Dirty Words - Commandments

Job 23.1-9, 16-17; Mark 10.17-31 “Dirty Words – Commandments” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

If I were to give the bible another name, that name would be BOUNDARIES. The main function of the bible is to draw the boundary lines where we should step and where we should stay away. Biblical boundaries nudge us into our appropriate positions for peace and surround us with signs and wonders that inspire us to us to walk in paths bright with righteousness.

Verse 17 tells us that a man ran to Jesus and knelt down, giving him respect and honor. The same story is told in other gospels where the man was evidently young and rich with a lot going for himself.

This story brings to mind a certain GE commercial where the parents of a young man are congratulating him for his new position as a worker for GE one of the greatest company’s in this country. The father lays a huge hammer on the table and says, ‘This is your grand pappy’s hammer.’ Indicating he worked hard and long. The young man declares, ‘in my new job as a GE worker, I will be running big machines more powerful and efficient than ever.’ The dad looks at his son and says, ‘You can’t even pick it up, can you?’ The young man is speechless as the commercial comes to an end.

Today is senior day and we recognize that our seniors have worked hard and long to build great lives and to build God’s church. Each generation behind us comes along and may be able to do things faster and easier in some ways, but we smile to ourselves when we realize that they may not have the wisdom and spiritual strength to lift and carry as the generation before them.

The young man who ran to Jesus had spiritual discipline and self-control that was better than most, because most do not want to take orders. He was driven this day by one burning question and he was in a hurry to get the answer.

‘Jesus, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ What can I do to have the lawful right to eternal life? He may have wanted to add to his portfolio of valuables. Perhaps eternal life was just another one more admirable asset to go along with   all of his other stuff.

Jesus looked at him and loved him and told him to sell all his stuff and give the money to the poor, for when God is all we have, we understand that God is all we need.

Though he walked away sadly, he was bound to learn that eternal life is just what Jesus said in John 17, “This is eternal life to know God…”   Eternal life is to know God like Adam knew Eve. It is to live in a sacred place where one gets to know God personally and intimately, producing the stuff that really matters in this life and the life to come - the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The young man who ran to Jesus knew the commandments like the back of his hand, but he did not know the God who longs for a personal relationship with those whom he created.

One of my part time jobs as a teenager was working behind a widow in a gas station from 11-7 a.m. It was wonderful to keep busy chatting with travelers during the night and to watch the sun come up in all its glory. There were plenty of moments when I could pray without interruption. During one shift, I was enveloped by God’s loving presence as if in a great big hug, and in my heart I heard these loving words, “You are mine all mine….” which can be found in scripture. But, in my youthful foolishness and rebellious mind, I did not want to belong to God 100% and I felt myself pushing God away.

We run to Jesus for many reasons. When we are challenged to surrender 100% of our will or 100% of our stuff, we may go away sadly, even though we know our rewards would be great.

At the end of the day, it is not how we come to Jesus, it is how we leave.   Amen.

Dirty Words- Divorce

 October 4 Job 1.1, 2.1-10; Mark 10.2-16 “Dirty Words – Divorce” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

The bible tells us that God hates divorce. Right away we feel very guilty about divorce. Just breaking up feels bad. Not getting along is no picnic.

A 40 year old woman shared with me years and years ago that her parents were getting a divorce after decades of marriage. She was beside herself with grief and frustration. When young children experience divorce, they often blame themselves. They act out in school. The have anxiety attacks. I had two friends who got married; after ten years they could not stand each other. Their one child became so distressed he required psychiatric care. One of them cheated on the other and the other never got over it. All things are possible, but even God recognizes that some relationships are so wasted and deep in the toilet that it is better to let it go and learn some important lessons.  

Infidelity is the one reason for divorce that stands out as a lively option in scripture. And, if we read between the lines, we understand that there is more than one way to be an infidel. We cheat on one another when we marry the bottle or the job or otherwise stop acting in covenant with God and one another.  

The Israelites were told by God through the prophets over and over again to stay married to God and Godly people: do not marry those foreigners. They were told not to marry foreigners not because they were from another country or another culture. They were told not to marry anyone whose ways and cultures for whom faith in the God of justice, mercy, and righteousness was foreign. At times, we read one line of scriptures and run away and start rumors about God. It is best to study the word of God and learn to read between the lines. 

The Israelites married the ungodly. Foreigners who did not know the rules - that is those who were foreign to the ways of God and who went their own way instead. They may have married foreigners for money or power or prestige or sex or because they were eye candy or a showpiece or maybe because they were exotic and interesting. In those cases, God was pretty insulted and they were commanded by God’s prophet to get a divorce.  

God recognizes that some relationships are so bruised and broken, so far away from holiness that continuing would cause more harm than good. God knows and God cares.

God hates divorce, not because it is divorce, but because there is more focus on inflicting pain and suffering rather than resurrection and redemption. Divorce always feels bad. It is a major disappointment for family and friends who are rooting for success.

God hates divorce and so do we! Divorce or no divorce, it is best to keep our covenant with God, first and foremost.

God is absolutely wild about each of us, though, so much so that God keeps his covenant with us, even when we are not willing or able to keep our covenant with God. We are loved with an everlasting love.  

On this World Communion Sunday we remember that God keeps a covenant with us and if we keep the covenant with one another we will find unspeakable treasures of God’s blessings.  

There are at least three treasures we will find. First, when you keep a covenant with God, you will find the treasure of God’s love. You will find personal intimacy with God, detailed evidence of divine concern for you and all that matters to you. The other day, I was in the parking lot of Pottstown Hospital after visiting. I heard a horn blow, and I looked toward a van to see if someone was signaling for my attention. Joy stuck her head out of the window saying her toddler son Braeden was actually the one who had touched the horn, but it worked out well because her dad was in the emergency room. I thanked God for the precision and efficiency of that moment. That moment stood out for me like a ray of sunshine, a warm hug, and a sweet aroma. It felt like love, reminding me that God knows and God cares about the details of our lives.  

The second treasure we find in keeping our covenant with God is that we learn to love and covenant with God’s children around the world. In last Monday night’s bible study we looked at Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. We have all been Good Samaritans at one time or another.

We may have even been exactly like the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 who did the unthinkable when he saw a man beaten up and left for dead.

 While others were ignoring or rubbernecking this man who happened to be Jewish, like most people in the bible, the Samaritan who was considered the lowest of all races, had the mindset and the means to help someone half dead, someone who was different from him and probably useless to him for all intents and purposes.

The Samaritan shared a depth of love and compassion that could not be bought for a trillion, million dollars. God is the Samaritan who finds a way to get to us even when our marriage to God is dead, when we are too hard-headed to keep our covenant with God. God comes to commune with us even after someone beats us up, breaks our precious covenant, and leaves us half dead on the side of the road. God comes to us when others avoid us, saying they just don’t want to get involved in our mess, or rubberneck on our lives as if they have no shame or brokenness in their lives. God shows up with soothing ointments for our wounds and help and hope that transforms every detail of our lives.  

Oh that we would receive God’s blessings, not with anger and resentment, but with gratitude. When we receive God’s mercy and love and kindness for ourselves, we can figure out how God wants us to treat others no matter where they have come from or where they are going.   When we keep a covenant with God, we first find the treasure of God’s love on a very personal level; secondly, we find the treasure of knowing how to show love and compassion to others in great need, and thirdly, through constant communication in the covenant – that is through prayer – we grow to respect God, ourselves, and each other.

When we respect one another we hear them, we heed them, and we hold them in high regard. When we hear, heed and hold every one of God’s children, we are purged of those nasty feelings of disgust, resentment, and contempt we may feel for ourselves and others when we are beaten down and half dead.  

Praying about everything helps us keep that covenant with God first and foremost and then with all others.   Prayer is our healing fountain, a breath of fresh air, a cleansing river, an ocean of peace and tranquility, prayer opens up a consultation room with God, a court of honor where we have access to a righteousness judge. Prayer becomes for us a wall of fire to protect us and our marriage to God from the enemy. Prayer is our battleground for victory our meeting house where joy overwhelms us. As we commune together may we find the greatest treasures, and may they transform every detail of our lives.  Amen.