09/28/2014 ~ Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost ~ Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ (Proper 21) ~ Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16; Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32; Psalm 25:1-9; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32 ~ Covenant Share Sunday ~ Re-blessing of the Mallozzi Rings.
Teaching
“Jesus entered the temple precincts and began teaching.” — Matthew 21:23a
As you may be aware, we hosted the Fall Meeting of the Susquehanna Association here yesterday. There are two reasons we did that.
To be blunt, we were due. We last hosted an Association Meeting in 1999. It was our turn.
It is also the tradition in the Susquehanna Association that a church celebrating a major anniversary, as we are, gets to host the Meeting of the Association. To be clear: Association Meetings are an important part of the covenant connectivity between this church and the greater church.
Vanessa Myers-Dudley came from St. Louis, Missouri, to Norwich to speak at this meeting. Vanessa is a Seminarian, raised up as a candidate for ministry by the Park Church in Elmira and by the Susquehanna Association.
She is studying for her Master of Divinity Degree in St. Louis at Eden Seminary— a U.C.C. Seminary— and is in her third and final year. She came East to tell us about a recent trip to Kenya.
Vanessa and several other Eden students went to Kenya as part of their educational experience. And Vanessa gave a wonderful talk.
The point of seminarians going to Africa is to help them come to a better understanding of a very different culture by being among people living in that very different culture. I am well convinced in order to develop any understanding about another culture the best way to accomplish that is to go there, to travel to another land.
However, when one reads Scripture, the first thing that needs to be done to come even close to understanding what’s in its pages is knowing something about Biblical culture the culture in those times. But time travel is beyond us, is it not? We cannot directly experience Biblical times, can we?
That raises obvious questions: what was the culture like in New Testament times? And how can we know what it was like? Is it simply a matter of study, a matter of examining data about Biblical times?
Well, we do know something about those times, so let’s start with the data, what we know. (Slight pause.) This is a given: in antiquity ninety percent of the population of the Mediterranean basin lived in what you and I would call slavery. Less than five percent of the population was literate.
But then and now Jews and Christians were and are called “people of the book.” And there is very clear Scriptural evidence Jesus could both read and write.
Hence and by definition, two statements can be made. Those who were literate, that group of less than five percent of the population, offered leadership and were deeply involved in Judaism and Christianity. Jesus was among those in that less five percent group.
To be clear, I am not coming close to saying anything like ‘all those in that era who could not read or write were banned from being people of the book.’ I am quite sure they were included. I am inviting us to focus on the reality of ancient times and how things worked in that era and to think about how things worked.
To understand the New Testament culture we also need to understand the economic system prevalent two thousand years ago. Biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan uses this label for the economic system found in that era: “Domination.”
Indeed, if ten percent live off the work and sweat of ninety percent, that is clearly a system we can label as domination. The very word domination makes it easier to comprehend a population of ninety percent enslaved and ninety-five percent illiterate.
Here’s something else we should consider: Paul wrote letters to different churches— a Letter to the Church in Thessalonika, a Letter to the Church in Rome, etc., etc., etc. How large were these churches?
It’s unlikely any of them had more than fifty people. Why do I say that? We believe those churches met in people’s houses. Even among the elite, very few had a house large enough to hold a meeting of more than fifty. These churches were very, very small.
Further, scholars tell us that by the year 100 of the Common Era— 70 years after the Resurrection event— the number of Christians in the entire Mediterranean basin was less than 10,000. 70 years after the Resurrection, the number of Christians was less than 10,000.
All of which is to say Christianity was not exactly spreading like wild fire. But unless we know these things about the culture of Biblical times, we have little hope of understanding what’s written in Scripture.
My point in rehearsing all this is to offer a simple question. How can we come to know something of the reality, the truth revealed to us by Scripture? (Slight pause.)
Well, let me make two points. You often hear me call the United Church of Christ, First Congregational, here in Norwich, a ‘community of faith.’
Second, the words we heard from Matthew tell us (quote:) “Jesus entered the temple precincts and began teaching.” Why is Jesus teaching in the Temple? After all, the Temple was not a school. It was a place of worship, a place a community of faith gathered for worship, was it not? And Jesus is teaching!! (Slight pause.)
I want to come back to something the seminarian Vanessa Myers-Dudley said yesterday. Vanessa would show us a picture of someone and tell us something new and different she learned about the culture in Kenya from that person. Her point is this was not data she learned from that person.
She labeled that learning a God moment. A moment, you see, have nothing to do with data. God moments are experiences. (Slight pause.)
I think it’s possible we have an inaccurate impression about teaching and learning. Culturally, we tend to think of a teacher as someone who has information, who fills up a student with information, data, like pouring water from a pitcher into a glass.
I would be the first to say conveying information is important. There is information— data— we need to know.
We need to know things when looking at Scripture like ‘what was the economic system in New Testament times.’ But filling someone up with data is not any definition of teaching I know about and it is not any definition of learning I know about.
The definition of teaching is when God moments, experiences happen. That’s when real leaning happens. These are times of human epiphanies. The learning which happens in God moments is something only done through person to person interaction. (Slight pause.)
So, what should the church be about today, really? The church should be a place of teaching. Church should be a place of learning. And yes, there is important data, information, that needs to be conveyed.
However, true teaching and true learning happens in God moments. And yes, Jesus probably is offering some data teaching in the Temple. But it’s much more likely Jesus is teaching the only way it should be done— seeking and exploring God moments with other people.
Indeed, earlier we shared in a God moment when Chris and Jen Malozzi rededicated not just their rings. They re-dedicated themselves. [1]
That raises up the question ‘what is the Community of Faith?’— that phrase I keep using. Try this: as culturally alien as it might seem to us— as culturally alien as it might seem to us, all Christian weddings should be celebrated at the main service on a Sabbath, celebrated within the context of the Community of Faith.
Why? In a Christian, communal context, a marriage should be a God moment, a time the whole community of faith participates in learning about the love we have for each other, a time the whole community of faith participates in learning about covenant commitment, a time the whole community of faith participates in learning about the love God offers.
Therefore, one of the big challenges for we in the church is too often we do not see the church as a place of teaching and learning. But when real teaching and real learning happens God moments happen also.
And my friends, that is the purpose of church. It’s a place we learn God moments are real. It’s a place we learn God moments are tangible. It’s a place we learn God moments are present. It’s a place we learn God moments are with us constantly. Amen.
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York.
09/28/2014
ENDPIECE— It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Congregational Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “Again, teaching is not like filling up a glass with water. [The pastor gets a pitcher and a glass which was set on a stand in the center isle while the closing hymn was played and the pastor pours a glass of water.] Who here would admit to being an empty glass? Believe me we all have much to offer. Teaching and learning means you experience the water. [The pastor sticks a hand in the water.] What do you think? We teach and we learn through interaction.”
BENEDICTION— The grace of God is deeper than our imagination. The strength of Christ is stronger than our need. The communion of the Holy Spirit is richer than our togetherness. O Holy Triune God, guide and sustain us today and in all our tomorrows. Amen.
[1] . This was the Ceremony.
ONE:
Two years ago save one day Jen and Chris Mallozzi gave themselves to one another in the covenant of Marriage. Today, as the people of God, we will witness a re-commitment as we re-bless the rings Chris and Jen gave to one another. So, I invite Jen and Chris to come forward as we share in their joy and ask God to bless them.
ONE:
Since, from a theological perspective, it seems one dimensional to simply re-bless rings, Chris and Jen will once again exchange covenant promises.
THE COVENANT PROMISE - Chris and Jen, please repeat, after me, these words of covenant promise:
(To Chris, who repeats these words.) I take you, Jen, / to be no more / than what you are, / loving what I know of you, / and trusting / what I do not yet know, / to be my wife, / my lover / and my companion, / to love and protect / in all the ways / that life may find us / for the rest of my life. / Amen.
(To Jen, who repeats these words.) I take you, Chris, / to be no more / than what you are, / loving what I know of you, / and trusting / what I do not yet know, / to be my husband, / my lover / and my companion, / to love and protect / in all the ways / that life may find us / for the rest of my life. / Amen.
Again, from a theological perspective, Christian Marriage is an act of covenant within a community of faith. I therefore invite the participation of the Congregation.
Friends, do all who are present, as the church, the people of God, the gathered community of faith, pledge your support and encouragement to the covenant commitment that Chris and Jen are reaffirming? If so, please say: ‘Trusting in God’s grace, we do.’ - (‘Trusting in God’s grace, we do.’)
A READING — 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Hear now this reading from scripture as found in Paul’s First letter to the Church at Corinth in the 13th Chapter (13:4-8a).
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
Here ends this reading from Scripture.
ONE:
And now, the rings: the ring has long been the visible symbol of vows taken in marriage. It is a circle, with no beginning and no ending, representing covenant love which is everlasting, covenant love which begins in trust, and grows through companionship and deepens with understanding. Jen and Chris will now present rings to one another as a symbol of their covenant. (As each places the ring on the hand of the other they say, “With this ring I bless you and reaffirm our covenant.”)
PRAYER
Let us pray: we praise you, our Creator, for the great longing that draws two people together and bids them to leave the dear bonds of the past to live with each other. We thank you for the transforming power of love which matures and ennobles our living, calling forth from us hidden stores of tenderness and strength, and overcoming selfishness by the passion of self surrender. We invoke the blessing of God upon Jen and Chris who have, this day, reaffirmed their love and pledged their love to one another in the presence of God, their friends, their family and this community of faith. We pray, Most Holy God, to make their love so strong, holy and deathless, that no misunderstanding may fray this bond, and no gray disenchantment of the years may have the power to quench that covenant commitment which now lives in them. May they ever discern the true values of life so that no glamour of cheaper joys will rob them of the peace and satisfaction which only loyal and steadfast love can give them.
REMEMBRANCE OF GOD
Those whom God has joined in covenant, let no mortal separate. Chris and Jen, you have pledged to be one and you have asked the blessing of the Church of Jesus, the Christ. So, be merciful in all your ways, kind in heart, and humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another. Forgive as freely as God has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving. Let the peace of the rule of Jesus, the Messiah, be in your hearts, remembering that you are called to live in covenant, never forgetting to be thankful for what God has done for you.
Blessings
by Laura Story
We pray for blessings;
We pray for peace—
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
All the while, You hear each spoken need;
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things.
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom—
Your voice to hear.
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.
We doubt your goodness; we doubt your love—
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough.
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe.
When friends betray us,
When darkness seems to win,
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home.
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy.
What if trials of this life—
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise?
THE LORD’S PRAYER (‘debts’) - Let us now pray as the saints who have witnessed to us and preceded us throughout the ages have prayed by reciting the Lord’s Prayer, using the form ‘debts’.
THE DECLARATION - Jen and Chris, now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter to the other; now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other; now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other; now you are two, but there is only one life before you. Go now to your dwelling place, to enter into the days of your togetherness and may your days be good and long upon the earth.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment