From Mountaintop to Valley Below – walking in God’s Footsteps

Sermon for Transfiguration 3 March 2019   Exodus 34: 29-35; Luke 9: 28-36

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to a new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.”― Flavia Weedn

Traditionally the Sunday before Lent begins is Transfiguration Sunday. Now, you may know exactly what this means; you may have an image in your head right now of a person transfigured…

But, before I ask you to picture that, let’s explore a little.

When I spoke earlier – we looked at light and brightness; we looked at shiny happy people

And I am sure when you heard the story of Moses coming down the mountain, his face shining brighter than  the people could bear, that some of you like me, thought of Charlton Heston, coming down the mountain in the classic film The Ten Commandments

I watched a clip of it during the week, and I was also able to imagine just how different that would be if they made the film again now – the special effects would be far greater I am sure!

Here we have two mountaintop experiences; encounters with the Divine. Life changing moments, snatched, glimpsed, stored away to be revisited time and again.

For Moses the change was permanent, the Exodus reading tells us that he had to speak to the people with a veil covering his face, and he only uncovered it went he went in to the tent to speak with God. Moses came down from the mountaintop, but even in the valley below, God’s presence stayed with him.

Some of us will have had the experience of being in the company of someone in whom we get a sense of the heavenly, the otherworldly, come to earth.

It may be difficult to pin down exactly what this person exudes that gives us this impression. But nonetheless we sense the presence of a certain holiness, a certain lightness of being that affects those with whom that person has contact.

There can be little doubt that Jesus had this affect on those who knew and followed him, but in this moment there is no doubting, no uncertainty for Peter, James and John.

They are assuredly in the company of the saints and life suddenly takes on a whole new dimension.

Empowered by this experience, not afraid any more the disciples must have felt they could do anything with Jesus.

But then they come back down to earth. They cannot stay on the mountaintop forever; they cannot freeze the moment in time. Life goes on, and they must descend.

Back down in the valley the disciples are confronted by their inadequacy in being unable to heal a young lad of the convulsions that were attributed to an evil spirit. They still have so much to learn…

Back down in the valley the Israelites cannot stay on track either – even with God’s commandments to guide; every time Moses went from them they lost faith, began to stray. The very reason they spent forty years wandering in the desert is because of their reluctance to follow and trust God, and God’s servant Moses.

And then, in full circle, as Jesus, on the mountaintop is revealed in all his glory, he is joined by Moses and Elijah. Moses, back on the mountaintop, encouraging and strengthening Jesus for the task ahead.

Earlier this week, as I was doing some preparatory reading. There was a suggestion made, that when Jesus went off to pray alone, maybe he met Moses and Elijah every time – it was just that this time he brought witnesses along.

It is an interesting thought. Jesus, joining the prophets of old, for encouragement; for support; to be fortified for the task at hand. For we cannot stay on the mountaintop – there is work to be done in the valleys below.

This has been a long season of Epiphany; the season of revelation, a time to reveal who Jesus is.

Week by week we have witnessed little by little, the signs of Jesus divinity; the wonder of his power, the revelation of his task.

Each of those moments were moments of transfiguration along the way.

This contemporary reading takes us back over the season and reminds us of those places where we have met and learned something, and been signposted to who Jesus is. When we realise what has been happening perhaps we see it not as a revelation, but more a revolution in the way God reveals the love offered for us all.

Not on a mountain-top but by the Jordan we saw the glory of God.It was a revelation as the Messiah showed himself not as being set apart from all of us but being baptised as one of us.God beside us, God one of us; this everyday epiphany is revolution.Not on a mountain-top but in the synagogue we saw the greatness of God.It was a revelation as his words filled us and called us into a new hearing; a word moved from promise to fulfilment; this everyday epiphany is revolution.Not on a mountain-top but in the celebrations of life the truth of God is revealed.This is a revelation where the best wine is kept till the very end, the fullness of flavour, the generosity of God, the final revelation becomes a revolution.Not on a mountain-top but on the roadways of the world glory is found.This is a revelation that Jesus has been revealed not in mighty cathedrals but on the roadways of life amid all who leave footprints in the dust and stoor of everyday epiphanies.This common revelation is heaven’s revolution. (Spill the Beans Issue 6: 2013)

This week Lent begins, the season of preparation in the run up to Easter; we will once again climb to the mountaintop: the hill of Calvary; the tomb of death and the mountaintop of resurrection.

For now, we must stay in the Valley: there is work to be done; but we know, the journey to the cross will take us to new heights, we can trust that God will walk with us, every step of the way – we are not alone.

As we go into our time of prayer, read now, those words I read right at the beginning:

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to a new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” ― Flavia Weedn

– from the mountaintop of  love, God leaves footprints of Godly love in our hearts and we are never the same again.

Love and Good Judgement – the world is still upside down.

Genesis 45: 3-11, 15 ;Luke 6: 27- 38 

 Sermon for 24 February 

Forgiveness; reconciliation; love; compassion; mercy; generosity; they all sound so wonderful don’t they. Especially if we are on the receiving end.

But the actual doing; giving; being of these is much, much harder.

Jesus adds to the task by insisting that all of these attitudes need to be applied, not to your friends and loved ones, but to those who hate us, those who are our enemies, those who wish us harm!

For goodness sake!!

Does he know what he is asking?

Of course he does.

The story of forgiveness in the bible is not a new concept, the story of Joseph tells of astonishing forgiveness.

The reading we heard from Genesis is the culmination of an event begun years before.

It is a tale full of jealousy, anger, betrayal and deception. It is not the finest hour for Joseph’s brothers.

I wonder – did they regret their actions in those ensuing years?

When they saw their father’s grief, did they wish it was different; did they replay it in their imagination, seeking a different outcome?

Joseph remembered them; they did not recognise him for many reasons. The most obvious of course being that they thought he was most probably dead!

But also, he has been away from them for around ten years; he had grown from a boy to a man, and he is living as an Egyptian. There is little by way of clues for them to recognise a man they had assumed lost.

Joseph had realised who they were; and had made them suffer by over filling their bags; and putting some of the Pharaoh’s sliver in with the grain so he had an excuse to call them back and confront them, his anticipation and excitement at the big reveal must have been enormous.

He knew, with the wisdom of hindsight, that the gift of dream telling had placed him in the right place, at the right time; he knew that God had been with him throughout, and because of that, God had blessed and preserved him for this time.

He also knew that forgiveness was his to give. Forgiveness to his brothers, whom he loved, in spite of the fact that they had plotted to kill him; had attacked him; and eventually sold him to slave traders… all that they had done, and yet, his faith enabled him to let it go, to free his own pain and offer forgiveness and love to these estranged brothers. And then, because God had placed him exactly where he needed to be, was able to help his family in a time of great need…

Forgiveness; reconciliation; love; compassion; mercy; generosity; all the elements that Jesus was talking about are found in the story of Joseph and his brothers.

Jesus’ teaching hits home; the instruction is easy to understand, but almost impossible to put into practice – unless we remember that in all things, God’s grace abounds. Under our own power we are powerless; with God’s grace we can achieve amazing and wonderful things.

The key point, the Golden Rule, is Love your Enemies. It is not difficult to understand but it is very difficult to do!

I find I ask myself how? How can I make this work in my life? There is responsibility, there are rules…

 I do not have a satisfactory answer yet, though I am working on it.

Earlier this week I was at the annual Presbytery Clerk’s conference; we received previews of some of the things that are going to be coming up at General Assembly in May, including two far reaching pieces of work that look into the administration of the church and the new revised radical plan which looks at the future of the whole church.

Both will require hard, brave action.

Both are created with input from the whole church – not just those admin people in Edinburgh, but ordinary people from the parishes; parish ministers – like you and me, the people who are on the ground, being the church.

Forgiveness; reconciliation; love; compassion; mercy; generosity; all the elements that Jesus was talking about are going to be needed by the church as we move forward in the next months and years.

 

Stepping out boldly!

Change is coming. The world does not stand still, and neither can the church as a whole stand still.

In our Presbytery, and in our area, talks continue, prayerfully looking forward, seeking new and creative ways to sustain and build.

Our challenge is to be open to what may be suggested; to think beyond this building and our village; to be generous with those we do not know well; to be encouraging, even if we are unsure ourselves.

I do not know what is coming; and I do not know how we will be affected.

I do know, we can be like Joseph; trusting God’s plan, even when it seems impossible.

I do know we can follow Jesus’ lead… for God’s kingdom, God’s love, God’s family is ours too.

The future is hidden from our eyes; the world is still upside down

But we are reminded again: God’s love takes us into new ways, new adventures as we follow.

God blesses us with grace and love; the world may be upside down, unpredictable, constantly changing…

But we are equipped by God: forgiveness; reconciliation; love; compassion; mercy; generosity; all ours through Jesus  

And with that hope – we can be strong. Amen 

Turning the World Upside Down - sermon for 17 February

Jeremiah 17: 5-10; Luke 6:17-26 

Blessings and Woes 

One of the advantages of a late Easter is that we get to spend more time looking at Jesus’ early ministry. The sermon on the mount is a familiar scene, Jesus, on the hillside, sharing his wisdom. The version of this in Luke’s Gospel is a little different from the Beatitudes in Matthew’s Gospel as the short list of blessings is mirrored by a short list of woes. These blessings and woes are significant especially because for those who hear these words, both two thousand years ago, and today, they seem to be the wrong way round.

Blessed to be hungry?

Woe to be full?

Blessed to be poor?

Woe to be rich?

Blessed to weep…

Woe to laugh.

It seems all wrong doesn’t it?

Turned upside down… wrong way up.

The prophet Jeremiah also has warnings of who is cursed and who is blessed: these on first glance seem more acceptable: cursed are those who trust in human things; blessed are those who trust in God… and a warning too: God sees into the heart – God knows what it is we really trust!

Those who heard this proclamation first-hand struggled: their society believed in the rule of you reap what you sow; that good things happened to show you were favoured by God, and if bad things happened it must be because you had done something bad and God was punishing you.

And we sometimes fall into that trap too: we hear others saying, what have I done to deserve this? Or, we say, you don’t deserve that; or, we ask, why didn’t God prevent this, or that from happening.

Well, truth is, stuff happens. Bad things happen to good people; good things happen to bad people, and vice versa. Stuff happens.

Jesus was turning it round to help us move beyond the ‘stuff’, and into a real God relationship.

If terrible things do happen – find the blessings – because those who suffer are blessed, known and loved by God.

These blessings. The Beatitudes are not a list of conditions to aspire to; nor are they some weird contract Jesus is setting out for us to strive after. There is no condition attached.

It is part of our human condition to believe we are not worthy; that we are not special enough, good enough. Yet, what Jesus is telling us is that we ARE worthy. 

We ARE special. We ARE loved.

If we find we are suffering, that our spirit is hungry, that our lives do not feel worthy, we are blessed.

Not, we will be blessed at some point in the future, once we’ve repented or apologised, or made good.

But we are blessed

Right now

Right here

Right where we are.

Jesus' teaching was to show people who were marginalised, who were constantly feeling unworthy and unacceptable, that God loved them.

Jesus' teaching was aimed at those who felt they did not have a place in God’s Kingdom. To tell them, that their place was now. That they were indeed part of God’s kingdom; that they were indeed part of God’s family.

That teaching stands the test of time; and we hear it again today: we are part of God’s story now. Today.

We are part of God’s kingdom.

Do you have things you are unhappy about in your life?

Me too!

Do you have things that make you feel unsure, uncomfortable, unacceptable? 

Me too!!

Does that exclude us from God’s kingdom? Does that bring us woe?!

NO!!!!

That blesses us; that confirms the blessings that God wants us to receive.

When we hear the Good News of the Gospel again, we are reminded we are part of God’s Story.

We are: beloved. Blessed. Known. Loved. Forgiven.

As we strive to live as well as we can.

We live into our blessedness

We take up the blessings God bestows

We accept that God loves and blesses us

The blessings – the beatitudes are not a statement of intent; they are not even a promise.

They are a statement of what IS. Now.

The beatitudes tell us, without condition

Today, you and I, are blessed.

If this seems all wrong and for others but not for you… remember, Jesus turned everything upside down and wrong way round.

You are blessed

Believe it

Live it

Know it.

Amen 

When Women Stand Together

I have spent seven wonderful days at sea, with amazing women, our common link the organisation RevGalBlogPals. We gathered at sea to hear words, to share stories, to study scripture, specifically Hebrew Scripture, and womanist* stories of oppression and domination.

What will be the enduring memories?

What will be my new hashtag?

I am saddened to report that my enduring memory will not be the laughter, the sistership, the learning from each other, and the inspirational Rev Dr Wilda Gafney.

Instead it will be the ugly face of racism, compounded by an unwillingness to listen and respond to the pain and the improper behaviour of one employee of the giant cruise line Carnival.

My sisters dealt with the stress and the ugliness without sharing with the wider group. This spared us. But also leaves me feeling helpless to respond, or react. I do not know, we cannot know if the unfolding catalogue of missed opportunities and minimal response would have been any different if instead of 14 voices the management had been bombarded with 63 complaints. 

Our sisters have been supported, championed, by the President of our Board, and our Director. They have been carried by those who were part of the initial incident, and the subsequent one. (Yes, subsequent!) 

But why is this even necessary? This is the 21st Century. We are educated. We are articulate. And yet a man was able to disempower and ridicule legitimate complaints. 

The lack of appropriate response.

The clear void in understanding does nothing to encourage me to consider cruising with Carnival again. 

Carnival needs to address the systemic racism and misogyny that appears to be endemic within their structures. Education of all employees needs to be stepped up, so that every member of staff recognises and calls out inappropriate behaviour in their colleagues, they need to not defend the indefensible. 

The cruise “bubble” is no excuse. 

you can read RevGalBlogPals statment and open letter here 

*Womanist = women of colour who stand up for themselves and their sisters, in our context within the biblical narrative

#chooseaccountability 
@revgalblogpals
@carnivalcruises 

And so it begins... part two

1 Cor 13: 1-13; Jeremiah 1: 4-10; Luke 4: 21-20

It is not easy to be a prophet; usually it means you are given hard words to share. Words that will be welcomed by some and rejected by others.

It’s not easy to be the prophet.

Our readings this morning concern prophets; in the Old Testament Jeremiah, and young man who feels ill-equipped for the task ahead. In the New Testament – Jesus, who is bold in his approach and stirs up strong feelings for all who listen.

You may remember that last week I told you to come back for “what happened next?”!

Jesus, is at home, in Nazareth; this is the synagogue he grew up in; these people have known him all his life. He is Joseph’s boy. One of them, already he has been out, teaching, working miracles, showing wonders of God’s touch. Already, he has stirred things up by doing these things in neighbouring Capernaum with the rival village… the scene is set, and everyone waits with baited breath.

“Today this has come true in your presence!”

Wait, what?!!

What?!

Here…. You… really?!

The pride in one of their own achieving quickly turns to indignation that this upstart carpenter’s son seems to be claiming that he is the Messiah!

Wait, what?!!

As I said, it isn’t easy being a prophet – you doubt yourself, or others doubt you; people don’t always want to hear what you need to say – but you say it anyway -with love. 

The call of Jeremiah reminds us of God’s call to each of us to engage with the world; Paul’s hymn of love – which is Holy Love –  shows us the need to suffuse our engagement with love, whilst Jesus’ teaching is a reminder that responding to this call does not always lead to recognition and appreciation

Paul called all who follow Jesus’ teaching to love first and foremost, if we listen with love – then the prophet’s words bear fruit.

All the images of mirror writing, mirror images and reflections… reminded us that we do not always see the full picture. We cannot always see clearly. Sometimes we need others, we need a wider view, we need to wait to see the full picture.

On our own we can’t see clearly. With God. With Love we can see… Jesus

Howard Thurman’s poem, the work of Christmas is a timely reminder; traditionally this weekend is Candlemas (Feb 2^nd) it is the true end of the Christmas season, the time to start up into the year ahead:

 (The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations, 1985)

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,When the kings and the princes are home,When the shepherds are back with their flocks,The work of Christmas begins:To find the lost,To heal the broken,To feed the hungry,To release the prisoner,To rebuild the nations,To bring peace among brothers,To make music in the heart.

It is holy love that calls us to do things we feel inadequate to do. It is holy love that strengthens us and gives us courage and perseverance in times of trial. It is holy love that enables us to speak words of truth to a questioning and sometimes hostile world.

It all comes together in this summary: in the beginning is love. Through the journey is love. In all that is left… is love.

The work of Christmas begins:To find the lost,To heal the broken,To feed the hungry,To release the prisoner,To rebuild the nations,To bring peace among brothers,To make music in the heart

Love, Holy Love, indeed, is the greatest of these.

amen. 

And so it begins… (part one)

Luke 4: 14-21. A sermon preached on January 27th in Earlston following infant baptism.

  

Today is a new beginning for Jacob and his family; as they brought him here for baptism, they are declaring for all to hear that to call on God for blessing is important; they are setting up a new relationship for their infant son, even though he is barely aware of it, he now belongs to God’s family; he receives God’s promises.

Today’s gospel reading is the first of two – come back next week to hear what happens next!

It also contains arguably the shortest sermon ever: “today this has come true in your hearing.” That is it.

There are two things to say on reflection of this passage: 

let the Bible preach itself, as Jesus did; 

then believe it is coming true.

Sorted.

Hmm… maybe you are expecting a little more of me this morning?

Jesus returns home. What are people’s expectation of him now? Will they be expecting some profound insight from the boy who grew up among them? Is there a gentle sense of pride towards one of their own? What would Jesus’ own expectations have been on returning home?

Could a more profound passage have been given to Jesus to read and expound on?

This is the liberation theologian’s dream passage and with the Jews in the middle of an occupied territory, to hear these words of exodus-like freedom from the lips of one of the village sons might have sent hairs standing on the back of each person’s neck. What comment will he make?

What dangerous gospel is he going to exclaim?

What Jesus offers either convinces you he truly does have profound insight, more than anyone expected, or he now thinks he is better than everyone else.

“What you have heard, is coming true.”

What? That’s it? Where are the eloquent words and deep insights you have gleaned from this passage?

But, The Word becomes flesh, always. This is yet another moment where there is no satisfaction in being able to describe things, and wax lyrically on how things will be.

In our hearing, in our presence, in our being, these words come true. Jesus nails his colours to the mast and sets out his stall with a simple (profound) sentence:

“These words have come true in your hearing.”

Without witnessing to the poor and the imprisoned and the blind, we are not living the gospel. This manifesto of the Reign of God is taking the hopes that have been building up over the centuries through the prophets, especially Isaiah, whose words these are, and then opening them up and setting them free. The hoping is over. The fulfilment is here.

In our hearing…

It keeps coming back to this. Not that they are true, or that they have been fulfilled, but that this has happened in our hearing as if this is the proof.

You’ve heard it happen with your own ears. Now believe it.

It is Jesus’ call to his disciples, more than that given to the fishermen on that beach and tax collectors at their tables.

It is Jesus’ call to the church and every faith community to hear the gospel, this gospel, and make it so in our presence.

Next week, we will hear how his friends, family, community reacted to his profound sermon.

But this week, as we stand witness to the baptism of baby Jacob; as witness again, God’s love, manifest in a child, we again need to hear the Good News…

Jesus came to bring life and freedom

To bring challenge and hope

To open eyes and ears, so that all may know God’s manifesto:

Here’s how it is translated in the Message version:

God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind,To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

Taken like that, who could argue?

Freedom, sight, forgiveness, pardon…

These are all things we want; these are all things that God wants for God’s people.

For all people.

Not just those in the know

Not just a chosen few…

But all God’s people.

As Jesus read from scriptures

And then proclaimed that God’s manifesto was being fulfilled, a new era began.

Jesus mission started: he was sent to bring Good News for all people

For those who had begun to follow him it was electric.

For those who had known him all his life… well, you’ll have to wait until next week for part two!

As Jesus proclaims the gospel news to each of us again today

In our hearing…

We have a choice.

Hear the good news and believe it; respond to it.

Or, carry on as before…

It’s up to us.

God calls

Are your ears open?

Can your eyes see?

When church becomes like home, and we become too comfortable or complacent, may God inspire us with the Spirit.

When our congregations become a closed-doors community, that keeps strangers out, may God inspire us by the Spirit to open wide the doors.

 The Church of Scotland is facing something of a crisis, right now.

Right now the church itself needs to hear again this message of hope and inspiration:

We are here to listen again to God’s manifesto:

Freedom

Hope

Love

Forgiveness

For all God’s people

All the time

Amen

Be Prepared

Malachi 3: 1-4; Luke 3: 1-6

In the 57^th year of the reign of Elizabeth the second, when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister of Great Britain, and Alex Salmond was First Minister of Scotland and Barak Obama was President of the United States; during the Moderatorial Year of Right Reverend William Hewitt…

Now with a bit of thought, I am sure you wold be able to work out what year I am talking about?

It is 2009…

For the readers of Luke’s narrative, the information he gave them, enabled them to know what the year was, and fixed the point in history.

They would know when it was that the Wildman came out of the wilderness proclaiming the year of the Lord.

Declaring that it was time to get ready; to be prepared.

His message was strong…

His message was uncompromising

His message was prophetic.

Get yourselves ready!

Turn away from sin!

Be baptised and God will forgive you!

The simplicity of John’s message struck a chord with simple folks; it touched the heart of their hunger

They all knew they needed to connect with God

They just had lost touch with HOW to do so

People today are not so different really

The wilderness some of us encounter may not look like that desert, but it exists nevertheless.

It may be loneliness

Or a feeling of isolation

Or being overwhelmed by the world and everything that is happening around us…

The sense of emptiness can touch each of us at any time, and leads to a seeking of … something.

Something intangible; difficult to explain or define…

We are seeking something other in our lives

We are seeking to know how to connect, or reconnect with God out of the wilderness as we respond to the call to be prepared.

We respond to the call to “be prepared” because we can identify with it

This time of year is all about preparations:

Making lists

Tidying up

Planning meals

Buying gifts

Writing cards

Sending invitations

Accepting invitations

And journeying – near or far there are also going to be journeys

And the busy-ness of all that festive cheer is so overwhelming, so all-consuming

That sometimes we forget; we totally forget why we are doing it

What is Christmas all about?

What do we do all of the planning and shopping and writing and journeying for?

Well I have an answer

It is an answer that came to me out of the blue – when, if truth be told, I was feeling uninspired, lost in the wilderness and a little blue myself...

 And suddenly I remembered!!

All of the preparations are not only for me

They are so I can share something

 All of the preparations are not just for the family

They are so I can show something

All of the preparations are not simply for the fun

They are so we can all share something

 And the something?

The something is love

Christmas IS about fun and family and feasting and friends and the fullness of life

 But more than anything else it’s about love

All the preparing

Of house and home

And life and living

And body and spirit

All comes down to love:

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth the Second; when Theresa May was Prime Minister, and the country was waiting with baited breath for answers and resolution: the people of Earlston listened again to the voice crying: in the wilderness prepare for the God of Love

In your wilderness prepare for Love.