined my church youth group. Going to church was a new thing for my family. I am quite sure that my mother decided upon our church adventure for social reasons, not for a longing to be with God. But in any case, it was a great and necessary move for me. It brought me into weekly contact with the church’s Sunday afternoon youth group. The group was filled with wonderful people my own age, and our leader was an absolutely marvelous and energetic young man who delighted us with a wide variety of interesting speakers, who shared stories of what they did in the world.

One year we decided to put on a play to raise funds for the church. We selected The Heiress by Ruth and Augustus Goetz. The play centers around Catherine a young woman who stands to inherit her father's large fortune. Catherine falls in love when she meets Morris who gives her the love and affection her father doesn't. Catherine's father, believing Morris is only interested in money, tells Catherine she will be disinherited if she marries him. Morris' true intentions are put to the test when he finds out about the amended will.

Guess who played Catherine? Me. It was a fabulous adventure and everyone in the youth group had some sort of part or job. We rehearsed for weeks. We sold tickets. We designed sets and costumes. We put ads in the local newspaper. Most importantly we had fun, so much fun.

Two nights before our first scheduled performance my father died. Of course, I now was unable to participate in opening night, or any of the following performances. I called our leader and told him to please go ahead without me. He replied, “The group has told me they would not go forward without you. We will postpone the event until you can be with us. We are waiting for you, and we are praying for you.”

There are no words to express what the love and support of our youth group meant to me. It was at that moment in time that I understood the power of God’s love when it is expressed through many voices speaking as a community.

That was the beginning of my understanding of the power of community. The power of community as expressed in the theology of Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is an African philosophy that recognizes the humanity of a person is established only through a person’s relationship with other persons.  

Archbishop Desmond Tutu explained, “One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu — the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness … We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas how you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”

My youth group story and Desmond Tutu’s quote ring in my head when I consider today’s gospel passage from Matthew. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind and when it was full, they drew it ashore.”

And “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is old and what is new.”

In all of these metaphors Jesus is telling us that the kingdom of heaven becomes a reality only when we cease to think of ourselves as just individuals, separated from one another. The kingdom of heaven becomes a reality only when we are connected with each other and in that connection create a community in which God is fully present.

Regularly I hear stories of how hearts have been moved, how loneliness has been lifted, how suffering has been alleviated, how the kingdom of heaven has flourished through the love and caring of the people of St. Simon’s and their long history of mission, God’s mission, in Okaloosa County, and in some instances beyond. These stories must continue to abound, be heard, and be considered for what they truly are. These are stories that are the fruit of God’s mission in the world.

Several months ago, Bishop Russell visited with the vestry to discuss issues relating to ensuring St. Simon’s continued presence in the community. He said, and I gently paraphrase, “There is a need for St. Simon’s presence in this community. We must always remember how important we are to the flourishing of God’s community, both among ourselves and throughout Okaloosa County.”

It should come as no surprise to anyone here when I say that these are challenging times for St. Simon’s. We struggle with maintaining a building that needs costly repairs. We, like almost all other churches, are still regaining our footing as we recover from the Covid pandemic. We have journeyed with many invaluable friends who have died. We must face the growing reality of a world in which increasing numbers of people fall away from regular, if any, church attendance.

We are struggling. But as we struggle God expects us to seek his kingdom of heaven and like the tiniest of seeds, the mustard seed, God expects us to ensure that our soil is deep and deeply cared for. A rich soil that ensures  a renewed and flourished tree to emerge. A tree that brings the kingdom of heaven to our community and beyond.

Importantly, our soil can only be rich and deep, rich and deep enough for the growth of a flourishing tree, without first working together, in love and in community to tend the soil and feed the growing bush.

Archbishop Tutu was so correct when he said “We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas how you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”

The memory of the simple act of my youth group community saying that they would wait for me as I struggled with my grief will never leave my mind. Together, as a community, they waited for me out of compassion and love. Words cannot express the impact of their gesture on that deeply grieving teenager. Certainly, it allowed me to experience the kingdom of heaven.

In Romans 5 Paul writes “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Yes, we here at St. Simon’s are currently struggling. However, if we do not engage in that struggle in love and in community there can be no victory, only defeat. I do not believe defeat is an option God even considers. 

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal…

 

 

 

 

 

Fidelity - No Easy Task

 

SERMON

July 2, 2003

Matthew 10:40-42

When I was 16 God came into my life. I was sitting in my boarding school chapel on one of the hard wooden pews. I was the only person there and it was so very quiet. As I remember it, I was feeling quite lonely and lost. And then, God was there. It was an absolutely stunning moment. There are no words to describe it. It just happened. All of a sudden, I experienced God within my very being and peace filled my soul.

Despite this absolutely mystical experience and the peace that it brought me the journey from my adolescence through the many years and stages of my life has not been smooth sailing. It has been bumpy. Quite bumpy. With both glorious and exciting highs and lows that quite frequently have filled me with despair and left me wondering “How will I go forward. I am quite lost and very scared.”

Yet, somehow, be the moment, high or low, since that afternoon in the chapel, many years ago, I have always sensed God with me. I have always believed that if I just kept going the next steps would come; the way would be made clear. I would go forward, and all would be well.

Now, as I look back, I realize that in essence I was continually saying, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously, “Yes” to God and “No” to, at times, some quite self-destructive, temptations. And it is only recently as a result of my many spiritual experiences and studies that I have gained a deeper understanding of how important God has been in my life. How blessed I have been to have him present within me all this time. And now, as I write this sermon, I wonder did God put me in that chapel pew all those years ago intentionally?

These long-ago memories came to mind as I read today’s passage that tells the story of the binding of Isaac. As I studied several commentaries on the meaning of why God would test Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, I became intrigued by the concept of fidelity to God. What does fidelity to God entail? What does the concept of fidelity to God mean for us in today’s chaotic world? How can we know if we are being faithful to God?

“God tested Abraham, He said to him, Abraham!” And he said “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you. So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut wood out for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.”

As you can well imagine there are many, many interpretations attached to this rather shocking story. But in the end, there is a consensus that the goal is to demonstrate God’s testing of Abraham’s faith. Walter Brueggemann calls the story one of anguished faith. And a story which provides an account of the tangible movement in the relationship between God and Abraham.

Brueggemann explains that in verse 1 we hear God’s testing of Abraham’s faith.  “God tested Abraham, He said “Take your son, your only son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” Brueggemann goes on to point out that by Verse 12 we learn that God now knows the depth of Abraham’s faith. God says “…for now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son.”

And how did God get from “not knowing” to “knowing?” The answer is found in verse 8 when Abraham says, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son. So, the two of them walked on together.” Abraham trusts that God will provide. He does not know the outcome of this incredible challenge, but his trust in God is unreserved and he is willing to commit his way to God’s command.

Brueggemann concludes this particular exegesis by saying, “God is God. He insists on being trusted, totally. God commands us, ‘You shall have no other Gods before me.’ God insists upon fidelity.” 

For Brueggemann fidelity and infidelity are the two fundamental categories of faith. In a separate commentary he writes, “If we are going to live inside the narrative of the Bible, rather than some other narrative, that seems to be what we are either blessed with or stuck with.”

In our chaotic and confusing world, a world which is increasingly politized and dangerously polarized the concepts of fidelity or infidelity to God as understood in the Christian faith through scripture, tradition, and reason must be the essential norms by which we measure our way. The binding of Isaac presents a narrative for life that is consistent with all our lives throughout the ages. As heirs of Abraham, we are all tested by times when it is quite tempting to find an easier, less demanding response to God’s way. These are the times that force us to determine whether or not we mean what we say about our faith being grounded solely in the gospel. 

Do we live within the narrative of scripture? Or do we live within some other narrative?

In Genesis God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son. The son he loved. In the Gospel according to Mark Jesus says to his followers, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”  And a bit later in his gospel Mark tells us “Peter began to say to him, 'Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

“We have left everything and followed you.” Radical obedience to God’s commands.

I do not believe that I am unique in my boarding school experience of sensing God within me and God with me. I imagine that it is an experience that we all have had, and probably more that once. The critical question is do we acknowledge that presence. Do we listen to that elusive but distinct voice that always, always points us in the direction of fidelity? Or do we shy away from what is being whispered in our ear and take the easier and perhaps more tempting road that leads to infidelity?

Fidelity to God is no easy task. It is a task that requires a lot of effort, and it is a task that cannot – cannot - be done in isolation.  Desmond Tutu wrote “Christian spirituality articulates our image of God as diverse persons in a unified nature. Christian spirituality immediately becomes problematic when it is conceived out of community because community is the very image of God. Salvation comes in the turning toward God in community.”

“Salvation comes in the turning toward God in community.” 

How does the story of Abraham impact us today? What is it relevance for the people of St. Simon’s? Why do we even bother with such a grim story told thousands upon thousands of years ago?

We bother with it because it is a story that presents in bold relief the critical issue of fidelity vs. infidelity to God. 

The binding of Isaac is a story of fidelity in which Abraham says “Here I am” to God in the direst of all circumstances, the sacrifice of his only and beloved son Isaac. A story which points to the depth of Abraham’s faith when he says to his terrified son, “God will provide”. A story through which we understand the challenges that God quite frequently places before us. Challenges that strain the bounds of our faith; that force us to chose between fidelity or infidelity – God’s bottom line.

We at St. Simon’s currently face a big challenge as together we comprehensively explore the multiple issues that must be addressed in order to ensure our way forward and the integrity of our presence in Ft. Walton Beach and beyond. Hard decisions must and will be made and implemented. Love must fill our hearts and our minds as with integrity, courage, and patience we make the changes necessary to the well-being of our life together. Fidelity to God’s call must at all times be uppermost in our minds.

As Archbishop Tutu correctly pointed out “Christian spirituality immediately becomes problematic when it is conceived out of community because community is the very image of God. Salvation comes in the turning toward God in community.”

Fidelity to God’s call for St. Simon’s can only be attained in community. In the diversity of our community, we will experience God among us, and we will be better able to hear his voice as it calls to us, “People of St. Simon’s.” We will be better prepared to respond, “Here I am. “Here we are.”

However, if we are to accomplish this challenging goal we must work together as a beloved community. A community of faith that follows Tutu’s ubuntu theology and the more recent advice that Martin Luther Kings, Jr gave to his congregation in one of his final sermons, “Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”