Curious Questions - John 3 - Lent 2A

Curious questions

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon John 3:1-17: Psalm 121

Opening prayer

There are texts that people love so much that people frame, put on walls, or stick to car bumpers. Today’s text gives us one of these beloved texts, but instead of just the verse that people have come to know and love, we get the context of the words.

Each of the next couple weeks in Lent, as we travel through John, we come upon conversations.  In these, conversations raise questions, considerations, resolutions and revelations. We encounter religious elder, a woman at the well, a blind man and then Martha.  

Each of these share preconceived notions of who God is and why God does things. This particular text shines on Nicodemus, a high priest elder (Pharisee) questioning Jesus’s teachings about God and the spirit.

This conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus compels because it is revolutionary nature. Nicodemus is a teacher of Rabbinical law and traditions and asking Jesus some of these questions go to the root of faith. 

Despite some assertions, not all elders despised Jesus but in fact rather embraced what Jesus says.  Nicodemus honestly questions Jesus and the nature of God.  He is curious about teachings, curious about Jesus, and curious about God. Jesus does not shy away from the questions. 

“How can this be??” Jesus answers with a question, asking Nicodemus, what does your faith, your belief, say to you about God and the Spirit? Funny thing, in this exchange, something else remarkable doesn’t happen.

Jesus does not berate the person, the question or any hinting lack of belief. Jesus instead invites.  Jesus invites Nicodemus (us) to believe: to bring Spirit and faith with him (with us). With Zen-like consideration, the wind blows but we know not the beginning or end. This is evidence that to “see” we must see with the Spirit and to be born of the Spirit. Most importantly, we must believe. 

That, my friends, is the nature of baptism. For we are all born into flesh from flesh. Let your Spirit connect with God (be born again). Water is a mere symbol, but the real work is done by the Spirit and our beliefs.

Without belief in these good things, 

we remain imprisoned in a world without hope of something more than we are. 

Without belief, 

we never get beyond who we are this day, and we never reach for all that God has for us. 

Without belief, 

we are left in shadows, and we forget the love that is poured out for us.

The broken world threatens from all sides consuming our attention. It can be easy for us to forget why 3:16 is so compelling. Starting with, “For God so loved the world…” Because God is still speaking, we say, “God loves.” God ain’t done - not by a long shot. 

That God loves us ought to be comforting to us who are struggling here on this earth. When we screw up, when we give into that Lenten temptation, or when we say things we probably shouldnt, God is there and loves us so much while forgiving and helping us find the correct path. 

Our identity as children of God can open paths for us through the threatening and thick wildernesses of our broken world because of our belief in that promise given to us. When we believe and let the belief flourish within us, the light of Christ reveals to us.

That belief can feel daunting at times when we are struggling and when the light at the end of the tunnel is blurred by events, people, more shootings, more war, and hostile political winds that are contrary to Jesus’s teachings of peace, love and forgiveness. We, like Nicodemus, can be (perhaps should be) curious to ask questions. Why does that happen? Why do people have to be so…. Not friendly and hostile? Ask God and let God reveal the answer. 

Perhaps, those people weren’t properly shown the proper way of Christ that you and I can. We can only do so much -but we can contribute. For our part, we can be that demonstration of this belief: that God is for us as children of God in many different ways. 

Through our belief, even though we are curious and have questions, we can have more than this life, and Beloved, we are saved because God loves us.

Our identity as children of God opens paths for us through the thick and ominous wildernesses of our broken world because of our belief in that promise given to us. When let the belief flourish within us and lead us, the light of Christ reveals to us.

Thus, God loves even though we struggle and screw up. God loves us, God forgives, and God helps find the correct path.

For God loves us that we are gifted…

We have free will. We can turn away and walk from God, but we always have a home in God.

We have life. Each day, no matter what pain we have, we are breathing and have chances to live Jesus’s peaceful way. The alternative is that we are just dust, and then, there is no more life we can share.

Through this life with Spirit - living with the Spirit of God in us, together we are community and church. We are more than ourselves because we have each other as gifts instead of shameful blaming. Together, we can ask our curious questions, and together, we learn what God reveals for us. 

That Beloved is…

Thanks Be to God

Temptation and Loyalty- Matthew 4 - Lent 1A

Temptation and Loyalty

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 4: 1-11, Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7, Psalm 32

Opening prayer

When we go about our daily lives, it is a rare bird that intentionally wakes up and says, “I want to be a bad person.”

Our familiar lesson at the outset of Lent looks at temptations. I think it is more than giving up something or fasting (especially since Jesus in Matthew 6 reminds us to put our heart in our practice.)

What is temptation? What causes us to go off the good way or walk away from God.

This is more than sugar fixes that some give up for Lent, but it’s about the feeling - an inclination to do something. In those moments, there are questions - should I?

Consider, where you lean for guidance. From where do we find understanding and perhaps “epiphany” what what we should do?

We enter Lent, but when facing difficult or tough questions, where do you lean, where is your loyalty?

This story isn’t really about those sugar craves as much as when someone introduces “false values to achieve outcomes.”

For us, consider what we substitute for what we need, or our community, or what God wants.

On most accounts, most people won’t know the difference and won’t even lift an eyebrow at the mostly quiet personal exchanges, but there is something more sinister here at play.

This isn’t just a “white lie” (like somehow painting lies white makes them less trickery.) This isn’t dripping lips over chocolate. Besides, we all know that one lie leads to another and to another until all falls down.

This is sinister - something shiny but underneath, it’s “decaying and empty.”

We pause. Is this really what you want?

Do I want that which corrupts - that which is not about community, justice and not about God, but instead about ego, injustice and selfish wants. (I get whatever I want - you fend for yourself.)

How did we not notice the pig with lipstick is just that (who made that a good idea?)

The temptation is to find comfort in something or being that says all the right things, but something is missing. We feel off when an offer seems “too good to be true.” It probably is.

Think how often decisions have absolute clarity or we get going along and something shows up that makes us take pause - examine whether current path is correct.

And if all we do is consume without consideration and do not give back, what legacy is our path but gluttony.

This is especially when we wrestle with it and with God, like Jacob did (Genesis 32). What did God do for Jacob, they wrestled. Ultimately, God shows up, works it out with us, and God blesses.

When we are at wits-end and not sure what to do, where do we turn attention? How do we react? Do we turn to seductive temptations or do we lean into our faith, into the way of Jesus?

Do we turn our heads away from the right thing to do because that’s too involved, or be someone’s desperately needed face of God here on this Earth?

Some people see others’ misfortune thinking “shadenfruede” (German for relishing in someone’s misfortune) and do nothing more.

Remember “crap” happens to all alike. Then, we realize someday in the garden of God and notice that we are naked too. God’s justice is naked truth because humans do mistakes - or just don’t do the right things.

Of that, there is this other character in the story. When we screw up and fail, people have tendency to look around for someone one or something to blame. Why do we need to do this and why invent a sneaky character lurking to spoil our deeds?

Consider football, I am sure the players heard some sneaky character say, just before the play starts, “hey could you, maybe, just drop the ball for me. That would be swell and I will make your name last forever.” The player responds in that instance - great idea! Can you imagine the conversation in the huddle afterwards?

No. When mistakes happen (and they do), it is for us to fess up, own it, learn from it (hopefully not to do it again.) 

Unlike football coaches or otherwise, God gives us multiple chances, and thankfully so. We have a forgiving God, and “happy are those whose transgressions are forgiven.” (Psalm 32)

—-

Is Jesus questioning - trying to put things into context. (What is to come, the potentials - both good and ugly)?

This is us - you and me - at our finest.

Decisions before us, choices we have, appear to be long, questionable endurance, and the path to the promise is through that undefined field.

But wait! There is another seductive way. We could quit saying, “I don’t have faith in the promise. I don’t have faith that doing the correct thing will be rewarding.”

I want simple assurances “yes I will be happy.” Consider, simple answers to complex questions: really? Life is complex, and justice - the realm of God (on Earth) needs our help. We want simple answers, but God doesn’t work that way, the way of Jesus doesn’t work like that.

The path to eternal life, the way of Jesus, the way of God is long and requires sacrifice and endurance. It requires us to do church and to be justice, especially when there is a vacuum. This way, this path, does not mean we live vanquished of nice things or in total poverty, but that we recognize that we fall short.

This way of Jesus calls us to pay attention to the Spirit, to the community around us as well to be face and comfort of God to all God’s people.

That aint easy at 5:00pm (when after a full day of work), when I need to prep for tomorrow’s exam, or when I want to go fishing with the buddies. When our child needs help, what do we say? When our neighbor needs food or asks for justice, what do we do? When political figures want to disregard neighbors (don’t listen to them, don’t even associate - in fact, let’s put them in prisons or “special camps”), that is when we have to dig into our faith and decide our loyalty with God is stronger.

When we listen to God speaking, then the true, good path will be revealed. It may not come with instant satisfaction, but reward you will have when you let faith in God work.

The question is really: where does your loyalty lay? Perhaps easy answer when things are good or when we want to say the right thing. When things are getting difficult, when we have questions, when we thought we have done all that we needed to do, even though justice in our world still needs help, then we have to dig into faith, faith in the promise (way of Jesus), and turn our loyalty to God.

When we do, If we leave it all out on the table and let God help us, we can grow along the long, winding, and endurance way. “Bread” that nourishes us will be there, and there will be good people to help us along the way. 

Most of all, Beloved, God will help us find that purpose and meaning along that journey.

That Beloved is …

Thanks Be to God.

From the Heart - Matthew 6 (Ash Wednesday)

From the Heart

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Reflection based upon Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21, Psalm 51

Opening Prayer

Epiphany is over. We witnessed the light of Christ revealed before us through the Word made flesh for us.

Now, Lent is upon us, and this is a time for reflection and looking inward at what we do as well as what we don’t. The common misconception about Lent is that people have to “give up something.” That may be well and good, but maybe we need something more in our lives.

What in our lives that needs attention and what maybe could use a little less of it? Personally, this is matter of time who gets it how they get it and why they get it. Maybe this is also the case for you. 

For todays, lesson, we experienced a prelude in the latter weeks of Epiphany because Jesus was tell us how blessings will be bestowed upon people and why. Jesus says to be the light on the stand for all to see and the good salt of the Earth.

Now, Jesus tells us to beware of “practicing piety before others” & giving alms with musical proclamations. When we pray, this does not need to be done publicly. In fact, go into your room, close the door and pray in secret.

What a change – shine for all or pray in secret. (Someone in back is asking which is it Tony?)

I can see how some might, at first read, see a contrast that is drawn here, but I suggest for us to look into this deeper than a first read. Then, you will see how this aligns rather than contrasts.

Jesus says the practice of prayer, of giving, of fasting ought not be measures for us to boast but rather measures of something else.

If we look further into Matthew 6, we see Jesus teaching people how to pray with examples (the Lord’s prayer). We see Jesus telling us not to store up treasures but instead look for treasure where??  in your heart!

This is a direct point especially to the leaders in the crowd. The people with money and status in the community. Life is not about the clothes we wear, the food we eat or how well we sing a hymn. 

For Jesus follows this with “do not worry about life” for one cannot add any more hours to it. With almost Zen-like approach, Jesus reminds us how the flowers in the fields just grow, and birds just are. That is for us to model – parts of God’s realm on Earth. Thus, what part of God’s realm is in you and with you?

For us seeking money, fame and consumption, all we are doing is causing our own worry, worry of thieves, of having enough, of saying the right things. Yet if we look into our hearts, if we look at how poor our own worry is making our soul, and how we should be hungry for God’s peace – to be the peacemakers and comfort of God on Earth. Then – then our worries go away. For God gives us so much more than we can try to fill with threads, foods, coins and worries.

Thus, we begin Lent each time with this reminder from Jesus for those well-to-do and for us barely scraping by – one paycheck at a time or even those who have even less than that.

Piety, prayer, fasting, and worship are meaningless if our heart is in the wrong place and if our mind is always filled with hypocritical ideas – instead of God’s pure love and grace. 

We start Lent with this reminder that “tomorrow will worry about itself.” And we know the “each day has enough trouble of its own.” Thus maybe this Lent, we might add more of God’s love instead of material worries.

Beloved, that then helps us to put our practices, practice of Lent and our reflection into perspective of God’s love, welcome and forgiveness. 

When we look at the things we do and why we do them, 

when we truly do this (not ignoring nor trying to soften the sting) 

when we look to do what Jesus says from our hearts, 

when we pray with pure love and 

when we act mercifully, 

when we value the people around us and make them parts of our lives rather than objects of competing interests to our own, 

when we do this, 

then we make space for faith and for God. 

When we pray from our hearts, 

when we give from hearts, 

when do the work of God with God’s love as our guideposts and peace in our hearts, 

then we have no worry about saying the right things, or doing the correct things. 

Because we have God as our guide rather than materials and worries. 

That is when we show the light of Christ from our hearts and be the salt of the Earth because we let our faith in God work… We let God’s heart work with us, be with us, and help us.

Therefore, Beloved, look at your Lent, one-day-at-a-time. 

What can you do to improve your life and the life around you? 

What do you need less of that you might reduce? 

What can you do to bring the light of Christ into your hearts, into church, into home, and our community?

Perhaps, restoration and reconciliation are in order then confess before God with Psalm 51. Or do we need to return and open our hearts to God and remember God’s love for us?

Thanks be to God.

For those ideas that you want to reflect this season, write them on one of the pieces of paper and place them in one of the bowls of water. 

Let your wish be comforted with divine and love. 

Let your worries be cleansed and washed away, 

Let your heart find your path this Lent. 

Grow with God. Learn with God. Be with God

Value of promises - Matthew 5 - Epiphany 6A

Value of Promises

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 5: 21-38, Psalm  119, 

Opening Prayer

This week’s Gospel continues our journey through the “Sermon on the Mount”.

The last couple weeks, we have been walking through the beautiful and fertile grounds of the beatitudes. Then, we tasted being the salt of the earth and be a light for all to see. Let the light of Christ shine within you! Be the living example of God’s love on Earth.

This week we come to a real page turner: law. I know many rush to read law books along with court decisions.  There are noble people that enjoy doing this. For others, this may feel like a good time for a nap. 

I submit to you, Beloved, there is something more here than just reciting laws because Jesus prefaces these statements with, “do not think I have come to abolish the law.. but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5: 17)

Jesus lifts up Deuteronomy - God’s life giving law (not speed limits or filing taxes). (But Tony Why?)

Jesus weaves a message in-between the lines, something more than ”just laws.”

Jesus reminds people (e.g. religious leaders, the disciples, and the community - privileged or not)…

This is not just for the poor and lowly but all people hearing, and Jesus knows that religious leaders are paying attention. They hear, (tis why many gripe over Jesus teachings… now whether or not they want to listen is a question for them)

Jesus reminds us that the law and truth apply to everyone and yes even to religious leaders. Why because they carry the banner of God with them. As religious leaders, they should be the example of God. That is not just an example for the well-to-do or the most generous because we all must follow the life-giving law from God. 

For what good is law professed by leaders (or anyone) who don’t follow them? What good is it for anyone to make professions they don’t practice.

When we get to Matthew 6 on Ash Wednesday, Jesus lays the hammer down arguing against the boastful misuse of tradition and loud prayer that ignores God’s call to us. Worship of God and prayer to God is for us as individuals to give of ourselves to God rather than as some theatrics that forget why we pray and why have faith.

This is why Jesus makes the point to the people to have their faith surpass that of the current teachers in deed and in thoughts. This is both a directive for all as well as a caution to the teachers. Thus, Christianity is not just a status symbol, but what we do with our intention, our identity and our word. 

So what do you, as examples of God’s love and all that has been bestowed upon you, what do you do with those gifts? Our intention has to be one with that of God’s and as part of God’s community rather than filling personal ego and treasure.

We are called to identify our community and to be in the community (all of it). We are to be the face of God and the compassionate hand of God to those who celebrate it, those who want it and for those at desperate hours. 

We know that we fail. Thus forgiveness from us is crucial because of this.  Otherwise, we are just hypocritical and just pointing fingers without the compassion and empathy that God shares with us. Therefore, let judgment be God’s not yours. Let your griefs with someone be reconciled because grudges can fester and grow into anger and distrust. God’s community lifts up rather than tear everyone down.

Then let us turn to “word.”

I submit to you Jesus turns to laws of adultery, divorce and vows because these are rooted in the value of a person’s word - and the truth. Mean what you say. Ultimately, these involve a promise and that is only as good as one’s word. For all the money in the world, our word is the only currency that shows your value. 

Mean what you say, and let your actions reveal those words. People can make grand assertions, but we pay more attention to the ones that actually live them. When someone speaks, hold their “version” of events to scrutiny and the person accountable. We need to be willing to call out when the emperor is wearing no clothes, and we need to call out when talking heads are not speaking truth.

Of that, marriage is a display of our promise to someone. Through God, we let that promise become something more than just two people in a moment of time but commitment to something worth struggle and growth. For my own, we made it ten years; it hasn’t been easy, but we look forward to another decade and more.

If personal and intimate vows between two people are carelessly given (crossed fingers behind the back), that suggests more about the person making these. When one flaunts promises and truth as mere suggestions or use it only for personal utility, what does that say about the person in other parts of life? 

If we are willing to be unfaithful and dishonest in public promises before God, if we only do something because we get something back (as a transaction), it follows that one’s genuineness with all people come into question. It can take lifetime to build trust and only minutes to destroy it. Further, how do you explain that to kids? 

We hear politicians and religious folks alike make exuberant claims (you can even say that about me), but our word, our dealings with people, especially in the intimate, ought to be rooted in truth. 

We can have faith in the divine promise - a genuine promise never broken.

Thus, these laws are calling to us to be genuine and authentic - Make your word bound by truth in thought and action. 

No charades needed - just your humble self before God with truth as your guideposts. If you mess up, ask for forgiveness and know that God is with you. But if you go into each dealing with the intention of good and have faith in God’s unfailing promise (not personal utility), when you let your faith in God help you, then you will see that promise work for you. 

Then you may truly comprehend the value of God’s law as essential to good in our world for you and for our community.

Beloved that is,

Thanks be to God

Salting the Earth - Matthew 5 - Epiphany 5A

Salting the Earth

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 5: 13-20, Isaiah 58: 1-12, Psalm 112

Opening prayer

There was a morning we had our neighbors kid to take to school. I thought breakfast should be in order.

I offered to make a small egg and toast breakfast.  Unfortunately, I accidentally poured a fair amount of salt upon the eggs. Suffice to say, when we all took a bite, there was collection of disgusted looks around the table. No amount of cheese or otherwise was going to fix this.

When I read this lesson for today, I remembered that event because 1) salt by itself does nothing, 2) too little salt does nothing, 3) salt in the right doses can be good and can help to enhance flavors in dishes. Salts can help bland meals turn into wonderful creations to enjoy. 4) Yet, salt In the wrong amounts can easily destroy them. 

I don’t think Jesus was talking about dinner here, but I do think the analogy applies to us here. 

1) Salt by itself does nothing really. It needs something (or someone) to complement. 

2) Are we not enough salt in our world that we are bland and forgetful? I just can’t be bothered right now. I can’t do anything.  We don’t even lift a finger. 

Or,  4) are we so much salt that we are overbearing in our attitudes, judgments, or insistence? Are we the ones that squash others instead of lifting them up? Are we ones that leave no room for others to share in this greatness that God has given to us?

Or, Are we the right amount of salt; that which enhances and brings out the best? Are we those whom raise a toast to imperfection because we are not perfect. Are we ones who extend hands of hospitality? Are we ones that make space for God to forgive and let live rather than imposing our will and wants?

Similarly, Jesus says that lamps are made for giving light for all to see. We don’t light a flame and then put it in a room by itself. Further as Jesus says, we don’t put lights of flame under a basket for two reasons, 1) hard to see and 2) the inevitable accident waiting to happen when that light goes from grace to burning the place down. What good is that?

For what good is a light that no one can see, or, even worse, a light so much that it burns down the house.

What does Jesus mean by these? We can look at these as personal questions, but also as collective community questions.

What does it mean to be a part of a community?  This is who you are; this is what you do. Or is there more. 

Maybe, it is about how we work together, how we need each other and then when we realize and live this… then maybe, we are a light for the world and the salt that the world needs.

What about our leaders or those broadcasting opinions? How do they embody those ideas in our community and remind us that we are all children of God? Do they?

Do those with privilege, status, and bullhorns recognize this or do they impose something upon us that is not God? Do we question these opinions or just “hem and haw” ?

Todays social winds are thick with carefree irony because they say “gimmie gimmie” because “I wants it.” & “don’t hold me accountable.” “Everyone else be damned and get in some invisible line - behind me.”

Give me tax subsides (aka. government payments to rich) but shame those without food or shelter. Which handout is bad again?

From drugs, medicine, guns to education (incidentally, why do I as a Protestant preacher have to pay for someone to go to Catholic school with my tax money?), we put wedges and barriers between each other. Then, we don’t need empathy, love and forgiveness but instead fingers pointing who to blame… or point guns, hold onto stereotypes and prejudices. Fester in your rotten distrust and let turn into hate. People distrust and see hooligans: folks that need to be controlled, instead of neighbors. That is a pessimistic and hostile dystopia.

Some responses to these challenges might be, “Keep your opinions to yourself. Besides aren’t you, Tony, throwing much salt on these yourself? - A valid concern. 

Why would you think too much salt?  What makes these points any less valid than others? 

Why does this salt of truth sting? Why do we choose this dreadful community over the community of God? 

People come to God in many different ways and different “salts:”  Sometimes our salt comes as bit of curry, sometimes sea salt, sometimes soy, and still other ways.

Why can’t people let people have different viewpoints and perspectives? When we position ourselves as the only arbiter of truth, we no longer seek to be in community or to learn from different tastes and ideas. We seek to impose. 

Does what I state rub against latest fallible airwaves? 

Incidentally, When did we forget that we (you and I) can have a voice too? People are letting loud, exuberant claims dominate over the Spirit. These, may somehow feel good but miss important points and actually reject what God has called us to do. 

You may assert that the pulpit should not argue these “political” points. For one, Jesus taught things like these that clashed with political and religious elites. However, these aren’t just political points because God calls us to action despite the rhetoric of the airwaves. 

Yes, Jesus did this and challenges us to go beyond words, traditions and ceremony.  We are challenged with what Isaiah says us here. 

When we crowd our minds with selfishness rather than community, then, there is no room for God’s love and forgiveness to work.

If you think about it, that is people fasting from the wrong things and for the wrong reasons. Perhaps people are fasting from community knowledge to protect privilege or something else.

If you say all the “things,” keeping the rhetoric, but do not follow with action as Isaiah reminds us, what are we seeking but our own ego (or what some media ego claims?)

If you can’t be bothered to question that or to share your food, to help the homeless, to speak against the bonds of injustice, then what good is your fasting and what are you saying about God who has called you to do these things/

On the contrary, people dont have to think like “us” to be good or to have the so-called correct opinions. 

For when you do these things that have been asked of you, 

when you put away the finger-pointing and the negative speaking… 

when you lift up your neighbor, 

when you walk with them and learn their pain, 

when you do what you can to help you community, 

then, as Isaiah 58 reminds, 

then you put the light of Christ on the stand to be seen 

rather than trying to burn down the house.

You don’t have to worry about putting too much salt when you live the love of God and you don’t have to worry about peoples’ disgust over egg breakfast.

As I said, salt by itself does nothing - it needs something/someone.  Let us be the salt together that this world needs, and let us witness God in every person regardless of the talking heads.  That is the community that God calls us to be. 

In those moments, Be what God wants you to be.

Be God’s keeper here on Earth.

Give hope, Lean into faith, 

Lean into the community and help it to be the best of God’s world here on Earth. 

When you share your gifts and not hoard them as selfish desires, 

When you do these things that God calls of you, 

you will find burdens lifted from you and divine paths revealed for you. 

That Beloved is…

Thanks be to God!