Exploring What God's Home Contains; John 14:1-8

Rev. George Miller
May 14, 2017
John 14:1-8

Though we are in the 5th week of Easter, today’s reading takes us right back to before the cross, during a very dark, dark hour for Jesus and his disciples. It is beyond car problems, beyond employment issues, and beyond burn notices.

This is Jesus about to be betrayed, about to be brought before Pilate, and before this takes place, he asks his disciples…to believe.

In this dark, dark hour Jesus asks the disciples to believe what they cannot prove in a laboratory, or a court of law.

Jesus asks them to bravely, faithfully hold onto their trust in God.

In other words, he is asking them to believe in the words of the 23rd Psalm-

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”

Thus John 14 transcends space, transcends time and becomes a scripture for all people-

For anyone who knows what it is like to tread upon dried grass, to thrash about in dangerous waters, to be in dark valleys, or to be surrounded by damaging enemies.

Jesus says “Believe” and “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.”

With this statement, we wonder- what is Jesus talking about? And because this is an English translation of a Greek writing based upon the words of a Hebrew man, we cannot be 100% certain that what we just heard with our ears is what was actually meant.

For example, did Jesus say “house” or did he saw “home”?

House tends to be more of a physical location. If he meant house, is he referring, as some would think, to a place we go after we die, when all is said and done, and breathe is no more?

Perhaps.

But what good is belief, what good is comfort post-death, if the struggle, the pain, the stress is in the now?

When someone is confronted with suffering do they really want to hear “Hush, hush- years later when you die, things will be ok.”?

Or in their current suffering, do they want to know there is a way to rise above; a way to pass through, a way to survive, and a way thrive?

So…maybe Jesus is talking about a house, where you go. Or, maybe he is talking about a home.

A home is less a physical place, and more of an emotional experience. Home hints at heart; feeling.

Yes, we may live in a house; but it doesn’t mean we live in a home.

All of us have a place in which we feel home, even if it’s not a house.

A beach, a river, a garden; a golf course, a garage, a place in the woods.

Home can be your Momma’s bosom, or Auntie’s embrace, or Granny’s kitchen.

Home can be Dad’s tussling of your hair, Uncle’s dominos table, or Grandpa’s rickety old fishing boat.

So maybe what Jesus is doing is his metaphysical, mystical, emotional mumbo jumbo he does so well.

Is Jesus talking about our Heavenly Parent’s House or our Heavenly Parent’s Home?

And what exactly do many dwelling places mean?

In Greek, the word used is “monai.” And monai has many meanings.

When the King James Bible was written, they used the word “mansions”, which makes sense. If you’re writing for a king, you would use a huge, opulent word that expresses abundance and majesty.

Mansions do that. But how do many mansions fit inside a house; and does a mansion sound like a home?

Monai can also mean “room.” Think of it like living in a campus dorm in which all your friends sleep, study, socialize, and eat supper in the same place. Or being on a cruise ship in which all you need is right there.

Monai can mean “dwelling place” or “to abide in”. In this context, things become more relational. To dwell or abide are akin to saying that the person lives within you.

Like how your Mom or Dad may have died, but you feel like you are carrying them within your heart.

Now, before your eyes gloss over or your brain shuts down, monai can also mean “Room for all.”

Now that is deep. It is progressive. It is very, very UCC.

“In my Parent’s home, there is room for all.”

How does this notion touch you? How does it make you feel?

This possible translation indicates a God who is so big, so limitless; a God who is truly boundary breaking.

Would this cause you to believe and to bravely, faithfully hold onto your trust in God?

This is not God as a product, this is not God as magic maker, but God as welcoming, embracing, having a heart that houses all people, no matter who, where, or what.

Finally, the last meaning of monai is “stages upon the way.” Big difference from mansions or rooms.

“In my Father’s house there are many stages along the way.”

Think of that- stages, steps, levels.

Like how you can go to the same elementary school as your sister, but you’re in a different grade; or the same college as your brother, but you’re in a different year.

Stages don’t imply that one is better or one is worse; steps don’t indicate superior or supreme.

Stages simply mean that one is where they are at; one is where they are supposed to be.

The Bible is full of references to stages. The Old Testament tells us that in the wilderness the Israelites journeyed by stages, and each stage brought them a new act of redemption.

The Book of Acts tells us how the earliest Christians spent day by day together in worship, and day by day adding to their numbers. (Acts 2:46-47).

Day by day, step by step, stage by stage.

At this stage of my life, I like this interpretation of John 14:2; that in God there are many stages along the way.

It sounds like freedom. Its sounds like mercy. It sounds like…grace.

It sounds like we can let go of the notion that one person is holier than another; or one knows more about the Bible than another; or that one is more enlightened and redeemed than another.

It means that in our faith, we are exactly where we are meant to be.

It sounds like Jesus is saying “Even in the darkest of moments there are many ways to experience the Light of God.”

It sounds like Jesus is saying “Our Parent is so amazing that whatever we do out of faith can’t be wrong, even if we are unsure about the way.”

In conclusion, today’s reading is both complex and so simple.

I cannot tell you exactly what Jesus said or exactly what Jesus meant.

House and home are so different, and yet so much the same.

Mansions, dwelling places, room for all- what speaks to you? What gives you comfort? What gives you strength?

What allows you to believe so there’s comfort in the darkest valleys, the waters feel a bit calmer, and the grasses seem a bit greener?

Are stages along the way a source of joy? Is step by step, no matter how fast or how slow, an Ok way to go?

If you are dwelling in the Lord, and the Lord is dwelling within you, is that enough for whatever you may be going through?

Amen and amen.

What are Right Paths? Psalm 23; May 7, 2017

Rev. George Miller
May 7, 2017
Psalm 23

I recently came back from my vacation to Grand Rapids. It was an experience in which I felt guided; shepherded if you will.

Drove to the Orlando Airport Economy Parking Lot in which I found the most perfect spot under a huge oak tree.

Landed safely in Grand Rapids in which the grass was green, lush, with fields full of dandelions and tulips.

Saw old friends over sandwiches, celebrated a birthday at the Moose Lodge with live music, and caught up with a former organist while sitting for hours alongside the Grand River.

Walked into a business establishment just by chance and was greeted with a long forgotten face who gave a huge hug and said “You just made my entire day!”

Coming home I felt particularly shepherded. My flight was to leave at 3:30 pm, with a connecting flight out of Detroit at 6:30, meaning I would not be back in Sebring until 11 pm.

I arrived at the airport at 1; had lunch, made my way to the gate. There were storms that day, and you could feel the nervous energy in the terminal.

I went to my gate prepared to wait for the next 2 hours. Turns out they were boarding for a 1:30 flight to Detroit.

Nice and polite, I went up the ticket counter and said “Excuse me, I have a question…”

“You’d like to get on this flight, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Give me your ticket,” the woman said.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes.” She explained that because of the storms they were trying to get everyone out and I was freeing my seat for someone else later on.

Beep-bop-boop!, I was given a boarding pass, got on the plane, landed in Detroit an hour later.

I felt the inclination to try my luck again, made my way to the next gate. Turns out they have a flight to Orlando leaving in 10 minutes; for $75 extra I can get on.

Beep-bop-boop!, I am on that flight which left Detroit at 3:15; 15 minutes before my original flight out of Grand Rapids.

By 6 pm I am safely in Orlando, relaxed as can be. Get to my car in the Economy Parking Lot…and see that I had left the window on the driver’s side down the entire time!

But I stayed calm. Checked the trunk- nothing missing. Checked my CDs- all of them were there. Checked where I keep my emergency money- nothing was touched.

And even though it had rained in Orlando, my car was dry, thanks to the protective covering of that mighty oak. And since the window was rolled down, the car smelt as fresh as can be.

I made it to my Cozy Cottage by 8:45 pm, decompressing on the couch by 10, and asleep in my own bed by midnight.

I did not want; I was not worried. I was comfortable and filled with the sense of goodness and mercy.

I felt shepherded…

Today’s scripture is a sacred text; one that everyone knows, and no doubt feels some ownership over.

It is a song about the journey, and we are all on a journey, a journey that we try our best to navigate.

There are those here today who are navigating what it means to be towards the end of one’s life.

Those who are navigating what it means to be retired. Those who are navigating what it is like to work. Those who are navigating what it is like to be in school and balancing so many things.

All of us are on a journey and many of us can say “This is not where I ever thought I’d be 10 years ago” or “I have no way to imagine where I will be 10 years from now.”

Knowing that life is a journey, we find solace in the 23rd Psalm, as it states that the Lord is our Shepherd, even if we have not grown up in a pastoral setting.

Though this scripture is familiar, it still finds ways to surprise and talk to us.

For example, the way it is structured. In the first 3 verses, God is referred to indirectly. God is talked about: God shepherds, God leads, God restores.

Then in verse 4 God is directly addressed- You are with me, you prepare, you anoint.

It’s a subtle shift, but it brings us back to what we discussed March 19 in regards to Exodus 17 and how the people tried to turn God into an object.

In other words, verses 1-3 refer to God like a performance based product; verses 4-6 refer to God as a person.

Verses 1-3 refer to God as utilitarian; verses 4-6 refer to God as “You.”

In other words, we experience a personal relationship with God in which relation, care, goodness, living alongside one another, and mercy are key.

It’s not so much “Hey- this is what you can do for me,” but more “Wow God! We are in this together, side by side, and I really like being in your presence.”

And because we have this personal relationship with God, because we experience God more as relational than an object that performs upon our beckoning, we grow, we deepen, we expand.

We welcome the opportunity to be led in paths of righteousness. But what are right paths?

Are they times in which we follow our instincts and happen to be in the right place at the right time so we can get the best parking spot and hop on an earlier flight?

Perhaps. I think that being open to the Holy Spirit and following our internal instincts is important and something that needs to be better taught.

Is right paths always being nice to people and always putting others first even if it means you may be left in want?

Sometimes??? Sometimes not???

Are righteous paths set-in-stone paths that exist until the end of time and are absolutes for everyone no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey?

What are right paths? Because the longer I live the more I think there are numerous right paths.

For those graduating from high school, what’s the right path- going to college or going to trade school, going into the military or immediately getting a job?

Knowing that 27 is the 3rd deadliest road in the nation, do the right paths demand that the speed limit is lowered or that slower drivers get the heck out of my way and stay out of the left lane?

For Christians is the right path one that is paved primarily on notions of moral sin or paved with acts of justice?

And who defines what justice is?

Psalm 23 sure does make paths of righteousness sound so good. But what are these righteous paths? And how does a right path get us to the best destination?

Because let’s be honest- the Bible doesn’t make it that easy.

In one book we have scripture telling people to never marry a non-believer, then we have the entire book of Ruth that tells how a non-believer became the grandmother of King David and the ancestor of Jesus Christ.

Scripture tells us to keep the Sabbath holy and to do no work, then we are told that Jesus did what he wanted 7 days a week, healing people every day even when religious leaders challenged him for it.

The Gospels tell us of the magnificent ministry women like Mary Magdalene, and Phoebe did, but then the contested letters of Paul tell women to be quiet in church and have no authority over men.

How do we know what is right? How do we know we are on the right path? How do we know that where we are walking is where God wants us to be?

And I don’t really know how to answer that question. I don’t know if there actually is a way to say “This is how you know.”

I think it’s almost more about the way…you feel. That you can just tell. You can sense. You can inhale, exhale…and it is there.

I think that this walk with God, this journey with the Good Shepherd is more about that personal relationship we build together, together meaning between us and our God.

I think because we are all individuals, we all have an individual relationship with God in which the right paths can sometimes be the same as others, but they can also be different from our neighbors and others that we know.

I do think we can find a sliver of an answer in verse 1: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

Remember what we talked about 2 weeks ago, when Christ appears to the disciples and says “Peace be with you.” (John 20)

We shared that another way to say “Peace be with you” is “May God give you every good thing.”

Thus “I shall not want” and “May God give you every good thing” almost mean the same thing; spiritual cousins if you will.

“The Lord is my shepherd; God has given me every good thing.”

When you stop and think about it, what is every good thing?

Not much, really.

A place to call your own. Daily bread. Comfort in dark valleys. Rest. Relationships.

A true relationship with our Creator in which we can walk side by side, finding comfort, experiencing mercy.

Those are good things. If you have them, there is not much need for want

In conclusion, there is so much to love about the 23rd Psalm. I like this notion of verses 4-6 speaking to God in a one-to-one, you and I tone.

It feels real. It feels right. It feels personal, and healthy.

It moves us from seeing God as far away and distant, to seeing God as upfront and personal, like a parent in the kitchen, or a travel companion.

It moves us from treating God as an object who is only worth something if something is being done, to God being the one we can turn to when we feel the most alone, the most scared, and the most vulnerable.

It’s about not hiding ourselves or concealing who we are, but being brave before God to show our scabs and our wounds, our cuts and our abrasions, what we hunger after, what we thirst for, what we need protection from, and our desire to rest in green pastures.

It is a song of trust that does not deny there will be dark places. It is a song of eternity that does not deny that we all have enemies.

It is a song of relationality that says what we have with God is real, what we have with God is right, what we have with God is good for our soul.

Psalm 23 is a song that reminds us once again that with God we are worthy of having every good thing, and so is everyone else. Amen and amen.

May God Give You Every Good Thing; John 20:19-31

Rev. George Miller
April 23, 2017
John 20:19-31

This week I’m heading to Grand Rapids, MI. It’s a sort of spiritual pilgrimage, as the 1st church I pastored was located there.

As someone who has lived in numerous states, I’ve noticed there are various geographic-specific traditions.

Michiganders are notorious for their frugality and fondness for windmill cookies.

Ohioans are bananas for buckeyes and Skyline Chili served over spaghetti.

Missourians like hamburgers and hot dogs marinated in BBQ sauce.

Minnesotans keep their butter-dish on the dining room table or in the kitchen cabinet so their butter stays soft and can be served at any time.

Something else Minnesotans do- run their fans, all year long.

Discovered this when I went to college at St. Cloud State. Visited friends in their dorm rooms in the dead of winter. Sure, they had the heat turned up, but they also had an oscillating fan going back and forth.

Makes sense. In the summer the fan keeps things cool. In the winter, when windows are closed up for a long, long time, the fan keeps things fresh- moves the air about, preventing stagnation and stank.

Air. Wind. Breath. All play an important part in today’s reading.

If you recall, back in January we did a sermon series titled “Land of Delight”, using Malachi 3 and the book Grounded In God.

Malachi is the prophet who challenges people to be generous so they can see just how much God is going to pour down an overflowing of blessings.

Malachi 3:12 states “Then all nations will count you happy, for you will be a land of delight…”

Grounded in God talked about experiencing God in the natural world. On January 17 we shared how air, wind, and breath play a role in many religions.

The Buddhists believe that to breathe is to achieve mindfulness and connects us with all living things.

Our scripture tells us that at each stage of creation God breathes new life into the world.

In Genesis, God’s breathe speaks all things into being. In Exodus, a strong east wind parts the Red Sea. In Ezekiel, breath enters into a valley of dry bones so they can live again.

As Diane Butler Bass stated, it is this holy wind of God that animates life, which creates and recreates the world.

It is this holy wind that we encounter in today’s reading as the resurrected Christ breathes upon the disciples to mark the beginning of the church.

In John 20 we have a unique tale, as it seems to consolidate Easter and Pentecost into the same event.

According to John, it’s still the 1st day of the new week. Mary Magdalene saw the stone had been removed, prompting Peter and the beloved disciple to run to the tomb, in which they only saw the linen wrappings.

That night, while the followers of Jesus fearfully gather behind locked doors, Christ appears to them and says “Peace be with you”, not once, but twice.

He breathes upon them and says “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven…”

Air. Wind. Breath.

To breathe is to achieve mindfulness and connects us with all living things.

At each stage of creation God breathes new life into the world- Genesis, Exodus, Ezekiel, and now, John.

It is so elementary, so rudimentary; we almost fail to see how revolutionary this is, this story of how Christ says “Peace”, how Christ says “forgive”, how Christ…exhales.

…let us pause for a moment and think.

John is telling us about Jesus, the Messiah, Son of God. John sees Jesus as the end-all and be-all of every and anything.

There is nothing Jesus cannot do. He has all power, glory, and honor.

Jesus is the Alpha of all alphas, a supernatural Superman who calmly gives direction to his mother while being crucified, and sips wine right before dying.

As John tells it, the priest and Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus for raising Lazarus. Judas betrays him and brings soldiers and police to arrest him.

He is denied by Peter, questioned by Pilate, beaten by representatives of the state, and killed by a foreign government via the means of corporal punishment.

Ridiculed, shamed, lied about, naked, and watching military men divide his clothes.

Jesus undergone an embarrassment of actions, and yet…

…and yet, when the Resurrected Christ appeared to Mary, he said “Go to my brothers…”

Not “Go to the ones who denied me” or “Go to the ones who betrayed me” or “Go to the ones who deserted me.”

But “Go to my brothers,” an expression of family, a statement of love.

Jesus Christ, the Supernatural Superman, the Son of God, comes back, and

-He does no belittle his betrayers.

-He does not damn the disciples for deserting him.

-He does not demand jihad or jail for the Jewish priests or Pharisees.

-He does not say “Ravage, raze, and the ruin the Romans!”

No.

He says “Peace.”

He says “Forgive.”

“Peace be with you” is such a lovely expression. On one hand it can mean “May you be free from worry and full of calm.”

But it can also mean “May God give you every good thing.”

May God give you every good thing…can you imagine any better blessing to breath upon another being?

This sentiment can also be found in Hebrews 13:21 and 2 Corinthians 9:8.

In my opinion, what the Resurrected Christ is doing right here is bringing everything right back to the beginning of the biblical narrative, right back to the books of Genesis and Exodus.

Christ is saying “May God give you a garden growing with goodness; may God place you amongst milk and honey.”

The Resurrected Christ appears amongst very, very frightened folk. He has all the power and authority of all the earth to do whatever he sees fit.

He does not give them a curse. He does not start a war. He does not build a wall. He does not drop the mother of all bombs. He does not have 7 men executed in 11 days.

He says “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

He says “Forgive the sins of any…”

He says “May God give you every good thing.”

If there was anyone, at anytime who coulda, shoulda, woulda lashed out at friends, organized religion, government leaders and foreigners, it was this man who innocently hung on the cross.

Instead, he stepped back into the world, wishing blessings of contentment, blessings of having enough, and blessings of delight.

He is the one we base our faith upon; he is the one our church is built on.

May his breath be our breath as well.

Amen and amen.

All Shook Up, Easter Message; Matthew 28:1-10

Rev. George Miller
April 16, 2017- Easter
Matthew 28:1-10

What a week! And Wednesday was one of those days.

Worried for Silvia’s family in El Salvador as they experience tremors that could signal a major earthquake.

One friend dealing with a horrible event; another friend horribly sick from whatever crud has been going around.

Issues involving Syria, Russia, the US and the UN.

An editorial condemning local pastors for not attending a workshop.

Not to mention all the events and expectations surrounding Easter from Maundy Thursday worship to the community Good Friday service to preparing a potent Easter message.

In other words- life.

So I come home and do what I always do on Wednesday- I clean the house, make a cup of tea. Spend time with God. Take a nap. Write my sermon.

As I’m sipping my tea, I just so happen to open up a book called Moments of Peace for the Morning and turn to where the bookmark is.

It reads “Some days you may feel that no one appreciates the unique pressures you face. And perhaps you are in such an exceptional situation that very few really could. God however knows you intimately and cares about what concerns you.

God knows the hidden thoughts of your heart and can see your circumstances from an all-encompassing viewpoint. He knows how you feel when you are emotionally spent.

Always remember that God understands you very well- even better than you know yourself- and can help you overcome any challenge you face. Take heart today by trusting him.” (page 18, Bethany House, 20003)

On the opposite page were the words of Hebrews 2:14 “We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us.” (CEV)

That reading gave me great peace, and soon I was napping soundly, with my cats on either side of me, one purring, while the other cat groomed itself.

We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us.

Note the words that are used- flesh and blood. That means real. That means human.

To say we are flesh and blood means that we are more than just spirit, we are more than just mind.

It means we are biological beings and are living and experiencing things in a physical world.

Which means that when something hurts our flesh, we hurt. When something affects our blood, we are affected.

Through our body we experience joy, we experience pain. We experience the world around us, we experience one another. We experience the best and the worst there is.

Through our bodies we experience life.

And Jesus, the Son of God, became one of us. Jesus became one of us so that he too could fully know what it is like-

To face pressure.
To deal with exceptional situations.
To care and to experience concerns.
To feel-
-physically
-spiritually
-socially
-emotionally

Jesus, Emmanuel, “God With Us”, became flesh and blood; one of us.

So, when Jesus was betrayed by a close friend, he would have felt the physical and emotional pain one goes through when betrayed.

When Jesus was stripped of his clothes he would have felt the emotional and physical sense of shame as you and I would.

When he endured the crucifixion, as flesh and blood he would have felt the pain, the humility.

The forsakenness that goes beyond the mental and the spiritual and creeps into every sinew, every section of your physical being.

…The depths God went to show just how much we matter, how much we mean to God...

For our Creator to experience our life, even to the point of pain and suffering.

This is what makes part of the resurrection narrative so powerful.

Not only that Jesus would experience the pain of death, but that he would be raised in such a way that says death cannot control, death cannot contain, death cannot consume.

That Jesus is raised, and it is God who raised him up.

But the resurrection doesn’t mean that everything from here on in is going to be perfect.

The resurrection doesn’t mean that suddenly everything is in pastels and the rest of the year will be nothing but pastures of pink and purple posies.

Yes, because of the resurrection we discover that life continues…but it does not mean the tremors decrease.

Let me explain-

Last week we explored Palm Sunday, as told by Matthew the Marketer.

We spoke of how Matthew was a Jew writing for other Jewish people to convince them that Jesus was the Messiah. So he makes Jesus the new Moses. He uses lots of scripture.

And he sure liked to shake things up.

For example, last week when Jesus rode into town, Matthew tells us that the whole city was in turmoil.

The Greek word that Matthew used is more akin to the word “shaken.” So, as Jesus enters Jerusalem, a wave of excitement ripples through the city, shaking it like when the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan or Ohio State won the National Championship.

On the cross, when Jesus cries out and takes his last breathe, Matthew tells us that upon his death the earth shook and stones were split, scaring the centurion and soldiers around him.

Then Matthew tells us that on Easter morning, as a new week dawned, two women came to the tomb, surrounded by guards.

And suddenly another great earthquake occurs, a shaking so great it ushers in the arrival of an angel. This scares the guards so much that they shake too.

And the Good News is shared- “He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.”

Tumult, earthquakes, guards being all shook up- direct results of God With Us.

And one can’t help but to imagine the tremors that continued within the two women as they ran from the tomb, only to experience the presence of the Risen Christ…

Easter has arrived once again, and with the proclamation of the Good News, comes yet another chance to explore just what does this all mean.

What does the resurrection have to say to us, today?

What strikes me is this notion of Jesus entering into our lives and there being tumult, there being earthquakes, that we become all shook up.

As one theologian stated, Easter is not a cheery “good morning” but a startling earthquake.

And though I have never lived through such a natural disaster, and sincerely worry about Silvia’s family, I think of how sometimes “shaking things up” is not such a bad thing.

Think about your own spiritual journey. We each have our own unique path, sharing some similarities.

How many can recall the time in their life in which they really became cognizant of what it meant to have Christ in their lives?

Of that moment in which you realized that Jesus really loved you, and because of Christ you were never truly alone.

That moment of realization is a bit of a shaking up, a tremor of the heart and soul.

Then there comes that time in which something clicks and you realize not only does Jesus love you, but in Christ you are forgiven, in Christ you are redeemed, in Christ you are justified.

That moment becomes another tremor, as it did for Martin Luther; a tremor that caused John Newton to put pen to paper and write “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”

Those tremors continue as we soon come to realize that if we are loved, if we are redeemed, then how do we live, how do me make decisions, how do we interact with one another that reflects these truths?

These tremors grow even more and become more substantial when we realize that how we live, how we think, how we interact with others… can actually affect more than just us, more than just our family.

That our faith in Christ, our experience of the resurrection can actually bring about a new day, can actually change our community, and can actually change the world.

Think of the tremors that the ancestors of our denomination brought about when they staged the original Boston Tea Party, helping to usher in our country’s independence.

Think of the tremors the Congregationalists caused when they spoke out against slavery or participated in the suffragette movement.

Think of the earthquake caused when Christian leaders like MLK dared to dream dreams and stand up for Civil Rights.

Think of the guards of the status quo who were shaken up when the UCC dared to say in 2005 that all people had the right to marriage equality.

Think of the tremors we here at Emmanuel have been able to do by trying our best to welcome all.

Think of the positive ways we have shaken up the lives of those who come to the Shepherd’s Pantry, Diamond Café and Vacation Bible School.

Think of the tremors, the shakes and the seismic shocks that your own experience of the Resurrected Christ has brought to you.

The tremors, the tumult, and the earthquaking-ness of the Good News is not limited to one Easter day or one empty tomb experience, but it reaches out to all aspects of creation.

Yes- some of Easter’s tremors will knock us on our feet; some can scare us,

But hopefully some of Easter’s tremors will inspire us, will give us great joy, will lead us out into the world, and will bring us even closer to God.

Easter morning is not a one-time event. It is an occasion that happens again and again and again and again.

Easter Sunday reminds us that we are people of flesh and blood. That Jesus shook the world when he came here just like us.

That Jesus shook the world through his teachings and healings, eating and being.

And that God forever shook our world, and continues to shake it up through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel.

And that we are all the better because of it.

For that, we can say Amen and amen.

Marketing- Matthew Style, Matthew 21:1-11

Rev. George Miller
April 9, 2017
Matthew 21:1-11

It’s been a busy week for news. On the pop-culture front, there’s the brouhaha about the Pepsi add featuring Kendall Jenner.

The ad features various kinds of people staging a protest, in which everything is solved and everything comes to a positive conclusion when Kendall simply offers a police officer a Pepsi.

Muslims, gays, brown people all cheer and celebrate that through Pepsi all the problems of the world are pacified.

Public uproar was swift and unforgiving, criticizing the ad for diminishing the real issues and struggle people have been protesting about.

There are 2 things I can say about the Pepsi ad- if the product was replaced by the bread and cup of Communion we would have an entire discourse on sacramental theology.

The other comment is this- hate it or like it, Pepsi’s ad was brilliant because it did what marketing is supposed to do- make people aware of what you’re offering.

Sure, people were upset, but Pepsi got a week’s worth of free advertising, news stories, parodies, social media posts and consumer awareness that no amount of polar bears got Coca-Cola.

Pepsi’s ad did what marketing is supposed to do- raise awareness.

Marketing has been around for ages: Lucy doing a commercial for Vitavegameatamin, Hope and Crosby shilling for Lucky Strikes, Marie Antoinette saying “Let them eat cake.”

An example of effective marketing is the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew had a message for the masses- Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

Matthew was a Jew writing for other Jewish people who wanted nothing more than for his peers to realize that Jesus was the right one for them.

If Matthew was alive today he would say that with Jesus you are in “Good hands.”

Matthew would say Jesus “Is the sweet one- uh huh.”

Matthew would say that Jesus is the “best part of waking up.”

Matthew believes that Jesus is the path to salvation, and he will do anything to share that Good News…even if it means finagling things a little bit.

So Matthew takes the story of Jesus and spruces things up a little to get his audiences’ attention.

He finds ways to subconsciously connect Jesus to Moses. So if Moses was a baby in Egypt, Matthew tells us that baby Jesus lived in Egypt.

If Moses received the 10 Commandments on a mountain, then Matthew has Jesus teach the Beatitudes on a mountain.

Matthew combs the scriptures to find verses that he can apply to his story of Jesus.

So if John the Baptist is in the wilderness calling people to repent, Matthew finds a scripture in Isaiah about a voice in the wilderness.

And this is all well and good, and was totally acceptable in his day.

Matthew is doing what he can to get his message across. He truly believes Jesus is the 1 we have all been waiting for. Matthew is marketing the heck out of Jesus, but because he is human, he does have a misstep here and there.

Example- today’s story, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Everyone from common folk to religious leaders to politicians and the military have come to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, the “12 Hours of Sebring” for Religious Types.

The story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem is one of the few stories that is told in every one of the Gospels, but each Gospel writer tells the story differently.

For example, John is the only Gospel that mentions palm branches. Mark includes an interaction with bystanders who worry that the disciples are stealing the colt.

But Matthew, Matthew does something so outrageous. I wonder if anyone even noticed it…

…Matthew has Jesus ride in on not one, but 2 animals. Look at verse 7-

“…they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.”

Say what?

Is Matthew trying to tell us that Jesus rode in on 2 animals at the same time?

How did he do that? Was Jesus so limber he could straddle two animals at the same time?

Does this mean Jesus was bowlegged?

Or, did Jesus ride side saddle, and he rested his feet on the colt, kind of like the foot cushion of a moving sofa?

Or was Jesus really, really cool like that and he just stretched out Cleopatra-style, resting his head on his hand, like “Hey- I’m Jesus- how you doin’?”

Why oh why oh why would Matthew tell us Jesus rode in on 2 animals when Mark, Luke and John do not?

I say it goes back to the marketing.

Matthew wanted to find a way to make sure his telling of Jesus fulfilled the scriptures.

So he found in Zechariah 9:9 a scripture that read-

“…Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

It’s a beautiful piece of writing that uses a poetic art form called parallelism, in which you restate something in a different way to add emphasis.

Zechariah states that the king was riding in on a donkey, then he explains it is a colt- the foal of a donkey.

He is not implying there are 2 animals.

It is akin to me saying “Last night I had the most delicious dinner, a hamburger, a hamburger covered in bacon and blue cheese dressing.”

I’m not saying I had dinner AND a hamburger, I’m simply stating what I had in a way that sounds much more poetic than saying “Yo- I went to the Caddyshack last night.”

Zechariah is simply using poetic license to say that our king will ride in on a donkey.

But Matthew, in his zeal for marketing, slips up, confusing the sentence structure to think the prophecy is saying there is an adult and a baby donkey that the king is riding upon.

So…when Matthew the marketer writes his account of Jesus entering the city, he adds this extra detail as a way to say to his Jewish customer-base “Look how Jesus fulfills the prophecy; see how Jesus is the sweet one we’ve been waiting for all along.”

Which means that if we were to film today’s story as a TV commercial, we’d see the disciples over here, the crowds over there, spreading out their cloaks and cutting branches from the trees, we’d hear them shouting “Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!”

And we’d see Jesus somehow, someway, riding in to town on not one, but two animals.

If that is true, it would’ve been his greatest miracle of all time.

So- what do we do?

Do we throw the whole entirety of the Gospel away because of one possible mistake?

Do we give in to skepticism and question every and all things Matthew says?

Do we blindly accept Matthew’s telling and say “This is the inerrant Word of God free from all errors and questioning it is a sin!”

Do we ignore it away?

Do we find relief in knowing that even a Gospel writer can be a Left Shark and make a simple mistake?

Is our faith strong enough that we can admit that there are instances in the Bible in which we can’t say something is 100% fact, or 100% fiction, but we can say something is 100% truth.

Because I’m not mad at Matthew the Marketer for what he did here. I think Matthew has nothing but the best intentions and what he is saying is this-

#Truth-

Into this holy season, into a time and country ruffled with political leaders, soldiers, military maneuvers,

Into a place filled with turmoil, deplorables, common folk, men, women, innocent children…

…Jesus enters.

Into a Holy Week full of absolute uncertainty, Jesus enters-

Humble.
Unexpected.
In control.
About to shake things up.

Ready to show all of us just how far God’s love will go for the sake of the people and for the sake of the planet.

Who cares if Jesus rides in on one animal or on two?

What Jesus is offering right now is greater than Pepsi. More powerful than Putin. More precise than tomahawk warheads.

Jesus has entered into the city to offer a chance, a chance for us to cleanse our ways, to accept the invitation to attend the Lord’s heavenly banquet.

A chance to know that the greatest thing any of us can ever do is to love the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul and all your mind and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves…

…What will we do?

Will we shout “Hosanna!” or will we shout “Crucify!”?

Will we wave palm branches before the King, or will we strike Jesus with a reed?

Will we live in such a way that we cower in fear, or will we come to the tomb ready to be truly alive?

Amen and amen.