03/18/2018 ~ Fifth Sunday in Lent ~ Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33
Tu Es Sacerdos
“Christ, even the Christ, did not presume to take on the office of high priest. No, Christ was appointed by the One who said, / ‘You are my Own, / today I have begotten you;’ / and in another place that One said, / ‘You are a priest forever, / according to / the order of Melchizedek.’” — Hebrews 5:5-6.
When I first arrived in Norwich 22 years ago I met with the Rev. Dr. Judith Hjorth. She was an Associate Conference Minister in the New York Conference.
She was, in fact, the person on Conference staff charged with helping this church through its last search for a pastor. But that is not the reason we met. It is simply a matter of courtesy for a pastor arriving in a Conference to meet with Conference Staff.
Judy informed me about a fascinating statistic. This statistic is, obviously, better than 20 years old, since I’ll quote it, so the data has changed some. But back then, in terms of faith traditions, the largest group in the state were Catholics.
The next largest group were those in non-Christian traditions with people from the Jewish tradition being the largest chunk of that. The list then continued with non Main Line Protestants in third place.
We Main Line Protestants were last. The point Judy was trying to impress on me was, in terms of numbers, churches in the Main Line tradition were way down on the list.
And yes, over the course of twenty plus years there have been some shifts. But not what you think. The groups I mentioned are still in the same positions relative to each other. However, adherents in all the aforementioned traditions have decreased drastically.
So, what changed? Catholics are still the largest group— 31% of the population. But today the second largest group, 27%, are people church sociologist call “nones.” That’s “nones”— n-o-n-e-s— meaning people with no affiliation to any faith tradition. Twenty two years ago that group barely registered on the radar. [1] (Slight pause.)
As I indicated, I am in my 22nd year as the Pastor and Teacher at this church. Sometimes people ask why my title is Pastor and Teacher. That title is granted by ordination, authorization in the United Church of Christ.
However, I can’t begin to count the number of times people call me “Father” or I am referred to as a priest. Of course, given the large number of Catholic adherents hereabouts, given the Catholic tradition of using the title priest, given the tradition of calling a priest “Father,” I suppose I should not be surprised people refer to me that way.
But, as I just indicated, I am not a priest. I am a pastor. That is in my title.
This raises an interesting question, not a question about faith traditions, but a question about the English language. What does the word “priest” mean? (Slight pause.)
A strict dictionary definition says a “priest” is someone who handles blood. For those of you unfamiliar with Catholicism an important concept in Catholic theology is transubstantiation.
Transubstantiation is a theological claim that in the Sacrament of Communion the elements— bread, wine— while maintaining all outward appearances of bread and wine— taste, smell— actually become the body and blood of Christ.
Hence, Catholic clergy are called priests. Why? A priest handles blood. Bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ.
But Joe (I can hear you ask), don’t Lutherans and Episcopalians call their clergy priests? Why yes, they do. And that is the theological claim called consubstantiation. This says in the sacrament the substance of the bread and wine does not become the body and blood of Christ but coexists with the body and blood of Christ.
If all that does not make your head spin I don’t know what will because it certainly makes my head spin! And yes, there is yet another level here, perhaps the place where most of the rest of us might fall.
In the Sacrament we find the real presence of Christ. I would, in fact, suggest the real presence of Christ is tangible around the Communion table. After all, where two or three are gathered.... I maintain the real presence of Christ is tangible around the Communion table because there we are called to recognize our mutuality, our commonality, our community in the sacrament. (Slight pause.)
This is said in the work known as Hebrews: “Christ, even the Christ, did not presume to take on the office of high priest. No, Christ was appointed by the One who said, / ‘You are my Own, / today I have begotten you;’ / and in another place that One said, / ‘You are a priest forever, / according to / the order of Melchizedek.’” (Slight pause.)
The observant among you will have noticed the sermon title this week is in Latin— Tu Es Sacerdos. The longer Latin saying is this: “Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech.” Translated that reads, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
When a priest is ordained Tu Es Sacerdos is an anthem often sung by a choir. Indeed, my friend and sometimes collaborator Paul Johnson and I wrote an anthem with the title Tu Es Sacerdos for the ordination of an Episcopal priest.
But who is this Melchizedek? (Slight pause.) When the reading from Hebrews was introduced you heard it said the New Testament contains a myriad of references to the Old Testament. There is, hence, a necessity to understand the Old Testament. And we find Melchizedek in Genesis, in the Hebrew Scriptures, in the Old Testament.
The name Melchizedek means “sovereign of righteousness.” Righteousness means being in right relationship with God. This Melchizedek was the priest of (quote:) “God most high” who brings out bread and wine, blesses Abram and Sari and sends them on their way as they seek the land which God promises. (Slight pause.)
Based on that brief description my bet is you can start making all the connections this text lays out yourself. The story of Abram and Sari, later Abraham and Sarah, initiates the story of the Jewish people. God makes covenant with Abraham and Sarah.
Melchizedek is a priest, someone who handles blood, a reference to the ancient practice of blood sacrifice. Melchizedek also offers Abram and Sari bread and wine.
Jesus shares with the disciples at the table, blesses the bread, shares it, blesses the cup, shares it. Then Jesus dies and is resurrected.
And that’s our Christian claim: Jesus is resurrected. Why? Certainly one aspect of proclaiming the resurrection says Jesus continues the covenant established with Abram and Sari. And our claim, as Christians, says Jesus is the sovereign of righteousness, in perfect relationship with God.
Of course, this Epistle is to the Hebrews, a group who understand these connections. So the author claims Jesus is a priest of God, like Melchizedek, and thereby calls to mind all the covenant connections Christians have with Hebrew Scriptures. And the writer also makes a claim beyond righteousness: Jesus is the only begotten of God.
That, of course, leaves us with a question: Tu Es Sacerdos? If Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek what does that mean? Or perhaps more directly, if the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah and embodied by Jesus lives, what does it mean for us today? (Slight pause.)
My answer was voiced by Martin Luther. We are a priesthood of believers. And guess from what place that might come? From the Epistle to the Hebrews, two chapters before today’s reading. (Quote:) “Therefore, my holy brothers and sisters, partners in the heavenly call, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our calling.”
That, of course, leaves a final question. What does it meant that we are a priesthood of believers? (Slight pause.)
Well, here’s my read. It means the covenant lives today. It means we are l called to live in right relationship with God and with one another. We are called to be pastors to one another. As pastors we are all called to acts of kindness. Among these acts of kindness are practicing grace, civility, patience, wisdom, the seeking of hope, peace, the spreading love, joy.
As an ordained pastor I hope I do these things on occasion, at least. And yes, in our tradition, we are all pastors. And yes, in our tradition we are all priests.
And our prayer, all of us as pastors and priests, is that God might empower us to act in ways of kindness. By the way, here’s another way to say what priests and pastors need to do: priests and pastors need to practice the difficult discipline called love.
After all, we are descendants of, inheritors of, we are in the order of Melchizedek. Tu Es Sacerdos. You are a priest. Amen.
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
03/18/2019
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “I hope it is understood that this whole book called the Bible (the pastor holds one up) is not really something with parts. It has many, many, many sections. But it is also one singular entity. And what really ties everything together into one entity is the covenant of love God expresses toward us. Or as I have said hundreds of times— God loves us and wants to covenant with us. I hope this does not sound too judgmental, but if the love of God does not jump off every page of this book, you’re reading it wrong.”
BENEDICTION: God has written the law of love within us. We are empowered to live according to that law, through the Redeemer, Jesus. In Christ, we experience God’s presence together. Where Christ leads, let us follow. Where God calls us to service, let us go. And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of God, the love of Jesus, the Christ and the companionship of the Holy Spirit, this day and forevermore. Amen.
[1] See this chart for today’s data:
http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/new-york/
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Sunday, March 11, 2018
SERMON ~ 03/11/2018 ~ Fourth Sunday in Lent ~ “Not of Your Own Doing”
03/11/2018 ~ Fourth Sunday in Lent ~ Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21.
Not of Your Own Doing
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” — Ephesians 2:8-9.
Rumor to the contrary, I do try to plan things in advance. This time three years ago I was planning a sabbatical— 3 months in total— 11 weeks on the road. That was a major undertaking.
So, do I plan? A colleague once said he had never known someone who goes to the pulpit for a Sunday service of worship as prepared as I am. Indeed, if you have ever acted as liturgist at a service you will have seen one of these. (The pastor holds up a “liturgist copy” of the bulletin.)
It’s what I call the “liturgist copy.” It has introductions to the readings, introductions to the hymns, some prayers, things said from the pulpit by the liturgist or by the pastor, stuff not printed in the bulletin. I don’t, generally, ad-lib. Nor do I expect a liturgist to ad-lib.
Now, it may be that I am well prepared. However, when my colleague made that comment about being well prepared, I said back, “Yes. I am prepared. But that’s how I can ad-lib readily. You can’t ad-lib effectively unless you are well prepared.”
Show Business people know— and this is my Show Business background showing— Show Business people know there is no such thing as an ad-lib. You may have seen a TV show whose premise is comedians are given a situation. They then respond by ad libbing.
No, not really— these performers have a prodigious comedic, situational memory. They simply pull out a bit, a routine from their memory bank, something they have probably used before, and apply it to the situation.
Does it seem like it’s done off the cuff. Yes. Is it? Not really. How do they make it seem like it’s off the cuff? They come to the situation well prepared. It’s that simple.
That having been said, perhaps the most famous lines Robert Burns, the Scott poet, wrote were (and I shall use the original here and try to not mangle the pronunciation), “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley.” Translated that would read, “The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go often askew.”
One reason a mouse is involved in the quote is the very title of the poem from whence these words come is: To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough. Indeed, John Steinbeck named the novella Of Mice and Men after that line in the poem.
The poem is actually about how making plans can readily be reduced by the shear folly of an unforseen turn of events. When the whole poem is read through you realize it says a poor mouse has survived in a frozen field through the whole of winter only to have a plough rip apart its burrow in the Spring. “The best laid plans...”
Here’s a related reflection: when I worked on Wall Street I once asked my boss if he was given free rein to create a job for me what would that look like. He said, “That’s easy. I’d put a clip board in your hands and send you out around this floor...” — mind you, this was back in the 1980s and the firm for which I worked was located in 5 World Trade Center, one of the shorter buildings in that complex.
It may have been one of the shorter buildings but the floor to which my supervisor referred was the size of one square city block. And on that floor there were hundreds and hundreds of workers who sat at hundreds and hundreds of desks.
“I’d put a clip board in your hands,” said my boss, “and send you out around this floor. I’d ask you to write down all the problems you see and my expectation is you’d tell me how to fix them.”
Well, anyone who has been in my office knows it looks like chaos. It is organized chaos but most people take it to be chaotic. And here was someone, my boss no less, who thought I was good at identifying problems and fixing them, something which takes a great deal of planning and organization, the chaos in my office not withstanding. (Slight pause.)
So, what are plans? What is organization? What do plans and organization mean, really? After all, isn’t disaster most of the time lurking just around the corner? Ask that mouse. (Slight pause.)
We find these words in the work known as Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Slight pause.)
When we look at Ephesians, when we take this writing as a whole, it is clear the writer insists God is active in the life of the world. That might lead us to say, ‘Yes, God may be active in the world but is God effective?’
After all, we want results. We want to know where things stand. But is that the reality of life? (Slight pause.)
I think, despite all the polarized divisiveness we hear about today, we humans have more in common than we realize in a strange kind of way. Those on opposite poles, generally, imagine or even see themselves as ideological enemies.
Yet both poles place faith in determinism. Both see the world in apocalyptic terms. This dire thing will happen unless we do x, y, z. This dire thing will happen because....
That kind of attitude only diminishes human complexity, diminishes the complex reality of life. Everyone from creationists to atheists— opposite poles if there ever were opposite poles— everyone from creationists to atheists seem to fondly embrace what each sees as an inevitable outcome. So, perhaps our failing— pardon the expression, our original sin, is reductionism— trying to make things more simple than they really are.
At least in part, I think polarization is a symptom of reductionism, simplification. Put differently, I think much of the polarization we see in the world today is a symptom of people trying to simplify the world, simplify reality, even simplify Scripture.
One side, for instance, says take Scripture literally. The other claims if it’s in Scripture it does not matter at all. Either way, it’s a simplification. And that is not the reality of Scripture or the reality of life.
Try this one on for size: complexity is a reality of both Scripture and of life. Complexity and mystery describe the reality of life.
The very fabric of Biblical literature is complexity and mystery. Complexity and mystery, you see, describe things beyond our knowing. Complexity and mystery describe God.
And that is the very thing with which Scripture calls us to grapple: God— God who is both complex and mysterious. And we do not like to grapple with complexity or mystery. We like things kept simple.
Therefore, one option for us— an option often used in our polarized world— is to insist the world is not complex, to say reality is not complex. But insisting that will not change the world. The world will remain complex and mysterious. (Slight pause.)
And so... and so... the writer of Ephesians tells us things are not of our own doing. And that things are not of our doing— well perhaps that is complex— at least we perceive it as complex since, if God’s gifts to us are not of our own doing, we have no control. To repeat what I said moments ago: We do not like to grapple with complexity or mystery. We like things kept simple. (Slight pause.)
This passage states we are (quote:) “God’s work of art,”— God’s work of art— an amazing phrase. We are “God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to do the good things, which God prepared for us to do beforehand, from the beginning, to be our way of life.” (Slight pause.)
So, here’s something I suggest we all think about. A basic premise of Christianity says God is a mystery. And I think this passage reflects God is a mystery, complex beyond our understanding and that life, itself, is both mysterious and complex.
So, based on the text we heard today, perhaps the challenge for us is to realize God is in control. But also the challenge for us is to realize God loves us. That’s in the text too. God loves not just each of us but all of us. And that’s in the text.
And that idea alone— that God loves all of us— tells us not only that God is in charge. That very idea insists life is mysterious and complex. After all, that we should love everyone, even our enemies, is a tall hill to climb, especially in our polarized society.
And indeed, we all need to realize Scripture says God loves everyone. And we all need to realize Scripture says God is in control. And we all need to realize, yes it is possible not many of us are particularly comfortable with God being in control.
I know I’m not comfortable with that. After all, I like to plan. I like to be in control. But I’m not. Amen.
03/11/2018
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “I’ve said this here before: theologian Walter Brueggemann the picture of God painted in Scripture is drawn with intentional artistic illusiveness. I think another word for that is mystery.”
BENEDICTION: There is but one message in Scripture: God loves us. Let us endeavor to let God’s love shine forth in our lives. For with God’s love and goodness, there is power to redeem, power to revive, power to renew, power to resurrect. So, may the love of God the Creator which is real, the Peace of the Christ which surpasses all understanding and companionship of the Holy Spirit which is ever present, keep our hearts and minds in God’s knowledge and care this day and forever more. Amen.
Not of Your Own Doing
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” — Ephesians 2:8-9.
Rumor to the contrary, I do try to plan things in advance. This time three years ago I was planning a sabbatical— 3 months in total— 11 weeks on the road. That was a major undertaking.
So, do I plan? A colleague once said he had never known someone who goes to the pulpit for a Sunday service of worship as prepared as I am. Indeed, if you have ever acted as liturgist at a service you will have seen one of these. (The pastor holds up a “liturgist copy” of the bulletin.)
It’s what I call the “liturgist copy.” It has introductions to the readings, introductions to the hymns, some prayers, things said from the pulpit by the liturgist or by the pastor, stuff not printed in the bulletin. I don’t, generally, ad-lib. Nor do I expect a liturgist to ad-lib.
Now, it may be that I am well prepared. However, when my colleague made that comment about being well prepared, I said back, “Yes. I am prepared. But that’s how I can ad-lib readily. You can’t ad-lib effectively unless you are well prepared.”
Show Business people know— and this is my Show Business background showing— Show Business people know there is no such thing as an ad-lib. You may have seen a TV show whose premise is comedians are given a situation. They then respond by ad libbing.
No, not really— these performers have a prodigious comedic, situational memory. They simply pull out a bit, a routine from their memory bank, something they have probably used before, and apply it to the situation.
Does it seem like it’s done off the cuff. Yes. Is it? Not really. How do they make it seem like it’s off the cuff? They come to the situation well prepared. It’s that simple.
That having been said, perhaps the most famous lines Robert Burns, the Scott poet, wrote were (and I shall use the original here and try to not mangle the pronunciation), “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley.” Translated that would read, “The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go often askew.”
One reason a mouse is involved in the quote is the very title of the poem from whence these words come is: To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough. Indeed, John Steinbeck named the novella Of Mice and Men after that line in the poem.
The poem is actually about how making plans can readily be reduced by the shear folly of an unforseen turn of events. When the whole poem is read through you realize it says a poor mouse has survived in a frozen field through the whole of winter only to have a plough rip apart its burrow in the Spring. “The best laid plans...”
Here’s a related reflection: when I worked on Wall Street I once asked my boss if he was given free rein to create a job for me what would that look like. He said, “That’s easy. I’d put a clip board in your hands and send you out around this floor...” — mind you, this was back in the 1980s and the firm for which I worked was located in 5 World Trade Center, one of the shorter buildings in that complex.
It may have been one of the shorter buildings but the floor to which my supervisor referred was the size of one square city block. And on that floor there were hundreds and hundreds of workers who sat at hundreds and hundreds of desks.
“I’d put a clip board in your hands,” said my boss, “and send you out around this floor. I’d ask you to write down all the problems you see and my expectation is you’d tell me how to fix them.”
Well, anyone who has been in my office knows it looks like chaos. It is organized chaos but most people take it to be chaotic. And here was someone, my boss no less, who thought I was good at identifying problems and fixing them, something which takes a great deal of planning and organization, the chaos in my office not withstanding. (Slight pause.)
So, what are plans? What is organization? What do plans and organization mean, really? After all, isn’t disaster most of the time lurking just around the corner? Ask that mouse. (Slight pause.)
We find these words in the work known as Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Slight pause.)
When we look at Ephesians, when we take this writing as a whole, it is clear the writer insists God is active in the life of the world. That might lead us to say, ‘Yes, God may be active in the world but is God effective?’
After all, we want results. We want to know where things stand. But is that the reality of life? (Slight pause.)
I think, despite all the polarized divisiveness we hear about today, we humans have more in common than we realize in a strange kind of way. Those on opposite poles, generally, imagine or even see themselves as ideological enemies.
Yet both poles place faith in determinism. Both see the world in apocalyptic terms. This dire thing will happen unless we do x, y, z. This dire thing will happen because....
That kind of attitude only diminishes human complexity, diminishes the complex reality of life. Everyone from creationists to atheists— opposite poles if there ever were opposite poles— everyone from creationists to atheists seem to fondly embrace what each sees as an inevitable outcome. So, perhaps our failing— pardon the expression, our original sin, is reductionism— trying to make things more simple than they really are.
At least in part, I think polarization is a symptom of reductionism, simplification. Put differently, I think much of the polarization we see in the world today is a symptom of people trying to simplify the world, simplify reality, even simplify Scripture.
One side, for instance, says take Scripture literally. The other claims if it’s in Scripture it does not matter at all. Either way, it’s a simplification. And that is not the reality of Scripture or the reality of life.
Try this one on for size: complexity is a reality of both Scripture and of life. Complexity and mystery describe the reality of life.
The very fabric of Biblical literature is complexity and mystery. Complexity and mystery, you see, describe things beyond our knowing. Complexity and mystery describe God.
And that is the very thing with which Scripture calls us to grapple: God— God who is both complex and mysterious. And we do not like to grapple with complexity or mystery. We like things kept simple.
Therefore, one option for us— an option often used in our polarized world— is to insist the world is not complex, to say reality is not complex. But insisting that will not change the world. The world will remain complex and mysterious. (Slight pause.)
And so... and so... the writer of Ephesians tells us things are not of our own doing. And that things are not of our doing— well perhaps that is complex— at least we perceive it as complex since, if God’s gifts to us are not of our own doing, we have no control. To repeat what I said moments ago: We do not like to grapple with complexity or mystery. We like things kept simple. (Slight pause.)
This passage states we are (quote:) “God’s work of art,”— God’s work of art— an amazing phrase. We are “God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to do the good things, which God prepared for us to do beforehand, from the beginning, to be our way of life.” (Slight pause.)
So, here’s something I suggest we all think about. A basic premise of Christianity says God is a mystery. And I think this passage reflects God is a mystery, complex beyond our understanding and that life, itself, is both mysterious and complex.
So, based on the text we heard today, perhaps the challenge for us is to realize God is in control. But also the challenge for us is to realize God loves us. That’s in the text too. God loves not just each of us but all of us. And that’s in the text.
And that idea alone— that God loves all of us— tells us not only that God is in charge. That very idea insists life is mysterious and complex. After all, that we should love everyone, even our enemies, is a tall hill to climb, especially in our polarized society.
And indeed, we all need to realize Scripture says God loves everyone. And we all need to realize Scripture says God is in control. And we all need to realize, yes it is possible not many of us are particularly comfortable with God being in control.
I know I’m not comfortable with that. After all, I like to plan. I like to be in control. But I’m not. Amen.
03/11/2018
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “I’ve said this here before: theologian Walter Brueggemann the picture of God painted in Scripture is drawn with intentional artistic illusiveness. I think another word for that is mystery.”
BENEDICTION: There is but one message in Scripture: God loves us. Let us endeavor to let God’s love shine forth in our lives. For with God’s love and goodness, there is power to redeem, power to revive, power to renew, power to resurrect. So, may the love of God the Creator which is real, the Peace of the Christ which surpasses all understanding and companionship of the Holy Spirit which is ever present, keep our hearts and minds in God’s knowledge and care this day and forever more. Amen.
Sunday, March 4, 2018
SERMON ~ 03/04/2018 ~ Third Sunday in Lent ~ “What Really Counts”
03/04/2018 ~ Third Sunday in Lent ~ Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 ~ Communion Sunday ~ Used Lent Communion.
What Really Counts
“Then God spoke these words and said, / ‘I am Yahweh, God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; / do not worship any gods except me.’” — Exodus 20:1-3.
I have no doubt about this. My late father was very smart, brilliant really. He graduated from Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn in 1939, first in his class. He was the editor of his class High School Year Book.
He worked for a year and then entered Manhattan College. His GPA in the first semester was 4.0— all ‘A’s. I do no know if this is true but family legend has it he was the first Manhattan College student in history to accomplish that feat.
Dad was born with a birth defect, a twist in his left arm. That arm could not be raised above the height of the shoulder. Thereby, the selective service classified him as 4F during World War II. His brother, my uncle, served. Dad could not.
But as a consequence of that he stayed in school, graduated from Manhattan— again first in his class— Magna Cum Laude, in 1943. And once again he was the editor of his class year book— this time the college version.
Dad’s first job out of college was as an English Teacher at Regis High School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a school run by the Jesuits. Around 1953 or 54 he became the Registrar of the School. He never left. His entire working career was spent there. (Slight pause.)
Now, when we ordain someone in the United Church of Christ the title bestowed is Pastor and Teacher. People sometimes tell me I’m a good teacher. A colleague once said of me that I did not know how to write a sermon without some teaching in it.
I say I simply inherited the teaching gene; I got it from my Father. But, as you know, I was and in a real sense still am a professional writer. After all, I write one or two sermons a week. And I think that writing stuff is inherited also.
You see, I mentioned my Dad was the editor of his High School and College yearbooks. I know for a fact he wanted to be a writer, not a teacher. (A youngster, two years old, has entered the church, sees his father sitting in a pew and calls out to him. The pastor ad-libs:) See Daddy works into this everywhere!
But the truth is not many people actually earn a living as a professional writer exclusively unless they are employed by an institution like a newspaper. Another truth is even those institutional jobs are few and far between. Yet another truth is those institutions which employ writers are often not, themselves, places of stable employment.
One more truth is, if you do not work for an institution as a writer, freelancing is what you do. Effectively you are in business for yourself, by yourself. It is a hard, dangerous, risk taking way to make a living.
Still another truth— a corollary— freelance writing, therefore, requires a life style which includes risk taking and it often is a hand to mouth existence. A final truth, for my Father at least, is being married with three children— his situation— did not line up well with the life style required if you are a professional writer. (Slight pause.)
Now my parents never said this straight out but I think they were happy and proud when I embarked on my writing career. They supported me in any way they could.
I think they were even happier and prouder when I had some success. You see, I was fulfilling my Father’s dreams— dreams he knew were less than practical given the circumstances of his life. (Slight pause.)
Since my father was, for his entire career, a teacher for a moment I want to come back to that since I know his colleagues considered him to be a master teacher. In that role— master teacher— he once said he never gave any student a grade. They gave it to themselves.
Good grades have a cause, said he. If a student decides to participate in the work they will be successful. If they do not, the results will be obvious. Dad said all he did was record the result, the effect, the outcome. (Slight pause.) He never gave any student a grade; they gave it to themselves. (Slight pause.)
These words are from the work known as Exodus: “Then God spoke these words and said, / ‘I am Yahweh, God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; / do not worship any gods except me.’” (Slight pause.)
Rumor has it a good teacher knows repetition is necessary. Repetitio Est Mater Studiorum— repetition is the mother of knowledge or the mother of learning— was one of my Father’s favorite Latin Sayings.
So, you have heard me say this before. I am repeating myself. In the Jewish tradition these words from Exodus are not known as the “Ten Commandments.” These are known as the Ten Words.
You have heard me say this before. I am repeating myself. In the Hebrew language the command tense does not exist. Hence, given these two statements about Jewish tradition and the Hebrew Language, these words can, in no way, be thought of as commandments. (Slight pause.)
Rumor has it a good teacher provides some basic information. You have two inserts in the bulletin today which refer to this passage. I invite you to turn to them. I shall wait a moment for you to get them out. (Slight pause.) They are on the large paper.
There is, in this country, a tendency to think of this passage as a monolith— something sacred and immovable. That is a totally secular, even irreligious, concept. Let me say that again. That is a totally secular, even irreligious, concept.
The first insert I invite you to look at is the one with four faith traditions listed— Jewish; Anglican/Reformed; Orthodox; Roman Catholic/Lutheran. (The pastor holds up this sheet.) That’s what it looks like. As you can see on that chart, different traditions cannot even agree on how to number the so called “Ten Commandments.” [1]
Hence, one wonders why our society puts up monuments with two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept. After all— which ten, whose ten is this society talking about? Whose version should take precedence? (Slight pause.)
The next chart I want you to look has three different versions of the so called “Ten Commandments.” (The pastor holds it up.) This is what it looks like— three different versions of the “Ten Commandments” found in the Hebrew Scriptures— Exodus, Deuteronomy and again Exodus. [2]
This is the insert, by the way, with two pages, page one and page two, so you have to flip to see it all— three different versions of the “Ten Commandments.” You have to wonder, since we put up monuments depicting two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept— which set of the so called “Ten Commandments” takes precedence? Choose one— go ahead! (Slight pause.)
Rumor has it a good teacher gives homework. That’s the remaining page. Someone who tells you any translation can be taken literally does not know the first thing about either language or translating.
That remaining page has six translations of this passage on it. [3] Please take it home and compare them. Each translation is different and each has its own validity.
So one does wonder why we put up monuments depicting two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept— as if these words are etched in stone. They are not. There are many ways to translate them. [4] (Slight pause.)
That leads me to what I think is an obvious question. If I have just destroyed our cultural image of the so called “Ten Commandments”— and I think I have— what are they about? (Slight pause.)
These words make a claim about who God is. God is the One Who loved the Israelites. God loved the Israelites so much God guided their rescue from bondage. God led them to freedom.
These words start with God’s love which is an action. Therefore, these words are not commands. These words, the so called “Ten Commandments,” are a result. These words which some call the “Ten Commandments” are a result of participating in the work of God.
Which is also to say these words are a result of a relationship with God. These words are a result of God’s love for humanity and humanity participating in the love God offers.
Hence— especially when these words get to phrases like “No murdering! No giving false testimony...!” — these words are also about our relationship with one another, loving one another. God loves us and we are to participate with each other in the love God offers. (Slight pause.)
A short time ago we shared bread and cup at the table. The symbolism of this is meaningful. Its symbolism says something about God’s love for us. Its symbolism, embodied by the tactile, real experience of the bread and cup, says something about how we are to love one another through sharing, respect and love.
I want to suggest if we share, respect and love then we will be enabled to live out the so called “Ten Commandments” and live them out in ways which will amaze us, guide us to places we did not know possible and empower us to see the word as God sees the world. We will live out a result.
You see, I think the world sees the so called “Ten Commandments” as the cause of and the cause for our behavior. But I think God sees the so called “Ten Commandments” not as the world sees them— as a cause. I think God sees these words as a result— a result of our participating in the work of God.
And I also think God sees these words as an assignment, a homework assignment if you would. It is our assignment to participate in the Realm of God, the Dominion of God. And, if we participate in the Realm of God, the Dominion of God, sharing, respect and love are sure to be a result. And again, that is the symbolism embodied by the table. Amen.
03/04/2018
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “In my comments I said (quote:) ‘we put up monuments depicting two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept...’ several times. The elevation of the ‘Ten Commandments’ to an exalted status is about the culture, our culture. It is not about faith, not about our relationship with God. After all, when Jesus was asked what are the great commandments the answer Christ gave referenced Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18, not the so called ‘The Commandments.’ So the question for us is simple. When will we stop worshiping the culture as a god and worship the One Triune God, the God of relationship?”
BENEDICTION: This is the message of Scripture: God loves us. Let us endeavor to let God’s love shine forth in our lives. For with God’s love and goodness, there is power to redeem, power to revive, power to renew, power to resurrect. So, may the love of God the Creator which is real, the Peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding and companionship of the Holy Spirit which is ever present, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and care of God this day and forever more. Amen.
[1] These 4 traditions do, indeed, use different numbers for different phrases. The four were listed on this chart with numbers assigned to specific “commands.” using abbreviated phrases for each.
[2] This sheet had Exodus 20:2-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21 and Exodus 34:6-26 listed side by side to allow for comparison.
[3] The six translations lined up side by side are: The New Revised Standard Version; The Inclusive Language Version; The King James Version; The English Standard Version (British); The Message; The New International Version.
[4] When the passage was read the Inclusive Language Translation of Exodus 20:1-17 was read. This is it:
[1] Then God spoke these words and said, [2] “I am Yahweh, God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;
[3] “do not worship any gods except me.
[4] “Do not make for yourselves any carved images or likenesses or anything in heaven above or on earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth [5] and do not bow down or serve them! For I, Yahweh, am a jealous God, and for the parents fault I punish the children, the grandchildren and the great grandchildren of those who turn from me; [6] but I show kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love me and heed my commandments.
[7] “Do not utter the name Yahweh or misuse it, for Yahweh will not acquit anyone who utters God’s Name to misuse it.
[8] “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy! [9] Six days you will labor and do all your work. [10] But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh. Do not work on that day— neither you, nor your son nor your daughter, nor your workers women or men, nor you animals, nor the foreigner who lives among you. [11] For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth and the sea and all that they hold, but rested the seventh day; that is why Yahweh has blessed the Sabbath day and made it sacred.
[12] “Honor your mother and your father, so that you may have a long life in the land that Yahweh, your God, has given to you.
[13] “No murdering!
[14] “No adultery!
[15] “No stealing!
[16] “No giving false testimony against your neighbor!
[17] “No desiring your neighbor’s house! No desiring your neighbor’s spouse or worker— female or male— or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor!”
What Really Counts
“Then God spoke these words and said, / ‘I am Yahweh, God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; / do not worship any gods except me.’” — Exodus 20:1-3.
I have no doubt about this. My late father was very smart, brilliant really. He graduated from Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn in 1939, first in his class. He was the editor of his class High School Year Book.
He worked for a year and then entered Manhattan College. His GPA in the first semester was 4.0— all ‘A’s. I do no know if this is true but family legend has it he was the first Manhattan College student in history to accomplish that feat.
Dad was born with a birth defect, a twist in his left arm. That arm could not be raised above the height of the shoulder. Thereby, the selective service classified him as 4F during World War II. His brother, my uncle, served. Dad could not.
But as a consequence of that he stayed in school, graduated from Manhattan— again first in his class— Magna Cum Laude, in 1943. And once again he was the editor of his class year book— this time the college version.
Dad’s first job out of college was as an English Teacher at Regis High School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a school run by the Jesuits. Around 1953 or 54 he became the Registrar of the School. He never left. His entire working career was spent there. (Slight pause.)
Now, when we ordain someone in the United Church of Christ the title bestowed is Pastor and Teacher. People sometimes tell me I’m a good teacher. A colleague once said of me that I did not know how to write a sermon without some teaching in it.
I say I simply inherited the teaching gene; I got it from my Father. But, as you know, I was and in a real sense still am a professional writer. After all, I write one or two sermons a week. And I think that writing stuff is inherited also.
You see, I mentioned my Dad was the editor of his High School and College yearbooks. I know for a fact he wanted to be a writer, not a teacher. (A youngster, two years old, has entered the church, sees his father sitting in a pew and calls out to him. The pastor ad-libs:) See Daddy works into this everywhere!
But the truth is not many people actually earn a living as a professional writer exclusively unless they are employed by an institution like a newspaper. Another truth is even those institutional jobs are few and far between. Yet another truth is those institutions which employ writers are often not, themselves, places of stable employment.
One more truth is, if you do not work for an institution as a writer, freelancing is what you do. Effectively you are in business for yourself, by yourself. It is a hard, dangerous, risk taking way to make a living.
Still another truth— a corollary— freelance writing, therefore, requires a life style which includes risk taking and it often is a hand to mouth existence. A final truth, for my Father at least, is being married with three children— his situation— did not line up well with the life style required if you are a professional writer. (Slight pause.)
Now my parents never said this straight out but I think they were happy and proud when I embarked on my writing career. They supported me in any way they could.
I think they were even happier and prouder when I had some success. You see, I was fulfilling my Father’s dreams— dreams he knew were less than practical given the circumstances of his life. (Slight pause.)
Since my father was, for his entire career, a teacher for a moment I want to come back to that since I know his colleagues considered him to be a master teacher. In that role— master teacher— he once said he never gave any student a grade. They gave it to themselves.
Good grades have a cause, said he. If a student decides to participate in the work they will be successful. If they do not, the results will be obvious. Dad said all he did was record the result, the effect, the outcome. (Slight pause.) He never gave any student a grade; they gave it to themselves. (Slight pause.)
These words are from the work known as Exodus: “Then God spoke these words and said, / ‘I am Yahweh, God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; / do not worship any gods except me.’” (Slight pause.)
Rumor has it a good teacher knows repetition is necessary. Repetitio Est Mater Studiorum— repetition is the mother of knowledge or the mother of learning— was one of my Father’s favorite Latin Sayings.
So, you have heard me say this before. I am repeating myself. In the Jewish tradition these words from Exodus are not known as the “Ten Commandments.” These are known as the Ten Words.
You have heard me say this before. I am repeating myself. In the Hebrew language the command tense does not exist. Hence, given these two statements about Jewish tradition and the Hebrew Language, these words can, in no way, be thought of as commandments. (Slight pause.)
Rumor has it a good teacher provides some basic information. You have two inserts in the bulletin today which refer to this passage. I invite you to turn to them. I shall wait a moment for you to get them out. (Slight pause.) They are on the large paper.
There is, in this country, a tendency to think of this passage as a monolith— something sacred and immovable. That is a totally secular, even irreligious, concept. Let me say that again. That is a totally secular, even irreligious, concept.
The first insert I invite you to look at is the one with four faith traditions listed— Jewish; Anglican/Reformed; Orthodox; Roman Catholic/Lutheran. (The pastor holds up this sheet.) That’s what it looks like. As you can see on that chart, different traditions cannot even agree on how to number the so called “Ten Commandments.” [1]
Hence, one wonders why our society puts up monuments with two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept. After all— which ten, whose ten is this society talking about? Whose version should take precedence? (Slight pause.)
The next chart I want you to look has three different versions of the so called “Ten Commandments.” (The pastor holds it up.) This is what it looks like— three different versions of the “Ten Commandments” found in the Hebrew Scriptures— Exodus, Deuteronomy and again Exodus. [2]
This is the insert, by the way, with two pages, page one and page two, so you have to flip to see it all— three different versions of the “Ten Commandments.” You have to wonder, since we put up monuments depicting two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept— which set of the so called “Ten Commandments” takes precedence? Choose one— go ahead! (Slight pause.)
Rumor has it a good teacher gives homework. That’s the remaining page. Someone who tells you any translation can be taken literally does not know the first thing about either language or translating.
That remaining page has six translations of this passage on it. [3] Please take it home and compare them. Each translation is different and each has its own validity.
So one does wonder why we put up monuments depicting two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept— as if these words are etched in stone. They are not. There are many ways to translate them. [4] (Slight pause.)
That leads me to what I think is an obvious question. If I have just destroyed our cultural image of the so called “Ten Commandments”— and I think I have— what are they about? (Slight pause.)
These words make a claim about who God is. God is the One Who loved the Israelites. God loved the Israelites so much God guided their rescue from bondage. God led them to freedom.
These words start with God’s love which is an action. Therefore, these words are not commands. These words, the so called “Ten Commandments,” are a result. These words which some call the “Ten Commandments” are a result of participating in the work of God.
Which is also to say these words are a result of a relationship with God. These words are a result of God’s love for humanity and humanity participating in the love God offers.
Hence— especially when these words get to phrases like “No murdering! No giving false testimony...!” — these words are also about our relationship with one another, loving one another. God loves us and we are to participate with each other in the love God offers. (Slight pause.)
A short time ago we shared bread and cup at the table. The symbolism of this is meaningful. Its symbolism says something about God’s love for us. Its symbolism, embodied by the tactile, real experience of the bread and cup, says something about how we are to love one another through sharing, respect and love.
I want to suggest if we share, respect and love then we will be enabled to live out the so called “Ten Commandments” and live them out in ways which will amaze us, guide us to places we did not know possible and empower us to see the word as God sees the world. We will live out a result.
You see, I think the world sees the so called “Ten Commandments” as the cause of and the cause for our behavior. But I think God sees the so called “Ten Commandments” not as the world sees them— as a cause. I think God sees these words as a result— a result of our participating in the work of God.
And I also think God sees these words as an assignment, a homework assignment if you would. It is our assignment to participate in the Realm of God, the Dominion of God. And, if we participate in the Realm of God, the Dominion of God, sharing, respect and love are sure to be a result. And again, that is the symbolism embodied by the table. Amen.
03/04/2018
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “In my comments I said (quote:) ‘we put up monuments depicting two tablets and ten numbers— a totally secular, even irreligious, concept...’ several times. The elevation of the ‘Ten Commandments’ to an exalted status is about the culture, our culture. It is not about faith, not about our relationship with God. After all, when Jesus was asked what are the great commandments the answer Christ gave referenced Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18, not the so called ‘The Commandments.’ So the question for us is simple. When will we stop worshiping the culture as a god and worship the One Triune God, the God of relationship?”
BENEDICTION: This is the message of Scripture: God loves us. Let us endeavor to let God’s love shine forth in our lives. For with God’s love and goodness, there is power to redeem, power to revive, power to renew, power to resurrect. So, may the love of God the Creator which is real, the Peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding and companionship of the Holy Spirit which is ever present, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and care of God this day and forever more. Amen.
[1] These 4 traditions do, indeed, use different numbers for different phrases. The four were listed on this chart with numbers assigned to specific “commands.” using abbreviated phrases for each.
[2] This sheet had Exodus 20:2-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21 and Exodus 34:6-26 listed side by side to allow for comparison.
[3] The six translations lined up side by side are: The New Revised Standard Version; The Inclusive Language Version; The King James Version; The English Standard Version (British); The Message; The New International Version.
[4] When the passage was read the Inclusive Language Translation of Exodus 20:1-17 was read. This is it:
[1] Then God spoke these words and said, [2] “I am Yahweh, God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;
[3] “do not worship any gods except me.
[4] “Do not make for yourselves any carved images or likenesses or anything in heaven above or on earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth [5] and do not bow down or serve them! For I, Yahweh, am a jealous God, and for the parents fault I punish the children, the grandchildren and the great grandchildren of those who turn from me; [6] but I show kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love me and heed my commandments.
[7] “Do not utter the name Yahweh or misuse it, for Yahweh will not acquit anyone who utters God’s Name to misuse it.
[8] “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy! [9] Six days you will labor and do all your work. [10] But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh. Do not work on that day— neither you, nor your son nor your daughter, nor your workers women or men, nor you animals, nor the foreigner who lives among you. [11] For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth and the sea and all that they hold, but rested the seventh day; that is why Yahweh has blessed the Sabbath day and made it sacred.
[12] “Honor your mother and your father, so that you may have a long life in the land that Yahweh, your God, has given to you.
[13] “No murdering!
[14] “No adultery!
[15] “No stealing!
[16] “No giving false testimony against your neighbor!
[17] “No desiring your neighbor’s house! No desiring your neighbor’s spouse or worker— female or male— or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor!”
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