Rev. Paul Wrightman, Pastor

Independent and United Church of Christ

October 18, 2020

Dear Friends,

This past Wednesday marked a sad but also special day in the life of Community Church. ​​ Sad because celebrating his life intensified the sense of loss at Solomon Yoo’s sudden and unexpected death; special because the depth of sharing at Sol’s service underlined the kind, creative, caring, talented, and insightful person that Sol was and continues to be, only now in God’s dimension. ​​ 

Please continue to pray for a complete recovery for Bob Tarozzi, Barbara Wells, and Peter Sewald.

From Pam Klaumann: ​​ Very happy to have GivingTree Benefit Shop open thanks to the wonderful ladies who manage it. ​​ We are now open Thursday and Friday from 1-4 pm. ​​ Come by and check it out, treasures abound.

If you have an open hour from 1-2 tomorrow (Sunday), please consider participating in our Zoom worship service. ​​ The great thing about this service is being able to see (without masks!) and hear each other. ​​ If you’ve already expressed an interest in this service, a link will be sent to you before 12:45. ​​ If you would like to check out this service for the first time, just email me to let me know:​​ paulccmp@yahoo.com.​​ 

From Dolores Joblon: ​​ Many thanks to George and Jeanne Brehmer for providing this month’s entrée for our dinner with the IHelp men. ​​ They were served spareribs and chicken along with other goodies from Peggy and Larry Kuck and Kathy Curless. ​​ Carole French provided the dessert. ​​ The men are in good spirits and are moving to a new local church after sheltering in place at First Presbyterian, Monterey.

We continue our sermon series on the most important texts in the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. ​​ This week we look at the texts in the book of the prophet Isaiah with which Jesus resonated the most.

Stay Safe, Take Good Care, and Always Remember that Jesus IS Emmanuel –

God WITH Us, Paul

WORSHIP SERVICE FOR OCTOBER 18, 2020

INTRODUCTORY READING  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Denise Levertov, Contemporary

But we have only begun

to love the earth.

We have only begun

to imagine the fullness of life.

How could we tire of hope?

--so much is in the bud.

How can desire fail?

--we have only begun

to imagine justice and mercy,

only begun to envision

how it might be

to live as siblings with beast and flower,

not as oppressors.

Surely our river

cannot already be hastening

into the sea of nonbeing?

Surely it cannot

drag, in the silt,

all that is innocent?

Not yet, not yet—

there is too much broken

that must be mended,

too much hurt we have done to each other

that cannot yet be forgiven.

We have only begun to know

the power that is in us if we would join

our solitudes in the communion of struggle.

So much is unfolding that must

complete its gesture,

so much is in bud.

SUGGESTED MUSIC  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Lead on Eternal Sovereign (leader + lyrics)

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Payson Park Church ​​ Belmont ​​ MA  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ You Tube

OPENING PRAYER  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Alla Renee Bozarth, Contemporary

. . . be awake to the Life

that is loving you and

sing your prayer, laugh your prayer,

dance your prayer, run

and weep and sweat your prayer,

sleep your prayer, eat your prayer,

paint, sculpt, hammer and read your prayer,

sweep, dig, rake, drive and hoe​​ your prayer,

garden and farm and build and clean your prayer,

wash, iron, vacuum, sew, embroider and pickle your prayer,

compute, touch, bend and fold but never delete

or mutilate your prayer.

Learn and play your prayer,

work and rest your prayer,

fast and feast your prayer,

argue, talk, whisper, listen and shout your prayer,

groan and moan and sneeze your prayer,

swim and hunt and cook your prayer,

digest and become your prayer,

release and recover your prayer,

breathe your prayer,

be your prayer.

Amen.

THE 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.

SCRIPTURE READINGS  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Today’s texts are all embedded in the body of the sermon

SERMON: ​​ THE KINDOM OF GOD ACCORDING TO ISAIAH​​ – AND JESUS

Rev. Paul Wrightman

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

The goal of this sermon is to help you become conversant with some of the highlights in​​ the book of the prophet Isaiah, AND to help you to identify a special person in your life who blessed you deeply.

In her book​​ Mystery on the Desert, Maria Reiche describes a series of strange lines made by the Nazea Indians in the plains of Peru, some of them covering many square miles.

For years, people assumed these lines were the remnants of ancient irrigation ditches.

Then in 1939, Dr. Paul Kozok of Long Island University discovered that their true meaning could only be seen from high in the air. ​​ When viewed from an airplane, these seemingly random lines are enormous drawings of birds, insects, and animals.

In a similar way, people often think of the Bible as a series of individual, unconnected stories. ​​ 

But if we look at the Scriptures as a​​ whole, we discover that they form one great story of redemption – from the opening scenes of Genesis to the final chapter of the book of Revelation.

Weaving through all the diverse strands of the Bible is the overarching story of what God has been up to in the rescue and restoration of broken humanity and broken creation, from the first nanosecond of creation through to the final cry of victory at the end of time.

What God is intent on bringing about is God’s​​ kingdom, by far the favorite topic in the preaching and teaching of Jesus. ​​ 

The Kingdom of God in Jesus’ teaching in not a​​ place​​ – like the Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – but a​​ happening. ​​ It means God’s​​ reign, God’s​​ presence,​​ and God’s​​ coming​​ to deliver us and all creation.

Since Jesus makes it quite clear that God’s Kingdom is a space where​​ all​​ people are brothers and sisters to one another and to nature as a whole, the contemporary Christian feminist word “kindom” is actually a far more accurate description of what Jesus is talking about than the dated word “kingdom,” with its overtones of patriarchy, and its often arbitrary and sometimes despotic style of rule. ​​ Hence my use of the word kindom rather than kingdom.

Some people make the mistake of splitting life into two realms: the​​ temporal​​ and​​ political​​ on the one hand, which supposedly do​​ not​​ concern Jesus, and the world of “religious” things on the other, which​​ do​​ matter to Jesus.

But this makes Jesus’ teaching mostly​​ irrelevant​​ for much of life. ​​ 

Jesus himself did not​​ split​​ life in this way. ​​ His​​ distinction is not between​​ political​​ and​​ religious​​ but between​​ domination​​ and​​ mutual​​ servanthood.​​ 

Jesus affirmed that God is Lord over​​ all​​ of life, not just religious or inner or individual or spiritual life.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the book that most emphasizes the​​ kindom of God is the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The evidence points to the fact that the biblical book that people were reading (and hearing) most in Jesus’ time and place was precisely this book. ​​ The book of the prophet Isaiah was in first century Israel the equivalent of a​​ New York Times​​ bestseller. ​​ The Dead Sea Scrolls, from the Qumran community, which existed at the same time as Jesus, include scrolls of Isaiah, and also quote and refer to Isaiah far more than they do any other books. ​​ The New Testament quotes and alludes to Isaiah much more than any other prophet. ​​ Jesus quotes Isaiah again and again, more than anything else.

But when​​ Jesus​​ read and expounded from Isaiah in the synagogue, he claimed the freedom and authority to​​ edit​​ Scripture as he reads and expounds. ​​ Specifically, Jesus edits​​ out​​ those places in Isaiah that speak of God’s​​ vengeance​​ and​​ violence​​ and those places that misunderstand God’s​​ kindom in​​ kingdom terms as a place where Israel lords it over her enemies. ​​ ​​​​ 

The key question is: ​​ What did the reign of God – that Jesus was proclaiming – mean in Isaiah? ​​ Do we see themes in Isaiah’s​​ kindom passages that identify the content and characteristics of God’s reign as Jesus proclaimed it?

The answer is​​ yes. ​​ There are​​ seven​​ main themes or characteristics that we can see in Isaiah that are quoted or strongly echoed in Jesus’ own teachings about the reign, or kindom, of God. ​​ These characteristics are God’s presence as light; deliverance; peace; healing; joy; return from exile; and justice.

We will briefly look at each of these characteristics as expressed in the book of the prophet Isaiah. ​​ After doing this we will understand what stood out for Jesus himself as he read this crucial book.

The​​ first​​ characteristic of God’s kindom is God’s presence as​​ light. ​​ In Isaiah, as well as in Jesus’ teaching,​​ darkness​​ is a symbol for God’s​​ absence, and​​ light​​ is a symbol for God’s​​ presence. ​​ Isaiah 60 announces the light-giving presence of God:

   Arise,​​ shine, for your​​ light​​ has come,

   and the​​ glory​​ of the Lord

   has​​ risen​​ upon you.

   For darkness shall cover the earth,

   and thick darkness the peoples;

   but the Lord will arise upon you,

   and his glory will appear over you. ​​ . . .

   The sun shall no longer​​ 

   be your light by day,

   nor for brightness shall the moon

   give light to you by night,

   but the​​ Lord​​ will be

   your​​ everlasting​​ light,

   and your​​ God​​ will be your​​ glory.

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (Isaiah 60:1-2,​​ 19)

The​​ second​​ aspect of Isaiah’s kindom theology describes a God who is actively​​ present:​​ ​​ redeeming,​​ saving, and​​ delivering.

Isaiah 43 describes the people of Israel during their exile in Babylon. ​​ They are oppressed, and the Lord is coming to create a​​ new​​ exodus from oppression, just as God delivered God’s people before from slavery in Egypt.

Isaiah – and Jesus building on Isaiah – teach us to know God​​ primarily​​ as our deliverer, savior, and redeemer;​​ not​​ as a God who stays​​ distant​​ from us because we are​​ sinful. ​​ God’s​​ holiness​​ – according to Jesus and Isaiah – is revealed not in​​ distance​​ from sinners, but in being​​ with​​ us to​​ redeem​​ us.

Hear these words from the prophet:

   But now thus says the Lord,

   he who​​ created​​ you, O Jacob,

   he who​​ formed​​ you, O Israel:

   “Do not​​ fear, for I have​​ redeemed​​ you;

   I have called you by​​ name, you are​​ mine.

   When you pass through the waters,

   I will be​​ with​​ you;

   when you walk through the fire

   you shall not be burned,

   and the flame shall not consume you.

   For I am the Lord your God,

   the Holy One of Israel, your​​ Savior. . .

   You are​​ precious​​ and​​ honored​​ in my sight

   because I​​ love​​ you.”

   (Isaiah 43:1-3a, 4a)

Notice that God is​​ present​​ with us because God​​ loves​​ us. ​​ Throughout Isaiah, and throughout the ministry of Jesus, God’s​​ motivation​​ in delivering us – bringing about justice, peace, healing, and return, is God’s​​ love, God’s​​ compassion. ​​ In​​ Hebrew, the word compassion comes from the word for​​ womb, and means a gut feeling of​​ empathy​​ and​​ identification​​ with someone in​​ need.

The word compassion occurs twelve times in the​​ Gospels, but not in other parts of the New Testament. ​​ This says a​​ lot​​ about what​​ Jesus​​ himself​​ was concerned about.

The​​ third​​ characteristic of God’s kindom is​​ peace, peace not only among​​ people​​ , but peace realized throughout God’s creation as a​​ whole.

We find a beautiful expression of this kindom of peace in Isaiah 11:

   Then the wolf will dwell with the lamb,

   and the leopard will lie down

   with the young goat;

   the calf and the lion cub

   will graze together,

   and a little child shall lead them.

   The cow will feed with the bear;

   their young will lie down together.

   The lion will eat hay like the ox.

   The baby will play

   next to the den of the cobra,

   and the toddler

   will dance over the viper’s nest.

   They will not hurt or destroy

   on all my holy mountain;

   for the earth will be full​​ 

   of the knowledge of the Lord

   as the waters cover the sea.

​​    ​​ 

   (Isaiah 11:6-9)

I would like to suggest that this vision of the “end-times” as one of universal​​ peace​​ is much closer to the heart of Jesus himself than that of the many​​ violent​​ visions of the end-times that we find in many of the Hebrew prophets (including Isaiah in places) and in the New Testament book of Revelation.

The​​ fourth,​​ fifth, and​​ sixth​​ characteristics of God’s kindom are​​ healing,​​ joy, and​​ return. ​​ Under the reign of God, God’s deliverance will also bring healing, and with God’s healing comes the restoration, or return, to community.

Isaiah again:

   Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

   and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

   then the lame shall leap like a deer,

   and the tongue of the speechless

   sing for joy.

   (Isaiah 35:5)

The​​ seventh​​ characteristic of God’s kindom is​​ justice. ​​ 

Isaiah 42 is of crucial importance in understanding​​ God’s​​ reign:

   Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

   my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

   I have put my Spirit upon him;

   he will bring forth​​ justice​​ to the​​ nations.

   He will not shout or lift up his voice;

   a bruised reed he will not break,

   and a dimly burning wick he will not quench.

   He will not rest

   until he has established justice in the earth;

   the whole world waits for his teaching.

   (Isaiah 42:1-4)

Notice how strongly these four verses emphasize the centrality of justice and confirm the intimate connection between justice, peace, and nonviolence. ​​ The servant will not break even a half-broken reed or quench a barely burning wick. ​​ And these verses state clearly that justice is not only for Israel, but inclusively for​​ all​​ people.

For Isaiah – and for Jesus even more so -- justice is much more about​​ deliverance​​ and​​ restoration​​ than it is about​​ punishment. ​​ 

Here, concerning justice, as with all the other characteristics of God’s kindom, we see that each characteristic is connected with and empowers the others. ​​ 

All seven characteristics of the kindom of God come together in​​ this final reading from Isaiah:

   The people who walked in darkness

   have seen a great​​ light;

   those who lived in a land of deep darkness –

   on them light has shined.

   You have multiplied the nation,

   you have increased its​​ joy;

   they rejoice before you

   as with joy at the harvest.

   For the yoke of their burden,

   and the bar across their shoulders,

   the rod of their​​ oppressor, you have​​ broken.

   For all the boots of the tramping warriors

   and all the garments rolled in blood

   shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

   For a child has been born for us,

   a son given to us;

   authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is

   named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,​​ 

   Everlasting Father, Prince of​​ Peace.

   He will establish and uphold

   peace with​​ justice​​ and​​ righteousness

   from this time onwards and forevermore.

   The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this.

   (Isaiah 9:2-7)

What’s amazing about placing together these texts from Isaiah, is that they give us a snapshot of what Jesus himself considered to be most important in this book. ​​ And if we look at the life and teachings of Jesus, we can see that he made all these texts come alive in himself. ​​ 

In trying to come up with a contemporary illustration that captures something of the reality of God’s kindom and is at the same time something that we can live out in our own lives, I finally settled on a story of blessing from Rachel Naomi Remen’s book​​ My Grandfather’s Blessings.

Speaking from her own faith tradition, which is the Jewish tradition, Dr. Remen writes:

“One is expected to acknowledge unexpected meetings​​ with the holy by saying a blessing. ​​ There are hundreds of such blessings, each one attesting to a moment of awakening in which one remembers the holy nature of the world. ​​ In such moments heaven and earth meet and greet and recognize one another.

There is a blessing that is said whenever one encounters something new and of significance in one’s experience. ​​ My mother was present at the moment when I met my grandfather. ​​ Soon after I was born, she took him to the hospital to see me for the first time in my incubator.

She told me that he had stood regarding me in silence through the viewing room window for a long time. ​​ I had been very premature. ​​​​ Concerned that he was anxious or even repelled that I was so small and frail, she was about to reassure him when he whispered something under his breath. ​​ She had not quite heard and she asked him to repeat it for her.

He had turned to her with a smile and said in Hebrews, “Blessed are Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us, who has brought us whole to this moment.” ​​ It was a blessing of gratitude for the gift of life,

And it was also the beginning of our relationship.”

As a young child at school, Rachel would walk to her grandfather’s house every Friday afternoon.

Dr. Remen writes:

“After we had finished our tea my grandfather would set two candles on the table and light them. ​​ Then he would have a word with God in Hebrew. ​​ Sometimes he would speak out loud, but often he would close his eyes and be quiet. ​​ I knew​​ then that he was talking with God in his heart. ​​ I would sit and wait patiently because the best part of the week was coming.”

The best part of the week for Rachel Naomi Remen as a child turned out to be the time after tea when her grandfather would bless her.

Blessing is a vital part of the kindom of God, a part of God’s kindom that each of us can offer to the significant others in​​ our​​ lives.

Dr. Remen continues:

“When grandpa finished talking to God, he would turn to me and say, ‘Come, Neshume-le.’ ​​ Then I would stand in front of him and he would rest his hands lightly on the top of my head. ​​ He would begin by thanking God for me and for making him my grandpa. ​​ He would specifically mention my struggles during that week and tell God something about me that was true.

Each week I would wait to find out what that was. ​​ If I had made​​ mistakes​​ during the week, he would mention my​​ honesty​​ in telling the​​ truth. ​​ If I had​​ failed, he would appreciate how hard I had​​ tried. ​​ If I had taken even a​​ short​​ nap without my nightlight, he would celebrate my​​ bravery​​ in sleeping in the dark.

Then he would give me his blessing and ask the long-ago women I knew from his many stories – Sarah, Rachel, Rebekah, and Leah – to watch over me.

These few moments were the only time in my week when I felt completely​​ safe​​ and at​​ rest.

My family of physicians and health professionals were always struggling to​​ learn​​ more and to​​ be​​ more. ​​ It seemed there was always more to know. ​​ It was never enough. ​​ If I brought home a 98 on a test from school, my father would ask, ‘And what happened to the other two points?’ ​​ I pursued those two points relentlessly throughout my childhood.

But my grandfather did not care about such things. ​​ For him, I was​​ already​​ enough. ​​ And somehow when I was with him, I knew with absolute certainty that this was so.

My grandfather died when I was seven years old. ​​ I had never lived in a world without him in it before, and it was hard for me. ​​ He had looked at me as no one else had and called me by a special name, ‘Neshume-le,’ which means ‘beloved little soul.’

There was no one left to call me this anymore. ​​ At first I was afraid that without him to see me and tell God who I was, I might​​ disappear. ​​ But slowly over time I came to understand that in some mysterious way, I had learned to see​​ myself​​ through​​ his​​ eyes. ​​ And that​​ once​​ blessed, we are blessed​​ forever.

Many years later when, in her extreme old age, my mother surprisingly began to light candles and talk to God herself, I told her about these blessings and what they had meant to me.

She had smiled at me sadly. ​​ ‘I have blessed you every day of your life, Rachel,’ she told me. ​​ I just never had the​​ wisdom​​ to do it out loud.’”

I like to think of the God revealed to us​​ in these​​ texts from the book of the prophet Isaiah that we have looked at this morning – and even more so in the life and teachings of Jesus himself – as a God who is very much like Rachel Naomi Remen’s grandfather –a God of blessing. One more text from​​ Isaiah should make this abundantly clear:

   But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me,

   my Lord has forgotten me.’

   Can a woman forget her nursing child,

   or show no compassion for the child of her womb?

   Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

   See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. . .

   (Isaiah 49:14-16a)

In closing, may God grant us the desire to live out God’s kindom reality in our individual lives and in all our relationships.

My God grant us the desire to be a blessing to ourselves and to one another.

And, when appropriate, may God grant us the wisdom to say our blessings to one another out loud! ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Amen.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

• Which text from Isaiah in the sermon is your favorite? ​​ Why?

• Did/do you have anyone in your life who is like Rachel Naomi Remen’s grandfather? ​​ Describe.

CLOSING PRAYER  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Ted Loder, Contemporary

Loving God,

empower me

to be a bold participant,

rather than a timid saint in waiting,

in the difficult ordinariness of now;

to exercise the authority of honesty;

rather than to defer to power,

or deceive to get it;

to influence someone for justice,

rather than impress anyone for gain;

and, by grace, to find treasures

of joy, of friendship, of peace

hidden in the fields of the daily

you give me to plow.

Amen.

SUGGESTED MUSIC  ​​ ​​ ​​​​ June 76 l Hymn #428

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ For the Healing of the Nations

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Reveille UMC  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ You Tube

BENEDICTION

Patiently and persistently, God loves.

Relentlessly and unconditionally, God loves.

Now and forever, God loves.

AMEN