Week 3:  “So We Do Not Lose Heart”

The Triune God opens our hearts to care about our own sin and the world’s pain, fills our hearts with grace and mercy that cannot be killed, and so makes our hearts God’s heart for the world that will change everything.

Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
   Wednesday, 11 March 2015; texts: 2 Corinthians 4:1-16a

Sisters and brothers, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

You have to have a heart to be concerned about losing it.

Paul’s beautiful encouragement today in 2 Corinthians only matters if we are so engaged in our lives and in the world that our hearts are committed and open.

There is much about our lives that is not what we are created to be.  We are not always the loving person toward God and toward our neighbor Christ Jesus calls us to be.  If we care about that, our hearts are at risk.

There is much about the world that is not what it was created to be.  The suffering, pain, and evil we see in our city, nation, and world has damaged the good creation the Triune God made.  If we care about that, our hearts are at risk.

There is much we fear about what we can’t control, including death.  If we care about that, our hearts are at risk.

When our hearts engage with our own lives, with this world and its problems, with our fears, we risk losing them, having our courage fail us, falling into despair.  But if we don’t engage our hearts, we lose everything of value to life in this world.

There’s a tremendous grace that helps us here, received when we gather together as Christ’s community: we find our hearts in the heart of God.

Here our hearts are opened and aligned with God’s.

Unlike most of the rest of our lives, we are called outside ourselves when we come here.  We hear a Word from the God who made us, an external voice that calls to us to open our hearts to the truth so that we care.

Here we are reminded of our sinfulness, our flaws, our brokenness.  That we keep coming back, knowing we’re going to hear more of that, means our hearts are being engaged.  We are learning to care that we aren’t what God would have us be.  Instead of ignoring that pain and pretending we’re just fine, as much of the world would, we come here for the truth, and it opens our hearts.

Here we are reminded of the good of God’s creation and the broken mess we have made.  That we keep coming back, knowing we’re going to hear more of that, means our hearts are being engaged.  We are learning to care about how God would have the world be.  Instead of looking only to ourselves and ignoring the rest of the world, as much of our culture would, we come here for the truth, and it opens our hearts.

Most importantly, here we find the truth answering those deepest fears about what can harm us, what we can’t control.  For here, in Word and Meal and community we receive the heart of the Triune God.  We receive the love of God for us and for the world that led God to take on our existence and even suffer death on our behalf.  Here we learn that God brings life to the world in Jesus’ resurrection, and we are loved fully, in spite of our flaws, our death, and the world is loved fully, in spite of its flaws, its death.  We learn God’s heart is even more engaged with bringing life to death and brokenness and sin than ours ever can be.

We come here and are changed by this.  Our hearts are shaped to be like God’s, to care as God cares.

That’s when the pain starts.  The only way to avoid pain is to stop feeling.  We can’t do that, now we care about our own brokenness and the world’s.  So now we’re ready to hear Paul’s good news.

It sounds like Paul starts with the opposite.  He says we’re fragile.

We’re like clay jars, easily broken.  We face affliction, perplexion, persecution, even death, he says, because our hearts are engaged in the ministry God calls us to do, in ourselves and in the world.  Fragile sounds like a bad thing.

It’s not.  Paul’s helping us let go of that last protection we want.  He’s saying if our hearts are engaged as Christ invites, expect it’s going to hurt.  In other parts of the world Christians know this, as some are persecuted in horrible ways for living their heart-led, Christ-shaped ministry.  In our safe country we’ve taught ourselves to expect no negative impact from committing our hearts and lives to serve Christ in the world.  Paul says that’s foolish.

We’re fragile, breakable, clay jars.  We’ve got no power or strength on our own.  Which of course we already knew.  The reason we shut off our hearts toward growing deeper as disciples or shut off our hearts toward the pain of the world, is that deep inside we realize we aren’t very strong.  Imagining how we could become more Christlike in our loving in our personal lives, how much work that would take, how many things we’d have to change, is daunting because we know we aren’t strong enough.  Imagining how we might make a difference in a world of evil and pain, how much work that would take, how many things would have to change, is daunting because we know we aren’t strong enough.

Paul says, Good.  Now you’re starting to get it.  You don’t have the power to do this.  Now you’re ready to hear what’s really good about this news.

Here it is: we don’t need to have the strength because we are filled with the treasure of God’s grace and mercy.

This isn’t about us.  It’s about God’s hope and dream.  When we consider our own brokenness and sin or the pain of the world, no matter how huge a task of healing it seems, it doesn’t matter.  We, fragile, clay, jars, carry in our hearts the death-destroying, eternally forgiving, unstoppably loving heart of the Triune God.  We can risk our hearts engaging ourselves and the world because even if we are wounded, even if it costs a lot, even if we break to the point of death, we have God’s heart inside us giving us life.

We do not proclaim ourselves, Paul says.  It’s not about us.  We are vessels of the grace and mercy of God we have come to know in Christ Jesus, and that is all we need.

This treasure transforms us into completely different people.

We see everything now through the lens of God’s grace and mercy that is poured in us.

So we never look at our own problems the same again.  So many, even in the church today, see their own issues and sin and difficulties and rarely ask, “What is God going to do about this in me?”  There is nothing wrong with us and our lives that God cannot heal and transform.  This is God’s truth that changes us.

We never look at the world’s problems the same again, either.  How often, even in the church today, do people discuss what needs to be done, what problems ail society and the world, and rarely ask, “What is God going to do about this through us?”  There is nothing wrong in this world that God cannot heal and transform.  This is God’s truth that changes us.

So we do not lose heart.

We do not lose heart, even when we consider the work we each need to do to be people who love God and love neighbor with our every breath.  God will make this happen in us.  We do not lose heart, even when we consider the depth of work that needs to be done in this world to make it whole and at peace.  God will make this happen through us.  We do not lose heart, even when we see all the fearful things we can’t control, even death.  God will bring life to us and the world in Christ Jesus; God will make this happen.

It is by God’s mercy we are engaged in this ministry, and we have this treasure in clay jars so that it may be made clear – to us and to the world – that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.  It’s in God’s hands, always has been.  We’re just blessed to be the vessels, fragile as we are, carrying God’s healing of the world and of our lives.

Now we get to see that grace extend to the whole world.

In the name of Jesus.  Amen

Week 2: “Gifted to Serve”

When we live in God’s love, we bear the fruit of sharing our gifts with the world. We don’t need to depend on our own competence or abilities, but trust in God working through us. Open yourself to the work of God through you in the world.

Vicar Meagan McLaughlin
   Wednesday, 4 March 2015; texts: 2 Corinthians 3:4-18, John 15:1-11

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What are your greatest strengths? If it’s been a while since your last job interview, you may not have thought about that question lately. And if you are job seeking, just hearing me say that may give you sweaty palms! Usually, when someone asks this, we know they are looking for a reason to offer us a job—or not.

Especially in today’s competitive world, this question is an invitation to prove to a potential employer—and perhaps to ourselves—that we are the best candidate, that our gifts and talents outweigh those of all the other candidates hoping to come out on the top of the resume pile. Do we have enough years of experience? Good enough skills? The right degree?

Whether we are currently working for pay or not, the world judges us by the same standards. Either we are good enough, or we are not. And those of us who are not chosen, those not able to work because of illness or disability, those who have retired, even those choosing to be a full-time care-giver for our children or loved ones, can often be left feeling as if we don’t have anything valuable to give, and if we do, those around us aren’t seeing it.

There is a lot of competition out there—limited jobs, first place trophies, awards, and a lot of people scrambling for success. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and we are all aware that only so many dogs can win.

Paul points out to us today that God sees things differently. We tend to think of our strengths as skills we acquire through our own efforts, and how competent we are—how valuable we are in this world—is judged by how we measure up against those around us. But from God’s perspective, it’s not that. Or at least, it’s not only that.

In God’s view, the greatest strength we have is the ability to be “ministers of the new covenant of the Spirit,” the ability to serve God and others. And that is a gift that comes to each one of us from God, not from our own efforts. Each of us has a particular part to play, and God has given us everything we need to play it well. There are not a limited number of open positions on God’s team, and we don’t have to apply or compete to be included.

On God’s team, the abilities God has given us are not revealed through competition or display of our own effort and strength. We have gifts and value to offer the world simply because we are created and gifted by God. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that he is the vine, and we as branches are all tapped into the source of love and grace. Our gifts come directly from our connection to God, and because God works through us, we all bear fruit that reveals God’s glory.

This is really good news! We don’t have to prove ourselves to anyone, even God. We don’t ever need to be afraid that we have nothing to offer to the world. It is not about us being perfect, and therefore useful to God. In fact, it is just the opposite. In our uniqueness, even our imperfections, we are vessels of God just as we are.

We are most useful to God when we make ourselves vulnerable to God and others, and allow God to work in and through us. This is a really radical idea for us when we are surrounded by a culture that prizes individual achievement and self-sufficiency. How can our imperfection, our vulnerability, serve God and our community?

To be completely honest, there are moments when this scares me, because there is a part of me that feels like I am not capable of this. That no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to be that vulnerable. And then I realize that I have turned even surrender into a task to be judged, a competition that I can win or lose.

The truth is, on our own, we can’t do it, but we can have confidence in God’s presence with us. As Paul writes, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” Our competence comes from God, and when we are open to the work of God in us, we are made more and more like Christ. Because we are connected to God, the love of God can reveal itself in everything we do.

Lest we be left thinking that we can sit back and rest and let God do all the work, Paul goes on to call us to be bold in the hope we have in Jesus. God gives us gifts not for ourselves, but for the good of the world, and we are called to use them, without fear.

Each of us is unique, and no one of us can replace another. God has work for each of us to do here, and God has equipped us to do the work. This means we are called to grow in our awareness of the gifts God has given us. We are called to ask God for guidance in where and how to use these gifts. And most importantly, we are called to remember that God is the source of all good things, and that we cannot claim anything as coming from ourselves. We are called to be stewards of gifts that do not belong to us.

Today’s scriptures are a celebration of God’s abundance that calls us to care for the gifts we have been given, and share them freely with the world. So, set aside for the moment any fear or doubt you may have. Know that God has entrusted you with work to do, and listen with new ears to this question: “What are your greatest strengths?”

Amen.

Week 2: “Gifted to Serve”

When we live in God’s love, we bear the fruit of sharing our gifts with the world. We don’t need to depend on our own competence or abilities, but trust in God working through us. Open yourself to the work of God through you in the world.

Vicar Meagan McLaughlin
   Wednesday, 4 March 2015; texts: 2 Corinthians 3:4-18, John 15:1-11

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What are your greatest strengths? If it’s been a while since your last job interview, you may not have thought about that question lately. And if you are job seeking, just hearing me say that may give you sweaty palms! Usually, when someone asks this, we know they are looking for a reason to offer us a job—or not.

Especially in today’s competitive world, this question is an invitation to prove to a potential employer—and perhaps to ourselves—that we are the best candidate, that our gifts and talents outweigh those of all the other candidates hoping to come out on the top of the resume pile. Do we have enough years of experience? Good enough skills? The right degree?

Whether we are currently working for pay or not, the world judges us by the same standards. Either we are good enough, or we are not. And those of us who are not chosen, those not able to work because of illness or disability, those who have retired, even those choosing to be a full-time care-giver for our children or loved ones, can often be left feeling as if we don’t have anything valuable to give, and if we do, those around us aren’t seeing it.

There is a lot of competition out there—limited jobs, first place trophies, awards, and a lot of people scrambling for success. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and we are all aware that only so many dogs can win.

Paul points out to us today that God sees things differently. We tend to think of our strengths as skills we acquire through our own efforts, and how competent we are—how valuable we are in this world—is judged by how we measure up against those around us. But from God’s perspective, it’s not that. Or at least, it’s not only that.

In God’s view, the greatest strength we have is the ability to be “ministers of the new covenant of the Spirit,” the ability to serve God and others. And that is a gift that comes to each one of us from God, not from our own efforts. Each of us has a particular part to play, and God has given us everything we need to play it well. There are not a limited number of open positions on God’s team, and we don’t have to apply or compete to be included.

On God’s team, the abilities God has given us are not revealed through competition or display of our own effort and strength. We have gifts and value to offer the world simply because we are created and gifted by God. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that he is the vine, and we as branches are all tapped into the source of love and grace. Our gifts come directly from our connection to God, and because God works through us, we all bear fruit that reveals God’s glory.

This is really good news! We don’t have to prove ourselves to anyone, even God. We don’t ever need to be afraid that we have nothing to offer to the world. It is not about us being perfect, and therefore useful to God. In fact, it is just the opposite. In our uniqueness, even our imperfections, we are vessels of God just as we are.

We are most useful to God when we make ourselves vulnerable to God and others, and allow God to work in and through us. This is a really radical idea for us when we are surrounded by a culture that prizes individual achievement and self-sufficiency. How can our imperfection, our vulnerability, serve God and our community?

To be completely honest, there are moments when this scares me, because there is a part of me that feels like I am not capable of this. That no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to be that vulnerable. And then I realize that I have turned even surrender into a task to be judged, a competition that I can win or lose.

The truth is, on our own, we can’t do it, but we can have confidence in God’s presence with us. As Paul writes, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” Our competence comes from God, and when we are open to the work of God in us, we are made more and more like Christ. Because we are connected to God, the love of God can reveal itself in everything we do.

Lest we be left thinking that we can sit back and rest and let God do all the work, Paul goes on to call us to be bold in the hope we have in Jesus. God gives us gifts not for ourselves, but for the good of the world, and we are called to use them, without fear.

Each of us is unique, and no one of us can replace another. God has work for each of us to do here, and God has equipped us to do the work. This means we are called to grow in our awareness of the gifts God has given us. We are called to ask God for guidance in where and how to use these gifts. And most importantly, we are called to remember that God is the source of all good things, and that we cannot claim anything as coming from ourselves. We are called to be stewards of gifts that do not belong to us.

Today’s scriptures are a celebration of God’s abundance that calls us to care for the gifts we have been given, and share them freely with the world. So, set aside for the moment any fear or doubt you may have. Know that God has entrusted you with work to do, and listen with new ears to this question: “What are your greatest strengths?”

Amen.