Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Sermon: September 4, 2011

Labor of Love
Scripture Psalm 149 and Romans 13:7-14
Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ September 4, 2011
Celebration of Our Lord’s Supper (Labor Day Weekend)

INTRODUCTION SCRIPTURE
Psalm 149
You have got to love a party song. Everyone coming together to sing praises to God; rejoicing in song and dance; women in bangles and swirling dresses, young men playing lyres, children banging tambourines.  If only the song ended on the high note of God’s praise in their throat, but instead we go from joy and song and dance to swords and vengeance and chains.[1]  What happened? Israel has once again been saved from destruction.  The song of petition for salvation has been replaced by the song of victory.  What enemies are you struggling to overcome?  What addictions, fears or illness eat away at your joy?  Matthew Henry points out that in Hebrews “the two-edged sword” is the Word of God.[2]  May you sing this song knowing the word of God can set you free!

1Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
3Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
4For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.
5Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches.
6Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,
7to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
8to bind their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron,
9to execute on them the judgment decreed. This is glory for all his faithful ones. Praise the Lord!

Romans 13:7-14
In our culture, we wear a variety of clothing depending on what we are doing.  Our “labor” more than fashion or cult demands that we dress practically to fit the need of what we are doing.  A person driving a truck will probably not want to wear what is best for an attorney going into court.  Paul takes that image of putting on clothing to talk about putting on Christ to labor in the will of God.  He relates it to taking off the clothes of sin and putting on the clothes of love. 

8Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

11Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Sermon

Tomorrow is Labor Day.  Just a little history to put it in perspective:
During the major economic depression of the early 1890s, the Pullman Palace Car Company cut wages in its factories. Discontented workers joined the American Railway Union (ARU), led by Eugene V. Debs, (his home is a museum on ISU campus[3]) which supported their strike by launching a boycott of all Pullman cars on all railroads. ARU members across the nation refused to switch Pullman cars onto trains. When these switchmen were disciplined, the entire ARU struck the railroads on June 26, 1894. Within four days, 125,000 workers on twenty-nine railroads had quit work rather than handle Pullman cars. The strike was broken up by United States Marshals and some 2,000 United States Army troops, commanded by Nelson Miles, sent in by President Grover Cleveland on the premise that the strike interfered with the delivery of U.S. Mail. During the course of the strike, 13 strikers were killed and 57 were wounded.[4]



The first Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It became a federal holiday in 1894, following the human toll of the Pullman strike… President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. But the opportunity to collectively bargain and strike employers who have abused their power is still on shaky ground even today. Some of the ills that people organize against have little to do with a pay check, although a living wage is vital for everyone but much more is the safety of workers. Whether it is mine workers in Tennessee or police in Chicago, they all need as safe an environment as possible. In 1911 the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York took the lives of 146 garment workers, mostly women age 14 to 48 because the managers had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits. People jumped from the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors. I once worked in a drilling department for a circuit board company. One day I walked back to find one of the Mexican workers in the rinse area ironing a board (I never understood it’s purpose). The cord on the iron was not connecting well. He was standing in water. He had been told to fold the cord over to make the connection as he ironed. I ran back to the manager and he did fix the problem. But it wasn’t long before I was asked to leave.


Ending the oppression of people seems to take a terrible cost before we respond. But in our baptism we have put on Christ and that means we pay attention before injustice boils over into violence or death. We prepare for disasters; we need to prepare for being instruments of justice.

For those clothed with Christ, the future is characterized by seeing the "other" as neighbor and seeking the neighbor's best. So ask yourself, “Where have I seen or been an instrument of injustice and what can I do about it? In prayer God will lead you to amazing acts of righteousness. It begins with a meal in which Jesus invites everyone to partake. Paul writes, “Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day.” This is our labor of love: to work so others have descent housing, enough to eat, safe employment, and access to health care. This can apply to a Wal-Mart employee or a soldier. Our military should have the best equipment and protection we can give them. Then, if they do become ill or injured, they will also have the best health care. This may sound political, but it is NOT. This is kingdom behavior. This is kingdom living. This is seeking justice and righteousness for all of God’s children. It is our labor of love. Amen.

[1] "Can We Just Keep the Nice Bits?" Nadia Bolz-Weber, The Hardest Question, 2010.  see: http://thehardestquestion.org/yearc/allsaintsdaypsalm/
[2] Hebrews 4:12
[3] http://debsfoundation.org/
[4] See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_history_of_the_United_States  also see: http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin472.htm which discusses in detail how the 1878 "The Posse Comitatus Act and the Insurrection Act substantially limited the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement. It also considers the consequences of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, which included a section titled "Use of the Armed Forces in major public emergencies. "Who will give the order to send U.S. troops against American civilians, and under what circumstances?” asks Baldwin.

Sermon: August 28, 2011

A Tall Order for the Community of Believers
Scripture Psalm 26 read responsively and Romans 12:9-21
Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ August 28, 2011
Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Psalm 26 read responsively
The words of this psalm can be spoken aloud in worship as we will be doing.  Yet they are so intimate that they can be whispered in private devotions. No matter who prays this psalm, how they pray it, or where they pray it, its words convey an immensely active desire to act with integrity and enjoy a covenantal relationship with God.[1]

 1Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and mind.
3For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you.
4I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.
6I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Lord,
7singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides.
9Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10those in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

 Romans 12:9-21
Paul has just challenged the Roman Christians to see themselves as the body of Christ. Individuals are like members of that single body. Each member has a part to play. There is no room for rivalry and also no need for it; because our confidence rests not on making ourselves better than others but in believing the gospel: that God values each one of us. God's righteousness or goodness is the foundation of our faith and our being. Then Paul describes what it looks like when people live on that basis? It is indeed a tall order!

 9Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”20No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.”21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

SERMON
One commentator counted thirty admonitions in this passage.  The admonitions or commands in this reading relate to four circles of relationships and behavior:

(1) Christian community

(2) Hospitality to all

(3) Loving one’s enemies

(4) Living peaceable with everyone.[2]

 Christian community

Sometime those we love the most we treat the worst.  But these are relationships that are life giving.  Paul is encouraging us to love first before we criticize.  Hugh Halter is an author and church planter and he says that the church is called to be missional in all of it life.  Being missional just means that we don't live for ourselves.[3]

 Hospitality to all

Unity does a great job of welcoming people like us into our church.  The next step is harder to welcome those who are different.  To receive those who challenge our way of doing things and thinking.   The Bible is rich with accounts of hospitality… and we cannot miss the blessing and mystery that accompany the practice. When we turn to the law and the prophets, we frequently encounter exhortations to care for the stranger and to open our hearts, homes, and resources to the vulnerable ones. The very identity of the people of God as sojourners and aliens is a reminder of our dependence on God as host and of responsibility to deal graciously with literal aliens in our communities.

A quick review of Jesus’ life and ministry finds hospitality at the center. Jesus is both guest and host, dependent on others for welcome and startlingly gracious in his welcome to outsiders, seekers, and sinners. Meals were central to Jesus’ ministry and a shared meal soon became the center point of Christian worship. Hospitality is a lens through which we can read and understand much of the gospel, and a practice by which we can welcome Jesus himself.[4]

 Loving enemies

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. personally knew the challenge of loving one’s enemies.  He gave a sermon in which he said, “The opportunity will presents itself for you to defeat your enemy, that is the time which you must not do it. There will come a time, in many instances, when the person who hates you most, the person who has misused you most, the person who has gossiped about you most, the person who has spread false rumors about you most, there will come a time when you will have an opportunity to defeat that person. It might be in terms of a recommendation for a job; it might be in terms of helping that person to make some move in life.

King’s comments made me think the movie The Help and Minny’s solution to Hilly’s evil behavior - a pie worth remembering – trust me it is not one you would want to eat.  But King says “That’s the time you must not do it. That is the meaning of love. In the final analysis, love is not this sentimental something that we talk about. It’s not merely an emotional something. Love is creative, understanding goodwill for all (). It is the refusal to defeat any individual. When you rise to the level of love, of its great beauty and power, you seek only to defeat evil systems. Individuals who happen to be caught up in that system, you love, but you seek to defeat the system.”[5]  I confess, I would rather let them eat pie.  So working to love one’s enemies is a challenge.



Living peaceably with everyone

This is very different than trying to please everyone.  But to live in peace is to live in love. Genuine love is the deepest theme in this section of Romans. There is also a theme of good and evil that operates throughout this text. Notice how "hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good" follows immediately after the opening title of "Let love be genuine." Then the good and evil theme is explicitly mentioned at the end of the text: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (12:21). This helps us see that genuine love is not just being nice to people. Genuine love has a moral orientation toward the good. When we show love toward someone, we are moving them toward God's goodness. To love someone is not simply to cater to specific likes and dislikes of that person. It is rather to act toward them in ways that help them experience more of God's goodness.[6]

So my sisters and brothers, be unafraid and let love rule in your life and build your relationships in love.  Amen.



[1]Commentary by Eric Mathis, Instructor of Church Music and Worship Leadership at Samford University, Birmingham, AL see: http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/28/2011
[2] Adapted from Commentary 2011by Mary Hinkle Shore, Associate Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN.  See: http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/28/2011&tab=3
[3] Interview with Hugh Halter by  Craig Cable, the National Director for Lifetree CafĂ©. See:http://lifetreecafe.com/3113.aspx
[4] Hospitality, a practice and a way of life by Christine D. PohlSee: ww.mennovision.org/Vol%203%20No%201/Pohl_Hospitality.pdf
[5] Loving Your Enemies preached November 17 1957 at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.
[6] Commentary 2008 by Mark Reasoner, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Bethel University, St. Paul, MN.  See: http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/31/2008&tab=3