From The Pulpit

The texts of Pastor Dave's recent sermons are available here for your reading and comtemplation. We hope these will help you along your spiritual growth. We invite you to hear Pastor Dave preach in person on a Sunday morning at the Brecksville United Church of Christ. We are confident you will find it to be an uplifting, provocative experience.

The complete Orders of Worship for these Sundays are available on the "Sunday Worship" page.

                                 February 19, 2012
                                Believing Is Seeing
                                 [Text - Mark 9:2-9]

                                                          Pastor Dave Shackle

A man walks into his Doctor’s office and says, “Doc, I’ve got a problem, I keep having these strange dreams that I'm a dog!”

“Actually, that’s not all that uncommon,” the doctor replies.

“But sometimes I even envision myself as a dog when I’m awake!”

“Well,” the doctor says, “I’m sure that there’s some logical explanation as to why this is happening. Why don’t you have a seat and we can talk about it.”

“I’d really like to Doc, but I’m not allow to get up on the furniture!”

[Actually, it was Chase who told me that joke.]

This morning I want to talk about visions - what they are, and what they are not. Visions are not hallucinations. Hallucinations are usually caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, which could be a sign of fatigue, mental illness, or substance abuse. Visions also are not fantasies. Fantasies are created when people can’t deal with the real world, so they make up an imaginary world in their mind, as an escape. So, if visions aren’t hallucinations or fantasies, what might they be?  

From a faith perspective, visions are those special moments in life when you or I see a situation, an event, or an individual with an extremely heightened sense of clarity and insight. Visions are those “Ah Ha!” moments, when we are able to see beyond the haze and hindrances of our everyday lives, and become acutely aware of Life’s grander and nobler possibilities. That experience may only last a brief moment, but in that moment, we see something, or someone, from a totally fresh perspective; and a realization of Life’s deeper meaning arises within our consciousness. Perhaps, that is what take place in the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration. 

On that mountaintop, the genuine nature of Jesus as the Christ is momentarily glimpsed by his followers. They begin to understand that he has come to fulfill the ancient Hebrew Law and Prophets, indicated by the images of Moses and Elijah. They also recognize Jesus as the Beloved Child of God, through whom God’s love radiantly shines! And perhaps in that moment, Jesus himself has a renewed clarity of vision and purpose. It is not to stay enshrined upon that Mountaintop [as Peter suggests], but to go back down the mountain - into the midst of humanity - into the valley of loving service and self-giving sacrifice. It’s a path which ultimately leads Jesus to the Cross. Yet even that Cross - that terrible instrument of torture and death - will itself be transfigured, into a sign of Eternal Life and Unshakable Hope!  

I believe that hope is one of the main reasons that people are given visions of Life’s grander and nobler possibilities. During this Black History month, we’re reminded of many courageous African Americans who - though hope and perseverance - overcame tremendous obstacles in pursuit of freedom and equality. Former slaves like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass raised a vision of hope, not only for blacks held in bondage, but for all those who dreamed of a better and nobler America. 100 years later, Martin Luther King would carry that dream forward, with the vision of a world where compassion, unity, and peace would prevail. In spite of bitter opposition, in the face of death itself, King was able to see beyond the way things were, and envision the way things could be. And because of this vision of hope, he was willing to give his all to help make it so.   

To me, the importance of our reflecting upon this fantastic story of Jesus’ Transfiguration, is that it reminds us of the importance of having a vision. In our day-to-day routine, you and I can often find ourselves simply going through the motions. We look at things, but we don’t really see them. We interact with other people, yet we fail to truly connect with them. The Transfiguration of Jesus helps remind us of a deeper reality in Life, and by doing so, can help us look for that deeper meaning within our own lives. It can remind us to look at things, not as they are, but as they could be; and it can inspire us to give our all to help make a positive difference in this world.

The best thing about all this, is that our Divine Source who plants those seeds of hope within us, also works with us and through us to bring about that better world. The Holy One who inspired and empowered Jesus to overcome the forces of fear and hatred, offers us the power and inspiration to do the same. Within each one of us, and throughout this world, there is a Sacred Power and Presence which is always there, though sometimes we just can’t see it. That’s why it’s so important for us to remember and to emulate those people who envisioned Life’s grandest and noblest possibilities

Their “Mountaintop Experiences” can inspire us to look for the deeper value in our own life’s experiences, and in the lives of those around us. They also remind us that every person we encounter, is truly a Beloved Child of God! And when you and I remember that, it will make a difference in the way we relate to one another. It will encourage us to embrace Life’s wonderful diversity, and to live our lives with a renewed vision of openness, compassion and hope. 

For Jesus, for Martin Luther King, for all of God’s beloved children - including you and me - it is that Divine Vision that continually challenges the way we view life, and changes the way we live it. That Vision gives us courage in the face of danger, strength in the midst of trouble, and provides a shining light to guide us through our darkest nights.

Forty-four years ago, on the night before he was killed, Martin Luther King spoke these stirring words of vision and hope - words that are certainly to our world today: 

“The world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land; confusion all around.... But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.... We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.... And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!”

Today, may our eyes also see the glory of the coming of that Divine Realm of compassion and equality, justice and peace. And may that vision inspire us all, to give our all, to help make that dream a reality!

                              February 12, 2012
                          Another Banner Year!
                            [Text - John 17:18-23]

                                                      Pastor Dave Shackle 

1987 was a banner year for United Church of Christ congregations throughout Northern Ohio! That year, the General Synod - the biannual national gathering of the UCC - was held in Cleveland, celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the formation of our denomination - which also took place in Cleveland in 1957. UCC congregations throughout the region were asked to create banners that could be used to commemorate that anniversary, and to brighten up the monolithic and rather drab Cleveland Public Hall.

In response to that request, a group of women from our congregation created the gray and red banner that hangs in our narthex and is pictured on this morning’s bulletin cover. That banner was chosen to be featured on dais of that national gathering. Its design incorporates the symbol found at the center of the United Church of Christ emblem - the “Cross of Victory”. And the words that border that cross - “We Are One” - reflect Christ’s prayer from today’s New Testament reading, “That they may all be one.” - key words on the UCC emblem, and a central theme in United Church of Christ theology.

This is our denomination’s motto, “That they may all be one.” Now, admittedly, it’s not the catchiest motto ever created; in fact, it’s a rather strange motto if we consider it as a denominational slogan. Jesus’ prayer is for the unity of all people, yet we divide into denominations - separate groups with our own particular theologies, labels and mottoes. The prayer of Jesus is that we might know and experience our Oneness; yet our human tendency, is to is to focus on our differences. However, whether we acknowledge it or not, whether we like it or not, each one of us, as God’s own daughter or son, are by our very nature, related to one another.  Regardless of the various walls or barriers we may put up, we are all part of God’s One Family!

In this morning’s reading, Jesus is praying for the realization [the making real] of that Oneness within the Family of Faith. He has just finished the Passover meal with his friends, and is keenly aware that his time on earth, and his time with them, is extremely short. So he prays this deeply heart-felt prayer: “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all  be one.” Jesus knew that his followers were a rag-tag mixture of diverse individuals - fisherman, tax-collectors, even a few religious zealots - a  conglomeration of spiritual seekers and shady sinners. And he also realized that others who would later follow him would be even more diverse in culture and language, background and belief. Therefore, Jesus is concerned that his followers be willing and able to focus on their unity, rather than their differences. 

So much of Jesus’ ministry involved reaching out and healing individuals whose lives were broken; as well as reaching out to specific groups of people who were broken off from the community of faith. He understood the pain that comes from feeling alienated from God, or from other people; therefore, he  prayed, up to the very end, that his followers might be One - that they might experience the joy, strength, wholeness and peace that comes from standing together. And in his prayer, Jesus also expresses another important reason for his desire of this unity: “I ask...that they may all be one...so that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them even as you love me.”

If you and I are sisters and brothers in Christ, children of the same Heavenly Parent, then it is crucial that we display some basic unity of heart and spirit. Otherwise people outside the Church won’t take us, or our faith, very seriously. That doesn’t mean that we will always agree with one another, or get along smoothly [though it’s certainly nice when we do so]. But this prayer of Jesus raises for us a goal and a motto that is fitting for any denomination, any congregation, or any individual who would seek to serve and honor Christ; because the true sign of Christ’s followers isn’t the cross they wear, not even the beliefs they may share - it is the genuine love and care that they show for one another.

Those first Christians certainly faced many challenges in working for unity. They had to figure out what was required to be a part of this new Christian faith. Initially, some felt that it was essential to conform to many of the rules and regulations of the Hebrew faith, including the practice of circumcision, strict dietary laws, and many other revered rituals. However, as more and more gentiles [non-Jews] came to embrace the Good News of Christ, the predominantly Jewish leadership of the Church was willing to let go of their life-long traditions, in order to embrace the new-found freedom of Spirit which Jesus Christ embodies. They came to agree that what truly matters, is a person’s desire to faithfully follow the loving, gracious Way of Jesus Christ.

Fifty-five years ago, in forming the United Church of Christ, members of the Congregational Christian and Evangelical and Reformed Churches also tried to get to the heart of what it means to be a faithful Christian. These words from the UCC Constitution reveal what they perceived was the core component:

“The United Church of Christ acknowledges as its sole Head, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. It acknowledges as kindred in Christ all who share in this confession.”

Isn’t that simply profound! Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church; and all who share in the desire to follow Christ’s lead are our sisters and brothers. And rather than trying to spell-out or legislate precisely what that means, the United Church of Christ Constitution also “affirms the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own....”

Today, like fifty-five years ago, 30 years ago, even 2,000 years ago, the Church is called to prayerfully contemplate and continually evaluate how best to follow the loving, gracious Way of Jesus Christ. This is why I really like our UCC’s newest motto: “God is Still Speaking,” That large comma provides a visual reminder that we serve a God who is still communicating, creating, acting, and reaching-out to all humankind. And perhaps the most amazing thing about this, is that you and I are the instruments through which that Divine Message of compassion and unity is being expressed!

Today, as you and I gather to worship and to celebrate the rich heritage of our faith, let’s take a moment to look at the beautiful signs of our faith on the walls around us. Aren’t the amazing! Now let’s also look around at those beautiful off-the-wall signs of our faith that surround us: him and her, and you and me! A marvelous conglomeration of diverse and unique individuals, who are drawn together as One, by the abundant and overflowing love of God!

A love that unites us, in spite of our differences.

A love that invites us to welcome all people to join us, on this fantastic journey of faith!

February 5, 2012
24:Better Than the T.V. Series

[Text - Mark 1:29-39]

Pastor Dave Shackle

When we think about Jesus’ disciples, we often picture saintly, pious people - people who went around with Jesus, discussing important spiritual issues and discovering profound theological truths. We sometimes forget that those disciples were also ordinary people - people who had jobs and hobbies, dreams and desires, families and friends. For the most part, they were people like you and me - people with ordinary lives, but whose lives became extraordinarily different because of their relationship with Jesus Christ, and with one another. In today’s New Testament reading, we catch a brief glimpse into the personal lives of four of Jesus’ disciples - Andrew and Simon Peter, James and John - two sets of fishermen brothers from Galilee. Our reading doesn’t go into great detail, but we do get a quick 24 hour look into the private lives of these early followers. This morning, I’d like us to use this text to sort of “walk through” those 24 hours, looking at how their lives - like our own - are enriched, whenever we invite Christ to be present among us.

The disciples’ day begins right where we are - at a time and place of worship. For them, it was a Saturday [their Sabbath], and they had just finished worshiping in their home-town synagogue. Jesus had attended that service and caused quite a stir! He taught there with tremendous authority, and he demonstrated that authority by exorcizing an “unclean spirit” - freeing one of the worshipers from a palpable, oppressive spirit. [That should have been the first clue for those disciples, that their day with Jesus was going to be far from ordinary!]  After worship, Peter and Andrew invite Jesus, James and John to come home with them for dinner. I think this is one of those basic things about Jesus’ disciples that we tend to overlook: That they also had families to provide for; meals to prepare; things to do beyond their religious activities. So, if their preacher got too long-winded, they mighty get a little preoccupied, and start thinking about their afternoon activities. [Which, of course, never happens here!]

Those disciples’ worship experience wasn’t unlike our own, though with one tremendous difference: They could literally bring Jesus home with them from worship! However, even though you and I cannot literally invite Jesus home with us, we can certainly welcome the Spirit of Christ which we encounter here, to accompany us throughout the remainder of our day. And when we do this, we discover some of those same blessings that those disciples experienced.

The first thing those disciples do as they welcome Jesus into their home, is to bring to his attention the fact that Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is in bed with a fever. They had just seen Jesus’ compassionate power at work in their own house of worship, so they rightly hope that his presence in their own home will produce a similar display of compassionate grace. And they are not disappointed! “Jesus came to her, took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.”

Now, while you or I may not see such instantaneous results when we welcome the Compassionate Spirit of Christ into our daily lives, I firmly believe that we will see positive results. Simply introducing the love of Christ into our troubled or turbulent family dynamics can release an extremely therapeutic power. Letting our family members or friends who are hurting or struggling know that we are with them, and that God is with them, in and through our positive presence, activates an energy that can raise their spirits and help their healing process. For Peter’s mother-in-law, the compassionate power of Christ’s Presence was immediately felt. In fact, she felt so good that she at once got up to serve them. This demonstrates another benefit that comes whenever we connect with that gracious Spirit of Christ; which is, that it helps us rise above our own personal problems, and become aware of the needs of others. And whenever we are able to take our eyes off of our own troubles, and attend to the concerns of others, we not only help them, we also help ourselves.

The writer of Mark doesn’t tell us everything that took place in that home that Sabbath afternoon. Since it was the day of rest, they probably left the dinner dishes on the table and spent the day talking. There was no Galilee Gazette to read and discuss; no Super Bowl to watch; no reruns of Kiefer Sutherland’s Emmy Award winning television series “24"; but nonetheless I suspect that they still had an extremely fulfilling afternoon! They not only had a chance to  discuss that morning’s dynamic worship service, they even had the preacher of the day right there to answer their questions. Think how cool that would be! I imagine that Jesus’ new disciples had the same kinds of questions you and I have today: questions about God and faith, good and evil, life and death - important questions with no simple answers, but questions well worth discussing. No doubt that afternoon with Jesus went by quickly for those disciples and their families, and it was a truly exceptional time that they would never forget.

When evening came and the sun set, the Sabbath rest period was officially over. Soon people from all over the area gathered around Peter’s house, bringing those who were sick or distressed so that Jesus might heal them. They had heard about his teaching in the synagogue and about his power to heal and set people free. For Peter’s family, it must have been a strangely surreal experience: to see their front yard turned into a combination chapel-infirmary-revival tent. Yet hopefully, their afternoon with Jesus helped prepare them, so that they were not only willing to give up their personal peace and privacy, but were also ready to participate with Jesus in that ministry of healing and restoration - just as our time together in Christ’s presence here, can help prepare you and me to actively participate in Christ’s wider ministry throughout our world.

Apparently, they had a rather long night of it; but when the last person finally went home, Peter and his family could settle down for a well deserved rest - realizing that this Jesus who slept peacefully in their midst, had blessed their home, and their lives, with a genuinely Divine Power and Presence.

The next morning, before sunrise, Jesus went out to an isolated spot to pray. Later that morning, Peter and the others went looking for him. The day had just begun, yet already people from their community had come to the house asking for Jesus. And the disciples wanted to take him back home with them - perhaps to re-capture some of the excitement and magic of that previous day. But Jesus says, “No. Let us move on to the neighboring towns, that I may also proclaim the message there; for this is what I came to do.” Jesus didn’t come to simply bless their home, or to minister only to “their kind” of people; but rather to bring  the message of Divine love and grace to all people, wherever they might be or whoever they might be. And so they did move on, which brings us to the end of that first episode of “24Hours in the Life of Christ’s Followers” - but certainly not the last!

This morning, as you and I come together for worship, Jesus Christ is once again present among us:

As we share his peace with one another;

As we raise our prayers in Christ’s name;

As we contemplate his remarkable life and ministry;

As we share together this Bread and Cup which signifies Christ’s own Life-Force, flowing within us and among us.

Today, the Compassionate Spirit of Christ is with us as we worship and as we walk out these doors! For if you and I are willing, Christ is more than willing to be a part of our lives for the rest of this day, and for the rest of our days. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week - Holidays and Sundays definitely included!

January 29, 2012
And Definitely No Deviled Ham!

[Text - Mark 1:21-28]

Pastor Dave Shackle

In this morning’s New Testament reading, we hear Mark’s account of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. It’s a fairly short text, yet it contains a tremendous amount of information concerning who Jesus is and what his ministry is all about. As we look at this text, I’d like us to think about what it says concerning us and our ministry. If you and I, as the Church, are to be the Living Body of Christ in this world, then it’s important that we look at how Jesus - as the Christ - approaches his ministry, in order to understand how we can go forward with that ministry in our modern times. Now I readily admit, that today’s reading from Mark contains some language and imagery that don’t seem particularly modern; in fact, some of it seems pretty primitive and out-of-date. However, I believe that we can still glean from this ancient text some fresh insights as to how you and I might better understand and take on the spiritual challenges of this 21^st Century.

“Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” One of the critical challenges facing the contemporary Church, has to do with the problem of authority. Long gone are the days when the proclamation of a pope was heeded by a global church. Martin Luther and other reformers helped put an end to that. Today, even many Roman Catholics don’t take the teachings that emanate from Rome as being authoritative or binding. And many Protestant churches also struggle with this issue of authority. In an age when many have felt betrayed by the church or by church leadership, it can be extremely difficult for the church, or any religious institution, to recapture a semblance of genuine authority.

Now, some faith-groups try to reassert their authority by insisting upon a rigid fundamentalism, where certain select scriptures are taken literally, and every teaching is filtered through a narrow interpretation of those key texts. In this way, religious leaders can claim to “speak for God” - even though their message may not reflect the God of grace and love who Jesus Christ came to reveal. Jesus himself ran into this kind of inflexible religious leadership, and he immediately began to challenge it. On that Sabbath in that synagogue, Jesus taught with a remarkable authority, that made people sit up and take notice. And although Mark doesn’t record what Jesus said, we can surmise from his later teachings and from the end result of this visit to that synagogue, that he spoke about the liberating and transforming power of God. His message brought excitement, joy and wonder to the people in that synagogue; and it even brought a back-handed compliment from an oppressive spirit that was present that day. 

“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!” It’s as if this spirit of negativity is trying to subvert or sidetrack Christ’s mission; but Jesus will not be undermined. He rebukes that poisonous presence, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” - making it clear that the time of oppressing God’s children is over! In the person of Jesus Christ, the Healing Power of God is fully present, repelling that toxic spirit from that man and from that synagogue. And then Mark writes that, “All were amazed!”

I really don’t think it’s all that amazing that all were amazed! After all, that was some strange stuff that took place in that little synagogue in Capernaum. And Mark continues, saying that “Immediately, the news about Jesus began to spread!” Well, no wonder - just imagine the conversations that would have taken place around the water-cooler [or watering hole] those next few days:

“I tell you, Levi, you should have been at worship this past weekend.”

“Why, did we have a potluck dinner?”

“Well yes, but we also had a powerfully authentic teaching about the live-changing, liberating love of God, AND the exorcism of a demonic spirit!”

“Really? Well I guess that means no more deviled eggs at our potluck!”

Quite clearly, this was not your typical, every-day worship experience. Nor should it be; though unfortunately there are some people who expect to have some sort of spiritual struggle or dramatic exorcism, every time they gather for worship. There are those religious communities that look for the devil behind every bush and behind every problem; so not surprisingly, they find the devil. However, they are missing the point. Jesus didn’t go into that synagogue looking for the devil, or expecting to find an “unclean spirit.” He went into the synagogue to find and connect with the family of God. He went there to teach about the gracious, life-changing love of God. Yet Jesus wasn’t shocked, nor was he stopped, by encountering an oppressive spirit in a place of worship.

That corrupt spirit says, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” - which is a semi-polite way of saying, “Mind your own business, Jesus! Go back to Nazareth where you belong and leave us alone!”

But Jesus says, “This is where I belong; this is my business! People are my business, and I have come to cast-out the damaging forces of fear and oppression that hold God’s people captive. So be quiet, get out, and stop harassing God’s cherished children!”

Jesus is a man on a mission! He has come to teach and to show that God is Love, and that God desires all people to breathe in that liberating, transforming power of Divine grace. And he is so passionately committed to this mission and message, that he will confront and drive-out any powers or obstacles that would keep us from receiving that Good News; even if those obstacles happen to be found within our own religious institutions.

When Jesus taught in the synagogue, he not only broke the old, stale pattern of dull and lifeless teaching, he also broke the strict religious rules that were being taught. The rules say that you don’t do any work on the Sabbath, even if that “work” involves helping or healing someone in need. But Jesus will not be stopped by that kind of rigid legalism. He has come not only to set individuals free from their personal oppressions, but also to break the chains of those religious or political power-structures that seek to oppress or mistreat anyone. Jesus carries within himself a passionate fire for the dignity of all God’s children; and he refuses to be discouraged or diverted by anyone or anything - not even the entrenched teachings of his own faith tradition.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus gets into a lot of hot water for preforming acts of healing on the Sabbath; for eating and drinking with “sinners and tax collector”; and for challenging a religious system that seeks to exclude certain people as being undesirable or unfit for the Realm of God. Yet even today, there are still some people within Christ’s Church who would seek to deny access to others,  basically saying, “Mind your own business, Jesus of Nazareth! Go back to Nazareth - go back to the First Century and leave us alone, so we can possess and be possessed by our prejudices, and continue to cling to our judgmental spirit of suspicion and fear.” Yet the Loving Spirit of Christ continues to move forward, in spite of our most obstinate human resistance. Even the wood and nails of a cross, and the guarded seal of a tomb, can not stop the undying love of God which is found in Jesus Christ.

“People are my business!” Jesus declares. “All people are my sisters and brothers, whoever they may be. And my love for each of you is so strong that there is no power, in life or death, that can ever separate you from me, or separate us from our One Heavenly Parent.” That is the message that Jesus brings; a message that can inspire our hearts and liberate our lives:

Setting us free from our own prejudices and fears;

Releasing within each of us a sense of compassionate power and authority;

And uniting us all as a loving, caring community - whose primary purpose is to share that Good News with others!

[Sharing good food with each other, is just an added bonus!]

January 22,2012
There’s Something Fishy Here!

[Text - Jonah 1:1-3; 3:1-5, 10]

Pastor Dave Shackle

In this morning’s New Testament reading, we hear about four fishermen who answer the call of Christ and learn how to fish for people - how to cast-forth the Good News, and draw others into a meaningful relationship with God. In today’s Old Testament reading, we hear about one person who resists the call of God; and instead of catching people or fish, gets caught by a huge fish himself. This story of Jonah really is one of those“Big Fish” stories. It’s a tale of high adventure, extreme emotion, and unmistakable Jewish humor and hyperbole. It’s like the story  of the one-armed fisherman who bragged about catching a fish “This big!” Sure, you may groan and you may moan, but you will remember that image! And so it is with the story of Jonah: a larger-than-life caricature of the reluctant prophet - one who goes to extreme lengths to avoid God’s call; yet one who vividly reminds us that the Divine Presence and Calling can never be outrun.

The story of Jonah was written approximately 400 years before Christ, and about 100 years after the  Babylonian Exile, at a time when many of the Hebrew people felt an understandable resentment and mistrust toward other nations. Their nation had been defeated and humiliated by their enemies, and the idea of God caring for any foreigner, was certainly not a popular one. So the author of this parable “hooks” his audience, by beginning with God calling Jonah to go and preach to the corrupt and sin-filled city of Nineveh, and Jonah defiantly sailing-off in the opposite direction. In the minds of those ancient Hebrews, who couldn’t stand the thought of their God caring for those wicked Assyrian “outsiders,” Jonah does exactly what they themselves would do. However, as we learn throughout this story, God isn’t going to let Jonah [or us] off the hook! Our human nature may harbor a unwillingness to forgive others and a desire to wish them ill, but this is not the Nature of God.

You and I certainly don’t have to look too far, in order to find examples of nations or individuals who believe that God is overwhelmingly on their side, or who look down on those people who don’t agree with their particular belief-systems. [Sometimes a simple look in the mirror will suffice!] That’s why this ancient story of Jonah still carries tremendous relevance for today. It reminds us that the Divine Source of All is deeply committed to reaching and rescuing all of God’s children, wherever they may be. You or I may give-up on others, or even give-up on ourselves, but God never does. We may even try to run away from the Holy Presence, but we will discover - as Jonah did - that there’s really no place to hide. 

“The word of the Holy One came to Jonah son of Amitai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it....” God says, “Go East, Jonah!” but Jonah goes to Joppa and buys a ticket for the first ship headed West - as far west as possible, to the city of Tarshish, in the south of Spain, the western edge of the known world.  Jonah wants to flee as far as he can from the place God wants him to be; essentially, Jonah is trying to flee from the very presence of God. 

This is something that you and I realize would be impossible to do. I mean, where could a person hide from the Omnipresent Creator of the Cosmos - in Broadview Heights? We wouldn’t even attempt such a thing...or would we...have we? Have you ever tried to run away from God? Not by sailing away on a ship, but perhaps by trying to avoid God’s call in your own life. I know that I sometimes do that. In fact, I make Jonah look like a rank amateur. I can run away from God without ever leaving home! All I have to do, is disregard what I believe God is calling me to do, and to do something different.

I know that God calls me to live a life of faith and service, but sometimes I choose to ignore that call. I have our own problems and plans, and I don’t necessarily have the time or the desire to worry about all the needs and concerns of others - especially those “others” who are different from me, or who live in far-away places. So I resist God’s claim on my time and resources, and claim them for myself. Sometimes it’s actually easier for those of us who work in the realm of religion to do this.  After all, we already give a lot of ourselves in the service of God and others, so why should God expect us to go that extra mile, or miles? Shouldn’t God be pleased with what I already do? Shouldn’t God have been content that Jonah was willing to be a prophet in Israel? Why insist that he go all the way to Nineveh and preach to those contemptible people who probably won’t listen anyway?

If we aren’t careful, you and I can justify our resistance to God’s call, on a faulty premise. We reason that what we have and what we are, basically belongs to us; therefore God should be happy whenever we give of our time or resources to serve God and others. But we actually have that upside-down. In truth, all that we have, all that we are, comes from the Divine Source of Life; and our Holy Source rightly has a 100% interest in our entire lives. Sure God cares about what we give to the church or to charity, but God is also deeply invested in how we use the rest of our time and resources. God cared about Jonah, not only when Jonah was doing God’s work in Nineveh, but also when Jonah was sailing away from Nineveh. No matter where Jonah went, Jonah was a child of God. And even as Jonah was sitting and bellyaching in that belly of that giant fish, God still heard Jonah’s prayer. Jonah was literally “down in the mouth”, yet God raised him up and rescued him from that deepest darkness.     

“Now the word of the Holy One came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Get up and go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah got up and went to Nineveh” - Nineveh, a city so big, that it took three full days just to walk across it. [And you thought that fish was big!] So Jonah starts walking through the city saying, “Forty more days and Nineveh shall be overthrown! Forty more days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” He grudging did that for an entire day, and then he was done. Of course he had only gone about a third of the way into the city, but that was all he could take of those godless, unclean foreigners.

“O.K. God, I did it; I warned them; I hope you’re happy now. But you know these perverse people will never change their wicked ways.” But lo and behold, they do! All the people [and the animals] put on sackcloth and repent, which of course makes  Jonah absolutely...furious! He didn’t want them to change. They were Ninevites! They would totally deserve it if God sent an earthquake or a flood to wipe them off the face of the earth. But this is not the Nature of God; that’s simply the way of Nature. The Divine Nature, is a way of compassion, forgiveness and extraordinary love and grace. 

Unfortunately, Jonah conveniently forgets how God has just recently saved and rescued him, so he goes to the outskirts of the city to sit and sulk. ‘You might-as-well take me now, God! If you’re going to care for these godless people as much as you care for your own, then I’ll just sit here in the sun and fry like a fish. If you’re not going to rain-down fire and brimstone upon Nineveh, then go ahead and let me wilt-away.’ But just as Jonah is getting all heated-up, God causes a huge plant to suddenly grow up right over him, providing comfort and shade for this pathetic, pouting prophet. Now that’s more like it! At least Jonah is getting a little respect for all his hard work. So Jonah relaxes, and falls peacefully asleep - extremely pleased with his own personal, shade-plant.

However, that’s not the end of the story. The next morning, God “appoints a worm” to attack that plant, so that it withers and dies. Then God “prepares a sultry east wind, and causes the sun to beat down on Jonah’s head” - and Jonah became faint and weak, and he asks that he might die. ‘It’s better this way. My poor, precious shade plant is gone, and I am completely unconsolable!’ Then God says to Jonah, ‘You really got quite attached to that plant, didn’t you?  Your concern for it is quite touching, considering that you yourself did not plant it or make it grow. It sprung up one day and was gone the next, yet you seem to care for it quite a bit. Should I not care about Nineveh, with all of its plants and animals and people?’   

And that’s how the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet, abruptly ends. That’s it! That’s all folks! The author doesn’t even tell us whether Jonah comes to recognize how selfish and hard-hearted he has been, particularly in light of how gracious and generous God has been - not only to the people of Nineveh, but to the people of Israel and to Jonah himself. Does Jonah ever get it? Actually, that’s not the point. Do those who hear this story - do you and I - get it? In the end, that’s all that really matters.    

Are you and I willing to look beyond our labels of politics and nationalities, race and religion, social status and gender bias, to recognize that every human being is precious in the sight of our One Heavenly Parent? Are we willing to make the effort to reach out and help our sisters and brothers who are lost or hurting - whoever they may be or wherever they may be? As this marvelous story of Jonah reminds us, God doesn’t give up on anyone, and neither should you or I. Because, after all, God truly does love us all, this much!

January 15, 2012
But Is Kevin Bacon Kosher?
[Text - John 1:35-46]

Pastor Dave Shackle

Six Degrees of Separation was a 1993 film starring Will Smith, based on a theory introduced in a 1929 short story called Chain-Links. The theory is that anyone on earth can be connected to any other person through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries. In 1967, sociologist Stanley Milgram tested that theory, by randomly selecting people in the mid-West to send packages to a stranger in Massachusetts. The senders knew the recipient’s name, occupation, and general location; and they were instructed to send the package to an acquaintance of theirs who they thought would most likely know the intended receiver. That person would then do the same, until the package was personally delivered to its target recipient. On average it only took between five to seven intermediaries to get each package delivered.

About 20 years ago, when actor Kevin Bacon jokingly claimed that he had worked with everyone in Hollywood, suddenly a new game was born, called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. It’s a game of movie trivia based on the idea that any actor can be linked to Kevin Bacon within six other actors or actresses through their connecting film roles. Now I bring up this trivial game of movie trivia, in part, for the fun of it. But primarily, because this silly game can serve as a serious reminder of the interconnectedness of all human life - an interconnectedness that is extremely relevant to this morning’s readings and theme, as well as to your and my daily lives.

This morning’s New Testament reading offers us a powerful example of how the Good News of Christ often traces interpersonal relations as it spreads and grows among a given community. Our reading begins with John the Baptist pointing two of his own followers toward Jesus: “Behold, the lamb of God!” Jesus then invites these two to “Come and see” where he is staying - to come and observe what he’s all about. These two hang-around with Jesus for less than a day, yet are deeply impressed with him. One of the two, Andrew, then finds his brother Simon and tells him,”We have found the Messiah - we have encountered the real deal!” And Andrew brings Simon to meet Jesus, who has an immediate effect on him - turning him into a new person, with a new name and a new purpose in life. Simon Peter soon finds his own life being completely transformed, because his own brother has introduced him to Jesus. The next day Jesus decides to go to Galilee, the region where Andrew and Simon Peter reside, where he finds Philip, who is no doubt an acquaintance of Andrew and Simon [coming from the same small town]. Philip then finds his friend, Nathanael, who - though skeptical - does agree to meet Jesus, is thoroughly impressed, and joins with those five others to faithfully link-up with Jesus.

Personally, I find the interweaving of those encounters absolutely fascinating! And professionally, I have found that Church growth, and this thing that we call “evangelism”, is most likely to happen when you and I keep our eyes and ears and hearts open to those people whose lives just happen to touch our own. As Martin Luther King wrote, “It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” For King, these were more than mere words; this was a reality that impacted and changed his life, and ultimately, the lives of millions.

Martin Luther King , Junior’s goal early in life was to be a preacher in a large, urban congregation - just like his father. By the age of 18, young Martin was well on his way. In 1947, he became a licensed preacher, to assist his father in pastoring the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. By 1954, at age 25, he had graduated from college and seminary, and was installed as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Martin Luther King's dream to become a successful minister of his own congregation was progressing just as planned; however, on December 5th of 1955, something happened in the city of Montgomery, that would launch a different and nobler dream for Martin Luther King, and for countless others.

Rosa Parks, a seamstress returning home from a long day of work, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. And with her arrest began a boycott of the Montgomery Bus Company, which would last 381 days. Martin Luther King, as president of the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association, became the leader of that boycott - the right person, in the right place, at just the right time! And from that point forward, King became a messenger of the Dream.

The Dream was this: that freedom, equality, and justice might be realized by each and every person, regardless of race, color, or creed. And Martin Luther King envisioned and articulated that dream as well as, or better, than anyone else. In the ensuing years of working toward a peaceful means to end discrimination, the King home was bombed twice, King was stabbed by a would-be assassin, he was often attacked, pelted with rocks, arrested and jailed numerous times. He received countless death threats, and on April 4th, 1968, an assassin's bullet ended the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. One week later, on April 11th, Congress finally passed the 1968 Civil Rights Act.

By recognizing and utilizing the interconnectedness of the Family of God, and the entire Human Family, Martin Luther King was able to help others realize that the struggle for equality wasn’t just for the betterment of Blacks in America, but for all Americans; and that injustice for any means injustice for all. But what might that mean specifically for you and me today? We worship in a location that is overwhelmingly white and predominately middle and upper class. Yet we are also just a few miles from one of the poorest urban centers in the United States - a city which is still pretty well divided along racial lines. Therefore, it is important that you and I continue our efforts to help our neighbors in need - to keep up our benevolent giving, our hunger meals, our food bank contributions, and our Interfaith Hospitality Networking. And perhaps, most importantly, that we continue to put ourselves out there as a church with a radically inclusive welcome - where any and all can feel accepted, included and valued.

For Martin Luther King, one of the most frustrating challenges on the road to equality didn’t come from the overt voices of bigotry and hatred, but rather from the pious voices within the Christian community. King was often criticized by other church leaders for "using the church" to bring about social change. For them, the church's place was to keep the peace - even if that meant keeping the gates of exclusion and oppression firmly locked. Yet King recognized that it is imperative that the Christian community utilize its interconnectedness to champion and channel the message of equality and social justice; that the extended Family of God take the lead in assuring that the intrinsic value of all people be fully realized and respected.

Personally, I find this insight of King’s extremely relevant in the on-going struggle for justice and equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Unfortunately, just as many church leaders misused the scriptures to defend the evils of slavery and racism, many church leaders today lead the attack against equal rights for LGBT people. This is why some gays and lesbians ask me, “Why even bother to stay connected to the Church? Why support an institution that seems committed to attacking our fundamental human dignity?” For me, the answer is simple: We stay, because Jesus Christ invites us, and calls, us to do so! We stay to make a difference!

It is the unifying Love of Christ which beckons us all and connects us all - straight and gay, black and white, male and female, young and old - to join together as the One Family of God. It is the warm and inclusive invitation of Christ that calls us all to actively reach out to others with the welcoming love of God. And it is that extraordinary Love which brings us together as the Body of Christ in this place; inspiring us to be a shining beacon, guiding the way toward acceptance and inclusion for all of God’s children.

As followers of Christ, it is both our privilege and our responsibility to actively invite others to “Come and See!”

To tell and show our friends and families and neighbors about the Divine Love that we experience together in this place.

To use our “Six Degrees of Separation” to raise up our “Sacred Degree of Unification!”

This is how the Good News of Christ spread s and expands and flourishes among us; this is how you and I can faithfully be the Church!