Hope and Redemption: Hope In Chaos

    This was a hard sermon for me to write. There is something that almost seems intangible about hope. As if it is so elusive, that we would rather not think about it. We would rather not hope in hope. Yet hope is central to our faith as Christians. Two of my favorite quotes/ statements about hope that I came across researching this sermon were:
   Hope is believing that we live for something more than simply to die some day (Desmund Tutu - paraphrase)
   "Hope is passion for what is possible" (Kierkegaard as quoted by Moltmann)
    I think I found this sermon so hard to write and did so much research for it because I'm worried that we've forgotten what hope means as Christians. We've substituted heavenly hope for all hope. In other words we make everything about just getting to heaven where everything can be better. But in all of the books I read about Christian hope the idea came up again and again that it isn't just about getting to heaven. As Christians we have hope for this fallen wold that God is doing a new thing. How can we reclaim this very Christian belief about hope that its not just about everything being okay in heaven someday, but is about hope for our current world as well? How can we become passionate again for what is possible with God?

Wrestling with God

Girl. Daughter. Pastor. Lover of God. LOVED by God. Social Advocate. Intern. Complex. Emotional. Learner. Ambitious. Anxious. In between. Lost. Lonely. Bold. Scared. Timid. Caring. Student. Dependable. Dependent. Loving. WORTHY. Insecure. Liberal. Innovative. Intelligent. Happy. Mixed-Up. Fearful. Helpless. Maternal. Self-aware. Sarcastic. Wounded. Thoughtful. Spiritual. Uncertain. 

These are just a few of the words to describe who I am. Imcomplete, yes, but they give some idea of the shape of my soul, my emotions, my being. But notice that most of those words, most of the things that define me are not things that people can tell just by looking at me. 

We live in a society where we desire everything to be easy, including getting to know people. But there is a process, that begins with asking people their name and inches forward into more intimate areas. It's a long process. There is a complete difference in my mind between recognizing someone's name and knowing their name. When I know someone's name, I know something meaningful, true, and deep about them. Honestly, even with my closest friends, I'm still getting to know them, and there are things that I learn about my family that are new just about every day. Yet, we try to circumvent this process in the church with a name tag. Is there any hope for intimacy if we aren't willing to take the time, even to introduce ourselves and ask someone their name?

Yet God knows us intimately, warts and all. God knows us deeply and then chooses to rename us, like Jacob. Chooses to give us new life as the beloved. How have you lived into your new identity in Christ and where do you still struggle? 

The Sneetches

    This was a hard sermon for me to write. It made me come face to face with my own privilege. It made me truly think about whether there are differences between groups of people at all, or if they are just human illusions with painful consequences. What would it take for us to live into the truth that we are all uniquely made by God and are deeply loved by God? What would it take to set aside our stars and remember that we are called God's Beloved?

Green Eggs and Ham

   When I was in elementary school, every year on Dr. Seuss's birthday the cafeteria would serve up green eggs. Now in my head I knew that it was green food coloring in the yolk, but with my eyes that did not make it look any more appetizing. I understood where the character Sam-I-Am was coming from - would not and could not trying these eggs.
    Often the form in which God is presenting hope to us looks unappetizing. It doesn't look like what we though it would or prayed it would. We wish life would be a little easier and there would be a few less bumps in the road. Yet, God came to us in the most unexpected form - a baby named Jesus, who was fully both human and Divine. Not what we expected. But exactly what we needed.
     When you pray the Lord's Prayer next time - notice that we pray for our daily bread. That's not just our physical daily bread - even though that is important too. Its also the daily bread and substance we receive through the Bread of Life - Jesus Christ. When was a time Jesus came to you in an unexpected way?

The Butter Battle Book

 Dr. Seuss wrote the Butter Battle Book at the night of the race focused on nuclear explosives - who had the most, who could use them to the worst degree, and where we stood. He took something as complex as nuclear devices and broke it down to something as simple as butter - we fight over things that start out simple - wanting to have the most wealth, power, and prestige, but then it escalates.

   Of course this is a social commentary on national wars, but we let the same thing happen in our lives. We let things spiral out of control instead of trying to talk about differences, or even accepting that differences can exist. Who do you need to simply talk to this week instead of fight with? Who do you need to ask forgiveness from? Who do you need to love with the radical love of Jesus Christ? 

Horton Hears a Who

  A Biblical phrase that has become popular in recent years is "giving voice to the voiceless." Such a phrase assumes that people cannot speak for themselves. Horton Hears a Who reminded us this week that we don't give "voice to the voiceless" so much as "amplify the voice that others do not hear."
   The Who's were speaking to Horton, he was just gifted to hear them because of the size of his ears and gifted to respond because of his compassion. He risked his very life for them. Who are the people in our community that we don't speak for, but amplify the concerns of? Who are the people that we risk it all for, in order to show the love of God? Who are the Who's among us, waiting to be loved?