Can’t Win for Losing

Psalm 145: 8-14; Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30 

My grandfather had a lot of old sayings he’d offer to us at what could be both the most opportune and inopportune time. Some of these I’ll share with you this morning. Others I can’t say from a pulpit or in polite company. He’d often say “You can’t cool all outdoors,” when it was hot and the door was open. He’d quote the country song, “Here’s a quarter, call someone who cares.” Occasionally he would offer that we should wish in one hand and do a bodily function in the other to see which gets full first. And never will I forget him singing along to “At the Cross” with these words, “It was there by chance I tore my Sunday pants, and now I have to wear them everyday.” But I often remember when things would go wrong, he’d say one of two things. It was either, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all,” or “Can’t win for losing.”  

It seems like Jesus is saying much the same thing in our Gospel lesson for today. He’s telling the disciples and the followers of John the Baptist that they are disagreeable to everything. John didn’t eat or drink at fancy tables, and he was called demon-possessed. Jesus dined with anyone who invited, and he was accused of being a glutton, drunkard, and in cahoots with the tax collectors and sinners. It seems like…can’t win for losing. One of the hardest places to be is in the presence of someone or a group where nothing you do is right, and everything you say and do is negatively critiqued.  

Jesus often found himself in this place: speak the truth, and they hate him; dine with sinners whose lives change dramatically, and he’s hated again; keep to himself, and they hunt him down. For Jesus, the toxicity of a fickle crowd of naysayers is constant and overwhelming. He offers them a pointed prayer calling them proud and self-righteous. Then he reminds them to be childlike, inquisitive, and eager to learn and grow.  

Perhaps as we celebrate Independence Day weekend this year and recognize the 250th anniversary of our country, life feels to us much like it did to Jesus. Everywhere we turn and everything we do and say is wrong. It doesn’t matter what crowd you are in, it’s wrong. We hear a lot about polarization and pastoring “purple churches.” And now in a country founded partly on religious freedom, we find ourselves, and especially preachers, constrained because anything we say is filtered through a political lens and not a Biblical lens.  

There are certain things in the Bible and in faith that are simply an unchanged truth which many feel become political. These things cannot be changed even when it feels harsh to us. I, as the pastor, cannot change what is uncomfortable as much as I would like to. What Jesus said about marriage and divorce cannot be changed. That women were property, and slavery was commonplace in ancient Judea cannot be changed. And for those who like to summon up Deuteronomy and Leviticus from time to time, it cannot be changed that they both say to welcome the foreigner as if they were your own. There are many places where the Bible records hard lessons and truths which to a modern audience sound political, but that polarized political lens is our problem, not the Bible’s problem.  

We have politicized too much in life in an unhealthy and disruptive way. I saw a quote this week from Bishop C. Andrew Doyle from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. It says, “Our citizenship is baptismal before it is national.” Never forget in a world that is turbulent, polarized, and angry who you belong to first and foremost. We can debate, discuss, and shout until we are blue in the face, but fundamental change in the heart and soul of another person does not happen until they meet God and let God work in their life. Our job is not to win every political and social battle here on earth, because the ultimate victory over all that is wrong here is already spoken for.  

Our mission, should you choose to accept it, is to tell the story of Jesus over and over again until politics, Christian Nationalism, anger, division, and all these toxic things are shut down in the light and life of a faith based on sacrifice, love, and redeeming grace. An old hymn, “Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It,” reminds us, “I think of my blessed Redeemer. I speak of him all the day long. I sing, for I cannot be silent. His love is the theme of my song.”  

And why is Christ at the heart and theme of our words, our songs, and our lives? We see it in those last verses of the Gospel. “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke up on you…and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’” In a world where we are tired of being inundated by bad news all day, it is refreshing and restoring to hear that Jesus offers us rest.  

The other day my friend used a new phrase I’ve never heard before: “exhausterwhelmulated.” It means over-exhausted, overwhelmed, and over-stimulated all at once. Many of us have been feeling that for years as the anger, division, and disgruntled feelings of our entire nation and world continue to rage on. Whatever little bit of good news we get is swallowed up when we are inundated with all the bad news. We can’t win for losing.  

But this sense of can’t win for losing is not an eternal problem. We may not be able to fix the exhaustion, the obnoxious political ads all the time, and the vitriol that we see in our society and even homes, or the ugliness and hatred in some of humanity. But we can remember that Jesus gives us rest for our souls. Here’s the thing—we may still struggle with all of the bad things and problems in life. They may become overwhelming. We may still have days of being “exhausterwhelmulated.” We never, though, have to worry about the outcome. Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection remind us that God is over all, in all, and will work out all that happens. That is why the burden is easy, and that is why we can find rest for our souls.  

We may deal with problems on a fairly regular basis, but we don’t have to fear about the ultimate outcome, for God is in control. The same God who was with Israel through their good and bad times, their good and bad leaders is still with us today as we endeavor to serve and follow the One who created us and loves us so very much.  

But most importantly, if we ever want to change the society we live in, we must introduce everyone to this loving, redeeming, and generous Christ, who gave of himself and still pours his goodness into us this very day. Everything we do, everything we say, every word we write, every moment, every breath should testify to the goodness and love of God within us. Remember that Jesus doesn’t give us the opening to have enemies. We are to bless those who curse us and turn the other cheek to those who wish us harm.  

In the Kingdom of God with Jesus as our guide, every person is an opportunity to demonstrate the true and unending love of God. If you live every moment in that love, in that peace, and in that presence of Jesus, you will be able to overcome the misery, exhaustion, and politicization of life. For Jesus said told us that if we carry a heavy burden, if we have a heavy load to carry, he will give us rest. In Jesus, we will find rest for our souls.  

In life, we may often feel like we can’t win for losing, or like all the world around us has gone a bit crazy or mean. You may rest assured, though, that Jesus is still at work. May we give thanks for 250 years of blessings for our nation though we are still imperfect in many ways. May we also remember that God’s love still has power beyond anything we know and understand to change hearts and minds, and if we fully trust and live in this faith in Jesus, we will find rest for our souls.  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1323706576609787/

Appalachian Supper

Jeremiah 28: 5-9; Matthew 10: 40-42 

Growing up in Appalachia, I lived what I would describe as “holler adjacent.” Bob’s Creek was a holler next to where we lived. Now, a holler is a small valley or depression between two mountains, usually with a creek, where people would build their homes. Some of the foods to come out of the hollers include soup beans and cornbread, often with hot chow-chow, fried taters, hominy, and Sauer kraut with hot dog wieners. My grandparents often had soup beans and cornbread almost every single night for supper.  

But there is a long tradition in the mountains. There’s always a little extra food fixed, and an extra place held open just in case. As The Lost Mountain, which documents Appalachian traditions and folklore notes, “You never knew who might come up the holler hungry, and you never turned anyone away from your table…neighbor or stranger didn’t matter.” A full table is not about how much food you have, but about how wide you are willing to set it.  

That ties into our scripture in Matthew. The Gospel lesson talks about the importance of receiving those who need shelter. Some of the nuances of this scripture tend to be lost on modern audiences. Matthew was written for a more Jewish audience as opposed to Gentile. Matthew was also written during a time of great persecution. This writing would have coincided with the destruction of the Temple and war between Judea and Rome in a Jewish uprising. Matthew, per many scholars, was an attempt by second generation Christians to provide a written recording of the recollections of the first-generation Christians before they died off. This Gospel was written during a time of great tribulation and persecution.  

Many even describe Matthew’s church as a Martyr church where fear and destruction were part of the daily life. For us that is a bit foreign of an idea. We live in a time where there is comfort, and we don’t face daily persecution and poverty holding us at the brink of life and death. When we read this Gospel scripture, we read it as a lesson in grace, kindness, and hospitality. It is from your abundance of kindness that you receive a prophet, a righteous one, or even the least of the followers.  

I’ve even heard this connected to inviting the preacher over to dinner after church or one evening as receiving the prophet or pastor. But for Matthew’s writer, this was not a question of grace or kindness. This was a question of life and death. If you are receiving a prophet or a righteous one, you are receiving them to provide shelter and care away from the potential destruction that could come their way. Giving a cup of water to the least of the followers could prevent death. But it also put the host in harm’s way.  

In Roman law, a person who harbored a Christian could face charges of high treason or unlawful assembly. Those charges carried punishments of possible fines, prison, confiscation of property, or even death. This was not a question of providing a little bit of food, water, and refuge. This was a question of risking your own life and well-being for the good of the kingdom of God, to harbor God’s prophets, to safeguard God’s righteous ones, and to care for all even the least of those in the kingdom of God.  

The same was true living up in an Appalachian holler. There’s a lot of wilderness land, a lot of scary things in the mountains, and for those who believe in it, if the bears don’t get you the “haints” will. Welcoming someone into your home for a meal or some water could mean the difference in their safety. Wandering onto the wrong property could get you killed. Wandering too far in the mountains could get you lost for good. It’s easy at dusk to miss the bobcat, the bear, and the den of rattlesnakes. This sense of welcome and hospitality, of receiving someone, protected them from the dangers that lurked in the mountains around them.  

One author calls this the “decommercialization of evangelism.” It is simply receiving and showing God’s love and grace without photographs, a social media post, or well-funded outreach drive. It’s a bit counter-cultural, the circumstances are often more dire, and there is a greater sense of life and death. One of the best-known modern examples is those who hid Jews and other targets during the prelude to World War II. When the Nazis came for those they wanted to send to the camps, many folks facilitated escapes or hid out Jews in secret parts of their houses.  

We, too, are called to this same sense of first century receiving. When we welcome refugees who have lived in war-torn countries, when we welcome those who are suffering, hungry, and escaping from suffering, when we protect someone from an unjust suffering or unjust death, we are doing what Jesus said here. When you help victims of a major earthquake as well. If you even give a cup of water to the least of these followers, you will be rewarded.  

This type of receiving is a hard calling for us. We are trained to be wary of strangers. We listen to podcasts and watch shows of people being murdered by strange travelers. We are, by all accounts, a suspicious society. And in many ways that is justified. Yet we must also find how we can practice the kind of hospitality that Jesus calls on us to do. Jesus picks three complicated people for the righteous to receive here in this Gospel lesson.  

The first is a prophet. As we hear from Jeremiah, no one really liked prophets. Most of them came to predict doom and gloom. If you saw a prophet in Jeremiah’s day, rarely were you going to get good news. And those who did bring good news were often tasked with offering proof of their prophecy. Jeremiah offers a measured response knowing that the prophet’s words of peace and hope come from a “royal theology” or from a nationalistic hope as opposed to what was actual reality. Prophets were heard, but very uncomfortable guests and presences.  

The righteous were also problematic because sometimes you didn’t know whether you were getting the holy righteous or the self-righteous. The Gospel of Luke calls this out when the righteous ones walk past the injured man while the Samaritan helps him. This plays into our own fear that you never know what kind of person may show up for your good graces. And finally, there’s the least of all the followers, who only get a cup of water. We’re not told who this could be. But the implication is that you may not want them staying at your house. Yet we are called to give them a cold cup of water because receiving someone in the name of Jesus is important in the Gospel lesson.  

It is also hard for us to be this hospitality oriented. Safety is a concern. We never know who or what version of whom may show up to our home. Yet we care called to receive with generosity just the same. You don’t have to give someone the spare bedroom, but even a cold cup of water is important. To really bring this home, let me give you an illustration.  

In 2017, a mentally ill man, who by all accounts was not violent, knocked on doors in Deepstep, Georgia, asking for some water. He was on foot from Milledgeville to Sandersville. A concerned resident called police, who encountered the man, attempted to detain him for a crime they couldn’t actually articulate happening subsequently tasered him till he was dead in the ensuing back and forth. Most legal scholars say he was improperly detained and lawfully could leave the officers’ presence. How different would this have been if the man had just been given a cold cup of water as he was the least of these, God’s children and followers.  

In an Appalachian supper, a little bit of extra food is fixed, whether it’s beans, taters, cornbread, or something out of the garden, because you never know who is going to wander up the holler in need of some grace and generosity. Likewise, in the kingdom of God, we are called to give generously to all, whether prophet, righteous, or the very least, for in each we see Jesus on our doorstep.  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/2698148657247963/

A Dose of Courage

A Dose of Courage

Joshua 1: 1-9; Ephesians 6: 1-4 

One of the highlights…or greatest misfortunes of my childhood, depending on how you see it, was the annual family vacation to Gatlinburg and Dollywood.  The grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins…everybody came on this trip, and we all stayed together in one large chalet in the mountains. It was like a National Lampoons movie on a good day. I would not say, “A good time was had by all.”  

One year, the house we were all staying at was particularly far up in the mountains on winding, narrow roads with very little signage. There was no GPS in 1992, so we were hunting for our best. It was a true test of my father’s leadership and navigational capabilities, and we definitely found what is NOT in his skillset. With GPS, it would have been about 3.5 miles and 15 minutes. Without, we wandered all over the Smoky Mountains for 15 miles and well over an hour trying to find this place. Had it not been for my mother, I don’t think we would have made it out of the Smoky Mountains.  

Leadership in our society is often vested in the males. Most societies on earth tend to be patriarchal where the male is viewed as the leader. Some societies, such as African ones, will see women as the societal matriarch as she is where life is born. Today we celebrate the gifts of leadership found in men, as it is Father’s Day. Woman also have many gifts, but we look at that in May. Today is for those with a Fathering spirit.  There are three qualities of leadership we see today: be strong and courageous, listen and study, and be worthy of respect.  

First leadership is strong and courageous. The Israelites in our Hebrew lesson had only ever known the leadership of Moses outside of the cruelty of slavery. They had no idea what it was like to be led by anyone other than Moses. And now they have the fearfulness from Moses being dead. God addresses the fear clearly and with finality. “Moses, my servant, is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you [Joshua] to lead these people.” But Joshua didn’t go alone. God’s promises were not just tied to Moses. God’s promises are never ending and without fail.  

Courage and confidence come from trusting in an outcome. In faith, we trust in the outcome of God’s promises and God’s plan. The journey ahead proved that the Israelites would face hardship and trial. But in every struggle, they had God’s promises with them. The same is true of father-figures, leaders, and decision makers in our time. God’s promises never fail, and neither should our courage to step out in faith.  

A few years ago I was sitting on a meeting for the Regional Office. When asked why things were handled in a certain manner, I answered before I could stop myself. I blurted out, “Well, we’ve always done it this way.” That is the death knell of courage, of risk, and of faith. If we never break our patterns of doing and patiently try new ways of being followers of Jesus, we won’t need faith. If nothing challenges or changes, why do you need faith to follow, faith to trust?  

God calls on us to be strong and courageous followers, willing to try and experience new things, willing to journey to new ideas and new places. At one time, all that Jesus taught was a new and risky idea. But every challenge is an opportunity to have the courage found in faith in God. Be strong and courageous. Do not be discouraged.  

As leaders, father-figures, and people of faith, we must listen and study. God says to Joshua, as a new leader, “Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them…Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.” Good leaders study and know what they are doing and talking about. When I was working in Macon, we had a judge who would read every single thing on every single case. She would say, “I may not be able to be the smartest in the room, but I can be the best prepared.”  

I couldn’t stand here unless I read and prepared for this sermon. A music leader cannot sing unless they’ve looked over the music. God calls us as leaders to be studied and prepared. In and of himself, Joshua did not know how to lead the Hebrew people. But he had God’s promises, and he had words of wisdom and instruction to follow. Joshua became a good leader because he listened to God, and he was well prepared. The scripture is filled with examples of leaders who did not do this, and it tells how their time of leadership ranged from a struggle to catastrophic.  

Leadership and fathering are hard because there is an expectation in our society of knowing every answer, making all the right decisions, and having strength beyond what is often humanly possible. Part of listening and study is being vulnerable to listen to different viewpoints, different ideas. History is too full of father-figures, leaders, and let’s be honest, men, who are unwilling to be humbled enough to listen and understand when they need to. God told Joshua to listen, to read, to understand the instructions and follow them. We are called to the same.  

Lastly, father figures who are leaders are called to be worthy of respect. As a child in a Christian school, We were ALWAYS taught the first part of this Ephesians chapter—Children obey your parents for that is what is right. Remember to honor your father and mother.  I almost never remember hearing us read the second part of this instruction, “Father’s do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them.” The two go hand in hand.  

It is impossible to honor a father figure, a leader, if they live in a way that is unworthy of respect and honor. I have a friend whose father was a strict disciplinarian. He ran the house with precision, toughness, and sometimes cruelty and terror. He believed his sole job was to discipline his children into obedience and submission. He ended up alienating them all because there was no warmth, no love, no kindness in his relationship with them. He wasn’t exactly abusive. He was just generally mean and unkind.  

If we think of God as a father figure, promises are kept, comfort and grace are offered, redemption is part and parcel. God can be tough on us, but it is always tempered by kindness, love, and support. That is exactly how the leadership of a father should be—clarity, boundaries, and an overwhelming love.  

In many ways, Moses ended up being like a father to the Israelites. He was all they had known because of the desert wanderings while waiting to come to the promised land. Moses had led them out of slavery in Egypt. Moses had parted the sea in front of them. Moses gave them instruction from God. Moses led them all the way to the very entrance of their new home. He cared for them, disciplined them, and stayed with them all the way home.  

In our society, fathers tend to be seen as the leaders. We live in a generally patriarchic society, which is simply a fact, not a commentary. This leadership must be strong and courageous, must be based on study and willing ears and hearts to learn, and must be worthy of respect. Not everything will be smooth or perfect. It can be a hard learning curve sometimes. But the same God who gives us the calling as leaders and as fathers gives us the strength and wisdom to know how to live and act. So be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For God is with you. And that’s a promise. 

Worship Service video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1513573309670428/

Still Sent

Psalm 116: 1-2, 12-19; Matthew 9: 35-10:14 

There are some Sundays that I just really like to step in it and see how much trouble I can get into. So, let’s go full force today. This week, the Southern Baptist Convention held their annual conference. One of the most prominent and important topics was making sure there was a sufficient ban on female preachers. It is already in their doctrine and policy that this is excluded, and they in fact remove churches that place women in roles of pastoral authority. However, this new prohibition would go in their constitution. It also goes a step further in banning women from both the office and functions of pastoral roles.  

The implications are that women will likely be banned from holding any positions of power, authority, or decision-making capacity, nor will they be able to speak to assemblies outside of children. The quiet effect is that people like Beth Moore and Joyce Meyer can no longer speak in Southern Baptist congregations, except in limited circumstances. Now juxtapose that with the words of their newly elected president, who said he is glad they are moving away from these social justice experiments gone wrong. The social justice experiment referenced had nothing to do with women. It was three years ago when they discovered rampant child sexual abuse in churches, and the leadership made much more stringent rules punishing clergy and laity for this misconduct. Perhaps the new president was still unhappy over the fact that he was not elected in 2023 because one of his own deacons was accused of child abuse.  

The problem with this theology about women is that it does not advance the Gospel message, nor is it’s not exactly Biblical. Numerically the SBC is suffering. In the last 5-10 years, they have lost over 4 million members. Jesus says in our Gospel lesson, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.” Constricting who is authorized to preach and teach the good news shortens the reach in who hears that good news. In an era where only 30% of Americans attend church regularly, one would think it is imperative to have as many people preaching the good news as possible.  

Jesus also called and sent the disciples with a purpose. We hear of the call Jesus gave to the original twelve disciples: announce and preach the Kingdom of Heaven, heal those in need, cast out evil, and offer generosity. That, in a nutshell, is what Jesus did in his ministry. He told the good news of redeeming love. He healed the sick and afflicted, raise the dead, cast out evil, and was generous to all who came to him. His love and generosity led him to a cross, and in turn, the disciples were led out into the world to do these same things.  

So, does the Bible support that only men can do this? Not exactly. Of course, this work is more male heavy in Jesus and Paul’s day. It was a patriarchal society, and men were more expected to do the harsh travels and present in the Temple. There were extra safety risks to women. But it is also true that the church relied heavily on women, especially Paul, contrary to popular belief.  

Here are a few examples. Lois and Eunice raised Timothy and taught him in the faith. Priscilla and Aquilla are mentioned in Acts as leaders and missionaries closely working with Paul. Priscilla is a woman, and in almost every instance her name comes first in the lead position. In Romans, Paul references Phoebe as a deacon and leader of the church in Cenchrea. Paul also references Junia as the leader of the home church in Rome. Euodia and Syntyche, both women, were church leaders referenced in Philippians. Nympha was a woman who helped lead the church in Colossae. Chloe led a branch of the church in Corinth in her home. Apphia is referenced as a church leader in Philemon.  

While I’m at it, it was the women, after Jesus’s death and burial, who came to the tomb to take care of the body. The men were cowering in the upstairs apartment with the doors and windows shut. They didn’t even accompany the women to the tomb to make sure they were safe. It was Mary who first saw the risen Jesus and went back to tell others. The early church heavily relied on women to organize and keep the churches going. And just as each of those women were called by God to serve, and called apostles and deacons by Paul, so today is the Gospel not a message for one race, one ethnicity, one gender, or one specific sect of people. God is not willing that any should perish, and to accomplish that, God wants everyone to share the good news of grace and love with everyone.  

Teaching and sharing the Gospel is imperative in our society. As our faith, our churches, and our understanding of our faith is declining, we need everyone who feels called and led by God to go out and share the good news. Sharing the Gospel vitally important. Who preaches it is not, so long as they speak truth. Imagine in our church if we said Pam, Doris, Christie, and our other incredible teachers could no longer teach. Imagine if Laura, Joy, and Doris were told they could no longer be elders. Imagine if Carla, Barbara, Angela, and Amanda could no longer be deacons. Imagine if the women here could not share the good news of what God has done in their lives or speak from the pulpit about Disciples Women. If not for women, I don’t think any church would have survived. From the first century, it was their homes, their influence, their skills that nurtured and grew the church.  

I have been particularly blessed by the women ministers in my life. Beginning with Wendy Miles, to Denise Bell, Joan Bell-Haynes, my friend Katie Griffis, whose sermon podcast I listen to on my way down here every Sunday morning. That’s just a sampling of the many women of faith who profoundly encourage my faith, and our faith. I have heard God speak to me in each one of them. We are all still sent by Jesus to preach the good news, and to teach the world how to have a good relationship with God and one another.  

We must keep our minds and spirits focused on the main thing, Jesus, and the message of life-saving grace for the world. Churches need good governance—committees, officers, a bit of decorum and order are all necessary for such an institution to function. We cannot, however, as people of the living God and followers of the risen Savior, let ourselves become obsessed with religious rules. I saw a joke the other day that a bar opened next door to a church. Every week, the church prayed against the bar’s business. One day lighting hit and burned the bar down, and the owner sued the church saying the prayers caused it. The church denied any and all role or liability. The perplexed judge said, “This is a tough case because I have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and an entire church that denies it.”  

When we got caught up in rules, particulars, do’s and do not’s, the legalism of faith, we forget the heart of what we believe: that we are called to teach and preach a right relationship with the God who created and loves all of humanity. We are called to go and make disciples in the faith, and to live as Jesus in this world—with love, welcome, and helping in whatever ways we can to ease the suffering in this world.  

I cannot presume to know who God calls to be a pastor or why. If I were to be honest with you, if I were in charge, I would have never called myself. It was the last thing I ever expected in life. I’d planned to be a fancy and rich lawyer. But this September will be 15 years serving this church, and in retrospect, God was far, far wiser than I ever could have been. I am honored every day to serve in this role.  

For many who are pastors, the men and the women, the words of the Psalm resonate like a prayer of hope. “I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because [God] bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” And most importantly, “I will fulfil my vows to the Lord, in the presence of all [God’s] people—in the house of the Lord.” May this be a prayer and a promise from every pastor called to share a faith which has both saved us and inspired us. 

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1595377548817639/

GRACE AT THE TABLE

Genesis 12: 1-9; Matthew 9: 9-13, 18-26 

As one can imagine, the institutional food at a college or university is not exactly the most appetizing. You might get the mystery grey meat or the potato slurry that looks like it slid off a containment pond at a chemical plant. But there are a few hacks to overcoming the food fails. When I was in college, I signed up for the “table manners” class where you got a delicious multi-course meal while learning the lost art of high society table manners. In fact, I signed up for it three times, till the teacher got wise to my shenanigans. The good news is that I can now discern between 20 pieces of silverware and figure out what to do with my napkin if ever I’m invited to a state dinner in D.C.  

Sometimes finding grace at the table can be a little difficult. You might have the kid that picks his nose or sneezes all over the table, or the uncle who picks his teeth and lays down chunks of food. Or after hours of preparing a delicious pot roast, you discover without warning that part of the family is now vegan. Gathering at the table can be one of the most irritating yet grace-filled things we do. As the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, this, God’s table, is central to our faith, for it is where we see, experience, and understand the grace of Christ for us.  

In our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus calls Matthew, the tax collector, as his disciple, then later goes over to Matthew’s home for dinner with the other disciples. At the table is Jesus, his disciples, Matthew, and a host of tax collectors and disreputable people. The Pharisees see this and ask why Jesus is eating with such scum. Likely, because of the pettiness and hatefulness of the Pharisees and very religious folks, the so-called “scum” were the only people Matthew had to associate with, except for Jesus, who saw something in Matthew the Pharisees refused to see, calling him to a life of discipleship.  

Jesus did not see scum. Jesus saw an opportunity to make disciples. It wasn’t the Pharisees who listened to Jesus and followed. It was the tax collector, the “scum.” Jesus begins a series of direct confrontations from this position of sitting at the table for dinner. At the table, he finds grace for the rejected, and he goes from there to show what grace, and the kingdom of God truly mean.  

What Jesus ultimately sought was people whose hearts and minds would be changed. He replied to the Pharisees, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, sick people do…I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I have come not to call those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” A friend and minister once said of this scripture, “Be careful you don’t find yourself as the one in the hallway looking in while Jesus is seated at the table.” Though Jesus’s mercy and grace are wide and welcoming, bad behavior and darkened hearts must be changed. Matthew gave up his tax collector ways and followed Jesus. Grace implies the necessity of a changed heart.  

Yet all throughout this Gospel lesson, we see Jesus confronting the doubters, naysayers, and critics with the true power of his grace. We learn next that Jesus is begged by a religious leader to come heal his dead daughter. How ironic that the same religious leaders who critiqued Jesus for his dinner companions now want his help when it’s their turn to be in desperate need.   

On the way, a woman with an illness touches the fringe of his garment with the faith to be healed. And, indeed, Jesus heals her for her faith made her well. Yet again, we see this back and forth of hatefulness and grace. She had a bleeding condition. That made her unclean, and by inference, we know the religious leaders would have avoided her at all costs. That’s why she snuck up to touch the hem of the robe instead of coming directly to Jesus. She feared being rejected again for being unclean. Jesus, though, offered grace and healing.  

When Jesus gets to the religious official’s home, he finds a noisy crowd engaged in a funeral. The scene is chaotic, disrespectful, and undercuts the faith this man had in Jesus to restore life to the dead child. They are all certain of one thing—the girl is dead, and she is not coming back. When Jesus tells them to stop, they turn the chaos into a circus of disrespect and begin laughing at Jesus.  

They are disruptive in the middle of the religious leader’s grief. They laugh at the idea of hope. They insult and mock Jesus in their thoughts and behaviors. Jesus is still ready with grace for them, for the family, and for this sleeping child. In seconds, Jesus ends the chaos, silences the crowd, and raises the dead child to life. Chaos and foolishness are instantly turned to faith as they see the power of Jesus to heal and raise the dead to life.  

What it comes down to is whether we listen for Jesus’s call to come out from the outskirts and sidelines and sit at the table with Jesus. Abraham is a great example of this. In his seventies, Abraham heard God calling him to leave his home and come to the promised land of Canaan. Listening to God helps us to live in grace. Abraham listened and responded by gathering things up and moving to Canaan at the Lord’s instruction. The disciples listened to Jesus and left behind everything they had. When Jesus called, they followed. Though it’s not said, I fully believe the “scum” at that dinner table also found grace that day. There was a reason Matthew invited them. He knew them. And he knew they needed to be in the presence and grace of Jesus as well.  

The grace of Jesus is much like a big dinner party in that we must send invitations. If we do not invite others to know and experience God’s grace, we will soon find our tables empty. We must invite people to experience God’s grace, and to be given grace at the table. And sometimes that means inviting those whom the Pharisees would call scum. A friend of mine was sharing some church gossip with me the other day, oh, I mean a prayer request, not gossip. *Wink and nod. He said the biggest crook and cheat in town came to church that Sunday. (Yes, he’s a lawyer). He was moved, filled with repentance, and dedicated himself to God that very day. My friend said, “Well, I guess he’s our crook, now.” Sometimes it’s hard to set extra places at the table. But that’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do because Jesus did it for us.  

Jesus knew the risk of dining with a tax collector and his friends. Yet not only did he do it here with Matthew, he does it a second time with Zacchaeus in another Gospel story. To their credit, the disciples have the faith to trust and follow Jesus’s lead, though I’m sure they’d rather be anywhere else than a tax collector’s house getting ridiculed by religious leaders.  

While in college, I decided that to get some edible food, I would take the manners classes three times. I learned what fork matches which dish, napkin placement, the proper form for slurping soup, and other little fancy tidbits. But from Jesus, we can learn what it means to show grace at the table. For those whom the religious leaders labeled “scum,” Jesus saw them as children of God. For the tax collector whom others called a crook and a cheat, Jesus saw a disciple. For an old man settled in his home and his ways, God saw the father of many nations. 

Never underestimate the magnificence of what God sees in you and me, and the incredible work of faith God calls us to do. In God’s house and at God’s table, everyone is welcome, and everyone is called. But we are all called to have a change of heart and mind, just like Matthew, just like the “scum” he brought to the table with Jesus. Grace is something that we all need in our lives both for ourselves and for others, just as Jesus is filled with grace. So the question is there for us today, will you come to the table or will you stand in the hallway?  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1606598380437931/

Hymn Sing Service

Join us this Sunday, May 31 at 10:45 AM at FCC for a special worship service of unity and hymns of praise.

Come together as brothers and sisters in Christ to lift our voices and worship God through song.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

Everyone is welcome!

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1012102324673351/

When God Shows Up

Acts 2: 1-12; John 20: 19-23 

Growing up in a “Bapticostal” Appalachian church, I often experienced something most churches don’t do these days. No, it’s not snakes. Full stop. At the end of Sunday night services, we would leave about 10 minutes for people to testify. They could get up and say a little bit about what they were thankful for, how God had helped, or how God had shown up in their lives. Usually, it was the same people, unless someone had a special blessing. And we almost always heard the same praises—how God had helped, protected families, blessed, shown love. It was a wonderful moment of seeing God’s presence in the lives of others.  

But sometimes Bea Reynolds would stand up to testify, and we never really knew where that was going to go. Sometimes she would holler “Well, PRAISE the name of the Lord!” in the middle of a sentence. And sometimes, she testified to some “unique” blessings of God. One such went like this… She told us that she couldn’t sleep at night, and she was there in the wee hours of the morning ready to take her sleep medication, but she really didn’t want to because it had a rough effect on her 80-year-old body. So, instead, she began to read her Bible. And I quote the next part exactly, “I read my Bible, and God let me sleep almost immediately. I tell you the Bible will put you to sleep faster than any pill will.” And now you know why we don’t do this here.  

However, just as Peter and the disciples testified about Christ, his love and resurrection and grace, on the day of Pentecost, so must we tell of the goodness of God in our lives. Faith is not meant to be a secret. It is meant to be lived, celebrated, and a part of our testimonies. That is why I have collected your testimonies, and I want to share them with you today. It’s important to hear from each other how God is showing up in each other’s lives.  Here is what you all have written.  

1. had a very serious illness years ago. My three girls were very young. My husband was told to prepare for the worst. After 3 weeks in the hospital and fervent prayers by so many, including myself, God’s love healed me.  

2.  Homecoming—getting back to Macon and experiencing great joy, I get a foretaste of Heaven.  

3. His love shows up for me daily whether I see it or not. I know God’s love is always and omnipresent. Something that comes to me is that he let me say goodbye to both of my parents before he took them home. What a comfort to me.  

4. When has God not shown up? In the love of my parents and family. In friends. In struggles, most often when it’s hindsight that truly revelas that God did show up.  

5. In my search for a mate, I spent several years kissing a lot of frogs! In my frustration I turned my search over to my Heavenly Father, saying, “These are the characteristics I wish to find in a mate. If I’m supposed to have this, please send him to me, since I am finding it very difficult to find him. If those characteristics are not appropriate, please show me what I need. IN a matter of days, I saw a young man who drew my attention, but I dismissed him as probably a military man who would be gone to serve in the conflict in no time. Three weeks later I encountered him again when I heard a voice saying to me as I was writing something, “Excuse me, I know this is the oldest line in the book, but haven’t I seen you before?” I looked up and saw the same young man. He asked me out and a year and a day later, we were married. He met all of the qualifications I had asked God to send me. Our marriage was filled with love, kindness, and fun. It lasted 48 years until the death of that young man separated us.  

6. Waking up in the morning. During a devotion in the morning. Before breakfast. After breakfast. Driving to work I the morning. Before lunch. After lunch. During the afternoon. Before dinner. After dinner. Before retiring for the night. God shows up all the time.  

7. God shows up in leading me back to church.  

8. All through my life, in the best of times, the worst oftimes, I have felt God’s love.  

9. I think the question for me is "Where has God NOT shown up?"  The sun rises every day.  I have food, clothing, shelter.  I am reasonably healthy even though I see contemporaries of mine going on to their reward every day.  Now retired, I reflect on a wonderful career in a profession where I was able to see God's hand at work in it.  I celebrate a wonderful marriage and great kids.  I have a family of faith where I worship with friends who are diverse and godly people.  Our church welcomes everyone and we follow a Savior who showed us how to do that.  Our Pastor is a friend to each and all of us.  Our denomination stands up for justice and peace. We have continuing opportunities to participate in mission and outreach led by an active group of Christian women.  In my view, God does not show up but rather is a constant presence that I only need to look around to see. 

10. When I got a divorce, God’s love let me know that I can make it on my own with Him. God’s love has shown up for me when I joined First Christian, when I met the members, and most of all I thank God for this. God’s love has shown up when I met you.  

11. And a final one shared theirs as a prayer, “Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for you love in encouraging me, through our current sermon series, to show love, respect and kindness to all others, whether they are fellow Christians, friends, or even foes and enemies. We need to be like Jesus, and as a Christian professing to be a follower of Jesus, must be loving and caring to all others in all of our thoughts, words (written, spoken, or even shared through social media) and deeds. Otherwise, each and every time we fail to do so, we grieve the Holy Spirit. In Jesus, holy, precious name. Amen.  

When the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples, they began to speak in many tongues, languages, and with great power and conviction. In the Bible Study, the other night, we talked about how important and powerful it was for Paul to share his personal story and testimony of how Jesus showed up in his life and changed his cruel direction.  

It is our stories of faith which testify to the power with which God shows up in our lives. We’ve heard today about healing, comfort, presence in starting over, finding happiness in life. Each of these stories is what draws people to faith because it takes the theoretical and makes it real. People today need a “why” when it comes to faith. The why is not a long, theological discourse. It’s the stories you tell of how your faith and your trust in God and following Jesus has made a difference in your life.  

The life-breath of faith is the Word that God breathes in us to tell the good news and testify to the incredible goodness of God in our lives. Who in your life and within your orbit needs to hear your story of God’s goodness and grace? Just as the disciples received the Spirit to speak and preach the good news, so too does the Spirit work in our lives to speak in and through us into the modern world we live in. So may our words tell of the goodness and redeeming love of God, and may our lives echo the story in this world.  

Ending Dysfunction: Anger, Danger, Discipline, and Joy

Ps. 68: 1-10; I Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11 

Here’s a little story about anxiety and danger. This week, while in Macon on Tuesday, I decided to get coffee because I was sleepy. While rounding the corner from Third Street to Poplar, a truck swerved into my lane, I quickly swerved right and turned on Poplar, but I bounced into the sewer drain and blew out my back tire. There I sat, waiting for roadside assistance, only to learn that new vehicles do not come with a spare tire in the back. There’s space for it, but no tire.  

Because all the tire places are now closed, I have the car towed to the church, then have it towed again the next morning to Discount tire. That took till afternoon because the tire had to be ordered and there were two road emergencies necessitating the towing company to drive around with my car on the back responding to these emergencies. Six hundred and fifty dollars later, it was fixed. There was one bright spot in all of this. I called Doug and Angela for help, and they showed up within minutes and offered the use of their car to get home. I think that was the only thing keeping me from insanity along with the prayer and medication.  

Life is often going to send us trials and troubles. They will come at the most inconvenient of times, when we are least prepared for how to handle them. With this will come anxiety, perhaps danger, fear, and maybe even feeling like we are being disciplined or punished. Not one of us is going to be spared heartache and trouble in life. It may come as a failed relationship. It may come as financial woes. It may come as illness or struggles of the mind. Perhaps it will be addiction struggles. Or it may be just a big old flat tire in the middle of the road and all you can do is drink your now cold coffee and roll your eyes. Life is filled with troubles and trials from now till we see heaven.  

What makes our faith so rich for us is that we never suffer apart from God. I Peter tells us that when we go through fiery trials, “be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering.” We cannot forget that Jesus has an intimate familiarity with human struggle. Life’s trials are not meant to drive a wedge between us and Jesus. That comes more from anger and blame than some kind of divine smiting. Trials and trouble are simply a hazard of human existence. God does not cause them, nor does God delight in them.  

When we face harrowing things in life, that is simply because of how things age and happen in this world. We live in many ways as broken people, and none of that brokenness is because God orchestrates evil in our lives. Instead, we are offered the benefit of drawing close to Jesus who understands because he experienced the inherent brokenness of this world too. A friend of mine is dealing with his grandmother’s last days. She has become bedbound, but she refused to give in to the trial. She said, “Jesus was bound to a cross in pain. At least I am bound to a soft bed.” That’s a greater peace and faith than I think most of us could summon up, including me.  

The apostles knew and understood suffering and struggle. There is no hint in any of the gospels or epistles that we can magically make life’s struggles disappear for good. But we are taught ways to manage and get through the trials we experience in this life. I saw a joke the other day. It said, “God, why do you give me your toughest battles!?” The response was, “You literally just have to fold the clothes you took out of the dryer. Come on.”  

I Peter tells us to humble ourselves under God’s power, give our worries to God, stay alert, stand firm, be strong in faith, and remember you are not alone in struggles. We’re not given the advice to circumvent or get around our trials. We are told how to, instead, plow right through with the strength of God. Humility and giving cares to God speaks to our dance with pride. Sometimes we lead, and sometimes we are led by our pride. In giving over to God, we have to lay down that pride that can cause our trials to be magnified. Why try to handle ourselves, what God is prepared to help us with in God’s own strength?  

Good advice also includes staying alert and standing firm. These can be very hard to do when we feel under the pressure of a life struggle. I am far more prone to abject panic and running around crazily. Thank you to God, prayer and medication for helping with that. But we must find the courage to gather ourselves and be alert to what is coming our way. We cannot let trials pull us apart and knock us over, and when we struggle to stand firm, we can remember that God is standing in strength behind us! 

Most importantly we must remember that we are not alone in our trials and troubles. Just as Jesus knows and understands, Jesus is also with us. We often use prayer and going to Jesus as the last resort when all else we’ve done has failed. But prayer should be the preparation, not the Hail Mary. As the hymn tells us, “Are we weak and heavy laden? Take it to the Lord in prayer.” Don’t let trials from a broken world pull you away from your faith and from Jesus. Draw closer, read your Bible more, study more how Jesus lived and loved, and lean into that human life of holy work, especially in these times when we feel like all the world has gone crazy.  

Lastly, remember that God often shows up in a crisis in us. I Peter tells us that “after you have suffered a little while, [God] will restore, support, and strengthen you, and…will place you on a firm foundation.” The Psalm also tells us that God will provide a bountiful harvest to a needy people. It was Mr. Rogers who said, “When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Indeed, very often the presence of God is seen in and through us. When you show up with a casserole, when you offer a prayer, when you call someone who is sick, you are showing up with care, love, and the presence of God with you and within you.  

What we have to remember is that the phrase, “Look for the helpers,” is intended for small, frightened children. As adults we learn what it means to be the helpers. We can still look for the helpers around us to join with us and give us reassurance, but there comes a time when we must stand firm as I Peter says. Looking for the helpers applies when we find ourselves in the midst of trials and need God to show up in some way in our lives.  

It may be minor, or it may be a bit trouble. We may need a friend to check on us, to have a cup of coffee. We may need a bit of prayer, or a visit at a hospital. Or we may need someone to come to our rescue when the tire blows out because so many Macon drivers seem to have gotten their license at Sears and Roebuck instead of the from the State. Either way, God calls us at times to stand up and be the helpers for those who are suffering, but God also calls on us to have the humility to accept help when we are struggling ourselves. Pride goeth before a fall, and sometimes you cannot get back up. But perhaps if we are willing to accept help when it is needed, putting aside our pride, we can avoid the fall.  

I want to leave you with a story about Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. Pooh shows up, sitting down on the log next to Piglet, and he says today was a difficult day, but he doesn’t want to talk about it. Piglet, in his wisdom offers that he understands difficult days, and he, too, does not feel like talking about it. Piglet goes on to say, “But goodness, difficult days are so much easier when you know you’ve got someone there for you. And I’ll always be there for you, Pooh.” As Pooh sits there swinging his legs with Piglet, we are told he “thought that his best friend had never been more right.”  

Each day is a new day for trials to come our way. But each day is also a day where God can do amazing things in our lives. May we have the faith to show up for those who need us and the presence of God in us. But may we also have the grace to let others show up for us, bringing the presence of God with them.  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/949549221043745

Oh Mother

Proverbs 23:22-25; John 2: 1-11 

Mother’s Day is the one time per year I can carte blanche tell stories about my mother. The rest of the time I skirt the edges of trouble in telling family stories. I think, sometimes, as teenagers we get too worked up and feel like parents, and in particular mothers, embarrass us. When I was in high school at the tender age of 16, I most certainly took myself too seriously.  We were shopping for school clothes, and Mom and I were at Aeropostale or American Eagle.  

I was somewhat in between sizes, so I was waffling between a large and extra-large. An associate helped us try on the sizes and eventually I was able to make a decision. On the way out of the store, my mother mistook the worker at the front for the worker who had helped us and said, in what my memory says is a very loud voice, “We decided to go with the extra-large!” Teenage me was mortified, destroyed, ruined, thrown into unbelievable angst never to recover from the emotional damage and social injury. We have laughed about this story for years. And as an adult, I’m pretty unfazed, leaning much more into the humor, and I can roll my eyes and say, “Oh, Mother…” 

I imagine it was the same for Jesus. He had a complicated relationship with parenting. Mary was most certainly the mother of Jesus, but imagine having God as your father! We only get glimpses of the family dynamic. One incident is where Jesus disappears as a younger boy to teach in the Temple, and Mary and Joseph have to go back looking for him. The other time is here at the wedding in Cana. When Mary informs Jesus that the wine has run low, which would have been a major social shortcoming in that day, Jesus says, “Dear woman, that’s not our problem.” I imagine Jesus smiling and saying, “Oh, Mother.”  

Two things we learn: first, Mary understands that Jesus has the power to work miracles, and it seems like a demonstrated power; second, she knew he would do it anyway because she prepared the servants to act even though Jesus had said no to her. But it seems that Jesus was very inclined to listen to his mother and do what she said, even if it wasn’t exactly in his plans.  

The fact that Jesus acts to turn water into wine speaks to how much he was willing to listen to his mother. It shows the power of a mothering nature to shape an individual. I know some have had a hard time with the biological mother in your life. And I know some have had struggles with motherhood which never came. But a mothering nature goes beyond simple biology—it’s a reflection of God’s love. I know very often we talk about God as father. But in many ways that nurturing, encouraging, grace-filled love of God feels much more like the correct love of a mother.  

Today we celebrate the many ways in which God’s love is shown and demonstrated through a mothering love and a mothering nature. This is seen in the power of prayer, shared meals, forgiveness and kindness, remaining a family even when we may not always agree, and encouraging when such help is needed. That is just what Jesus does—breaks bread, prays and blesses, challenges, and lifts up when people are broken. That love of Jesus and the love of a mothering presence in our lives is nourishing and nurturing to us in life and in our lives of faith.  

But we must also listen to the wisdom of the mothering figures in our lives. As our Proverbs lesson tells about parents and families, we hear, “Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.” In many ways those three can be rolled into one. Listen to the wisdom of the strong, mothering women in your life. My mother, grandmothers, and mother-figures shared a lot of wisdom that I cherish: don’t cook candy when it’s raining, a little caffeine can actually help a hyper-active child and speak to everyone from friend to the cashier at the store you just met among other things.  

One of the most powerful things my mother imparted to me was every morning before dropping me off for school, she would say, “Remember the most important thing.” I would answer back, “I love you, and do good.” Once we discussed whether it should be “do your best” instead. But the truth is instilling the idea of “do good,” created a much stronger sense of values and faith because it speaks to practice.  

Jesus might not have been ready to start his miracles, ministry, and witness throughout the world, but his mother said that it was time. In one of the most humanizing parts for Jesus in the Gospel, we see him tell his mother no followed by doing exactly what she tells him to do. Jesus might have gotten the miracles from God, but he seems to have learned a healthy dose of wisdom from his mother, Mary. The true test of wisdom is not knowing everything, but it is a willingness to listen and then to do good in response.  

In later years, the mother figures in our lives may come to a point where they need help. Time and age are not always our friend. We should count it joy and a privilege to return care to those who have helped, mothered, and inspired us in such a strong way. Proverbs says, “Don’t despise your mother when she is old.” When people age, it can be hard. Movements slow down. Cognition may not be 100%. Our mother figures may need help more than we are used to, and we have the added silent pain of watching our heroes and mentors slow down and become more vulnerable. It absolutely is hard.  

But that is when we put to practice the wisdom that they have taught us, and the wisdom and guidance we get from God. Even as Jesus neared death on the cross, he knew he had to provide for his mother. So, he looked at her and the disciple and called them mother and son. She lost her son that day, but she became a mothering figure to a disciple who took her in and cared for her for the remainder of her life.  

In our Gospel lesson we often focus on the big picture of Jesus turning the water into wine. We hear lessons like Jesus saving the best for last or turning the polluted water into the perfect wine. But I pray we don’t miss an important side lesson in this Gospel story—the effect Jesus’s mother had on his ministry. Jesus said, “I’m not ready.” His mother believed differently. She laid the groundwork and preparations because she knew her son. And she knew her son was ready. Jesus may be the Son of God, the perfect example of hope and redemption, but he also needed the wisdom of a mother figure during his time on earth.  

There are times where we are going to be eternally flustered by our mother figures. They may tell stories about us. They may drum up old pictures that we wish would never see the light of day again. And they may even spit on a tissue and rub dirt off our face in public. But there’s also a great depth of wisdom in the women and mothers in our lives.  

For those who had a mother who was more troubling and toxic than a parent, know that there will be women in your lives who will love you, help you, and pray for you. Biology is less important than the faithful and Godly mother figures God sends your way to teach you about love, nurture, and prayer. To those who never had children of their own: birth does not define motherhood. There are plenty of women I know who may not have had their own kids, but who have been the absolute best mother figures in my life, and in the lives of others. Biology does not define a mother. Love, faith, and the bond of family do.  

Years ago in a clothing store, I thought I would never recover from being mortified by my mother announcing my size increase to a random stranger. Nowadays, we laugh about it, and I simply say, “Oh, Mother.” There will be times in your lives where you begin rolling your eyes at your mother or the mother figure in your life. Remember from today that Jesus did that too, but he still knew to listen, and so should we. 

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/3028084744049098

Ending Dysfunction: The Pain of Deceit

Gen. 27: 1-27, 30-36; II Thess. 2: 2-4, 9-12 

In the movie Wicked Little Letters set in 1920, Edith Swan is a devout Christian lady caring for her elderly parents in their English home. One day she begins receiving nasty and hateful letters causing incredible distress to the whole family. The main suspect is her Irish immigrant neighbor, Rose, an unmarried mother. Pretty soon the whole town begins receiving the same nasty and hateful letters and Rose is arrested.  

Now, spoiler alert. Through some incredible sleuthing, a true deceit is revealed. Edith, the good Christian lady, upstanding and righteous in all things, has been the one sending the letters all along. She has let Rose take the blame for it because of anti-Irish immigrant feelings. Edith’s controlling and emotionally abusive father doesn’t believe it until Edith curses him to his face as she is led away for her crimes. Being deceived is hard for us because it ruins our trust in the deceiver and in everyone else sometimes. Three lessons we can learn from the scripture today on deceit are these: deceit hurts everyone around you, being deceived is not your fault, but, willingly staying in deceit is a form of idolatry which ultimately harms our relationship with God. 

First, deceit will hurt everyone around you. Jacob and Esau had a tense relationship as brothers. Jacob had effectively swindled Esau’s birthright by trading it for food. Now, their mother has plans to deceive an elderly Isaac into giving the blessing of the first born to Jacob as well, leaving Esau with nothing. This was achieved by tricking the blind Isaac into thinking that Esau was in front of him by dressing Isaac up to seem like he was Esau. In the end the trickery works. Isaac blesses Jacob leaving nothing for Esau.  

Look at how much havoc this deceit brought to Isaac and his family. Jacob has to flee into exile because Esau wishes to kill him. Esau becomes hateful and murderous. Rebekah has chosen favorites and forever damaged her relationship to Isaac and Esau, whom she must continue to live with. Isaac is now broken and heartsick in his old age and will never see Jacob again. One decision to choose deceit instead of honesty broke this entire family for years and years.  

How many families, friendships, and relationships are ruined because someone chose deceit over honesty? A husband sneaks around on his wife and ruins life for himself, his wife, his kids, and sometimes event he extended family is broken. An elderly parent is deceived by a con artist and loses all of the life savings they have worked so hard for over the years. How many families are torn apart or live in a state of discomfort over politics in our country—their disagreement too much for the relationship to bear? How many people subscribe to bad theology that teaches anger, hate, and cruelty instead of the love and redeeming grace of Jesus? Lest we forget God is not willing that any should perish. And neither is God pleased when we are torn apart instead of finding a common mission in Christ Jesus.  

Whether we are a deceiver or the deceived, that untruth in our lives will lead to anger and destruction. We often hear the truth shall set you free. But if we are truthful, honesty and truthfulness can often be a very hard road. Sometimes small lies make life a lot easier in the moment, but they end up destructive in the long run. Deceit doesn’t just hurt us, it hurts everyone around us.  

Secondly, if you are a victim of deceit, know that it is not your fault. Second Thessalonians tells us about the powers of a skilled con artist. He will exalt himself. He will act with counterfeit power, show the people signs and miracles. He will be full of deceit, trickery, and use every device at his power to deceive. It is easy to be conned by someone that skilled. I think of many of my fraud victims. In hindsight they see the warning signs, the problems, and the schemes. But the reason fraud works is because it’s so hard to see in the middle of it. They also carry a lot of guilt and self-blame. Fraud is always the fault of the fraudster, not the innocent victim. Schemes work when someone takes advantage of our vulnerabilities, just like Jacob took advantage of Isaac age and visual impairment.  

The way to combat spiritual frauds is to come back every time to the words of Jesus. When ministers, teachers, or even personal mentors say something, we should hold them accountable to the words of Jesus. Perhaps the first and best sign is whether someone exalts themselves or Jesus.  The Gospels tell of the importance of being humble and not desiring to be first in the kingdom of God. We must be diligent in our desire to follow Jesus and live our lives by the Gospel word and Jesus’s example. Believing in Jesus may be the ticket to salvation, but if we squander every effort to live for Jesus, can we honestly say we believe it, or do we deceive ourselves? Do we sacrifice self and comfort for Jesus, or do we sacrifice Jesus for our own self and comfort? Being deceived by a committed fraudster is never our fault, but there does come a time when such behavior crosses a line.  

The third lesson is that willfully staying in deceit, when we know the truth, is idolatry and damages our relationship with God. In the midst of his deceit, Jacob has to answer how he was able to find the wild game so quickly. His reply is “the Lord your God put it in my path.” Jacob knew about God, but living in his world of deceit, trickery, and self-interest, he didn’t really know God. But the biggest tell of this issue is in the epistle. If people want to continue in their deceived ways, God will allow it, but they will earn condemnation for enjoying lies rather than seeking truth.  

One of the most prominent scams in my work with elder victims is the romance scam. A con artist pretends to be a love interest and asks for large amounts of money. The problem is many folks who are deceived by this choose the deception even when the con artist is exposed. In Wicked Little Letters, even after Edith fully admits to writing the letters, her father keeps saying, “I know you didn’t do it, shut up.” He would rather live in the deception rather than the truth because the truth hurts.  

Though God understands and offers compassion when we are deceived, God will hold us accountable when we would rather live in deceit than come into the light of God’s truth. Deceit creates dysfunction, and it damages our relationship with the God who loves us. At the training this week we learned about how we can be deceived into thinking all is okay in life. We become so consumed by work, routines, and aspects of life that we forget and neglect our relationships, our faith, and ourselves. When someone lies to our face, we tend to be upset by it. But we often have a comfort and tolerance for being able to deceive ourselves.  

When we lie to the world and ourselves saying, “I’m fine,” we do more damage to our relationships and faith than we realize. Instead, we must be honest in life with our loved ones and ourselves But, that isn’t the complete goal. We must also put in the work to be well, to have good relationships, to accept shortcomings, and to live in this world in the way God calls us. Saying that you are not okay is a first step but never doing the work to be better and to come back to God’s will is still living in a place of deceiving ourselves.  

In Wicked Little Letters, the whole town was rocked by the deceit of Edith Swan, and it nearly cost an innocent woman her freedom and her child because of the deceit and the prejudice. Deceit damages everyone within its influence, but being a victim is never our fault. Where we must work, however, is to address those places we are deceived or engage in deceit and work through the trouble to grow in our relationship with God, to follow Jesus, and to help others who are hurting. In doing so, we find strength in our faith, and healing in our Savior.  

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