Jesus Re-member Us

Jesus, remember me. Remembering has been on my mind a lot, with the large scale historic events of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the anniversary of JFK's assassination. Closer to here and now, the church secretary, Donna, and I took a 96 year old saint to lunch who lives alone. She loves the Olive Garden. Her regular dining companion and driver died last year. Increasingly she wonders if she is remembered. I’d promised to take her to lunch awhile ago. This was the week. Being remembered brought joy. At the restaurant, the longtime waitress remembered her too which just tickled her. Over lunch we heard it was time to type out her pretzel gift list for the holidays, (on a real typewriter-remember those?), as she remembered being a secretary for 30 years. Dorothy is a positive person but she says, “I think I’m living too long perhaps.” Even so, that bright spot of remembering and reconnecting is one image of “Jesus, remember me” that empowers us and reminds us of the kingdom. Where, as Colossians puts it, Christ is the “one in whom all things hold together.”  If 'remembering' is powerful enough here and now as part of the flock, how much more meaningful is it when remembering happens in the mind and heart of Jesus? As we hear forgiveness spoken even for those who haven't asked for it, who may not even know they need it and the willingness of Jesus to truly see those in his presence, and then see beyond a brokenness. To remember and reconnect.

This is Christ as King, in charge and encompassing it all. We hear of glory and power, but it’s Paradise from one dying on the cross. Of gathering sheep amidst chaos and scattering. Of giving thanks with joy while enduring suffering. Seeing destruction in the world but hearing of the city of God. That too was remembering this week. Proclaiming God in what shakes us. One afternoon, a girl from the Doves Nest showed up grieving the murder of her uncle.

We went to the Chapel, a quiet peaceful place. I asked if she could tell me about him. At first she said it’d been awhile since she’d seen him. But then she remembered, telling of trips to the pool, and his buying the BEST Christmas presents as only an uncle can do. And she began to smile and cry.

It all changed when he was in a car accident, and he lost his memory. He wasn’t who he’d been before. Now even later, he was gone.

In the Chapel is a window, a beautiful window, through which even when the room seems dark, the colors stream in rays that create tiny places of beauty. We sat there in those little scattered but persistent rays.  Looking at the center of the window-Jesus, the shepherd. I asked what she saw in Jesus’ face. “Love…his eyes are love.” And what about that sheep Jesus is holding- what do you see? “That sheep is clean, and well fed, and peaceful. That sheep, pastor did you notice? It’s smiling. That sheep has a smile on its face! That sheep knows it’s got it good.”

Well, if you’ve ever seen a real live sheep, they’re smelly, and dirty, with junk stuck to them. They often make really bad decisions and get pretty banged up. Her uncle experienced that part of being a sheep in the world. Truth is that he became really broken. No longer the man she remembered nor the person God created him to be. Imagine a whole flock of that- that’s pretty much us in the world. It’s no wonder there’s such a contrast between paradise and daily existence. We see a story of failed leadership and scattering, where those who survive simply cannot create a new chapter. And while we want to just race to the hopeful verses, the starkness of our reality must be seen- like that man on the cross who knows what he deserves as far as the world sees it and anything different can only come from the work of God. God doing the opposite.

Gathering, not scattering. Bringing a promised future and a chance to thrive for all. A promise far different from our current world where failures have led to depletion and scattering that has reached “exile” levels. Jesus, remember me. Re-member us. Hold us together with you. It’s not yet here in its fullness. For the simple reason is that our failed leadership continues to contest God’s announced future and in the process continues to scatter and do evil. It makes us want to plead “Thy Kingdom Come!” But here is the promise- it has begun.

While we wait, what is needed is not a race to a greeting card cliché for the day, but remembering words of that new reality in our midst. As we sat in the Chapel, light streaming through the window, and our tears, downstairs you could hear the noisiness of the Doves Nest in full swing, but at the same time notice the peace of Christ. And that is how it is. And we remembered together that Jesus’ promises are true. For her uncle it means that now, he’s no longer broken, or struggling. He’s THAT smiling sheep. Loved, cared for, whole, at peace. That sheep with the smile. God’s power and love are at work. Simply and only because God has both the power and the desire to make it so. For him and for us.

When we are overcome and when we know in our hearts just who we’ve been. We can remember the good news that God’s judgment- God’s assessment of the situation- leads to God’s re-membering. Putting us together again and holding us. Remembering and reconnecting to Christ as God with us and for us. Christ refusing to let the results of “evil doings” be the last word. With us, even when the world around us might seem to be falling apart and unpredictable.

In chaos and in isolation, the voice of God can still be heard, a ray of light found. Jesus as the Lord of all uses his power to gather back, to re-member all things, everywhere. Putting us together and holding us in peace and reconciliation. This is the sign of the kingdom of God in Jesus. "The gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven."

And this is what the faithful remember and praise. It might be a busted up and tattered flock and faith but it’s there. Just like when Jesus was on the cross, surrounded by mourners, followers, family, women and others- there at the cross not quite sure. But they showed up.  As one writer suggests, maybe this is what Luke means when he talks about expecting the Kingdom of God. It’s about the ultimate, but until that ultimate event actually takes place, it’s about being people of the kingdom who show up and remember-

helping, repenting, waiting, and  watching. Learning, supporting, and sometimes just showing up to mourn. But showing up- to look for and pray for the kingdom. Believing that when life seems hard, the world seems dark, or the race feels long, we can hold on to the good promises of God. Made strong and given joyful patience.

Problems may not go away, but we can keep on because…we are not alone. We are remembered and redeemed. Gathered to pray as ever-Jesus, remember me, re-member us in your kingdom. Teach us to pray believing your kingdom can be, and is so, in us. AMEN

Let us pray- Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine IS the kingdom and the power and the glory. Forever and ever. Amen.

(I have to say that Dancing with the Word, Working Preacher, Edge of Enclosure, www.d365.org and Ministry Matters are all really fine sites- please support them in their efforts)

Draw Near

I have been the Good Samaritan, Sam actually. When I was in junior high school, our church youth choir put on a musical about the Good Samaritan entitled “Sam.” And I knew there was only one part for me, I HAD to be Sam. Especially because it was the title role and there was a solo and then I would get my name in the newspaper article and my friends would come to see me and it would be great! Well, when I got the part, I of course needed the right outfit and since we were going for a modern urban look, I went out a got a really great hoodie the first time they were in in the ‘70s. And I made sure my makeup was just right so when I walked out on that stage I would look good. And I would appear caring and then sing my solo in the spotlight. And I WAS good. And thinking how great it was to look good singing about doing good. I thought a lot about that word “Good.” I didn’t think at all about that word “Samaritan.” Or what that meant. And I suspect most of us don’t either. I mean, we don’t have any Samaritans walking down the street here, has anyone seen a Samaritan lately? But by not remembering that word in Jesus’ story we miss out on the depth of the story.

There are lots of ways people interpret this parable. Parables are the stories Jesus uses to demonstrate some greater truth. And many people focus on that word “good” in the Parable of “The Good Samaritan.” But the main thing Jesus is telling us this day is not “do good.” He’s not. The Bible does tell us to do good and to share good- that is very Scriptural and good, but Jesus is not telling the man who asks the question to just do a little good.

Because the story is told in response to a man who thinks he IS good, who knows all the rules. He asks Jesus what God really expects- what do I really have to do. Jesus responds by asking him what Scripture says- and he knows it- Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself. It practically rolls off his tongue. Echoing those words God gives in Deuteronomy to the people that will lead to long life for the people and their ancestors. And apparently the man does not have a question about loving God. His question is about that neighbor part. Who is my neighbor? Loving a God we cannot see might seem easy.

Loving people right in front of us that we can see is something else.

What do I have to do? Who do I really have to love? What will it take? Mind, soul, heart and strength means “all in.” There has to be a limit. This is when Jesus tells the parable. That story of a road that is known to be dangerous, and people known to be sketchy, and the poor so desperate they will rob to survive, and enemies we cannot imagine we have to see, much less think they have anything to give us that we would want. It’s not a pretty picture- but it’s the way that leads to the man in the ditch, and people acting like that’s just the way it is. We want to hear- do a little good , show a little mercy and it’s OK.

Not so. In the larger narrative of the gospel of Luke we keep hearing that the kingdom of God has drawn near. Draw near.

And Jesus challenges all those limits- in that word Samaritan. Drawing near includes enemies. In some parts of the world and in our country, it may be easy to identify large groups of people who would fit our modern day “Samaritan” but I suspect for us here in Reading this day, I could probably ask each of you who that is and get a variety of answers. But we all have a person or group of people who we cannot trust, or don’t understand, those we cannot forgive. Jesus stands all that on its head and says your view of “neighbor” and your heart must be moved. How we see the poor, the unclean, the desperate, the dangerous, the enemy must be moved. This includes how we respond to them and how we see God in them- we have much to learn. And here in our own neighbor-hood the truth is we are not seeing everyone. And we miss out when we don’t see and embrace others truly.

Even our own mission statement, well intentioned, misses the mark. How many of you know it? For those who don’t the key part I want us to hear is that we say we “meet our neighbors at their greatest point of need.” But then what? Are we doing good, showing a little mercy, but then parting still strangers? Are we changed by God in this? And what about our greatest point of need? Do we imagine our neighbors meet us there and have things to offer to us, other places where we will both encounter God?

I have another Good Samaritan story. A man went to a city to do business, and while he was there he was ambushed, beaten, robbed and thrown from a moving car onto a sidewalk and left for dead. Dumped on a bust street, still in his business clothes, though they were now bloodied and tattered because the way we rob someone is to slit all their pockets. But on a street where it is not uncommon to see people in a heap on the sidewalk, he could just be another drunk, or a bum. There he is, a victim of people desperate enough to rob to survive. And other people dressed like him, walk on by as he lays there half dead. But an itinerant street vendor, sees him and crosses over to where he is. The street vendor may or may not have been an immigrant, who may or may not be illegal, he may or may not have been serving questionable food, making money under the table. He may or may not have warrants out for his arrest, and he may or may not have even been religious, much less Christian.  And he had many things to risk. He left his cart- which meant he was missing all those lunch sales that feed him and a family. And his cart could have been robbed. And it could turn out that when the police come they say- this guy is a drunk, but we have your name on a list. Or the people that robbed the man, might have seen the street vendor start to help and come back for him.  And he had no reason to get involved, much less help the man, call authorities and convince them to help.

But changed lives. Because the man laying there half dead was my father. Who is alive today because of that street vendor. And my greatest sadness is that we never learned his name and we could never thank him. Because in the world of important law abiding people, he was too insignificant to be remembered. It’s like he was unseen. Yet it was THIS man who went beyond all the limits to show compassion. And my father is alive because of it. When we keep those we assume have nothing to offer at a distance, we miss out on the life and love God intends for all of us. The story of the Unknown Street Vendor changed my life view.  He lived out love your neighbor as yourself.

When we allow ourselves to be taught anew and open our eyes to the world, Christ teaches us real love and reminds of our real story. We are all helpless, in need in some way, and unable to save ourselves. But we are all given life and a future in Christ, and a place in the kingdom drawn near.

But that life will always feel incomplete when we don’t see our neighbors as we see ourselves, when we don’t draw near. “They” are “us” and we are ALL the ones God saves, and loves, and uses to give and to receive. And this is the neighborhood here- where people we feed share to feed others, where juvenile sex offenders crochet caps for babies in a NICU, where addicts watch this church and where everyday random people tell me they pray for us even though we do not see them here today. It is nothing short of life giving and miraculous and happening in places we’re not looking.

God is calling us to open our eyes to see God at work, and to share compassion and love with all our neighbors in the kingdom. Draw near.