"Are We Human or Are We Dancers?"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp on The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The sermon is based on II Samuel 6:1-5, 12-19.

As is often the case, on Monday morning when I came into the office one of the first things I did was sit down and take a look at the Lectionary Readings for Sunday. To my delight, the First Testament Reading was one of my favorite stories and I knew right away that this would be the inspiration for my sermon this morning. Another reason I decided on this reading from II Samuel was because last week Miriam started dance classes. This was one of her birthday gifts from Amber and me. Miriam enjoys putting on her leotard, along with her ballet shoes and dancing around the house. She is always ready and willing to give us a performance. She isn’t shy when it comes to dancing.
American journalist and author, Hunter S. Thompson once said: “America is raising a generation of dancers.” Now obviously, he wasn’t speaking literally but metaphorically and meant that America was making people feel afraid of stepping out of place and following their own beat. He was saying that people were only following the steps they were taught, and were also taught not to change them - to do so would be immoral and dangerous! Sparked by Thompson’s statement is one of my favorite songs by The Killers entitled “Human.” In the song the question is posed: “Are we human or are we dancers?” Do we fit the mold or do we live in a radically different way? Do we remain in the comfort and security of the boat or, better yet, the church or do we step out on faith?
While it is not necessarily antithetical to our human nature to dance, the fact is, most of do not feel comfortable dancing. Maybe this lack of comfort comes in our inability to dance or the fear of being made fun of or maybe it is because we do not have a sense of rhythm or could it be that we have two left feet? One of my favorite quotes is: “Dance as if no one is watching.” Personally, I’ve always enjoyed dancing and if the opportunity is afforded to me I will usually “cut a rug.” Although, it seems that the only dancing I do anymore is with my Miriam and Elijah in our living room. But dancing is fun! Dancing is healthy! And, what’s more, as we see in our Scripture Lesson this morning, dancing is expressive.
Certainly, we can’t help but ask when reading this passage from II Samuel, have we tamed the gospel? Are we as passionate about our worship as David was? Are we as excited, as David was, about what God is doing in our lives, in the church and in our world? Are our lives filled with joy, as David’s was, about being in the presence of God? Do we really know what it feels like to rejoice “with all of our might” as David did? Or are we closer to being, as Henry Brinton says, the “frozen chosen” who sit in our pews immobile and without any expression?
Typically, we think of David in the Hebrew Scriptures as a hero and a mighty king, we think of him as a tremendous source of hope for the people of Israel. And, on the flipside, when we think of his humanness we tend to concentrate on his weakness, especially his inability to resist Bathsheba and the tragic events that occurred as a result. But in our Scripture Lesson this morning, we see a different side of David. One that is often overlooked! One that often goes unnoticed! Here we see a very human David, a very joy-filled, dancing David. This image of David reminds me of what Irenaeus' once wrote: “The glory of God is the human person fully alive.” And, without a doubt, David was fully alive in our Scripture Lesson this morning.
David, who tradition says was the composure of many of the psalms that are found in the Psalter or the Book of Psalms, is pictured in the opening chapter of II Samuel full of grief over the deaths of Jonathan and Saul. But here, almost midway through II Samuel, we have the other side of his passion - his profound gratitude and praise for God’s work in the life of Israel, bringing the people together, uniting the kingdom, strengthening them in a common cause against the Philistines, establishing the people and their land and fulfilling the promises of God right before their eyes, in their own lifetime.
Keep in mind, the Philistines had returned the Ark of the Covenant after they had captured it because the awesome power of the Ark frightened them. And when it was returned, it was kept for a while in the house of Abinadab. But once David established Jerusalem as the capital city and as his seat of power, he wanted to restore the Ark to the center of the people's shared life. You see, the Ark was for the people of Israel “a visible symbol and reminder of God's awesome presence.”
Henry Brinton has compared our "frozen chosen" worship to a modern dance solo by Paul Taylor, the dancer and choreographer who "simply stood motionless on stage for four minutes. The dancing we do in church tends to be quite similar to Paul Taylor's solo, Brinton says. What we do is nothing – we just stand still, hardly moving a muscle. There are many Christians who want nothing more than to play the role of a spectator when it comes to worship. Why else do you think in many Protestant churches the offering plate is passed and the communion is brought to the people in their pews one more attempt to sit motionless. But we often forget that our worship of God involves our whole selves - our minds, our hearts, our voices, and our bodies.
Sadly, many Christians, when it comes to worship, look a bit like fossils instead of being fully alive. They appear to be like the dead bones of Ezekiel’s vision instead of being filled with the life and breath of God’s Spirit.
Perhaps some of you recall that scene in the movie Jurassic Park, when world-class paleontologist Allen Grant, who had devoted his life to the study of dinosaurs, suddenly comes face-to-face with a real, life prehistoric creature. He falls to the ground, dumbstruck and in awe. The reason is obvious. It is one thing to piece together an informed but nonetheless imperfect image of a dinosaur by picking through fossils and bones. But to encounter an actual dinosaur—well, there can be no comparison. For many people, this is true of faith. They pick through the fossils and the artifacts of faith that have survive from long ago and far away without ever really experiencing the real presence of God. God is real! God is with us! Sadly, we spend so much of our time picking through the artifacts and fossils of our faith, rather than experiencing the real, divine presence of God with us and as a result we often become fossilized ourselves.
I love the different reactions from the different characters in the bible to the presence of God. But, by far, this is my most favorite reaction - dancing, a celebration! Being in the presence of God sparks different emotions and reactions. Humility, confession, joy, singing, dancing and all of these are embodied in our worship.
Some think that the only way to capture this spirit is to go to a charismatic church where they literally dance down the aisles, but this isn’t necessarily true! This story is not advocating a more inclusive worship that involves shouting and dancing. This story is reminding us that the spirit of joy, the spirit of worship comes when we open ourselves to the presence of God and that worship is manifested in a variety of ways.
There’s a popular show entitled, Dancing with the Stars. The show pairs up celebrities with professional ballroom dancers. There are all types of dances, not all of them are fast and jubilant, some of them are slow and expressive, some are intense and reflective. And so it is, Jesus, who is often referred to as the Bright and Morning Star has invited us to dance with him. To join his Spirit in dancing.
And so, like David, let’s not be afraid to take a hold of God’s hand as God leads us onto the dance floor. Christians are called to be dancers, not in the way that Hunter Thompson meant, we are not to conform to a particular group, or class, or label; we called to dance with God - the Great Liberator. We are called to become joined with God - the Creator of the Dance, to move in God’s rhythm, to step in God’s timing, to dance in a radically different way, to dance the dance of love and compassion, justice and grace. This dance isn’t confined to Sunday morning at 11:00, this is the dance of David, that moves beyond the walls of this church and follows the presence of God, which knows no boundaries or limitations. And so, God is calling us this morning put on our dancing shoes and join in the Creator’s Dance. As Janet Morley wrote, in her beautiful benediction:

“May the God who dances in creation,
who embraces us with human love,
who shakes our lives like thunder,
bless us and drive us out [onto the dance floor of life]
that we may fill the world with [God’s love and joy].”

"What Are We Lacking?"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Matthew 14:13-21.

I read a rather amusing story the other day of three guys named Joe, Steve and Ray who decided to go camping. Joe packed all the food for the camping trip. And the three were dropped off around lunchtime by their wives at the campsite. Naturally, when they arrived they were exhausted. They had traveled many hours and they were in the middle of nowhere - nothing around for miles. And so, Joe started to unpack the food and as everyone sat around ready to eat, it dawned on Steve that Joe forgot the mustard. Steve could not have a picnic without mustard - he used mustard on everything. And so, Steve and Ray both begged Joe to walk to the closest convenient store to purchase some mustard. Joe flat out refused to do so, for two reasons: first of all, the closest store was miles away and secondly, because he knew that they would eat everything by the time he got back. After about two hours, Steve and Ray were able to convince Joe to go and pick up some mustard. But they had to swear to Joe that they would not touch the food until he returned. And so, Joe sets off. Well, several hours pass and there was no sign of Joe. Steve and Ray were starting to get hungry, not to mention puzzled as to where Joe might be - they were beginning to think he got lost! A few more hours pass and still no sign of Joe. Before they knew it, it was getting dark and not only were they worried about their friend - they were starving. By next morning, they were so famished that Steve starts getting restless and tells Ray, with a hint of dementia in his voice; “I NEED FOOD!” “No!” says Ray, “we made a promise! We can’t break it!” A few more hours pass, and they both know that they need to eat and they begin to think that maybe Joe found a diner somewhere and decided to stop and eat. And so the two decided to eat a sandwich and as they lift the sandwiches to their mouths, Joe pops out from behind a rock and says; “Just for that, I’m not going!” In our Gospel Lesson this morning, we hear the infamous story of the “Feeding of Five Thousand.” Jesus and the disciples found themselves in a much more difficult situation then having no mustard. In fact, we read in verse 15 of our Gospel Lesson; “When it was evening, the disciples came to [Jesus] and said; ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’”
Someone once said that the biggest problem facing the church today is a lack of faith, and certainly there is a lot of truth to that. You see, I don’t believe our problem is a lack of resources - although we, like the disciples in our Gospel Lesson, think it is but it’s not. What we lack is faith!
Author and Preacher, King Duncan once said; “Considering that there are over two billion Christians in the world we should have no problem feeding the world’s hungry; healing conflicts between the nations of the world; giving comfort to the lonely, freedom to the captive, and hope to the desperate - for we have the resources, but what we lack is the faith to do so!”
But in Gospel Lesson this morning, Jesus had withdrew to be alone. He had just heard the news of his cousin, John’s death. But in his attempt to be alone, we are told that the crowds followed him - a crowd of five thousand men, not counting the women and children. I mean, can you imagine. But what a great opportunity for Jesus to minister. I would love to come to church on Sunday morning to see such a crowd. But the only problem was, they hadn’t planned on having a church potluck after the sermon. And while the disciples unravel and fall apart, Jesus remains calm. The disciples were ready to send them away, but Jesus wasn’t.
Interestingly enough, all four gospels record this story, each adding a few details neglected by the others. In John’s Gospel we read of Philip’s lack of faith. He said; “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to eat, much less have even a bite!” And then, John also gives a little more information then Matthew. John tells us that Andrew, Peter’s brother, spoke up and said; “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” As far as the disciples were concerned, the problem was resources. They didn’t have enough. But Jesus knew better. What they had was not a resource problem, but a faith problem. It reminds me of that powerful hymn which affirms; “Little is much when God is in it!”
And so, with this small possibility - with this little amount of food, Jesus blesses and distributes. Interestingly enough, the Greek word for “blesses” or “gave thanks” as recorded in the gospels can literally be translated in the Greek eucharisteo, a verb often associated with the Lord’s Supper. In fact, tradition had it that some in the early church ate the Lord’s Supper with bread and fish, as a way to remember this event and as a reminder that the Lord does provide - Jehovah-Jirah.
You may recall in the book of Numbers, of the time when the people of God craved quail. And so God gave them quail, about three feet worth of it. But we are told that while the meat was still between their teeth and before it had been totally consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. The place was named in Hebrew, Kibroth Hattaavah, which literally means “the graves of gluttony” (Numbers 11:31-34). While giving them what they desired, he also used that very thing to get the Israelites attention. And certainly this is true in our Gospel Lesson.
One of the symbols for Christianity in the early centuries was a fish. In fact, we still see this familiar symbol displayed today, on vehicles, t-shirts, and businesses. But the Greek word for fish is ixthus and the five letters that spell this Greek word form an acrostic. The first letter represents the word Jesus. The second letter represents the word Christ, the next two represent God’s Son, and the final letter represents the word Savior. Thus the acrostic for ixthus is, “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the Savior.” But in our Gospel Lesson this morning we see that Jesus uses some fish, some ixthus to prove that he is the true Ixthus, the true Fish – “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the Savior.”
We read that when they all eaten that they gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. I read a joke of a lady who fell out of a second story window and landed in the garbage truck that was slowly moving past the house. Half buried in the middle, she tried without success to get the drivers attention. A foreign diplomat standing on the sidewalk saw her and commented indignantly “Another example of how wasteful Americans are. That woman looks like she’s good for at least another 10 years.”
Twelve baskets of leftovers! And I think the gospel writers makes a point to tell us this as a way of showing us that there was plenty of food. Some suggest that the twelve baskets symbolize the responsibility of the twelve disciples, as well as the church’s to feed the hungry. It is a reminder to us, that we who have been fed by God with the Living Bread and the Ixthus, have a responsibility to go forth and feed the hungry of the world.
Author and preacher, Peter Gomes says, in his book Sermons: Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living, “The question of whether or not this story is true, while natural, is the wrong question.” He goes on to say, “For miracles are not arguments or propositions to which there are yes or no answers. The question to be put about a miracle, such as this one, is not ‘Is it true?’ or even ‘How can this be?’ but rather, ‘What does this say?’ At its essence a miracle is a message - an illustration or a demonstration of a message that God chooses to communicate to us.”
Many modern-day scholars claim that the real miracle is not found in Jesus, but rather in this young boy, whose willingness to share his lunch invoked the willingness of others to share their lunch. So much so, that everyone was able to eat. Now, while such a view may not be widely accepted by most Christians it does offer an interesting perspective, and forces us to ask ourselves “What do I have to offer for the greater good of the church?” What can be accomplished if we were all willing to share, all willing to work together?”
I am a huge fan of The Food Network. One of the shows that I enjoying watching is “Unwrapped.” The show tells the origins to foods. I recall one episode, which told the story of a restaurateur named Caesar. It had been a busy week at his restaurant, and the food service truck would not arrive for another couple of days. The dinning room was full of hungry people. The cooks were upset because they had nothing to prepare. How could they feed the customers? What would they do? Mr. Caesar entered the kitchen, toasted some bread, collected lettuce and a block of Parmesan cheese, anchovies, some eggs, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and a large wooden bowl. He carried them into the dinning room and there, in front of his customers; he created the very salad we know today as the Caesar salad.
God has gifted each one of us with unique talents and abilities that enable us to make a significant contribution to the world. What are your gifts? Unless you attempt to use them, you will never discover how God prepared you to contribute. We need to be like the little boy in Scripture who offered Jesus his lunch - Jesus in turn used it to feed a multitude. May we have the faith to allow God to use us to feed the hungry! God is able, but we must be willing!

"Which Type of Soil Are You?"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on John 6:53-71 and Matthew 13:1-9 and 18-23.

A Pastor friend of mine sent me an article he had written for his church newsletter some time back. He began his article by asking the question; “What does it means to be a member of the Church?” Certainly that is a question we must all consider as followers of Christ, as members of his Body – the Church. He then went on to say; “We concern ourselves a lot these days with church membership, and how we might become more attractive.” But is that really what being the Church is all about? After reading that article, I found myself being led to our Gospel Lessons this morning, where Jesus distinguishes his true followers, with those who are sensation chasers, if you will. Churches these days are full of sensation chasers, and not Jesus chasers. They are full of people with shallow roots, instead of roots that deeply imbedded into the soil of God’s kingdom.
The Sundays following Pentecost, are also known as Kingdomtide, is an opportunity for us to focus on the growth of the Church and God’s Kingdom. It is an invitation for us to focus on our own spiritual growth, as well. In fact, the liturgical color, “green” is a symbolic reminder of this growth that we focus on during these Sundays following Pentecost. But during this time, as we focus on growth, we can’t help but consider the growth of our own church, our own congregation. We can’t help but ponder, are we growing physically, in numbers, or are we declining? Are we growing spiritually as a church, or are we becoming spiritually stagnate? Certainly, growing spiritually is more important than growing physically, but without that physical growth, can the church truly exist and be effective. Miriam loves that popular children’s church rhyme which goes, “Here’s the church. Here’s the steeple! Open the doors and see all the people!” But what happens when you open the doors and there are no people, can the church survive then, is there really a church at all, at that point? Certainly, these are all questions we find ourselves asking and pondering during this season in which we focus on growth, and indeed, they are important questions, questions we need to be asking and considering as the church today.
Franklin Littell tells of a German pastor visiting the United States shortly after World War II. As he took his guest around to various churches for worship, the pastor was surprise that the pews of the churches had cushions in them. He commented that that would never have occurred in the churches in his country. And then he added, “I have also noticed that your sermons have cushions in them too.” The parable that Jesus tells in the Gospel of Matthew is not about opinions, it’s about responses. What will you do with what you see, hear, and think?
In the reading from John’s gospel, Jesus had just fed the 5000, and suddenly they had become his followers. Food has always been an attraction – I mean, even we know that here at Edgemont. But what about spiritual food? Jesus wanted those who were seeking his kingdom and his righteousness!
In looking at our Gospel Lessons this morning we see three responses from the people – three types of soil, if you will. First, in John’s gospel, we see the response of the religious leaders, they could very easily be compared to the seed that feel upon the path, and the birds came and ate them up. They rejected Jesus and his words. In their eyes Jesus was a radical. In fact, we read; “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, ‘I am the bread… of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.” Here Jesus was referring to the experience of the Israelites when God fed and sustained them with manna in the wilderness. God had fed their ancestors in the wilderness with bread from heaven – manna! But Jesus then applied the bread to himself and said, “if you eat of my flesh you shall have life.” This was ludicrous, eating flesh and drinking blood was unheard of in the Law, it was considered unclean, not to mention a direct violation of the Law itself. In fact, if you came into contact with blood, much less drink it, you were considered unclean and impure. But, of course, Jesus wasn’t speaking literally, but spiritually!
That’s the blessed reminder of Communion. In Holy Communion we receive Jesus – we spiritually ingest Jesus. Halford Luccock, one of the most imaginative preachers of the 20th century, remembered a marvelous phrase from the book Eminent Victorians, which reads; “The Sunday before General Gordon started for the Sudan, he drove around London to a number of churches to receive Holy Communion as many times as possible, ‘In order,’ he said, ‘to start thus brim full of God.” Let us allow our hearts to be so open and so receptive to Christ – the Living Word and his kingdom that we become “brim full of God.” It is then that our hearts and lives will become a reflection and incarnation of God and God’s kingdom.
Secondly, we see the response of the crowd, in John’s gospel. Now keep in mind, Jesus was popular with the crowds, especially at the beginning of his ministry. In fact, just about everywhere Jesus went, you could bet on a crowd. People were attracted to him. They were fascinated with his teachings and amazed by his works. But over time, those crowds began to dwindle down – they began to fade out. In fact, in verse 66 of our reading from John’s gospel we read; “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” But doesn’t this also occur in the Church today? Many are attracted to the Church for various reason, but once they find that the Church or God doesn’t conform or meet their standards, their out the door. Jesus also reminds us of this type of response in his parable of the Sower, when he said; “Other seed fell on the rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away… choked out by the thorns and weeds,” and they dropped out. This describes many followers of Christ today. This describes many Christians and church goers, their response is only shallow, it hasn’t taken root deep in the soil of their hearts, and so many other things, other priorities take precedence, choking out the kingdom and over time their devotion fades or dwindles away.
And finally, in John’s gospel, we see the response of the apostles, which was one of dedication. Jesus posed an important question to the disciples to test their dedication. In verse 67 of our reading from John’s gospel we read; “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, ‘Will ye also go away?’” They were given a choice, just as we are! But what is our response? Peter’s response in verse 68, he said; “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” Peter affirmed that there was no one else to whom the disciples could turn to for life. Only Jesus could satisfy their deepest longings and spiritual desires. Jesus reminds us of this kind of response in the parable of the Sower, when he says; “Other seed fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty…” Does this describe you and your response to Christ?
The kingdom of God has come among us. God has blessed us richly, and God’s people have been entrusted with that which is most precious in the world. But ironically, these priceless commodities only gain value – the seed of God’s word only bears fruit – when God’s people are willing to scatter it.

"May we affirm with that popular chorus;
Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come in today, come in to stay, come into my heart, Lord Jesus.”

Let us allow our hearts to be so open and so receptive to Christ – the Living Word and his kingdom that we become “brim full of God.” It is then that our hearts and lives will become a reflection and incarnation of God and God’s kingdom.

"A Perfect Fit!"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Matthew 11:16-19 and 25-30.

I find it rather ironic that our Lectionary’s Gospel Lesson for today comes to us on the Sunday after the 4th of July. Here, Jesus’ invitation certainly resonates with the invitation inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, that wonderful symbol of freedom that was visible to those who were making their way to Ellis Island. The inscription on the Statue of Liberty beings with the words; “Give me your tired, your poor...” Jesus invites us to come and find strength in him for the journey that is before us. Without a doubt, these words bring us comfort and strength, peace and assurance. In fact, we often hear these words recited at funerals and on other such occasions.
Anyone who has walked on the journey of faith knows that such a journey brings burdens and troubles. This beloved passage may seem, at first to offer a promise of release from such burdens but much like the Statue of Liberty’s call to freedom, Jesus’ invitation is not a promise of easy roads and a carefree life. Traveling the road of Christian faith, like traveling the road of political freedom, is a journey of challenge and obstacle. But these roads are also journeys of opportunity and hope.
There is a wonderful legend concerning the quiet years of Jesus’ life - those years prior to his ministry as recorded in the gospels. The legend claims that Jesus, the carpenter was one of the master yoke-makers in the Nazareth area. People would come from miles around for a yoke, hand carved and crafted by Jesus, the son of Joseph. When customers arrived with their team of oxen, Jesus would spend many hours measuring the team - their height, the width, the space between them, and the size of their shoulders. Within a week, the team would be brought back and Jesus would carefully place the newly made yoke over the shoulders, watching for rough places, smoothing out the edges and fitting them perfectly to this particular team of oxen. And, you know, friends, that’s the yoke Jesus invites us to take. We are not to be misled by the word “easy,” life is anything but easy. The root word in the Greek speaks directly to a tailor-made yoke - one that is “a perfect fit” or “well-fitting.”
The yoke that Jesus invites us to take, the yoke that brings rest to our weary souls, is one that is made to fit our lives and hearts exactly. The yoke that Jesus invites us to wear fits us well, it does not rub us nor cause us to develop sore spirits, and it is designed for two. His yokes were always designed for two. And our yoke-partner is Christ, the one who assures us; “I will never leave you nor forsake you...,” “I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.” .
In our Gospel Lesson this morning, Jesus expresses his frustration that so many signs have been revealed that God’s kingdom has come and yet they are still blind. This outburst from Jesus is prompted by a question posed to him from John the Baptist, who is in prison but wants to know more about what Jesus is up to. In fact, Jesus said in verse 11; “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” But we see that the crowds did not understand. They did not understand John. They did not understand Jesus. And as a result they do not enter the kingdom, the new age that is “at hand,” which offers the opportunity to live differently, to know forgiveness, and to practice justice. John was ridiculed in his time, as one possessed by demons. Jesus, who loved a good meal, was viewed in his time as a glutton and a drunk. They were blind!
But Jesus was inviting them and is inviting us to get on board, to open our eyes and our hearts. The “New Age” is now! The “kingdom” has come! Turn, grasp, embrace, serve — live differently — and Jesus will meet you anywhere that justice is being done, bonds are being loosed, strangers are being embraced and the hungry are being fed.
The parents of one of my best friends are frequent travelers to India and they told me that along the winding roads of India, especially in the hill countries, there are little resting places for travelers. These resting places are called samatanga. Here the traveler can rest his feet, lay down his burden, and pause awhile to talk with other travelers. After a period of rest and mutual encouragement the traveler resumes his journey refreshed and strengthened.
It is not surprising that Christians in India have become accustomed to saying; “Christ is my Samatanga.” For that is exactly what Christ is to the heart of the believer - a place of rest, a place where burdens are laid down, a place where we find strength and encouragement to continue the journey.
These words of Christ mirror those found in the final blessing of the apocryphal book Sirach. This apocryphal book was originally written in Hebrew around 200 B.C. and translated into Greek in 132 B.C. While this book is not included in the Hebrew canon, it is known through the Greek translation. However, Hebrew fragments were found among the Qumran scrolls. It is entirely possible that Jesus knew the work of Sirach, because his own teachings had many of the same characteristics.
Sirach wrote: “And now bless the Lord of all things, the doer of great deeds everywhere, who has exalted our days from the womb and acted toward us in mercy. May he grant us cheerful hearts and bring us peace in our time, in Israel for ages on ages. May his mercy be faithfully with us and may he redeem us in our time.”
The 21st century Jewish journalist, Thomas Friedman once said; “A holy book, whether it is the Bible, the Torah or the Qur’an, is only holy to the extent that it shapes human life and behavior.” And certainly there is some truth in that statement.”
Perhaps there was a deeper meaning to the words of Christ here in our Gospel Lesson. Perhaps he was calling us to become a part of his kingdom. You see, in the New Testament times the phrase “take my yoke” was used by Jewish rabbis to mean, “become my pupil.” Jesus gave a gentle invitation to his pupils, his students, his disciples; “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” You see, Jesus is calling us a life that reflects the kingdom he came to introduce.
How do the words of scripture impact and shape your life? Do they impact your life to such an extent that they are holy? Won’t you link your life to the life of Christ and learn from him – be his pupil, be his student, be his disciple, and find yourself renewed and strengthened by the Lord of the Sabbath! Won’t you experience God’s kingdom – a kingdom where justice is being done, bonds are being loosed, strangers are being embraced and the hungry are being fed. Won’t you yoke yourself with Christ, because you will find that it is indeed a perfect fit!

"Hospes"

A wermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Romans 6:12-23 and Matthew 10:40-42.

One of my favorite words in the Latin language is the word hospes, this word is typically translated “host,” but, interestingly enough, it is also the word used to describe a “guest” or even a “stranger.” It almost seems as though hospes is an oxymoron, but the fact is no one gets to play the role of a guest, until someone else indicates a willingness to play the role of a host.
It seems that the church today tends to play the role of the host. There is no denying the fact that churches are comprised of mainly ageing members, and are struggling financially and having difficulty increasing the participation of its members. Perhaps, that is why churches today tend to focus a great deal on hospitality and expand a lot of energy learning and putting into practice the habits of being a good host.
There was a rather interesting story that appeared on the front page of the United Church Observer a number of years ago. It described a couple who were on vacation in Canada, and decided to worship with a local congregation in Ontario. To their surprise they were not greeted at the door on both their way in and out. Nothing that transpired between the time they walked through the doors of the church on their way in and the time they walked through those same doors on their way out amounted to an acknowledgment of their existence. There was no word or gesture of welcome of any kind. Which is why they experienced absolute joy when they arrived, after church, at the local Tim Horton’s restaurant, where immediately upon their entrance, the waitress flashed them a warm and welcoming smile.
I read that in the hours preceding his execution on June the 11th, 2001, Timothy McVeigh left a final statement – it was the poem, “Invictus” by the British poet William Ernest Henley. Henley wrote the poem in 1875 as an expression of the kind of heroic individualism that resonates to this day. The poem concludes with these words: “I am the mater of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”
“Invictus” expresses our common human aspiration to live a life of proud independence. We mortals want to be our own master. We prefer not be under any lordship outside of our own ambitions. This statement is not in harmony with the witness with the gospels, especially our Scripture Readings this morning. It seems that Paul is more in harmony with the witness of Bob Dylan in which the singer declares; “You’re gonna have to serve somebody.” The the plain fact is, that all of us inevitably serve some kind of lord. We all choose a master. It is only a matter of which master it is.
Paul recognizes two general kinds of master. We will become either slaves of “sin” or slaves of “obedience,” which is to say God. Although most of us serve both of these masters at times, we usually arrive at a basic orientation toward one or the other.
P.T. Forsyth said; “The purpose of life is not to find your freedom but to find your master.” And certainly there is a lot of truth in that statement. Those who choose Jesus find a path that opens into life.
In the parable “The Rigorous Coachman,” the author tells about a rich man who purchased a team of excellent, faultless horses for his own use. However, he was not a coachman. After several weeks, the once proud horses were nearly unrecognizable. They were sluggish; their stamina was gone; and their pace was inconsistent. They displayed bad habits and odd quirks. So the rich man summoned the king’s coachman, who knew the horses. The royal coachman drove the horses for a month, and, as they became familiar with his voice, the transformation in the animals was amazing. They held their heads high; their eyes were sharp and bright; and their pace was magnificent. The capacities were in them all along. It all depended on whose voice they recognized and followed.
As I said few moments, I find it rather unusual that the same word can mean both guest and host in Latin. For that matter, I am also somewhat awestruck by our remarkably short and crisp discourse in our Gospel Reading for this morning. It comes at the tail end of the tenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel: a chapter in which Jesus provides the “apostles mandate,” if you will. And the intriguing thing about these words is that Jesus’ assumption is that his disciples are likelier to be guests than hosts. In a very real sense, he is sending them out into the world not so that their hospitality can be tested, but rather so that the world’s hospitality can be tested. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me,” Jesus says, “and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Jesus appears to assume that his followers will be on the receiving end, rather than the offering end, of hospitality.
Certainly, one who studies the History of Christianity could argue that it could have been no other way for those first-century Christians. I mean, after all, they were a part of a tiny, struggling movement. We, on the other hand, are part of an established church. Therefore, it is only right and proper, or so seems, that we be sensitive to our obligations as hosts. And perhaps, that’s is why the Latin language found it natural to use the same word to describe both a guest and a host. For the simple reason that the offering of true hospitality (in other words being a host) requires from us the same willingness to be vulnerable that is so much a part of the receiving of true hospitality (in other words being a guest).
But, then again, isn’t that the real essence of the Gospel. One commentator puts it this way: “Our belief that God-in-Christ, who can be presumed to have been very much at home in God's own space, nevertheless chose to vacate that space and temporarily become a guest in our space, that we might one day become year-round guests in God's space.” And how beautifully put!
Someone once said; “Our primary missions during our time on this earth is for us to learn how to receive and how to be received; how to welcome and how to be welcomed; how to be a host; how to be a guest; in the process learning how to be vulnerable, how to be open. That we might become guests worthy of a welcome. That we might become hosts worthy of a visit.”
Paul reminds us that, having been freed from the slavery to sin, we are free to totally and faithfully serve God and one another – to become hosts! That meant nothing short of sanctification – being “set apart” for a wholly different kind of life the end of which is not death, but eternal life in Christ Jesus. What Christ has done for us in freeing us from the slavery to sin that we might become hosts, can best be summed up by lines from George Matheson’s hymn, “Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.” The final verse of that hymn reads: “My will is not my own, till thou has made it thine; if it would reach the monarch's throne it must the crown resign; it only stands unbent amid the clashing strife, when on thy bosom it has leant and found in thee its life.”

"Cheap Grace"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Genesis 21:8-21 and Romans 6:1-13.

Richard Lovelace was right when he wrote in his book, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, that there are three diversions from the biblical teaching on justification - there is cheap grace, then there is legalism and then there is moralism. These three philosophies dominate the church today, as well as Christian thinking. Those who follow the school of “cheap grace” are people who give little or no thought to sin. “Cheap grace,” which is the term coined by the German pastor and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, refers to the sad attitude, displayed in various degrees of openness, which says, in effect, “I’ve been forgiven and I will go on being forgiven, so then I can do whatever I want.” The “moralists” are those who feel that “sin” - if they use that term, is a human problem with human solutions, and the “legalists” are those who try to conquer sin through legislation - these folks attempt to live as if they are justified through disciplines, and rules, and regulations. You see, Paul teaches that sin is to be handled through a relationship to Christ.
It appears that Paul is addressing this idea of “cheap grace” in our Scripture Lesson this morning. It was the Irish playwright, novelist and poet, Oscar Wilde who once said, “Life is perfectly arranged: I love to sin and God loves to forgive.” Apparently there were those in the church at Rome who felt the same way. They felt that if God delighted in forgiving sinners, then why not keep on giving God the pleasure that produces such delight? After all, the more we sin, the more God has the opportunity to exercise that attribute that is the most godly, which is grace, and the more grace we receive.
But we see through Paul’s letter to the Romans that he quickly puts that reasoning to rest by affirming that it is inexcusably blasphemous to use God’s mercy as an excuse to sin. And furthermore, when one becomes a Christian, he or she no longer looks for loopholes that might provide an opportunity to sin. In dramatic terms, Paul says that we are “dead to sin.” Now, friends, that is to say, that sin no longer is a problem for the Christian.
Paul reminds us, in his letter to the Romans, that when we place our faith and trust in Christ we are set free from sin’s power and dominion. But yet, when we hear those words we raise our eyebrows because we know that sin is anything but dead in our lives. Sin is still very much alive in our lives. In fact, it is something we deal with, and battle with and wrestle with on a daily basis. So how can Paul say that we have been set free that we have died to sin? Now, we must realize that Paul wasn’t implying that Christians don’t sin, rather he was affirming a very important truth. And that is, we have died to sin’s penalty. When we have placed our faith and trust in Christ we are receiving what he has done for us. “God made him, who had no sin, to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This is, after all, the meaning of justification!
There is a touching story that is told of a Vietnamese orphanage that was hit by mortar fire and in the process a young Vietnamese girl was critically wounded, without a blood transfusion, she would die. An American doctor and nurse tried, as best they could in limited Vietnamese, to ask if any of the other children at the orphanage would be willing to give her blood. After a moment, a small hand slowly and hesitantly raised. The doctors began the transfusion, and the young Vietnamese donor, began to sob. He told the doctor that he was not in pain, yet he continued to cry. With the language limitations, the Americans could not figure out what was wrong with this boy. Finally, a Vietnamese nurse arrived and spoke to the diestressed child. She listened to his reply and then spoke to him in a soothing voice. Finally, a great look of relief spread over his face. The nurse explained to the Americans that the boy thought he was going to die - that he would have to give all of his blood so that the girl could live. “But why would he be willing to do that?” the Americans asked. The nurse repeated the question to the boy, who answered simply; “Because she is my friend and I love her.” And friends, this is what Christ has done for us!
In our First Reading from the Book of Genesis we hear of Sarah’s bitterness toward Hagar and Ishmael. And this bitterness, greatly distresses Abraham - he is caught in the middle of this feud and he doesn’t know what to do. He knows he cannot abandon Hagar and Ishmael, that they are his responsibility. You may remember, that while Abraham and Sarah were growing impatient in waiting on God. God had promised them a son and God had not delivered, and so, they decided to take matters into their own hands - perhaps God had forgotten about them. And so, Sarah told Abraham to have a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar who gave to him Ishamel. But finally, God came through on God’s promise and gave to Abraham and Sarah a son - Isaac! But what about Hagar and Ishmael. What was Abraham to do? But we see that God intervenes. God instructs Abraham to allow Sarah’s demand because God has chosen Isaac as the son of blessing. God repeats that a great nation will come from Ishmael. However, Abraham must trust Ishmael and Hagar into God’s care and safekeeping.
I find it interesting that the drama of this story and Abraham’s two sons still echoes in the violent Middle East conflict today between Arabs and Jews. Arabs trace their ancestry to Ishmael and Jews to Isaac.
However, we learn through this story that Hagar and Ishmael, we were once excluded, abandoned, doomed to death. Then God intervened through Christ. Those who trust God become adopted by grace and are made joint heirs through the Son of blessing.
This is baptism’s reminder! We rise from the waters, washed clean. A new creation - a child of God, adopted into God’s family. I love Peter Morgan, a 20th century Disciples, writes; “We rise from the water to manifest the presence of Christ. We are the laos - the people of God born from the water of baptism into a sacramental ministry, manifesting the presence of Christ to the world.”
Paul encourages us to “walk by the Spirit and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.” It sort of coincides with what meditation teaches. The act of exhaling negative energy and inhaling positive energy. But in this case, we should seek to inhale and exhale the very positive energy of the ruarch - the Spirit, breath and energy of God! Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 10; “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.”
Paul also teaches us of the importance of confession. Through confession we free ourselves and our minds from the domination of sin and we are forgiven and receive absolution. Now, we Protestants aren’t too fond of this practice. We could certainly learn a thing or two from our Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters. Somehow, we have gotten the idea that we are too good for confession - that, perhaps, we have nothing to confess. But confession draws us closer to a Holy God, and humbles us in the process. There a story that C. William Nichols tells of an old country preacher who was trying to express the difficult concept of the contest between good and evil that is constantly being waged within us. He said, “There are two dogs inside me - a good dog and a bad dog, and they are always snarling at each other and threatening each other. Each one wants to win, and each one expects to win.” A hearer asked him, “And which dogs wins, preacher?” The preacher replied, “Whichever one I say ‘sic-em’ to.”
Try as we might, we are not perfect people. I think we can all relate to Paul. Paul wrote; “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” He further emphasized this point when he added; “I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” Yes, we have died to sin, but sin still sometimes gets the better of us. John Wesley recognized this. Wesley use to ask; “Are you going on to perfection?” He never asked if his listeners if they were perfect, because he knew the answer. But Wesley wanted to know if they were making progress in that direction. Are you living a better life today than you were at this time last year, or last week or yesterday? Do you strive to be Christ-like? You see, friends, when we start seeing our lives as an opportunity to be a blessing - a blessing both to God and to others, it is then that we will start living this way. And thank God, that when we do fall short - grace is there to pick us up. This is what it means to be a Christian - to seek to draw ever closer to the God of grace and through that grace be strengthened to live in the light of Christ’s presence.

"Evangelize or Fossilize"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Matthew 9:35-38 and 10:5-15.

I must confess that I often find myself enticed by those signs with the pull-off phone numbers that you sometimes see on telephone poles around town. You know, the ones that say something like, “Earn up to $2,000 a week working from home!” Now, I don’t know what it is, but the idea of sitting at home, stuffing envelopes for large sums of money certainly has its appeal. I'm sure there is a catch, but I like to believe that someone, somewhere is sitting in a comfy chair, sipping coffee and just raking in the money. However, the opposite idea is not so enticing. You know, I wonder how many would reply to an ad in the paper which states; “Hard Work: No Pay”? And yet, that seems to be what Jesus is asking of the disciples in our Gospel Lesson this morning. He says, “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few,” and then later on he says; “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.” And certainly, we can’t help but say, this hardly seems fair. I mean how many people do you know would reply to such an ad.
Martin Luther, the great theologian, once said; “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.” Without a doubt, the words of Christ recorded in our Gospel Lesson are challenging words. But by responding to such a challenge God is able to bring transformation to our lives and through us being transformation to our world.
I heard a rather amusing story the other day of a barber who was an elder in his church. He began to feel a little guilty after his pastor preached a sermon on evangelism. Realizing that he, himself, had never shared his faith with another person, he decided to do so with the next person that walked into his barbershop. It just so happened, that a guy walked through the door wanting a shave. The barber put him in a chair and lathered his face. He thought to himself, this would be the perfect time to witness to this customer. And so, in a nervous but enthusiastic tone, he asked; “Sir, are you ready to meet the Lord?” The man opened his eyes wide and saw the barber leaning over him and holding a razor in his shaking hand. He jumped out of the chair and took off running down the street.
George E. Sweazy once said; “The law of any church is, and will always be, evangelize or fossilize.” And certainly there is a lot of truth to that statement. Sadly, many of our churches today have failed it their responsibility and calling to “evangelize,” and as a result they are becoming fossilized. Personally, I think part of the problem lies in our misunderstanding and fear of evangelism. You know, when many people think of evangelism they think of televangelists and tent revivals, or perhaps a street corner preacher handing out tracts, or some pushy, in-your-face fanatic, trying to tell you what to believe and how to believe. In some churches, evangelism is a once-a-year special event or a particular strategy for incorporating newcomers into the life of the church. But we see in our Gospel Lesson this morning that Jesus had a different understanding – he had a different idea in mind when it came to evangelism.
The Rev. Dr. Patrick Keen, the pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in New Orleans wrote in his sermon, A Great Time to Be the Church; “There have been many times in the history of the church for the church to manifest itself as the body of Christ. There have been times when the church has stood up to the challenge, and there have been times when the church has utterly failed.” He goes on to give examples. He said; “When Madalyn O'Hair challenged prayer in schools, this was an opportunity for the church to stand up and speak out against this movement which has fostered other anti-religious movements in our nation and even around the world. The church failed to be the church in response to this attack.” He goes on to say; “When the civil rights movement evolved in the 1960’s, there were many churches who did not speak out in support of those whose civil liberties were being violated in sight of the whole nation.” In fact, forty-years later, the church has even joined in this attack to some degree. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., declared that the eleven o'clock hour on Sunday mornings was the most segregated hour in this nation, and sadly this is still the case today.
In our Gospel Lesson this morning, we are told that Jesus went about teaching in the synagogues and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowd, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
We don't have to go very far or even look too hard to see people who are harassed and helpless. As a pastor I am constantly confronted with such people, people who are in great need of compassion and mercy. And certainly with so much need in our community and in world today, this is, as Dr. Keen points out, “a great time to be the church,” if only the church – if only you and me are willing to stand up and be the church! That’s evangelism, at least the definition that Christ’s gives us through word and example!
I love the story that Carl Boyle tells. Boyle, a sales representative was driving home one afternoon when he saw a group of young children selling Kool-Aid on one of the corners in his neighborhood. They had posted the typical sign over their stand, which read: “Kool-Aid, 10 cents.” Carl was intrigued and decided to pull over to support these neighborhood kids and their business. As he pulled over, a little boy approached him and asked if he would like strawberry or grape Kool-Aid. Carl placed his order and handed the boy a quarter. After much deliberation, the children determined that they owed him some change and dug through the old cigar box until they finally came up with the correct amount of change. The boy returned with the change and then stood by the side of his car as if he were waiting for something. After a few moments, he asked Carl if he was finished drinking his Kool-Aid. “Yes,” Carl said. The boy replied; “Good, because that’s the only cup we have and we need it to stay in business!” It is rather difficult to operate a Kool-Aid business when you only have one cup. But sometimes we make that mistake when it comes to the church – there’s a thirsty world out there, yet there are so few cups. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
As Matthew concludes Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, this passage transitions into Jesus’ call to the missionary work required of those who seek to follow him. Now this passage could very well be called “the apostles’ mandate,” because it concentrates on the task that is to be done by those who follow Christ. Even as Jesus gives authority to the disciples to heal, and cleanse, and cure, Jesus does so in the context of servant-hood and compassion, which is a direct contradiction to the Religious Leaders and scribes who were not shepherds. They had failed in their calling and responsibility to be shepherds to Israel. They had become legalist, who oppressed the people. They used God’s law for their own religious and political propaganda. They had become fossilized in their practices and perception of God. They had become slaves to legalism rather than embracing the new revelation of God’s self in the person and ministry of Christ. But Jesus came to bring to dawn the kingdom of God – a kingdom of love and grace, justice and compassion - a kingdom where all are welcomed and invited. Jesus came to take that which had become fossilized and make fossil fuels bringing the warmth of God’s love and grace and the light of God’s presence in the world. And this was the commission Jesus gave to his disciples. And this is the commission Christ gives to us today!
Here, in our Gospel Lesson, Jesus gives them a new mission – a new title. They are no longer just disciples or students, but now they are apostles. The Greek word is apostolos, which means “one who is sent as a messenger” or someone who is an “ambassador” or a “representative.” We are called, like the first disciples, to be ambassadors and representatives of Christ in the world – to be God’s faithful evangelists.
Keep in mind, up to this point in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus had been the sole missionary in those situations of need. And so, seeing that the work for God’s kingdom is great, in chapter 9 verse 37, we see that he turns to his disciples to enlist them. And after calling them, in chapter 10, he blesses and commissions them.
There is a wonderful legend that is told about St. Francis, the kind and compassionate thirteenth-century monk, who one day informed his brothers in the monastery that he planned to go into the nearby village on a preaching mission. He invited a novice to go along with him and on their way, they passed an injured man and Francis promptly stopped, saw to the poor fellow's needs and arranged medical care for him. They went on and soon passed a homeless man who was near starvation. Again, Francis stopped his journey and ministered to the hungry, homeless man. So this went on throughout the day: people in need, Francis lovingly cared for them as best he could until the sun was low in the sky. He told his novice friend it was time for them to return to the monastery for evening prayers. But the young man said, “Father, you said we were coming to town to preach to the people.” Francis smiled. Then he said, “My friend, that's what we've been doing all day.” That’s evangelism at its most faithful - it is ministering to people in their need. It doesn’t worrying about numerical growth, or adding to one's own conversion record, or winning acclaim within the denomination. Evangelism is sharing the love of God in concrete form among God’s people. It is allowing the light and presence of Christ to be seen in you wherever you go and in whatever you do. Indeed, we must evangelize or fossilize. Let us not become a fossil, but rather a fossil fuel that heats and lights the world with God’s love and grace. Let us continue the mission that Christ came to do; to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, set free the oppressed and to proclaim that the kingdom of God has come.