Sermon: August 21, 2011

“Who Do You Say Jesus Is?”

Scripture Psalm 124 read responsively and Matthew 16:13-20

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ August 21, 2011

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Psalm 124 read responsively
The psalmist is expressing a kind of gratitude for a narrow escape or a divine explanation for having avoided a complete catastrophe, but what does it mean to have God on our side when we are defeated and suffering?  It may mean we are not be on God’s side or it may mean that even when we suffer God does not abandon us.  That is good news!

¹If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—let Israel now say—
²if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
³then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
⁴then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
⁵then over us would have gone the raging waters.
⁶Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
⁷We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Matthew 16:13-20

Who do people say Jesus is? Whether you look in the Bible or seek wisdom from preachers or pundits, people say a lot of things about Jesus. He is the King of the Jews. He is Mary’s Son. He is the light of the world. He is a prophet without honor in his own country. Jesus is the one who can heal your child, cast out your demon, forgive your sins, and even lead your revolution. Jesus is the one you invite to dinner and then invite to leave the district. He is a messiah, a prophet, a rabbi, and a pain in the neck. He is alive, he is dead, he is risen, he will come again. But just for a moment let all the talk from others go.  Instead stand in Peter’s shoes and watch Jesus turn to you and ask you, “Who do you say I am?” 

¹³Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Sermon
Who do you say Jesus is: teacher, healer, savior, God? 

Jesus is not asking, “Who does the Bible say I am?” or “What is your Christology?”  Jesus is asking a personal question.  What do you believe? 

Believers throughout history have tried to put into words what it is they believed.  Such an action is called a confession.  We usually think of confession and naming our sinful nature, but   that is just a part of confessing.  First you need to say what your truth is about God.  Some of the historic confessions go back to the writings of Paul such as what is found in the Apostles’’ Creed.  The Horizon Bible Study that Trinity and Rebecca Circles will be studying this program year uses the practice of confessional writing to study the Beatitudes. Margaret Aymer the author of the study says: in the discipline of confession we practice the art of telling the truth as we understand it about God and ourselves.[1]

Reflection and being honest about what is true is a foremost action of disciples of Jesus Christ.  Especially during times when the church as a whole has betrayed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it was time to confess who God is and our sin.  The Crusades and the Inquisition are just two instructive examples of the church going very wrong.  But many of you are survivors of the battle for power in churches still today.

We Presbyterians have a whole book of Confession that seeks to state our faith and bear witness to God’s grace in Jesus Christ.  In these confessional statements the church declares to its members and to the world who and what it is, what it believes, what it resolves to do. 

When Karl Barth and his EVANGELICAL Christians in Germany took a stand against the Third Reich, an evil empire that attempted to say the church and the state were one entity, they adopted the Barmen Declaration, which resulted in Barth's expulsion from Germany and possibly the arrest and death of Bonhoeffer. The Barmen, which is now in our Book of Confessions, showed that anytime nationalism, patriotism and allegiance to Jesus Christ are combined we are on very dangerous ground.[2]

In 1986 the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa wrote a confession called the Belhar Confession that confronted the sin of Apartheid.  In it they say:

We believe that any teaching which attempts to legitimate ( ) forced separation by appeal to the gospel, and is not prepared to venture on the road of obedience and reconciliation, but rather, out of prejudice, fear, selfishness and unbelief, denies in advance the reconciling power of the gospel, must be considered ideology and false doctrine. Therefore we reject any doctrine which, in such a situation sanctions in the name of the gospel or of the will of God the forced separation of people on the grounds of race and color and thereby in advance obstructs and weakens the ministry and experience of reconciliation in Christ.[3]

In confirmation here at Unity, I ask the youth to write their own statement of faith which is their personal confession.  What about your confession?  Who do you say, Jesus is?  It is good for believers to not only write what they believe but to share what they believe with others.  In the discussion to clarify what one means, we can become clearer on what is important for us.  Attending an Anabaptists seminary helped me become more assured that I believe in the baptism of infants.  In my chaplaincy I worked with a Roman Catholic Priest who would refuse communion if he felt people were not right with the Church’s laws; I came to value open communion all the more.  I would not want to give up those challenging discussions that helped me come to terms about what it is I believed.  My faith did not need to change their faith to be my truth. 

(The congregation was asked to gather in small groups of 4-5 people and let each person share their faith in answering how they would answer the question, "Who ido you say Jesus is?"  - You might want to gather with some friends and ask the question.  Remember that there is no right or wrong answer but rather listen and learn about people and where they are in their faith journey.  Questions can be asked but only for claification.)

Lately I have been playing with the idea that Jesus is a Spiritual Free Radical.  Free radicals in chemistry cause change, some good and in biology often not so good.  But Jesus is good, so I am still looking for a term that speaks to the radical change agent for good that Jesus is for my life and I believe for the world.  Amen.

---

[1] p. 11 in the 2011-2012 Horizons Bible Study, “Confessing the Beatitudes” by Margaret Aymer

[2]Commentary by Rev. Stephen Row June 23, 2011 See: http://www.pcusa.org/resource/belhar-confession/  The Theological Declaration of Barmen was written and adopted at The Confessional Synod of the German Evangelical Church which met in Barmen, May 29-31, 1934.

[3]  This is a translation of the original Afrikaans text of the confession as it was adopted by the synod of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa in 1986. In 1994 the Dutch Reformed Mission Church and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa united to form the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA).  This inclusive language text was prepared by the Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (USA).

Sermon August 14, 2011

Don’t Spit into the Wind

Scripture Psalm 67 read responsively and Matthew 15:10-20

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~August 14, 2011

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

Introduction to Scripture
Psalm 67 is a song of Thanksgiving and praise for the blessings of God. It is also an encouragement to pass the blessings on so that all the people of the earth praise God.

1May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
6The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.

Matthew 15:10-20
Dietary rules may make for a healthy body free of addictions, but what really is destructive is what is found in our hearts and minds.

10Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 12Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? 18But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

Sermon
When I read this scripture I thought of the Jim Croce song’s refrain:
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim,

When you spit into the wind it comes right back at you and you get slimed. Like Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Carribean.
Anger can destroy both the one on the receiving end as well as the one spewing such rage.
Gossip the root to slander is less visibly destructive of all parties involved but it still is. It sucks people into the vortex of curiosity and then prying and finally spreading itself to others like a virus.

These are just two of the evils that come out of the human heart that we know defile us. No amount of hand washing can make us feel clean again. During Jesus’ time there were numerous rituals for cleansing of the body, food, and home. They were codified into law. Jesus is pointing to the “keepers of law” that the Pharisees had become with he said “the blind leading the blind.”  Encouraging people to practice a ritual rather than a life changing action.

The external laws of cleanliness and defilement were to reflect the effects of sin in the world.  They were helpful for a devout Israelite to avoid the impurities as a way of following a life of purity. But as is so often the case, it was easier to focus on the external rituals and forget the spiritual reality behind them. Jesus is teaching that true religion must deal with the true nature of men and women, not just the outer performances.  If we are honest with ourselves, we eventually realize that no outer performance of a ritual will ever bring cleanliness. Like Lady Macbeth, long after she had washed her hands dripping with Duncan’s blood, continued to be preoccupied by hand-washing. So great was her sense of guilt that no amount of water and the ritual incantation of “Out, damned spot! out, I say” could restore her peace of mind or ability to sleep.

I have enjoyed a new Cable series this year called “Necessary Roughness” in which the counselor works with athletes to face their mental health problems hopeful before their lives are destroyed. When asked by a wide receiver with anger issues, how to deal with his anger. She replies “forgiveness.”   A TV show is singing our song.  So why are Christians so quiet about what leads to true purity of heart and mind.  We have been given a ritual that seems to model ritual cleansing, but it is so much more. In our baptism we are freed of sin but even more we are freed to forgive. That leads to new life in our bodies, in our minds and in our hearts. So what comes out of us is clean love and joy. So don’t spit into the wind. It will just make a mess of you and everyone around you. Instead be like Valentine and Truby. Here is one of my favorite pictures of these two beautiful women. Obviously one is a woman of color and one of much lighter skin tone. But when I took this picture our church, Unity, was just claiming its own idenity from our former congregations.  Truby was from Washington Avenue and Valentine was from Westminter.  This picture symbolized the love that we had all come to see in each other.  It is their expressions that enliven my spirit. Each holds the other in a warm accepting embrace filled with laughter and love. This is the gift of Jesus Christ. May God’s forgiveness cleanse you of any evil, and may your light shine brightly with love and hope. Embrace the good and wash the evil away. Amen.

Resources: 

Jesus And The Traditions Of The Elders (Matthew 15:1-20) Study By: Allen Ross. See: http://bible.org/seriespage/jesus-and-traditions-elders-matthew-151-20

See: www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article638886.ece. refers to Shakespeare’s play Macbeth.

Sermon: August 7, 2011

Don’t Look Down!

 Matthew 14:22-33

Celebration of Our Lord’s Supper

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ August 7, 2011

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Matthew 14:22-33
Here is a favorite Bible story of Jesus walking on water, but commentator David Ewart writes: what happens in this story is NOT that Jesus walks on water. Jesus walks on the sea. And the sea was understood to be a living, chaotic, potentially deadly spirit. With David’s interpretation in mind, let’s immerse ourselves in the wild waters of the New Testament.

22Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

SERMON
I love to go white water rafting. I appreciate wearing a life preserver and helmet and having a good tour guide to steer, but even with all those safety features I have still ended up in the water, sometimes in a level five rapid. Watching the stock market this week was a lot like white water rafting and the world economy ended up in the drink. There are a lot of people pointing fingers and laying blame, but very few are helping people get back into the boat. I think what caused Peter to get into trouble walking on the sea is often the cause of human financial, physical or relationship collapse: loss of faith and doubt. This is the not the questioning doubt that challenges and tests our faith. I wish we had a different word for doubting as Thomas did in asking to see Jesus’ hands and feet and touch the side where the spear went in. Doubt that is curious that wrestles with angels is a vital part of the faith journey. We can educate our children about Jesus and God, but to have faith they must own it as their own for a life time of testing. No the doubt, I am talking about that Jesus chastises Peter for is the doubt that gives up. It gives up on our-selves, on others and on God. It invariably leads to fear. It is corrosive to faith.
As I was discussing this passage with our daughter, she said, “Anytime you’re in a dangerous situation you should keep you eyes on the Savior.” Keeping our eyes on the Savior requires us to look at what Jesus was doing. So what was Jesus doing? I think we have to go back at least a few days. Herod has executed John the Baptist. Jesus has comforted his disciples and then withdraws for a time of reflection and facing his own loss of his cousin John. But the crowds find him to seek healing and more teaching and when they are hungry he feeds them. Now he sends his disciples and the crowd away to get back to that time of prayer. For prayer warriors this is a wonderful lesson. Because prayer time does get interrupted by the demands of others, Jesus remain steadfast as should we in returning to prayer. So Jesus had been praying, teaching, healing, feeding the hungry and then praying again, and then he goes for a walk on the chaotic sea. Keeping our eyes on the Savior, we see him weaving service and pray and risk taking. In all of this he trusted in his heavenly Father’s will.

When Peter steps out of his boat, he enters a tumult. His motive isn't to escape from threat, for he goes into a situation where the threats will now look different, into a place where Jesus is defying and reordering the assumed boundaries. Isn't this what all faithful people are called to do? We trust God will be found in places where the regular safety of the boat is gone and raging chaos seeks to pull us under. Predictable endings don't apply. Sometimes incredibly turbulent places are also "thin places," where God breaks through. When we step out in faith, we often find God already there illuminating settings where "the way things are" are reconfigured to where the poor receive support, the sick find comfort, and the oppressed enjoy dignity and freedom.

Today we celebrate our Lord’s Supper. It recalls that Jesus took risks for us that brought about his persecution and death by torture. It was a very scary sea he sailed. It was lonely as his foremost disciples and friends abandoned him. We honor his sacrifice in the bread broken and cup poured out, but our eyes are still on the Savior. He rose from the dead! As he reached on to Peter in his fear and doubt, he reaches out to each of us. Take his hand in the rough seas and have faith that he is with you always. You can do what he did and even more. You can comfort the grieving, protect the persecuted, feed the hungry, walk on chaos and bring order and life to all you meet. It all begins and ends with prayer. Amen.


RESOURCES:
www.holytextures.com
Adapted from “Faith Within the Chaos” by Matthew L. Skinner, Associate Professor of New Testament, Luther Seminary, Huffpost Religion www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-l-skinner/on-scripture-matthew-14-faith-within-chaos_b_916355.html see: John 14:12
also