January 24, 2016

How far we are from what was promised! Part of life is living with disappointment. Nothing seems to live up to its hype. We buy products that wear out. We work in a career that changes and fails us. Our children make bad choices (much as we chose when we were young.) We plan and arrange and work towards some end and something gets in the way. The final insult is that our bodies fail us and we grow old.

Even so, every once in a while, we hear a promise. Something happens, or a wise person speaks, and we catch a glimpse of what might be possible. We believe again. We hope again. We hold a grandchild in our arms, and all we see is joy and promise. We watch a movie or read an inspiring book - not some thriller or blockbuster - a work of art. Our trust in the goodness and possibilities of people is renewed. We begin to see again the good things all around us.

We can hold these things together. We can be honest about our disappointments and still hope for something different. When the people of God returned from exile, Nehemiah gathered them all together to hear the law - the Torah; some of them for the first time. They were grateful and they were sad. They regretted all that they lost by not living up to the law. They grieved for all the years that they did not live with a deep connection to God. Nehemiah sent them home and commanded them not to be sad. The hearing of the law was a gift. They were to feast and rejoice - and share the feast with those who had nothing. They were not to wallow in what could have been. They were to rejoice because God was showing them what could be.

We often find ourselves in situations that we cannot control; yet we can always choose how we will respond. This week, we are obsessed with weather. Is it a problem to overcome? The psalm suggests that it could also be a reminder of the power and glory of God. Can we make it snow or not? The power of a storm that shuts down all our modern movement and commerce is an inconvenience. It can also remind us we live by trust and not by control.

Jesus returns home to teach in local synagogue. There is quite a bit of talk about him. He is well thought of, and people are eager to see what he will do and hear what he has to say. In the tradition of the day, everyone stands throughout the service. It is the teacher alone who sits to teach (the opposite of what we do on Sunday!) 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he tells everyone, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Really? The poor are still poor. The prisons are still full. I know several people who are losing their eyesight. Fulfilled? How? 

We know how Jesus works to free us. Through his death and resurrection we are now free from sin and free from death. We know that we are free to live eternal life in this moment. We are also disappointed that everything isn't all worked out just yet. There's more to come. There's more freedom to see. What do we do with this?

We are reminded that we live by faith. We trust that God will work more in this world and the next. We keep ourselves moving towards whatever salvation and freedom looks like. We also know that we are not separate individuals on solitary journeys. Jesus invites us in to the work.

The apostle Paul writes about the work of community. We are one body with many members. All of the old divisions and differences no longer apply to us. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free. What gives us our value and place is no longer our race or our culture. Our place is given by our common life in Jesus. This whole body is Christ to the world. We are together, the voice of Jesus when he says, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." We are the voice and the hands and the feet and the heart that proclaim freedom and act to bring it about.

 If we read between the lines in the letters of Paul to the Corinthians, we wonder why he has to remind them of the importance of each member. Paul tells them not to play favorites because that is exactly what they are doing. They praised members who were wealthy and powerful. That was the convention of the day. They looked down on those who were poor or powerless, for they were without honor in that world. Paul reminds them that they are part of a new reality. In this new community, everyone is valued. Everyone has been given gifts to share in community. No one is rich except in Christ. No one is powerful except as they display God's power in the exercise of their gifts.

If we are not careful, we will treasure only certain gifts and we will seek only talents that we are used to seeing around us. We worry about the future, so we think about money. Perhaps we value people with professional capabilities - to help us fix things and perhaps pay some bills. We seek new members so that there will be people around who can do things and pay for things. Of course, we welcome all gifts, but this is not perhaps the best way to value the gifts of others.

Instead of looking for someone to take up our chores, we should seek to discover what others have to offer. It might be that no one wants to continue some sort of ministry that is dear to our hearts. We need to mourn our loss and admit our disappointment. Then we can be open to what others can truly offer. There is more that is possible than the few things we remember doing. New people, with new ideas, and a new sense of call - they might lead us in directions that we never expected. Our purpose here is not merely to keep the church going. We are here to participate in God's work of reconciling the world in love. Who really knows where that can lead us?

We have worked hard to listen to one another and respect each other. We have experimented with different ways of doing things. We given up old ways and tried new ones. We are not doing all of this to reach some end place where we don't have to ever change again. We are living into a new community, where we are open and curious. We are trying to discover what God is up to, and how we can participate. This work is not easy. The end result is not at all certain. The work is reconciliation and love and it is worth the effort. Not because we are certain it will succeed- but because we know it is God's work.