ST. DAVID'S UNITED CHURCH

Sunday, August 21, 2016

YOU CAN'T DO THAT

August 21, 2016

Pentecost 14

(prayer)

Now that I have crossed over the mid-life hump, I am keenly aware that how I prioritize my time and where my energy is spent has changed over the decades.

This summer, I have been spending at least one evening at Camp Maspepetoon (I was there last night) - the United Church camp on the NW corner of Pigeon Lake... where I spent so much time in my youth and young adult years... where the path of my life was foraged.

On this side of mid-life, I now can see how those years at camp allowed me to nurture important relationships and helped me develop an ethic that defines who I am today.

I am drawn back to camp at this time of my life because one of my sons is on the paid staff this summer and my daughter is out there for several weeks as a volunteer.

But also, I feel very welcomed this summer because the current camp leaders are making a concerted effort to re-connect with camp alumni in this 60th year of the camp's history.

But mostly I am enjoying my camp visits because... for a couple of hours once a week or so, as I strum familiar chords around a familiar campfire, I am reminded of younger days... for a few hours, I get to be a time traveller. I'm sure that everyone else can see the gray mustache and the bald patch, but they are gone from my mind... for a while, at least.

It is a nice feeling to realize that I still 'got it'. For a few hours, I strip 30 years off my life.

It is one of the universal ironies of life.

When we are younger, we long for the freedom of adult years.

As adults, we lament the loss of the less-complicated life of years-gone-by.

There is a meme that I see cropping up from time to time on the social media feeds of friends my age that says (in essense) what I saw as the punishments of my childhood have become my adult hobbies (sitting quietly by myself, having to read a book, going to bed early, etc.). Even skipping dessert here and there is now seen as accomplishing a life-betterment goal, not any form of discipline.

Times change. And so do I.

Over the arc of our lives, there are assumptions and formal or informal restrictions imposed on us based on who the world views us to be in that moment. These norms are based on patterns and habits well worn over many years of cultural and societal development.

And yet... in every new moment, there are those among us who challenge the long-held assumptions. And every once and a while: a wall comes down and the assumptions evolve.

Both of the scripture passages we heard this morning start with cultural and societal assumptions that attempt to stop the Spirit of God before it has a chance to move.

Jeremiah (whose father was a priest in the tradition of Aaron) grew up the village of Anathoth which was one of the towns given to the Levites (priests and temple workers). Anathoth was only a few kilometres northeast of Jerusalem - think of it as a suburb for temple workers.

We can assume that from a young age - listening to his father speak about his work in the nearby temple - Jeremiah was well informed about the concerns of the religious sects of Judean life.

Young Jeremiah grew up at a time when the formal worship of foreign gods was ingrained into Judean society. This was a legacy of King Manasseh; who lead Judah in the first half of the 7th century BCE (697-643).

Manasseh had massaged a cozy relationship with the Assyrian Empire: who had overrun the northern Israelite kingdom in the late 8th century (720 BCE). Manasseh's inclusion of foreign religiosity into Judean culture was likely motivated by keeping foreign powers at bay and improving his own economic opportunities and grip on power. Coincidentally, Assyrian expansion never included Judah. This cozy relationship had its benefits.

One has to imagine that this shift in focus did not sit well with the levitical class which eventually included priests like Jeremiah's father.

As we start to read the book of Jeremiah, Manessah's grandson Josiah was now the Judean king. Josiah was only eight years old when he became king after his father (Amon) was assassinated.

When Josiah was about 21 or so, he began a series of reforms to reverse the idolatry that had endured since his grandfather's reign. In fairness, the Assyrian Empire's power had waned and there was little geopolitical advantage to continue the status quo.

About the same time as the young king was attempting to put his own stamp on Judah's history, another young man, Jeremiah, was being called to be a prophet of God in Judah. God wanted a prophet who could encourage a spiritual reformation and a reclaiming of a faith in Yahweh as the sovereign of the nation and its people.

Although Josiah and Jeremiah were likely about the same age, the priest's son did not feel ready to take on such important responsibilities.

I am too young for this, Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah was not being unusual in his lack of confidendence - it would be a normal assumption that an older, more established and experienced person would be more readily accepted by the people whom God wanted to reach. Calling a young prophet went against common wisdom.

But Jeremiah's lack of confidence was overshadowed by God's assertions that Jeremiah was destined to be a great prophet.

To this end, God promises that this young prophet would not be alone in this work - God would inspire and guide.

Contrary to what might have been common wisdom, Jereimiah's tongue was literally emboldened with the words of God.

The assumptions and excuses were ignored and the Spirit began to move in a new way in ancient Judah.

The middle chapters of the gospel of Luke contain a series of stories from Jesus' ministry that were intended to teach the early church about the ways to live faithfully as the community of Jesus' followers. Parts of this part of the gospel are direct teaching passages; others are descriptions of events that almost always end with a memorable lesson.

The story beginning in Luke 13:10 follows this pattern.

As a faithful pharasaic Jew, Jesus regularly attend sabbath services in the local synagogue of whatever town he was in.

Over and over again, we read how he was not shy about questioning local leaders or challenging established practices.

Today we heard how - in the synagogue one Saturday, Jesus met a local woman who had endured almost two decades with a crippling back disorder that did not allow her to stand up straight without experiencing unbearable pain.

This must have meant that she was not able to perform most of the normal duties for someone of her age and status in her community. It is unlikely that she would be able lift things or walk even short distances that would have been part of normal life for a woman like her.
I have to assume that because her ailment would have restricted her travel, that this was her local synagogue. She did not come to worship that sabbath seeking healing. She came to worship because it was the sabbath - this was her "church".

The context into which Jesus inserted himself was that this woman had spent 18 years relying on the generosity of her family and community just to help her live day by day.

On a personal level, she may have lamented that she was (for lack of a better word) a burden to others. I imagined that she longed to be able to control her own life.

The story goes that Jesus healed her of this chronic ailment - opening up possibilities for her life which she must have long since given up on.

It was a moment that should have been met with astonishment and appreciation.

And yet, instead of marveling at this miraculous turn of events, the leader of the synagogue was bothered by the timing of Jesus' actions. He chastised Jesus for "working" on the sabbath day and the leader warned the crowd not to expect to find healing on a sabbath day. That's not the way things are done.

In both of our scriptures today, a significant change was being called for.

A new prophet is needed.

Jeremiah: God, I can't do that.

A forgotten life needs to be transformed.

Religious Leader: Jesus, you can't do that.

God, I can't be your prophet.

Don't worry. We'll do the work together.

Jesus, you can't do that.

Too late. I already did.

Then don't do it again.

Convince me why.

I love Jesus' response - it is one we have all heard in situations when someone is told that they can't do something.

Why? Explain your reasoning to me. Why is this a rule? If you can justify the restriction - if it makes sense - then we can all agree how to proceed.

Asking why is not a rejection of the rule or norm. It is a desire to understand it.

There are so many restrictions that we encounter everyday - they all have their story. But, it is a good thing to review the logic of society's rules from time to time.

I am sure you can imagine that there are going to be times when we would have to admit that we have no idea why certain 'rules' are in place.

Why? ... Because it's always been that way.

Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof: "We always keep our heads covered and we always wear little prayer shawls. You may ask 'how did this tradition get started?' I don't know. But it's a tradition!"

It is very common for people to fear change. Fear might be too strong a word for every situation. Change often makes us uneasy at least.

To me, the easiest way to define fear is to say that... fear is the emotion we feel, when we have little or no control over what we think will happen next.

Fear is how we feel, when we have little or no control over what we think will happen next.

When changes are happening all around us and we are uncertain about what it means for us, resisting (or attempting to hold off) change is out last vestige of control: you can't make me move.

Examples in passive resistance: limp protestor, environmentalist chained to tree...

You want to move? Well, I won't let you.

Examples in active restraint: handcuff, jail, timeouts....

But... what about when change is desperately wanted - or more importantly... deeply needed?

Initial acts of resistance can hold off change, but the desire for change that is needed seldom goes away.

In order for change to happen, we need to confront the barriers of resistance that are desperately trying to keep things the same.

In other words, to be open to change, we will need to face our fears.

Butting up against resistance is not easy. Especially resistance that is founded in intimidating phrases like tradition or heritage or ethos or the way we do things sound here or the scariest of all, that's the way it's always been done.

Let's seek some inspiration and guidance by asking: what was the response in the scriptures to the resistance.

While the scriptures are ripe with less than enthusiastic prophets (Moses questioned God's judgment in picking him to go talk to pharaoh), Jeremiah broke new ground by claiming that God was calling him too early in his life. Maybe, Jeremiah could be an adequate prophet for God... when he is older. But he was simply too young now.

The first chapter of Jeremiah does not make a point of noting that Jeremiah was virtually the same age as the Judean king - a young ruler who was addressing religious foundations of the nation's from a political perspective - but we know that this was the context. So perhaps it makes sense that God was calling a prophet who could be a true contemporary of the the king to work toward a similar goal of a societal-wide restructuring this time from a purely faith perspective.

Jeremiah was eased through the initial barriers facing his call by the fact that young leadership was not unknown at that time in Judah and perhaps most importantly, a promise that this call was an invitation to work with God more than working for God.

I have put my words in your mouth.

From Jeremiah, we see that is easier to embrace being an agent of change when we know that we are not completely on our own.

Change can (and always does, according to Margaret Meade) start with small, committed groups that evolve into transformative movements.

In spite of your age Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, you are the prophet (I and the people) need at this time. We will do this together!

After the crippled woman stood up tall, she watched her healer and her synagogue leader argue about the meaning and implication of the fourth commandment: You shall remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work.

Let's review the "work" Jesus is accused of doing. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’ When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight.

The "work" Jesus did involved using his eyes to see the woman, his voice to call her over and his hands to offer healing touch. It was probably the physical touch that went over the line for the leader of the synagogue. Perhaps it was the edge of the letter of the law, but the leader felt that Jesus was not honouring nor keeping holy the sabbath day by touching the bent-over woman.

Jesus' counter argument was to go to other parts of the Torah, that described that there were a few practical and reasonable exceptions to a strict reading of the fourth commandment.

You were allowed to prepare meals, although all of components of the meals were to be gathered or purchased ahead of time. You were restricted from travelling, but could walk short distances to fulfill necessary duties, like attending the synagogue. Although most of the work of farming and ranching could be left alone for a day, the work of tending to daily care of livestock was permitted. The animals needed to eat and drink. If they were ill or in danger or if a calf was being born, the practicalities of the sabbath allowed for immediate needs to be met.

Now, while, one could convincingly argue that since this woman had had this back problem for eighteen years. What would have been the problem of waiting for one more day?

Jesus' argument was to invite the crowd to imagine how many sabbath days this woman had endured without relief; surely she had waited long enough.

The ten commandments claim the sabbath as a day for holiness and honour. Jesus proclaimed through his actions the compassion and healing miracle of God are holy acts and deserve at least as much honour as a thirsty ox.

When we read on a few verses further into Luke's gospel, the first story of chapter fourteen has Jesus eating a sabbath day meal at the home of the leader of a pharisee. In eerie similarity to today's story, a man was there who suffered from dropsy (endema) - a medical condition where the abdomin or legs swell up because of subdermal fluid accumulation. Perhaps learning from the chapter 13 experience of a heal-first-ask-questions-later style approach at the synagogue, Jesus is proactive this time: before he approaches the man with dropsy, he asked the other dinner guests: Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?

No one answers, so Jesus puts it another way: If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out [even] on a sabbath day.

No one wanted to argue that holding back salvation or healing on the sabbath day made any practical or religious sense.

We can move through even the established barriers to more welcoming and life-fulfilling acts of faith when we appreciate that God is our companion guide on this journey... and when we are focused on ways that we can help each other to become more fully a part of our communities.

In our scriptures today, I hear an encouragement to err on the side of compassion and welcome and inclusion when the voices of restriction are raised.

In our scriptures today, I hear a call to trust that God is our helper and guide along the way.

In our scriptures today, I see a desire and a call to invite people back into full community through our own brave acts of welcome and the healing of individual hearts so that all can know that they are beloved children of God.

In our scriptures today, I am hearing a call to not accept systems of exclusion and restriction just because they have been around for a while.

As the Mahatma is often quoted as having said: we are to be the change we want to see in the world.

This is a truth we see and hear expressed in Jeremiah and Luke today.

Let us move through this worship experience today out into our world with the love and compassion of our God as our helper and guide.

Let us pray:

Holy God, we pray for insight enough to see you active in our world - especially in the less obvious places. Amen.

#642VU “Be Thou My Vision”

Sunday, August 14, 2016

GIVING UP

August 14, 2016

Pentecost 13

Isaiah 5:1-7

Hebrews 11:29 - 12:2

(prayer)

When I was a teenager, I was a self-admited math and science geek.

I thrived on recognizing patterns. I enjoyed the challenge of logic puzzles (and the like).

And so, I was the perfect candidate for the Rubiks Cube when it first became popular in the early 1980s - that six-sided, 36-panelled, multi-colored, three-dimensional puzzle. The goal was simple: twist it and turn it until the nine panels on each side was made up of the same colours.

A logical quick look identified that the middle square never moved, so, that told me what colour each side needed. The same logic told me which three coloured pieces were needed in each corner and which two coloured pieces were needed on each side.

With the Rubiks Cube, there is only one solution. Each of the 26 pieces has only one correct final location.

Not entirely true because I understand that the middle squares can rotate, so maybe there are about 4100 'correct' solutions among the 43 quintillion possible configurations. Still pretty long odds.

Sadly, the best I ever did was to be able to get one side all one colour. Of course, a keen eye would see that although the colours were right, the position of several of the pieces were wrong.

I had fellow puzzle geek friends who claimed to have solved it. Other than those that just removed and replaced the stickers, likely were able to learn the basic moves that could put specific pieces in specific pieces. Although, I don't think I knew no one who figured it out on their own. Each of them picked up techniques from someone else.

Now-a-days, there are thousands of on-line videos that can teach anyone the basic moves.

There are even on-line programs that - if you enter the exact configuration you are starting with - it will tell you what moves you need to make to solve it.

Apparently, you need at least twenty moves to solve the cube depending on how mixed up it is.

The current world speed record for solving a lubricated Rubiks Cube (that has been mixed up with 40 random moves) is... 4.904seconds - by 14 year old Lucas Etter last November (2015).

Not to outdone, a specially built computer-controlled robot did it in less than onesecond this past February.

Myself, thirty years ago, I never found the energy to learn how to completely solve a Rubiks Cube.

There is no reason why I couldn't have done it. As I said I had friends at the time who could have taught me the moves.

And if I wanted to do it today, I could study the internet and learn what is needed.

But in either case, I would know that "I" did not - in fact - figure out the solution on my own.

I have to admit that I have given up on ever doing that.

I've moved on to other challenges over the years.

At a theoretical level, what is so bad with not being able to do something all on my own?

What is wrong with realizing that I can benefit from the wisdom and support of others?

In most of life, there is almost nothing that can be claimed as a purely individual achievement. Our efforts and motivations are central and perhaps the most impactful aspects of what we are able to achieve, but who among us cannot find the truth that it had taken a village to raise the child we are.

The advancement of virtually every form of science, art and culture relies on where others have been. This is necessary for new and deeper discoveries.

If each of us was forced to start from scratch, no one would ever build a better mousetrap.

Who we are (and who we can become) is a combination of our own determination and the encouraging wisdom passed on to us from others through their learnings and example.

We see these two aspects of achievement within the two scripture readings from today:

- individual determination is highlighted in the words from Isaiah... and yet we also see that there is a desire to give up when those efforts appear fruitless;

- the Hebrews Letter flips the script and invites us - in that time of discouragement - to be encouraged by appreciating the strength we can draw from the example and inspiration of others.

This will be a theme that we will see coming up again and again in the pre-set scripture readings (Revised Common Lectionary) that we will explore over the coming weeks.

Ane, we will profess this theme again in the words of the United Church Creed as we gather around the communion table in a few minutes:

We are not alone!

The tender of the vines in Isaiah plans for the vineyard's success based on the common wisdom of vinetenders of the past who learned how to maximize the quality of the grapes, and therefore the quality of the wine they hope to produce:

· Rich hillside soil is chosen.

· High quality ('choice') vines are planted.

· The plants are protected from predators with a hedge wall.

· And, even if something manages to threaten the vines, someone will be up in a watchtower to react quickly. From the watch tower, any sign of unhealthy plants will be seen early enough to prune or fertilize as necessary to heal the vines.

· So confident is the grape farmer that the grapes would be excellent that a wine vat is preemptively built ready for the expected bumper harvest.

And yet, in spite all of these efforts, the grapes are of no better quality than what could be found growing out in the wild.

In other words, none of the extraordinary efforts made a difference in the final product.

What went wrong?

Was it the soil?

Was it the plants?

Did some disease or predator escape the farmer's notice?

What more could have the farmer had done? The harvest should have been better. But it wasn't - a discouraging result.

Discouragement leads to anger. "I'm going to tear it all down!"

The greater truth is that - in spite of our honest best efforts, seldom can we control every factor.

Our best hopes and desires are not always realized.

And this can lead to a feeling of helplessness, Discouragement, sadness... even anger.

How will react?

Can we be blamed for wanting to give up?

Isaiah portrays a desire to give up. I'm going to tear it all down.

Hebrews invites us to appreciate that - even when discouraged - hope might still be in our midst.

The precise context of Isaiah is that the prophet is questioning the quality of the people's faith - in spite of all that God has done for them. The early sections of the book of Isaiah come from a very prosperous time in Israel's history. The prophet was concerned that the people were not appreciating the holiness that surrounds their lives.

Happens sometimes - when we are full of our own achievements, God's presence can be forgotten. The Masters of their own destiny, need no other master.

Isaiah wants his audience to put themselves in God's shoes, to see things from a divine perspective.

Could they fault God if God wanted to give up?

The precise context of the Hebrews letter (as I noted last week) was a struggle within a particular segment of the early Christian movement as to how they should move forward in light of their traditions and connections to the wider society. They were questioning what they believed about Jesus and... further, they openly wondered whether they should abandon the movement entirely and return to the old established way of thinking.

The author wants the audience to take a step back and look at the grand examples of the past when people persevered through discouraging times. S/he wants the church to imagine being surrounded by the encouraging spirits of all of those who held strong to their faith - that (in a real way) helped bring the hebrews [audience] to this point in history.

"Carry on that tradition.

Don't be the generation

that gives up."

Each of us has our own histories with discouragement and the times when we have faced whether it is a good use of our energy and effort to continue trying or to refocus our lives in a new direction.

Giving up something that is life-draining in favour of something else for fulfilling is almost always a good move for us.

These hard decisions are often ones that are founded in great strength, not weakness.

The context of today's bible lessons speak specifically to how encouraging we are finding our lives of faith.

A common example of spiritual discouragement comes when we are facing difficulty in life and feel helpless to change it. We may profess that it is up to God to make it all better for us.

We may even fall prey to theologies that say 'if we pray hard enough' or 'we follow some prescribed ritual to a T' we will unlock God's ability and willingness to just make our difficulties disappear. I plan to be speaking more about this topic in about a month... during the September 18th Sunday service. Preview: I don't think God works that way.

Isaiah invited the people of Israel to see how God would be justified on giving up on the people. And yet the overarching theme of the covenantal history of the First [Old] Testament is that God remains faithful even when the people are not.

As justified that God might be to just give up, God doesn't.

The Hebrews letter builds on that old story and sought to remind the church that they are not alone in their struggles. They are invited to draw strength from a great cloud of encouraging witnesses.

Both passages today can serve as reminders to us that God's style may not be to just fix or eliminate our problems, but is to accompany us in (and through) difficult and discouraging times.

The most faithful act we can do is to not try and control God, but to accept that God is our companion on the journey of this life... the easy road and the hard way.

It may not feel like it is enough sometimes... but the promise from our faith history is that God does not tear it all down and abandon us in the fruitless vineyard, but that God buoys us up in all times... even when it is hard for us to appreciate it.

The 'cloud of witnesses' is not made up only of those of the past who have learned the ultimate truth of God's accompanying presence, but also includes the fellow travellers on the road with us right now.

The person beside you right now is part of your supportive cloud of witnesses. And you are that for them!

We will tangibly live out this when - in a few minutes we come to one table and share in a common meal.

Just as a common loaf and a common cup will offer us physical nourishment, we are connected in the spiritual nourishment we share as a people of God.

We are not alone.

We live in God's world.

In life, in death,

in life beyond death,

we are not alone.

Thanks be to God.

Let us pray:

Holy God, when we are engulfed by fear and worry, remind us that we are not alone. Amen.

***offering***

Sunday, August 7, 2016

THINGS HOPED FOR

August 7, 2016

Pentecost 12

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Luke 12:32-40

"Hope is a dangerous thing." - words of Ellis Redding from Stephen King's novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption".

Cynical words... but founded in Red’s painful, truthful experience over his decades of discouraging parole denials.

We all know this truth. Our most fervent hopes are not always realized.

To defend ourselves from disappointment, each one of us can (and sometime do) reach a point where hope becomes too painful to endure. Even the most optimistic of us can be pushed to the hard edge where hope seems to fade away.

Hope is a dangerous thing because hope is a powerful thing.

Hope is a dangerous thing because we (at our core) want to believe in the best of what is possible...

we believe in renewal;

we believe in change;

we believe in reclamation;

we believe in a future that is open and malleable.

Hope is a dangerous thing because it can motivate us to not always take the safe and secure road.

Hope can lead us on adventures and lead to wondrous discoveries about ourselves, others, the world and God.

The early decades of the early Christian movement were a time of immense change as new generations of believers (both within the Hebrew and Gentile cultural circles) struggled what it meant to be Jesus’ followers in a complicated world. They were figuring out (as they went) how they fit in and what would be the hallmarks that define who they were to be.

Because of various letters and other writings that have been kept and maintained, copied and shared, since the first century, we are able to glimpse back in time and see this evolving process unfold.

Thirteen of the twenty-one New Testament letters are presented as having been written by the Apostle Paul; another seven are ascribed to other authors. The book of Hebrews is unique as the only New Testament epistle that was written anonymously - no author is named in the text.

The anonymity of the letter made some it a reluctant choice as a text to include in the official canon of the New Testament. In the early centuries of Christianity, various know New Testament figures were promoted as the author (Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Paul, Apollos, Luke, Priscilla) in attempts to grant the letter some authority. But there is no evidence for us to know who the author was.

In the end, it was the letter's style and content that earned it its place within the Christian Bible. It’s words stood on their own and gave them all of the authority they needed to convince the ‘church fathers’ to include it in the New Testament.

We may know almost nothing about Hebrews author, but we can infer a fair bit about the letter's intended audience.

[Actually, the text does tell us one thing about the author - 's/he' is well educated. The style of writing is 'literary' - a more polished and eloquent style than the other books of the New Testament, which use a more every day, conversational greek. In fact, because the letter lacks the normal salutations common to greek letter writing styles, it is surmised that the bulk of its contents may have originally been more akin to a sermon - a word of exhortation (Heb 13:22).]

Most scholars agree that the recipients of the Hebrews Letter were Jewish Christians (perhaps even the Jerusalem church) who were under increasing pressure to turn their backs on the Christian narrative and return to the traditional teachings of their faith.

"Let us hold fast to our confession [about Jesus]", the letter says in chapter four, verse fourteen.

The chief concern of the audience that the Hebrew's author is addressing is that if Jesus was the Messiah, that means he was to be military-style king - one who would vanquish their enemies (in particular, the occupiers of the Roman Empire) and take over as an earthly king on a physical throne over an established area of land. The questions they were asking were if this was true, why was Jesus arrested and executed by the Empire. Further to that, even though Jesus was resurrected, why would he leave the world (ascending to heaven) where the people continued to suffer.

The author offers another description - another way of looking at Jesus - one that grew from within the Hebrew tradition: Jesus as a great High Priest (who intercedes between God and the people) bringing spiritual restoration and forgiveness.

The metaphor went further. Jesus was more than the high priest who moderates a reconciliation with God, Jesus was also the means of renewal.

It is in the letter to the Hebrews where we see the seeds of what would become in the substitutionary atonement theology that thrived in the 19th century and is still popular in some Christian circles today... although, the audience would have seen these words (that Jesus' death was an atonement for sins) metaphorically not literally (as modern proponents of sacrificial atonement profess).

This background of the contextual struggles of the early Jewish-Christian community helps us in our interpretation of today's reading from Hebrews, chapter eleven.

"Faith" is the centre of this section of the letter.

Faith, the way the Hebrews Letter is using it is different from belief. Harvey Cox in the book The Future of Faith distinguishes between the words faith and belief. Belief is like an opinion - what do we think about something? Belief is a thing of the mind. We have made a conclusion based on whatever authoritative evidence we have gathered.

Faith takes it to another level. Beyond a thought or opinion, faith is about a deep-seeded confidence that can defy logic. If a belief is thought based, faith is feeling based.

Beliefs might help us in a debate with someone. Faith can change how we live.

Okay, the distinction is pretty subtle. A modern spirituality is founded in both the head and the heart.

But it is tested and measured by how it impacts our words and actions.

Just a couple of days ago summer athletes began competing in the quadrennial Olympics. The medals will not be awarded based on thoughts or feelings, but on actions.

It is true that mental and emotional states of high-level athletes are key parts of their preparation - yet every Olympic games create upsets that defy common belief.

The book of Hebrews encourages the church to allow the professions of the movement to become deep-seeded within the hearts and minds of the people.

To do this, they are asked to embrace hope - with all its possibilities and dangers.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for - the conviction of things not seen.

I like the way that Jim Wallis (founder and editor of Sojourners Magazine) phrases it: hope is believing in spite of the evidence.

Hope is believing in spite of the evidence.

Wallis goes on to say: watch the evidence change.

Faith begins as hope, but if it ends there, we are selling it short.

Impact full faith is lived out in world-changing action.

Therein lies the danger.

What we believe - where our faith lies - teaches us what (and who) is valuable.

So much violence (in the past and present history of the world) is claimed as justified based on the beliefs of the faithful.

I really struggle with this language because I know that, although, religious devotion gives us wonderful acts of service and support, at other times it gives us suicide bombers, women's health clinic shooters, family violence and countless examples of dehumanizing oppression.

On that topic, in November and December, I will be leading a Sunday morning book study looking at John Dominic Crossan’s book on Divine Violence called, "How to Read the Bible and Still be a Christian".

In the end, it is actions that matter the most. Actions define who we are.

And so, since our actions are born out of what we believe; what fuels our faith is what matters.

Jesus had strong words for those whose actions did not match their lofty professions - wow to the hypocrites.

As a world community, through the United Nations, we have expressed words declaring Universal Human Rights, the Rights of the Child, the Rights of Indigenous People. How are we doing?

I am pleased to see that - in Canada - we are collectively brave enough, to have spent time and resources on a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to explore the history and impact of Indian Residential Schools. We are just beginning to put actions to those words.

And, soon we will devote heart and mind to a Commission on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. What actions will follow?

For twenty-five plus years, nations have professed ways to work together on climate change. How are we doing?

Well, we aren't doing nothing, but do our words match our actions.

I was pleased to see that the Rio Olympics are trying to be the most environmentally sensitive games ever. How Ironic, given the state of their Harbour and the decades of almost unchecked deforestation in the Amazon.

As the world watches Rio, we cannot help but notice the absolute poverty that is set alongside the opulence of the games.

Granted for most of human history, there has been a large gap between the rich and the poor. It was true in Jesus' day and (in fact) throughout the whole biblical period. The plight of the poor and a religious response to poverty is one of the common themes of the bible - it was certainly chief among the things Jesus spoke about.

A huge rich-poor gap is most of our history, but over the last 100+ years, in the first world at least, we were starting to bridge that gap with the increasing prominence of a middle class, but it does seem that greed has found a way to reverse that trend over the last 30-40 years.

When will we accept that the words of 'trickle down economics' has no basis in factual practice as a means of supporting the well-being of the middle class or the poor?

Coming back to us - as people of spirit, as people part of the story of Jesus:

What words do we seek to put into actions?

Where does our hope lie?

Jim Wallis, who I mentioned earlier, is also a member of a group called Red Letter Christians. They take their name from the practice of some bible publishers to put the quotations of Jesus in red type face. Wallis and his companions want to promote what Jesus taught about how we are to relate to the world, it's people and systems of power. It is a more in depth version of the quipey WWJD - what would Jesus do?

As people of faith, we will do well by following Jesus' example and leading with that example.

Guiding hallmark scriptures

- Gen 1:31

God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.

- Dt 6:5 + Lev 19:18 - quoted by Jesus as the greatest commandments.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.

- Micah 6:8

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

- Gal 3:28

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

- 1 Cor 13:13

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

- Rev 7:17

For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Let us put these words into action!

Let us pray...

#161MV “I Have Called You By Your Name”