Call to Truth - Luke 4 - Epiphany 4C

The Call to Truth

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Luke 4: 21-30, 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13, Psalm 71, Jeremiah 1:4-10

Opening prayer (from Psalm 19)

It is fitting to round out that opening with this from Jeremiah, “And the Lord said to me, “now I have put my words in your mouth.””

This is similar to another call story in Isaiah 6.  This one is said to the prophet Jeremiah so that their words become truly prophetic, resonating throughout the land and generations.

So too, I pray that my words are given this same prophetic capability. 

That I pray this and that I stand before Beloved like you saying these words are not mere rhetoric but words that reveal the Truth and power of that Truth.

Jesus, in Luke, preaches in his hometown, but it doesn’t necessarily go as planned.  It would be sort of like me going and preaching in Rockwell City, and they would tell me to “doctor, cure yourself” despite the truth that I say.

This story in Luke reflects a measure of hospitality, specifically hospitality to truth - a truth that is for “all.” The miracles of Jesus do not belong to one group over another. The Word of the Creator does not exist as only those that say what we like but also those that challenge and push us into the “all” of the world.  

The question for us is whether we are willing to witness as truly “all.” 

People take offense at what Jesus says then, and even today, the words and actions of Jesus cause offense to people. 

But why?

Jesus calls upon us to do and to say; to be genuine and to walk with God in our hearts all times and to all people. That, Beloved, is not easy, even uncomfortable. 

Beloved, that uncomfortable is revolutionary because we know our world wants us to pick “us vs them” and wants us to declare winners over losers. Our world wants us identify us as the better over many. 

Good thing for us, that is not what Jesus proclaims. 

For being uncomfortably revolutionary, Jesus is threatened with violence, pain and more by his hometown, later by elite political and religious folks as well. 

You see, Beloved, the Word of God is not always just peaceful scenes of grace and love, but also scenes that challenge and push us, regardless if we acknowledge or want it. 

The call of Jeremiah reflects this as well, “I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” There is give-and-take.

These prophetic words of Jeremiah, Elisha, Elijah and Jesus (and dare I say me) are words of God that lay well with those who agree but may weigh heavy upon those who disagree - even to the point of being offended.

I, as a queer minister, preaching these truths may offend those and may cause stir among those who disagree with me. 

Yet the truths are that: truth. 

Should the word be preached differently so as to put sugar on the medicine that is the Word when it might be received with less welcoming tones?  Should I deny who I am, or should Jesus deny who he is, just because the audience might receive it differently or not at all? 

Should we, in the audience, turn and tell ourselves, “they don’t really mean what they say…” somehow diminishing actual truth because we think we know something discrediting them that has nothing to do with the truth that is revealed. That is “ad personam” fallacy thinking.

Should we discredit a bishop that speaks truths to powerful people or somehow declare “that isn’t the time or place” for such prophecy? 

I argue this is exactly the time and place that such should be done. 

For us preachers, such opportunities are rare to get that kind of audience and prophets need to preach to power. They do so throughout the scriptures. For example, Nathan does to David. Jeremiah does to the people where they want to hurt and jail Jeremiah for telling it like it is; speaking truth to power and to the masses

Why ? Because the need is there, and the truth is unvarnished, does not need to be sweetened. Sometimes, it may sting, but it is truth no less. 

Yes the Word of God goes both ways.  For some is “to build and to plant” and for others, “to pull down…”, especially for us who need to be corrected - even when we don’t want it or want to acknowledge that need.

What is good news for some is not always received as “good” news by others. Yet, truth is not something we can long ignore. It takes courage from prophets to reveal truths that we have ignored. (Unfortunately, prophets have to live with ignored truth while waiting for folks to realize.)

I pray that the words of my mouth and meditations reflect these truths that God puts forth from me. I have gained and prospered and I have had challenges, even poor choices of my own, but when I acknowledge the prophetic truth that is God and that God is among us, there is possibility and there is growth.

You may disagree with me on points, but my Words reflect these truths that have been passed to me through the Spirit into this world that needs it the most; to you, who need it the most - even if you desire it the least.

Be grateful that God gives us refuge and possibilities in the truth. 

Trust in the fortress that is God, in the word that is given to you to do good and to be the love that God wants you to be.  

As Paul writes, be the love that does not “not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in truth.” For love bears, believes, hopes, and endures… “love never ends.”

For that Beloved, we say…

Thanks Be to God

Voice Lessons - Psalm 29 - Epiphany 1C

Voice Lessons

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Psalm 29, Luke 3:15-22

Opening prayer

As I read Psalm 29 and the verse in Luke 3 “and a voice came from heaven”, I wondered what that may have sounded like and what did it feel like.

I am reminded of the lessons I have learned over the years about using voice. 

As a martial arts teacher, one has to use voice in ways. I couldn’t simply ask people to do something, although there were a few times where that was appropriate. 

For the most part, I had to project strength and fortitude to inspire and to motivate folks who maybe got there tired after a long day. I had to push confidence, even sometimes when my day didn’t feel confident. I had to project and to command. 

From the outset, attention and bow (In Korean)! - 

Yours and my attention are focused to the lessons and commands pronounced. Together, the class would grow in the lessons with the proper use of voice.

As a preacher much the same can be said that voice is important. For I can say things with different tonality. Then, they have much different meaning and could perhaps negate the potential of the words’ power.

I remember one of the first times I was in front of a new congregation, I may have felt a little overwhelmed, but I had a job to do. I invited the Spirit to be with me. When I did, suddenly, the confidence grew. 

I brought the Spirit in with me each time. Over time, I got more and more comfortable, and I could feel that I was in a sacred space.  

As I moved through, I found the voice, I remembered and leaned on my martial arts training and applied them to preaching. Although I wasn’t commanding like taekwondo lessons, I did however have to lift up as I needed so that people in the back of the church could hear. I had to bring all of me, all of the Spirit, into the words, and the lessons became true lessons for all of us. 

Congregants have said to me repeatedly that they felt the spirit “oozing”. I am glad because I want them to feel that oozing as much as I am feeling it. 

As a person, our voice (whether vocal or in our hearts) carries with it who we are and what we believe. It is how an illustration of how we conduct ourselves and our attitudes. 

Steve Jobs said, “don’t let the opinions of others drown out your own inner voice.” 

I have that as part of my email signature to remind me and those I communicate that our voice is important and valuable. To remind me to speak truth, to be authentic, and not to be rude.

So how did God sound like during the baptism? What did the Psalmist hear and witness when writing 29?

What do you hear during a baptism? Aside from the water pouring, we hear silence and maybe a few papers crackling here and there. I suppose if we did a submersion baptism, we might hear the splashing of water as well. 

We might also witness the joyful tears of the baptized and hear the Spirit working in their hearts as well as our own.

Beloved, this isn’t some bigger than life production and concert hall there at the riverside. This is the Spirit working in us.

Although we often find characterizations of the Creator vocals as some big “powerful…full of majesty” and booming presence with “flames of fire”, like a thunderstorm. 

The Psalmist writes, “the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness”, and perhaps, we do hear God in the thunder, and there is much awe in that presentation.

Yet I submit that we also hear God in the quiet. 

Yes in the silence, if you listen closely, one can hear the Spirit working.

That is one of the values of silence that we often overlook. It is in the silence that we hear guidance and our mind working to connect to what is truth. 

We are free of distraction and give space. We meditate and pray with that Spirit working in the silence, when we allow and make space for it.

So that when we do speak, our words carry truth as well. Then, our voice carries with it confidence, assurance, and the love of God as well as love of neighbor because the Spirit is with us and we know it.

The voice of God projects as needed so that we might learn, live and be one with creation and all the gifts we have been given.  This voice is one of the gifts we have. The voice of God reminds us of our gifts, and that voice is right there inside us. We just need to pause , to listen and to let God speak to us.

Beloved, the question begs whether God speaks to us in powerful, thunderous tones or comes to us with a friendly quiet hello, are you willing to listen?

Beloved, God is speaking to you today, has yesterday, will tomorrow and in the moments when you think you are alone. God speaks whether there is silence or many different noises distracting us.  The voice of Spirit gives confidence, assurance and appropriate words just like in a dojang, the pulpit or in any minute of our lives.

That you are reading this or hearing me preach this, listen for the Spirit around you and around your neighbors next to you. Invite the Spirit!

Our Creator is there, are you listening?

Thanks Be to God.

Mystic Flowers - John 1 - Christmas 2C

Mystic Flowers

Tony E Hansen

Reflection based upon John 1: 1- 18, Psalm 147

Opening prayer 

Merry Christmas! Today is the 12th day of Christmas as we read John’s version of the Christmas story, and tomorrow begins the season of Epiphany.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.”

Often in the darkness, we may question ourselves and where we are on life’s journey. In that questioning, we learn about ourselves and how to navigate life, when we are honest with ourselves. It is here that we learn the value of boundaries and goal setting.

God has planted you here, this day and hour for a purpose. Yes You are a flower. (So what color are you?)

You and I are flowers of diverse colors and like all plants, we endure harsh conditions from to time to time, but we strive to grow and to blossom.

So yes from time to time, we ought to take time for ourselves, to reflect and to listen for the Spirit speaking and teaching.

"In the beginning was the Word..."

This Gospel passage takes us to a mystical beginning and along a mystical journey with a swirl of poetic grace, peace and divine optimism.

You can feel the mystic notion of God being present everywhere and in everything. This is a profound statement of God being encompassing while also being intimate with each of us as being within us.

Thus, You and I, flowers - children of God, are included in that mystical. This is a divine invitation to witness the mystical Spirit presence within and among us. That God loves us so much God lives with us.

That with the breath and love of God, we are brought into being into this world as a part of the world. Therefore, we are reminded that all creatures and things reveal the work of God: from the trees, the creatures, the rocks, the waters, the vast cosmos and all humanity. All creation is a gift to all of us to share with each other as children of the Creator.

“In him was life and the life was the light of the people.”

Through that light, we can marvel and awe at wonderful, even when politics and broken worlds make us weary and skeptical. We can look into the future with hope because God has given us life and a light through Christ - a place to start, again and again.

Yes, we remember that we are formed in darkness to meet life, and every night, we rebuild and recharge to meet the blessings of a new day. Just like Jacob wrestling at night to find in the morning a blessing was bestowed.

That is why we set boundaries for ourselves to keep out the negative and pray to have courage to maintain them. Sometimes, we have challenges and trials like Jacob, and sometimes, we as people will fail.

Each day, each hour, we are given another chance to breathe and to live. We might worry because we may fail, but we live and grow in this moment with blessings of grace that sustain.

This is a new morning, and place for us to witness all that has been given to us and all that we can share together.

“The Word became flesh and lives among us, and we have seen the divine glory full of grace and truth.” 

This grace will not be contained but spreads throughout generations and all ends of the Earth. This grace, this mystical life, is meant for you and I.

Open your ears, hear the wisdom of God speaking to you.

Open your hearts to let the Spirit be with you.

Open your eyes to let angels guide you.

The Psalmist writes, “God grants peace… fills you with finest wheat, …God sends out [their] command to the earth.”

From the waters to the rocks to the creatures to our neighbors, we are given opportunities in that command to grow with peace that endures.

We have forgiveness to let go, and we have birth into new life with Christ with the wisdom to serve. Then when we serve God and our neighbors, we transcend divisions, and find all that we need is available to us. Doors open and impossible becomes possible.

That is the Christmas promise: that we can be one with the Spirit and we can grow in the Spirit. 

Let go of what you don’t need and be one with the Spirit in this season. Let go of all that is holding you back and keeping you from being the mystical flower that God has meant you to be.

Let the Spirit reveal to you. 

Let that light shine in your darkness to bring you hope and life so that you and I, as mystical flowers, can blossom in the new day.

Thanks Be to God