Last Week Sermon

Thanks, Mary Lou, Denise, and Phil, for setting the tone for this message: TURNING PRAYER INTO ACTION. It is no accident (but Spirit-led, careful planning) that our music goes along nicely with the scripture from Philippians which has been proclaimed – which has to do with rejoicing… and NOT worrying … and being thankful. My prayer for you this morning is that you will leave this worship service feeling joyful – with a feeling of rejoicing. Our joyful praises and prayers will enable us to do justice, show mercy, and bring about social action and change in the world.

Tonight is the fourth session in an adult education series I have been teaching here on World Religions. Although I am a committed Christian, I do like to compare and contrast various religions and I try to find unity and harmony when I can. I have concluded that most human beings from various cultures are “wired” to worship God and to be joyful. Most people do seek God and look for God and many people find God (or God finds them). Most people really DO want to rejoice and most people do NOT want to worry. The mystics of every major religious tradition remind us always that the contemplative life of prayer is not escapism from the world (from worry, pain, suffering, or despair). Somehow, contemplation and prayer ought to lead us into full immersion in the world God created for us. God is everywhere in this world.

“Within the cave of the heart, God dwells,” Hinduism teaches us.

“Buddha is omnipresent, in all places, in all beings, in all things,” the Buddhist master says.

“Where can I go to flee from your presence? The Jewish Psalmist asks.

“Wherever you turn, THERE is the face of God,” Islam tells us.

And Christianity reminds us always, “Ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible nature has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.”

So here is the point: So if God is everywhere and all things are “of God,” then we are called to action that brings about healing and justice. In the major religions of the world, God wills the end of the oppressors who stand with a heel on the neck of the weak. Prayer and action TOGETHER might bring that about. God wills the liberation of human beings. God desires the dignity and full development of human beings. Thus, God takes the side of the defenseless. We pray… then we do justice, speak justice, and insist on justice.

Prayer is a change in consciousness. Deep prayer brings us to see beyond boundaries, beyond denominations, beyond doctrines, dogmas, and institutional self-interest straight into the face of God from whom all life comes. Prayer brings us face to face with God – and then face to face with the world and face to face with oneself. Nothing stays the same once we have met the God within; we become new people once we meet God and carry the world in our hearts when we have met God through prayer. We carry the oppression of all peoples, the suffering of our friends, the burdens of our enemies, the destruction of our earth, the hunger of the starving. When we pray, we are motivated to repair the earth and make things right.

Let’s unpack the scripture. In the first part of this passage from Philippians, Paul sets before the Philippians two great qualities of life.

The first is the quality of JOY. “Rejoice… I will say it again --- Rejoice!” Paul was probably lying in prison with an almost certain death awaiting him when he wrote this letter to the Philippians The Philippians were beginning on the Christian way – just setting up their little new church – and they likely knew that dark days and persecutions inevitably lay ahead. Nonetheless, Paul says, “Rejoice” (despite your circumstances in life).

The second quality is GENTLENESS. Paul writes, “Let your gentleness be known to everyone.” That word, “gentleness” is translated in many different ways – pick up any random Bible and you’ll find that the Greek word, EPI-EI-KE-A is translated as moderation… or patience… or softness… or patience….or forbearance… and our New Revised Standard Version (which has been typed out for you in your worship bulletin) translates this word as “GENTLENESS.” Actually, William Barclay in his commentary, The Daily Study Bible Series, indicates that the Greeks themselves explained this word as “JUSTICE” (The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, p. 75). The essence of this slippery word is “fairness.” Be fair. Be reasonable. (Being fair is being gentle.)

Moving on in the text, Paul writes: “Do not worry about anything . . .” For the Philippians, life WOULD have been full of worry – this was the time in history when Christians were killed and Paul is writing to these new Christians from a prison cell! In those days, just to be a Christian was to take one’s life in one’s hands! In this passage of scripture, there is a whole philosophy of prayer.

Paul stresses, that we can take everything to God in prayer. A child may take anything, great or small, to loving parents. Ideally, a child learns that whatever happens to him or her is of interest to the parents – the little triumphs and disappointments, passing cuts and bruises, broken hearts, and poor choices. God is like the perfect parent. We, as God’s children, ought to have the confidence that no matter what, God will take care of us because God loves us.

So, we can bring our prayers, our supplications, and our requests to God; we can pray for ourselves. We can pray for forgiveness for the wrongs we have committed, we can pray for the things we need in the present, we can pray for help and guidance in the future. We can pray for others. We can lift to God’s care those near and far who need God’s mercy, love, or forgiveness.

Next, Paul indicates that thanksgiving must accompany prayer. Every prayer must include thanks for the opportunity to pray to a loving, listening, caring God. Paul insists that we give thanks in everything: in sorrows and joys alike. And this is wrapped up with a promise that the peace of God (which we do not even understand) will guard (or watch over) our hearts and minds.

Today’s special music pieces are like “bookends” around this message to help hold it up. The ensemble sang a lovely piece to set the context for this message: A Simple Psalm of Praise. Shortly – during communion – that same ensemble will a musical rendition of St. Francis’ Prayer. Listen the lyrics during communion – they go something like this:

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.

Where there is injury, your pardon.

And where there is doubt, faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is despair in life, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, let me bring light.

Where there is sadness, ever joy.

O Master, grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand

To be loved, as to love.

Make me a channel of your peace.

It is in pardoning that I am pardoned.

In giving of ourselves, we receive,

And in dying we are born to eternal life.

Make me a channel of your peace.

But (before we get to communion), let us sing together #576, “My Faith Looks Up to Thee.”