Our base for the trip will  be the Aldersgate Retreat Center, and our first task upon arriving and getting settled in was a brief introduction to the center and its history.  We leared that Pacific Palisades itself was origianlly developed as a Methodist Community after the Chautauqua model and there were plans for it to become the Ocean Grove of the West Coast.  Although that plan did not last long, the house at Aldersgate continues to be associated with the California Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

After a great dinner, we moved over to the Buerge Chapel for our first spiritual effort, an introduction to Julia Bogany of the Tongva-Gabrieleno Tribe, a spiritual leader and minister that will be our guide for the next few days.  Here, before a fire kindled at the front of the Chapel, we had our first introduction to Native American (more specifically Tongva) culture.  We each shared what we wanted to pray about, “leaving” it behind on a blanket spread out on the ground before we began to hear a bit about the Tongva and Julia’s efforts among them and with the surrounding community.  The evening ended with everyone tired and ready for good nights sleep after a very long day.

Dr. Spencer Miller is currently a professor at Drew University.

on Exodus 3:1-15/Romans 12:9-21   -

Reading – Exodus 3:1-15 NRSV

3Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ²There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. ³Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” ⁴When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”  ⁵Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. ⁷Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, ⁸and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ⁹The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”¹¹But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” ¹²He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” ¹³But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹⁴God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“ ¹⁵God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.

Message-

The Burning Bush story – something we are all familiar with from our reading of the Exodus story, and maybe even more so from the great Cecil B. DeMille Movie “The 10 Commandments”; which has provided generations of us with the iconic image of Charlton Heston as Moses before the burning Bush.

Clearly this encounter with God was a life changing experience, one that is shown in the movie by how much Moses was changed just in this experience.  Likewise, when any of us encounter God it is likely to be a life changing experience, I know it has been for me.  But what does an encounter with God look like, and who is likely to have one.  Lets consider those questions this morning by looking a little deeper at today’s readings.

Who Was Moses

We are familiar with the story of Moses, a Hebrew baby, set adrift in a basket to save his life, pulled from the Reeds by the Pharaoh’s daughter and raised as Prince of Egypt.  But who was Moses when he encountered the Burning Bush?

Moses was called when he was a lost soul – wandering through life himself, no longer sure of who he was, yet that is who God calls.

Moses asks Who Am I  – he does not even know who he is at this point – born a Hebrew, raised as an Egyptian  – Much like many “illegal aliens” in our country today – he has never known anything else – yet with one mistake – he becomes exiled to a land and life he is totally unfamiliar with – Yet this is when God calls him. – I suppose this could be a good argument for supporting the DREAM ACT, but that’s a topic for another time.

When we recognize this about Moses, that at the time he was called he was lost, no longer a great prince, but actually a fugitive on the run, a man trying to figure out just who he was  – when we acknowledge that, then we must all accept the fact that God can call anyone at anytime to take action.  And when we recognize that, we have to accept that any one of us can be called to action at anytime.

The question Moses asks is one that we all face whenever we consider taking any action.  Who Am I – to do this, what makes me special, why would anyone listen to me, follow me, or change their way of living because of me.  These are all legitimate questions, aren’ t they?  I suppose they would be if we were being asked to do something in particular – but God actually calls each one of us to be leaders by our daily actions.  This is an idea I will come back to.

Getting back to Moses - Moses Asks God -Who are you.  Remember that Moses was not brought up Hebrew – his introduction to this one God, Lord of all, El Shaddai, Yaweh, is a relatively new thing in his life at this point.  I suspect that his faith was far from that of many devout Hebrews of the time, especially give the trials and tribulations he has just been through.  When we look at the story critically, we have to accept the Moses was still working on his own faith at the time he was called.  He was not a priest or even a lay leader of a local community, he was simply a man of questionable faith and understanding that was out doing his daily business, tending to his sheep.

But that is the same question that many of us ask, who is this God that calls us, I mean really, what is God, and can God be all the powerful and all knowing if I am being called?   –  Many of us may feel that we are sufficiently religious folks, we come to church on a regular basis, we celebrate the holidays, we pray for those in need and those we love – but most of us probably do not feel that we are special enough to be individually called by God – are we?

Bishop Will Willimon published an Article in 2002 in which he looked at those chosen to by God to be leaders in the Bible, particularly at this story in Exodus.  As part of his analysis Bishop Willimon wrote:

• The people who are called to lead are almost always the wrong people. It is almost as if God goes out of God’s way to pick those who, at least on the face of it, have no virtues or qualities that suggest they would be good leaders. I’m thinking of Jacob, Sarah, Mary, Peter and Paul here, as well as of Moses. Perhaps God likes a challenge. Maybe a Creator who makes something out of nothing considers vocation a continuing aspect of creation. Any God who could make a man like Moses into a wonderful leader must be some God.

While we may not all be called to be leaders, Willimon’s analysis makes it clear that like Moses, we should not feel ourselves immune from being called to do God’s work simply because we are not “special” to start with.   As Methodists, we subscribe to the concept of the Ministry of All Christians.  That is the call for each of us to live our lives as witness’ to the message of Christ.  But how do we do that?

Last Sunday we heard the reading from Romans (12:1-8) in which Paul taught us how each of us has different gifts to share, that we are all different parts of the same body each with role to play in bringing God’s Kingdom into being.  Each of us needs to consider just what gifts we have been given and how we can best utilize them to fulfill Christ’s Mission.

This week, we heard more from Romans (12:9-21), a reading that provides us with about 30 ways to live a life consistent with what Jesus taught.  While some of these seem to be common sense, others are more difficult and are likely to require us to change who we are, and will not be easy.

Much like Moses when he encountered the Burning Bush, we may not feel we are ready, or have the abilities to be leaders in creating God’s Kingdom.  But in Romans we are given a map to follow that reveals just what we need to accept that call.

Each of us have our own Burning Bush moments, times when we sense that something is not right and needs to be addressed.  We should not shrink from such moments, but rather we should be prepared to take them on, to accept those calls and like Moses, to make a difference in our world.  Becoming familiar with the lessons of Romans will help us be prepared to accept those  calls.  Romans provides us with tools that can help us be ready when God calls. And we should all be certain that God will be calling – there is no question about that.  The only question is, will we be ready?

Reference

Willimon, W.H.

2002 Back to the burning bush: leadership 101.  Christian Century, 119(9), 7-8.

Walk with Us

The Walk to Emmaus – truly one of the most significant of all Gospel stories.  It asks us that important question – Where Have We Seen God.  Do we see evidence of Christ reflected in the faces of those that live around us. In which faces and which situations –   Can others see Christ in us as we walk through life?

I want to share a selection with you from Shane Claiborne’s book “the Irresistible Revolution.   The background for this story is that the young Shane had decided to go to Calcutta to work with Mother Theresa.  He was able to get the phone number for her organization, called and was surprised that she answered the phone herself, and very matter of factly – she told him to come to India and they would put him to work.  On his arrival he was surprised to find that there was no hierarchy of workers, but that all were expected to do the same things, even Mother Theresa herself.  He soon found himself working   with the population and learning a great deal.  From  the Irresistible Revolution, Chapter 3 –  ”In Search of a Christian”:

Dying to Find Life

I fell in love with the Home for the Destitute and Dying and spent most days there.  I helped folks eat, massaged muscles, gave baths, and basically tried to spoil people who really deserved it.  Each day, folks would die, and each day, we would go out onto the streets and bring in new people.  The goal was ont to keep people alive (we had very few supplies for doing that) but to allow people to die with dignity, with someone loving them, singing, laughing, so they were not alone.  Sometimes folks with medical training would come by and be overwhelmed with frustration because we had so few medical supplies, and the sisters would hastily explain that our mission was not to prolong life but to help people die well.  As Mother Teresa would say (telling the old story aboutthrowing starfish back into the ocean even though they continue to line the beach in thousands),  “We are called not to be successful but to be faithful.”  That sounds good, but it was the beginning of my years fo struggling with the tension between efficiency and faithfulness.  I remembered Gandhi’s saying that what we are doing may seem insignificant, but it is most important that we do it.  So we did.

While the temptation to do great things is always before us, in Khalighat I learned the discipline of doing small things with great deliberation.  Mother Teresa used to say, “We can do no great things, just small things with great love.  It is not how much you do, but how much lover you put into doing it.”  Just as Andy would reprimand people for using too much soap when washing dishes (we mixed ashes with the soap to multiply it), I also hear many a volunteer scolded for not putting enough gravy on the rice, since the plate was being served to Jesus himself.

Khalighat is one of the places that showed me resurrection, that life is more powerful than death, that light can pierce darkness.  Those dying people were some of the most vibrant people I had ever met.  There is a morgue in the home for the dying.  As you walk into it, a sing on the wall reads, “I’m on my way to heaven.”  And when you turn around to walk out, another sign says, “Thanks for helping me get there.”  I could truly say, “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55). Death was “swallowed up” (v.54) by the laughter of the dying and the singing of the destitute.  I knew what Jesus meant when he told Peter that the “gates of hell would not prevail” against the church, as I was finally seeing a church that storming the gates of hell itself to save people from its horrors.

As I looked into the eyes of the dying, I felt like I was meeting God.  It was as if I were entering the Holy of Holies of the temple – sacred, mystical.  I felt like I should take off my shoes.  I knew what Dorothy Day meant when she said,  “The true atheist is the one who denies God’s image in the ‘least of these.’ “  The reality that God’s Spirit dwells in each of us began to sink in.  I had sung the old worship songs in youth group, like “Sanctuary” )”Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy”), but I don’t think I ever realized that we really are the sanctuaries where the Spirit dwells.  Our bodies are the temples of God, and that’s not just a reason to eat less cholesterol.  We are the body of Christ, not in some figurative sense, but we are the flesh and blood of Jesus alive in the world through the Holy Spirit – God’s hands, fee, ears.  When Paul writes “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20), he means it.  Over and over, the dying and the lepers would whisper the mystical word namaste in my ear.  We really don’t have a word like it in English (or even much of a Western conception of it).  They explained to me that namaste means “I honor the Holy One who lives in you.” I knew I could see God in their eyes.  Was it possible that I was becoming a Christian, that in my eyes they could catch a glimpse of the image of my Lover? (Irresistible Revolution, pages 77-80, 2006, Zondervan)

      This passage may have seemed a bit long to read to you this morning, but it holds so much that I wanted to share with you.  I find this to be a wonderful story of discovery, of recognizing that Jesus is in each of us, if we only take the time to stop and look.  Much like Cleopas and his friend on that road to Emmaus though, we often are too preoccupied with the disappointments of life to take the time to see Christ in those around us.

Those travelers were so busy talking about the events of the last several days, the trial, the crucifixion, the missing body, that they were missing the point altogether.  Even as Jesus appears to them, their eyes are closed to the miracle that is happening.   This could be because they are in such deep mourning – a state which often can keep us from seeing with open eyes.

The Iroquois Confederacy once stretched from Amsterdam to Rochester  – but that great union had once been five separate nations, constantly at war with each other and constantly in a state of mourning as one death led to another in a cycle of revenge killings that would make any warrior nation proud.  But then the Peacemaker,  Deganawidah, came along.  He offered the warring nations a way out that cycle of revenge and killing in the form of the Condolence Ceremony.   An important part of the ceremony is the symbolic “Removal of Dust from your eyes so that you may see clearly and earth from your ears so that you may hear well. By removing the mourning, Deganawidah helped the people to see more clearly – and great change occurred.

Those travelers to Emmaus were suffering in much the same way, unable to see who their travelling companion was, or to hear his voice and know that Christ was right there with them.  They were unable to recognize the message clearly, even as he taught them once again.  The pain and mourning were getting in the way of the new life that had been offered to them.

We suffer the same thing in our lives.  Often it is our natural state and we do not even recognize it, but then every so often something happens that helps us to become aware.  One of those events happened this week.  Last Sunday night, we heard the news that Osama Bin Laden had been found, and that during that mission he had been killed.  The news spread quickly and images of happy, partying people soon filled the airwaves.  People were joyfully dancing in the streets and hitting the internet, celebrating the death of a man considered evil by most.

This response struck me as somehow wrong.  Certainly the news that Bin Laden would no longer be able to terrorize the world was great to hear, but what troubled me was the overwhelming joy so many showed at his death.  This seemed off the path that Jesus calls us to.  After all, his message was one of peace and nonviolent reaction to all, even to those who are our enemies and who might strike us. As I watched the images on the television screen I wondered just how Jesus would have responded to such news, and I wondered if I was the only one with such concerns.   I have been relieved to see many posting similar thoughts during the last week, happy to know that I am not alone in recognizing the disconnect in these actions for many people that consider themselves Christians, or followers of Christ.

I can see why so many reacted the way they did.  This country has been in mourning for 10 years, constantly wondering if and when the next attack might come.  Our eyes have been blinded by the dust of the World Trade Center, and our ears clogged by the sounds of pain and mourning.  Much like those early Iroquois nations, we have been awaiting retribution of some sort, and it finally came last Sunday.  But how would the stanger walking to Emmaus have reacted to such news?  I doubt he would have seen himself reflected in the faces of those partying in the streets.

The story of the walk to Emmaus reminds us that we need to be ready to see Christ wherever we may be at any time.  Each person that enters our lives provides the opportunity for us to see the Holiness in each other.  For those travelers the recognition came in the breaking of the bread, the sharing of a meal.  With that meal their soles were fed and their eyes opened.  I invite each of us, as we leave here this morning and go out into the world, to look for the Holy in each other, to be open to seeing Christ walking along with us each day,  To actively seek Christ in our world with each meal we enjoy – and to be sure that Christ is in each of us for others to see as we walk with them.  May God be with each of us in every step we take.

 Luke 24:13-35

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?”  They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”  He asked them, “What things?”  They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.”

Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!  Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?”  Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.  They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke  24:13-35, NRSV)

Readings and Message leading to Thanksgiving – November 21, 2010- First UMC Schenectady

When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God, you shall make this response before the LORD your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.  So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me.” You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down before the LORD your God.

Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house.

4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

4:9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

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“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.  .  .  .  No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” (10/3/1863)

With these words, in 1863, Abraham proclaimed that Thanksgiving would be a national day of recognition and thanks to God.  But we know that 1863 is not the first day of thanks in our history.  From the time of the Pilgrims onward there had been days of giving thanks in many areas.  All that Lincoln’s proclamation did was set a national day to observe.

The practice of giving thanks appears in every culture and land that I know of, a signal that all peoples of the earth recognize in some fashion the importance of giving thanks to God in some fashion.  Today’s readings from both the old and new testaments, as well as the Psalm, are evidence of the long history of the call to giving thanks in our own Judaeo-Christian tradition.

Many of us still keep the spirit of these passages on Thanksgiving day.  We will gather with family and friends and share what we are thankful for on that day.  For most it will be a happy day.  But for all too many of us, that one day may be the only day that we take time to really be thankful in the way the scripture calls us to be.

On Thanksgiving day we will have wonderful meals. It is likely to be the “best” meal of the year for many. We will sit down to tables overfilled with an abundance of foods. Turkey and stuffing, pies and cakes, the best our kitchens can offer.

The day will be filled with the joyful noise of conversation and laughter, perhaps even singing in some households.  And there will be much rejoicing as old friends and family come from distant places to share the day.

But how focused will we be on actually thanking God.  We may all be focused on God for that moment or two when grace is said – but I suspect that most of us will lose that focus as soon as the potatoes start being passed around.  That is our modern lifestyle and something for each of us to think about as we prepare for Thursday.

Something else for us all to think about is just how much we prepare for this day we call Thanksgiving.  We will do the same for Christmas day and for Easter, both important Christian Holidays which celebrate specific happenings – the birth of Jesus and Resurrection of the Christ.  But each of those days do celebrate specific events.

Thanks – Giving is different.  We have Thursday – that one day national holiday when the giving of thanks is a focus for the entire nation – Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, even atheists can be thankful on Thanksgiving Day.  But those passage that you heard this morning actually call on us to be thankful much more often.  They call us to be thankful every day.

Deuteronomy talks about taking from the first fruits of the ground and giving it back to God in thanks.  It is true that this passage refers to a harvest time event, but it was written in a time when agriculture and harvest were the source of subsistence for most people.  In today’s market economy we might want to reconsider that passage.  If written today is might be more likely to say “when you get your pay each week, make your first check out to God”.  Return to the Lord in thanksgiving before spending on anything else.  For many of us that live paycheck to paycheck, giving in this way is simply not a reality.  For many of us we find that we give back to God only after we have paid the bills, the child care, bought the groceries, etc.  Then from whatever is left over we give back to God.  I understand the reality of this in our world, but I ask us all to think about that approach and if it is how we want to give.

In Philippians and the Pslam we are told to “rejoice in the Lord always” and to “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth”.   These passages encourage us to be joyful in our giving of thanks and praise.  Certainly we do this on Thanksgiving Day, and in Church on Sunday mornings, but the scriptures say nothing about limiting when to be joyful and rejoicing.  For me it clear that we should be following these teachings every day, in everything we do.

Think about how different life would be if we actually lived each day filled with same joy, rejoicing and thankfulness that we feel on Thanksgiving day.  Some might say, but it is the gathering of the family on that day which brings much of the joy.  That is something which I can easily understand. But to them I would say – are you not surrounded by your larger family each day, the family of your community?  Of those that we work with and live with.  They are all our family as well and we should be thankful for our communities and joyful to be sharing their presence with us in God’s world.  Again I ask, how different would the world be if we all had that same sense of joy, rejoicing and thankfulness each and every day over being in community with our neighbors in God’s world.

Changing who we are and how we act in the world is not an easy thing, but it is what Jesus called us to do. – He called us to love our neighbors, to be in community with them, and to bear witness to our faith.  One small way that we can do that is through an action that many of us have allowed to fall from being a part of our everyday lives.

Through the simple practice of saying grace before each and every meal.  The practice of giving thanks to God each time we sit down to share food, no matter who we are with, no matter where we are.  It does not have to be said aloud, or done jointly, but I wonder how it would change our outlook on the world if we made the conscious efforts to take a moment to say thank you to God several times each day?

As we look forward to Thanksgiving this week, I encourage us all to be intentional in our giving of thanks, to make it a part of our daily routine and to not let ourselves be swayed from this simple act by those around us.  Who knows, we may even be able to start a movement that will make everyday a Thanksgiving day.

God, giver of life and all that we have to share, we thank you for all that we have and ask your blessing on those assembled here to share with us.  Amen.

Message on Luke 19:1-10 – The Story of Zacchaeus -

Provided to Newtonville UMC – Sunday, October 10, 2010 – by D. Mackey

Luke 19:1-10 ¹He entered Jericho and was passing through it. ²A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.⁵When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”⁶So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. ⁷All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” ⁸Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” ⁹Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” (New Revised Standard Version)

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The story of Zacchaeus is a story of a small man saved by the love Jesus.  A message we can all take to heart.

But there is so much more waiting for us in this passage if we are willing to sit with it for awhile, to look deeper than the surface.

Zacchaeus was not just any man.  He was the Chief Tax Collector of Jericho.  Probably one of the Richest men in town, especially of the Hebrew community.  As the Chief collector he was working with and for the Roman government, and from what we know of tax collectors of the time, they often extracted more from the population than was actually due for taxes, keeping the excess for themselves.

He was also a man short in stature.  This is usually seen as talking about physical size, he was short – but it can also be taken as suggesting that he was of small stature in the community, one that no one will move aside for because of a lack of respect.  Given his role as the chief tax collector this is easily understandable.  He would have been seen as in cahoots with the Roman oppressors of his people.

Yet, he was also eager to see this Jesus fellow he had heard so much about.  Clearly Jesus being in town was an event.  Jesus was surrounded by crowds wherever he went and by this time he had a reputation for miracles and healing.  Zacchaeus knew that this was someone that he had to at least see.  He was so eager to see this man that he ran ahead of the crowd and climbs that tree to insure that he will have a good seat just to get a glimpse of Jesus as he walks by.

That is something we can probably all identify with at some level.  Even in our hectic lives and this troubled world, wouldn’t we be willing to climb a tree – or at least put in some kind of effort to the Savior of the World go walking through out town.

Look at what people do just go get a glimpse of actors, athletes or musicians in our culture.  How much are we willing to pay to see these people – even though we can probably get better images of them right at home.  But that is not enough.  Being in the presence of someone of greatness, however we define that, has some kind of special effect on the human psyche.  And if we are willing to go to such lengths for human heroes, what would we be willing to do if we knew Jesus was walking down Main Street.

So Zacchaeus climbs up into that tree.  But not just any tree.  Luke has him climb specifically into a Sycamore Tree.  If you read Luke carefully, you come to realize that every detail of his writing is deliberate and full of deeper meaning.  It was important to Luke that it was a Sycamore Tree, not an Olive tree, or the wall of courtyard, or even a nearby building that Zacchaeus uses to get a better view.  No, he uses a specific tree, the Sycamore.  But why?

When most of us hear “Sycamore Tree” we immediately think of the Sycamores we are used to seeing, American Sycamores, a large, stately tree.  But that is not the type of Sycamore that Luke has Zacchaeus climbing.  The tree in the story is a Sycamore Fig, a natural species of the Jericho area, and one that was a staple of the time period.

Why would Luke use this type of tree?  With a bit or research I found some very interesting things about Sycamore Figs.  First, it bears a great deal of fruit, so much that there is often plenty for the picking, and during this period it was often considered a food source for the poor, even though Sycamore figs are considered by some to be bitter and least tasty type of fig.  Figs are a very nutritious and served as a staple food for many.  They are an important source of nutrients and have medicinal uses as well.  They are actually considered by some to be the perfect fruit, so nutritious and full of a variety of vitamins and minerals – such as calcium, iron, magnesium, B6 and potassium.  They are also low in fat and high in fiber and it has been suggested that one could live on nothing but figs, seeing them a sole (soul?) source food.

There is evidence that Sycamore figs were among the first, if not the very first plant species that was deliberately bred for agriculture in the Mid-East.  Among the ancient Egyptians they were a primary fruit, and appear in large amounts as early 2-3,000 years B.C.  In fact, the Tree of Life depicted in ancient Egypt appears to have been the Sycamore Fig and there is evidence of their use both as food and a source of timber in Egyptian tombs.

Clearly the Sycamore Fig has a long history and special place in cultures of the Mid East – and as an educated person, Luke may well have been aware of at least some of these associations – so by having Zacchaeus in a Sycamore Tree – Jesus finds him in a symbolically rich place.

Looking at the story in this light it is as if Jesus reaches up into this tree of life, a source sustenance for the masses, and picks a piece of fruit, Zacchaeus.  Did Jesus see that he was ripe and ready to be picked, ready to follow the Way to the Kingdom?

Not all fruit is ripe and ready to be picked.  The grower has to nurture it and wait for the right moment.  Sometimes fruit is left in the tree and will become overripe and of no use.  Sometimes a fruit or a nut, is not even edible in its natural state – but must be prepared in order to be usable.  Acorns are a great example of this – deadly to humans in their natural state, but once they have been properly prepared they served as a dietary staple for several Native American cultures.

In the case of Zacchaeus we see a fruit that was ready to be picked.  We are not told what has brought him to this point, but it is clear that He wanted to see Jesus.  He made the effort to run ahead of the crowd and climb the tree so that he could see.  Zacchaeus made sure that he was prepared to see when Jesus walked down his street.

But the story does not tell us that he was already a follower of Jesus.  In fact, by being a rich man, the story starts with him in the same place as several other rich men that appear in Luke – unlikely to be able to accept the message and follow Jesus.  Throughout Luke the message is clear that wealth is more of a hindrance than a help in reaching the Kingdom of God.  In the Sermon on the Mount – Jesus teaches – “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luk 6:20 NRS);  and  “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” (Luk 6:24 NRS)

In the parables of the Rich fool who looked to store up more wealth (Luke 12), the Rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16), and the Wealthy young Ruler (Luke 18), we see a pattern of men unable to let go of their worldly wealth, unable to understand the message that Jesus is teaching.

Yet in Zacchaeus  - we have a story where the rich man sees the light, where Jesus needs to do nothing more than simply say, “come down, – let’s go to your house and have a meal”.

That simple invitation causes the fruit that is Zacchaeus to literally jump out of the tree, to accept the message of Christ and open his heart and his coffers to help the poor.  He seeks to make amends to everyone that he may have harmed through abusing his position.  To seek Justice for those he has up to now exploited.  Not only will he no longer take more than is right at tax time, or simply repay what he has wrongly taken. Zacchaeus looks to be radical in seeking to restore justice to those he has harmed by giving back four times what he had wrongfully taken.

It’s clear that Zacchaeus was a piece of fruit that ready to be picked.  Events in his life had prepared him, events that we are not aware of, but we do know that when Jesus walked down his street and looked up into that tree, he saw a fruit that was ripe and ready to be picked.  A man of earthly wealth and power, ready to let go and be shaped by the message of Christ.

As we sit here today, I wonder how many of us are as ripe and ready to be picked as Zacchaeus was.  If Jesus was to walk down the street and past our door this morning as we leave this building, how many of us would be willing and ready to be picked, to change our lives to follow his full teachings.

We may all be great looking fruit hanging on the tree of life, but are we ready to be picked  - to live lives of service and love, seeking to bring justice to the exploited, to give of everything that we have to help those in need.  Jesus asked nothing less of us than just that.  To love each other and to act with compassion and sharing, seeking justice for all of our neighbors.    As you head out into the world today consider this thought.  Are you ready to be picked?  Am I ready?

Text – Luke 17:11-19 – the Ten Lepers (passage copied at the end)

Good Morning –

It seems fitting that on 10 -10- 10, the day that the 10-fold effort begins,  we have a story about the 10 – The 10 lepers that come to Jesus seeking to be healed.  In one of the lectionary discussion groups that I read, someone asked the question of whether the Lectionary planners did that on purpose.  Considering that the lectionary is made to run in 3 year cycles and be repeated I doubt it, but as several contributors suggested – the lectionary editors probably did not realize it, but they suspected that God did.          Hmmmmm

So what can we glean from looking at this passage –

My initial thoughts ran to a consideration of how much like the nine most of us are – Happy to call on God to meet our needs and desires, and then all to often forgetful of giving credit to God when things go well for us.  I am not suggesting that God answers those that pray hard enough, that is not my theology at all – but if we are going to seek such divine help during hard times, then we should be ready to acknowledge God when things go well.

That seems simple enough, – but that’s the thing about studying biblical passages.  They all carry so much more wisdom and food for thought than what appears at the surface.  Each passage can have deeper insight, if only we are willing to take the time to consider them carefully.

In this passage there are actually several characters to consider and several roles that we can look at more carefully to see what message can be pulled out.

The first set of characters are the nine lepers.  Like the tenth, they also sought mercy and healing from Jesus – and like the tenth they were instructed to go show themselves to the priests.

Now those priests, though they have no speaking roles in this passage, are an extremely important part of what is happening.  In the Jewish society of that day priests were the ones that could declare something or someone clean or unclean.  For people, like the lepers, that were deemed “unclean” life was very difficult.  The unclean were separated from the rest of society, not allowed to enter the temple, banished from interactions with even their family, for if the family were to touch an unclean person, then they would also be deemed unclean.

When Jesus tells the 10 to go and show themselves to the Priests, he sends them on a journey that will bring them back into the fold of society.  The 10 set out joyfully, looking forward to re-integration to the society, to rejoining their families.  Needless to say that when they saw that they had been cleansed, they were probably as happy as they had ever been and it is quite likely that they ran the rest of the way to the priests, eager to show off their new condition and get back to their old lives.  With this miraculous healing, they would be able to resume their lives, rejoin their families, and get back to the lives they had before being afflicted.

Getting back to their old lives – isn’t that just what we usually do after a time of crisis.  When someone in our family is sick, when they have an accident, when there is a time of economic hardship, when a relationship ends or whenever this is some other form of suffering – what is the lament we often hear –

Why me?

Why did my life have to be upset by these events?

Why can’t things just go back to the way they where?

And often these times are accompanied by times of prayer and pleading to God to let things get better.  We have all been there, and when times get better, what do we usually do.  WE go back to our lives as they were before the tragedy, happy to have our routine back, happy to have things settled and back to normal.

I suspect that is where the nine are headed in such a hurry.  The nine will soon reach the priests, be certified as cleansed and be able to go back to the life they knew before becoming lepers – a life in which they may be good followers of the law – perhaps even more focused on following the law than they had been previously, but where has this kind of adherence to the law left Israel up to this point.

But the ONE, the Samaritan,  the outsider – he is the one that does something different.  When he sees that he has been cleansed of the disease, he does not carry on toward the priests.  He alone recognizes that he needs to change directions in his life, that he has been touched by God directly and that he does not need the priests to legitimize his healing.  The one knows that he needs to go right back to the source and thank Jesus for this new lease on life.  He recognizes the need to be open to that direct relationship which has been offered. It is through this acceptance of that relationship and his belief in the Christ that he is wholly healed – not just his skin.

Now there is another little piece of this to look at, Why does Jesus tell this Samaritan – ‘Your Faith has Made you Well” .  Were not all ten made well?  What is different about this one that Jesus is referring to.

To understand this quirk in the story we can look back to the original Greek, where we see that Luke has used some very specific terms in referring to the cleansing of the skin.  The Greek actually uses three different verbs with three different associations or meanings. (my Greek is non-existant – the following italicised text was taken from a discussion this week on the website depseratepreacher.com)   In verse 14 all ten are “cleansed” (katharizo). In verse 15, the One sees he is “healed” (iaomai) and returns to Jesus to offer praise and thanks. In Verse 19, Jesus replies that his faith has “made him well” (sozo)–a verb typically translated either as “saved” or “made well”. It seems that Luke was very specifically trying to show that the Samaritan, through the depth of his faith, has received something much more than just cleansed skin.  Due to that faith, his healing seems to have reached into his soul.

This is the kind of healing that is available to each of us with faith.  A healing that reaches deep into our souls.  The trials and tribulations of our lives, the minor issues we face each day and even those much greater crises which lead us into despair are all wounds that need healing.  Through faith we can find a healing of not only the physical wounds, the emotional wounds, but also the deeper ones, the wounds that no human can see.  Through Jesus we have a connection to God and to an even greater healing than any human medicine and advanced science can provide.

The offer of that kind of healing is there for us always, God’s Grace offered to each person on earth.  But are we open to accepting that Grace.  Are we ready to recognize the source of that offer and give thanks for it daily as the Samaritan did.  Or will we fall into the trap that the nine did, the trap of being happy to be cleansed at the surface, the trap of falling back into our old routines as soon as the crisis passes.

God offers us the opportunity to accept that grace and to change our lives.  Every day we have the opportunity to seek to live our lives in ways that glorify God, not through just saying our prayers and following the laws, but by truly recognizing the source of Grace in our lives and actively seeking to give praise and thanks as the Samaritan did.  As we go from here into the world, let each of us seek to live our lives in ways which demonstrate we understand the way the Samaritan did.  May we each open our lives to God’s Amazing healing Grace.  Let our faith make us well.

Luke 17:11-19 (The Message)

^11-13It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

^14-16Taking a good look at them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.

^17-19Jesus said, “Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?” Then he said to him, “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.”

 Readings – Epistle – 1 Timothy 6:6-19;  Gospel – Luke 16:19-31

Prepared by: Douglas P. Mackey Jr.

For Service at: FUMC Schenectady

 Good Morning –

Today we have heard two readings that can be seen as admonishing the rich; reminders that money, and the desire to possess it, can bring unintended consequences to our lives.  A common thread in each passage is that ultimately, it is up to us to make the choices about how we live our lives and to recognize that the choices we make will shape who we become.   In the case of the Rich man his choices seem to have focused him on his own situation, rather than on the greater community that he is part of.

 The passage from Timothy closes with instructions to: “^17-19 Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage – to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.”

 Too bad so many in our communities and our Nation don’t choose to live this way.  We see arguments on the News every day –

 Arguments against comprehensive health care – illustrating a lack of understanding that some people just can not afford to seek help.

Arguments against programs designed to help the poor, simply because they will cost the rich.

 Arguments against ending tax cuts to all but the richest among us – because that would be unfair to those who can most afford to help others.

 These voices often remind me of the Rich Man we find in Luke.  He does not seem to be a bad person; he is not an evil man. He takes no overt action to cause harm to Lazarus.  He is simply oblivious to the needs of someone that is sitting right on his doorstep, someone that is in such need and poor health that he can not even stop the dogs from licking at his sores.

Artwork commissioned by UNICEF - details at http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2008/dont-ignore-me-4/

No – the Rich Man does not have to be seen as a bad person, simply as an oblivious one, perhaps as a selfish one in that he is so self centered that he is unable to see the reality of world in which he lives.  He is so cushioned from such a life by the wealth he possesses that he is blind to the needs of others and he has chosen not to make an effort to look around.

 I’m glad I’m not rich like that – aren’t you.  I mean I don’t dress in expensive clothes – no purple and fine linens for me.  I don’t drive a fancy new car, why my truck is rusting and has over 220,000 miles on it.

 But then – I do eat pretty well each day – don’t you?  We all probably have a warm dry place to spend our nights, and lights to keep the dark away until we are ready for it.  We have places we feel safe, good shoes on our feet and coats to keep us warm when it gets cold.  We have clean water to drink, friends, families, communities to support us.  Cell phones to call them on – and as one of my professors pointed out this week – I would bet that most of us know what it means to Google.

 We may not think of ourselves as rich compared to many in our society, but compared to many in the world and even some right here in our own communities, we are rich beyond any dreams they could have.

 So, I guess that means I have to look at today’s reading in a bit of a different light.  I can’t just assume the message is meant for somebody else – for those rich folks that live in big houses and drive upscale cars.  I need to realize that Jesus and Paul are talking to me as well.  We Americans need to realize just how rich, and how lucky we are and make sure we think about the fate of the Rich Man – and consider how we can live our lives more in line with the point Jesus was making.

 This is America – right.  Land of the free, home of the brave, country of equal opportunity for all … dwelling for the blind and unseeing, domicile for those in denial…..

Let me tell you a true story.  In February 2009, I ran a 30 hour famine with the Youth Group from Newtonville UMC.  During the event we all spent several hours at Colonie Center, right outside of Boscov’s – speaking to shoppers, educating them about the 29,000 children that die each day from hunger and its complications and gathering donations to help fight hunger.

 We had a great deal of wonderful response.  Many folks stopped and asked questions to learn more.  We saw people actually transform- suddenly opening their wallets to give more than we would have ever expected.  But we also saw those who refused to see, who would literally run by so as not to have to face the students, or who would actually hide their faces rather than face up to the facts the youth were presenting.  It was a quite a lesson for them in human nature.  One woman stood out for all of us.  She actually came over to argue with us – stating that there was no hunger in America because we had Welfare to cover the poor.

Wow

The most ironic part of this story though, is that about a week later, as my wife and I left a restaurant at the same mall, we were approached in the parking lot by a clean, well dressed man who asked if we could spare money for food.  Seems he had lost his job some time ago and used up all of his reserves, and had not eaten for several days.  I handed him my doggie bag from the restaurant and he immediately opened the bag and ate the contents, thankful for the small help we had provided.  It was clear that hunger did exist in America, in fact it existed right there on Wolf Road at the buying and selling hub of our society – at the Temple of our conspicuous consumption and consumer driven culture.  At the place were those of us with riches go to spend them, Hunger met us on the doorstep.

 We are currently living in a time of crisis.  It is a time when the gap between the rich and poor is widening.  Poverty is increasing.  I learned this week that the census bureau has just released data which indicates 14% of the United State population is currently living below the poverty line.  That is about 1 out of every 7 people in this rich country of ours.

 What can we do about this?  Aren’t we called to respond?  How can those of us that are so rich in so many ways help our neighbors that are in need?

 Asking that question, making it part of our daily considerations, is the first step.  But Jesus calls us to do more than ask questions.  In Matthew 25 we have the story of the Sheep and the Goats – where Jesus made it clear WHATEVER we can for the least, we do for him.  Be it providing someone with a cold cup of water, a bit to eat, an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on – WHATEVER we have to offer, we are called to offer.

 I am very glad to have been assigned to serve here at First UMC.  I see a lot of that offering in this place.  I am especially glad to have had the opportunity to spend a few weeks involved with the Community Breakfast.  James and his volunteers are true examples of living the life we are called to in Timothy – of being rich in Good Works rather than in storing up wealth.  Many of the folks that I have seen working that meal are clearly not as rich as many of us now sitting in this sanctuary – yet they are generous and ready to share what they have to give – their time, their labor, their smiles and welcoming words.  This is a wonderful ministry that we should all be happy to have here at First.

 But is one that is in danger.  As some of you know, the AmeriCorps funding which allowed James to work on organizing and gathering food full time has run out.  We are currently seeking alternative funding sources that will allow this wonderful ministry to continue.  But for the moment, that search goes on. The breakfast will continue thanks to the efforts of a few individuals that have stepped up to fill the gap.  Those folks have my gratitude.  But, this is a moment of crisis, a moment when the rich man looks up and suddenly realizes he should have taken action, he should have been more aware of conditions that affected his fellow man right in his own backyard.

 Many in this congregation do not suffer the same problem that afflicted the Rich Man – many here today are able to see the problems of their fellow humans that surround us, both in far away places, like Haiti and Pakistan, and right here at home.  As the many mission programs that First is involved with show, we are well aware of the struggles of Lazaruses in our midst and we hear the call to help.  But what we actually do to answer that call is what defines us.  What actions we take will in response to that call will determine whether we are like the blind man and his brothers or not.  Our actions determine whether we are true disciples of Jesus or just part of a crowd of followers.

 As we leave here today and go out into the world, I invite each of us to take a fresh look at ourselves, to consider just how aware we are and how committed we are to living a life of Good Works?

 I encourage each of us to take a fresh look at the missions of FUMC and to see where we each might be able to strengthen our commitment to living out the gospel.

 And – I ask each of us to consider the question – When God asks “Where Are You?” – what will our personal answers be?

God lets us make that choice.  Amen.