30-05

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

 

May 31, 2020

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

What challenging times we are living through right now! ​​ Not only are we struggling to make it through COVID 19, the brutal killing of yet another unarmed black man in Minneapolis, George Floyd, has unleashed a flood of anger and violence throughout the country. ​​ I really resonated with the message that Nike put out on video regarding the rampant racism in the United States. ​​ Remember that their motto is “Just Do It!” ​​ Here’s the text of the video:

 

For once,

Don’t Do It

Don’t pretend there’s

not a problem in America.

Don’t turn your back on racism.

Don’t accept innocent

lives being taken from us.

Don’t make any more excuses.

Don’t think this doesn’t affect you.

Don’t sit back and be silent.

Don’t think you can’t be part of the change.

Let’s all be part of the change.

 

I would like to offer this prayer as part of a real Christian response to the challenge of racism.  ​​​​ But we need always to remember that prayers for justice and peace need to be accompanied by actually working for justice and peace.

O God, who has made all races​​ 

to dwell upon the earth as one family:

Break down the barriers of fear

and suspicion that divide us.

Build bridges of love and justice which lead us

to greet one another as brothers and sisters

and to embrace one another in reconciling fellowship.

Gathering us hand to hand,

lead us to join with you

to make this earth fair

and life a blessing to ALL.

Amen.

 

On our home front, our Board of Governors recently held its second meeting by conference call. ​​ At that meeting Richard Gray, Pam Klaumann, and JoAnn Holbrook volunteered to draft a proposal for Community Church’s gradual reopening. ​​ The sense I got was that the operative word here is GRADUAL. ​​ We won’t be rushing into anything, but we are making concrete plans to be able to worship together again in another month or so. ​​ I will keep you up to date on all developments in this introductory part of our weekly worship service.

 

Remember that Jesus is Emmanuel, God WITH Us! ​​ Paul

 

 

WORSHIP SERVICE FOR MAY 31, 2020

 

INTRODUCTORY READING  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Karl Rahner, S.J., Contemporary)

 

…it is not the case that each of us as an individual thinks “God” in an active process and that in this way the word “God” enters into the realm of our existence for the first time. ​​ Rather, we​​ hear and receive the word “God.”​​ ​​ It comes to us in the history of language in which we are caught whether we want to be or not, which poses questions to us as individuals without itself being at our disposal. ​​ The history of language which is given to us, and in which the word “God” occurs as a question to us, is in this way an image and likeness of what it announces. ​​ We should not think that, because the phonetic sound of the word “God” is always dependent on us, therefore the word “God” is also our creation. ​​ Rather it creates us because it makes us human beings.

 

RECOMMENDED MUSIC ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ SE Samonte  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ You Tube

 

 

 

OPENING PRAYER  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Henry Sloane Coffin, 1877-1954)

 

Almighty and ever living God,

You are beyond the grasp of our highest thought,

But within the reach of our frailest trust;

Come in the beauty of the morning’s light and

Reveal Yourself to us.

Enrich us out of the heritage of seers and scholars and saints

Into whose faith and labors we have entered.

And quicken us to new insights for our time;

That we may be possessors of the truth of many

Yesterdays, partakers of your thoughts for today,

And creators with you of a better tomorrow.

Amen.

 

SCRIPTURE READING  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Exodus 20:7

 

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God.

 

Copyright 2020: ​​ Rev. Paul Wrightman

 

THE REAL MEANING OF REVERING GOD’S NAME ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Exodus 20:77  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ 5/31/20

 

(Please note that the point of the numerous underlinings is simply to indicate where I would place emphasis if I were able to deliver this sermon orally.)

 

 

The commandment, or life-giving word from God, that we are looking at today, “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God,”​​ has been​​ whittled-down​​ and​​ watered-down​​ in popular usage to the point where it has become simply a law against​​ cursing.

 

While cursing, or using foul-mouthed street language, is certainly​​ not​​ something that the Bible​​ condones, it is far from the​​ original​​ meaning of this commandment, which is about arrogant human attempts to​​ manipulate​​ God by manipulating God’s​​ name.

 

Let’s unpack this.

 

In the ancient world of Israel’s neighbors, it was assumed that if you​​ knew​​ the​​ name​​ of a God, you were automatically​​ plugged​​ into​​ the​​ power​​ that that God possessed. ​​ 

 

Not surprisingly, the priestly castes in Egypt, Assyria, and Babylonia claimed to know many​​ secret​​ names of the gods whom they were in charge of, secret names which enabled them to​​ manipulate, even​​ coerce​​ the various gods to do their bidding. ​​ Needless to say, this gave the​​ priests​​ a vast amount of​​ power. ​​ Only they had​​ access​​ to the secret names of the gods, only they were allowed to​​ use​​ these secret names, so one had better approach them with​​ deference, and in many cases, with a​​ financial​​ offering for services rendered.

 

This process was decisively​​ abolished​​ by the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. ​​ 

 

God definitively reveals Godself to Moses in the encounter by the burning bush, and the​​ context​​ of that revelation is​​ all-important. ​​ Before​​ God shares God’s proper name, as it were, with him, God tells Moses: ​​ “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)

 

Only​​ after​​ revealing the​​ historical​​ context in which the divine power is operative, does God go on to reveal to Moses God’s​​ name, the four sacred letters, YHWH, which English and German transcribe as “YAHWEH,” and which is almost always translated in an​​ abstract,​​ metaphysical​​ way as “I AM WHO I AM.”

 

Jewish Biblical scholar, philosopher, and theologian Martin Buber will have​​ none​​ of​​ this​​ and argues persuasively​​ that God did not reveal Godself as some​​ metaphysical​​ ​​ abstraction​​ to Moses, but much more​​ concretely​​ and​​ personally​​ as “I am​​ with​​ you,” or, in expanded form, as “I​​ was​​ with you, I​​ am​​ with you, and I​​ shall​​ always​​ be​​ with you.”

 

God’s name, “Yahweh,” “I am​​ with​​ you,” according to the Hebrew Scriptures as a whole, is​​ never,

ever​​ to be​​ separated​​ from the historical context in which God made Godself known: ​​ namely, the​​ exodus​​ experience​​ , which has always been, and will always continue to be,​​ paradigmatic, absolutely​​ foundational​​ for the Jewish people, and should be for Christians as well.

 

Thus, when God gives the Ten Commandments, the ten life-giving words, to Moses on Mt. Sinai, God’s​​ first​​ word is​​ not​​ a commandment, or instruction, but a​​ reminder​​ of God’s​​ name, and​​ how​​ that name is to be​​ understood: ​​ “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you​​ out​​ of the land of Egypt,​​ out​​ of the house of slavery.” ​​ (Exodus 20:2) ​​ 

 

Unlike​​ the gods of Israel’s​​ neighbors, who have​​ secret​​ names known only by the​​ priests, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses instructs Moses to reveal God’s name to the people​​ as​​ a​​ whole.

 

God’s proper name, Yahweh, occurs nearly​​ seven​​ thousand​​ times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and it is​​ always​​ to be understood in the​​ context​​ of the primordial experience of liberation from slavery in Egypt.

 

Thus, whenever an observant Jewish person hears the proper name of God – which, incidentally, is considered to be so holy that it is never directly pronounced, but covered by a circumlocution such as “the Lord your God” – they immediately​​ add​​ in their hearts and minds the​​ defining​​ phrase “Who brought you​​ out​​ of the land of Egypt,​​ out​​ of the house of​​ slavery.”

 

Thus, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses is​​ first​​ and​​ foremost​​ a God of​​ liberation, a God, ultimately, who wants to see​​ all​​ human beings freed from​​ all​​ forms of oppression.

 

Many of us who are followers of Jesus believe that God’s name, “I am​​ with​​ you,” has become​​ flesh-and-blood​​ in Jesus of Nazareth, one of whose names is Emmanuel, meaning “God​​ with​​ us.”

 

Jesus simply​​ mirrors​​ the God of Exodus when – inaugurating his public ministry at the synagogue in Nazareth – he proclaims: ​​ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring​​ good​​ news​​ to the​​ poor. ​​ He has sent me to proclaim​​ release​​ to the​​ captives​​ and​​ recovery​​ of​​ sight​​ to the​​ blind, to let the​​ oppressed​​ go​​ free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s​​ favor.” ​​​​ (Luke 4:18-19)

 

Returning now to the third commandment, the third life-giving word from God, “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God,” we see at once that its meaning is much, much​​ bigger, incredibly more​​ radical, than our​​ watered-down,​​ domesticated​​ reading of God asking us not to cuss or curse.

 

Since God’s​​ name​​ is​​ synonymous​​ with​​ liberation, and the biblical meaning of​​ liberation​​ is ultimately​​ synonymous​​ with​​ justice, the​​ scope​​ for​​ misusing​​ God’s name is​​ exponentially ​​​​ expanded.

 

As persons striving to align our lives with the teachings of the Ten Commandments, every time we use God’s name in​​ anger​​ against another person;​​ 

 

Every time we use God’s name to​​ manipulate​​ someone into complying with what we want;

 

Every time we use God’s name to claim that God is on​​ our​​ side;​​ 

 

Every time we use God’s name to​​ bless​​ one of our​​ wars;

 

Every time we do any of these things we are not only misusing, but​​ abusing​​ the name of God, violating the third commandment.

 

But the​​ scope​​ of this commandment is even​​ bigger​​ than this.

 

If we claim to be followers of the way, the way of Judaism or the way of Christianity, every time we​​ act​​ in a way that does not correspond to the deepest teachings about God in the Hebrew or​​ Christian Scriptures, we are, to use the King James Version,​​ “taking God’s name in vain.”

 

Thus, for practicing Jews and Christians, every time we act without​​ compassion, every time we act without​​ justice, indeed, every time we act out of​​ fear​​ rather than​​ love, every time we act out of​​ selfishness​​ rather than​​ generosity, every time we act out of​​ anxiety​​ rather than​​ trust, every time we do these things we are reflecting a​​ false​​ image of God, and thus​​ tarnishing​​ the name of the God whom we claim to worship and to follow.

 

Many powerful examples of the vital connection between living-out​​ justice​​ and​​ honoring​​ the​​ name​​ of​​ god​​ come from the Hasidic tradition within Judaism.

 

The Hasids were and are mystics, mystics caught up in a passionate and ecstatic relationship with God. ​​ Significantly, it was the very​​ closeness​​ of their relationship with God that inspired them to​​ embody​​ God’s​​ justice​​ in very​​ concrete​​ ways. ​​ One of many possible examples:

 

Rabbi Yitzhak from Berdichev (a town in Poland) declared all the matzah made in the town factory to be unsuitable for Passover use. ​​ “Do you not see the young girls who work for pennies, forced to bake from dawn to dusk – never mind the lonely dark miles to and from home – so that you can feast while they go hungry?​​ 

 

Not​​ kosher! ​​ Better not to celebrate Passover this year, and turn God into the supporter of the very slavery he came to abolish, than to eat this unholy bread. ​​ First, let us celebrate God’s​​ justice;​​ then​​ we can celebrate God’s​​ Passover.” ​​ (Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb,​​ Open the Gates of Justice, amended.)

 

One of the biggest challenges with getting ourselves back in touch with the original meaning of the Ten Commandments, God’s ten life-giving words, is that their original meaning is so much​​ bigger​​ than we’re​​ used​​ to. ​​ They’re so big that we can get hopelessly​​ discouraged, throw up our hands in​​ despair, and simply give up even​​ trying.

 

This is where the​​ Jewish​​ emphasis on​​ life-giving​​ words​​ rather than​​ legal​​ commandments​​ can be especially helpful.

 

Given our brokenness as human beings,​​ commandments​​ can only be​​ broken.

 

 

Life-giving​​ words, on the other hand, are meant to be​​ grown​​ into, not​​ all​​ at​​ once, but​​ one​​ small​​ step​​ at a​​ time.

 

The spiritual discipline most conducive to helping us gradually grow into a fuller and deeper honoring of God’s name, into a fuller and deeper living-out of our relationship with the God who is always​​ with​​ us, is the discipline of the​​ examen, or, as our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters call it, “the examination of​​ conscience.”

 

Dennis and Matthew Linn, prime​​ movers in the healing prayer and retreat movements, offer a simple yet profound version of this discipline. ​​​​ They suggest that every night, before going to sleep, we ask ourselves two questions:

 

One: ​​ “Where today did I have the​​ deepest​​ sense of​​ connection​​ with God, others, and myself?

 

Two: ​​ “Where today did I have the​​ least​​ sense of connection?”

 

Honestly answering these two questions leads, on the one hand, to prayers of gratefulness for our times of connection, and, on the other hand, to ask for and to receive​​ forgiveness​​ for those times when we​​ broke​​ our connection with God, with others, and with our deepest selves.

 

Many Christians from many denominations have reported that asking and answering these two simple questions on a daily basis over the long haul has made God much more​​ real​​ for them, has moved them with a strong sense of desire to become more​​ like​​ this God whom they are getting to know, and has given them the power to actually live-out in their daily lives those famous words from the prophet Micah:

 

“What does God​​ require​​ of you but to do​​ justice, to love​​ kindness, and to​​ walk​​ humbly​​ with your God?” ​​ (Micah 6:8)

 

AMEN.​​ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

 

  • ​​ Was there anything surprising to you about this approach to the third commandment?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Does God being opposed to oppression in all its forms shed any light on the current political turmoil in our own country today?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Try doing the Examination of Conscience several times this week. ​​ What did you learn?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLOSING PRAYER  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Ralph Ahlberg, Contemporary)

 

God of the past,​​ 

help us to let go of the things that hold us in bondage:

anger and resentment,

lingering doubt and disappointment,

guilt and failure,

and even the dusty laurels of some long gone success.

Help us to entrust our past to you

so that we are free to greet you.

 

God of the present,

let us be alive to the opportunities of each moment

and alert to the opportunities​​ of this particular time

in our own lives and in the life of our nation.

Help us to be awake so that we may savor

the fullness of life as it unfolds right now.

 

God of the future,

give us a vision of hope that we may see beyond

the worries and discouragement and problems of today.

Help us to stretch our imaginations​​ 

so that we may be open to the changes

that your future makes possible.

 

In the shadow of your everlasting presence we pray.

Amen.

 

SUGGESTED MUSIC  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Leaning on the Everlasting Arms  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ David Crowder Band  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ 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