My 12, 2013, "What's In a Name?"

Exodus 20.7; 1 John 3.23-24

Human beings always live in an in-between place … neither here nor there, but somewhere in between … in the middle of moving currents … one pulling us this way, and the other tugging at us for the other … betwixt and between, we say … first one way and then the other … never quite sure who we truly are … 

Are we good?

And if we’re good, how do we explain all the horror of history? 

Are we evil?

And if we’re evil, how do we explain all the good things we’ve done for one another?

Betwixt and between …

Genesis 2 - created in the image of God, shaped by God’s loving hand, filled with the very breath of God … given the garden … called to greatness … all is good!

Genesis 3 - foolish and irresponsible … fear takes hold … quick to blame everyone and everything else for the ills of the day … a shadow falls upon the human race … our story takes a bitter turn … all is not so good any longer … the Garden is lost … humankind begins its tired journey.

Betwixt and between … neither here nor there … who are we?

Today, it’s Mother’s Day … and what a joy it is … we celebrate those who gave birth to us … and those who raised us … and sometimes they’re not the same person … but whatever our circumstance, we’re here … and we give thanks …

We send cards full of loving thoughts … we plan dinners with care … we make our phone calls and extend our love, our best wishes, and wish you were here, if distance holds us at bay.

It’s a good day … our hearts are full of kindly thoughts and dreams …

Yet, who are we?

Are we not betwixt and between?

War and rumors of war plague our world … economies out of whack … lack of health care, safe food and clean water … it seems as if the powers-that-be are incapable of finding peace … and maybe even prefer the state of war, though none would say so … there is something seriously wrong with humankind … something still working its way through our story … and it’s not good at all.

Yet goodness abounds on all sides of the story, too … grace, mercy and peace … faith, hope and love … great advances made for health … justice breaks out in the most expected ways and times … the Berlin Wall is torn down, apartheid comes to an end … sometimes the buses even run on time, and the Expo Line nears completion all the way to Santa Monica.

Betwixt and between …

Neither here nor there …

Darkness on the one side ...

Goodness on the other ...

Betwixt and between … that’s where we are, and that’s where religion is born … 

Born in the in-between places of life … religion comes about when the sorrow of life and the joy of life run side-by-side … when, like Paul, we cry out - Who can save us from this crazy state in which we find ourselves … the good we know so clearly to do, and often fail to do … and the wrong that we despise, we often end up doing … can anyone save us? 

Can anyone put this together so that it makes sense for us, and maybe we can find some ways of moving along to a better place with all of this?

That’s religion … the cry of the heart for something, or someone, to make sense of it all … to bring together all the bits and pieces of life … to diminish the evil and increase the good … to spread abroad the happier message that maybe, just maybe, we might find ourselves and our best purpose, and get things worked out, after all … 

That’s religion … 

And of religion, God’s says, Be careful … my name is likely to be involved … and if my name is involved, be careful … you can use my name; I give it to you, but use my name well.

God knows all too well that religion can go haywire.

Religion can be tempted to use God’s name in vain … those who speak immodestly of God, as if they knew all about God, as if they had all the answers … as if God were on their side in all manner of undertaking … every religion does it - Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism - we all speak as if the gods were our own possession, and  everything we undertake in God’s name is our right, because God said so, God told us, and, frankly, one of the worst things that Christians say far too often, “It’s in the Bible” … 

That phrase, “it’s in the Bible,” has been used to justify just about every crime imaginable … slavery, because it’s in the Bible … subjugation of women, because it’s in the Bible … whipping children, because it’s in the Bible … war, because it’s in the Bible … 

People who pay attention to such things note how religion has declined in Europe throughout the 20^th Century, and continues to decline in influence; people have walked away from the church.

Those who study such things and ask the big questions attribute the decline of religion to religion’s immodesty - religion’s lack of restraint - seen in both World Wars - all the combatants claimed the will of God for their own purposes, sending out soldiers with God’s blessing and hymns, accompanied by chaplains to anoint bombs and bullets.

So confident were the nations that God was on their side … and in the death of millions, the suffering of millions more, people rightly ask, What is this god-thing that some talk about with such ease, and smugness and confidence - that they can willingly send millions to their death and believe that somehow or other this is God’s mighty will and purpose?

Paul Tillich, one of the great 20^th Century theologians wrote: “I speak now of a public use of the name of God which has little to do with God, but much to do with human purpose - good or bad. Those of us who are grasped by the mystery present in the name of God are often stung when this name is used in governmental and political speeches, in opening prayers for conferences and dinners, in secular and religious advertisements, and in international war propaganda” [“The Divine Name” - in sermon collection, The Eternal Now].

God cautions Israel to use God’s name wisely, to use God’s name with care … because God knows how crazy religion can get … immodest religion full of itself, convinced that it has the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and we’ve seen plenty of that in our world.

God reminds Israel to be modest in all things, restrained and tactful … for who can claim to have the final word on God? Indeed, we have much to say, and much to give, but we’re limited, and in our limits, God calls us to be cautious, lest we violate those limits and begin to violate one another, too … when religion loses its humility, religion quickly becomes cruel.

We can only speak of God with restraint … humility and awe … because we don’t have the last word … for now, we can only see through a mirror dimly … we know only in part … and what counts, says Paul, is that God knows us!

That’s what Moses had to learn when Moses asks God for some inside information - Let me see your glory so I can lead this people through the wilderness.

But God says to Moses, No, you can’t see my glory; you can’t have more of me than anyone else can have … but this much I say to you, and I say it to you, Moses, and to all the people: I am with you, I will go with, and I will help you.

Modest religion …  religion with restraint … religion, more often quiet than loud … with a holy silence, respectful of the great mysteries of God …

Job says to his yakety yak friends - Oh, be quiet … If you would only keep silent, that would be your wisdom! [Job 13.5].

The writer of Proverbs says: Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent [Proverbs 17.28].

And on a more positive note, the Prophet Habakuk says: the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him! [2.20].

The poet Dyer noted, long ago, in the 16^th Century:

The firmest faith is in the fewest words;

….

True hearts have eyes and ears, no tongues to speak;

They hear and see, and sigh, and then they break.

Oh to be careful with the name of God … to use God’s name well … to speak modestly of God, for love is modest and gentle … believe in the name of Jesus, says John, and to love one another … love and belief; belief and love, walk hand-in-hand, quietly … 

A quiet faith is open to life’s most profound emotion - if love is the greatest of all spiritual gifts, the greatest part of love is sorrow.

Jesus comes over the brow of the hill, and when he sees Jerusalem, he weeps … he weeps for all the lost opportunities … all the bad choices the great city makes … the arrogance of faith that claims the power of God for itself … the pomp and circumstance of temple and throne … 

Jesus weeps … it’s a good thing to weep now and then … we needn’t fear tears … tears soften the heart, when our heart is tempted to be hard … tears humble us when we’re tempted to be proud … tears quiet the heart when we’re tempted to shout out with condemnation and pride … tears are the stuff of justice … tears are love’s companion.

With humility … let us put our hands to the plow and not look back, and with faith, hope and love, and great modesty, take up our work.

The high and holy calling of God Almighty … to join with Christ, in the work of building a better world … that mothers everywhere could look upon their children with joy and peace … healthy children, safe children, children with a future.

We take seriously the name of God, because there is serious work to be done … we use the name of God carefully … we speak of God modestly … in matters of faith, restrained and humbly quiet … careful to measure our deeds by the faith we profess; careful to profess a faith that is measured by deeds of love.

Happy Mother’s Day to you, and to all the Mother’s of the World, grace, mercy and peace … rest assured dear ones, there are millions of people all around the world, religious people, and people who choose other pathways, who are all doing good, and God is pleased!

 Amen and Amen!

Eyes - March 2, 2008

John 9

A little boy came home from school one day and asked, “Mom, where did I come from?”

After clearing her throat and gathering her wits, Mom launched into an elaborate description of human reproduction.

Jimmy listened politely, and when Mom was done, he said, “Oh, I was just wondering, because Susie comes from Pasadena and Johnny from Seattle.”

The disciples ask Jesus, “Who sinned?”

Was it his parents?

Was it something this man did while still in the womb?

Wonder how the blind man felt.
Hearing all this talk about sin … amazing, how easily we talk about someone’s suffering … “Oh, did you hear, Brent lost his job? Wonder what he did?”

“Susie’s getting a divorce. She should’ve never married that man.”

“Brad didn’t get into Stanford. He should’ve known better to even apply.”

We look at a homeless man on a bus bench, and silently scold him for being so lazy.

We look at the kid in jail and would love to sit him down for a good lecture.

How easily we talk about someone else’s suffering.

It’s their fault, isn’t it? We would never be so foolish, would we!

It’s called attribution theory:

If we find ourselves in a scrape, it’s not our fault – it’s that stupid boss of ours, that selfish spouse who doesn’t understand; it’s our children who drive us nuts; our parents who make life miserable; the teacher never gives me a break; my dog ate the homework, the devil made me do it, and the 405 was jammed.

Yet if we’re on the top of the game - well, it’s because we worked so hard … we studied the charts and made the right investments … we’re good at what we do; some people are born great, and I just ran harder than everyone else.

Attribution theory …

“Who sinned, this man or his parents?”

But Jesus couldn’t care less about such questions.
He doesn’t play the blame game.

He doesn’t find fault.

It’s not the cause; it’s the care!

When God visited Adam and Eve in the Garden at the time of the evening breeze, to have a mint julep with them – but when God learned how it all went south with sin, God didn’t muck around with causes and reasons … no scolding or moral grandstanding … just mercy.

Things changed, all right … the sweet became sour; the light dimmed – but the last moment before Adam and Eve leave the Garden, God becomes a tailor; God stitches durable clothing … it’s not the cause, but the care!

Speaking of Adam and Eve …

Little Johnny’s Sunday School class were learning how God created human beings.

Little Johnny was very intent when the teacher told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs.

Later in the week, his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and asked, "Johnny, what’s the matter?"

Little Johnny responded, "I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."

Verlyn Klinkenborg writes about his horse, Ida … one day, Ida comes to the barn with a horrible neck wound – deep and frightening.

The vet is called … anxious moments … the vet arrives – finds a vein after a few tries, gives a sedative … Ida keeps her legs, but her head sags into Klinkenborg’s arms; later that night, his arms still shake from the strain.
The vet shaves the wound, flushes it … lots of stitches later, the wound is closed.

They searched the pasture for what might have caused the ugly would … but nothing could be found … “a mystery wound,” said the vet. “All too common” (New York Times, Feb. 19, 2008).

Who sinned, this man or his parents?

A mystery wound … all too common.

It’s not the cause that counts … it’s the care … the flushing of the wound; the stitches … the love and comfort … holding someone’s sagging heart … taking a hand and going for a beach walk … a cup of coffee when you don’t have the time; a long phone call when you’d just as soon go to bed … keeping Kleenix at hand because your friend will shed a lot of tears.

Jesus heals the man … he spits into the dust to make a poultice of mud …

What in the world is He doing?

Jesus is re-imaging the creation story … when God gathered up a fist full of dust and dirt and fashioned a little critter called human …

But there’s more to the story … this was the Sabbath Day … Sabbath work was forbidden … making the poultice, like kneading dough, that’s a no-no!

Jesus could’ve said the word, and the man would have been healed, but Jesus never misses a chance to tweak the noses of the know-it-alls.

He kneads the dirt like a ball of dough … and tells the man to go wash … and the know-it-alls launch an investigation.
If this were a film, it would be a Laurel and Hardy episode, Keystone cops and Harold Lloyd … falling all over each other to get the goods on Jesus.

As far as they’re concerned, Jesus is a sinner … pure, plain and simple …

He broke the law … that’s what counts …

As for that blind man – must be a mistake.

The parents are called in several times … “Ask our son” they say.

The man is called in and questioned again … joking with them, he says, “What, you want to become his disciples, too?”

They hurl insults at him …

Did they call him names?
Dodo?
Dumbbell?
Dimwit, dunce or dummy?

Did they insult his mother?

Your momma's so stupid, she ordered sushi well done.

Your momma’s so ugly, she made an onion cry.

Na nah na nah na naaah …

The man tries to tell his story … “one thing I know: I was blind but now I see. Only a man of God could have done this for me.”

“What do you know about God?”
“You’re steeped in sin.”
“How dare you lecture us.”
And they threw him out!

The Pharisees had their noses all out of joint because Jesus did it on a Sabbath Day …

Not the man … not the need.
Not the hurt … not the deed.

Just the day.

Majoring in minors.
Minoring in majors.

Been there, done that.

Haven’t you?

When our children were growing up, Donna and I’d get all upset about clothes strewn on the floor or dirt tracked into the house.

And ever so often, Donna and I would set ourselves down and give ourselves a good talking to … “Hey, these are great kids we have; let’s not lose sight of the big picture – we love them, and they love us, and things are just fine, and we can put up with the small things, because the big things are in great shape!”

The story line is simple: People count more than anything else.

The story asks a simple question: Who’s really blind here?

So many of the New Testament stories pose the same question: Who’s blind? Who can see?

A reminder to us who’ve spent years in the church … religion can be the cause of spiritual blindness!

“We have Moses,” they said! “We know the lay of the land; we know what’s up, but as for this Jesus fellow, we have no idea where he comes from.”

Now let’s be perfectly honest … let’s rewrite the script …

“I’m a pastor; I’ve got a doctorate. I was born in a Christian family; reared in the Reformed tradition – best schools, best teachers; I read Hebrew and Greek; I know the lay of the land.”

That, and 4 1/2 bucks gets me a double latte at the Coffee Beanery.

So where do you fit into the script?

“I’m an elder; I’ve been an elder four terms. I was born into a Presbyterian family; I’ve been a member here 50 years. I know that I know.”

I’ve been a Sunday School teacher … a Deacon, a choir member …

We’ve all been there … claiming the high ground of experience and knowledge … our pedigree, our seniority … the temptation of longevity … we know who’s in and we know who’s out … who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.

And we’ve all had to change our minds, haven’t we? But thank God for the ability to change our minds!
Every change of mind, we grow a little – boundaries pushed back; we see more clearly … the bigger picture – the man born blind: it’s not the cause; it’s the care!

The story is a reminder to pray for healing … our healing, the healing of our eyes …

Let this be our promise today:

I will take the time and make the effort to care!
I will have less of myself and more of God.
I will restrain my tendency to judge.
I will care for those with mystery wounds.
I will release God’s mercy.
I will have the eyes of Christ!

Amen!