Doing What We Can

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

When Betty Amsden was an 8 year-old girl she walked into a candy shop not knowing that when she walked out her life would be changed forever. As she tells the story, ‘‘I was kneeling down and driving the man behind the counter mad choosing things - sherberts, liquorice - and I asked the girl behind me what she was getting. She said, ‘Nothing, I haven’t any money’. So I said, ‘Squat down beside me and we’ll get some together’.’’

She describes that moment as the most difficult donation of her life. The money in her pocket was a lot in more than one way. Not only was it money she had earned herself, working hard for it, but it was all the money she had in the world. And now she was giving some of it to a stranger. Which turned out to be okay because, as Betty tells it, ‘‘[That girl] became my greatest friend and we went through life together.’’

I would say the exchange was a fair one;

a donation for a friend.

Today Miss Amsden is considered one of the greatest philanthropists, giving more than $6.5 million to Melbourne’s Art Centre to use towards scholarships, leadership training, and youth programs. She also supports the Australian Ballet School, Polyglot Theatre, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Victorian Opera and Guide Dogs Victoria. But, her support goes far beyond a monetary donation as she believes in being a hands-on participant.

She says. “To me, that’s what philanthropy is about. It doesn’t matter what you give or how much [you give], [just] give of yourself. You must care for other people. It’s taken me 80-odd years to work this out.” She adds, “I just wish I had 20 times the money I have so that I could do 20 times more good.”

Betty Amsden is a living example of what Paul is saying in today’s passage.

In this part of Paul’s 2^nd Letter to the Corinthians he is asking for money. If we read what comes just before this we’ll see that not only is Paul asking for money, but he’s comparing the giving he hopes the church in Corinth will give to the donations already given by the churches in Macedonia.

Within the comparison, however, is a challenge as well. You see, the churches in Corinth were very wealthy. Corinth itself had a good socio-economic make-up with a majority of the people in the middle class, a few poor and fewer rich. But as it is for many communities in that time, the rich held the power.

It’s believed Paul wrote the second letter to the churches in Corinth from Macedonia, which in stark contrast was a poor region. The churches within Macedonia include Thessalonica and Philippi and were among the first churches to be started by Paul. We are told by Paul himself that the area of Macedonia was poor when he writes in this letter that, “the churches of Macedonia suffered a severe ordeal of affliction and extreme poverty.”

This fact, though, did not hinder Macedonia’s giving as we are also told that their churches gave donations to Paul with abundant joy and with a wealth of generosity. As Paul also points out the Macedonian churches voluntarily gave according to their means.

That point, how the churches are giving according to their means, is the focus of today’s passage.

Paul begins today’s passage by praising the Corinthian church. Paul recognizes the hard work they have made in all aspects of church life – faith, knowledge, eagerness to learn and ability to share their belief with others.  I believe that if Paul were around today he would say the same thing about Ewa Community Church.

In the 3 months I’ve been here I’ve been witness to the same things about our church. I have seen how strong your faith is and how passionate you are about our church. I enjoy the questions you ask and your willingness to participate in bible study and other educational discussions. I have sat with some of you as you told me stories about how your own lives have been changed because of this church and your firm grounding in Jesus Christ.

Yes, I truly believe that if Paul was around today he would have nothing but praise for us, just as I do. When people ask me how I’m doing here I always tell them how great the people of Ewa Community Church are and how willing you are to engage in conversation with open minds and hearts.

This, I believe, is the type of church Paul was engaging in this letter. Maybe the only difference between the Corinthian church and ours was the amount of wealth they had. However, unlike our church it would seem that the Corinthian church was unwilling to let go of any of that wealth; hence why Paul compared the Corinthian church to the Macedonian churches.

Paul urges the Corinthians to give according to their abilities, something the Macedonians did. Paul does not say they have to give everything they have, nor does he say they have to give anything at all. His is simply a request that the Corinthian church show their love in the same way other churches have; being sincere in providing for the well-being of those outside their church walls.

This is something we all can do. Individually we may not have a lot. But working together we can provide for the well-being of those outside these walls in a meaningful way. While some of us have the abilities to help with the plumbing, yard work or building maintenance, others of us have the gift of reaching out and calling on those in need of a friend, or bringing someone a meal, or helping run errands. Then there are those of us who have a lifetime of knowledge and wisdom who are more than willing to share in the things they have learned.

We, each of us, have a gift which, when we put them together, can only make our church and our community a better place. And there’s no better feeling than being a witness to these gifts being offered. Because, as Paul also mentions, it is through God’s grace, shown to us by the life examples of Jesus Christ, that we are all to benefit from what is given in the name of love.

For, as Paul reminds us, Jesus had everything, being the son of God, and yet came to live among us with no possessions of his own to claim. He was born poor, lived poor, died poor. While on earth he asked for those who could give to do so for others – if you have an extra coat give one away, if your neighbor asks for bread in the middle of the night wake up and give him some.

Jesus actually lived with people who were considered the outcasts of society – he ate with tax collectors, touched lepers, allowed women to learn from his teachings. And he broke a lot of the laws of his people during his time such as working on the Sabbath.

But what Jesus did, he did because for him to do anything less would be to not show the graces of God. If through his example Jesus could show just one person what it truly meant to have a God who took you into his family, regardless of where you were on life’s journey, then Jesus’ ministry on earth was well worth the sacrifices he made.

As we sit here today we can proclaim that because of Jesus’ example of grace at work, we are all united under one God, as one people. Paul, though, takes this a step further and challenges the Corinthian churches to be just as Christ was – eager to share the loving graces of God. And Paul says to do so in the way they can, according to the gifts they have.

A few years ago I was in Kaka’ako Park as part of our Worship in the Park services. The services included singing, prayers, scripture and a message, just like a Sunday service. The services were held on Thursday nights and would include anywhere between 40 and 60 attendees.

The people who lived in and around Kaka’ako Park included many single men and women, with the oldest person being in their sixties. There were also families in which the children ranged in age from newborns to teenagers. Some people only came for the food, but a vast majority came for the worship.

Three weeks out of the month we served a bag dinner consisting of sandwiches, fruit, chips, cookies or some other sweet snack, and a drink. The last week of each month we served a hot meal, and as you might imagine we usually had more visitors on the nights the hot meal was served.

I particularly remember this one night. It was during the winter, so by the time we served the meal it was cold and dark. The line seemed longer than usual, with close to 100 people in attendance. We usually prepared for 80 people on the nights we served the hot meal, and it looked as though on this night we might fall a little short.

The word went out that we had more people than expected, but we would do our best to be sure everyone in line was served. We usually had enough rice and salad to go around, as well as enough desserts; it was the main course we worried about most.

It was my turn to serve the main course for that night, and if memory serves me it was hamburger stew. I apologized to our guests for not having enough as I put a little less than I normally would have on their plates. However, as much as I apologized I heard twice as many people return with a sincerely grateful “thank you” and “it’s ok’s we’re just glad you’re here.”

As the line lessened it seemed we might just make it to the end and that everyone would be served a hot meal for that night. As the people continued to come through I noticed 2 men who kept looking at me and turning away when my eyes met theirs. It wasn’t one of those creepy looks, but a look that was almost shameful for having to be there.

One of the men was in his late 20’s while the other was much older, maybe in his 60’s. As they got closer I watched the younger man pulling the older man along, gently tugging at his arm as if to say “come along.” I finally caught the younger man’s gaze and flashed him a smile, hopefully one that conveyed the message that he was welcome and so was his friend.

The 2 men finally reached the line and graciously accepted each gift of food that was placed on their plate. We had lots of rice, and the younger man asked if he could have an extra scoop. The older man simply held out his plate to accept whatever was placed there; his eyes never looked up.

They both stood in front of me, waiting to have the hot stew placed on their plate. The younger man looked up, locking his eyes into mine as he voiced one more request; “Could you please give my portion to my friend, he needs it more than I do.”

The older man looked up, his eyes tired, his face sallow, and just as quick as it took him to peek into my eyes he looked away.

I told the younger man I would be happy to and placed an extra portion of hot stew on the older man’s plate, and since I knew we would probably have enough I reached out to give the younger man a portion as well. To my surprise he pulled his plate back and told me that he wanted to give away his portion, and that’s what he did. He added that there were still more people in line and he wanted to be sure they all got something to eat.

He grabbed the older man by the arm and led him to a quiet place on the grass to have their meal.

God’s grace is given freely without expectation of return. Jesus lived his life offering this same kind of grace to those he met on his journeys. Philanthropist Betty Amsden offered grace to those in need without expectation of anything in return. That young man in the park offered grace without expectation of anything in return.

The question to us is how are we going to do the same?  God gives each of us the ability to show grace. We don’t have to give our lives, or large amounts of money, or give up our meal for the night. All we are called to do is offer ourselves to the best of our abilities to make a difference in the lives around us. A difference which will bring peace, hope, and joy to the people God puts in our lives.

God is with us all.  Amen.

Why Are You Afraid?

Note: I'm going to start posting my past Sunday sermons either on Sunday afternoons or Mondays. Here's the first.

Mark 4:35-41

On Wednesday night, just after a small group held bible study and prayers in an historic church in the city of Charleston, a lone gunman opened fire and killed 9 people, including that church’s pastor. One would think that a church, especially one as settled into the community as Mother Emanuel, would be the safest place a group could meet. One would think that within the hallowed walls of a much-loved place of sanctuary fear would cease to exist.

Of course, one would think that about our schools, workplaces and even our homes. After all, it’s in these places we find ourselves away from the crowds, away from the things which crowd our lives with stress, anxieties and trauma. But as recent history has taught us, fear can strike us anywhere and at any time, and those places we once considered safe havens are just as likely to become the place where we feel most crowded in.

In our lives we seek desperately for a place where we can escape the crowds, to get away from those places where we feel as though no matter what we try, no matter what we do, the crowdedness seem to be closing in tighter and tighter. So much so, that there really isn’t a place we can go to just find peace. And, when we think we’ve found that place…

News stories like the killing of 20 innocents in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, the murder of a family in their home in Washington, D.C. and the shootings of 9 faithful Christians and pillars of their community in Charleston, South Carolina invade our televisions and our lives.

Where, then, is Jesus in all of this? How do we overcome the crowds and live without fear that our quiet places will remain?

When I first looked into today’s passage I had a definite direction of where God was leading me and what the message for today would be. In the week and a half I’ve lived with this story from Mark’s Gospel my path has been changed 3 times.

I kept thinking about the circumstances which surrounded Mark’s community. I kept thinking about how at any time their lives would be disrupted because of how Christians were being persecuted by the Roman Empire. I kept thinking of Mark’s feeling of having to immediately bring the teachings of Jesus to his community. I kept wondering what it was like to be a part of Mark’s community; the answer came to me a few days ago.

Their lives were being trapped by the crowdedness, and the places where they found solace were quickly becoming the places that brought fear. To use a metaphor we’ll touch more on later, they were in their safe place when the storms of life blew by.

While looking at today’s passage I noticed something I must have overlooked before either because I’m more familiar with this story from one of the other Gospels, or I simply just overlooked it. We are told, “And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.” Jesus and his disciples travel in more than one boat.

This makes sense. They were fishermen and not rich, therefore the boats they used were made for 3 men, maybe 4. I find this to be an interesting facet in the telling of Mark’s story because of the precise place they found themselves in history: their lives were being disrupted and in order to survive they had to focus on the teachings of the Great Rabbi, Jesus Christ. Just as their people did so many times in their history, they were being oppressed and chased out of their homes to live in the wilderness.

Jesus had to be the focus to this new community of Christ followers just as the Jewish people had to focus on God in the times they were displaced from their lands. And just as the Pharisees and high priests enforced the laws of Moses, the author of Mark needed to center his community into the laws of Christ: to love and honor God, to love all people and to love one’s self.

So, then, Mark begins this story by explaining to us that Jesus needed to escape the crowds, inviting those closest to him to come along. However, they would not travel in the same boat; rather some would go in this boat and others in that boat. Together, though, they would be traveling the same journey, even if by their own paths.

My guess is the disciples felt pretty good about this journey. The sea was calm, they were together, and Jesus was with them. What could go wrong?

The Sea of Galilee sits 680 feet below sea level. It’s a very shallow body of water, with its deepest point between 150 and 200 feet. The hills which surround the lake get up to a height of 2000 feet and are a source of cool, dry air; while the air temperature surrounding the water is warm and semi-tropical.

The result of this geography is that strong winds pick up speed as they go down the cliffs to the sea. Since the Sea of Galilee is small, these winds descend directly to the center of the lake with violent results. When the contrasting air masses meet, a storm can arise quickly and without warning; as can some of the storms in our lives.

Today we have the science which explains how the storm which Jesus and his companions found themselves, but when the Gospel was written the only explanation was that forces beyond human understanding were the cause for such storms. Add to this that people of that time and place believed the depth of the seas to be an entrance into the underworld, and one can understand why the disciples were truly afraid of their circumstance. Yet, Jesus asks them, “Why are you afraid?”

I often wondered why Jesus questioned their fear. By the 4^th chapter of Mark the disciples have seen a lot, at least enough to know that Jesus was capable of keeping them alive. They traveled with friends and surely if something happened, their friends would be there to help them out. Maybe they didn’t have enough trust in their abilities as boatmen, but seeing how their trade was fishing I’m sure they’ve experienced this type of storm before.

After looking into some reasons why they might be afraid, I came across one that actually makes sense: they boarded those boats with the intention of crossing over to the other side. Not just any other side, though; they were going across the sea to enter into the land of the Gentiles – a place they really didn’t want to go. Jesus was asking his followers to leave the comfort of familiarity and go into the land of the unknown.

The other day we watched as Dylan Roof, the Charleston shooter, stood before a judge to hear at what his bond would be set. During the bond hearing, families of the victims were asked if they had anything to say to Roof. Not everyone had something to say, but those who did touched my heart deeply.

My guess is that they were entering into places unknown. I’m sure none of them have ever before faced the person who took away the lives of their loved ones. This was a storm in their lives which had come up quickly, suddenly tossing their lives around. Yet, as each stood and spoke on behalf of their family members, they didn’t call for more guns as a resolution to the violence, they didn’t call for the death of the troubled young man, they didn’t call for an eye to replace the eye which was taken from them.

No, they asked that God show favor on this man and told him he was forgiven. They got in their boats, were taken suddenly by a storm which could have easily thrown them overboard into the depths of darkness, stood tall with Jesus at their side and let hate be defeated with love.

There is a painting by Rembrandt which perfectly portrays today’s story. When you get home I ask you look it up; The Storm on The Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt. When you look at the painting you’ll see there are three boats which are being tossed about by violent waters. Within the boats are Jesus and his disciples, all in various stages of action.

What you’ll find most interesting about the painting, I think, is that Jesus is painted in the shadow of darkness. Most paintings which portray Jesus show him as the light source. He is painted with a ray of light emanating from and surrounding his head, face and body. However, Rembrandt chooses to show Jesus in the shadow of darkness for this painting.

The source of light in The Storm on The Sea of Galilee comes through a break in the storm clouds, and this light does not shine on Jesus. When you look at the painting you’ll see that Jesus is sitting in the back of one of the boats, looking as though he was just awakened from a nap. To his right is a disciple, trying his best to steer a second boat, he is in the darkest place on this painting. The look of fear on his face is also the most expressive of all the disciples.

Jesus is surrounded in his boat by 3 other disciples. Each of these disciples are facing Jesus, pleading with him to do something. These disciples, along with the one behind Jesus who is trying to steer that boat and who shows a look of indifference, are all painted within the same shadow as Jesus.

As the disciples in the painting move further away from Jesus the light which surrounds them brightens. Another thing you’ll notice is as the disciples move further away from Jesus, their attention from his presence lessens. We keep moving away from Jesus and we see that the disciples’ only concern is to keep the boat afloat. Here in the brightest light of the painting we see disciples who have their entire selves being whipped by the dangerous waves of the sea.

In the brightest light of the painting stand the disciples who have jumped into action, the disciples who have decided to become active participants in saving their own lives and the lives of those around them. These are the disciples who understand that the presence of Jesus is always there and that the light of God is what guides them.

As I watched the families of the victims in the Mother Emanuel shooting stand and proclaim God’s love for Dylan Roof, I am absolutely certain they stood firmly in the waves of their storm, with Jesus in their presence, doing what it is God calls all Christians to do: love without exception – even if it means forgiving those who bring pain and suffering through an act of evil.

Frederick Buechner said in a sermon on today’s text, "Go….Go for God's sake, and for your own sake, too, and for the world's sake. Climb into your little tub of a boat and keep going." Buechner then reassures us in that same sermon of Jesus’ unrelenting presence by saying: "Christ sleeps in the deepest selves of all of us, and…in whatever way we can call on him as the fishermen did in their boat to come awake within us and to give us courage, to give us hope, to show us, each one, our way. May he be with us especially when the winds go mad and the waves run wild, as they will for all of us before we're done, so that even in their midst we may find peace, find him"

Sometimes we need to escape the crowdedness of our lives. And when we do the place we escape to may not always be a place of serenity. In a moment’s notice the storms of our lives can overcome those places of peace and quiet. It’s in those times we are reassured that Jesus sits with us, and when we awaken him from the shadows we will have the courage and strength to stand in the light of God as we face those storms head on and feet first. Always remembering we don’t travel those storms alone.

God is always with us.  Amen.