“Can We Show the World Another Way?” (Isaiah 25:6-26:6)

Our oldest son sent me a text message late in the afternoon on Monday.  “What have you heard coming out of Ferguson, Missouri?” he asked. I was touched by what was on his mind.  The pain in Ferguson, Missouri, wasn’t necessarily on the minds of everyone.  Someone said to me, “What’s new?  This scenario keeps getting played out over and over in our country.  I’m not interested.” 

But that was the minority voice.    Many hearts WERE centered on the pain in Ferguson.

By the time I drove into work on Tuesday morning, cars and businesses in Ferguson, Missouri, were burning in the aftermath of the grand jury’s decision not to indict police Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old.  As I reflected on the news I thought, “There’s a lot of pain and sorrow and fear and anger in that fire—some real, some imagined, some obvious, some hidden.”

I was surprised by one voice from the community of Ferguson whose thoughts were echoed in a story on National Public Radio, “We are so embarrassed.”  Why is that? As we all know, Ferguson, Missouri could be EVERY TOWN, USA.  We all struggle to produce communities in which every human being has fair access to all of those services and opportunities that make for a vibrant life:  meaningful work, housing, clothing, food and clean water, healthcare, supportive community, even the right to marry.  We all struggle to understand what attitudes and systems are in place in every community that allow some people to experience prosperity and other people disparity. 

Whether its friendship or food, some are comfortable and others are miserable.  Whether it is power or wealth, some persons are indulged and others are deprived. The pain of disillusionment shared by many!

What the prophet Isaiah wants to know is if we moved by the pain in the lives of the person on the bottom, like God’s heart—like Christ’s heart?  Because if we are, we just might want to stand on tiptoe and watch for God because God is coming and God’s going to execute justice---God’s going to level the playing field—mountains are going to crumble and valleys are going to be lifted up—there’s going to be a banquet and NO ONE is going to be left out.

We belong to a God who responds to the pain of the miserable, the deprived, the weighed down, and the judged “inferior.”  We belong to a God who transforms attitudes and systems.

Isaiah writes:

“But here on this mountain, GOD-of-the Angel-Armies will throw a feast for all the people of the world…

And here on this mountain, GOD will banish the pall of doom hanging over all peoples…

He’ll remove every sign of disgrace from his people wherever they are.

Depend on GOD and keep at it because in the LROD GOD you have a sure thing. 

All the exploited and outcast peoples build their lives on the reclaimed land.”

What Isaiah is writing about is oppression and hope.  What is oppression?  It’s the unjust, ruthless, burdensome, cruel use of power.  This is the opposite of God’s desire.  In the OT book of Exodus God introduces God’s self to Moses as “I AM.”  “I AM” has been translated as “I AM FOR YOU.”  Oppressive power can be translated as “I AM FOR ME.” 

In our lesson text from the prophet Isaiah, the faith community of Israel has been plundered by an enemy—whether it’s the Assyrian destruction of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, or Babylonia, we can’t be certain because there’s no specific historical reference.  What we do know is that both Israel and Judah were destroyed by nations to the north—homes and city walls and houses of worship and human life and fertile fields crushed—families separated—faith communities separated.  They are on the bottom of the power ladder and they can’t move. 

The image that comes to my mind for oppression is that of an elephant sitting on one’s chest—who can escape the weight of an elephant?  Interestingly enough, this is the same image that often offered to explain what a heart attack feels like.  Would the citizens of Ferguson, MO, say that right now their community feels like they are having a heart attack? 

And what is the hope Isaiah is writing about?  Isaiah is writing about the changed or TRANSFORMED mind (soul) of humanity. 

“Throw wide the gates so good and true people can enter,” says Isaiah to God, “People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit.”  Isaiah is envisioning a “come together” people filled with the mind of God, but what he’s talking about isn’t a mental will but a spiritual desire to accessible TO God so that God’s compassionate heart will become their heart.  It’s the people of God who won’t quit until they have laid the foundation for a world where destruction and meanness will be lifted from all the people of the world—where the people of the world will no longer feel the shame of disgrace.  We are conductors of God’s hospitality; God’s gracious welcome to ALL people.

Like Christ.  As John writes in his gospel, chapter 10 verse 10:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Christ is our savior, our vision for own lives. 

As followers of Christ, wet from our baptisms with the Holy Spirit of God, WE come that all may have life, and have it abundantly.  We are striving to live in sync with the Spirit of God who is “For You”—for YOUR life, for MY life.  We desire to show a world a different way—God’s way---the opposite of theft, murder, violence and oppression.

This “way” is already at work in Ferguson, MO.   I’d like to share two examples with you:

 NPR:  FERGUSON LIBRARY STAYS OPEN

A grand jury decision announced Monday not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown was preceded by a wave of shuttered doors in Ferguson, Mo. Expecting an eruption of protests over the decision, the city's public schools and many public services quickly declared they would be closed on Tuesday.

The Ferguson Public Library, however, remained open.

Scott Bonner, the library's director and its only full-time librarian, kept the building open to provide programming for local students and to offer adults a safe place in the midst of the tumult. The decision marked a renewal of the library's work in August, when it opened its space to impromptu classes during local schools' long closures during protests this summer. On Tuesday, Bonner said, it was tough to gauge just how visitors were reacting to the news.

"I'm seeing a mix of moods," Bonner told Library Journal. "Our volunteers are excited and optimistic, and here to help, and then I have patrons who come in and literally hold my hands and cry — they just needed someone to hold onto and talk to. And everything in between, including people who are doing the regular walk-in, walk-out stuff."

News of the Ferguson Public Library's opening also prompted an outpouring of donations. Partly spurred by social media support from Neil Gaiman, Rachel Maddow and even the show Reading Rainbow, Bonner told CNNMoney that the library's received donations "in the five digits" since the grand jury announcement. And they continue to flood in.

"I think that when there's all these negative stories," Bonner said to NBC News, "seeing a story where a community comes together unified behind a common cause ... it makes people remember that, you know, we're all human beings and we're in this together."

Centene to build new facility and create up to 200 jobs in Ferguson, Gov. Nixon announces

September 2, 2014

Gov. Nixon’s Missouri Works Training program helps to meet job training needs, facilitate expansion

St. Louis, MO

Gov. Jay Nixon today applauded Centene Corporation’s plans to build a new claims processing center and create up to 200 jobs in Ferguson, Missouri.  To facilitate the company’s expansion, Gov. Nixon’s administration is partnering with St. Louis Community College to provide targeted job training resources through the Missouri Works Training program. 

“This investment is an important step forward for Ferguson and the entire region, and I’m pleased my administration could help make it a reality,” Gov. Nixon said. “Attracting new jobs and investments is vital to creating greater economic opportunities for all Missourians in this region.  Centene’s decision to build a new facility in Ferguson is a great example of how our Missouri Works Training program is growing our economy by investing in the skills of our workforce.”   

“This is the right thing to do for the community, state and our shareholders,” said Centene CEO and Chairman Michael Neidorff. “It is time for action, not talk.”

The new service center will include employee development and training, on-site daycare, full service cafeteria and an auditorium for educational advancement.

“I would like to thank the leadership of the state, county and local governments, particularly Governor Jay Nixon who has worked closely to make these exciting plans come to fruition,” saidCentene Chief Financial Officer William Scheffel. 
Centene announced that it will begin taking applications for the new claims processing center jobs before the end of 2014.

To facilitate the project, the Missouri Department of Economic Development has offered Centene incentives through the Missouri Works Training Program, which the company can receive if it meets specific job creation and investment criteria.

Missouri Works Training is offered through the Department of Economic Development’s Division of Workforce Development in cooperation with local educational agencies, such as the community colleges and area career education schools. 

The first Sunday in Advent ushers in God’s good news in Christ:  God is bigger than the world’s oppressive powers—the people who destroy that which they don’t understand, the people who need to be equal to God.  God is bigger than evil’s oppressive spirit WITHIN us—the inner voice that says “you’re nothing, do nothing---keep your life small, hide your light under a bushel.”

God acts to reclaim our hearts AND our land, our cities and nations.

Where, in Billings, Montana, would Central Christian Church like to join God in God’s reclamation activity? 

Let Us Pray: 

Powerful God, your first candle in Advent sneaks up on us and punches us in the stomach.  We’re sitting here wondering what to make of snow and ice, and the extra calories we ate on Thanksgiving Day, and our Christmas shopping lists, and you’re placing us as heroes in the battle for good versus evil.  This just might be the most interesting Christmas we’ve experienced yet!  Gracious Christ, give us courage!  Amen. 

(This sermon was preached by Reverend Dana Keener at Central Christian Church, Billings, Montana on November 30, 2014.)

“Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy” (I Thessalonians 5:16-24)

Part of the anticipation and excitement of the Advent season is the expectation of the coming “gift” of the Christ Child into the world and into our lives.  It is a “gift” that we know from the scriptures and prophets to be a most exceptional gift in that it promises to all new beginnings and life . . . a fresh start . . . that life will be good . . . all wrapped up in the cute little package of a baby.  Everyone loves babies.  It makes us feel good.

So, what happens when the good feelings disappear and the reality sets in?

The problem with babies is that they grow up . . . that they are a lot of hard work . . . and, they are not always what we think they are.  Where are the good times now?

All of us gathered here this morning are what I would call “veterans of the faith”.  None of us are spring chickens . . . we have been about this faith business for quite some time.  Knowing that . . . what would you tell someone who is just entering into the faith journey?  Someone who is filled with the anticipation and excitement and expectation of the “gift” of the Christ Child.  Filled with all the expectations of new life, new beginnings, and that everything is going to be good.  What would you tell them about the reality of faith?  Would you pop their balloon or would you let them revel in their euphoric state?  What would you tell them?

Well, I have always been one for telling the truth, and the truth is that the journey of faith . . . that following in the footsteps of Jesus . . . is not easy.  Being faithful is hard work.  All of you have shared stories of the difficulty of your faith journeys . . . of the hard times in your life when nothing felt secure . . . that God seemed far off or inaccessible . . . that you were alone and forgotten.  Each Sunday morning we spend a portion of our time in worship sharing “concerns” that we have for others . . . the hardships of their lives and asked for prayers for them.  This exposes the fact that the journey of faith . . . that following in the footsteps of Jesus . . . is not all cake and ice cream.  Faith can be difficult.

So . . . what are you going to tell someone who is wrapped up in the expectation and anticipation of Advent and the coming “gift” of the Christ Child?

Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica was written for two reasons: to correct some of the misconceptions of his teachings about faith, and to provide encouragement.  Paul recognized that the followers of Jesus did not quite grasp what he was attempting to convey about the faith . . . that they were ignoring the fact that there would be difficulties with the journey of faith and that there would be hard times.  Paul recognized that they were like most of us . . . typical human beings who embrace what we want to hear and disregard the rest.   We tend to embrace the good at the expense of the difficult and hard.  But the apostle wants them to understand that faith is hard work and that there would be dark days while on the journey.  It was not all cake and ice cream.  At the same time he wanted to encourage them to keep the faith . . . to put on the face of “happy, happy, joy, joy”.

Paul writes: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Here the apostle is encouraging the people in Thessalonica to remain faithful . . . to hang on tight to the course set by Jesus . . . no matter how difficult or hard the journey might become.  The reward is greater than the hardships of life.  He wants the people to put on the face of “happy, happy, joy, joy”.

“Happy, happy, joy, joy” is a song that was on the children’s cartoon show, Ren and Stimpy, years ago . . . a cartoon I imagine that many of you did not have the privilege of viewing unless you now have children in their late twenties or early thirties.  Unfortunately I do have children in that age range, and unfortunately I was a victim of my children’s viewing habits.  I endured the reign of Ren and Stimpy.  But the “happy, happy, joy, joy” song—of which that is the whole song—was introduced as a parody on putting on the stiff upper lip and enduring in times of hard luck.  Trust me, Ren and Stimpy had lives of hard luck.  Their solution to the problem was to put a smile on their face and start singing “happy, happy, joy, joy” . . . to make the best of a bad situation because they knew that these times, too, shall pass.

That is what the Apostle Paul is telling the people to do . . . but, what happens when it feels as if we can never dig ourselves out of that hole in which we feel lost and forgotten . . . when our faith is being challenged . . . and, we can no longer bear the pain of it all?  What happens then?

One of my favorite psalms is Psalm 137.  This psalm tells the story of the people of God being exiled from their homes and homeland.  The people of God had gotten too prosperous and haughty in their ways of living . . . they had become relaxed and lazy in their faith . . . they were ignoring the means of faith and treating one another terribly . . . they had drifted from God.  Israel was at the height of prosperity in the world . . . a great nation filled with wealth and power.  They had gotten too big for their britches . . . and, God sent prophets to warn them to shape up or else.

Well, when things are going well people have a tendency to ignore the signs of trouble brewing . . . and, that is what the people did.  They ignored it all.  The result?  They were invaded by their enemies from Babylon and severely defeated.  The Babylonians destroyed the city of Jerusalem . . . tore down the sacred temple . . . and made the people captives and exiled them from their homes and homelands.  Basically the Babylonians put a major whooping on the children or God.

And, the people of God felt deserted by God . . . abandoned by God.  All their beliefs about being the children of God were washed down the drain.  All that they believed as the “chosen people” . . . that God would always take care of them, protect them, and make them a strong and prosperous nation . . . well, that was all was down the drain.  Reality set in and reality sucked . . . reality was hard.

Which brings us to Psalm 137.  The people are being marched to Babylon.  It is a hard and difficult march filled with woe and sadness.  Depressing times for the people of God.  Yet, when they stop and rest their captors demand from them a song . . .demand that they sing for them.  Psalm 137 expresses the feelings of the people in a time of hardship:

By the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

There on the poplars

we hung our harps,

for there our captors asked us for songs,

our tormentors demanded songs of joy;

they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a foreign land?

The fact is that when things get tough . . . and, they will get tough . . . it is not easy to keep the faith.  It is difficult to sing a song of joy when we are in a strange land . . . difficult to sing the songs of Zion when we remember the good days that now seem so far away.  The apostle Paul knows this . . . knows that hard times will come . . . and, so he tells the people to rejoice and to sing “happy, happy, joy, joy”. 

Paul is not the first to abide by this wisdom.  Those captives over there in Psalm 137 even realize the power of hope that comes from putting on the “happy, happy, joy, joy” in the face of difficult times . . . of hanging on no matter how thin that strand of rope might be. 

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

may my right hand forget its skill,

may my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

If I do not remember you,

if I do not consider Jerusalem

my highest joy.

Or, to hear it in the words of Paul: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

In the anticipation of the “gift” of the Christ Child and all that he holds for us in the journey of faith, let us be realistic in our faith and acknowledge that the road will not always be smooth and easily traveled . . . there will be hard times.  Let us also acknowledge that despite the hard times the gift is more than we could ever imagine and that despite the difficulties we are the children of God . . . a people blessed . . . a people saved.  As such we are a people who realize the “gift” for what it is . . . hope.  Always hope.  Because of that we can persevere through the most difficult times . . . we can sing the songs of joy . . . we can sing “happy, happy, joy, joy”.

What would you tell an exuberant newbie to the faith?  Well, I would encourage them to learn to sing . . . “happy, happy, joy, joy”.  There is blessing in the journey and Paul’s benediction upon the people: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

No matter what, there is always “happy, happy, joy, joy”!  Amen!

“Desperate Measures, Desperate Times” (Mark 1:1-8)

Times were tough.  The people felt oppressed.  A foreign government wielded an iron fist over them and was not afraid to use it.  Taxation had become a burden.  People were not good to one another.  Even their religion had become overbearing and weighty.  The days were becoming as dark as the night . . . the people were losing hope.  These were desperate times for the people . . . a people who felt lost . . . a people who felt oppressed . . . a people abandoned.  In understanding the time period we are dealing with it is not difficult to see the desperation.

Where was the relationship between God and the people?  Oppressed by dogma and ritual the people could barely breathe without falling into sin according to the local religious leaders.  The temple and sanctuary had become corrupt.  Those called to lead had separated themselves from the people and only had time to belittle the them as they rushed about in self-importance.  The “spirit” seemed lost . . . the “joy” had been destroyed . . . and faith set upon the people like a heavy burden that they could not shake.  And, the people drifted . . . drifted away.  These were dark days . . . days of desperation.

From where would hope come?  Well, probably not where one would it expect it to come from . . . desperate times create desperate measures.

Hope comes wandering out of the desert in the form of what we might call a hippie or at least a naturalist . . . he wore “clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locust and wild honey” . . . not exactly the heroic image many would imagine.  Not really what the people are expecting.  Yet, here comes this rag-tag fellow preparing the way and announcing the “hope” that is to come.  John the Baptist was not quite what the people were expecting.  Despite his dramatic appearance . . . his roughness around the edges . . . he was not the fiery conqueror the had imagined to come and set them free of their oppression and desperation.

In biblical times, such as the one we are dealing with this morning, we have to remember that John the Baptist is not really even off the path in his role in the story.  In this time, most sons followed in the footsteps of their father as far as careers went . . . and, John was definitely following in the footsteps of his father.  Like his father he was in the “god business”.  His father, Zechariah, was a priest . . . one of the “holy ones”—check it out over in the Gospel of Matthew.  Like father, like son . . . only John doesn’t quite fit the image of a priest as the people imagined a priest would look and act.  Nope, this guy was the opposite . . . he was an extreme; and, yet, he came with the task of helping people discover and rediscover their relationship with God and one another.  The people just weren’t expecting it in quite the way that it was being played out.

Now, remember what I said . . . desperate times create desperate measures.  John the Baptist wasn’t what the people were expecting, but he definitely got the people’s attention.  We know that the ministry of John the Baptist was immense as people came in droves to hear his words and to be baptized by him.  Shoot, the people even thought he might even be the one sent by God to rescue them . . . that he might even be the Messiah; but he assured them that he was not.  He told the people: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

If you think that John the Baptist threw the people for a loop, imagine what Jesus is going to do to them once he arrives on the scene . . . again, even Jesus is not quite the image of what the people expect when God comes to rescue them and re-establish the kingdom.  In fact, the whole scenario of what is panning out is absurd . . . yet, God stoops to desperate measures to grab the attention of the people and to change the world in which they live.

In the simplest terms I have always thought of the story of God’s people prior to the advent of Jesus . . . what we would call our Old Testament . . . as being one of a frustrated parent on the part of God.  In that story God attempts to use ever parenting trick imaginable.  God tries to talk to the people.  God sends them to their rooms.  God takes things away.  God spanks them . . . scolds them . . . ignores them . . . and, nothing ever seems to make a difference.  The people go about their business as usual, and the relationship between them and God gets no closer or better.  One would think that God would throw up God’s hands to call it quits.

I don’t know if it is out of desperation or what for God, but God plays a pretty dramatic trump card on the whole situation . . . God decides that if the people are ever going to get it, God is going to have to show them God’s self.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  God uses the last ploy of any good parent and determines that example is the most powerful means of having the people understand what is necessary for a relationship with God and one another.  God would come down to earth and show the people exactly what a “holy” relationship really is . . . thus we begin the Jesus story . . . God came down in human form to show the people the way.

Again, not quite the way the people expected as they wallowed in their desperation.  They wanted God to exert some of that wrath and smiting shown earlier in their journeys . . . not something that was based on relationships.

Any teacher worth his or her salt will tell you that the quickest way to establish order in a loud and rowdy classroom is to speak softly.  To speak softly because in speaking softly the class will quiet down to hear what the teacher is saying.  Here God speaks softly.

God speaks softly in ways that the people do not expect.  God speaks through a wild man wandering out of the desert . . . in images and people not expected.  God speaks not with power and anger, but in possibility and hope.  God speaks softly in hope . . . in hope that the people will listen and respond to God’s grace and love that comes unexpectedly.

I am sure that there would be those who disagree with me, but I think that we, too, live in desperate times.  That we are not too far off of what our ancestors of faith experienced in the scriptural words we hear this morning.  Ours seems like a pretty desperate world . . . pretty desperate times.  We could all use a little hope in our lives right about now.  So let us not look for it in the obvious and the expected, but let us look for it in subtle and quietness of the world and people around us.  Let us turn our ears towards the soft voice of God that whispers to us in these desperate times.  In these desperate times God surprises us with extreme measures . . . surprises us in the unexpected . . . surprises us in ways we never imagined.

Who would have thought that God would change the world . . . change lives . . . with a hippie wandering out of the wilderness announcing the greatest gift of all?  There is “hope” in the air as we continue our Advent journey . . . may we embrace it and hang on tightly in these times of desperation.  We just might find our salvation.  Amen.