| To contact us: Calvary Episcopal Church 667 Mount Road Aston, PA 19014 610-459-2013 OFFICE mail@calvaryepiscopalrockdale.org |
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| SERMON 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany January 18, 2009 The Rev. Kristine Hill |
| 667 Mount Road, Aston, PA 19014 610-459-2013 |
| Small Parish - Big Heart The little church you've been looking for! All are welcome! |
| Our Mission: To worship the Lord To serve the community To grow the church |
1 Samuel 3:1-20 1st Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51 |
| The Rev. Kristine Hill, Interim Rector |
Jesus seemed to know Nathanael just by seeing him under the fig tree. It
happened like this. Jesus was choosing his disciples. He found Philip and said
“follow me,” so Philip did. Soon, Philip was convinced Jesus was the Messiah,
so he went and got Nathanael, telling him “we have found the one about whom
Moses and all the prophets wrote -- Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Philip
and Nathanael had a brief conversation, during which Nathanael questioned the
credentials of Nazareth. But in the end, he decided to take Philip’s advice and
check Jesus out for himself.
The two approached Jesus. When Jesus saw them coming, Jesus said, indicating
Nathanael, “here comes an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” Nathanael was
astonished. How did Jesus know him - they had never met? Jesus said “I saw
you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” [Perhaps Nathanael had been
talking with others, interacting with fellow Israelites. Maybe Jesus had observed
him for a while.] Whatever the case, Nathanael was stunned. He said to Jesus
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus replied, “stick
around and you’ll see much greater things than that.”
It’s a story about identity – Nathanael’s identity and Jesus’ identity. Jesus’ initial
reading of Nathanael probably was not too difficult. Nathanael does seem pretty
“guileless” the way he is so surprised by Jesus’ perceptiveness and how he
jumps from there to confessing Jesus, not simply as a wise person, but as Son
of God and King of Israel. It appears that Jesus is not so much flattered by
Nathanael’s adoration as bemused. “You believe because I told you I saw you
under the fig tree? You’ll see greater things than these.” Who is Nathanael?
Someone ready to believe, not cynical, not a slave to his own interests, and at
the conclusion of the story – a follower of Jesus. Who is Jesus? …in the season
of Epiphany, we are just beginning to address that question. We know Jesus is
the Son of God, but what, exactly, does that mean for us, for the world, for
people in our communities, in our time?
Terry was a member of my church in Hickory. He might have been 40 -- a man
with long hair and a beard, tattoos all up and down his arms; he rode a
motorcycle, and he loved Jesus. He’d come through some rough times - addiction
to drugs and alcohol - but he was back on his feet. For a big man Terry had a
surprisingly soft voice. And the tattoos on his arms were unusual; they told the
story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection in pictures. Terry used to go down to
biker bars and into parts of town where prostitutes worked. As tough as he
looked, he was easily accepted there. He would strike up a conversation with
someone - a prostitute or somebody struggling with addiction - and eventually he
would show them his tattoos, tell them about Jesus, explain how Jesus had
helped him turn his own life around.
One Sunday morning Terry’s face, among others, was on the front page of the
local paper. A group of men had been arrested in a sting operation. They had
been in a disreputable part of town spending time with prostitutes. Those of us
who knew Terry understood why he was there -- he had been ministering in
Jesus’ name. But not everyone looked at it that way. A couple weeks later,
teaching my confirmation class, some of the students were laughing about the
church member who was caught having a good time with prostitutes. “No,” I said,
“it’s not like that.” I told them about Terry, how he went to see prostitutes to tell
them about Jesus, but I could see in their faces they didn’t really believe me.
Their disbelief stung, and it made me think about Jesus himself. Jesus kept
company with tax collectors and prostitutes; surely people made the same kind of
assumptions and comments about him. It’s not always safe or easy to be “like”
Jesus.
There are many questions that surround identity. Who are we as a congregation?
What do we want to be known as -- the congregation that shows great hospitality
to all, that welcomes everyone? the congregation that has lots of community
functions in its building and takes time to address the needs of the community?
Or do we want to be known as the congregation that works really well with
children, youth and young adults? Addressing those questions helps us shape
our identity, helps us know better who we are and who we want to become. As
we sort through these questions, we should also ponder the identity of our Lord.
Who is the Jesus we are seeking to serve? Some congregations seem to want
only to serve a safe Jesus whose message is one of comfort for them and their
families. But I don’t think that is what Calvary wants; I think Calvary wants to
serve Jesus who is the embodiment of God’s love and truth in the world, who
calls us to embody that same news to our neighbors. Then there is the Jesus
who said that in order to be his followers we must lay down our life with him
and take up our cross -- how do we handle that? We wrestle with so many
questions as we seek to know our identity in relation to the identity of our Savior.
Last Sunday we discussed Calvary’s identity at a Parish Forum. We had fun doing
it -- we split into four groups. Each group chose a strength of the congregation
upon which to continue building our ministry. Then each group set three or four
goals based on that strength, and finally they explained how achieving those goals
would help us clarify our identity even further. Some good ideas got generated
in that exercise! When we were finished with that stage of the meeting, the
Discernment Committee brought forward an issue they have struggled with -- what
to do when they have an excellent candidate, someone who suits Calvary church
very well, and who is homosexual. The discernment committee admitted that, thus
far, they have set aside such candidates – assuming the congregation would not
accept them – but they have felt conflicted about doing so. They came to the
congregation, asking for guidance. Those at the forum discussed what to do -
whether the committee should reject such candidates or consider them. We had
an honest, respectful discussion, with Calvary’s members sharing their thoughts
and feelings on the matter. That in itself, the ability to talk about such a sensitive
topic, showed great health and strength in the congregation. I don’t know that an
absolute decision was made, but what I heard was a desire that the committee not
cut off any candidates over just one issue but consider all and use its best
collective judgment regarding whom to choose.
What we were discussing in all of that was our identity -- who are we at Calvary
church? Who do we want to be? We need to answer carefully so that our
answer will be truthful today and on into the future. And as we reflect on our
own identity, on who we are, we also need to think about who is Jesus? Our
lives are inextricably linked with Jesus’ life, and how we live should show that.
How we care for one another, how we talk about important matters with each
other, how we present ourselves in this community -- all of it is wrapped up, not
only in who we are, but who Jesus is among us.
I attend a pastor’s Bible study on Tuesday mornings in the Mount Airy section of
Philadelphia with about 15 other clergy. Pastor Jeff always tells the best stories at
that Bible study. Last week he mentioned a recent occasion when he was in a
topless bar. Immediately, all conversation stopped and everyone turned on him
puzzled looks. Jeff is married with two young sons; a topless bar doesn’t fit him
in any way. But Jeff simply went on with his story. It was a bachelor’s party, he
said, and one of the topless dancers noticed that he wasn’t acting like everyone
else in the place. So she asked someone about him and was told “he’s the
preacher.” When she got a break, she down next to Pastor Jeff and asked him
what God thought about her, about what she was doing. She wanted to know if
God condemned her. It wasn’t that she liked the work, she said, but she had
children to feed, and since her eldest son had gotten his girlfriend pregnant last
year, now she had a grandchild to raise as well. She was worried what God
thought of her.
Jeff reported how strange it was to be having such a serious conversation about
God, in a place where most people hoped God was not present. But as Jeff told
his story, we all knew God had been very present that night. He said to the
topless dancer, “the sad thing is that nobody in here sees you the way God sees
you.” Whereas most people in that place saw a body to ogle, God saw the whole
human being, someone who struggled and suffered, someone of value and worth.
Although it was surprising, even shocking at first, once you think about it -- it’s
not strange that Jesus was in a topless bar that evening -- embodied in one of
his people, listening with compassion to the troubles of a working woman.
Jesus saw Nathanael by the fig tree and sensed who he was. We don’t know
what others thought of Nathanael, how his friends or associates would have
described him. Maybe he was only 4 foot 6 and had been dubbed “shorty.” Or
maybe he had a hot temper and people avoided him. Maybe there was nothing
special about him at all and he was often over-looked -- who knows? But
Nathanael was struck by how quickly and accurately Jesus assessed him. Jesus
did not overlook Nathanael. Jesus did not judge Nathanael based on any odd
physical attributes or social stigmas. Jesus saw Nathanael the person, and
grasped the basis of his character. That’s a great feeling -- to be noticed in that
way, to be truly seen as who you are, not just as what you do or through the
lens of your faults.
Jesus sees us this way, too. We are often like that dancer in the topless bar,
wondering what God thinks of us, fearing God will judge us for one thing or
another. But God sent Jesus to reveal to us God’s great and tender love for us.
When Jesus catches sight of us he doesn’t say “ooo, there’s that person who
curses other drivers in traffic,” or “there’s that person with a messy house” or
“who doesn’t always tell the truth.” Jesus knows our failings, our sins, but does
not define us by them. No, when Jesus looks and sees the genuine person we
are: Loyal Maggie with the fiery spirit and the warm heart; Sally who trusts her
Lord; Ed who keeps himself and his family going with dedication, humor and
love; Allison and Emily who take such tender care of the children. Ralph whose
goodness shines in his eyes and in his smile. Jesus sees you; each of you - the
whole you, the beautiful you. When Jesus sees you, you are received by God
with love.
Isn’t this the Jesus we want to embody for one another and for our neighbors? It
must be because the people of Calvary already embody this Jesus in much of
their interactions with each other -- by listening instead of judging, by pushing
but also having patience, by welcoming new people with real friendliness instead
of looking to see whether they fit in. This Jesus already abides here, in and
among us, the Jesus who knows us by name and looks on us with love. Jesus
welcomes us here in God’s house, greets us with compassion and joy, and invites
us to continue wrestling with what it means for us to live - today, in this world –
as his faithful people. amen
happened like this. Jesus was choosing his disciples. He found Philip and said
“follow me,” so Philip did. Soon, Philip was convinced Jesus was the Messiah,
so he went and got Nathanael, telling him “we have found the one about whom
Moses and all the prophets wrote -- Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Philip
and Nathanael had a brief conversation, during which Nathanael questioned the
credentials of Nazareth. But in the end, he decided to take Philip’s advice and
check Jesus out for himself.
The two approached Jesus. When Jesus saw them coming, Jesus said, indicating
Nathanael, “here comes an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” Nathanael was
astonished. How did Jesus know him - they had never met? Jesus said “I saw
you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” [Perhaps Nathanael had been
talking with others, interacting with fellow Israelites. Maybe Jesus had observed
him for a while.] Whatever the case, Nathanael was stunned. He said to Jesus
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus replied, “stick
around and you’ll see much greater things than that.”
It’s a story about identity – Nathanael’s identity and Jesus’ identity. Jesus’ initial
reading of Nathanael probably was not too difficult. Nathanael does seem pretty
“guileless” the way he is so surprised by Jesus’ perceptiveness and how he
jumps from there to confessing Jesus, not simply as a wise person, but as Son
of God and King of Israel. It appears that Jesus is not so much flattered by
Nathanael’s adoration as bemused. “You believe because I told you I saw you
under the fig tree? You’ll see greater things than these.” Who is Nathanael?
Someone ready to believe, not cynical, not a slave to his own interests, and at
the conclusion of the story – a follower of Jesus. Who is Jesus? …in the season
of Epiphany, we are just beginning to address that question. We know Jesus is
the Son of God, but what, exactly, does that mean for us, for the world, for
people in our communities, in our time?
Terry was a member of my church in Hickory. He might have been 40 -- a man
with long hair and a beard, tattoos all up and down his arms; he rode a
motorcycle, and he loved Jesus. He’d come through some rough times - addiction
to drugs and alcohol - but he was back on his feet. For a big man Terry had a
surprisingly soft voice. And the tattoos on his arms were unusual; they told the
story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection in pictures. Terry used to go down to
biker bars and into parts of town where prostitutes worked. As tough as he
looked, he was easily accepted there. He would strike up a conversation with
someone - a prostitute or somebody struggling with addiction - and eventually he
would show them his tattoos, tell them about Jesus, explain how Jesus had
helped him turn his own life around.
One Sunday morning Terry’s face, among others, was on the front page of the
local paper. A group of men had been arrested in a sting operation. They had
been in a disreputable part of town spending time with prostitutes. Those of us
who knew Terry understood why he was there -- he had been ministering in
Jesus’ name. But not everyone looked at it that way. A couple weeks later,
teaching my confirmation class, some of the students were laughing about the
church member who was caught having a good time with prostitutes. “No,” I said,
“it’s not like that.” I told them about Terry, how he went to see prostitutes to tell
them about Jesus, but I could see in their faces they didn’t really believe me.
Their disbelief stung, and it made me think about Jesus himself. Jesus kept
company with tax collectors and prostitutes; surely people made the same kind of
assumptions and comments about him. It’s not always safe or easy to be “like”
Jesus.
There are many questions that surround identity. Who are we as a congregation?
What do we want to be known as -- the congregation that shows great hospitality
to all, that welcomes everyone? the congregation that has lots of community
functions in its building and takes time to address the needs of the community?
Or do we want to be known as the congregation that works really well with
children, youth and young adults? Addressing those questions helps us shape
our identity, helps us know better who we are and who we want to become. As
we sort through these questions, we should also ponder the identity of our Lord.
Who is the Jesus we are seeking to serve? Some congregations seem to want
only to serve a safe Jesus whose message is one of comfort for them and their
families. But I don’t think that is what Calvary wants; I think Calvary wants to
serve Jesus who is the embodiment of God’s love and truth in the world, who
calls us to embody that same news to our neighbors. Then there is the Jesus
who said that in order to be his followers we must lay down our life with him
and take up our cross -- how do we handle that? We wrestle with so many
questions as we seek to know our identity in relation to the identity of our Savior.
Last Sunday we discussed Calvary’s identity at a Parish Forum. We had fun doing
it -- we split into four groups. Each group chose a strength of the congregation
upon which to continue building our ministry. Then each group set three or four
goals based on that strength, and finally they explained how achieving those goals
would help us clarify our identity even further. Some good ideas got generated
in that exercise! When we were finished with that stage of the meeting, the
Discernment Committee brought forward an issue they have struggled with -- what
to do when they have an excellent candidate, someone who suits Calvary church
very well, and who is homosexual. The discernment committee admitted that, thus
far, they have set aside such candidates – assuming the congregation would not
accept them – but they have felt conflicted about doing so. They came to the
congregation, asking for guidance. Those at the forum discussed what to do -
whether the committee should reject such candidates or consider them. We had
an honest, respectful discussion, with Calvary’s members sharing their thoughts
and feelings on the matter. That in itself, the ability to talk about such a sensitive
topic, showed great health and strength in the congregation. I don’t know that an
absolute decision was made, but what I heard was a desire that the committee not
cut off any candidates over just one issue but consider all and use its best
collective judgment regarding whom to choose.
What we were discussing in all of that was our identity -- who are we at Calvary
church? Who do we want to be? We need to answer carefully so that our
answer will be truthful today and on into the future. And as we reflect on our
own identity, on who we are, we also need to think about who is Jesus? Our
lives are inextricably linked with Jesus’ life, and how we live should show that.
How we care for one another, how we talk about important matters with each
other, how we present ourselves in this community -- all of it is wrapped up, not
only in who we are, but who Jesus is among us.
I attend a pastor’s Bible study on Tuesday mornings in the Mount Airy section of
Philadelphia with about 15 other clergy. Pastor Jeff always tells the best stories at
that Bible study. Last week he mentioned a recent occasion when he was in a
topless bar. Immediately, all conversation stopped and everyone turned on him
puzzled looks. Jeff is married with two young sons; a topless bar doesn’t fit him
in any way. But Jeff simply went on with his story. It was a bachelor’s party, he
said, and one of the topless dancers noticed that he wasn’t acting like everyone
else in the place. So she asked someone about him and was told “he’s the
preacher.” When she got a break, she down next to Pastor Jeff and asked him
what God thought about her, about what she was doing. She wanted to know if
God condemned her. It wasn’t that she liked the work, she said, but she had
children to feed, and since her eldest son had gotten his girlfriend pregnant last
year, now she had a grandchild to raise as well. She was worried what God
thought of her.
Jeff reported how strange it was to be having such a serious conversation about
God, in a place where most people hoped God was not present. But as Jeff told
his story, we all knew God had been very present that night. He said to the
topless dancer, “the sad thing is that nobody in here sees you the way God sees
you.” Whereas most people in that place saw a body to ogle, God saw the whole
human being, someone who struggled and suffered, someone of value and worth.
Although it was surprising, even shocking at first, once you think about it -- it’s
not strange that Jesus was in a topless bar that evening -- embodied in one of
his people, listening with compassion to the troubles of a working woman.
Jesus saw Nathanael by the fig tree and sensed who he was. We don’t know
what others thought of Nathanael, how his friends or associates would have
described him. Maybe he was only 4 foot 6 and had been dubbed “shorty.” Or
maybe he had a hot temper and people avoided him. Maybe there was nothing
special about him at all and he was often over-looked -- who knows? But
Nathanael was struck by how quickly and accurately Jesus assessed him. Jesus
did not overlook Nathanael. Jesus did not judge Nathanael based on any odd
physical attributes or social stigmas. Jesus saw Nathanael the person, and
grasped the basis of his character. That’s a great feeling -- to be noticed in that
way, to be truly seen as who you are, not just as what you do or through the
lens of your faults.
Jesus sees us this way, too. We are often like that dancer in the topless bar,
wondering what God thinks of us, fearing God will judge us for one thing or
another. But God sent Jesus to reveal to us God’s great and tender love for us.
When Jesus catches sight of us he doesn’t say “ooo, there’s that person who
curses other drivers in traffic,” or “there’s that person with a messy house” or
“who doesn’t always tell the truth.” Jesus knows our failings, our sins, but does
not define us by them. No, when Jesus looks and sees the genuine person we
are: Loyal Maggie with the fiery spirit and the warm heart; Sally who trusts her
Lord; Ed who keeps himself and his family going with dedication, humor and
love; Allison and Emily who take such tender care of the children. Ralph whose
goodness shines in his eyes and in his smile. Jesus sees you; each of you - the
whole you, the beautiful you. When Jesus sees you, you are received by God
with love.
Isn’t this the Jesus we want to embody for one another and for our neighbors? It
must be because the people of Calvary already embody this Jesus in much of
their interactions with each other -- by listening instead of judging, by pushing
but also having patience, by welcoming new people with real friendliness instead
of looking to see whether they fit in. This Jesus already abides here, in and
among us, the Jesus who knows us by name and looks on us with love. Jesus
welcomes us here in God’s house, greets us with compassion and joy, and invites
us to continue wrestling with what it means for us to live - today, in this world –
as his faithful people. amen