A Night as Bright as Day

The sermon uses scripture Genesis 28:10-19a and Psalm 139:1-12. 
This sermon did not get preached.  I was asked by one church to supply and then they realized they did not need a supply for July 23, 2017.  At the time I had already written the sermon. So perhaps 3 years from now when the lectionary comes up again, I will have an opportunity to preach.

A Night as Bright as Day

 

Psalm 139 asks the question:

  

          Where can I go from your spirit?
    Or where can I flee from your presence?

 Nowhere.

 God is ever present with us.

 This psalm is sometimes titled The Inescapable God.

 Yet, why would anyone want to escape God?

 Who would not want to feel God’s presence with them?

 This psalm reassures the listener,

you and me, that God is with us!

 The line that stands out to me is:

 

the night is as bright as the day,
           for darkness is as light to you.

 We cannot hide in the darkness from God,

          for God’s light shines even there.

 Jacob is on the run.

 Jacob has stolen his older brother’s birthright and blessing

and is on the run from big brother Esau.

 He is on the road to Haran;     alone.

 Or is he?

 Jacob may be on the run, but he cannot escape God.

God knows Jacob.

Let us review all Jacob has done:

He has deceived his father Isaac,

stolen his brother Esau’s birthright and blessing,

and has been encouraged to go on the run by his mother.

 Now instead of enjoying his newly acquired blessing,

 

leading the family,

and having his inheritance,

Jacob is on the run, homeless and alone. 

But not alone… God is inescapable.

 Jacob is in trouble and God can help;

however, Jacob does not go seeking God.

God comes to Jacob.

 God communicates with Jacob in a dream.

 Dreams…..those sometime confusing images

 

and feelings we encounter when we sleep.

I know mine can bring out unexpected emotions.

 We all have had those dreams about…

          being chased or being lost,

          being at an old job or being late for a current one,

          searching for an object or trying to pack something up.

Sometime you and I awake from a dream with…

          tears in our eyes,

          a new idea or an understanding,

          a realization or an answer to a prayer.

Dreams can be gifts.

 In Jacob’s dream,

 

the dream itself,

the fact that Jacob is dreaming, is not the important point.

 God is communicating with Jacob.

Yes, God communicates through many different ways

and dreams are one of those ways,

but the focus should not be the how,

but what is being said, being promised.

The angels,

the ladder to heaven are all background,

 

God appearing to Jacob and what is said is the focus.

Jacob encounters God, not by any action Jacob takes;

God reaches out to Jacob.

God does not abandon Jacob or

withdraw the covenant made with Jacob’s family

through Abraham

because of Jacob’s less than honorable conduct.

Instead God comes to Jacob in the dream.

God is there! 

God addresses all of Jacob’s anxieties he carries in his heart.

Jacob is homeless and lonely;

he will possess land and have numerous offspring.

Jacob is estranged from his family;

he will not only have a family but

will be the source of blessings for all families.

Jacob is on the run,

from his family and

from the consequences of his actions

but he cannot run from God.

Jacob caries uncertainty of his tenuous status in the eyes of God.

Yet there is assurance that God will be with him.

"You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from far away."

"You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways."

 God knows what Jacob has done;

 God knows Jacob is a trickster, a deceiver.

 Just as God knows we are sinners.

 Yet, God is always with us.

 Wherever we go God is there!

"Where can I go from your spirit? 

Or where can I flee from your presence?"

God is inescapable.

We do not hide from God,

you and I are always in the presence of God.

In verses 13-15 in Genesis,

God gives to Jacob an unconditional promise

which includes 8 things:

-land

“the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;”

-many descendants

“and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth,”

-generations spread throughout the land

“and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south;”

-extension of blessings to others through him

“and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring.”

-God’s presence

“Know that I am with you”

 -God’s keeping

“and will keep you wherever you go,”

-homecoming

“and will bring you back to this land;”

-not leaving.

“for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

This is God’s unconditional promise to Jacob.

God is not asking something of Jacob.

God is not putting restrictions or requirements on this promise.

God made this merciful and gracious action toward Jacob.

God spoke to Jacob!

 God forgives and rejoices.

Our brokenness is taken by God

and with unconditional love, promises are given.

Even when you and I feel separated from God, that is us,

because God is always with us.

‘Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.’

When Jacob awakens from the dream,

the scripture says he was afraid,

but he was also in awe, he was amazed and joyous.

“Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!”

God was there!

God can be counted on to be faithful.

Jacob need no longer wonder about God.

God is a promise keeper and Jacob must be also.

What might you and I carry with us from this scripture?

The obvious answer is to know we are always

in the presence of God; we cannot hide.

No escaping,

no running,

no hiding in shadows.

It is the light of God that shines into the dark corners;

          the light that makes the night as bright as day.

That light that came into being

in the form of a savior: Christ Jesus.

A light that shines through us

as we do the work inspired within us

by the Holy Spirit.

It is an ever present message of hope.

God was with Jacob.  

God is with you and me.

Wherever we go, whatever the situation,

God is there!

God does not abandon us,

desert us,

or leave us.

God is there!

Through loneliness, despair, illness, challenges, and trials

 –God is there!

God knows us!

God loves us!

You and I are always in God’s presence!  

 It is no dream; we are awake;

 

always within the light.

Amazement and joy and hope,

          those same feelings Jacob had

when he awoke from his dream at Bethel.

 

Good Soil

Sermon given at Gordonsville Presbyterian in Gordonsville, VA on July 16, 2017. 
Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9,18-23..

Good Soil

Do you remember when you were young hearing

stories or fables and they ended with…

          “…the moral of the story is…”

There was always a lesson to be learned:

          from Aesop’s Fables,

                   you and I learned not to ‘cry wolf’;

          from the Brothers Grimm

                   you and I learned there were

things in the world to fear.

We listen, we learn.

Jesus is speaking in parables;

          they will not end in a clear

                   “…the moral of the story is…”

          but there is a lesson to be learned.

He is teaching the disciples.

So why use parables?

Jesus spoke in parables in order to ensure

the mystery of the kingdom of God

would only be understood by his disciples

Part of Matthew 13 we did not hear explains

          “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.”

Jesus speaks in parables for the disciples;

          others listen but do not comprehend,

others look but do not understand.

Parables contain common wisdom

with underlying religious meaning;

They have a deeper significance than

          just a story being told that is suitable

to a particular context.

So our parable today is the parable of the sower.

Sowing seeds.

 

The farmer scatters seeds knowing not all

will reach full growth yet confident in a good harvest;

the sower sows his seeds in hope.

The seeds’ growth depend on where the seeds land…

          the path

          rocky ground

          among thorns or

           in good soil.

It is all how the message of the kingdom is heard,

          how the listener responds,

          the reception of the seed/ the message.

The path….where the birds eat them…

          the familiar path…

          what has been sown in the heart is taken away.

Rocky ground…no soil and no roots can develop…

          heard with joy, but when faced with trouble, falls away.

Thorns…choked before growth can even begin,

          other concerns take priority,

          the lure of wealth, material things, chokes the word.

Good soil…

          brought forth grain, a plentiful harvest,

          a harvest better than imagined…

          hearing the word and understanding it:

It alone bears fruit.

 

When I started studying this scripture and writing this sermon

          I found myself going in an unexpected direction…

          evangelism.

Evangelism is one of those words that seems to be scary,

but it really is not.

It is an expression of mission and discipleship,

reaching out to others by sharing God’s love;

how others hear God’s message.

 

Let us look at the parable thinking about the church today…

          Our discipleship today…

 

Where is the church today sowing seeds?

          What will the harvest be?

 

Seeds sown on the path…

the journey that has always been taken…

          the way things have always been done…

There can be good that comes from it,

          the birds are being fed,

yet there is no growth, no harvest.

 

Seeds landing on rocky ground…

          spring up quickly but wither away because of no root,

                   nothing to sustain it…

                   a quick fix…

A good idea that goes away as quickly as it began.

 

Seeds among the thorns…

          never really have a chance of growth

          because the priority is not where it should be…

          what are the true motivations of what you and I do?

Are we centered on church growth or kingdom growth?

 

But then there is the good soil.

The soil that is ready to receive the seed/the message;

          where growth can happen.

Growth as disciples,

          ready to take in the word of God,

          ready to listen,

ready to learn,

          ready to begin to understand…

What kind of soil are you and I as individuals?

 

You and I do our best to live as disciples,

          to follow where Jesus leads,

living the message of God’s love.

 

Where do you and I sow seeds on a daily basis?

It can be the little things,

          a kindness,

          a word of prayer,

          when you and I reach out to help another,

          when we give support to each other.

It can be the reaching out beyond the church walls

to the community in which we live.

It can be working together as the church in the world,

          finding new ways to spread God’s love,

          to bring unity and reconciliation,

          to those hurting, in pain, and in distress.

It is a lot to hope for,

          but you and I do not do this alone.

We can sow, yet the harvest is not our responsibility.

We can be fishers of men, but we do not real them in.

 

Jesus speaks in parables….parables of the kingdom.

We live in the ordinary world….

The biblical world is a world of hope and promise.

Jesus gives hope…hope of the kingdom of God.

The seed is sown by the Son of Man…

the harvest is God’s doing.

You and I can spread seeds, God harvests.

 

Our seeds are planted…

          where we plant them matters…

          we sow in hope…

                   hope of the harvest.

Grow in hope;

Grow in grace;

Kingdom growth.

 

 

Emptying the Box

Sermon given at Imperial Plaza in Richmond, VA on July 9, 2017. 
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12 , Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, and Psalm 137:1-4.
This sermon is part of a 5-part sermon series on brokenness, I plan to do in the future.
Also wherever the symbol {~} is seen, a tissue is pulled from the box.

Emptying the Box

 I am sure you noticed there is a Kleenex box here beside me.

No, I don’t have a cold or plan to get teary;

it does have a purpose that ties in to today’s message,

          so for now, here it sits.

Psalm 100 which we heard in the call to worship is all about

          making a joyful noise.

                   Singing and praising.

          It was the way the Israelites gave thanks to God.

But in contrast Psalm 137 is a song of lament;

          no singing:            no joy:

                      ‘we hung up our harps’.

The Israelites have been in exile in Babylon,

          far from Jerusalem,

          far from home.

Now some have returned to a city in ruins.

They cling to their memories

of what Jerusalem once was,

before.

 

The Israelites lament as a community,

          sharing their pain,

their torment.

They are grieving their loss.

 

Grieving a loss….

Loss can be defined in so many ways:

          loss of a loved one whether

                   from death,

from someone moving away,

                   from a relationship ending;

          loss of something that makes us feel secure

                   a job,

                   a home,

                   a routine;

          loss of health,

independence,

time,

ability,

          even a loss of faith.

And a loss is felt in so many ways:

          sadness;

          anger;

          confusion;

          bewilderment;

          despair.      

Where can you and I turn for comfort?

How can we find hope in times of despair?

Comfort for those who mourn is addressed in the Old Testament

          in Isaiah 61:

          ³ to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

It is the work of the Spirit of the Lord.

          God’s presence with those in a time of need.

For the Israelites who returned to the ruins of Jerusalem,

          Isaiah knows what can be done:

          ⁴ They shall build up the ancient ruins,
    they shall raise up the former devastations.

God gives hope to those in despair.

In Matthew’s scripture Jesus gives hope.

          “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Comfort, reassurance, solace.

This is just one of the beatitudes mentioned

as part of his Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus addresses issues that cloud hope.

Even in the worst of circumstances, there are blessings:

“Blessed are…

          the poor in spirit

          the meek

          those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

          those who are persecuted.”

For every woe there is a blessing:

          comfort and mercy.

For every uncertainty there is assurance:

          children of God.

For every doubt there is hope:

          the kingdom of heaven.

 

However, when one is in the midst of

discomfort, despair, or doubt,

it is hard to see the promise of something better.

That can be when the Kleenex box comes out.              {~}

All you and I may want to do is cry.

 

I spent last fall working at MCV as a chaplain.

By the second week, I learned to always have tissues

          In my coat pocket.

They were usually for the patients,                                         {~}

          who might suddenly tear up

and could not find their tissue box.

Sometimes for a family member,                                             {~}

          who would take the tissue and then wring it in their hands.

And on more than occasion, I needed them.                            {~}

I would try not to tear up in a patient’s room,

          but hold myself together

until I could disappear into a stairwell to let it all out.

It is okay to cry.                                                                      {~}

 

Jesus wept for his friend Lazarus.                                           {~}

Jesus felt pain and anguish and loss

and reacted in a very human way.

There is

          a time for every matter under heaven:

          a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Like the beatitudes,

          these words in Ecclesiastes speak of contrast.

They are not phrased as good versus bad,

          not as a solution to a concern,

          only as every day circumstances that are encountered by us.

It does not say if you mourn, you will never laugh or

          if one hates, you cannot also love or

          if we choose silence,

there are not times when we must speak up,

especially in the face of injustice.

Circumstances, whether good or bad,

easy or challenging,

sad or happy

are all part of our lives.

You and I do not laugh at the same time we weep.

There are appropriate times for each;

          each feeling,

          each emotion,

          each moment makes us who we are.

          who God has made us to be.

 

There are times when you and I feel better after a good cry.

The tension is released,

          the fear is faced,

          the body can give a sigh of relief.

We are assured that during these times we are not alone.

God weeps with us.

For God is love, grace, and mercy.

          For God so loved the world…

 

 

On a daily basis we hear so much bad news:

          an act of terrorism,                                                                  {~}

          a shooting,                                                                              {~}

          abuse,                                                                                      {~}

          injustice,                                                                                  {~}

          loss.                                                                                         {~}

You and I feel these pains as individuals,

we also lament as a community,

gathering together to comfort one another,

          to share our pain.

We weep.                                                             {~}    {~}    {~}    {~}

 

Even amongst our tears you and I have hope.

God gives comfort,

          presence in our times of distress;

Jesus’ example shows us

          the humanity of emotions and the divinity of God’s love,

The Holy Spirit is with us as we gather together

          in worship, in prayer,

          a time to break down, and a time to build up;

          a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

 

There will be a point when weeping will be no more:

when there is a new heaven and a new earth:

“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;

 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”

 

{hold up empty Kleenex box}

The box is empty.

It has been useful.

Another box like it will be needed at another time.

Weep when you need to,

laugh when need to;

          know that both are blessings from God.