//
//
Dear Junior,
Remember me from the beauty pageant a few years ago? I know a guy who knows a comrade who can get you some juicy top secret spy info that will
help your dad. Let me know.
From Rob.
Dear Rob,
I love it! Let’s
set it up asap.
Yours truly, DJ
//
//
In 1972, when (Washington Post reporter) Bob Woodward learned that Mark
Felt (the associate director of the FBI) was willing to be a deep cover source
to provide information relating to the Nixon Whitehouse’s role in the Watergate
scandal, Woodward took advantage of the situation to do (along with Carl
Bernstein) some of last century’s most important investigative journalism… as immortalized in the Robert Redford movie “All the
President’s Men”.
//
//
Thirteen months ago, when the son of a political candidate was offered
opposition research material from the files of a foreign government, he took
advantage of the opportunity to try and get the info… not
sure who will play who in a future
movie about that one (story still being written).
//
//
//
//
In ancient Hebrew culture, the line of inheritance was supposed to go
through a family’s first born son.
//
As we heard this morning, Isaac and Rebekah had two sons: twins.
Although the age difference between Esau and Jacob was a matter of
minutes (or seconds if you take the Genesis account literally), the
luck-of-the-womb made Esau the first born
son - and therefore, he would be the primary beneficiary of Isaac’s estate
as a right of his birth.
Now this birthright was not absolute.
The father still needed to formalize it with a blessing at some later date.
//
Years later, it was clear that Jacob, the younger brother, resented this
societal norm.
But what could he do about it?
Jacob knew that his brother was a shoo-in for Isaac’s blessing because
Esau was the ideal son in his
father’s eyes. Esau was a hard worker on
the farm; he was a skilled hunter. He
would manage Isaac’s legacy perfectly.
It’s not that Jacob was devoid of skills that strengthened the
family. He was excellent around
camp. He was a pretty good cook. And he was quite skilled at getting people to
do what he wanted them to do.
To use more modern language, I suspect that Isaac felt that his number
two son, Jacob, had admirable middle-management skills that should aid Esau in
his overall leadership of the family estate.
Both sons would play valuable future roles, if they would only work
together.
//
We certainly can imply from the text we heard today, that Esau took
advantage of his role of the older brother (and the fact that he was bigger and
stronger than Jacob). I imagine that
Esau liked to order his little
brother around - in that stereotypical big-brother-bully
kind of way. We can reasonably assume
that (for his entire life) Jacob was under the thumb of Esau.
//
The legend goes that this struggle began in vitro as the two fetuses fought for position to see who would be
born first. Esau won that first battle
and the right to claim dominance forever.
But, Jacob harboured a different desire - Jacob didn’t want to play
second fiddle his whole life; he wanted to be the concert master.
//
//
//
It was probably a typical day around the Isaac/Rebekah estate:
• Esau
working out in the heat of the field;
• Jacob
cooking in the shade of the tent.
At lunch
time, the big, sweaty, red-headed older brother barged into the tent.
That smells good!
Hey Squirt - make yourself useful and bring me a big bowl
of that red stuff!
//
What are you waiting for?
I’m starving over here!
Then the thought hit him. Jacob
could finally get the upper hand on his brother. He could take advantage of his brother’s
short-sighted priorities.
Sure, I’ll bring you some of this
tasty stew… if… you promise me your birthright.
Whatever. What good
is a future birthright if I die today of starvation?
Food!
Belly!
Now!
Here you go… a big red bowl for my
big red brother.
(munching) Than’ you.
Heh, heh, heh.
[btw…
Esau’s nickname was “Edom”: Red.]
//
Jacob took advantage of the situation that day to stake a legitimate
claim to Esau’s birthright.
But that wasn't the end of the scheme.
At some point, he would have to find some way to get Isaac’s blessing.
[You can read Genesis, chapter 27 (http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=366877047) to find out how exactly how Jacob managed to get the
formal blessing and finally secure his status as the beneficiary of the
family’s wealth and property. All I will
say is that it involved taking advantage
of his father’s failing eyesight.]
//
//
//
The phrase “taking advantage” often carries a negative connotation…
especially when the advantage is gained at the expense of someone else. Jacob exploited people’s weaknesses or
naïvete to improve his situation.
Taking advantage of
someone else (especially working in clandestine and sneaky ways) raises serious
ethical issues about what is right
and wrong. Anytime, we take advantage of a opportunity
that requires another person to lose
in order for us to win we are wading
into the murky waters of morals and ethics.
//
Sadly, even if most people are good at heart, there are some people with
questionable ethics out there - intent on advancing their own interests at any
cost.
I suspect that each of us knows what it feels like to be taken advantage
of by someone… who preyed on our generosity or trusting nature.
And I suspect that each of us has learned to build up some walls of
suspicion and cynicism to avoid being taken advantage of in similar ways.
//
//
Jesus’ parable (that we heard from Matthew 13 today) invites us to think
about taking advantage in a different
way.
Taking advantage of
another person (as an act of selfish greed) has little redeeming value, but
Jesus redeems the phrase in his story today.
A farmer is planting seeds by tossing them on to the ground. The farmer is balancing the efficient use of
his time and pure accuracy of the planting.
The farmer is willing to let some of the seeds miss the mark, as long as
the good soil of the field gets an adequate supply of seeds.
Jesus points out that the seeds that land on that good soil will
flourish and return bounty harvests: the whole point of farming.
But, Jesus points out a reality that all of his audience understood:
when you sew seeds by hand, a few seeds will get caught in the wind and end up
on the packed soil of the path. Before
they ever get a chance to take root, local birds will take advantage of these errand seeds for a quick meal...
Still other seeds might land on uncultivated, rockier soil. Those seeds will take advantage of the nutrients available and sprout, but the life
of these plants may be short-lived because the shallow roots won't be able to
find enough water to sustain it all the way to harvest time. That plant will only serve to decompose back
into the ground a return to the soil some of the nutrients it used...
And some seeds might land among other plants, where there may not be
enough nutrients in the soil to go around.
//
//
//
In my most optimistic moments I believe that there is a potntially good
best path forward in even the toughest of situations. I do believe in the motto: when like gives you lemons, make lemonade.
That’s actually a pretty good metaphor because of the unspoken middle
step. If all you have is lemons, you
can’t make lemonade - you can only
make lemon juice: not the most appealing libation. The path to lemonade also includes bringing
other ingredients to the table: water, sugar and a container to hold it all together.
When life tastes sour, the path forward will often require us to pull
together other things that will aid us in creating a more rejuvenating
environment.
//
Right now - in every person's life - there is an opportunity for
personal growth and fulfillment in our midst.
We have been created to be constant works-in-progress. We are pre-loaded with an inner drive to seek
new sources of happiness and purpose.
Are we willing to be perceptive enough to be able to take advantage of
such opportunities?
//
//
As many of you know, this is the last Sunday that I will be leading at
St. David's until December.
Starting later this week, I will be taking advantage of my annual
holiday time. It is a standard term of
call for United Churches that ministers get (at least) on month’s holidays per
year. Unlike some organizations (or even
the minimum expectations of provincial labour codes) where increased levels of
holidays are earned over time as a person remains with a company for years, in
the UCCan a minister fresh out of theological college is entitled to the same
time off as a person with 30+ years experience.
It is healthy for ministers to take advantage of unstructured time to
focus on things other than church on a regular basis. Rest allows for rejuvenation. And rejuvenation leads to more effective
ministry.
Equally important, a minister’s holiday time is an advantageous time for
congregations as well. A chance to hear
the Good News in fresh ways as (often) a variety of worship leaders plan Sunday
services. And (often) people/groups
within the congregation can take advantage of opportunities to provide insight
and leadership.
//
But, as many of you know, I am not taking four months of holiday
time. I probably have a bit of overtime
built up, but not that much.
Following my annual holiday time (from mid-August to late-November), I
will be taking advantage of another standard term of call that is part of UCCan
pastoral relationships:
//
What makes sabbatical time different from holiday time is that it is
more than unstructured time off.
UCCan sabbaticals are explicitly expected to be a learning time focused
(in some way) on the practice of ministry.
The biblical model of sabbatical [seventh day (sabbath), seventh year
(fallow), after seven times seven years (jubilee)] is largely rest focused. But it is more than rest for rest’s
sake. Biblical sabbatical provides an
opportunity for worship, learning and renewal (a fresh start with a fresh
focus).
//
On the back table is a brochure (that I have prepared) which explains a
bit about this fall’s sabbatical.
Over the next several months, I plan on taking advantage of
opportunities to explore in serious and detailed ways Transitions That 21st Century Church Are Facing - and by
transitions, I mean more than being forced to change… in the 21st century,
healthy, growing, relevant churches are taking advantage of opportunities to
transform themselves into “modern” communities of faith… who live out what they
proclaim.
//
//
While it is most accurate to say that “the minister is taking a
sabbatical”... I am not the only one who will be on sabbatical this fall.
You - the congregation of St. David’s United Church - have a sabbatical
coming up, too.
//
A minister’ sabbatical time is a period of forced transition for a
congregation. Your routines will be
mixed up a bit. You will experience
“church” in new ways.
Your Worship Committee has arranged for a variety of Sunday worship
leaders (both from within and beyond the congregation).
Mid-week church activities (that I will normally be connected to) will
function without me. Often that will
mean no changes at all … in other cases, adjustments will he made.
//
I know a few ministers who have been reluctant to take a sabbatical
because they are afraid that their congregations will get a taste of life
without that minister and “like it”.
That prospect does frighten me.
If that is going to be the case - it will be good for us all to find
that our.
No… my worst fear - connected to the coming months - is that the
congregation will simply tread water until December. That ministry
of this church is so tied to its minister that growth and creativeness will
halt for a while.
I hope and pray that you - the people of St. David’s - take advantage of
this time to let go of some of the routines that are based on my style and
habits.
I pray and hope that this church does new things… that “I” will be
forced to adjust to in a few months.
Be a light of welcome in this community.
Grow your faith. Engage your
spirits.
//
//
The good news of Jesus (that God is all love and compassion which is not to be
hoarded, but shared wide) is not dependant on a given moment in time
or a particular leader in a particular place.
It carried on - even after Jesus was executed. The Gospel has postdated Mary Magdalena, Simon Peter, Saul of Tarsus, Emperor
Constantine, Martin Luther, Oscar Romero and others.
//
Take advantage a resilient Good News to bloom where you are planted…
today, over the next four months and for all of your time in this life.
//
//
Let us
pray:
Gracious
God, we are forever in your midst. You
never leave us! Knowing that we are your
beloved is wonderful good news.
AMEN.
#691VU
“Walls That Divide”
