Choose Life! (final sermon)

Deuteronomy 30: 19-20a
Roger Lynn
June 27, 2021
Final Sermon before retirement

(CLICK HERE for the audio for this sermon)

Moses and the Hebrew people stood together at the edge of the Promised Land, looking into a future they could only begin to comprehend. Moses would not be going with them as they took their next steps into the future to which God was calling them. And so he sent them on their way with some final words of encouragement.

This morning we stand together at the edge of the Promised Land, looking into a future which we can only begin to comprehend. And while I do not want to push a comparison with Moses very far, like Moses I will not be going with you as you take your next steps into the future to which God is calling you. I have my own Promised Land to which I am being called. And so, on this occasion, I choose to take my leave of you with the same words of encouragement which Moses spoke all those years ago. Choose Life!

It is Life to which God is calling you – to which God is always and forever calling you – rich, full, abundant Life! And there are opportunities every day, every moment, for each of you individually, and all of you collectively as a congregation, to choose how you will respond to God’s call. Moses spoke of the choice in terms of blessings or curses. He might just as easily have said light and darkness, or abundance and scarcity, or life and death. The truth of the matter is that there is only one reality – Life! Except when we choose to close our eyes and turn away and live as if we are on our own. Then we find ourselves disconnected from that which is most Real. We close ourselves off from the abundant life which is our Sacred birthright. So choose life! Not just once, but in every moment of your living! Choose life, so that you may truly Live!

It is easy for me to offer you these words, because during the almost six years I have been with you I have watched you choose life over and over again. So I’m not really saying anything new. I really do believe that this congregation is standing at the edge of the Promised Land. God is calling you into amazing new life, with a bold and exciting mission – a ministry of witness and service in this community and in the world. And it is a call to which you have already been responding in faithful and powerful ways. My prayer is simply that you will continue to heed the call and respond with your whole heart and soul. You are like the disciples when Jesus sent them out to preach the Good News and heal the sick. They could have hesitated – afraid that they didn’t know enough, didn’t have enough, were not enough. But Jesus cut that argument short with his instructions. He sent them out in pairs and he sent them out empty handed, as if to remind them that they are not alone and it isn’t about the equipment they have. I love the way “The Message” translation puts it. “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment.” (Luke 9:3)

God is sending you out into the world on a mission of proclamation and service. You are called to share the good news that God is right here, right now, in the midst of us! You are called to share that message with your words, with your actions, and most importantly with your very being. It is what you do already. It is who you are already. And your ability to continue living into this mission isn’t about being big enough, or strong enough, or rich enough, or smart enough, or even faithful enough. It is about being daring enough to take the risk of being fully who you are, fully who God created you to be, in partnership with the God who is always right here with you. Don’t worry about what you can’t do. God isn’t calling you because of the gifts you don’t have. God is calling you because of the gifts you do have. And those gifts are abundant. Pay attention to what you can do, what you are called to do, what you are equipped and empowered by God’s ever-present Spirit to do. Pay attention to who you are, because you are a gift of God, and there are people in the world who need exactly what you have to offer.

You have the gift of hospitality – when people walk through your doors they are met with warmth and caring and acceptance. Please trust me when I tell you that such a gift is huge! You truly embody the phrase, “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” You have been blessed with an openness of spirit and a willingness to explore new ideas and understandings. There are willing and capable leaders among you who will continue to help you live into your mission. Just remember that the ministry which happens here is everyone’s responsibility, and that includes each of you. No matter who you call to be your next pastor, the ministry of this congregation is never the exclusive domain of the pastor. It belongs to all of you.

Always remember that you are not alone – you have God, and you have each other. The Sufi poet Hafiz put it this way, “Out of great need we are all holding hands and climbing. Not loving is a letting go. Listen, the terrain around here is far too dangerous for that.” (from “The Gift” translated by Daniel Ladinsky) So remember to hold hands and stick together. And always remember – you are the gift of God that the world needs. Choose Life!

Looking Back – Moving Ahead

Genesis 1: 1 – 2: 3 & Matthew 28: 16-20
Roger Lynn
June 20, 2021

(CLICK HERE for the audio for this sermon)

My ancestors came from Scotland and France and Germany. More recently they came from Colville and Addy and Marble Valley. I don’t really know very much about them, but I do know that they were hard working folks who had a strong sense of family. Who they were and how they lived helped to shape who I am and how I live. One story which I do know about helps to illustrate this fact.

In 1885 a child was born in Lexington, Kentucky. His parents named him Charles. His mother died following the birth of Charles and his twin sister. Upon his father’s death a few years later he went to live with his grandmother, who was a devout Catholic. It was her desire that he grow up to become a Catholic priest. Had he followed through with that plan, you would not be hearing this story – for, you see, he chose instead to marry and become a part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). A generation later, that decision led to the birth of a son, Robert Charles, who went on to become an ordained minister in the Christian Church. That son, in turn, went on to have a son who also carries Charles’ name. I stand before you today as Roger Charles Lynn – literally living a life which was made possible by the choices of those who came before me. I don’t have a strong desire to become a genealogical fanatic – but, it’s helpful to my sense of self if, from time to time, I reflect on the history which brought me to this place.

When I was in Seminary, we were required to take two semesters of Church History. I had never been a big history fan, and Church history sounded to me like a particularly boring variation on an already boring theme. Fortunately for me I was wrong. I had a professor who could make the subject come alive, and I discovered that it was not so much an exercise in studying the dead past as it was one of rediscovering the living present. The Church we know today was shaped and influenced by the events and choices and people we now study in history.

The creation story from the opening chapter of Genesis is included in the Bible precisely to offer us a sense of where we come from. The writer of Genesis made no attempt to provide an historical account of creation. Instead, it offers us a theological perspective. We are told that from the very beginning God has been present and active, working to create and sustain a world in which we might live and thrive. And we are told that our very existence is rooted directly in God, and has been shaped by the very nature of God. It is a story which tells us about God’s desires for our world and for our own lives.

Following his resurrection, Jesus met with his disciples in Galilee. The final words which Matthew records concerning that meeting hold power even after 2,000 years of re-telling. He tells them to go out and do what they had been taught to do. They were to teach what they had learned – the good news of God’s love and grace. Jesus was saying to the disciples – “Look to where you’ve been for the direction to where you are going.” In looking back, they could remember the ways in which Jesus had led them to this point, and thus have confidence that Christ would continue to be with them – even to the end of every journey.

So, what do all of these stories have in common? Why talk about my family tree and seminary requirements and one of the creation stories and Jesus’ parting words to the disciples? I believe what they all have in common is the theme of looking back and moving ahead. It is a sense of where we have come from that has nothing to do with nostalgia. We learn from our past, receive power from our experiences (both personal and collective), and are propelled forward to meet the future with a new sense of vision. Such a formula can be helpful in both our personal lives and our corporate life together as a faith community.

In terms of personal living, Frederick Buechner offers an example of this principle in the first volume of his autobiography - The Sacred Journey. In describing why he chose to undertake such a project, he writes, “My interest in the past is not, I think, primarily nostalgic...Even if it were possible to return to those days, I would never choose to. What quickens my pulse now is the stretch ahead rather than the one behind, and it is mainly for some clue to where I am going that I search through where I have been, for some hint as to who I am becoming or failing to become that I delve into what used to be. I listen back to a time when nothing was much farther from my thoughts than God for an echo of the gutturals and sibilants and vowellessness by which I believe that even then God was addressing me out of my life as God addresses us all. And it is because I believe that, that I think of my life and of the lives of everyone who has ever lived, or will ever live, as not just journeys through time but as sacred journeys.”

What shape has your life taken? How have you come to be where you are today? In the midst of your own sacred journey, where can you discern God’s hand, or God’s voice? What do these experiences say about your life now? What might they say about the direction of your life in the future? These and many other questions are worth asking.

Much the same thing can be done, I think, for our life together as a congregation. As we remember our history and reflect on it, we begin to rediscover the power and the direction by which we can truly be the Church in our community and in our world. It is a history which takes in a great many ups and downs in the lives of a great many people who have met together in Helena, Montana. But it is more than merely a collection of people and events from the past. The rich heritage of history of which we are a part has, in both obvious and subtle ways, shaped and molded this congregation into who you are today. And it is a history which will, if you allow it to do so, propel you into an exciting future.

Whether it is our own individual histories, or the history we share together, may we draw from the past to enhance our future. And whether we look back to the beginning of creation, or the beginning of last week, may we discover the movement of God’s Spirit in our lives and in our world. May we continue to share our stories with each other so that we may continue to make history together. Let us look back and move ahead – with each other and with God.

Once Upon A Time In The World

Genesis 12: 1-9 & Matthew 9: 9-13
Roger Lynn
June 13, 2021

(CLICK HERE for the audio for this sermon)

Once upon a time, there was a man who had been born into very fortunate circumstances. He had a family who cared for, loved, supported, and encouraged him. The land in which he lived was rich with resources and opportunities. And he was free to go where he wanted and do as he pleased. The wonders of the land were beyond telling, and the wonders of the people in the land even more so. Indeed, this land contained all which was needed to live a happy and fulfilling life.

As this man grew up he began to journey around the land, and meet the people, and share in their lives. There were times when he was aware of the beauty and wonder which was all around him. There were times when he was left speechless and silent in awe. There were times when he laughed and times when he cried. And in those moments of awareness, he felt very much alive and excited and in touch with himself and with those around him. In such moments, he also had a sense of Sacred Presence. It was as if he were catching glimpses of a bigger, brighter reality, shining through a hole in the fabric of the moment.

Much of the time, however, the man was not so in tune with the land, the people, or the presence of God – he was not filled with wonder or awe or much of anything beyond the surface of things. He simply forgot, or was too distracted, to pay attention. This blindness to the abundance of life left him with a sense of emptiness. Sometimes he was so distracted that he didn’t even notice the emptiness, but on those occasions when he was aware of the hollow space in his life he sought to discover ways to fill it. He read books and talked to friends and watched how other people went about filling their own emptiness. He tried to find the “proper” way to deal with this need.

Unfortunately, much of what he heard and much of what he saw was more harmful than helpful. He heard from those who spoke as if the emptiness could be filled with gushy, emotional highs. They left the impression that this would and should happen if he were doing it right. But, alas, this didn’t seem to be the way he was put together, and so it did not happen. As a result, he only felt more emptiness and a larger hollow place.

Then, there were those who spoke as if regiment, discipline, and procedure were the proper approach to filling the void. If one would just follow all the proper steps, and keep it up for long enough, then the emptiness would be filled and God’s purpose would become clear. But, again, this proved not to be the way for this particular man, and again discouragement set in.

Eventually, this became a repeating story of distraction and confusion. The emptiness was felt most strongly when he became distracted from what was real in life, and the more he searched for a way to fill the void, the more distracted he became. Soon he was being pulled in so many directions by the varying messages he was hearing that he came to doubt even those things which were real and true.

Then, slowly, two things began to happen which profoundly affected how he went about living his life. The first was that he began to worry less about filling the emptiness. It would be nice to say that great wisdom and insight led him to this decision, but the reality of the situation was far less dramatic and exciting. He simply became tired of worrying – too much energy with too few results. Instead of worrying about living he simply went about the business of living. He continued to journey through the land, and he continued to meet people and share in their lives, but he worried less about discovering what it all meant.

The second thing which began to take place in his life was that occasionally he would meet someone who would share another kind of story about the emptiness and how it might be filled. At first this came only in the form of hints and casual comments. It took a long time before the real message began to sink in, partly because it seemed so simple. Slowly, though, the man began to hear a different voice in the wilderness. It spoke little or not at all about formulas and final solutions and easy to follow plans. Instead what was offered was that the emptiness might be filled as we open up to what is all around and become more aware of the experiences which come in the midst of our living.

Little by little the two things began to work together in the life of this man. As he stopped worrying about how to fill the hole in his life he was far more likely just to live life as it happened. As he began to listen to this new voice which seemed to be speaking to him, he became more and more aware of the times when he did not feel hollow. Slowly he came to realize that the glimpses of wonder and brightness which he had sometimes experienced were in fact the very presence of God which he had been seeking. After all, where else but in the world would God’s presence be experienced? How else but through sharing in the lives of the people would God’s voice be heard?

He still has moments when the emptiness creeps back. Old habits do, indeed, die hard. He still forgets to pay attention to the life around him and instead worries about finding “the proper” response, which will help him “discover” God. But, in the midst of all that distraction, he really is learning to stop and remember to simply breathe in the wonder of the moment. And it is in just such moments when God speaks, God’s presence is felt, and the emptiness becomes at least a little bit less empty.

Promises, Promises

Genesis 18: 1-15 & 21: 1-7
Roger Lynn
June 6, 2021

(CLICK HERE for the audio for this sermon)

God shows up at your home one day – unannounced and unexpected. Appearance and behavior don’t reveal God’s identity, unless you are paying close attention. What do you do? How do you respond? Do you even recognize that it’s God? Such was the situation in which Abraham and his wife Sarah found themselves. And fortunately, they knew how to treat strangers, even when they didn’t recognize the divine presence in their midst. Habits of hospitality led to a positive reception and kind treatment for the visitors.

But that was only the beginning of this particular adventure. You will remember that God had made a covenant with Abraham and Sarah. They were to be the parents of what would become a whole nation of people, chosen and blessed by God. Over the years, that covenant had been put at risk on several occasions, primarily through a lack of trust on the part of would-be parents. They kept trying to take matters into their own hands, rather than trust that God was still in control of the situation. Now it had been many years since the covenant had first been made, and both Abraham and Sarah were quite old and still they were childless. The prospect of them becoming the parents of a great nation seemed remote at best. Such was the background against which the three strangers came to visit. And such was the background out of which these strangers reaffirmed the promise that Sarah would indeed give birth to a son. To say that this promise evoked a skeptical response would be an understatement. Sarah simply laughed at the idea. She would later deny having such doubts, but only because she began to figure out who it was making the promise and she was afraid of offending Yahweh. But the fact remained that she laughed. And in reality, laughter seems to be quite a reasonable response. Two old people, the woman well past menopause, becoming parents for the first time. It is a joke just waiting for a punchline. And as with all good jokes, the punchline turned out to be the last thing you would expect. In responding to Sarah’s doubts, God poses the rhetorical question, “Is anything too wonderful for God?” (Genesis 18:14), and then provided the answer in dramatic fashion. The punchline of this outrageous joke brought the best laughter of all. Sarah laughed with joy at the birth of her son – whom she named Laughter, just to prove that she got the joke.

And so the question comes back to us. What would we do if God came to visit? And more importantly, how would we respond to the sometimes outrageous promises of God? Such questions are far from rhetorical. God comes to visit everyday. It is significant that at his birth Jesus is declared to be “Emmanuel,” which literally translates as “God with us.” And God does, indeed, make some rather outrageous promises for our lives. Some of them are made in general terms, intended for everyone – like abundant life, grace, and ongoing presence. Other promises are more specific and particular – directed at each of us individually. And as with Abraham, such promises are often communicated through some very unexpected sources. Are we watching for God’s presence in the mundane as well as the extraordinary encounters of our living? Are we listening for God’s voice from the lips of family, friends, and even strangers? And are we prepared to risk believing the promises God might be trying to share with us? Such an approach to living is not without its risks. Not everyone we meet is necessarily an agent of the divine. Not every message we hear is necessarily a promise directly from God. Watching and listening for God requires a certain degree of discernment. But to dismiss the possibility outright is to risk cutting ourselves off from much that God has in store for us.

The questions are worth exploring. Where might God be present in my life right now? What might God be trying to say to me? In what new directions might God be trying to lead me? It is because I believe in such possibilities that over the years I have on occasion announced in advance that I would be preaching sermons with titles such as “It Happened At Church Camp” or “It Happened On The Water.” These often occurred following week-long experiences, such as being at Church Camp, or on a sailboat. I trusted that if I pay attention to my life and to what God might be trying to say to me through my life, I will discover something worth sharing. It is not that God is more likely to speak to me while I’m on a sailboat than at other moments of my life. It is just that I am more likely to be listening. Extended periods of the same activity offer a good opportunity to practice what can be a helpful approach for all of our living – watching and listening for the presence and the voice and the promises of God.

The good news in all of this is that we don’t have to get it right the first time. Perfection is not a requirement which must be met before God takes an interest in us. Abraham and Sarah are shining examples of the mistakes which can be made without being shunned by God. God has proved over and over again to be very patient with we human beings – continuing to revisit promises until we are finally prepared to receive them. We can doubt. We can laugh. We can do all manner of unhelpful things. And still we will find God coming to us again, continuing to make outrageous promises for our lives. It is just that paying attention and being prepared to believe the possibility makes it so much easier for us to receive what God has in store for us. What is God saying to you? Are you listening?