What is Wisdom - Ephesians 5

What is Wisdom

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Proverbs 9, Psalm 34, and Ephesians 5:15-20

Opening Prayer:

Bret and I enjoy watching some Netflix and 80s/90s TV because we get to see a lot of stuff from growing up. From those shows in the past, I have a few favorite characters like Mr Miyagi, Yoda, Col. Sherman Potter from Mash, and the Golden Girls quartet. 

Miyagi would teach lessons by revealing the power of simplicity by turning the washing a car into lesson and having respect for all living things. Yoda would reveal ways that we share great energy and spirit. Col. Potter would share nuggets with fellow service people. The Golden Girls would expand horizons to teach us how each of us have our strengths and weaknesses; That when times are tough, through friends and family, we can achieve and grow on our own journey - especially with cheesecake. 

Each of these teach the power of listening and power of compassion for people and life. Each of these share wisdom that invites connection and listening to stories because that is how we grow and how we as community thrive. 

Wisdom is not just rhetorical words, but how we dive into messy issues and learn to get up. Wisdom is learning to use the gifts we have right in front of us and then sharing that insight through teaching, guiding, and patient listening. As a master myself, I gained more from my students than my own training.

Proverbs presents a banquet hosted by divine wisdom, and Ephesians opens the treasure chest of God’s gifts for us to see (not just for me-me-me but) for you and me and everyone in our community.  Wisdom is the gift of sharing. 

Even stories like some Rose Nylon stories - imperfect as they might be - are nuggets of sharing grace. That is why I like fellowship time, and thank you for sharing your insights. May I be reminded to sit calmly and have the patience to listen because we all know that listening takes patience. Not so I can respond to whatever is said but to take in and understand perspectives, acknowledge the gifts of each other, and grow in our mutual sharing.

Proverbs gives us wisdom as a host of a banquet; come eat the bread and drink of God’s wine. God as host prepares a table for us to live life and experience life through Christ - the bread of life. God prepares a banquet so that we might share these gifts.

“Lay aside immaturity and live with insight of God.”

How do we do that?  I am so glad you asked because Ephesians gives us several suggestions for this.  

Ephesians narrates a cosmic picture of God’s plans - with Christ as head of our great Church and us the body - a community of prayer - a community blessed with redemption, forgiveness, the honor of encountering God.  Ephesians opens up for us the treasure chest that God gives us because 1) we are “no longer strangers and aliens but citizens … members in the household of God.” (2:19)

If you were looking for how to live wisely, you can look in Ephesians 4:25-32

“Let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another… work honestly with our own hands. Let no evil talk come out of our mouths. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander together with all malice…. Be kind to one another forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. And live in love.”  

We can read that feel-good wisdom all day long.

I can regurgitate facts and read verses but knowing and reading is only half the battle. 

Those are the tools, but what we do with those blessings and knowledge is where we see wisdom born in the world and through us - Shared through us and patient listening through us. 

If you leave the lessons in the book, then the knowledge given to you does nothing more.

If you however let the verses guide your heart, you will find ways to Christ through our thoughts, our words and our actions.  

Do you welcome like God welcomes?  Do you speak the truth? Do you forgive like how God forgives? Or do you let bitterness, anger and slander rule your day? Do you let others define that for you or do you let God define that grace - that good in you? 

Yes we fail at times, but there is never a better time than now for God’s grace!

The debate around COVID vaccines and masking is perfect example. We could choose to ignore the actual facts and believe disinformation instead. OR, we could do the correct thing - the sensible thing- and be examples of how not to spread COVID.

Wisdom is understanding there are paths of disinformation and illusions that hide and look “easier” - paths that separate us from the way of God. God’s way is not always easy - maybe even tough at times - but needful. So put away the angers and bitterness as they distract us.

Col Potter told one that if you gonna love someone, it isn’t easy. When things are difficult, you learn to love them a whole lot more. Miyagi would say “no matter what, always breathe.”

Wisdom is witnessing God’s cosmic plans for us in us - in our breath. It is living in the truth and sharing that truth to those around us in our compassion and empathy. 

Yes the fierce lions will have hunger, but those who seek God’s way will have all we need (Ps 34).

To our original point, wisdom is understanding that we are not the only ones harboring wisdom.  All God’s children have these gifts, and thus, we must make space for God and for our neighbors so that we can learn the many ways people come to God.

Loving God and loving neighbor are not always easy, but these are divine ways to have a better life and better community.  Loving and imitating God as children of God may not be easy, and Jesus tells us this. Yet, if we choose Jesus, we choose to walk a path with so much potential - a path that leads to rewards for us. 

That is wisdom. Open your heart to life, the bread of life, connect with people. The compassion of God is poured out for you and for you to share. Speak with truth and from your heart! Pour out your forgiveness and blessings. Then watch the whole community flourish and grow together because we connect to something much bigger than ourselves. 

We are part of the beloved children of God with all those gifts shared with us. So sit down with some cheesecake and friends. We don’t have to worry about our brokenness because God forgives our sins with an “ocean of forgiveness” every morning. We don’t have to wonder if there is enough because God replenishes our souls every morning with grace. That is not our doing but wisdom from God. Find that wisdom in your heart and see all you need in God. 

That, my friends, is real wisdom.

Thanks Be to God

Bread of Life - John 6

Bread of Life

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

1 Aug 2021

Reflection based upon John 6:24-35, John 4, Psalm 78, and  Ephesians 4:1-16

Opening prayer

Beloved, I have told somethings about my grandmother, and today, I will share one more with you  My grandmother used to make an awesome bread that had to eat the crust and all- was great with her homemade jam and butter .. oh it could be described as “bread to die for.” 

I remember the flour drawer, how quickly she could take water and yeast and within a few minutes have a pan in the oven.  The whole house would fill with aroma of baking - even on a hot day, you knew something good was coming.

It was so good you ate the crust, especially paired with her awesome jams. It’s not like whole crowds would come to share in the bread (although with our family size, you might describe that as a crowd).  

I never learned Grandma’s recipe, and as much as I rave about her cooking, she would not compare her bread to that which Jesus gives.

Her bread is brief sustenance or may go bad (e.g. perish), but maybe the focus is upon the wrong things. Her awesome cooking lasted us couple hours; Jesus gives us bread of life. Jesus gives life.

First Jesus challenges the crowd “you are looking for me, not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”  Grandma or I can bake wonderful, but I don’t have a crowd running after me for them.  That is what Jesus observes here. There are misunderstandings that Jesus means to clear up.

To help us understand this misunderstanding, let’s look at another text.  Today, I invite you to see the parallels from John 4 with the woman at the well.

I love this dialog between Jesus and the woman that comes out to draw water from the well.  Jesus is just sitting there, he tells her to “give me a drink,” and they have curious conversation about faith.  She challenges how can you ask me to draw water for you. Jesus says if you knew God, you would ask for living water instead. She inquires about this “living water” - where do you get it?

Jesus tells the woman, that everyone who drinks of the water from the well will be thirsty again, but the water I give will bring “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (4:13-14).  

The woman beckons “…give me this water so that I may never be thirsty …” (4:15)  

After this conversation, she questions how we find God, and Jesus tells her “God is spirit and those who worship [God] must worship in spirit and truth.”  There it is.

She lets Jesus fill her heart and proceeds to tell everyone to come witness Jesus for themselves.  “You gotta see this.”

Similarly, Jesus answers in this in the Bread of Life discourse “Do not work for the food that perishes.” (6:27) The crowd asks Jesus to give this bread always. (6:34)

Jesus reminds us that the bread we eat is perishable, but the bread from Heaven is much more than just grain meld.  Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and … will never be thirsty.”  Jesus answers the people in the crowd and the woman at the well with reflexive - “I am.” 

The uniqueness of Jesus is the presence of God embodied. Jesus’s whole life in John institutes the Eucharist.

Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to use our senses to help find the spirit working - in tasting the great wines at the wedding (2:10), quenching our thirsts from living waters (4:10), blind gaining sight (9:11), the fragrant perfumes used by Mary to anoint Jesus’s feet (12:3), and hearing difficult teachings about the truth and life “..for I came not to judge the world but to save [it]” (12:47). Jesus reminds us that feeling is ok - just like a woman giving birth, the hour comes when the child is born, anguish turns into joy. (16:21)

Jesus helps us to use our senses to find God’s spirit in many ways. We may not always get God, but God gets us.

God answered Moses’s question by saying “YHWH” or “I am.” Jesus directly references this, but moreso, Jesus helps us to find God inside of us. Jesus reminds us that great presence is intimately inside us. Let God tickle your heart.

We all look for explanations.  In everything there is a season, you can witness God right there all along - teaching and guiding us. In some things, it is difficult to witness something so great, but when we give time and space, we can witness God when we let God flourish in us. We can search and find there is so much revealed for us.

Let that majesty be what you feel -right here. When you sip beverage, taste the presence that is there.  When you share a meal (or bread) with people, witness the spirit moving among you. When you smell aromas, let your nose help you find God in the space between the spaces.  When you see grace, don’t avert your eyes. Let God reveal to you how beautiful this world is. When you hug your spouse and children, witness God’s presence in the touch of compassion, love and grace.

When the crowd and the woman asks, give us this bread always (or this water). Jesus responds God already has. We may feel flawed, broken and messy but you see beloved, God has perfect recipes and made you!

God has given you life, all the joys to answer your struggles, and all that you need to quench your thirsts. 

Yes God made us in her image as her children. And together we make God’s community. “God in me recognizes God in you.”

Every day you wake, God is there. God is life, the bread of life - our daily bread - Not just words we say in prayer but life. The question for you is do you believe it, and will you let God’s bread be yours?

These are the necessary ingredients that you have been looking for, and Grandma doesn’t need to slave over hot ovens for it. This does not have a shelf life. You dont have to be in hurry or worry to get your share because God gives the bread of life for all of us. That is all you need. You, made from the perfect recipe!

Let your soul be nourished and fulfilled. 

Let God be your living waters and bread of life!

Let God be with you and sustain you.

Thanks Be to God. 

Empower and Speak up - 2 Samuel 11

Empower MeToo

Tony E Dillon Hansen

25 July 2021 

 

A reflection based upon 2 Samuel 11:1-15 • Psalm 14 • Ephesians 3:16-17

 

Opening Prayer

 

There is delicate balance that must come with bringing God into the center of government (e.g. politics) – to be wary of letting religious power go to one’s head to abuse political power.  David, like any human, is a flawed person, and here, David reveals some of those flaws. David manipulates power in several ways and the Bible is highly critical of these errors.  “It highly unusual for ancient literature to criticize powerful and successful kings” (JSB, p622), and so here we are. 

 

This week’s lesson reminds us how manipulative power can do some serious damage to people. This is a lesson for us to learn from them - hopefully to prevent future occurrences - Teaches us to empower people.

 

Traditional  View

 

I grew up reading this and hearing about this story in a traditional way from a perspective of adultery by Bathsheba and David (both married to different people), David already has 6 wives (a 7th, Micah is locked away).  Yet, this implies some “agency” on the part of Bathsheba. Worse, some read this as her asking for it.

Midrash Interpretation

When we studied this text in seminary with midrash from Dr. Wilda Gafney who positions a deeper perspective of Bathsheba, we almost universally agreed this looks more like manipulation of power and violence against Bathsheba. In fact, this feels very much like a MeToo moment in the Hebrew scripture because it mirrors countless cases today. 

Curiously, the story starts by noting David is not where he is supposed to be (aka fighting with his armies). Some might suggest that “she came to him” (as it is written) but was that really voluntary?  Consent you ask? I submit to you that she did not have the option. “To come when beckoned by the king does not imply consent.” (Gafney, p214) She could not deny the request. David is king; this king wants what he sees; the king thinks he can have whatever and whomever he wants; and the king just sent people to get her. 

It is fair to say the scripture does not suggest David using force against Bathsheba. Why she doesn’t make a scene on the way out forcing to dragged out? Gafney suggests this is her holding a “shred of dignity” by not being dragged out or worse. David holds all the power.  Bathsheba is in no place to deny the king. 

Bathsheba contrasts David by performing Torah-rituals of cleansing for 1) herself and then 2) due to the sexual encounter (whether consensual or not).

 

David uses power to get her; she cannot deny him.  There is no mention of how she went home (whether under guard) or how difficult it may have been to learn that she now carries his child. But she finds strength to deliver these words, “Im pregnant.” Then, David follows bad behavior with more… murdering her husband along with his troops. This is destructive not just for her life but for many. Nathan and God scorn David for this.  

 

Bible does not ignore

 

Should we ignore these uglier stories for the good ones?  Well if we did, we live in a fantasyland where everything is rosy. That might be nice for a while.  Personally, I cannot ignore these ugly truths, the church should not ignore them, and neither should we as a society. No matter how despicable or painful this is to consider, we need to address these stories.

 

They serve as lessons for all of us.  The Bible is not just a feel-good book for us, but a look at all aspects of humanity and our relationship to God.  The Bible challenges us to be more than who we are and challenges us to be the best our humanity can be.  Thus, there should be no real surprise that the Bible admonishes this. 

 

Even though we read how David was blessed to bring God into the center of the people. I wonder if he forgot what that power means.  David allows power to cloud his brain into thinking he can do whatever to whomever (like property) he wants and commits serious wrongs. Yes, there is no victimless sin or crime. 

For Us Today

 

We know this happens today, and thanks in part to #MeToo, there is serious dialog about this. Manipulation of power and assault does real damage. 

 

I have seen the horror this can do and the emptiness it causes upon a person.

 

If this has happened to you, know that it is not your fault. You are not alone. Know that God is with you.

 

The destruction and soul-shaking cannot be understated. To make matters worse, victims are shamed into “she/he wanted it” glossing over what happened - like that one song. That is patriarchy working.

 

That disregards people as property - might explain some of David’s attitude here.

As Survivors

 

We are not just property, and we are survivors. We are children of God.

No matter how much we try, we, as survivors, cannot simply numb or drown out our pain because it doesn’t just go away. There is immeasurable guilt and shame attached to these. The questions of “why me” and “how did I let this happen” festers with that shaming. As survivors, this will be carried for life, and our stories must be heard. 

 

We help survivors by walking with them and listening to their stories - not ignoring them. I cannot solve the personal pains, but I can walk with people and be mindful of my own failings and my words. We all can. Then we can heal.

Further, we must empower people, especially young women, to speak up and speak out.  To prevent things like this from occurring, we must be willing to teach that is ok to say no and for all people to accommodate that “no.” 

 

Does Bathsheba let this define her? We don’t know much about her emotions or words said, but she does move on. No one can change the past - undo painful history. We can only learn to live in today. I want to hear her “confront David and demand respect she deserves.” 

 

With scriptures, with what Jesus teaches, and with this story, we are called to listen even when the message is difficult.  We cannot and should not accept being property to anyone. We remind people of their responsibility to our neighbors - beloved of God.

More importantly, find comfort in knowing we are not alone, and that there is someone for us where we can be safe, without manipulation and without judging. There is God.

 

We are reminded through this story to empower and to teach our children and community the good way: the God way — rather than destructive disregard for people, especially from those in power. God made you more than just someone’s property, and blessed with personal dignity. 

 

We are all God’s children: broken, messy and beautiful. We deserve life that values us as worthy. We have choices, and remember too, God will forgive those willing to make amends.

God forgives and calls us to forgive - Forgive ourselves and those who trespass against us. God invites sinners to healing by acknowledgment and repentance. Nathan beckons David to contrition. Perhaps that is why David does not “abandon her to starvation or to survival” - read trafficked or worse. We cannot force Bathsheba to forgive and we don’t know if she ever did. That is between her, God and David. We don’t know how hard it was for Bathsheba to live in that house, but there is always God’s forgiveness from contrite hearts. 

Our stories will be heard when you speak them. Our lessons will be learned when you teach them, and our community will be strengthened when we empower voices.  

 

From Ephesians, I pray that God strengthens and empowers our inner beings through the Spirit and that Christ may dwell in all our hearts. Find your power grounded in love. 

 

Remember that God is with you and that you are worthy of God! Be empowered to walk with others and listen to their stories.  Be empowered to see the truth and see that God is there for you! Be empowered to speak up and speak out!

 

Thanks Be to God

Reach Out and Welcome Someone - Mark 5

Reach Out and Welcome Someone

Tony E Dillon Hansen

18 July 2021

Sermon based upon Mark 5:21-43, Psalm 23, and Lamentations 3:22-23

Opening prayer

I sense a need to focus our next couple of weeks about gender issues in the scriptures.  For this Sunday, this great story from Mark 5 about the woman reaching out to Jesus provides an excellent example of faith that heals.  Yet, there is so much more involved here - plenty for us to unpack in this story, especially how this contrasts with Jesus coming home to Nazareth.  This woman does not know Jesus at all but has heard about his power. Whereas hometown folks question Jesus’s power away. This woman gets it.  She recognizes Jesus’s power and so do the parents. What does she teach us in this moment?

There is a lot of symbolism and a series of questions we can raise from this seemingly random action.  A presumably, unknown woman suffering for years believes and recognizes Jesus’s power. 

We can wonder if this was an act of faith or of utter desperation.  For us, What would be the reason we would reach out to Jesus?  What prevents us from reaching out?

We do not know how long she has been there, but we can presume she is in the synagogue to pray.  We have to wonder how long has she suffered and for how long she has come to worship suffering.  At any point, she could have gave up, but she did not. For how long, do we go to church looking for that moment, that spark, the healing moment? How many times do we pray and how many times should we pray ?  

This is hope! We will find redemption and healing. When we reach out with our faith, we let God be with us rather than something else.  

When the moments arrive, we know them, and we can live into them. These moments happen to us and for us. Question for us, do we acknowledge these gifts and remember to give thanks? Do we honor God’s gifts and miracles to us with our welcoming hearts? Or do we just walk about expecting more little miracles?

As I mentioned, this story reveals gender issues that were evident in her time as much as they are evident today. Laws have been passed down for ages that discriminate due to gender. I submit to you that some laws are just an excuse to exclude. We don’t have to be ok with that.  

Yes we have a female governor and vice-president. We have had a black president and now vice president, but we well know that racism and misogyny both still poison our community. Case in point, there are people are so afraid of the vice-president becoming president. Is she demonized because she is black or a woman? How does that make people feel to hear this? 

It took centuries for women to get suffrage, and we have yet to pass the ERA. What is the excuse? Incidentally, why are people ok with new voting restrictions? Will we reverse years of progress? When will my right to vote be taken away? How do we change this?

This act of reaching out turns into a public display of healing.  Jesus presumably could have just walked onto the little girl, but Jesus makes a point to stop and publicly give witness to the woman and her healing.  He does this not just for theater.  Jesus does this because her “condition” means that for years she would have been excluded - left to fringes of the church - if she would even be allowed in the doors. For years, this woman has endured public shaming because of a bodily process – out of her control. This public act of declaring her healed is not just a physical healing but collective healing – an invitation to join the community.

This is a reminder to us here in this day.  Who do we, and for what reason, exclude from the grace of God? How can we be more inclusive and encourage others to be inclusive instead?  There are people that should be here that are not. A church that thrives invites not just us regular attendees but invites those in community to join us – wherever they are on life’s journey.

So individually and as a church, we ought to think beyond our perspectives and make sure they are correct.  Do we in fact invite and welcome people?  Nice thing about town this size, is that church is only a few steps away from neighbors.  There are neighbors around us that could be here in the church with us. Ask, “are we inviting them”, and if not, let us start.  

In order for us to reveal that extravagant welcome as a church, we individually and personally must also exhibit that invitation in our words and actions. In fact, “extravagant welcome” does not mean welcome “but only if….” Remove the preconditions and practice God’s love, God’s welcome, in our lives. 

That love doesn’t happen just when you say the right words because we know the power of words - as Jesus declares publicly that she is healed.  What words do we say publicly that lifts rather than tears down? Practice words of inclusion and lifting.

To the question of how do we change the issues impacting us.  It starts with you and me. It starts with us being that extravagant welcome and encouraging others to be that. It happens in our words we use and the empathy we extend to others. When we are welcoming in our thoughts, words and actions, we extend God’s radical and extravagant welcome one person at a time. 

So reach out and welcome someone! Then, hear the words, “Your faith has made you well; go in peace…” 

Thanks be to God.

Legends Covenants Fear - 1 Samuel 17

Legends, Covenants, Fear

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Reflection based upon 1 Samuel 17-18:5, Mark 4:35-41, Psalm 9

Opening Prayer

The story of David’s battle with Goliath is a familiar story that is invoked to encourage underdog victories.  As a Royals fan, I know this feeling of being an underdog well.  Yet David is not viewing this situation as he being the underdog - but someone with a surprise.  David is not the usual suspect, not military bred, but a shepherd, the runt of the family, and the go-getter. David does what his father instructs, Saul accepts the offer and David wins.  A series of events that raises David’s status not only in the scripture but with those who watch things unfold.  David gains armies’ allegiance for his cunning display.

The curious thing of David invoking God before this “fight” which had a whole lot more dressing than actual sparring.

How many of us have done that? Before a competition, a game, we pray for protection and victory.  David does not – instead, David says the Lord is with him.  That is serious confidence in the midst of a whole lot of fear by those around David.  Speaking of which, who wins these games?  The ones who pray more or with more solemn intention? Those who expect to win? Those who put faith that things will work out – like what we talked last week.

In fact, we have a habit of making out more of the task ahead of us instead of working with what we have vs working with true faith. Yes, we may miss our mark. We may have great chance at failure, but that fear can lead us to not even try.

 

Saul invites David into the house. Then, there is this meeting of Jonathan with David.  The son of the king binding himself with David in most dramatic fashion.  There is clearly love between these two. Later in 2 Samuel, David’s eulogy for Jonathan just takes one’s heart.  Clearly, Jonathan is more than just a friend to David, perhaps a first love.  In fact, we will observe that after Jonathan’s death, things get really wonky for David with bad decision making, cover ups and more. 

What is in a covenant? Why bind ourselves to others?  Over the next events in David’s life, Jonathan along with David’s wives (Michal) save him a number of times.  Why?

Yet this passage also marks the rapid deterioration of Saul as David’s abilities are revealed. Initially, Saul enjoys having David, but that honeymoon is abrupt. Saul changes from hospitable to adversary. David is a political foe getting a lot of accolades. It could be that Saul disapproves of this covenant between his son, Jonathan, and David. Saul wants to end this and his fear consumes him.

Fear is a natural instinct and can be life saving for the right reasons.  (I don’t like heights or deep water.) Fear can be healthy and help us to realize not to jump from the cliff or tall building.

When fear consumes us, it turns into obsessions. Then our decisions become erratic, irresponsible, and can actually disregard our safety.  Saul’s fear turns into an obsession to kill David. As Yoda says in Star Wars, “fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to the dark side.” Fear takes us down paths away from reason, away from reality, away from love, away from faith, away from God.  

What are we trying to protect in our fear?  Our ego? Our traditions - even when we know things need to change?  What do we hide from ourselves that we allow fear to consume us - to separate us from reality, from God? My own fears might be protecting me in some ways, but I cannot let them prevent me from doing the right thing.

If Saul’s outrage is over Jonathan’s and David’s covenant – (who both do quite a bit of subterfuge over the next few chapters to avoid Saul’s wrath and anger), it begins to feel quite familiar to situations I have witnessed where people come out to families only to be kicked out. There are so many stories about families torn apart because of irrational, fearful, and distorted views about queer relationships. This fear, anger and hate destroys – not David as the target but - Saul and Saul’s family. 

Saul’s fear is unhealthy for himself and serves to undermine his own authority. It begins his decline.

For us, the lesson is… Why not direct our efforts towards fostering love, faith and grace rather than focusing or obsessing over irrational fears, angers, and hatreds. We have enough conflicts and battles in our lives that we don’t need to introduce more tensions.  

Ultimately, love wins because the love between David and Jonathan is real and strong. That love will overcome hate and fear. Love will find a way and teach us the value of people around us. Their story also serves to remind us not to let death teach us the value of that love.

Thanks be to God.

Growing up - Mark 4

Growing up

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 4:26-32, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, Psalm 92

Opening Prayer

How does the parable of the seeds describe the kingdom of God?  That is good question, and in fact, I read and heard many people talk about how challenging Mark 4 can be. I agree there is some apocalyptic language here, but in these particular verses, there is something that might help to give us some hope. 

You know I enjoy gardening, and we have talked about seeds: being branches – connected to God, and bearing fruit from John’s Gospel. The mustard seed parables has some similarities, but Mark’s usage is different. 

If we read again, I would have us kind of focus upon the verses 

“and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. ²⁸ The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

”

There are a couple things that jump out – I might be scared of the sickle, Yet, 1) there are stages of growth or steps to discern, 2) and the earth produces of itself. 

We don’t know why or how, and this means the mystery of God is something deeper than something we can see or hear.  As written in 2 Corinthians 5, “So we are always confident; … we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Yes we walk by faith and we grow by faith.  We grow in stages, and by faith, we adapt. We don’t know how or why our bodies grow, but we do.  Indeed, hearing the good news, some will “indeed look and not perceive or indeed listen, but not understand.” (Mark 4:12)

This is different than being an engineer or landscaper, in that we don’t engineer our growth or how we ultimately turn out. When we read other parables, like of the sower of where the seed lands, we are left with questions and maybe desire to do engineering of some sort. 

These parables challenge that because growth does not depend upon ourselves and is ultimately requires faith in our greater being. Alan Watts has talked about faith like this. That faith is not an expectation of what happens, but faith that things will work out – letting God.

On this notion, John Calvin agrees that we cannot control our destiny, and why we don’t do this alone- that we cannot. That is why God’s grace is so “irresistible” and why our faith is so important.  Our faith in God’s nourishment is what allows us to grow, even in darkness, amidst calamities, droughts or division. The seed knows nothing of what will happen, but with faith, the seed transforms from something small (maybe somewhat insignificant) but something in darkness, in the ground, this something transforms into something else that is life giving.  We grow from God’s creation to give life forward. 

There is something deep, personal and intimate about this feeling. There is something powerful about the strength of our faith to go beyond what we think we see or don’t see.  We learn, we adapt, we grow into what we are meant to be.  Because, Faith allows us to seek justice in the midst of misfortune. Faith to encourage love over violence, pointing fingers or false accusation because the truth is much more than us. Faith says to be the love.

When we are deeply self-giving, deeply trusting in the faithfulness of God – for a people trying to figure what to do, there is something powerful here.  Yet, there is patience and observation of steps to take  – to grow - to be transformed – to continue.

The mustard seed parable continues with this image with the idea that we do well when we are connected to God, so we want to stay connected to the greater stalk and grow as strong branches of the one. 

Think about it, the old tree has many tales to tell, but it got there over decades of practice in faith. It still produces sap and fruit because it is connected to the soil – connected to God. A good person, a good church, does not necessarily know the why (or how) it works, it just knows because we grow and we are connected to God.

Thanks Be to God.

Who Are Family - Mark 3

Who Are Family

 – How do we recognize Jesus?

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 3:20-41, Psalm 138, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Opening prayer

We know that people can be cynical and scornful - if not outright hateful.  When people see someone like Jesus preaching and having these massive crowds, there is some jealousy growing in the local scribes.  How does Jesus get all of this attention ??

They start mocking his work and miracles as some trickery and demonic magic – the work of Beelzebul. So the first part of the Gospel text for this week is a critical response to these attacks.  How can you call Jesus Satan when Jesus is working to cast out Satan?

That Abraham Lincoln refers to this text in speeches in his run for Senate in Illinois tells how important this text is.   “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Then candidate Lincoln was referring to the persistent division of the country based upon slavery, which he predicted was going to tear apart the country - how correct he still is. 

We know that some people like to swear and curse more than a fair share. (I have lived in neighborhoods where you could tell what time of day it was by the volume of curses.) People might look at the middle verses and have some pause:

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰ for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

When we witness Jesus or God working but completely deny it, then we might run afoul of this. Thus, it is important for us here to be conscious of when we witness Jesus working.  

It is great to see Jesus working in people doing wonderful things (e.g. that wonderful meal, graduations, a child scores the run, the success at the office, or a person pulled from a fire). 

We can recognize Jesus when people celebrate heritage (Black, Asian, Native tribes, or even Pride). Our Bible tells us to celebrate these.

Yet, we are challenged to witness Jesus also when people march for justice, equality and fairness in our laws. That’s what Jesus did. Additionally, we ought to witness Jesus when people atone for mistakes – Jesus forgives and so should we. We ought to recognize when we have screwed up, be willing to atone and forgive ourselves because we know no one is perfect - we all fall short. 

This is a central theme of Mark’s Gospel and Jesus’s teaching. Remember from Mark 1, Jesus proclaiming “the time is fulfilled, the kingdom is near, repent and believe…”

That is why Jesus in the last part of the lesson talks about where family is.  Not just family by blood (who in Mark’s Gospel also were trying to “restrain” Jesus saying “has gone out of his mind.”) 

You may have thought that about me, and I know I haven’t been perfect – but I preach what Jesus says and did. It is not always an easy path.  That is not to say I have the only perspective either. 

People like to twist this into an argument against diverse perspectives and experiences. Jesus offers grace and teaching beyond his own community.  Sorry, Jesus did not offer extraordinary powers or wealth- that would be false teaching. Instead, the focus is upon ways to connect with God, ways in which we can see and witness God in our lives and those around us. 

These are ways we can witness family all around us - not by casting negativity about others.   That only serves to sow division and hate, which our human society has plenty of ways. That is how we devolve into fighting and wars because we are too busy trying to find what is wrong with others, demean people or relegate their work as meaningless rather than finding what we can learn from each other - perhaps growing with each other.

This is one of the reasons I have grown to dislike social media. That for all of the promise it holds to reconnect friends, it has become mired in echo chambers where people shout at each other in careless, one-way, baseless claims and accusations rather than honest dialog.

So instead, Jesus teaches inclusion with forgiveness and redemption available for all. That means having conversations rather than demeaning people.  That is the core of the good news!  They who recognize this, (if you recognize this), you recognize Jesus, and recognize God.  Those who practice this, practice Jesus and find Jesus filling hearts and minds with love, justice and grace.  

By our faith, we too can witness the possible of Jesus. That is the family Jesus refers here. Those who recognize forgiveness and the kingdom is available to all God’s children. Thus, sit with Jesus to learn rather than pointing fingers and false accusation.

Yes, I am not perfect. I recognize that I am broken and I fall way short. That is why we have God – to build us up. Through faith, the power and restoring grace of Jesus’s spirit guides us to be more than our brokenness and our mistakes.  We are, after all, children of God, and with that, we have so much given to us and so much possible – and we have church -our family. 

If we open our eyes, our ears before we open our mouths, we might be willing to open our minds and our hearts to the possible - the grace of Jesus near us and with us.

Let your faith connect you to all God’s children! Let your hearts grow beyond accusations, the difficult and brokenness. Watch your heart flourish nearer to Jesus.

Thanks be to God.