6-19 - Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula

GOD’S LIGHT SHOWS US THE WAY OUT OF OUR DARKNESS

Matthew 7:24-27

Rev. Paul Wrightman 6/19/22

THIS MORNING WE FINISH OUR SEVERAL-MONTHS-LONG

SERMON SERIES ON JESUS’ PARABLES

AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PREPARE TO START

A NEW SERIES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.

THE BRIDGE BETWEEN ONE SERIES AND THE OTHER

IS THE FACT THAT THE MOST APPROPRIATE PARABLE

WITH WHICH TO CONCLUDE IS ALSO THE WAY IN WHICH

JESUS HIMSELF BROUGHT THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

TO ITS CONCLUSION.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT

BLOCK OF TEACHING MATERIAL THAT WE HAVE

FROM JESUS OF NAZARETH.

LOOKING AT HOW JESUS CHOOSES TO END THIS SERMON

WILL PROVIDE US WITH SOME DECISIVE REMINDERS

THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE WORK OUR WAY

THROUGH THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN ITS ENTIRETY.

MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH CHURCHES

THAT FOLLOW THE LECTIONARY, A SERIES OF ASSIGNED

SCRIPTURE READINGS THAT TAKE PLACE OVER A CYCLE

OF THREE YEARS AND THEN REPEATS ITSELF.

ADOPTING THE LECTIONARY APPROACH TO SCRIPTURE

ENABLES ONE TO ACQUIRE QUITE A BIT OF BREADTH

IN TERMS OF BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE BIBLE.

WHAT THE LECTIONARY GAINS IN TERMS OF BREADTH, HOWEVER,

IT LOSES IN TERMS OF DEPTH.

IN TRYING TO GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE,

IT COVERS QUITE A BIT OF MATERIAL

THAT IS NOT ALL THAT IMPORTANT,

WHILE HAVING TO COMPRESS MANY OF JESUS’

ESSENTIAL TEACHINGS INTO UNITS THAT ARE TOO BIG

TO ACHIEVE ANY REAL DEPTH IN TERMS OF SERMONS.

AN EGRIGEOUS EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THAT THE LECTIONARY

SLAMS ALL NINE OF JESUS’ BEATITUDES TOGETHER INTO

A SINGLE READING, LEAVING THE PREACHER WITH LITTLE CHOICE

BUT TO GLOSS OVER EACH BEATITUDE RATHER SUPERFICIALLY.

ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT ALL BIBLICAL SCHOLARS AGREE ON

IS THAT THE BEATITUDES – SAYINGS OF JESUS

THAT BEGIN WITH HIM SAYING “BLESSED ARE. . ., SUCH AS

“BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT,” ARE AMONG

THE MOST IMPORTANT TEACHINGS OF JESUS THAT WE HAVE.

WHAT IS THE POINT, THEN, OF TRYING TO COVER ALL NINE OF THEM

IN ONE SERMON?

AS I’VE SAID BEFORE, ONE OF THE THINGS I MOST APPRECIATE

ABOUT SERVING HERE AT COMMUNITY CHURCH

IS THAT YOU DON’T INSIST THAT I FOLLOW THE LECTIONARY.

THIS HAS GIVEN ME THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE IN SERMONS

THE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF SCRIPTURE IN A MORE IN-DEPTH WAY

THAN I HAVE EVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO BEFORE.

SO WE WILL BE SPENDING A LONG TIME TAKING A VERY CLOSE LOOK

AT THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT TOGETHER.

LET’S GO FOR DEPTH OVER BREADTH.

AND WHILE I’M STILL MAKING INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,

I’D LIKE TO MENTION THAT A BIG PART OF THE REASON

THAT I’VE DECIDED TO REVISIT THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

IS THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MENTIONING

TO ME HOW DIFFICULT THE BIBLE IS TO UNDERSTAND,

AND ASKING ME FOR POINTERS ON HOW TO APPROACH IT.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS A GREAT PLACE TO APPROACH

THE CHALLENGING TOPIC OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION

BECAUSE IN IT JESUS GIVES US THE MOST SUSTAINED LOOK

AS TO HOW HE HIMSELF APPROACHES SCRIPTURE.

FOLLOWING HIS LEAD – AND NOT THE LEAD OF SO MANY

CHURCHES AND CHRISTIANS WHO BEGIN, NOT WITH JESUS,

BUT WITH THEIR DENOMINATION’S ALREADY-ESTABLISHED DOCTRINE ABOUT HOW TO APPROACH THE BIBLE – WILL GIVE US

ALL THE HANDLES WE NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE SENSE

OUT OF THIS MOST DIFFICULT OF BOOKS.

NOW BACK TO TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING,

JESUS’ PARABLE CONTRASTING THE PERSON

WHO CHOSE TO BUILD THEIR HOUSE

ON THE ROCK OF HIS TEACHINGS

IN CONTRAST TO THE PERSON

WHO CHOSE TO BUILD THEIR HOUSE

ON THE SAND OF THEIR OWN OPINION.

NOTICE JESUS’ EMPHASIS ON ACTION, ON DOING:

“EVERYONE THEN WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE

AND ACTS ON THEM WILL BE LIKE A WISE MAN

WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON ROCK.”

FOR US TO ACT ON JESUS’ WORDS

MEANS TO PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE,

TO MAKE HIS TEACHINGS THE PATTERN

FROM WHICH WE LIVE OUR LIVES.

IN THE PARABLE OF THE TWO BUILDERS

JESUS PRESENTS THE ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION

OF HIS TEACHINGS AS AN EITHER/OR CHOICE.

JESUS, THEN, CHALLENGES HIS HEARERS TO MAKE A CRUCIAL CHOICE,

NOT THE CHOICE OF ACCEPTING HIM AS MESSIAH OR GOD,

OR WHATEVER, BUT ABOUT HOW WE CHOOSE TO LIVE.

SIGNIFICANTLY, IN THE GOSPELS JESUS IS ASKED

BY TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE

“WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?”

MOST CHRISTIANS THINK THAT JESUS RESPONDS TO THIS QUESTION

BY GIVING THE ASKER A LIST OF THINGS THAT ONE HAS TO BELIEVE,

YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE “YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE

THAT YOU’RE A HOPELESS SINNER AND THAT ONLY I,

THE SON OF GOD, CAN SAVE YOU.”

BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY SAYS.

ON BOTH OCCASIONS ON WHICH HE IS ASKED THE POINT-BLANK

QUESTION “WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?,

JESUS SIMPLY RESPONDS “LOVE GOD AND NEIGHBOR.”

GIVEN JESUS’ OWN WORDS, WE MUST ALWAYS BEAR IN MIND

THAT THE CHOICE WHICH JESUS GIVES US CONCERNS

HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES AND NOT WHICH

FAITH TRADITION WE FOLLOW.

IT’S NOT A MATTER OF BEING CHRISTIAN, OR JEWISH,

OF BUDDHIST, OF HINDU, OR ISLAMIC.

IT’S A MATTER OF FOLLOWING GOD.

AND THE HIGHEST AND DEEPEST TEACHINGS ABOUT GOD –

SUCH AS THE FACT THAT LOVE IS ALL-IMPORTANT FOR GOD –

ARE REMARKABLY SIMILAR IN ALL THE GREAT FAITH TRADITIONS.

A MINORITY OF CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS

AND THEOLOGIANS, BUT A STRONG MINORITY,

THINK THAT JESUS DID NOT INTEND TO FOUND A NEW RELIGION,

CHRISTIANITY, AT ALL.

THEY SEE JESUS AS STANDING ABOVE AND BEYOND

ANY PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS TRADITION, EVEN CHRISTIANITY,

AND SERVING, INSTEAD, AS GOD’S ABSOLUTE STANDARD

FOR ALL RELIGION.

THEY SEE THE KEY CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF INCARNATION –

THE FACT THAT GOD CHOSE TO BECOME A PERSON IN THE PERSON

OF JESUS OF NAZARETH –

AS NOTHING LESS THAN GOD’S PERSONALLY SAYING

TO HUMANITY AS A WHOLE:

“LISTEN UP. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE DEEPEST CONCERNS

OF MY OWN HEART, LOOK TO JESUS, WHO IS MY HUMAN FACE.”

JESUS’ STORY, SIMPLY PUT, IS THAT IF WE CHOOSE

TO LIVE OUR LIVES ACCORDING TO GOD’S TEACHINGS

IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT,

THE FOUNDATION OF OUR LIVES WILL BE STRONG,

AND WILL SEE US THROUGH LIFE’S MANY STORMS.

NOT TO LIVE OUR LIVES ACCORDING TO GOD’S TEACHINGS

IN THIS SERMON IS TO BUILD OUR LIVES WITH NO FOUNDATION,

OR AN INADEQUATE FOUNDATION,

AND TO SET OURSELVES UP FOR COLLAPSE

WHENEVER LIFE GETS DIFFICULT.

AND ONE THING THAT WE CAN ALL BE SURE OF

IS THAT LIFE WILL, INDEED, GET DIFFICULT,

AND NOT JUST ONCE, BUT MULTIPLE TIMES.

TO GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS

IN OUR STUDY OF THE SERMON ON THE MIOUNT,

I WOULD LIKE TO WEAVE TOGETHER A SUMMARY

OF THE MAJOR TEACHINGS FROM JESUS IN THIS SERMON

WITH AN ILLUSTRATION FROM THE BOOK

MY GRANDFATHER’S BLESSINGS BY RACHEL NAOMI REMEN, M.D.

DR. REMEN REMEMBERS WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY

BEGAN CELEBRATING THE JEWISH TRADITION OF HANNUKAH

IN ADDITION TO THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION OF CHRISTMAS.

SHE WAS SIX AT THE TIME AND IN THE FIRST GRADE.

SHE RECALLS HOW HER TEACHER TOLD THE STORY OF THE WAR

BETWEEN THE MACCABEES – FIERCE JEWISH WARRIORS –

AND THEIR GREEK OVERLORDS FROM SYRIA.

THE TEACHER TOLD OF HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS THAT THE LAMP

IN THE TEMPLE REPRESENTING GOD’S ETERNAL LIGHT,

NEVER BE ALLOWED TO GO OUT,

AND OF HOW, WHEN THERE WAS NO MORE OIL

TO KEEP THE LAMP LIT, THE LAMP WAS SAID

TO BURN ON ITS OWN FOR EIGHT DAYS.

HENCE THE EIGHT CANDLES IN THE HANNUKAH MINORAH.

DR. REMEN REFLECTS:

“WHILE I LIKED LIGHTING THE CANDLES A LOT,

I FOUND THE STORY RATHER BORING.

I ESPECIALLY DID NOT LIKE THE PART ABOUT THE WAR.

DESPITE WHAT MY TEACHER SAID, MY GRANDFATHER,

WHO WAS A RABBI, HAD TOLD ME THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD

IS WITH ALL PEOPLE,

AND I DID NOT REALLY BELIEVE THIS STORY

ABOUT GOD PLAYING FAVORITES.

EVERY AFTERNOON I STAYED WITH MY GRANDFATHER

FOR AN HOUR OR SO AFTER SCHOOL

DRINKING TEA AND EATING COOKIES UNTIL MY MOTHER

COULD COME FROM HER WORK TO TAKE ME HOME.

THAT AFTERNOON, I TOLD MY GRANDFATHER

WHAT OUR TEACHER HAD SAID ABOUT HANNUKAH

AND ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW THE STORY ABOUT THE WAR, TOO.

HE SMILED AND SAID THAT HE DID. ‘WAR IS A TIME OF DARKNESS,

NESHUME-LE” [CALLING ME BY HIS PET NAME].

THE STORY OF THE MACCABEES IS VERY OLD,

BUT IT IS NOT THE OLDEST STORY ABOUT DARKNESS AND LIGHT.

‘COME,’ HE SAID, AND, TAKING ME INTO HIS STUDY,

HE OPENED A DRAWER IN HIS DESK AND LIFTED OUT A MENORAH.

MY TEACHER’S MENORAH WAS MADE OF CLAY

BUT MY GRANDFATHER’S WAS MUCH LARGER AND MADE OF SILVER.

HE HAD BROUGHT IT WITH HIM FROM RUSSIA, HE TOLD ME.

IT HAD ONCE BELONGED TO HIS FATHER, MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER.

HE DREW OUT A BOX OF WOODEN KITCHEN MATCHES

AND A BOX OF CANDLES ALSO

AND LAY THEM OUT ON HIS LIBRARY TABLE.

THE CANDLES MY TEACHER HAD USED

WERE SMALL AND BRIGHTLY COLORED,

BUT MY GRANDFATHER’S CANDLES WERE LARGE AND WHITE.

‘THEY WILL BURN THROUGH THE NIGHT

UNTIL THE SUN RISES,’ HE TOLD ME.

HANDING ME ONE OF THE CANDLES TO HOLD,

HE PUT A SINGLE CANDLE INTO THE MENORAH.

‘TONIGHT IS THE FIRST NIGHT OF HANNUKAH,’ HE SAID,

‘AND SO WE WILL LIGHT ONE CANDLE.’

HE TOOK UP HIS BIBLE AND OPENED IT TO THE FIRST PAGE.

‘THE OLDEST STORY ABOUT DARKNESS AND LIGHT

IS THE STORY OF THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD,’ HE TOLD ME,

AND HE BEGAN TO READ.

‘IN THE BEGINNING DARKNESS WAS OVER THE WATERS

AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVED INTO THE DARKNESS

LIKE A GREAT WIND OVER THE FACE OF THE WATERS.

AND GOD SAID, “LET THERE BE LIGHT!”

I LOOKED AT MY GRANDFATHER, HIS FACE SHINING

WITH THE POWER OF THESE WORDS.

I WAS ENTHRALLED.

‘THIS IS HOW THE WORLD BEGINS, NESHUME-LE,’ HE SAID TO ME.

‘LIFE AND ALL OF ITS BLESSINGS BEGIN WITH GOD’S GIFT OF LIGHT.’

‘NOW,’ HE SAID, ‘I WILL TURN OUT THE LAMPS

AND THERE WILL BE DARKNESS LIKE THERE WAS IN THE BEGINNING.

WE WILL SEE WHAT IT IS LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS GIFT.’

AT THE TIME I WAS AFRAID OF THE DARK, AND THE THOUGHT

OF TURNING OUT THE LIGHTS WAS NOT EASY FOR ME.

‘WILL YOU STAY RIGHT HERE WITH ME IN THE DARK, GRANDPA?’

I SAID A LITTLE SHAKILY.

‘OF COURSE,’ NESHUME-LE,’ HE REPLIED.

‘I WILL BE HERE AND GOD WILL BE TOO.

TELL ME WHEN YOU ARE READY TO START.’

WHEN I NODDED, MY GRANDFATHER REACHED BEHIND HIM

AND TURNED OUT BOTH THE LAMPS.

THE OLD STUDY WAS A ROOM WITHOUT WINDOWS,

LINED FLOOR TO CEILING WITH BOOKS. IT WAS VERY DARK INDEED.

AFTER A MINUTE OR SO, MY GRANDFATHER STRUCK A MATCH

AND LIT THE CANDLE I WAS HOLDING.

IT DID NOT GIVE MUCH LIGHT, AND I COULD BARELY MAKE OUT

THE MENORAH ON THE TABLE.

THE REST OF THE ROOM WAS FILLED WITH SHADOW.

I HELD ON TO MY CANDLE TIGHTLY.

POINTING TO THE SINGLE CANDLE IN THE MENORAH,

HE TOLD ME TO LIGHT IT WITH MY CANDLE.”

AT THIS POINT, AS RACHEL AND HER GRANDFATHER

GO THROUGH THE LIGHTING OF THE HANNUKAH CANDLES,

I WANT TO START CONNECTING THE LIGHT FROM THE CANDLES

TO THE LIGHT FROM JESUS’ TEACHING

IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.

THE LIGHT FROM JESUS’ TEACHING WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE

SPECIFICALLY CHRISTIAN, BUT WAS MEANT FOR ALL HUMANKIND.

CONNECTING WITH THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS

CONNECTS US WITH THE HIGHEST AND DEEPEST TEACHINGS

OF JUDAISM AND OF THE BUDDHA.

CONNECTING WITH THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS

CONNECTS US WITH THE HIGHEST AND DEEPEST TEACHINGS

OF HINDUISM AS EMBODIED BY MOHANDAS GANDHI,

AND THE HIGHEST AND DEEPEST TEACHINGS OF ISLAM,

AS LIVED OUT BY SUFI MYSTICS AND POETS

SUCH AS RUMI AND HAFIZ.

GOD KNOWS THAT IN THIS TIME OF UNBRIDLED GLOBAL VIOLENCE,

IT IS TIME FOR PERSONS OF FAITH AND GOOD-WILL

IN ALL THE WORLD’S GREAT FAITH TRADITIONS

TO START STANDING TOGETHER AGAINST THE DARKNESS.

CLOSER TO HOME, GOD KNOWS THAT IN THIS TIME

OF UNBRIDLED HATRED AND VIOLENCE IN OUR OWN COUNTRY

IT IS TIME FOR CHRISTIANS WHO HAPPEN TO BE REPUBLICANS

AND CHRISTIANS WHO HAPPEN TO BE DEMOCRATS

TO START STANDING TOGETHER AGAINST THE DARKNESS.

BACK TO DR. REMEN’S HANNUKAH STORY:

“POINTING TO THE SINGLE CANDLE IN THE MENORAH,

[MY GRANDFATHER] TOLD ME TO LIGHT IT WITH MY CANDLE.”

LET US IMAGINE THE LIGHT FROM THIS CANDLE

BEING CONNECTED TO THE LIGHT OF JESUS’ TEACHING

THAT ALL PERSONS ARE CALLED TO PRACTICE COMPASSION.

“THEN HE TOOK MY CANDLE FROM ME

AND PLACED IT IN THE MENORAH TOO.”

LET US IMAGINE THE LIGHT FROM THIS SECOND CANDLE

BEING THE LIGHT OF JESUS’ TEACHING THAT ALL PERSONS

ARE CALLED TO LIVE AS PEACEMAKERS.

“THE NEXT AFTERNOON AT SUNSET

WE SAT TOGETHER IN THE DARKNESS AGAIN.

THIS TIME MY GRANDFATHER HAD PLACED TWO CANDLES

IN THE GREAT CANDLESTICK.

WHEN HE LIT MY CANDLE, I CAREFULLY LIT THE TWO CANDLES

FROM ITS FLAME, FIRST ONE AND THEN THE OTHER.

WE SAT AND WATCHED THE THREE OF THEM

BURNING FOR A LONG TIME.”

LET US IMAGINE THE LIGHT FROM THIS THIRD CANDLE