Monday, March 19, 2018

There Is No Resurrection, If There Is No Death

There Is No Resurrection, If there Is No Death
Psalm 51:1-12, John 12:20-33

Psalm 51 is as traditional to the Lenten season as it comes. This psalm is a direct reference to the prophet Nathan meeting with King David, in the aftermath of his sinful episode with Bathsheba, where David did a darn good job of breaking all 10 commandments in a single Chapter of the Bible. 

Confronted with his own sinfulness, David had the good sense to repent, acknowledge his guilt, and pledge to do something different, better. This defines the traditional Lenten Season. 

You know, the hard part of true repentance, is trusting that we are capable of making a change. We all know how hard it is to change our diet. We know how hard it is to commit to a new routine; physical exercise is a great example. We might be able to hang on for a few days, maybe even a couple of weeks, but before long we ache for the “good old days” when we were not so driven. The couch looks so good. 

No small part about making a change, is being able to trust that we can really do it. While we are aware of our own failures in the past, we are even more skeptical of others who announce that they have had a change of heart. Our typical response might be, “We’ll see,” spoken with a raised eyebrow. It conjures up the old saw about a leopard changing it spots, if you are old enough to remember that. 

In the story of David and Bathsheba, David’s infidelity to his close associate Uriah the Hittite, and the violation of Uriah’s wife, lead to murder in the rush to hide his sin. Infidelity is in fact a disease that creates failing health in ever expanding waves, as a stone disturbs still waters. Not only did David sin, but caused devoted followers to violate their own consciences by being obedient to David’s immoral demands. When we fail to honor the faithful relationships in our life, we create an increasing distance between our lives and actions, and the presence of our good and generous God. 

In John’s gospel, the plot that leads to the torture and execution of Jesus, is moving rapidly. The resurrection of Lazarus on the far side of the Mount of Olives has inspired the crowds, and resulted in the decision to arrest and kill both Jesus and Lazarus.  

These “Greeks” who ask to see Jesus in today’s passage, represent the first gentiles to respond to the ministry of Jesus and seek him out. It is worth noting that they sought out the disciples that were among the first called by Jesus with the invitation “Come and See.” In the preceding part of this Chapter, John recounts the triumphant entrance on Palm Sunday where the Pharisees conclude in dismay, “the whole world is going after him.” Right on cue, some Greeks come looking for Jesus.  

Here Jesus confounds even his close associates by telling them they do not understand what is coming next. Jesus tells them that the violent powers of the world are about to call for Jesus’ life, and, only those whose lives reflect the servanthood of Jesus will experience the reward Jesus will receive. 

Radical change does not happen unless something old dies. You cannot embrace a new way of living, as long as your preference for the old way still lives in your heart. That is what makes institutional change so difficult. 

The CEO may announce a new vision. The Vice Presidents, swear allegiance to the new marching orders. But until the first line supervisors require the rank and file to behave differently, it is just a dog and pony show. Until the people on the frontline actually do something new, everyday, it is just talk. 

Jesus understands that this is a hard reality. Jesus understands, that unless you and I decide that we can live like Jesus lived, and are willing to face the assembled powers and the selfish concerns of the flesh and blood world, the love of God will not break the human cycle of violence. The world will not and cannot change, until we are willing to give up our old comfort zone, playing nice in the face of injustice, and be willing to make the sacrifice as needed.  

This is a time of change in this congregation. A year ago you made a commitment to a new way of life. I know that you were collectively surprised at the price you paid in folks leaving. The commitment was made, you are an ONA church, Open and Affirming of people who do not fit into the stereotype “either/or” categories. An ONA church will be very inviting to many UCC pastors who serve conservative congregations. It is likely that many candidates who will contact the Search Committee will be excited by the prospect of a progressive congregation. Their expectation may cause you to be a little uneasy. You will need to claim your identity and embrace it. The dream that one day this will all be over and all of our old friends will come back, that dream will die. 

Culturally we do not appreciate death. We prefer not to talk about it. Death always seems like a painful and final separation, taking someone we love away. We always associate death with loss in our culture. But in this mortal life we need to have death. If there were not an end in sight, we could put off all change indefinitely, as in - put it off forever. But we do not have forever in this world to do what God has gifted us to do. 

In the love of Christ, we find that death reveals the truth about God’s love; God’s love does not end. So the Kingdom of God is not waiting for our particular life to come to completion. Instead, the voice of God is ready to affirm your value, as you bring the Kingdom to life in the part of the world that you touch. 

Next week we will get to Palm Sunday, but the Confirmation will take place that day and claim center stage. It is fitting that the congregation acknowledge and welcome these enthusiastic young members into the church. The Palm Sunday date adds a certain sense of gravitas to the celebration. We welcome them into the church, and welcome them into a sober awareness of the challenges that they are accepting by choosing to be members of the church, and servants of the living God.  

On Maundy Thursday we will bring this unique Lenten Preaching cycle to a close. This season of a human Jesus facing human sized oppression and the response of religious and political leaders to his ministry, will close with us gathered around the communion table. We will find an entirely different appreciation for the love of a good and faithful God, and we will see that the servants of God are not measured by their success in winning the hearts of the general population. We find the presence of God’s love at the table, in preparation for our testing, where we will glorify God’s name, and take comfort in God’s presence.   

David recognized the significance of his sin, and repented. Within the episode, David found his morals collapse like a house of cards, as one sin cascaded to another and another. The lack of faithfulness to his closest defenders, proves that love of neighbor is necessary to validate love of God. 

Jesus was condemned because he brought new life. It is not the resurrection of Lazarus that is so terrifying to the established order, but that this sign gives the ministry of Jesus a powerful affirmation. To do the miraculous “proves” that he is from God, and a threat to the order of the Temple. 

The powers that be, react to protect their authority against this prophet. Like David before them, the Temple leaders, perched on the very same Temple Mount, fall into temptation. They flex their personal authority and fail to seek the presence of God. And the moral order of the Temple starts to become undone. The size of the stones with which the Temple is constructed with only delays the inevitable. Once the commitment is made to abandon our faithful lives for sex, power, and money, the collapse is inevitable - unless the prophet can persuade us to true repentance.  


And so we pause and consider all of the ways we seek our own glory, and fail to seek the presence of God. We think back to Ash Wednesday, when the youthful David avoided taking the insults of the giant Goliath personally, and stepped out in courage to defend the glory of God. Jesus, in that same model, proclaims faithfulness to God is everything. And as Jesus was lifted up: on the cross; from the tomb; and in the Ascension; he draws each of us to be faithful, even through the inevitable deaths we endure in this life. And reveals that for those who love God and neighbor, love is eternal, Amen. 

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