My First Sermon - Luke 12:13-21, "All That You Have is Your Soul"

This week is the 15th anniversary of the first time I ever preached. The lectionary texts are up this week. Here it is, my first ever sermon (back when I tried to combine all the lectionary texts into one sermon. What was I thinking?!)

Sermon  8/2/98

All that you have is your soul

            This year at school, I was fortunate enough to become involved with an exciting and fulfilling group on campus, the United Methodist Student Movement.  We met once a week to plan, fellowship, work, or worship.  One particular evening we were joined by the university chaplain, and he led us in a worship service to help us center and focus for the exams and papers that were coming in the week ahead.  With the lights out and candles lit, we sat in a circle on the floor, and the chaplain shared with us an early Methodist tradition.  John Wesley, in the first years of the Methodist Movement, developed many instructions and disciplines for spiritual growth among his followers. One of these practices was to open each meeting of the gathered Christians with the following question: is it well with your soul? In other words, how are you doing - are things right in your heart?  This inquiry would set the tone for the rest of the meeting.  After relating this to us, the chaplain asked each of us that same question - ‘Is it well with your soul?’  For the next two hours students shared tears, smiles, laughter, and quiet reflections in answering the question for themselves. As each of us thought of our gains, and losses of the past weeks, it became clear that those had nothing to do with the question at all. What mattered, what determined our personal answer to the question was the shape that our relationship with God was in right then.  Nothing else had so great an impact on the state of our souls. One student could have aced all his midterms; another might have been accepted at the grad school of her choice - these accomplishments couldn’t do a thing for their soul when push came to shove.  Likewise, the student who was having roommate problems, or the one who couldn’t make ends meet financially - these hard times had little to do with the students’ standing with God.  This morning I ask us to struggle with this question too - how is it with our soul?  Where do we stand? Does God have claim on our possessions - our time, our talents, our accomplishments, our resources? Does God have claim on our very soul? In this morning’s reading from Ecclesiastes, we get a taste of the frustration felt by one who realizes the vanity of working for the gain of possessions.  The man, identified as a preacher, poses this soul-searching question: ‘What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun?’  Quite a difficult question to answer. This preacher was led to despair because he felt that all his hard work was for nothing.  He knew that he couldn’t take his success with him beyond his days on earth, and he despaired in the thought of some one else enjoying the fruits of his labor. Seeing no solution to these problems, only futile human actions, this man was left hopeless. We, however, do not have to settle for hopelessness.  As Christians, we are raised up with Christ in a new life.  We are a people of hope. God requires of us only one thing - our soul.  Amidst all of our other possessions and priorities that we have in our lives, it would seem that giving our soul is a small sacrifice in the scheme of things. After all, what is a soul in comparison with leisure time?  With paychecks?  With popularity? With success? With power?

Jesus alludes to a deeper meaning for us.  Consider his words: ‘for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of one’s possessions’.  Jesus does, however, promise us abundance of a different kind. In the gospel of John we hear his message: ‘I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly.’  If our life is not abundant with possessions, exactly what is Jesus offering? How about an abundance of soul? Loving our enemy, serving our neighbor, opening our heart to God; these tasks are more easily done with the gift of an abundant soul.  Our soul can handle more that we can possibly imagine. The man in the parable was content with his store of possessions and felt secure and easy about his future.  His prosperity, he thought, made good food for his soul.  God, on the other hand, thought the man quite foolish. God knew that all the man’s labors for his own gain couldn’t be taken with him - only his soul did God require, and the man found that his soul was not so merry as he had intended.  Jesus concludes this story with a poignant statement: ‘So is the one who lays up treasure for one’s self, and is not rich toward God.’  Perhaps we do not often think of how we can be rich toward God. After all, what could we give to God, who is the Creator of everything that we know? Again and again Jesus gives us the answer. We can give God what should be our greatest treasure - ourselves, our souls.  How could we be more rich toward God than by returning all that God has blessed us with possessing? All that we have to give is our soul - a treasure which God earnestly awaits receiving. Unfortunately, it seems that we are more intent on laying up treasures for ourselves, hoping in vain that our pursuits will fill our souls.  The folly of this, Jesus tells us, is that we begin to lose the distinction between what we have gained and who we have become. When we equate what we have with who we are, our souls become lost in the jumble.  In a workshop that I attended a few years ago, I was given a worksheet on setting priorities that were in line with God’s will. The worksheet listed the average amount of time that a person aged 70 will have spent on each activity. The figures are a little unsettling. The average 70 year old has spent 20 years sleeping, 16 years, working, 7 years playing, 6 years eating, 5 years dressing, 3 years waiting for someone, and 1 year on the telephone.  This accounts for 57 years out of 70 passed.  It certainly makes one think.  Of the thirteen years remaining, how much time is spent on one’s relationship with God? One year? Two? How much time is spent on preparing one’s soul through prayer, study, worship, and service? Three years? Is this enough?  The man in the parable found that he had spent a little too much time preparing for his own pleasure and not quite enough time preparing his soul.  Jesus warns us not to make the same mistake. ‘Take heed’ he says, and his words echo in our hearts today.  Recently, I came across a song, written by musician Tracy Chapman, and I would like to share some of the lyrics with you this morning. The song is entitled ‘All that you have is your soul’, and the words go like this: ‘oh, my momma told me that she said she learned the hard way. She wants to spare the children. Don’t ever give or sell your soul away cause all that you have is your soul.  Don’t be tempted by the shiny apple. Don’t you eat of the bitter fruit. Hunger only for a taste of justice. Hunger only for a world of truth cause all that you have is your soul. Well I had dreams, I had high hopes, but what I high price I paid.  Why was I such a young fool? Thought I’d make it straight, thought I’d make something that could be mine forever. Found out the hard way that you can’t possess another cause all that you have is your soul.  Well I thought that I could find a way to beat the system, make a deal, and have no debts to pay. Take it all, take it all and run away, leaving myself first class and first rate. Here I am I’m waiting for a better day. A second chance, a little luck to come my way. A hope to dream, hope that I can sleep again, and wake up with a clean conscience and clean hands cause all that you have is your soul. So don’t be tempted by the shiny apple. Don’t you eat of the bitter fruit. Hunger only for a taste of justice. Hunger only for a world of truth cause all that you have is your soul.’ The woman portrayed in this song thought that she could somehow earn happiness and peace of mind.  She sought only to bring herself comfort.  She learned the hard way that her soul was all she truly possessed - and that justice and truth were the rewards of a clean conscience and clean hands. Do we all have to learn this reality the hard way? What price are we willing to pay? Christ came to plead with us to mend our ways before it is too late. It was too late for the man wanting larger barns. It was too late for the woman who wanted to be first class and first rate. It is not too late for us.  All that we have is our souls, and as Christians, we are instructed to nourish these souls, to fill them with truth and justice. Our reading from Colossians is filled with imagery that speaks of keeping our souls focused on the pure and good.  We are encouraged to reject those earthly things which stand between ourselves and God.  ‘If then, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above’. All that you have is your soul. ‘Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth’. All that you have is your soul. ‘When Christ who is your life appears, then you will also appear with him in glory’. All that you have is your soul. ‘Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry’. All that you have is your soul. ‘On account of these the wrath of God is coming’. All that you have is your soul.  ‘In these you once walked, when you lived in them, but now, put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth’. All that you have is your soul.  Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator’. All that you have is your soul. ‘Christ is all and in all’. Is it well with your soul? It is all that we have. Fortunately, it is all that is required of us. Are you ready to give your soul to God?

Please pray with me: Awesome God, we know that we can never truly experience contentment outside of your will and your love.  Help us to be prepared to give you our all - our very souls  - that we might know real happiness in the safety of your loving arms. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Sermon, "Sermon on the Mount: Blessed," Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon 7/14/13

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon on the Mount: Blessed

            If you’ve ever received an email from me, or a letter, or seen my default signature on my newsletter articles, you’ll notice I usually sign things, “Blessings, Beth.” I can’t remember exactly when I started doing that. I don’t think I gave it any great thought at the time, other than wanting a way to sign things that I could use consistently, that seemed to work for all people in all situations, no matter who I was talking to, and blessings seemed to fit. My grandmother used it almost as a nickname for me. “Beth, you are a blessing” was something she said to me often, something special to me. What I mean by it is, “I hope you find your day, your life, to be full of blessings.” But what are blessings? What do we mean when we bless someone, or we ask God to bless someone?

            I’ve been thinking a lot about the word blessings this week, and the practice of blessing one another. We have lots of them, actually, practices of blessing. We say “God bless you,” or at least “Bless you,” when someone sneezes. This specific practice actually developed during the Middle Ages, when fear of the Bubonic Plague was rampant. Sneezing might be a first sign of the plague, and so when you asked God’s blessings on someone who sneezed, it was really a way of saying, “Gosh, I really hope you aren’t sick, and please stay away from me.” When we say a prayer before a meal we usually call it saying “grace” or saying “the blessing,” as we ask God to bless our food and our mealtime and the people eating said food. Even though we are asking God to bless things, we also consider the speaker of the prayer to be “doing the blessing.” God blesses, but we bless by invoking God’s blessing. We do lots of blessing in our worship life together. Usually we call the words that conclude our worship service the benediction – literally “the good word,” but sometimes this is also called a “blessing,” and often marriage ceremonies or funeral liturgies or baptismal services are concluded with words that are meant to be a blessing. When Pastor Aaron and I consecrate communion elements, this practice is sometimes referred to as “blessing” the elements, and when we pray over the baptismal waters someone is about to receive, the prayer is the “blessing over the water.”

            Of course, if we can give blessings, offer blessings, we can also withhold them. Sometimes we talk about blessings in this way – something we give almost as a permission, sometimes a permission we are reluctant to give. Sometimes when a person wants to get married, that person will ask for the parents’ blessing to make the proposal. Parents may willingly give or be reluctant to give their blessing, their permission. I can’t help but think of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, and his reluctant blessing of the marriages of his daughters.

            The scriptures are full of blessings, and some of them were formulaic, expected blessings, and many times people pointed to wealth and success and material stability as signs of God’s favor and blessing. The firstborn son in a family would receive special blessings and inheritance just for being that – firstborn. We might not think that is a practice we continue today, but I think we can compare it to handing down a particular heirloom piece of jewelry or something similar. In some families, there is only one ring that can be handed down, and it might go to the firstborn. Or we might name someone after a parent – Johnny Jr., for example – and that name is typically something handed to the firstborn. The most famous Bible story about blessings and birth order is the story of twins Jacob and Esau. Esau is the elder twin – every minute counts – but his younger brother Jacob, with the help of his mother Rebekah, tricks his father Isaac into giving him the firstborn blessing. You get the sense that there is only enough blessing for one, or only one really “good” blessing – and Jacob uses it up. Maybe blessings aren’t as simple as they seem.     

            We’re beginning a new sermon series today that will take us through the summer, based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is a series of teachings that appear in the gospel of Matthew, chapters 5-7. It’s the longest chunk of uninterrupted teaching from Jesus in the gospels. Pastor Aaron and I will hit most of the major sections this summer, but we won’t be able to cover every verse, so I really encourage you, as we start out, to spend a little time reading these three chapters. Jesus has been interacting with the crowds, healing and teaching, when he withdraws up the mountain with his disciples. When he begins teaching, it seems he is alone with them, but by the end of these three chapters, it seems he is with crowds of people again. I suspect, as usual, people were simply following after Jesus whenever they could figure out where he was, and so what starts out as teaching to his disciples expands quickly into teaching the crowds.

            So Jesus heads up the mountain, takes a seat, and starts teaching. And the first thing out of his mouth are these blessings. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Blessed are those who are reviled and persecuted. Jesus goes on to say a whole lot more, some hard teachings, challenging. Some new ways of thinking about things. But he starts with blessings. And that word, blessings, is the same word that can be translated as “happy” – “happy are those who are poor in spirit,” or even a sense of “congratulations.” “Congratulations to you who are poor in spirit.” In some ways, I think this passage seems almost too simple. It’s pretty, poetic language, these blessings. Who wouldn’t want to receive a blessing, and from Jesus? But slowly the questions come. Why does Jesus bless these particular groups? For example, why are people blessed when they are mourning? We’ve probably all experienced grief, and it doesn’t often feel like a blessing, does it? And does this passage mean that we are supposed to try to be like the groups listed, in order to get the blessings? Are we supposed to strive to be meek and pure in heart and all that? Is this a list of goals for characteristics we should have?

            The Christ we follow is a lover of reversals, of flipping the picture we see upside down, of moving and acting in unexpected ways. When Jesus describes this strange group of people – the meek, the poor in spirit, the mourning, the persecuted, and calls them blessed, Jesus isn’t saying, by any means, that these are the best things you can be. Instead, Jesus is speaking into a culture, a world, that had, has trouble in seeing happiness outside of health, wealth, and prosperity. People long believed, and some still do, that troubled times, bad situations, suffering and loss were signs of God’s punishment for sinful behavior. But Jesus makes it clear – even in the midst of those things – not because of those situations, but in the midst of them – God is blessings us.

Most importantly, I think that Jesus reminds us repeatedly in this passage of something he knows we can’t quite believe: God wants to and will and is blessing us. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be attending school for my final Doctor of Ministry class before I begin the project phase of my program. One of the books I had to read for this next class was about congregational trends, basically reporting on the results of a survey of beliefs, practices, and attitudes of worshippers in the US. One question asked about how worshippers view “God’s nature.” Survey participants could choose between four responses: I view God as 1) an authoritarian God who is angry and involved in worldly affairs 2) a benevolent God who is involved in the world but not angry 3) a critical God who is angry but not involved in worldly affairs or 4) a distant God who is not angry and not involved in worldly affairs. (1) I was glad to see that most respondents chose one of the two options where God is “involved” in the world, rather than distant, but I was surprised that over half of respondents chose that they viewed God as “authoritarian and angry,” compared to just under a quarter who viewed God as benevolent. What would you choose? How do you see God? Reflecting on this passage, Rev. David Lose writes, “Maybe it's more that we have a hard time believing God wants to bless us in the first place. It may be that our picture of God is distorted, that we can only imagine God as a stern, demanding law-giver, and so it seems out of character for God to bless without requirement. This isn't the primary picture of God in the Bible, but it may be the one that we were taught and have a hard time letting go.” (2) Maybe we look at our lives and find it hard to believe that God wants to bless what we’ve done with the life we’ve been given. But Jesus describes a God who is blessing us left and right. God blesses you, wants to continue heaping blessings you, always.

I think we look at the beatitudes and start to read them as a to-do list, items we can check off so that we can claim God’s blessings. But we are reading something in the text that isn’t there. I think we read them like this sometimes: “If you are meek, then God will let you inherit the earth because of your meekness.” “If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, then God will fill you up, because of your hungering and thirsting for righteousness.” But instead, the beatitudes read as a state of already-existing blessings. You are blessed already. Blessed are you. God is blessing you. I think, sometimes, rather than a checklist to complete before God will bless us, God blesses us into living like the blessed people we are. Rev. Lose shares another story, writing, “When I was in graduate school, one of my teachers . . . would regularly address me as "Dr. Lose." Eventually it made me uncomfortable enough that I said to him, "But Dr. LaRue, I haven't earned my doctorate yet. I don't think you should call me that." "Dr. Lose," he patiently responded, "in the African-American church we are not content to call you what you are, but instead call you what we believe you will be!" God blesses us by showing us and claiming us for what God knows we yet can be. That’s what we celebrate in baptisms: we pray blessings on children for all that we know God intends them to be, and we celebrate because we know with God it can be.

As God blesses us so freely, let’s not hold back, and pray blessings on others only on special occasions, at baptisms and weddings and other liturgical events. Jesus blesses us. Let us bless others. What if you imagined a blessing on everyone you met this week. What if, when you looked into the eyes of your children, or your friends, or your neighbors, or your enemies, or those whose eyes you don’t normally even meet – what if you looked at them this week, and imagined an outpouring of God’s blessings into their lives. Friends, may God’s many blessings be made manifest in your life, and may you be a blessing to everyone you meet. Amen.

(1) Woolever, Cynthia, Field Guide to US Congregations.

(2) http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=1542