Rev. Paul Wrightman, Pastor

Independent and United Church of Christ

October 4, 2020

Dear Friends,

I finished this service last week before Elizabeth, Luna and I left for Mammoth Lakes. ​​ Carole will be emailing it to you on Friday, October 3. ​​ Some things may be missing from this letter since I had to write it a week in advance.

Many of you have already heard the sad news that Solomon Yoo, our Music Director, was found dead at home this past week.  His death was caused by a serious medical condition.  It's tragic that someone so talented and so full of promise had his life cut short in his early thirties.  I'm working with Sol's family on a simple, outside Celebration of Life service with social distancing and masks.  We want to celebrate Sol's kindness, leadership, and creativity.  More details will follow.

Please continue to keep Barbara Wells and Peter Sewald in your prayers for their rapid and complete recovery.

The Zoom version of this worship service will re-zoom on Sunday, October 11th. ​​ I have to admit that I was pretty skeptical about it at first, but I’m gradually being won-over. ​​ Nothing, of course, can compare with in-person church, but being able to see and hear each other on Zoom is way better than I thought it would be. ​​ 

If you would like a link to this service, all I need is for you to tell me. ​​ Please email me at​​ [email protected]. ​​ The one big challenge to using Zoom is that it’s time-dependent, meaning that you have to be available from 1-2 on Sunday afternoon. ​​​​ As I get better at using Zoom, there may be a saved recorded version eventually that you can access whenever you want. ​​ This is a ways down the road yet. ​​ I still need to master screen sharing so that we can have some music for these services!

Today we look at the calling of Isaiah the prophet, and see how the dynamics of his calling spill over into all of our callings. ​​ The sermon illustration from Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen is personal and powerful, and will hopefully spark some reflection on each of our parts regarding how and where God may be calling us right now.

Stay Safe, Take Good Care,

and Always Remember that Jesus IS Emmanuel, God WITH Us, Paul

WORSHIP SERVICE FOR OCTOBER 4, 2020

INTRODUCTORY READING  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ William Butler Yeats

My fiftieth year had come and gone,

I sat, a solitary man,

In a crowded London shop,

An open book and empty cup

On the marble table-top.

While on the shop and street I gazed

My body of a sudden blazed;

And twenty minutes more or less

It seemed, so great my happiness,

That I was blessed and could bless.

SUGGESTED MUSIC  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Here I Am Lord  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Naomh Padraig Folk Choir  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ You Tube

OPENING PRAYER  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Pat Kozak and Janet Schaffran, Contemporary

Weaver God, we come to you,

or more the truth – you find us,

disconnected and out of sorts.

We are disheartened by our failures,

discouraged by our weakness

and little that we do seems worthy of your grace.

Restore our wholeness. ​​ Restore our future.

Weave for us the tapestry

on which our lives are woven.

Give us patience with the endless

back and forth of shuttle, hand, and effort.

We look too closely, seeing only strands and knots

and snarled threads of too-much-trying

or none-at-all.

Grant us eyes to see the whole

of which we are a part.

In the end, we ask for gentleness with ourselves,

acceptance of our less than perfect ways.

We pray that what we do

and what you weave form patterns clear to all,

of mercy in the warp of it

and love throughout.

Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

And the power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen.

SERMON: ​​ CALLED BY GOD TO BECOME ONE’S DEEPEST, TRUEST SELF

Isaiah 6:1-8

(The underlining simply indicates what I would emphasize if delivered orally.)

Let’s begin with a bit of review. ​​ Thus far in this sermon series on the most important texts in the Bible from Genesis through Revelation we have encountered several crucial interpretive principles that enable us to avoid some of the major mistakes in approaching and understanding the Bible.

The first of these interpretive guides is what is known as​​ accommodation. ​​ This means that God​​ condescends, to “come down,” as it were, to be​​ with​​ people, to meet people where​​ they’re​​ at​​ in terms of their cultural, historical, and personal limitations.

Example: ​​ God is understood to be the direct cause of everything (including natural disasters and​​ serious illness) according to primitive human beings. ​​​​ What does God choose to do about this? ​​ --God meets people where they’re at by taking upon Godself the​​ burden​​ of being given “credit,” so to speak, for all the terrible things that happen to people and the planet.

If God is understood​​ by primitive humanity as using​​ violence​​ as a matter of course, God​​ accommodates​​ Godself, condescending to meet human beings in the midst of​​ their​​ – and​​ our​​ – addiction to violence. ​​​​ God allows Godself to be credited in Scripture with a whole lot of violence that belonged to primitive human beings, not God.

And as we’ve seen over the course of several sermons, God is quite adept at​​ subverting​​ violence from within the biblical text itself.

We’ve seen God repudiating Elijah’s violence, and offering him instead God’s presence in the form of a still, small voice.

We’ve seen God surprising the prophet Elisha by inspiring him to advise the king of Israel to throw a​​ banquet​​ for his captured enemies rather than​​ kill​​ them.

There is a growing consensus among both biblical scholars and systematic theologians that​​ all​​ violence attributed to God in the Scriptures​​ is​​ projected​​ human​​ violence. ​​ In other words, human beings project their​​ own​​ violence onto the “screen” of God, and then proclaim that violence as​​ endorsed​​ by no one​​ less​​ than God.

The second crucial principle of biblical interpretation that we encountered, the principle of​​ consistency, should have put to rest once-and-for-all the notion that God is violent and uses violent means.

The traditional Christian understanding that Jesus is God​​ incarnate​​ – that we get the clearest and deepest understanding of who God is and what God really cares about by looking at and listening to Jesus – presents us with the reality that God (as represented in Jesus) would rather​​ die​​ , as it were, than use or endorse the use of violence.

The principle of consistency maintains that God has​​ always​​ been​​ and​​ always​​ will​​ be​​ like​​ Jesus. ​​ God’s​​ nature does not change;​​ human​​ understanding​​ of God’s nature is what changes.

A third principle of interpretation, what I call “biblical​​ topography,” follows the example of Jesus himself in claiming that certain biblical texts are more important – of “higher elevation,” so to speak, than others.

We have several significant examples of Jesus challenging “lower elevation” texts in the Sermon on the Mount. ​​ But the Sermon on the Mount is not the only place where Jesus does this.

For example, later on in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus positively quotes Hosea 6:6, to the effect that God values​​ compassion​​ more than the keeping of​​ religious​​ rules.

Sad to say, many Christians are actually​​ uncomfortable​​ with the radical teachings of​​ Jesus, and put more stock in lower elevation texts, such as “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” and the​​ rejection​​ of the other, especially if that other happens to be an “enemy,” or poor, or female, or gay.

In today’s text from Isaiah, we have a powerful example of a fourth guideline of biblical interpretation: the principle of​​ application, which teaches that what applies to​​ biblical​​ characters applies to​​ us​​ as well. ​​ 

Thus, if God’s Spirit affirms Jesus as “Son of God” in a unique way, the corollary to this is that God affirms​​ every​​ person as a​​ child​​ of God in his or her own unique way.

Connecting with today’s text, when Isaiah overhears God asking “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” and responds “Here I am; send me!”, the implication is that God is calling​​ each​​ of​​ us, and is hoping for the same answer as that given by the prophet Isaiah: “Here I am; send me!”

Of course, given the fact that God created each of us to reflect a unique dimension of God’s own being – that’s a good part of what it means when Genesis, chapter 1, tells us, to be created “in the image of God” – God’s gift of​​ being, being the unique creation that each of us is, contains​​ within​​ it God’s gift of​​ calling.

Each of us is called to​​ become​​ the person that God created us to​​ be. ​​​​ Each​​ of​​ us​​ is challenged by God to​​ grow​​ into​​ the person that God created us to be.

For​​ many​​ of us it takes a good part of a lifetime to discover who we really are.

This was true for Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, who was in her forties when she had a life-changing experience not so different than that of the prophet Isaiah.

Dr. Remen was invited to be part of a research project carried on by the Esalen Institute. ​​ The project involved an intense weekend-a-month for two years with leaders of the human potential movement to discover applications from that movement to the field of medicine.

Dr. Remen writes about being delighted at being asked to be part of this project. ​​ She talks about how much she loved those weekends at Esalen.

“Yet,” she continues, “about six months into the fellowship I began to suffer panic attacks.” ​​ “After the third of these,” she writes, “a​​ pattern​​ became clear; they occurred a few days​​ before​​ I was to go to Esalen for the weekend. ​​ Shaken by these episodes, I went to Sukie Miller [one of the leaders of the project], and attempted to resign.”

“But Sukie was wiser than this,” Dr. Remen remarks. ​​ “A master therapist familiar with the ways in which people grow and the psychological phenomena that occur as the​​ old way​​ is​​ lost​​ and the​​ new​​ way​​ has​​ not​​ yet​​ begun, she asked me if I was​​ curious​​ about​​ why​​ these things were happening. ​​ . . .when I said that I would like to understand more, she offered to help me use​​ imagery. . .to uncover the meaning of these attacks.

We did a brief session. ​​ She asked me to close my eyes and encouraged me to allow an image to come to mind that related to my panic. ​​ Despite my skepticism about this new method, I found an image immediately: ​​ it was a thin, flat white rectangle. ​​ I described this to her, and with all the authority with which I was accustomed to making a rapid medical diagnosis, I added, ‘it’s a business card.’

Sukie asked if I was​​ sure.

With​​ horror​​ I realized that I was​​ not​​ sure, that I didn’t really​​ know​​ what this image​​ was. ​​ With this realization came the beginnings of the dreaded panic feelings. ​​ I hastily opened my eyes.

Sukie smiled at me in a comfortable way. ​​ She sympathized with my distress and told me that I could certainly resign from the project, but it might be best if I​​ waited​​ until the meaning of these episodes became clear. ​​ She suggested that I​​ reflect​​ on the thin white rectangle several times each day in my ‘downtime. . .’ ​​ She encouraged me to​​ hold​​ it in my mind and in a​​ steady​​ and​​ undemanding​​ way to be​​ open​​ to knowing what it meant. ​​ She assured me that its meaning would come to me in time.

It took four or five weeks, during which I was frustrated and irritable. . . I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the mystery​​ resolved​​ itself. ​​ I was driving up Gough Street, one of the steepest hills in San Francisco, in a​​ car with standard transmission. ​​ All my attention was focused on shifting gears,​​ without sliding backward into the car behind me.

Suddenly, the flat white rectangle​​ reappeared​​ in my mind’s eye, but​​ this​​ time​​ it​​ started​​ to​​ change​​ shape, to​​ puff​​ up. ​​ Terrified, I remember thinking ‘I’m going to die here.’

And then I knew what it all meant. ​​ The understanding came in the form of a​​ story. ​​ The white rectangle was​​ not​​ a​​ business​​ card​​ after all. ​​ It was a​​ marshmallow​​ that had been subjected to a steady​​ external​​ pressure​​ for many, many years. ​​ The​​ pressure​​ had​​ distorted​​ its​​ natural​​ shape so that it was long and flat. ​​​​ But now, this pressure had been​​ released. ​​ Its shape was​​ changing​​ and it was​​ terrified. ​​ It​​ felt​​ as if were​​ dying.

But the marshmallow was​​ not​​ dying, it was​​ returning​​ to​​ itself. ​​ The shape that had been most​​ familiar​​ to it was​​ not​​ its​​ own​​ shape. ​​ With the​​ lifting​​ of the​​ pressure, something​​ deep​​ in it could​​ remember​​ its​​ integrity, its​​ true​​ shape, and was​​ reclaiming​​ it now. . .

With this​​ insight, the​​ panic​​ was​​ gone​​ and I​​ knew​​ a number of things with​​ certainty. ​​ This childlike story had nothing to do with​​ marshmallows, this was a story about​​ me.

My family had the highest regard for scholarship, academics, research, and teaching, and a significant​​ contempt​​ for the​​ nonrational. ​​ My medical colleagues felt the same. ​​ I had been under a lifelong pressure to​​ conform​​ to​​ this​​ way of being in the world. ​​ It was the​​ price​​ of​​ belonging. ​​​​ I could do these things very well, and would always be able to do them, but they were not my​​ natural​​ way. . .”

Dr. Remen goes on to talk about how the so-called “new” ideas she was learning at Esalen enabled her to​​ reconnect​​ with the person she really was. ​​ She ends this story by writing:

“I was changing back into a way of being that would fit me perfectly. ​​ Although I could be analytical and pragmatic, by​​ nature​​ I was an​​ intuitive, even a​​ mystic. ​​ I was my grandfather’s granddaughter. ​​ I had​​ remembered​​ and I was going​​ home. ​​ The panic attacks never returned. ​​ Sukie did not seem surprised at all.”

And the rest, as they say, is history. ​​ After discovering her​​ true​​ self, Dr. Remen went on to become one of the pioneers in the holistic medicine movement. ​​ Her work has influenced that of thousands of other doctors, not to mention laypeople like most of us.

How does all this relate to our text from Isaiah?

Like this: ​​ Just as Isaiah found his true calling in a close encounter with God, and just as Dr. Remen found her true calling through a transformational experience with God’s Spirit moving at the Esalen Institute, in the same way, each of us is called to discover​​ our​​ true calling. ​​ We are called to get in touch with who we really are, so that, we too, can be sent by God, sent by God to touch the world for​​ good​​ simply by becoming the image of God that God created each of us to be.

One can discover oneself in the unlikeliest of places. . .at the Esalen Institute,​​ ​​ backpacking the John Muir Trail,​​ serving the homeless, protesting nonviolently for racial justice,​​ even in church!

I should expand this to say that in the personal experiencing of God that church encourages, in getting to know the real Jesus, in connecting with the reality of God’s Spirit in one’s own life, in prayer, in wrestling with the Scriptures, one can come to discover one’s true self, and that discovery can be very​​ liberating.

Rest assured that God is​​ never,​​ ever​​ going to ask you to​​ become​​ something that you are​​ not. ​​ On the contrary, since God created us to be the unique reflections of God’s being that we are, God has a vested interest, so to speak, to​​ help​​ each of us to become who we were made to be.

Like Dr. Remen, many of us have been “flattened out” by the pressures of becoming successful in our field of work, or “flattened out” by the pressures of becoming successful homemakers, but it’s quite likely that the persona we put on at work or at home isn’t our​​ truest,​​ deepest​​ self.

One of the beautiful things about​​ not​​ being self-made individuals, but having been crafted in the image of God, is that it’s​​ never,​​ ever​​ too​​ late​​ to get​​ back​​ in touch with who we really are.

One of the most important things that all of us share in common is that​​ each​​ of​​ us, whether we carry the label “Christian” or not, is a​​ well​​ loved​​ child​​ of​​ God. ​​ Merely getting around to finally​​ accept​​ the​​ fact​​ of our​​ acceptance​​ can be, for many, the​​ beginning​​ of an exciting​​ adventure​​ into​​ self-discovery. ​​ Knowing that God loves us unconditionally and accepts us unreservedly can free us to love and accept ourselves and others more.

Acting from the foundation of a secure relationship with God can free us to discover and affirm parts of ourselves that our culture does not value highly, things like kindness, playfulness, creativity, spontaneity, poetry, stories and storytelling, not just listening to but actually making music ourselves, the gift of silence in prayer, and conversation.

Each of us has one major task in life: with the help of God’s Spirit, to gradually or suddenly come to discover who we are, and once we know that, to put all our​​ energy into​​ enjoying​​ the incredible gift of​​ being​​ that God has given us and every other person we know.

Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

• How have you chosen to be present (Here I am, Lord) to​​ 

• yourself

• others

• God?

• How did you come to discover your truest, deepest self?

CLOSING PRAYER  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Richard Foster, Contemporary

Today, O Lord, I accept your acceptance of me.

I confess that you are always with me and always for me.

I receive into my spirit your grace, your mercy, your care.

I rest in your love, O Lord. ​​ I rest in your love.

Amen.

SUGGESTED MUSIC  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ The Blessing/Aotearoa/New Zealand Churches

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ join together to sing “The Blessing”  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ You Tube

BENEDICTION

Patiently and persistently, God loves.

Relentlessly and unconditionally, God loves.

Now and forever, God loves.

AMEN.