Same Mission, Same Message

The world changed this week.  And
"When the world spins crazy,
 spins wild and out of control
 spins toward rage and hate and violence,
 spins beyond our wisdom and nearly beyond our faith,
 When the world spins in chaos as it does now among us…"
We turn to scripture which ground us 

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Transcript

Sermons from Mission Hills UCC

San Diego, California

Rev. Dr. David Bahr

david.bahr@missionhillsucc.org

November 10, 2024

“Same Mission, Same Message”

Psalm 46 – New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

God is our refuge and strength,
     a very present[a] help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
     though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea,
 3 though its waters roar and foam,
     though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
     the holy habitation of the Most High.
 5 God is in the midst of the city;[b] it shall not be moved;
     God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar; the kingdoms totter;
     he utters his voice; the earth melts.
 7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
     the God of Jacob is our refuge.[c] Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;
     see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
     he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
     he burns the shields with fire.
 10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
     I am exalted among the nations;
     I am exalted in the earth.”
 11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
     the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Let’s take a breath.

When it feels like the earth has changed, when it’s been turned upside down,
     when the mountains have shaken into the heart of the sea,
 when the waters in the sea roar and foam,
     and the mountains begin to break apart…

When it feels like this, the Psalmist knew exactly what to say:

God is our refuge and strength,
     a very present help in times of trouble.

Let’s take a breath.

God is a very present help in times of trouble or simply in times of great change.  Change can feel like trouble because it comes with grief and because fear accompanies change, fear of the unknown, even the fear of knowing what is coming.  To which the Psalmist knew exactly what to say:  “Be still, and know that I am God!”

So, let’s take a breath.

Listen to Psalm 46.  It’s begins:

“God is our refuge and strength,
     a very present help in times of trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
     though the mountains shake into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
     though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
     the holy habitation of the Most High.
 5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
     God will help it when the morning dawns.

I’ve read these words at countless funerals over the years because they are comforting when our worlds have indeed been shaken and crumbled, turned upside down, especially when the person who was our rock has died.  The sure foundations of the earth have changed.  Sometimes, then, I skip over the words that follow and go straight to “be still,” but here are the next lines, which today in particular should not be skipped over:

Like breathing in,
 6 The nations are in an uproar; the kingdoms totter;
     God utters God’s voice; the earth melts.

But, then breathing out,

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
     the God of Jacob is our refuge. 

Let’s take a breath.

The Psalmist breathes in again and increases the tension:

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;
     see what desolations God has brought on the earth, who 

9 makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
     God breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
     and burns the shields with fire.

And then we exhale,
 10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
     I am exalted among the nations;
     I am exalted in the earth.”  

And repeats again, insists:
 11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
     the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Be still.  And let’s take another breath.

Remember, it’s not if, but when the earth changes,
Remember, it’s not if, but when the mountains shake into the heart of the sea,
Not if, but when its waters roar and foam,
     Not if, but when the mountains tremble with its tumult…

Not if, but remember with certainty:  God is our refuge and strength,
     a very present help in times of trouble.

Thank God we have something to hold on to when our world suddenly and unexpectedly changes, because we know that the world has suddenly and unexpectedly changed many times before.  Scripture grounds us.  Our ancestors in faith instruct us from beyond the grave.

When the world spins crazy,
 spins wild and out of control
 spins toward rage and hate and violence,
 spins beyond our wisdom and nearly beyond our faith,
 When the world spins in chaos as it does now among us…

We are glad for sobering roots that provide ballast in the storm.
 
 

That’s one of my favorite prayers from my collection of 40 before the election written by Walter Brueggemann, Old Testament scholar and UCC clergy:

When the world spins crazy, wild and out of control,

We thank you, God, for our rootage in communities of faith,

for our many fathers and mothers who have believed and trusted as firm witnesses to us,
 for their many stories of wonder, awe, and healing.

And when we meet you hiddenly,
 we find the spin not so unnerving,
 because from you the world again has a chance
 for life and sense and wholeness.

We pray midst the spinning, not yet unnerved,
 but waiting and watching and listening,
 for you are the truth that contains all our spin. 

Actually, today I am feeling quite unnerved, but remembering to ground ourselves in scripture, Paul’s encouraging words in 2nd Corinthians, chapter 4, help.  We are 8 afflicted in every way, yet not crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair,9 persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed…  

I love those lines, but I hadn’t connected the conclusion of the idea: not perplexed or crushed, etc. 10 because we always carry around in our bodies the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.

I don’t think of myself as “carrying around the death of Jesus in my body.”  That’s a rather odd idea.  But, if we open our eyes to really see the people around us we are, in fact, confronted with death and suffering every day.  Including our own.  And what does he say to do?  “Make the life of Jesus visible in our bodies.”  Meaning, through our actions.  Now that makes sense.

Here’s how the paragraph ends:

11 For we who are living are always being handed over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12 Death is at work in us but life is in you.”

Let’s take a breath.

How are you feeling this morning?  Some may feel unnerved, scared because it feels like the earth has changed, and in that change, fear that we are in for times of trouble.  But others are feeling, “thank God the earth has changed” because the mountains need to shake into the heart of the sea.  They’re excited for some mountain shaking time.  Some people are feeling helpless, others are feeling empowered.  And it’s hard for either one to understand the other, let alone desire to understand the other.

But I’m reminded of another of the prayers included in the 40 days credited to Mother Teresa:

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.  

Be honest and sincere anyway.

If you are kind, people may take advantage of you.  

Be kind anyway.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  

Forgive them anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  

Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  

Do good anyway.  And give your best.

Our world did change this week.  Bring to God what you feel this morning.  All of it.  What you feel later this afternoon may be different.  But no matter who is in charge of our country or any other nation, our mission and message is the same.  

In our rootage, when the Prophet Micah asks this question, generations before and generations after us recite the same words of scripture:
 8  What does the Lord require of you?
Do justice and love kindness and walk humbly with your God.

Last month we distributed food to our neighbors, as we have done for years.  This month we will again distribute food to our neighbors.  For years we have built houses in Tijuana.  We will build another one in February.  A few months ago we assembled care kits and visited a shelter for migrants seeking safety for their families.  That kind of care and much more will continue.  Last month we cared for people who are alone and need support, some at home, some at the prison.  The mission and message of the church is the same.

Though the earth should change and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, when the earth changes, what is required of each of us?  It is to love God and love our neighbors, all of them, as our self.  

It is to be honest and sincere.  It is to be kind.  It is to forgive.  To create.  To be happy.  To do good and to give our best.  Which is to say, as Christians, we are called to make the life of Jesus visible in our bodies.  And understand, that means there may come a time when our physical bodies are needed to protect the bodies of those who have been made more vulnerable this week in so many ways.  That’s being the Body of Christ.  

But for today, today let’s just take another breath.