Sermon by Deklan Jay Lewis.

Growing up in the 90s, I was told that being gay was a sin and that HIV/AIDS was proof of that.

I was taught to see gay people as willfully disobeying God and that I shouldn’t associate with them. Later in life, I was told that Muslims were terrorists, that they all hated Christians and wanted to kill us. Purity culture taught me to guard myself against temptations regarding members of the opposite sex and that just being alone with one could lead to all manner of sinfulness. These were all cultural norms, and they formed the way that I viewed certain people and caused me to avoid engaging with them, to the point of basically alienating them and myself, out of fear. 

This behavior is a symptom of the human condition and was very present during Jesus’ lifetime too. Jesus came to break those patterns and stereotypes and dividing walls. The story of an afternoon by a well in a town he had no business being in, talking to a woman he had no business talking to, is in itself an example of a learned bias, as we have all heard this story told from a particular perspective. But what if our teachers, our cultural interpretations, and assumptions are wrong? 

I did a lot of reading this week as there is no shortage of commentary on this passage.

One of my favorites said this: “In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, we find the longest conversation Jesus has with anyone in the Gospels.” That right there should tell us something! “Contemporary interpreters tend to miss much of the significance of this encounter because they make it into the tale of the sinful and ignorant foreigner whose life turns around because she meets Jesus—the bread and butter of a revival preacher’s repertoire.” Oof! Where have we heard that before?

Did you ever read a story or hear a guest speaker talk about the most pitiful lost soul you could imagine coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus and turning from addict to evangelist, or the missionary stories about the witch doctor becoming the village pastor? It’s miraculous, charismatic, but still carries a level of shame; it ties that person forever to their less-than-desirable (in our eyes) past. That’s what we have done to the Samaritan woman. 

We’ve laid out the case: she was at the well in the middle of the day… why would she do that? She must have been an outcast! She had 5 husbands, and the man she currently lived with was not her husband at all. We have labeled her: Whore, Prostitute, Loose Woman, Serial Divorcee! The kind of woman you want to avoid.  Why do we do this to the women in the Bible? Why do we assume the worst and paint them as scheming, deceitful, fornicating women of very low or no morals? Why do we not believe women, even today, when they tell the truth about things that have happened to them? Why do we blame them for the things that men have done to them? 

According to every source I read this week, there is NO way she could have divorced multiple husbands! It was not possible in those times. For a woman to get a single divorce was virtually unheard of, but 5, no way! So what then could have been the explanation? The most likely story is a familiar one, if you know your Hebrew Bible. Anyone recognize the name Tamar?

I’m gonna switch gears for just a second to address the other questionable elements in this stories setting… the well at midday.

The writer of John’s gospel relies heavily on some themes; one of them is the contrast between darkness and light. At the beginning of the previous chapter of John, there is another story of Jesus revealing himself to someone. In that story, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and known leader in the Jewish community, comes to Jesus, in the dark of night, to ask Jesus about his identity. Without going into all the details, Jesus shares with Nicodemus some of the mysteries of God; he shares about being “born from above,” and about how God loved the world so much that God sent Jesus. But despite being a teacher of Israel, Nicodemus doesn’t understand, and we are left to imagine him leaving, even more in the dark than before.

Here is an alternative explanation as to why the Samaritan woman was at the well at midday: it was a literary device, employed by the writer of the Gospel, to draw a comparison and drive home a point. Nicodemus, a man of the law, came in darkness and left more confused than when he arrived. The Samaritan woman, an outsider, if not outright enemy to the Jews, meets Jesus in the light and can see and understand what Jesus is saying and who he is. One slinks back home in the shadows and utters not a word to anyone; the other runs back to the village and tells everyone about this man she has met.

Another important image in this story is the well itself. According to various sources, the people hearing this story would have immediately recognized the well as a symbol, used throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, to indicate that there was to be a wedding. Several of the patriarchs met their future wives by a well. The writer of John employs imagery of Jesus as the bridegroom throughout the Gospel.

Now lets put it together, a woman, who has been married 5 times, goes to a well at midday and finds a man there. Could this story be an allegory for the relationship God, through the person of Jesus, was to have with God’s people. The Samaritans, and the Jews, were like vulnerable women, who had lost their husbands and found themselves at the mercy of new, less sympathetic, often abusive, self interested husbands. One commentator I read this week described the woman as “wedding-weary”. That phrase really stuck out to me… she wasn’t some floozy who was excited about the prospect of another husband, she was weary, like the people of God.

Think of the number of times the Jewish and Samaritan people were conquered and exiled, then sent home just to be conquered, exploited, and exiled again. Was that the fault of the people? Was it the woman’s fault her husbands had died or left her, failed to value her the way she should have been?

And we only get this story, this reminder that all people are important to God, that God will pursue them and bring them back, because the person of Jesus, or this Gospel’s depiction of him, was not afraid to go to a town his people would have actively avoided, and sat by a well until a woman came to draw water. Then he talked with her and shared intimately with her things that he had shared with no other. He put aside all judgement and engaged with the child of God that was before him.

If we are to be changemakers in this world, we must first be mind-changers.

We have to change our minds about people and get to know them as they really are, not as the world or society, or our culture would want us to see them. We may have to put ourselves into uncomfortable or vulnerable situations.  Jesus never promised that it would all be comfortable and that we could do it with our prejudices and holier-than-thou attitudes. The change has to begin in us, if not we will miss a world of prophets because we have counted them as prostitutes.

In the book of Genesis, there is a story about another woman who has gotten a bad rap; her name was Hagar, and she ran away because of the harsh treatment by Sarai. She was special, like the Samaritan Woman. The Samaritan woman had the longest recorded conversation with Jesus and was the first person Jesus revealed himself to, and Hagar was the first person to give God a name, El Roi, the God Who Sees, because I have seen the God who sees me.

El Roi, open our eyes and hearts to the truth only you can reveal. Help us to be critical of the things that we have been taught, of the ways our culture, family, and religion have shaped us to see. Give us eyes to see others the way that you see them and the courage to humble ourselves so that we may begin to learn from them and from you about the richness and potential that comes from embracing your incredible design of diversity. 

May it be so. Amen.
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In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (v.23) he wrote, “May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.“

What a beautiful statement! In the mainline church, we have spoken at length for years about the state of one’s soul; however, we speak less our bodies. It is a widely held opinion that actually our bodies, spirits, and souls are very closely linked, and that our bodies carry traumatic memories and hurts that can affect us physically.

In my study of Gestalt Pastoral Care, I have learned to specifically look at the body for what it is trying to tell us – the wisdom it has for us. There is even research proving that our bodies hold generational wisdom without our awareness which can lead or guide us to approach a problem in a certain manner. Actually, I find it quite amazing!

I bring this up today because both of our scripture texts involve bodily healing.

I want to begin with the story of the unnamed man whose friends bring him to Jesus for healing and who are SO persistent that they make a hole in the roof of the house to lower him into the crowded space with Jesus. Here, it is the friends’ faith that is noted, and Jesus’ response to the paralyzed man is to say, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”

There are two things I hear in that response. First, an acknowledgment of the relationship between the man & Jesus. Even though Jesus didn’t know his name, he used a familial term, indicating that he is a child of God without stipulation – no need to prove anything – no need to work for it. And then Jesus gives a statement of forgiveness. I hear this as telling the paralyzed man that whatever limitations he was putting on himself – in whatever ways he thought he was unworthy of love or forgiveness- he was wrong. The unnamed man was loved and given mercy just as he was. And in this way, Jesus empowered him to be more than the unnamed man thought possible.

Now, when the religious authorities were rattled by his words, Jesus went even further and said, “Stand up, take your mat, and go to your home.” And the unnamed man does! His life has been radically changed, as has the crowd’s, by what was possible.

In Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus advocates for himself. He is the one who wants Jesus’ attention and does so by shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And as in several other stories, the disciples and those around him try to silence him, but he will not be deterred: “Son of David, have mercy on me!” He is a believer. We might say, “His spirit and soul are right with God,” as he recognizes his own need for mercy AND he knows Jesus is the one who can grant him the mercy.

By calling Jesus “Son of David,” Bartimaeus indicates that he believes Jesus is the royal Messiah, the long-awaited One. It would be my guess that he has keen hearing to help offset his visual disability. So, he has probably heard things about Jesus and what he has done. When he is called over, Bartimaeus feels so empowered he throws off his cloak – which was probably his most valuable asset, as it keeps him warm at night and provides a place to receive donations when he spreads it out in front of him. Bartimaeus is healed by Jesus, and Jesus says, “Go, your faith has made you well.”

But rather than leaving, Bartimaeus followed Jesus on the way. His life was changed so drastically that Bartimaeus chose to stay with Jesus and the disciples. He acted to be with them, which allowed him to learn more. Bartimaeus has become a character who understands, as opposed to the disciples who have been with Jesus all along and who, in the story right before Bartimaeus, had been asking to sit at his right and left hands – Thinking of power and privilege in contrast to this one who seeks only to follow.

When thinking about these stories, I was reminded of Tom Rex, a member who has been dead for a while but whose story has stayed with me, and who loved telling his story.

Tom had lived a hard life and had gotten into plenty of trouble. But one night, after being shot and thinking he was going to die, he realized that he didn’t want to die and prayed for God’s help. I cannot remember if he actually had an experience of the afterlife or not, but the doctors were able to fix his body, and he then dedicated himself to sharing his story and helping others find the love and mercy of Jesus that he had found.

He felt that God had given him another chance, and he was going to make the best of it for God. For those of us who have not had a traumatic experience or a challenging disability that has healed, we can still know within our soul, our spirit, and our body that we are loved and forgiven.

And with that knowledge, seek to help others experience belovedness too!

May it be so. Amen.
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I have been reminding us of the importance of reading the text rather than thinking we know what it says.

Today’s scripture is one of those that we can easily confuse with the sending of the 12 disciples, which occurs in all three synoptic gospels. Luke sends the 12 disciples out in chapter 9 with very similar instructions to those found in today’s reading.

This led me to do a bit more research about the similarities and differences in the two stories. The similarities which can lead us to confuse the two include:

• Take “no baggage” only what they are wearing
• Find a home who will receive them and stay there
• If they are not received in a town, “shake the dust off” their feet as a sign of coming judgment against them
• Announce “the kingdom of God has come near”

However, the differences are also worth noting:

1. Luke 9 uses just the 12 disciples which is symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel. Matthew even names that they are to go to “the lost sheep of Israel.” Whereas, Luke 10 sends 72 which correlates with the Genesis 10 account of the descendants of Noah which populate the earth. Therefore, this message is for everyone rather than only Israel.
2. Luke 10 has a sense of urgency and danger. So, they are to “greet no one on the road” as that would have taken up important time and they are “as lambs among wolves” which leads into the judgments against some of the towns in the next verses.
3. And when the 12 returned, Jesus took them off by themselves to rest. Whereas when the 72 return, Jesus proclaims “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” as the forces of evil were impeded.

Another piece of both of these stories, is the importance of collaboration, which is the piece that I want to focus on.

Jesus’ directions to go out in pairs meant they were to work together, as this work is not meant to be done individually. Then his direction was not to take along any extra provisions, which meant they had to depend on the hospitality of those they met, and deeper connections would be made. The power of their testimonies and healings would be greater. All of which was proven true.

This points towards the truth of our interdependence; however, we prefer to think of ourselves as independent. We want to serve others – to give out of our abundance. It makes us feel good about ourselves. But Jesus challenges this thinking and calls for us to be vulnerable and connect through our needs so that those we serve can also serve us. This levels the power dynamic and puts us “on equal footing” with those we are helping.

Stop and think for a moment about when you were helping someone else.

Did you think you needed as much help as they did? I know I haven’t. This also helped me to think about the truth that we cannot be healers unless we ourselves are healing. Carl Jung’s theory of the “wounded healer” suggests that our wounds give us a unique perspective to relate to another who is wounded. In helping another find healing, healing comes for us too – not a healing of removing the wound but making meaning in the woundedness and finding peace.

Our wounds give us common ground for healing. If we deny that we need healing, we cannot heal. This is at the root of our toxic individuality, which is hurting us and causing more division.

Think of those you know who think they have no faults, no need to confess, no need for forgiveness. They are difficult to be around. When we demand that things be the way we want them, that we only sing the songs we like, then we leave no room for the diversity which is in every aspect of God’s creation.

It is like the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, do it alone. If you want to go far, do it together.”

And today on this World Communion Sunday, it seems very fitting that all around the world we are remembering Jesus and the meal he shared with the disciples.

A meal that he has invited us all to share equally. All are welcome. All are fed. We share the bread of life and the cup of forgiveness, knowing that we are all in need of healing and that Christ meets us here, offering meaning and peace to all. Thanks be to God!

May it be so. Amen.
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I was recently talking with my sister-in-law in Georgia about her search for a new church.

She likes the high church liturgy, but she wants a church where she could do one or two things to help the ministries without feeling overwhelmed. So she went looking for a church where most of the membership was involved in some type of ministry, rather than a few people running almost everything.

Are you surprised to learn that it took her a long time to find one? And the one she found is making a real difference in their community. It is amazing to learn what a small church can do when everyone participates in just one ministry, but it takes creativity to find the right blend.

As Fredrick Buechner said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

Our scripture for today is from Luke’s gospel which has been called the “Gospel of the Poor” and “The Gospel of Women” for his concern about the marginalized and oppressed.

Although there are more women in Luke’s gospel than in the other gospels, they are still the minority and their role is one of nurture rather than leadership or authority. In this gospel, the poor are called blessed and Jesus specifically helps disabled beggars and the hungry.

Luke is also known for comparing male & female characters. In today’s story the unnamed woman is compared to Simon the Pharisee – Who is the faithful one? All four gospels have a story of a woman anointing Jesus’ feet. In the other three, the anointing took place during Holy Week as foreshadowing his death and burial. However, Luke has moved it into his time of ministry, and may have been creating the case for Jesus as “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (7:35), in contrast to the Pharisees who rejected “God’s purposes” (7:30).

It also appears purposeful that Luke put this story of the “sinner” who is forgiven right before naming the women who accompanied Jesus in his travels. Western Christianity put these stories together and equated Mary Magdalene with the sinner, even though it says she was the one healed of seven demons. There is no reason for the claim that Mary Magdalene was the “sinner” or a “prostitute.” And in this story, the unnamed woman is the one praised for her faith, and Simon the Pharisee is the one whose errors are named.

In this scripture, both the woman and Jesus show creativity. For the woman, she uses what she has to have an encounter with Jesus, and we aren’t told that she was looking for anything more. There is no mention of her coming seeking healing or forgiveness. The only motive she exhibits is pure love.

And Jesus’ creativity helps us to learn that creativity is about seeing things differently, seeing a situation differently so we can figure out solutions, seeing people differently so we can be in right relationship with them, seeing ourselves differently so we can change our own inner judgments about others and ourselves.

The draws to mind the Serenity Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

This prayer encourages us to acknowledge our own powerlessness: “the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.” A skill most often undervalued in our society! Then, an encouragement for creativity in what we have agency over: “the courage to change the things I can,” which is only ourselves! And asking God for the wisdom we need to be continue the journey: “and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Because we are NOT alone – unless we choose to be! It seems that we are created with a hole within us that can only be filled by compassionately caring for others. And as the Bible tells us that we are created in the image of God, we can deduce that God also has the need to be compassionately caring for humanity.

What if we could use our own creativity to see the church differently? What purposes have we missed in our community because we assume that “church programs” look like “the way we’ve always done them”? Can we sit with out-of-the-box ideas long enough to see the value and possibility or how they might develop into viable ideas for transformation? This is the work of changemakers.

I brought up the idea of renovating our sanctuary a few times over the years, but people said it wasn’t possible. Even when we launched it, people said we wouldn’t raise the funds, but we did. At the Board meeting this past week, the question was asked, “What could we do within the community with our endowment funds if we didn’t need them to prop up our regular budget?” That is an opening for creativity. This is the kind of creativity that changemakers use.

Cole, a high school student, is working on the housing shortage in his community.

Cole can’t build affordable housing, but he’s working on a network that will pair older adults who have extra rooms in their homes with young people—college students—who can’t afford their own apartments. Along the way, those relationships might also be an answer to loneliness, which is another big problem.

Another high schooler, Moorea, is addressing young people’s addiction to technology. She’s not trying to convince them to put their phones down; she’s helping them find an easier way into face-to-face, personal interactions.

If we put our creative minds to work, how might we affect our community with compassionate justice?

May it be so. Amen.
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Today as we begin, I want to invite you to use your imaginations.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking along Marietta Ave. If that does not seem possible in your physical condition, imagine your body without issues or pain. Just walking along the road – enjoying the scenery – the sky is bright blue with only a few soft, wispy clouds. There are no cars on the road, so you are free to look at the trees as they reach towards the sky and hold their leaves toward the sun. The only thing you hear are a few birds singing and a soft breeze blowing. Notice how your body feels in this moment. Are you relaxed? Are you content? Are you at peace?

And then you see something on the side of the road ahead of you. As you begin to look more closely, you realize it is a young child who has fallen and is hurt. But there are no other adults in sight. Notice how your body feels in this moment. Is there some anxiety? Is any part of you tightening? Do you want to help the child?

Now imagine the person is an African American man. Notice your body. Did the feeling in your body change?

Now imagine the person as an older woman. Notice how your body feels. What are you feeling now?

I was inviting you to a contemporary scene for our scripture today. In the scenario I created, you were in the role of the priest, Levite, or Samaritan. When you hear this scripture, where do you see yourself? Generally speaking, many of us want to be the Samaritan that helps, because we want to be “the Good One.” whoMost of us want to be the hero of our own stories!

But what if we are the one who crosses the road and passes by? Or what if we are the one who is injured and our perceived “enemy” stops to help us? Do we accept the help? Or are we really the lawyer, hedging our bets, to find a way around being compassionate to all? If we looked honestly at your life, who would you be?

I read a commentary on this scripture that named the traveler as Jewish, but that is not in the text.

By telling us he was traveling alone on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, it is saying that he was in a dangerous area – physically and maybe spiritually. So the early listeners would not have been surprised that he was beaten and robbed.

The story tells us that the priest and the Levite “saw” the injured person, and both crossed to the other side of the road. Many have speculated about why they crossed, but we don’t know. We don’t know if they felt they didn’t have time, as there were other more important matters to attend to. Or they didn’t want to become “unclean” by any blood present, although the story doesn’t speak of blood. Or they didn’t want to get caught up dealing with a dead body.

But the surprise in the parable is that a Samaritan stopped and helped. The perceived “enemy” is the “Good One.” This is a good time to remember that this is Luke’s gospel And he also had Jesus tell us in 6:27 “Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you;”

In our contemporary time, can you imagine an Israeli being helped by a Palestinian? What if a person with MAGA hat was helped by an LGBTQ person? Or the other way around in either of these scenarios?

This is the last thing the lawyer wanted to hear! The lawyer came to Jesus to test him and yet the lawyer is the one who is really tested, as are we. Who would we help? Who would we want to pass by?

This week, I started listening to the new podcast “The Permanent Questions with David Brooks” which is asking some of the big questions of life.

This first episode asked “What is the Good Life?” with Notre Dame philosophy professor Meghan Sullivan. In the episode, they spoke of Iris Murdoch, who realized one day that she had free will and the ability to change her mind about someone who really annoyed her. And they talked about French mystic Simone Weil (Vay) who believed that giving one’s full attention to another is the highest form of prayer and love.

And I think today’s scripture also answers this question. If we are looking for the “Good Life” or the “Virtuous Life” then the answer is quite simple, “Love the Lord your God with all of your being and your neighbor as yourself.” Be the one who shows mercy – Be the one who acts with compassion.

Not the one who follows the religious tradition to the “t.” Not the one who just wants to tell others how they should live, but “get your hands dirty” by being present to those around you. Notice the times others are hurt – physically, verbally, or emotionally. Notice the things people say that are hurtful or cruel and tell them you hear it that way, not it a snotty, loud, or demeaning way. But speak from your heart and give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn’t mean it to come off the way it did.

But don’t be complicit and ignore it or we are no different than the Levite and the priest leaving the problem for someone else.

Remember… Christ’s call on us is to be about “Compassionate Justice,” Which is exactly what the Samaritan did. “Go and do likewise!”

May it be so. Amen.
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There once was a man who was very devout in his faith.

He read the scriptures and studied the laws, so he knew them by heart. He practiced his faith in his personal and social life. He defended God to all he met, and he challenged anyone who opposed his understanding of God and how God works in the world. Until one day, when he lost his sight. This is the beginning of a character development and every good story – like life – has a problem or challenge with which to deal.

Whether you recognized it or not, I was thinking about Saul, who became Paul, after his eyes were literally opened by God. Because it is in the challenges and struggles of our lives that we receive an invitation to a deeper, more genuine faith. It is also true that every life encounters some challenges or problems through which we must find our way – whether we do it well or not, whether we learn that we need others or not, whether we take the help offered along the way or not.

Our scriptures for today were written by Paul in an effort to unite the Jewish and Greek Christian communities.

Do you know what unites a community? A common goal or a common enemy. Paul actually begins his argument in the verses right before today’s scripture.

“I’m not ashamed of the gospel: it is God’s own power for salvation to all who have faith in God, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. God’s righteousness is being revealed in the gospel, from faithfulness for faith, as it is written, the righteous person will live by faith.” – Romans 1:16-17

This is the heart of Paul’s letter to the Romans. God’s salvation is a common goal the people seek. And is given because of God’s righteousness. Our failure to be God’s people as fully as God hopes is our common problem, and this is outlined in our scripture.

Paul reminds us that although we could learn about God through creation, God is God and creation is not God. Creation is a “mirror dimly,” to borrow from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, through which we can learn about who God is.

“Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things God has made.” – Romans 1:20

But we tend to worship creation rather than the creator. We tell lies and say they are truth. We commit injustices and say they are God’s will. This is where change has to happen!

This was true of the Jews and the Greeks! This is where we, too, have to change!

But the Good News is that in Christ there is a new creation emerging.

Romans 8 is a scripture of hope in the face of all that is wrong with the world. Paul was VERY aware that he was writing to people who were expected to name Caesar as Lord and the grantor of salvation. Paul was preaching that role belonged to Jesus Christ, Son of the only true God. To Paul the hope he offered was that Jesus Christ was the beginning of the new creation and therefore, God’s redemption of the world.

In this passage those who follow the Spirit, are the children of God – adopted by God – and as such we are to inherit eternal life through Christ.

For context, it is important to understand that adoption in the Roman world was done by fathers who adopted sons to have an heir for their inheritance. Remember, women could not do anything with an inheritance without a male legal guardian.

Although the adoption of God’s children has a divine reward, like the life of Christ, there will be hardship and suffering in the process, too. And so we live with faith and hope. We make mistakes, and we learn from them so we can do better. We live and love one another with all our faults and foibles.

And we give thanks for Jesus Christ for God’s grace and the inheritance of eternal life.

May it be so. Amen.
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The Parable of the Sower is one of my favorite parables.

In fact, I asked it to be used for my grandfather’s funeral as he had grown up on a farm and always kept a large garden himself. If you garden, it is easy to understand that the character of the soil makes a difference and that there are many uncontrollable variables that affect the harvest. Too much rain – too little rain; other creatures – birds, bunnies, groundhogs, or deer; plants that limit sunlight to others or take away too much of the water. And yet, with some effort, the seeds can find just the right space and create an abundant harvest.

In this scripture, we also have the benefit of hearing Jesus explain this parable to the disciples, which is not usually the case. In studying parables, I have learned that they invite us to engage with them and study to understand them. They are designed to encourage us to look at the parts of ourselves we would rather ignore – places where we act like those who are wrong. They can take us out of our comfort zone, and we may choose a narrower interpretation to prevent their “sting.”

Parables are intended to remind, provoke, and disturb us, and they usually contain a “surprise” element for their 1st century readers. So looking at the original context and language is invaluable.

Let’s begin by looking at some other things we know about today’s scripture.

First, this is one of those rare scriptures that appears in all three of the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; and Luke 8:4-15. This tells us it was an important story for the early church. Oftentimes, the lectionary skips Jesus’ answer to why he uses parables, but there is a challenge in these words.

In verse 12, Jesus implies that he shares to “nudge people along” the path of understanding – as he is doing with the disciples. Although in our simplistic, capitalistic minds, we hear that those who have will receive more and those with little will have what they have taken away. This is a great justification for increasing the wealth of the rich and depriving the poor of what they need. But this is NOT an economic statement but one about wisdom. Those who are wise and understand will be given more “insider information,” while those who don’t will not receive it.

In Matthew, this scripture comes between the Pharisees conspiring to destroy him (12:14) and the people of his hometown rejecting him (13:54–58). This may sound a bit harsh but it could be part of what is meant to be surprising.

God won’t spend extra time on those who aren’t trying.

How engaged with our faith might we be with God? In the other scriptures this summer, we considered what they told us about God. So, what do you think?

It doesn’t tell us God’s role in this, but the church has taught that God is the sower. How do you envision the Sower? I would say this is an extravagant farmer who sows with reckless abandon. God does not seem to care whether the seed falls on the path, in the rocky ground, among the thorns, or on good soil. God just sows – leaving the harvest up to chance! Is that how you understand God?

There is beauty in that God is willing to give everyone a chance! All are worthy! All are welcome!

This is what we say with our “inclusive refuge.” And what does it say about us? We are reminded to see and listen. It appears that is the way to become “good soil,” although that is not specifically named. The traditional interpretation of this parable is that we are to consider what type of soil we are.

In the Come Sunday, I invited us to wonder about what if we are the seeds that God sends to the many different places.

I know, Jesus’ explanation says that the seeds are “the word of the Kingdom.” However, I have also heard it said that we are the only “word” or “Bible” some people will ever read. So…how well do we represent “the word” of God in Jesus?

Said another way – How well do we live Jesus’ teachings?

And to push us a bit further, what if we are to become sower patterned after the one in the parable? Are we willing to be that generous with the gifts we have? Are we sharing the “the word” in all the places we can?

If we go back to verse 11, Jesus said this is about the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. What does this parable say about the kingdom? That some will know it and others will not? Or is it that some accept the invitation and thrive but others will not?

The “word” is given to all. Where are you?

May it be so. Amen.
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On Wednesday, I had to go out, but I had the privilege of deciding when I went.

So when I looked out, and it was raining, I decided to wait for the rain to pass. While I waited, I was thinking about the fact that not everyone has the privilege of making that choice. Those who are without shelter have limited choices. Those who use public transportation and are unprotected from the elements may not have this privilege.

God created all that exists – including the weather and in our intelligence and our arrogance, we have created the means by which to ignore God’s parameters. We created lights so we could stay awake at night, but then we decided that since we could stay awake, people should work during the night hours. And we created cars because they were more convenient than carriages, and they work in all temperatures and all weather. So we have to go to work in the rain and the snow in the frigid cold and brutal heat.

I just wonder if we have not done ourselves a disservice. And I wonder if we do a disservice to others by expecting others to work all sorts of hours to make our lives more…complete? So we can have what we want whenever we may want it? So we have the emergency care we need – yes. But have we bought the lie that we have to work on all days – in all conditions to make money for others?

As an older person, these are the things I’m beginning to think about. Who am I trying to please with my life?

Our scripture from Isaiah 40 is part of a poem of exilic hope written to the people of Judah during the Babylonian exile – People who felt hopeless and forgotten by God.

Here, the writer asserts that God is both creator and ruler of the world, who promised them a joyous return to their homeland & reminded them that they are not alone. God has not abandoned them, even if they were told this happened as a consequence of not following God’s laws. God was still active in the world and was with them – even if they don’t notice or feel God’s presence. Just as God is still active and present with us – even if we don’t notice or feel God’s presence.

In Matthew’s Gospel, John is criticizing those who are exploitative and self-serving. When the institution loses sight of the higher and greater good of all, we are in jeopardy. When we make money by causing another’s suffering, we have lost our way, and Matthew is very clear that there is a type of “hell” waiting for us whether it is described as “an unquenchable fire” or where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew uses that line six times in his gospel as he is clearly using fear and intimidation to encourage faithfulness. Personally, I am not fan!

BUT – When do we stop and consider how our living affects others? What have I done through my words? What have I done through my silence?

If I asked you right now to name a few people whom you see as exploitative and self-serving, you could at least give me your top three – if not many more! But as Matthew also says, “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? – Matthew 7:3

I don’t know about you, but those at the top of my list for exploitation and self-serving actions are hurting many more people than I think I do; however, this is a good reminder that I may not realize who all I affect by buying the cheapest items made in sweatshops by forced child labor. The reality is that we are terrified of not having enough power or enough money.

White Christian nationalism is about these trying to preserve these two things, and it will fail because God is about diversity.

Look at all that we have considered this summer there is diversity in everything God created!

So why do we think that only white men with money have the answers, especially while they try to hide their own sins! We are part of an ecosystem – and it only works when we all play by the rules.

And Jesus laid out the rules very simply: Love God – Love one another. Care about people other than yourself and your group!

When everything is shared, there is less poverty and crime because when everyone has what they need, there is less need to cheat and steal. We honor the natural and social world by caring for others and making sure others have what they need.

So, what do you want to be grain or chaff?

May it be so. Amen.
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In yesterday’s Come Sunday, I invited you to think of times when you experienced awe.

So I’m wondering what your thoughts are. What gave you a moment of awe? Psychologist Dacher Keltner writes. “Awe makes us curious rather than judgmental. It makes us collaborative. It makes us humble, sharing and altruistic. It quiets the ego so that you’re not thinking about yourself as much.” Keltner also names what he calls “The Eight Wonders of Life” which invoke awe:

• Moral beauty: Witnessing extraordinary kindness, courage, strength, or people overcoming great obstacles.
• Nature: Experiencing vast landscapes, towering trees, animals, or natural elements.
• Collective effervescence (collective movement): Feeling deep unity and shared rhythm with groups through dance, sports, or concerts.
• Music: Being moved by a favorite song, a live concert, or harmonious sounds.
• Visual design: Feeling stirred by human art, architecture, and creative structures like sculptures or vast buildings.
• Spirituality and religion: Encountering the sacred, mystical, or divine through meditation or faith.
• Life and death: Reflecting on the profound cycle of existence, from childbirth and new life to aging and loss.
• Epiphanies (big ideas): Having sudden intellectual breakthroughs, scientific realizations, or deep insights into life’s truths.

This is also the point of the Tikkun Olam story and our scriptures today.

They invite us to consider nature and all its beauty, but also the mystical nature of the universe. Consider what you know about the moon. As we have been to it, we know that it cannot easily sustain life on it.

Our scripture reminds us that the Jewish feast days are based on the lunar calendar, as is our Easter. We know the effect of the moon on the tides, and if you’ve ever been in the ER on a full moon, you know how much it affects people. Teachers can also attest to the effect of a full moon on the children.

This being said, have you ever taken time to look for the moon – to notice the different colors it can be or the size of it. The ancient people were just in awe of these things. They did not know what we do about the atmosphere. And the stars – they did not have the light pollution we have – so they could see so much more of them.

As the psalmist wrote, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – 121:1-2. They knew that sometimes you had to look higher and further to see the works of God.

And at the root of the Tikkun Olam story is the idea that God broke God’s self to create the world and we are called to be healing the world by recognizing the sacredness of all.

But we want a world that is predictable and ordered. We don’t like chaos, even though it is through chaos that everything was made. But we want control to prevent the chaos which we perceive as evil. When in reality, by resisting the chaos, we also limit our vulnerability. And by limiting our vulnerability, we also limit our joy.

Do you know what to do if a riptide takes you? Surrender – surrender and let it take its course and it will bring you back to the shore. So right now, I invite you to risk a bit of vulnerability with me and take off your shoes to feel the floor.

The energy of creation – of the earth – can come through the flooring. So give yourself some time to become grounded and listen to a story about awe. Imagine being at the beach. Imagine the feel of the cool, damp sand under your feet. See in your mind’s eye, the ocean with the tide coming roaring in and then quietly leaving again. Ahead of you on the beach, where the water has just been, is a toddler with very unsteady legs and a wet, sagging diaper, looking at the ocean, waiting for it to come back. The child’s parent is sitting some distance away, watching but trying not to interfere with the child’s experience.

As the next wave comes, the child runs towards the water but only deep enough to be above their knees. From the child’s perspective, these small waves are big things. The child knows they are with something VERY BIG. He turns and walks out of the water while it disappears back from where it came. And then he turns and runs again as if to meet the next wave. Notice how the child is feeling.

 Finally, the child flings their arms out and shouts at the ocean; an unintelligible but eloquent speech to the water, to the gulls, to the sand, to the world. Can you feel the nature of his awe? Can you join child in their pleasure? Can you live as wholehearted as the child?

May it be so. Amen.
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As we begin today, let’s start with a bit of Bible study, as some of you may have been surprised by the scripture choice of Sirach 42:15-22.

This book is part of what is called the Apocrypha, which, if included, comes between the Old & New Testaments and is viewed as an extension of the Hebrew Bible. Sirach, also known as The Wisdom of Ben Sira (meaning Son of Sirach), is known as wisdom literature like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and is written as a teacher’s guide to students.

It is known for encouraging “Fear of the Lord,” meaning observance of these teachings and the laws of Moses, because to the writer, keeping the laws guarantees God’s blessings. This is a poem of praise to God as the creator. What is striking to me is the level at which we are known to God according to this scripture.

“God explores both the Abyss and the human heart, and is intimate with them to their depths; God knows all things, and watches over the signs of the times. God declares the past and future and discloses the traces of things held in secret. Not a single thought is unnoticed by God, and not a word is hidden from God.“

Take a moment to consider that. Not a single thought is unnoticed by God.

As a teenager, I remember being told to never be in a position that would be embarrassing if Jesus showed up. Obviously, that was meant to put the “fear of God” in me!

But do you believe these statements? Do you believe that God knows everything? Omniscience? Since I believe that God is with all and in all, I do believe that God knows everything.

Do you believe that God declares the past and future?

As God knows everything, God knows the past. As for the future, I believe God knows infinite possibilities for the future. If you believe that God knows the future, then you believe in predestination, which follows the premise that God has already planned out everything that is to happen.

I don’t believe that God would plan for good people to suffer or plan for us to hurt each other in the horrible ways we do.

Do you believe God discloses what is held in secret? This question leads me to another: If so, to whom does God disclose the secret? The adage of “We are only as sick as our secrets” comes out of self-help programs and is repeated because of its truth.

I do believe that God has our best interests in mind, so encouraging us to be honest about our secrets with God and those who can be trusted not to hurt us with this information is helpful to us.

And it is at this point that I saw the connection to the work I have been doing with the Gestalt Pastoral Counseling.

Our bodies hold our shame and guilt as well as our minds and hearts. And our shame and guilt skew our perception as well as increasing our overall suffering.

But God is also able to heal us when we engage with God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit or whatever name you wish to use for the Divine. Unlike the government wanting to listen in on our private conversations, God listens and knows in order to bring healing, wholeness, and love.

So another question is: Do we trust God enough to be open to God’s healing?

Or do we gain something from our secrets or suffering? Yes, welcome down the “rabbit holes” of my thinking. In addition to reminding us of all that God did in creation, I think this scripture is another reminder that we are not God.

I believe the Jewish theory that there is a space within us where a sliver of God resides and our call as God’s creation is helping to mend the brokenness of the world. Our gospel reading invites us to consider what we do with the most precious thing we have–which, by the way, is meant to be the love of God that we know best through the life and teachings of Christ Jesus.

This begs the question: Do you consider the love of God to be your most precious thing?

If not, what then is more important to you? If so, what are you doing with it? How are you showing and sharing it?

The point of this scripture is that we are not to hide our faith or the love that we are so grateful to know. It is to be on the “lampstand” – obvious in the way we live our life – written on our faces by the way we encounter others. This has been taken by some to mean that one makes a show of it – asking others if they are “saved” or “if they know Jesus.”

I think God is looking for how we treat our neighbor, the stranger, the one in need. Are we willing to use our resources to make sure others have what they need?

This is at the heart of the Good Samaritan story. What does the love of God ask of us? Are we diligent in growing our faith through study, prayer and action?

May it be so. Amen.
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