Sermon - 7-14-24

Your Faith Journey - Finding God Through Words, Song and Praise

This past week in our Bible study we looked at the First lesson from Amos and the Gospel lesson from Mark. It took some processing to find some good news in these passages. The people of Israel were not listening to God, not measuring up and they were going into exile. Then we hear what happened to John the Baptist after he had been arrested. He was beheaded.

Would it have been better for me to have chosen other lessons? People are headed into exile and beheading is pretty gruesome. The other interesting thing in our Gospel lesson is that Jesus doesn’t say a word. Mark is finishing a story that he started in his first chapter.

We don’t always like to hear these stories. Many of you may choose not to read or watch stories like this. Unfortunately, it is reality. How many times do we read about the Israelites going into exile? As human beings we have continued this cycle of connecting with God in Jesus Christ and then human nature takes over and God’s definition of mercy and justice begins to fade. From my point of view, I am seeing this continue in our country today.

God’s mercy and justice is not about the I, but the “we”. The ten commandments are about living in relationship with God and each other. It doesn’t mean that individuals are not important, but it does mean that living in community is about making sure our neighbor is taken care of. God’s mercy and justice is not about power and control, but about love and respect for all people.

In our welcoming statement we specifically name age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, marital status, neurodivergent status, faith background, political leanings, or mental, intellectual or physical ability and these are still places where people are discriminated against in churches, families, workplaces and in the community. I believe God’s definition of mercy and justice is for all people regardless of anything in these areas of our lives. There are leaders, companies, foundations and courts who seem to have different ideas than we might on God’s understanding of mercy and justice for all people regardless.

The fact that we have a welcoming statement that states that we are always working on overcoming these prejudices in our congregation, what are we called to do about it outside our doors? When the voices are becoming stronger to take us backwards, we need to be asking ourselves, what is our voice saying? We have these words in our welcoming statement, what is our action and voice saying to support these claims?

Now after reading these lesson today from Amos and Mark, we can easily think that it is easier to stay quiet. We can easily think that it is easier not to rock the boat. Now I don’t think by speaking out we would literally be beheaded, but figuratively this could happen.

Meridian Pride day is coming up on August 10. There are already negative comments on the township website regarding this. We are having an ecumenical worship service at 11:00 am that day at the pavilion across from the farmer’s market. The service will include a lament about LGBTQIA+ people feeling like “other” in churches today. At our planning meeting on Thursday, we decided to request a police presence, just in case.

I believe God is setting a plumb line, as we heard about in Amos this morning, in the midst of the turmoil in our country today. How does Faith Lutheran Church measure up against the plumb line? Amos, shepherd from the southern kingdom, the non-professional prophet has been called by God to the northern kingdom to prophesy. Prophets did not always have good news for the people, they usually were pointing out how God was not happy. In this case Amos was even talking to a different kingdom about how they did not measure up to what God expected. God used the plumb line to point this out.

The priest of Bethel, Amaziah, was offended as he was basically being told that he wasn’t doing his job. Of course, he ran to King Jeroboam saying that Amos was plotting to get rid of him and he’s doing it as an insider. Amaziah told Jeroboam that Amos’ words would destroy the country. Amos was telling the people that Jeroboam would be killed, and the people would go into exile.

Amos’ only come back was that God told him to say these words. As you can imagine, most prophets were not well liked. Not one of the prophets that we read out about in the bible ever became rich or really seemed to have much to live on. It doesn’t mean that they starved, but were never popular.

God said that this was the last straw for the Israelites, but the good news is that even though they went into exile and eventually came out, God never left them. I don’t believe God has ever said that God didn’t love the children God created. There are always times that God is not happy with them.

Amos stepped out courageously believing that he was doing what God called him to do. God chose Amos a common ordinary shepherd to give this message to the Israel people. Just as God chose John the Baptist. Here was a guy who lived out in the wilderness and in today’s world would not fit in very well with church people. God called him to preach repentance and even baptize Jesus. The church leaders didn’t like him as in a sense he was saying that they were not getting God’s message across to the people.

In today’s Gospel lesson we see what happened to this prophet John. He was beheaded. How many of us are signing up to be a prophet? Not all of us are called to do what Amos and John were called to do, but in some respect we are called to be God’s prophets.

Pastors are in a precarious situation as we are called to minister to all people in our congregations even though not everyone may agree on things. What I like to do is ask the questions. I cannot answer them for any of you.

So where does this leave us? First of all, the good news is that God was with the Isarel people, God was with Amos, God was with John the Baptist and his followers. God is with each one of us even when some are called to speak the hard words. Since we have stated that we welcome all people, the only way that all can feel welcome is that we stand up to the injustices against all. By having this welcoming statement, we are called to do our best to live up to God’s definition of mercy and justice for all.

Too often today, it becomes easier to define for ourselves what God’s definition of mercy and justice for all people are, depending on what makes us comfortable. As people of God, as followers of Jesus, sometimes we are called to share what we understand God’s definition of God’s mercy and justice for all is. We will not always be well received.

I believe in the coming months, Faith may be called to be speaking the truth as we understand it. Through this time of transition, we are still called to speak God’s word of truth and love. Sometimes it may sound different than other churches and groups.

We have stated in our welcoming statement what we believe God’s kingdom looks like. This means that we are called to speak for those who are experiencing injustices, for those who are not being heard. Even though this may not be easy, God walks with us, and God’s spirit will give us the words to be the prophets that we are called to be.

Let us pray: God of mercy and injustice, Just as you called Amos and John the Baptist to speak the hard words, sometimes you call us to do it also. It is not something most of us would sign up for. We thank you that even when you call us to do the tough work for you, that you walk beside us and your Spirit will give us the words. We stand ready while holding your hand to be the prophets that you call us to be. Amen