07-06

COMMUNITY CHURCH OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA

P. O. BOX 222811

CARMEL CA 93922

(831) 624-8595

www.ccmp.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rev. Paul Wrightman, Pastor

 

Independent and United Church of Christ

June 7, 2020

 

Dear Friends,

 

What a difference a week can make! ​​ I can’t remember a time like this in our country since the 60’s. ​​ It’s fascinating that we’re currently caught up in considering the Ten Commandments in our sermon series on the most important texts in the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. ​​ Few places in Scripture reveal to us God’s own passion for justice and equality​​ more​​ than these ​​ texts.

 ​​​​ 

As your Pastor, I would be at fault if I didn’t attempt to connect today’s text​​ to what is going on in our nation​​ right now. ​​ While the Bible makes it clear that God expects all God’s followers to seek to become more and more​​ like​​ God in terms of their own values and living out of those values, it does not attempt to tell us​​ how​​ to go about doing this. ​​ It simply assumes that all disciples of the true God will seriously seek to apply God’s vision and values to the unique circumstances of their own lives. ​​ I see my job as one of trying to make clear what God expects of us. ​​ It is ALL of our jobs to rise to the challenge of embodying – living out – God’s vision of justice and equality in the particularities of each of our lives. ​​​​ The current situation could well be the greatest opportunity in our lifetimes to set some things right that have needed to be set right for a very long time.

 

From Cindi​​ and Millie​​ Daniel: ​​ “”I am so honored as well as delighted and amazed at the creative quilt squares all of you have made as tributes to my Dad, family, and our Church. ​​ Thank you so much for the thoughtfulness of those who assisted others in insuring that everyone was included in the quilt.”

 

From Dolores Joblon: ​​ “We will again be providing a dinner on Wednesday June 10 to the IHelp men who are sheltering in place at a church here on the Monterey Peninsula. ​​ A donor who​​ doesn’t want to be identified has generously supplied funds to have Jeffrey’s Restaurant in Carmel Valley provide them with a hearty meal. ​​ Thank you for your help in this time of need.”

 

 

 

 

This week the Board will be talking about when and how to reopen our church. ​​ Just like the various states, I’ve learned that different denominations and different churches have very different ideas as to the “when.” ​​ First Presbyterian, Monterey, has set a tentative date of September 6th. ​​ The Roman Catholic Diocese is reopening this coming week. ​​ And the Episcopal Diocese has such a rigorous reopening plan that one wonders if any Episcopal churches will be allowed to reopen for those over 60 until a vaccine or successful treatment is developed. ​​ I suspect that CCMP will fall somewhere in the “middle” of this. ​​ And I know that our plan, researched and proposed by​​ JoAnn Holbrook,​​ Pam Klaumann,​​ and Richard Gray, will see to it that we stay safe. ​​ 

 

It’s exciting to have another poem by Dodie Barkley Scardina addressing God:

 

TO YOU

 

Ah, the vast currents of electricity​​ 

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ between us –

anticipation – a strange pulse!

Unknowingness –

Wondering dreams?

A surging, mystical urge to blend,

like the purest streams on Earth,

Pooling, then moving, pooling again,

then moving towards the grandest

of the ocean’s depths –

to YOU!

 

Finally, please keep Jacklyn Finley and Chuck Scardina in your prayers. ​​ Jacklyn fell down and broke a wrist and knee cap. ​​ She is currently at Westland House, and making good progress getting well. ​​ Chuck is struggling a lot with the challenges of just getting around and not having many good days.

 

And remember that Jesus is Emmanuel, God WITH us! ​​ Paul

 

 

 

 

 

WORSHIP SERVICE FOR JUNE 7, 2020

 

INTRODUCTORY READING  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (D. M. Lewis, Contemporary)

 

The Harrowing of Hell

 

Love asks to penetrate

The hot dark place,

The place of pain,

From which the sons of light

Hide their modest faces.

Love is allowed.

And oh! what gnashing of teeth

Among the demons

Who thought it was their own!

 

SUGGESTED MUSIC  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ For the Healing of the Nations Hymn  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Jon Linton  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ You Tube

(This is instrumental, with lyrics. ​​ Try singing (or saying) the words to the music and you will turn this into a prayer.)

 

OPENING PRAYER  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Cecil Kerr, Contemporary)

 

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the way of justice and peace.

Come into the brokenness of our lives and our land

with your healing love.

Help us to be willing to come before you in true repentance,

and to offer one another real forgiveness.

By the fire of your Holy Spirit, melt our hard hearts

and consume the pride and prejudice which separate us.

Fill us, O Lord, with your perfect love which casts out all fear

and bind us together in that unity

which you share with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

 

SCRIPTURE: ​​ Exodus 20:8-11, NRSV

 

Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. ​​ Six days you shall labor and do all your work. ​​ But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work – you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. ​​ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.

Copyright 2020: ​​ Rev. Paul Wrightman

 

WHEN REST IS MORE THAN REST ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Exodus 20:8-11  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ ​​ 6/7/20

 

(Please note that the many underlinings are my attempt to show what I would emphasize​​ if delivering orally.)

 

We continue our sermon series on the most important texts in the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. ​​ We are currently in that part of the Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures, which Christians know as the Ten Commandments and our Jewish brothers and sisters known as ten all-important life-giving words, or teachings, from God.

 

We have seen​​ how these “commandments” – far from being arbitrary and legalistic​​ limitations​​ on human freedom – are actually some of the greatest​​ safeguards​​ concerning human life and human freedom that have ever been given on this planet.

 

The word “Sabbath” in Hebrew literally means “to cease working.” ​​ Thus, the most obvious meaning of the fourth commandment is that human beings are instructed by God to not work on one day out of each week. ​​ Many have remarked that of all the commandments, this fourth word, “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy,” is the​​ least​​ practiced in our culture.

 

Each of the commandments contains within itself a​​ future​​ trajectory. ​​​​ Let us grant that God really​​ did​​ reveal something above and beyond the normal range of human cognition to Moses on Mt. Sinai in that fateful encounter some thirty-three hundred years ago. ​​ If this is indeed the case, then it’s not going too far to​​ extrapolate​​ from this and to say that​​ way​​ back​​ then​​ God​​ already​​ suspected how​​ easy​​ it would be for many people to make an​​ idol​​ out of​​ work, to put work​​ first​​ in their lives​​ instead​​ of God,​​ instead​​ of their​​ relationships​​ with​​ others,​​ instead​​ of even their relationship with​​ self.

 

God, surmising this, gave us the instruction to set aside​​ one​​ day a week as a day of​​ rest, the word “rest” actually being much closer in meaning to our word “play,” than it is to “rest” in the sense of cessation of activity. ​​ Indeed, it would not be going too far to say that God, knowing our propensity to idolize work, instructed us to take a day off to play and pray in the hope of​​ helping​​ us​​ to keep our lives in​​ balance.

 

There’s a story making the rounds that I think nicely captures the​​ idolatry​​ – and​​ absurdity​​ – when work becomes​​ everything, when work becomes an​​ end-in-itself:

 

In a quiet Mexican fishing village in Baja California, an American on vacation was watching a local fisherman unload his morning catch.

 

The American, a professor at a prestigious graduate school of business, couldn’t resist giving the Mexican fisherman a little bit of free​​ advice.

 

“Hey!” he began. ​​ “Why are you​​ finishing​​ so​​ early?”

 

“Since I have caught​​ enough​​ fish, senor,” replied the genial Mexican, “Enough to feed my family and a little extra to sell. ​​ Now I will take some lunch with my wife and, after a little siesta in the afternoon, I will play with my children. ​​ Then, after dinner, I will go to the cantina, drink a little tequila and play some guitar with my friends. ​​ It is​​ enough​​ for me, senor.”

 

“Listen to me, my friend,” said the business professor.

 

“If you stay out at sea until late afternoon, you will easily catch​​ twice​​ as many fish. ​​ You can​​ sell​​ the extra, save up the​​ money, and in six months you’ll be able to buy a​​ bigger​​ and​​ better​​ boat and hire some crew. ​​ If you follow this business plan, in six or seven years you will be the​​ owner​​ of a large fishing​​ fleet. ​​ Just imagine​​ that! ​​ Then you could move your head office to Mexico City, or even to Palo Alto. ​​ 

 

After three or four years there, you float your company on the stock market, giving yourself, as CEO, a generous salary package with substantial share options. ​​ In a few more years –​​ listen​​ to​​ this! – you initiate a company share buy-back scheme, which will make you a multimillionaire! ​​ Guaranteed! ​​ I’m a well-known professor at the number one rated business school in the world; I know these things.”

 

The Mexican fisherman listened thoughtfully at what the animated American had to say. ​​ When the professor had finished, the Mexican asked him, “But, senior professor, what will I​​ do​​ with so many millions of dollars?”

 

The American responded: ​​ “Amigo! ​​ With all that dough, you can​​ retire. ​​ Yeah! ​​ Retire for​​ life. ​​ You can buy a little villa in a picturesque fishing village like this one, and purchase a boat for going fishing in the morning. ​​ You can have lunch with your wife every day, and a siesta afterwards with nothing to bother you. ​​ In the afternoon you can spend quality time with your kids, and after dinner in the evening, play guitar with your friends in the cantina, drinking tequila. ​​ Yeah, with all that​​ money, my friend, you can​​ retire​​ and take it​​ easy.”

 

“But, senior professor, I do all that already. ​​ But, senor professor, I do all that​​ already.”

 

I found this story in a collection of teaching stories by Ajahn Brahm,​​ Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?, pp. 193-194.​​ 

 

Just to make sure we get the point, in the tradition of Aesop’s Fables, Brahm tacks on this moral at the end: ​​ “Why do we believe that we have to work so hard and get​​ rich​​ first,​​ before​​ we can find​​ contentment?”

 

I suspect that God was thinking very much along these lines when sharing with us this fourth life-giving word: ​​ “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.”

 

But there’s​​ more,​​ much​​ more.

 

In studying ancient law codes, scholars are quick to note that while several of the commandments are at least partially echoed in the legal statutes of other cultures, this fourth word about observing a Sabbath day, a day of rest, or better, a day of play and pray, is​​ without​​ parallel.

 

 

In other words, the commandment about the Sabbath is​​ unique​​ to the​​ Hebrews.

 

And all we need to do to figure out​​ why​​ this teaching was unique to the Hebrews is to remember the​​ historical​​ context​​ in which this teaching was given.

 

We are told at the beginning of the biblical book of Exodus that the Hebrews had been enslaved by the Egyptians for many generations. ​​ One of the most dramatic scenes in the entire Bible occurs when God encounters Moses at the burning bush and says to him: ​​ “I have​​ seen​​ the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have​​ heard​​ their cry on account of their taskmasters. ​​ Indeed, I​​ know​​ their sufferings, and I have​​ come​​ down​​ to deliver them.” ​​ (Exodus 3:7-8a) ​​ 

 

Unlike the gods of all the other nations, who​​ specialized​​ in multiple forms of​​ slavery, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses is bound and determined to create a truly​​ free​​ people. ​​ 

 

But how does one take a bunch of recently freed slaves and​​ shape​​ them,​​ form​​ them, into a community where freedom and equality are not the​​ exception​​ but the​​ rule?

 

God does this by revealing to this people ten life-giving words, which if actually​​ followed, would result in a radically​​ different​​ kind of society, the kind of society where respect for​​ life​​ and​​ truth​​ and the well-being of​​ all​​ were lived out on a day-to-day basis.

 

Note what comes​​ after​​ the summary statement “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.” ​​ God goes​​ on​​ to​​ include​​ a shockingly​​ diverse​​ and​​ inclusive​​ collection of people and beings​​ to​​ whom and​​ for​​ whom this fourth life-giving word is addressed: ​​ “You shall not do any work –​​ you, your​​ son​​ or your​​ daughter, your male or female​​ slave, your​​ livestock, or the​​ alien​​ resident​​ in your towns.” ​​ 

 

One of the wonderful things about the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses is that God meets the people where they’re actually​​ at,​​ not where God would​​ like​​ them to be. ​​ 

 

And where they’re actually at is having slaves of their own, in spite of having recently been freed from slavery themselves. ​​ God, knowing that ordering the people to give up their slaves immediately would be asking too much too fast, and would probably result in an even​​ deeper​​ attachment to slavery, God, knowing that, does something very​​ subtle:

 

God commands that on one day out of seven,​​ everyone: free, slaves, resident aliens, even livestock, will take a break from work​​ together. ​​ In this teaching on the Sabbath, where​​ all​​ are​​ equal​​ for at least​​ one​​ day a week, God is planting a seed, a seed which God hopes will eventually grow into a movement which will overturn the ownership of one human being by another.

 

God is​​ also​​ planting a seed which God hopes will gradually grow into a movement where resident aliens are treated as​​ equals.

 

Throughout the Hebrew Scripture God keeps reminding the people that they were once slaves in Egypt, the strong implication being since​​ they​​ themselves​​ were once slaves, they will want to do everything in their power to keep from re-enslaving themselves, or enslaving others.

 

Another way of putting this would be to say that they are​​ never,​​ ever​​ to act as​​ Pharaoh​​ towards​​ anyone​​ or​​ anything.

 

And here is where the rubber meets the road in terms of the current situation in our own country. ​​ The Bible itself is absolutely clear​​ that enslaving others is antithetical to God. ​​ “Enslaving” is consistently understood in a​​ broad​​ way to include anything that keeps another person down, treats another as a second-class citizen, is critical or mocking of someone else because they are “different.” ​​ And God shows the​​ same​​ concern for resident aliens (read “immigrants”) that he does for slaves! ​​​​ A consistent refrain through the entire Old Testament is the injunction to​​ welcome​​ the stranger. ​​ Jesus makes God’s concern for those who are different his own, and makes welcoming the stranger one of the main criteria on which God will judge​​ whether or not one is welcomed into God’s kingdom.

 

God’s concern for slaves and strangers is not​​ secondary​​ to the message of the Bible, but​​ central. ​​ And what God incarnates in Godself, God expects God’s followers to embody in​​ themselves. ​​ According to this clear biblical standard, many American Christians have been woefully lacking and stand in danger of God’s judgment.

 

One of the great opportunities of this critical time in the life of our nation is that Christians – ALL Christians – now have the opportunity to stand up for those who have been assigned​​ unequal rights and opportunities because they fall into one of the two broad categories of “slave” or “stranger.” ​​​​ This standing with and standing up for is always to be done​​ nonviolently. ​​ The Bible is unequivocal on that point. ​​ But it is just as unequivocal that ALL followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus are expected (commanded!) to actually DO this. ​​ In other words, working for justice and peace is not a​​ recommendation​​ on God’s part, but a​​ requirement. ​​ Of course different people in different life circumstances will fulfill this requirement in different ways, but fulfill it they must. ​​ It is not optional.

 

The social unrest in our country right now gives Christians of all stripes the chance to tear down walls between people and build bridges instead. ​​ It gives us the opportunity as citizens to campaign for and to support candidates whose values support God’s own values as revealed in the Bible and taught by Jesus. ​​ What a wonderful chance for Christians to develop a shared emphasis on justice and peace issues and to deeply touch our wounded culture for good.

 

Specifically, concerning this fourth life-giving word regarding the Sabbath, we need to rephrase, saying that since​​ we​​ were once slaves,​​ we​​ will want to do everything in​​ our​​ power to keep from re-enslaving​​ ourselves​​ or enslaving​​ others.

 

According to God’s deepest will for us,​​ we​​ are​​ never,​​ ever​​ to act as​​ Pharaoh​​ toward​​ anyone​​ or​​ anything.

 

Amen.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

 

  • How do​​ you​​ keep the Sabbath day holy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Similar to a question from last week: ​​ Why is the historical context of the Ten Commandments so important, and how does this historical context impact their meaning?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • How can you expand your own tradition of keeping the Sabbath holy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLOSING PRAYER ​​  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB, Contemporary)

 

Spirit of Justice,

Break open our hearts. ​​ 

Break them wide open.

Let anger pour through

Like strong storms,

Cleansing us of complacency.

Let courage pour through

Like spring storms,

Flooding out fear.

Let zeal pour through

Like blazing summer sun,

Filling us with passion.

Spirit of Justice, grant me

Anger at what is,

Courage to do what must be done,

Passion to break down the walls of

Injustice

And build a land​​ 

Flowing with milk and honey

For God’s beloved.

God’s special love.

God’s poor ones.

Spirit of Justice,

Break open our hearts.

Amen.

 

RECOMMENDED MUSIC  ​​​​ Civil Rights Music Video “We Shall Overcome” by Pete Seeger ​​ You Tube

 

BENEDICTION

 

Patiently and persistently, God loves.

Relentlessly and unconditionally, God loves.

Now and forever, God loves.

 

AMEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Independent and United Church of Christ