"What Are You Doing With What You Have?"

A sermon preached on The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 30, 2007 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ) , by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Luke 16:1-13.

In Randy Rowland’s book, From Sins We Love, he tells a rather amusing story of an elderly man who was desperately ill. Knowing that death was inevitable and that it was fast approaching, he called for his closest friends to come and see him one last time. Attending him were his doctor, his pastor and his business partner. The old man said, "I know you can’t take your money with you when you die, but who knows for sure? What if their wrong? What if you can take it with you? I want to account for all possibilities. So I’m giving each of you an envelope containing $100,000. When I die, I want each of you to slip the envelope in my jacket pocket at the funeral service." Shortly after this meeting, the man died. And, as promised, each of the three friends did as they were requested. After the funeral service, while these friends were visiting with each other, the doctor with a sheepish look on his face said; "Guys, I have a confession to make. With the cost of insurance and medicine these days, I don’t make that much money. The hospital is desperate need for funds. So I took $20,000 out of the envelope to cover some expenses and put the rest in the coffin." The minister cleared his throat and said; "I, too, have a confession to make. As you know our church is seriously overburdened by the needs of the homeless. I couldn’t just see burying all that money. So in hopes of helping the homeless, I took $50,000 out of the envelope and put the rest in his pocket." Looking sternly at the doctor and the minister, the business partner exclaimed; "I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I’m astonished and deeply disappointed in both of you that you would treat such a solemn trust so casually. He was our friend. And I want you both to know that I placed in his pocket at the funeral my personal check for the full $100,000."
During the month of September many churches will turn their attention to stewardship. Our Gospel Lesson this morning reminds us that our salvation is deeply intertwined with how we engage the goods of this world. Once again we are reminded that the Christian life and faith isn’t just an object - it isn’t just something you put and take off; rather, it is a way of life - it is a way of life that affects how you live, how you give, and how you respond to the needs of others. Now, keep in mind, our salvation is not determined by these things - salvation is a free gift through God’s grace, but certainly, these things are a direct result and witness to our salvation. That's what James meant when he said; "Faith without works is dead!"
Here, in the 16th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells a rather intriguing parable. For some, it is almost too hard to imagine that Jesus told such a parable. We meet initially the steward or manager of a wealthy person’s land, a position roughly equivalent to the CEO of any large corporation. And we can assume that some kind of audit revealed that this steward or manager had been squandering the resources of the estate. And so, as one might imagine, the steward is called out on this and was asked to give an explanation. Realizing that no defense is possible, and aware that he may be sent to the mines to dig or become a street beggar, he devises a plan. By reducing the debts owed to his master he hopes to curry favor with the debtors so that they might hire him later. And so, we are told that he calls them in one by one for a sit down. One owes the equivalent of 1,000 barrels of olive oil, which he immediately halves, and another roughly 1100 bushes of wheat, which he reduces by 20 percent. But the parable concludes, to our shock with the simple statement; "The master commended that dishonest steward for acting shrewdly." At first glance it sounds as though Jesus is condoning the dishonest manager as a model of some kind. Is he serious? How are we to take this comment?
Some commentators have the opinion that Jesus is saying, "Use the worldly wealth you get for good - make friends of the poor and helpless - so that they [the angels] may welcome you into heaven." Others claim that these words mean; "Just as the dishonest manager acted with wisdom in his hour of crisis, so you too should act with wisdom in the time of spiritual crisis that is upon us." However, the most straightforward meaning of Jesus’ statement is to realize that he is not condoning the ways of this dishonest manager at all. Keep in mind, there were Pharisees standing nearby as Jesus told this parable, and more than likely, this parable was directed at them. You see, the Pharisees were lovers of money. They would use God and people as a means to feed this hunger - this love for money.
Jesus has set out a crystal clear distinction between the values of this world and those of the kingdom he has come to proclaim. We were designed for a relationship with the One who made us - we are essentially spiritual beings. Jesus reminds us that we cannot be a "little bit" given to this world and a "little bit" given to God. It’s all or nothing! Where is your devotion? Where is your priority?
Lloyd Ogilvie, who went from being the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, California to becoming the Chaplain of the United States Senate, tells the story of being on a plane one day. Sitting next to him on this cross-country flight was a well-known and very successful industrialist. Ogilvie asked him what the secret of his success was. The response came very quickly: shrewdness. The man said that he spent much of his waking moments thinking, scheming, planning, developing, and putting details together in order to make his company the largest profit possible. Though some of his competitors considered him to be ruthless, he told Ogilvie that he did the very best he could to be honest and fair in everything he undertook. He was single-minded and left nothing to chance. He used all of his energy, all intellect, and all of determination to accomplish his goals. He was passionate and charismatic when it came to his business. Later, Ogilvie reflected on that conversation and wondered what would happen to the church if the people of God put the same sort of energy, determination, passion and charisma in their work for the Kingdom?
This passage may be better understood if we look at the meaning of some of the Greek vocabulary. Two important words are derived from oíkos, the Greek word for household, which is oikonómos, which literally means "steward" or "household manager," and the word oiketés, which means "household servant." Both of these words Paul uses in his epistles to describe the Christian's responsibility. We are called to be God's household managers - stewards of God's kingdom and all that God has entrusted to us. All that we have has been given to us by the hand of God - the "Fount of Every Blessing" - the One "from whom all blessings flow." And we are called to use our gifts to the glory of God. What are you doing with what God has entrusted to you? As Christians we are called to be oikonomos - stewards and mangers of God’s household - God’s kingdom.
Stewardship is not about that narrow slice of life we call offerings to the church or that narrow slice of our time, talents and treasures that we give to church. Certainly, these things are important - they are vital to the life and ministry of the church; but stewardship is so much more than that. Stewardship is taking care of all of the precious property and people that God has entrusted to us. And so, let us be God's faithful stewards with all the gifts God has given to us. So that the Lord may be able to say to us; "Well done, thy good and faithful stewards..." Amen.

"God of Judgment and God of Grace"

A sermon preached on The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 16, 2007 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ) , by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 and Luke 15:11-32.

Perhaps there is no parable in the Bible more beloved then the story of the Prodigal Son. As George Murray once said; "it is the most divinely tender and humanly touching story [that has] ever been told." Charles Dickens describes it as "the finest short story ever written" and Cosmo Lang wrote; "It is regarded as a mere fragment of human literature, it is an incomparable expression of the patience and generosity with which human love bears with and triumphs over human wilfulness and folly." Therefore, it is little wonder that such a story is so popular and beloved. Through this story we see two responses to the youngest son’s repentance; that of jealousy and envy from the eldest son, and that of love and grace from the father.

When reading this parable, I couldn’t help but think of William Shakespeare’s words, "The wise man knows himself to be a fool, but the fool thinks he is a wise man." Perhaps, those words could be rephrased to, "The wise man knows when he is lost, understands the source of his homesickness and returns to a father who loves him." These words, without a doubt, define the youngest son. However, the oldest son could be described as a "fool who thinks he is wise" and in his wisdom doesn’t realize that he is actually lost. I find it interesting that in this story both sons could be considered "lost." The youngest son came to realize his condition after taking his inheritance, traveling to a far country and wasting it away. On the other hand, the eldest son’s jealousy causes him to be lost; and yet, he doesn’t even realize it.

Many pastors and teachers tend to focus on the loving, forgiving and gracious character of the father or upon the repentant youngest son who becomes the recipient of grace. However, we must not overlook the eldest brother, whose jealousy and envy caused him to miss out on the opportunity to express grace and thus experience it himself. Archbishop, Desmond Tutu once wrote, "A jealous person is doubly unhappy - over what he has, which is judged inferior, and over what he has not, which is judged superior. Such a person is doubly removed from knowing the true blessings of grace [and, undoubtedly, God’s grace]."

Grace requires a person to be as patient with others as we want others to be with us. It assumes that deep in the heart of every one of us is the desire to be redeemed and for that redemption to bring about a greater good or a transformation. Such was the grace the youngest son hoped to find when returning home, and such was a grace he received. However, we quickly learn in the story that not everyone in the family is willing to offer such a warm and inviting reception, as the father. In fact, in verse 30 we read, "But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf." The fact the oldest son says, "this thy son," to his father, is an indication that he has not receive his brother back as a member of HIS family. He does not refer to him as "my brother."

Someone once wrote; "When jealousy and pride fester, the heart becomes cold and the rewards of grace cannot be experienced."Several aspects of the story leap from its pages, especially when one considers the love and grace the father administers to his youngest son. First of all, in his return home the father greets him with open arms. The picture is beautiful and heartwarming! The reader can imagine the father sitting by the window day-after-day, awaiting the return of his youngest son, when from a distance, one day, he catches a glimpse of him and comes running out to greet him with a kiss and an embrace. Oh, what a heartwarming picture! What a beautiful picture that is! Secondly, the father gives the son a robe and a ring. Most scholars agree that this is a reference to a ring bearing the family seal, further emphasizing that the son is still a part of the family. And finally, there is the fatted calf. It was uncommon in those days for families to eat meat, unless it was a significant occasion. This was such an occasion - the father’s son had returned home. One cannot help but draw the connection to the Jewish feast of Yom Kippur or the "Day of Atonement." In much the same way, the best lamb would have been used for the Feast of Atonement. This was considered the youngest son’s Yom Kippur - it was his Day of Atonement and fittingly the best calf was offered. It is evident that it is the nature and character of this father to be gracious, just as it is in God’s nature and character.

Some would argue "well, you reap what you sow." And while, in many ways that may be true - your choices do, oftentimes, determine your circumstances. Still, The idea of grace is, as Philip Yancey explains in his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace?; "There’s nothing we can do that will make God love us more... or less." In the story of the Prodigal Son, the father never stopped loving his youngest son. I can imagine not a day, much less a minute, went by without the father thinking of his son’s well-being. Yet, it was the son who had to discover his father’s love and grace again, and this was done only by knocking down the wall of greed. It was in his emptiness that he realized that his father still loved him. Jesus offers a picture of a God who embraces all of his children, those who stay at home and those who wander off. God’s grace is without limits or boundaries, all inclusive - all inviting. However, as we learn through this story, man’s grace is not quite as boundless, or inclusive, or unlimited.

In our First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, we are given a picture of a God of Judgment and Grace. Keep in mind, by Jeremiah’s time in the last quarter of 7th century BC, only the Southern Kingdom - Judah, remained of the once great kingdom or empire of David. The threat of invasion from Babylon to the east and Egypt to the west was real and almost constant during Jeremiah’s ministry. This threat continued over the last 40 years of the nation’s independence until the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC. The bulk of Jeremiah’s ministry and messages expressed this judgment that would come. Hence, Jeremiah wasn’t a popular prophet - in fact, because of this, he was labeled the "Lamenting Prophet" - the Pessimistic Prophet, the Negative Prophet, the Prophet of Doom and Gloom.
Like the youngest son in the parable of the Prodigal Son, Israel had to discover for themselves God’s love and grace. They had abandoned God - they had abandoned their father, if you will, but God never stopped loving them.
Sharee Johnson once wrote; "Out of death comes resurrection. That’s the promise of Easter. Death is the direct consequence of sin, God’s judgment built into the universe from its very creation. But there is another law built into the universe - that in life, new life, resurrection follows death!" And how true that is! You see, everything dies - people die, ideas die, relationships sometimes die, feelings die, cultures and nations die. But everything lives anew, recreated by the power of God the Creator, who is constantly working for good in every experience of living, because God is the God of Love and New Life. In fact, our very lives are being reformed and recreated by God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.
Although, the people of Judah would have begged to differ at the time, Jeremiah was God’s prophet of love and resurrection. That may be hard for us to believe when we read Jeremiah’s words, but his message was an Easter message, long before Christ’s death and resurrection had occurred. But, Jeremiah was also God’s prophet of judgment, pronouncing God’s judgment on the people of Judah for their sins. You see, Jeremiah brings the Word of God to the people of God.
I love Jeremiah’s powerful metaphors. First, he uses the metaphor of the sirocco winds which did and still do today, come from the desert east and south of Israel, bringing with it scorching heat and whirling sandstorms and dust. Jeremiah uses this image to describe the judgment and destruction that would befall Jerusalem, which would occur in 586 B.C.
He tells the people also that their foolish ways have caused a sort of uncreation, if you will, to occur. In fact, he uses the words "waste and void" and "darkness." These Hebrew words are the same ones found in Genesis 1:2, which reads; "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." I think it is interesting to note that the word "was" is translated "became" in the original Hebrew transcripts. Giving us the idea that out of this "waste" and "void" and "darkness," whatever caused it, God begins to create or, perhaps, I should say, recreate.
Yet, in the midst of pronouncing such judgment, God speaks through Jeremiah words of grace. The return of the people of Israel from their captivity in Babylon following the destruction of Jerusalem would prefigure the resurrection of Christ. God allows judgment to happen as a consequence of our missing the mark, of their abandoning him, in much the same way the father willingly let his son take his inheritance and go. God gives us freewill and free choice, but God continues to bring life from the deaths we experience.
Although we have the power to destroy, we have within us a greater power - and that is the power of God’s re-creative Spirit. Life is always stronger than death! Love is always stronger than hate! Grace is always stronger than grudges. Yet, we have a responsibility, we have a choice, are we going to be like the eldest son in the story of the Prodigal Son and refuse to be instruments of love, and grace and life, or are we going to choose with God’s help to be those who live life fully and love deeply, acting as partners with God to bring about resurrection in our world and in the lives of the people we meet?
The people of Israel, like the prodigal, had to rediscover for themselves God’s love and grace. And this was done by knocking down the wall which they had built between themselves and God. We all build walls between us and God, but it is once we knock down that wall of separation and embrace God’s love that we realize that God is the God of love and grace, and it is then, that we can begin to embody these wonderful qualities.
The Apostle Paul writes; "Do not seek your own advantage, but that of others" (I Corinthians 10:24). The challenge then, is to emulate such a love, and grace and life. When Jesus called his followers to love their enemies, his gave examples. One can only hope that the father’s example of grace will encourage the eldest sons of this world to find their way and in the end embrace their sisters and brothers as Jacob did his brother, Esau. That’s God’s calling but, more importantly, that is God’s example in the life of God’s people!

"The Cost of Discipleship"

A sermon preached on The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 9, 2007 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ) , by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Luke 14:25-33.

The Reverend Tracy Hartman tells the story of when her daughter came home from school and asked if she would bake a cake for a program that her drama class was sponsoring. Tracy says, "I readily agreed. However, I didn’t realize until my daughter came home later in the week with bags of ingredients that we had signed up to make all the cakes for some two hundred people." She goes on to say; "That wasn’t quite what I thought I was signing up for!" You know, perhaps you have been in a similar situation - you didn’t realize all of the costs, or obligations or responsibilities of a project or an assignment you agreed to take on. Jesus is seeking to avoid any such misunderstandings in our Gospel Lesson this morning. He wants to be sure that his followers know just what the cost of discipleship will be.
Marketing experts will tell their clients that in the sale of a product it is important to give the consumer what they want. Figure that out, and you are three-quarters of the way to a successful sale. Find just the right set of words, with just the right tone that meets the people right where they are, and a cleaver person can sell just about anything - that’s what we are led to believe. In fact, I am not so sure that’s incorrect. Amber has just recently been selling on e-bay and I am amazed at some of the stuff she puts on there - things we might consider junk, and then, what is even more surprising is how much it will go for. People will buy just about anything, especially if it is marketed correctly. In fact, we have all seen this firsthand. Politicians have certainly discovered the power of modern marketing in pitching their personalities. The American church has caught on, as well, to this postmodern mode of thinking and selling; or, what the church calls evangelizing.
Keep in mind, by this point in our Lord’s ministry his popularity is high. He has attracted a large following of people who are both captured and intrigued by his message and ministry. But in our Gospel Lesson this morning Jesus makes what would seem to be a grave mistake when it comes to popularity polls. Several weeks ago, I equated Jesus to a politician; but here he makes a grave political mistake. Where were his speechwriters and advisors? The mistake Jesus made was that he didn’t give the people what they wanted; rather, he gave them what they needed - a reality check! In fact, Jesus’ words here in our Gospel Lesson are a bit harsh. These words could be categorized or filed away with those really tough sayings of Jesus’.
Someone once said; "The mark of a great leader is the demands he makes upon his followers." And certainly that is true! The Italian freedom fighter, Garibaldi offered his men only hunger and death to free Italy. Winston Churchill told the English people that he had nothing to offer them but "blood, sweat, toil, and tears" in their fight against the enemies of England. And our Lord demanded that his followers carry a cross. And certainly, as we think about the lives of the apostles we see that they were willing to do just that. Tradition tells us that: Andrew died on a cross. Simon was crucified. Bartholomew was flayed alive. James (son of Zebedee) was beheaded. The other James (son of Alphaeus) was beaten to death. Thomas was run through with a lance. Matthias was stoned and then beheaded. Matthew was slain by the sword. Peter was crucified upside down. Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows. And Philip was hanged.

Certainly, the cost of discipleship is extremely high as Jesus points out in our Gospel Lesson this morning. But what sacrifices have you made for Christ and his kingdom?

There’s a cute little story about a hog and a hen who were sharing the same barnyard and happened to hear about a church’s program to feed the hungry. The hog and the hen discussed how they could help. The hen said, "I’ve got it! I’ve got the perfect idea! We’ll provide bacon and eggs for the church to feed the hungry." The hog thought about the suggestion and said, "There’s only thing wrong with your bacon and eggs idea. For you, it only requires a contribution, but from me, it will mean total commitment!" And that’s the point Jesus was trying to make in our Gospel Lesson this morning. That’s the cost of discipleship! It’s not a contribution, but a total commitment - a total way of life!
Sadly, many see their faith as being a contribution. There are many half-hearted Christians today - they are not fully devoted nor committed to Christ and the kingdom. They are like the man in the parable Jesus tells who begins building the house but doesn’t finish. He doesn’t consider the cost and the labor that is involved in such an endeavor. Or perhaps we’re like the general who hasn’t fully committed himself to battle. We haven’t sat down to consider the demands or sacrifices that are involved. Jesus reminds us at another time; "Many are willing but few are truly chosen."
Jesus wanted followers, but he wanted committed followers. Jesus is calling not for half-hearted followers, but for those who are willing to put him and the kingdom above everything else. Once again, Jesus is teaching about priority - what has priority in your life? Are you seeking first the kingdom of God?
There is a story about a mountaineer who was noted for his marksmanship. When asked about his prowess, he said that it was quite simple: "I just fire a round into a large tree and then draw a bulls-eye around it." Most of us want our discipleship to be that easy. Bonhoeffer writes in his book; Cost of Discipleship, these words; "We have cheapen grace and cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church. We are fighting for costly grace. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must know. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life." The theologian, Martin Luther once wrote; "A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing." True, that kind of Christianity makes us a little uncomfortable - sadly, we have cheapen our faith!
What a challenge this is for us! But consider the costs - "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple..." Did our Lord really say that? Isn’t "hate" such a strong and negative word - are we really to hate our family and friends, even our own selves? Now friends, keep in mind the word "hate" here is not our emotionally laden word for personal disgust but, rather, it is a Semitic idiom expressing a kind of detachment, if you will. This is a rhetorical use of the verb "to hate," the word is miseo, which literally means "to love less." It means "to put something before it." And so, this understanding, brings Jesus’ words to a whole new light and understanding. Jesus is talking about having our total commitment and priority. He is talking about "seeking first the kingdom of God..."
There’s a wonderful analogy that involves an empty jar, a large rock, some pebbles, sand and water. And, interestingly enough, all of these items can fit into the jar if they are put in, in the right order. If you begin with water, sand and pebbles you will never have any room for the rock, but if you start with the rock, amazingly everything else fits right in. The rock could very well represent God or perhaps our commitment to the kingdom - the church, but if we fill our lives with sand and pebbles and water - then we have no room for God - no room for the kingdom.
The poet Edward Everett Hale writes;

"I am only one,

but still I am one.

I cannot do everything,

But still I can do something;

And because I cannot do everything

I will not refuse to do THE something I can do."

In our Gospel Lesson this morning, Jesus urges those who are considering a life of Christian discipleship to "count the cost." If we do that honestly, we will discover that being a Christian - being a follower of Christ, demands more than an occasional Sunday visit to God’s house. It becomes a lifestyle - a way of life. It requires a total commitment to Christ and his kingdom - it requires living the Christ-like life, it requires embodying God’s love and grace, compassion and justice in the world. It requires becoming the very elements we receive at the Table of Lord - becoming the body of Christ, so that we might feed a hungry world.
C. William Nichols writes; "Which teacher is the kindest: the one who never demands excellence from her students, never requires homework to be done, and never challenges her students with tests, or the teacher who demands that her pupils stretch their intelligence and abilities through rigorous discipline? An education that costs nothing has nothing to give or offer. Which parent is really the most loving: the one who expects nothing of his children, or the one who demands that the children adhere to the regimens that will make it possible for them to reach their highest potential? In the end, Jesus was being kind and loving when he demanded of his followers, ‘Count the cost.’" And so, let us be willing to count the cost, and may we be willing to make the commitment to be Christ's faithful disciples. Amen.

"The Balance Between Work and Rest!"

A sermon preached on Labor Day Sunday, The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 2, 2007 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ) , by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Psalm 46:1-11 and Luke 10:38-42.

I believe most of us realize that Labor Day is not considered to be a religious holiday, but rather a national one. However, in many respects it very well could be. It is a day in which we are mindful of our labors and we are called to take some time to rest from them. I think we all realize the importance of rest! We all need rest. It’s like the man who said; "Labor Day! It works for me!" Labor Day gives us the opportunity to reflect on work and rest, action and contemplation. Jim Williams once told me that "Labor Day is a day to labor and not to rest, hence its name." He then went on to say that "rest is reserved for the other 364 days of the year." I like his philosophy. But I think we all realize the importance of rest. Work can be so demanding, so stressful, so exhausting and we all need time to be refreshed, renewed and rejuvenated.
I came across the Worker’s 23rd Psalm the other day as I was working on my sermon. Perhaps some of you can relate to this, it reads:

The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest.

It makes me lie down only when exhausted.

It leads me into deep depression.

It hounds my soul.

It leads me in circles of frenzy, for activities sake.

Even though I run frantically from task to task,

I will never get it all done,

For my ideal is with me.

Deadlines and my need for approval, they drive me.

They demand performance from me, beyond the limits of my schedule.

They anoint my head with migraines,

My in-basket overflows.

Surely fatigue and time pressures shall follow me

All the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration Forever!

The Christian tradition has always valued both work and rest. The divine character of work is expressed in the Latin saying; laborare est orare, "to work is to pray." The Jewish and Christian traditions have always placed a great emphasis on rest - on Sabbath. In the experience of Sabbath, we are refreshed and renewed; we "catch our breath," so to speak. Sabbath gives us the opportunity to acknowledge that God creates and orders the cosmos, and that life goes on even as we cease our own activities. Observance of the Sabbath is a sign of our faith and trust in God’s providence. The Sabbath is also a reminder of our limitations: we cannot do it all, we must rely upon the help of God and others.
The theologian Karl Barth offered this commentary about work and rest, he writes: "If [humanity] has created neither heaven nor earth nor [themselves]; if they do not owe [their] existence to [themselves], but to the will and act of God who bestowed it on [them] without [their] slightest cooperation; if [their] ability to work is not [their] attainment, and therefore [their] own property, but a free gift; if [their] obligation to work is not [their] invitation but God’s commission, then [they] cannot and should not imagine that what is going to become of [them], [their] future and that of [their] fellow [brother or sister], lies solely in [their] power." Such is the reminder of Sabbath!
Someone once said; "Life is a perfect balance of work and rest!" And hopefully, that balance is a part of your life. We all needs breathing spaces, we all need times to rest and to be re-created. But do such times exist in your schedule or on your calendar? Do you spend time in prayer and contemplation? These are vital tools and parts of ministry too. If we are rested - if we are prayerful, then our work begins to take on new meaning. We rediscover the mission to which we have been called. We are more creative and our laboring is not done in vain.
Psalm 46 is perhaps one of my favorite Psalms because, undoubtedly, is a Psalm of trust. In fact, Psalm 46 was also one of Martin Luther’s favorite psalms and is the basis of the renown hymn that he wrote; "A Mighty Fortress is our God!" This Psalm is a great example of Sabbath, because it is a celebration of God’s guidance and protection upon those who trust or rest in him.
The motivation behind this Psalm was probably the historical deliverance that took place in the days of King Hezekiah when Sennacherib’s forces were miraculously smitten by the angel of the Lord and the 185,000 Assyrians lay dead on the ground. Certainly that event was a sign of God’s deliverance and protection among God’s people. In fact, the Psalm begins with the wonderful affirmation; "God is our refuge and strength..." Keep in mind, in the ancient Middle East, cities were built on high tels or hills with walls of defense surrounding them. Yet, there was no city and no defensive structure that was impenetrable. However, the Psalmist describes here the one who is a sure and certain defense - God.
In verse 4, the Psalmist paints us a picture of "the river whose streams shall make glad the city of God," this illustration is probably taken from the tunnel that King Hezekiah built to guarantee continuous water supply for Jerusalem, especially in crucial times such as war. The tunnel carried water from the Gihon spring outside the city of Jerusalem to a reservoir inside the city walls. What greater image can we have or find for the Sabbath that God gives us? In much the same way, the Living Water of God’s Spirit continuously flows into our lives bringing us renewal, refreshment and rejuvenation - making us glad.
But perhaps the greatest verse which focuses on Sabbath here in Psalm 46, is verse 10. The Psalmist understood the significance of silence, of stillness, of rest. "Be still and know that I am God." Even Isaiah understood this significance, as well. The prophet Isaiah wrote; "In returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and trust you shall be strengthened."
Oh, how vital this rest, this stillness, this silence is for our souls. Just as in music, if it is to be beautiful, must have rests and pauses in it’s flow so must our lives.
I think it is interesting that one modern translation of this verse reads; "Stop fighting and know that I am God." Another version renders it; "Give in and admit that I am God!" And perhaps my favorite translation of this verse comes from the Jerusalem Bible which renders the verse in this way; "Pause for awhile" and then, and only then, will you experience the reality of God’s presence in your life.
Another wonderful example of the importance of work and rest is found in our Gospel Lesson this morning - in the story of Mary and Martha. Mary and Martha were not twins, and yet we automatically think of them together - we have tendency to always associate them together. Much like Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello. And perhaps, that’s the point of this story. You can’t have one without the other - one cannot exist without the other. Work cannot exist without rest and rest cannot exist without work! There must be a balance! And yet, for two who are almost always joined together, it is difficult not to see their differences and it is equally difficult not to choose between them, to take sides, dividing the world into the Marys and the Marthas.
While we have tendency to take the side of Mary, we must never forget that Jesus does not deny the importance or the value of what Martha was doing. In fact, if it weren’t for Martha there would have been nothing to eat that day when Jesus visited the two sisters in Bethany.
I have always regretted all the controversy over Mary and Martha. Oftentimes, preachers and teachers will take sides on which one is more admirable - the spiritual type or the practical type. But can’t we all relate to Martha? She was so overwhelmed by the fact that Jesus was in her presence and she wanted everything to be immaculate and perfect and just right. But these two women both have wonderful qualities, and I thank God for the Marthas and Marys of this world - and especially in the church.

But to me, it seems that this story really deals with our goals in life - our priorities. What has our attention most of the time? Martha is so focused and fixed on doing her own goal. She is so busy being a gracious and polite hostess that she has little time to be with the Lord. We may say that all that we have, all that we own - our time, our talents, our money, our resources, our lives, is the Lord’s, but the question is, does God have our attention? We may be too busy sometimes, that we lose sight of the one it is we are working for.
Rabbi Mendal once wrote; "Whoever does not see God in every place does not see God in any place." How true that is! And in Martha’s situation, her social priorities and customs kept her from focusing her attention on Jesus and his agenda for her life. You and I can lose sight of who we are and whose we are very easily. Sometimes those things in life, such as family, or career, or community, or service can choke out God’s life in us. As we make God and God’s presence in our lives our primary focus what we will find is, God is the key to everything. That is why I say, Labor Day isn’t just a national holiday, but a religious one as well. In this time we are encouraged and challenged with Mary and Martha, to take time to rest at the feet of Jesus, to listen to him, to focus on him and to get things in perspective and then we are called to go about our work in God’s household - never losing sight of our Blessed Savior.
In her book, Keeping the Sabbath Wholly, and may I remind you, "wholly" is spelled w-h-o-l-l-y, Marva J. Dawn makes the case as to why ceasing, resting, embracing and feasting are all essential and necessities. She states that it is in truly keeping the Sabbath - setting aside times of rest and renewal that we become not only "holy," h-o-l-y, but also "wholly," w-h-o-l-l-y. Anthony de Mello points out that "faith" comes as a gift from just exposing yourself to God’s company. Mary knew that and because of that she was made whole.
The words of the Psalmist in our Scripture Lesson are challenging words that we must all heed; "Be still and know that I am God." The Hebrew word here for "be still" is raphah, which literally means "to cease" or "to let go" or "to slow down" or, better yet, "to stop!" And how difficult this can be, but how essential - how vital it is emotionally, psychologically, physically and spiritually. And indeed, this is important when it comes to being true laborers for Christ and his Kingdom and it is then that a true balance of Mary and Martha can be found in us. Amen.

"Children and the Church"

One of the greatest aspects of psychology that I enjoyed studying in college was Child Psychology. A great deal of emphasis is placed on the environment in which children are raised and how that environment directly affects them cognitively. As I have shared with your before, raising children isn’t solely a parental responsibility. While parents or guardians are a major part of any child’s development, there is also the community, church, along with other influences that help shape and develop our children.

Children learn from the communities in which they are raised. Throughout childhood there is a tremendous capacity to learn and absorb information—as a sponge absorbs water. The brain is constantly building structures and circuits, to process information. In the first six months, a child’s brain doubles in size. It’s in childhood that children are learning what the world is all about. Undoubtedly, we see life through eyes that have been trained by the environment in which we were raised.

Mark Trotter once said; “The way you teach your children well is to get them into a community of adults who will surround them with love and forgiveness, show their care for them, and model for them what life is all about...” Is that true of the Community of Faith called Edgemont Christian Church?

Children have always been a part of the church. Every so often I run into someone who says; “Pastor, we chose not to raise our children in the church because we wanted them to make up their own minds about religion.” While I believe it is important to give our children freedom, the only problem is that you cannot raise children in a neutral environment. Children are influenced by the environment in which they are raised and live. Thus the church is a vital tool in raising our children. To raise a child in the church is to at least give them a choice.

In the Special Edition of The Virginia Christian, the Reverend Matthew Ricks is quoted as saying; “I often hear people say that children’s ministry is so important because children are our future. After working with children for almost ten years, I can affirmatively say that children are also our present. Children’s ministry has changed my church. Children are making [the church] better now, not twenty years from now. Children are bringing us laughter, new ideas and a sense of [God’s presence] right now.”

Those of you who had the opportunity to take part in our Vacation Bible School this year know that Rev. Ricks is right – our children and youth are a major asset to the church here and now! They offer us so many wonderful gifts that enhance not only our lives, but also the life and ministry of Edgemont. We were blessed to have on average 50 in attendance each night of V.B.S., with around 30 of them being children and youth. It was not only a fun-filled week, but we also learned some exciting things through our daily Bible lessons.

In the weeks leading up to our Heritage Sunday (October 7), we will focus on our children. We will recommit ourselves to be a church that faithfully nurtures our children and encourages them to live out their faith and to share their gifts.

As I contemplate our children ministries here at Edgemont, I am grateful to Peter Anderson who has worked faithfully and diligently with our children on Sunday mornings, providing them with a wonderful environment of learning and growing both spiritually and physically. I am grateful to those who teach Church School for our children and youth; people like Sharon, Donna, Juliet and Amber. What greater joy could there be than to hear the laughter and chatter of our children on Sunday morning? Indeed, children bring life, excitement, spontaneity, and new ideas to the church.

Kaye Edwards of the UCC and Disciples comments that, “making children’s needs a priority revitalizes congregations… I have found that if it is good for children and is put first, all other priorities fall into their rightful places.” As we celebrate and reaffirm our children’s ministries this month, let us recommit ourselves to being a faithful church that offers an environment that enhances our children’s spirituality, creativity, and resolve to live out their faith and share their gifts.

"God our Chiropractor"

A sermon preached on The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 26, 2007 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ) , by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Luke 12:10-17.

It is said that about eighty-percent of the population will at some point in their lives experience a bout with severe back pain. In fact it is the most common cause of work-related disabilities and the second-most common cause of doctor visits behind the cold and flu. It cost the economy billions of dollars and, not to mention, puts a burden on the livelihood of millions of people. Probably most of us here have experience, at one time or another, some form of back pain - whether it be from a pulled back, a slipped or ruptured disk, sciatic nerve, arthritis or osteoporosis; and most of us know how debilitating and crippling such back pain can be.
And so, many of us can both relate and sympathize with the woman in our Gospel Lesson this morning. We are told that her back pain was so severe that it left her crippled to the point that she could not stand up straight. The pain must have been almost unbearable. What a tremendous burden this must have been on her - weighing her down, ruining her life for eighteen years. And not only would this have been debilitating and crippling physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. In fact, the Greek word, astheneia is used to describe her condition. Astheneia stresses both the physical, as well as the mental or emotional strain this would have had on her. Her condition would have been a source of shame, robbing her of her human dignity. But as the woman encountered Jesus - the Great Chiropractor, in our Gospel Lesson this morning, she was set free of this great burden that weighed her down. Jesus enabled her to stand up straight, both physically and emotionally. Jesus restored her dignity as a woman - a daughter of Abraham and a child of God. Jesus brought both healing and wholeness to this woman’s life.
As a pastor, I have often encountered people who have shared with me their story of defeat and told me how for years they have carried burdens on their backs that have weighed them down emotionally, spiritually, and ultimately physically. Guilt over real or perceived sin, defeat, poor self-esteem and self-image, self-hatred, loneliness, anger, abuse and the list goes on and on; but how comforting and assuring it is to know that God - the Great Chiropractor wants to take our yoke from us, God wants to heal us, to set us free from such things. God doesn’t just want to alleviate these things from our lives, God wants to bring healing and wholeness to our lives.
I like the story that is told of the two guys and the union worker, all of whom suffered from severe back pain, and they were out fishing one day on the lake. They began to compare and contrast their pain with each other. "Oh, you have no idea how bad my back is..." one of the men said." Mine is obviously worst than both of yall’s..." another said. "Oh, neither of you know what back pain is, unless you’ve walked in my shoes," said the third man. All of a sudden, Jesus walked across the water and joined the men in the boat. When the three astonished men had settled down enough to speak, the first guy asked Jesus humbly; "Lord, I've suffered from back pain ever since I took shrapnel in the Vietnam war, could you please help me?" "Of course, my child," Jesus said, and when he touched the man’s back, he felt instant relief for the first time in years. The second man spoke up and said; "Master, I too experience severe back pain from an injury that I suffered in an automobile accident, could you please cure my back pain." Jesus smiled, touched the man’s back and, once again, instant relief came to the man. Jesus turned to heal the union worker, and the guy put his hands up and cried defensively; "Don’t touch me, Jesus, don’t touch me - I’m on long term disability." Some of us just are not ready to lay our burdens down - to give them to God and experience God’s healing and wholeness.
Walter Wink, in his book Engaging the Powers, suggests that Jesus’ healing of this woman is a revolution. In this short story, Jesus tries to wake people up to the kind of life God wants for them. He often talks about the Kingdom of God where everyone is a child of God and has value. But in the latter part of his ministry, Jesus begins to act this out. In the midst of a highly patriarchal society and culture Jesus breaks at least six strict cultural rules within these 7 verses:

1. First of all, Jesus speaks to the woman. In biblical times, Jewish men did not speak to women in public.

2. Secondly, he calls her to the center of the synagogue. By placing her geographically in the middle of the synagogue, Jesus challenges the notion of a male monopoly on access to knowledge and to God.

3. Thirdly, he touches her, which revokes the holiness code. That is the code which protected men from a woman’s uncleanliness and from her sinful seductiveness.

4. Fourthly, he calls her a "daughter of Abraham," a term not found in any of the prior Jewish literature. This is revolutionary because it was believed that women were saved through their men. To call her a daughter of Abraham is to make her a full-fledged member of the nation of Israel with equal standing before God.

5. Fifthly, he heals on the Sabbath - the holy day. And in doing so he demonstrates God’s compassion for people over ceremony - reclaiming the Sabbath for the celebration of God’s liberal goodness. And he reminds us that in God we find the true sabbath - true rest and true wholeness.

6. And finally, he challenges the ancient belief that her illness is a direct punishment from God for sin. He asserts that she is ill, not because God willed it, but because there is evil in the world. Jesus challenges, both here in this story and in the opening verses of chapter 13, the ancient Jewish philosophy that sin and suffering were connected - that if suffering was your lot it was because of something bad you did.

In that great Christian classic, Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan tells the story of a man who had a great burden on his back - a burden that threatened to sink him lower than the grave. The man sets off on a journey in search of a way to rid himself of the great burden that weighs him down. In the course of his journey the man comes upon a cross on a hill. Only after he runs up the hill with the burden on his back and sees the one hanging on a tree does the burden fall from his back and roll down the hill into an empty tomb, where it is seen no more. As the old hymn affirms; "Burdens are lifted at Calvary..."
Jesus is the one who came to give life and to set people free. He is the great Liberator who extends God’s grace to all, especially to the weak, the oppressed and the marginalized. Through Jesus, we experience more fully the God of love and grace, healing and wholeness.
I want to close with a parable that is told of a man who went into the forest seeking any bird of interest he might find. He caught a young eagle, brought it home and put it among the chickens. He gave it chicken food to eat and raised it as a chicken even though it was an eagle. Five years later, a naturalist came to see him and, after passing through the garden, said "That bird is an eagle, not a chicken." "Yes," said the owner, "but I have trained it to be a chicken. It is no longer an eagle. It may look like an eagle, but it has the heart and mind of a chicken." "No," said the naturalist, "it is an eagle and will always be an eagle. It has the heart of an eagle, and I will help it soar high up into the heavens." "No," said the owner, "it is a chicken and it will never fly." And so, they agreed to put their theories to the test. The naturalist picked up the eagle, held it up high over his head and said with great intensity. "Eagle thou art an eagle; thou dost belong to the sky and not to this earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly." The eagle turned this way and that, and then looking down, saw the chickens eating their food, and down he jumped. The owner said; "I told you it was a chicken." "No," said the naturalist, "it is an eagle. Give me another chance tomorrow." And so, the next day he took it to the top of the house and lifting the eagle overhead he said; "Eagle, thou art an eagle; stretch forth thy wings and fly." But again the eagle, seeing the chickens feeding, jumped down and fed with them. Once again, the owner said; "I told you so!" The naturalist said; "Just give me one more chance." And so the next morning he rose early and took the eagle outside the city and away from the houses, to the foot of a high mountain. The sun was just rising over the mountains. He picked up the eagle and faced it toward the sun and said: "Eagle, thou art an eagle; thou dost belong to the sky and not to the earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly." The eagle looked around and trembled as if new life were coming to it and suddenly it stretched out its wings and, with the screech of an eagle, it mounted higher and higher and never returned. Though it had been kept and tamed as a chicken, it was an eagle.
Society has a way dehumanizing us sometimes - of causing us to fail to see our true worth before God - of making us little more than objects to whom advertisers make their pitch, and about whom governments create statistics and form policies to keep everything safe and predictable. And religion without vision has a tendency to do this, as well; reducing us to the status of law keepers or law breakers, classifying us according to what we believe or do not believe and categorizing us according to the way in which we conform or do not conform to the expectations of the church or denomination in which we happen to find ourselves. But it is in Christ that we are sons and daughters of God. Like the woman in our Gospel Lesson this morning, once we were weighed down by sin, crippled, debilitated, unable to fly - but then we met Jesus - the Great Chiropractor who brought us healing, wholeness and new life. Therefore, let us stretch forth our wings and fly!