8.27.23 "Can You Keep a Secret?" Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA

 Psalm 124; Matthew 16.13-20

Who is Jesus?

It’s a big question … one that has occupied the life of the church ever since Peter said, You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

Who is Jesus?

Last week Sunday, Jesus confronted - some Pharisees and scribes - offended - by his disregard for the rules and rituals of purity … they scolded him, chided him, for not doing a better job with the disciples.

Jesus has none of it … he calls them hypocrites, or in one translations, shysters … and then throws some scripture at them, a quote from Isaiah - you talk a lot about God, but your hearts are far away from God.

When the Canaanite Woman comes to him and pleads for her daughter, the disciples respond poorly - they’re embarrassed by her shameless approach to Jesus,; they tell Jesus to send her away … in so many words, she’s not one of our kind; who does she think she is?

Playing into the moment, Jesus offers up the usual “wisdom "of the day - I’m here only for my own people - which is what everyone wanted to hear, yay Jesus … but the woman persists in plea, because she sees Jesus for who he is - a man of great love and wisdom, a man who has no boundaries, and very few rules.

Jesus says to her, wink, wink, I can’t take the children’s food and give it to the dogs.

Ata boy Jesus, you tell her good … she’s a gentle dog, with no place at the table.

But the woman offers her own wink, wink, Even the dogs get the crumbs that fall from the table.

Jesus celebrates her faith, and her daughter is healed!

Who is Jesus?

In today’s reading, another encounter, this time with some Pharisees and Sadducees … they come to Jesus and ask for a sign - do something, Jesus; something to convince us that you’re from God … 

Sound familiar?

Remember what happens to Jesus after his baptism? … the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness, to be tempted by the Deceiver … the two of them have a “polite” debate, like a couple of rabbis …  

Jesus, who are you?

The Deceiver offers an answer - take some stones and turn ‘em into bread - I can smell it now, freshly baked, some olive oil and a few figs … that’ll get the crowd at your feet, Jesus … in no time at all, you’ll have them eating out of your hand.

Jesus counters with a simple word: no one lives by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

The Deceiver isn’t about to walk away … so the Deceiver says to Jesus - climb to the pinnacle of the temple, stand up there, wave your arms, make some noise, and then jump - won’t your Father’s angels take care of you? Think of the publicity. You’ll have the folks cheering for more.

Jesus offers his version: Don’t put the LORD your God to the test.

The Deceiver has one more card to play - a high mountain from which all the kingdoms of the world can be seen … Jesus, look - I know what you want - you want to win the world, you love all of God’s creation … I know that, and I can help you. Look - let’s just cut to the chase. Bow down to me. That’s all I ask. Not much. Just a quick nod of the head will do, and I’ll give it all to you, every bit of it. I don’t need it, I don’t want it. It’ll all be yours. And you won’t even break a sweat.

But Jesus offers another take: Worship the LORD your God, and serve only him.

With that, the Deceiver takes off, angels come to Jesus and wait on him, with much needed food and drink.

Who is Jesus?

In our readings for the day, Jesus asks the disciples this very question, what are folks saying about me, who do they think I am, what’s the latest scuttlebutt, the latest rumors?

The disciples are quick to answer: some say you’re John the Baptist, back from the dead … others hope you’re Elijah or Jeremiah, one of the ancient prophets, to bring in a new age, and put things right.

That’s all well and good, says Jesus, but who do YOU say that I am?

Peter answers quickly … Peter, the impetuous one … always quick to“open mouth, insert foot” … a man who’s mouth outruns his brain … who’s likely to think of himself first, and then spends a lot of time apologizing for his foolishness.

In this case, he’s mostly right, but as we will find out, if the words are right, Peter doesn’t understand them.

But let’s not get ahead of the story …

Peter says, You’re the Messiah, the Anointed one of God, the  one we’ve all been waiting for … 

Jesus blesses Peter … You’re right Peter … absolutely right … on your faith, on people like you, I’ll build my church, the gates of hell will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys - tremendous responsibility, for good, and for ill … the power is yours - heaven and earth will be shaped and moved by what you do and say.

Can you imagine what Peter is thinking?

I can see Peter now … standing two inches taller, shoulders firm, chest puffed out, a smile from ear to ear … he’s the top dog, the head banana, the big cheese, the chief, the boss, the whole enchilada. 

And then something unexpected: Don’t tell anyone that I’m the Messiah. Can you keep a secret?

And why, you rightly ask?

Because Peter and the disciples need to hear the rest of the story.

Next week Sunday, the story goes on - Jesus makes it clear - Jerusalem is his destination, and it won’t go well there. He’ll suffer there in that fabled City of David, and he’ll die there, a cruel death … and - be raised again.

The disciples miss the “raised again” point, and can hear only of suffering and death … Peter protests … Jesus, as only Jesus can, tells Peter, Go to hell. You are doing Satan’s work right now; what you’re saying is a script from hell.

Who is Jesus?

There is no question more important for any of us! 

And no better guide than the Gospel of Matthew … to see Jesus at work, crossing boundaries, reaching out to the lost, challenging the smug and the satisfied, pushing hard on those disciples to know that the peace of God comes with a price … 

In our world and time, with the hymns we sing, the faith we hold, Jesus is the Center Point … his work, his words, his love, his courage …

Who is Jesus?

How we answer the question makes all the difference in the world … in a time of religious flux, when everything is changing, and a lot of it to the worst - the rise again of White Christian Nationalism, fundamentalists disrupting city councils, school boards and library associations … claiming sex education to be pornography, attacking transgender children and their families, going after LGBTQ persons … and the latest crime against humanity: claiming that slavery wasn’t so bad after all.

If there were a time when clarity is needed the time is now!

60 years ago tomorrow, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood in the shade of the Lincoln Memorial, and spoke to the nation:

Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

Come, and follow me, says Jesus.

To the journey:

a never ending journey … 

Jesus keeps moving ahead of us, 

always a few steps ahead of us,

moving toward the infinite future - 

places of hurt and sorrow, 

places of joy and peace … 

goodness wins one day,

and evil another … 

the cross is real, 

but the empty tomb is still more real … 

death is powerful, 

but the greater power belongs to life, 

to the Christ of every hope and dream, 

the God of creation and covenant - 

the Holy Spirit of flame and faith … 

to this God, 

to this Christ, 

to this Spirit, 

we belong … and for this love, this hope and grace, this everlasting goodness, we dare to dream, the dreams of a better world.

Amen and Amen! 

8.20.23 "Wink, Wink!" Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA

 Psalm 133; Matthew 15.21-28

Ever have an uncomfortable encounter? 

Someone chides you!

They don’t like what you’re doing, or what you’re saying!

They disapprove of you!

They’re upset with you!

That’s how the 15th chapter of Matthew begins!

An encounter between Jesus and some Pharisees and scribes.

Not all Pharisees and scribes were like this, but in every religion, in every Homeowners Association, in every church, school, and workplace, there are people given to the details … 

They cross the t’s and dot the I’s … and make it clear to everyone that orderliness is next to godliness … and you need to follow suit.

A wise pundit observed: In every partnership, there is a person who stacks the dishwasher like a Scandinavian architect and a person who stacks the dishwasher like a raccoon on meth.

We all have our routines … 

we get up in the morning … 

head to the bathroom … 

as for me, take my medications, 

shave, brush my teeth, floss every other day, comb my hair, spritz on some aftershave … 

then into the kitchen … 

nuke a cuppa coffee, do 15 knee bends and 10 pushups while the coffee is heating, 

then some balancing exercises … 

then some reading, my daily prayer journal, and 

then some sketching.

Don’t mess with my routine, ok?

As for church, we have our place to sit … 

it takes about 3 or 4 Sundays for someone newly attending to “find a place to sit” … it’s one decision we can eliminate from our busy lives.

So, let’s be sympathetic with the folks who corner Jesus and scold him for violating their sense of order … not just any order, but something religious.

Not hygiene, as we might know it … but spirituality … the way we live with God … a 24/7 experience … from morning prayers and Sabbath Worship to washing up before we eat - because food is a gift, a holy gift, to be handled with clean hands … 

Which is why Christians offer a prayer before eating - maybe just a silent prayer, but a prayer of thanksgiving, because food is a gift, a holy gift - from the earth, from the rain and the sun, the birds and the bees … a holy gift, from God.

Nothing wrong with any of that … except …

Jesus knows full well - rules and regulations can get out of hand … when the letter of the law trumps the spirit of the law … as Fred Craddock once said: you can get a straight A in Bible class, and still flunk Christianity.

There are times for rules, and there are times when the rules need to be set aside … artists with brush and paint, organists with notes and tempos, dancers with basic steps and interpretation, poets and preachers …

Picasso said: “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

Jesus disregarded some of these proprieties, broke a few rules, transgressed some regulations … so did his disciples … 

The self-appointed gatekeepers scold Jesus for his laxity, his disrespect for the traditions, for the rules, the regulations that govern life. Shame on you, shame on your disciples … shame, shame, shame!

Jesus responds gruffly: Yeah, well, so what? You play with the rules, too, to suit your own fancy. Everyone does, so take a deep breath, relax. You’re a bunch of hypocrites. You honor God with your lips, but your hearts are far away from God.

Jesus is not out to destroy the rules and regulations … Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.  

Which brings us to the story at hand, Jesus and the Canaanite Woman.

Jesus leaves his home-territory for the coast, for Tyre and Sidon, and while there, a Canaanite Woman comes to him - for the sake of her daughter … her daughter suffers - a great emotional or psychological disruption … her mother cares deeply for her. 

Parents care for their children!

When our children were old enough to drive and be out, many a night, Donna and I would lay awake, anxious … every siren we heard - was that for them? Were they in trouble? Are they ok? We didn’t rest until we heard them come home, and then we pretended to be asleep; we didn’t want them to know how anxious we were.

The Canaanite Woman comes to Jesus …  does she have an inkling who he is? 

I think so … his reputation proceeds him … he’s made a name for himself … a man who crosses boundaries, violates borders, does the unexpected.

Jesus remains silent - gives the disciples a chance to make fools of themselves, and they do: the disciples tell Jesus to send the Canaanite woman away.

Jesus says to them the “right words” - I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

These are the "right words,” … boundaries, borders, who’s in, who’s out, who counts, and who doesn’t … but the woman is down on her knees, begging: LORD, help me! She, too, crosses the boundaries, she violates the rules.

Jesus says to her, It’s not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. 

The right words, borders, boundaries … in the eyes of the disciples, she’s a dog.

But in that moment, with those terrible words of exclusion and judgment, I think Jesus winked at her …

or whatever it may have been … he made it clear to her - what I’m saying is one thing; what I mean is another … the words are “right,” but what they mean is wrong. Jesus takes the words and turns them upside down.

That’s what a wink does.

The woman knew she could trust Jesus.

Something in the lilt of his voice, the twinkle in his eyes - she knows immediately that he doesn’t mean those terrible words … so she replies with her own wink, if you will: Even the dogs get the crumbs that fall from the table.

And with that, wink, wink, Jesus declares: Woman,  great is your faith. So shall it be done” … her daughter is healed.

Love wins that day … yet it’s one more step to the cross for Jesus.

A few years later, the gatekeepers win the day … colluding with the Roman authorities, Jesus is arrested, tried, convicted, crucified, dead and buried … not for what he said, but for what he did … he violated the rules, he broke the law; he snubbed the powerful … for the sake of love.

And thank God for that!

We’re here today, because Jesus crossed the border between heaven and earth … it’s God’s nature to cross the boundaries we make … human beings draw lines; God erases them … for God so loves the world.

There is but one rule of life, one purpose for living, one reality to guide us - to love God with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

The Canaanite Woman loves her daughter … Jesus understands such love.

Such is the heart of God … we are all God’s Children, God is our mother, our father, our brother, our sister … God is the primal family, the home - where the light is always on, and the door never locked.

Jesus winks at the woman, and she knows what he means.

The woman winks at Jesus, and he knows who she is.

Amen and Amen.