The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany: The Ten Best Ways

In Godly Play, we call them the 10 best ways. It is a desert story, so we get to use the desert box (always a treat - because y’know sand…). The tray holds a small mountain, a basket of people, and a heart shaped box. The story begins with Moses and the people crossing the desert, and coming to a great mountain. The mountain is covered in fire and smoke, and anyone who touches the mountain might die. It is a scary proposition. Moses is the only one to climb the mountain. When he gets to the top a cloud covers him: God comes very close to Moses and Moses comes very close to God. When Moses comes down the mountain, he has a story for the people. It is a story of how to live, of God’s way of life for them. Then, the heart shaped box is opened, like a gift, and the ten best ways are read.

Love God. Love People. God Loves Us.

Don’t serve other gods. Make no idols to worship. 

Be serious when you say my name. Keep the Sabbath holy.

Honor your mother and father. Don’t kill. Don’t break your marriage. 

               Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t even want what others have.

“I know,” the storyteller says, “These are all hard. God did not say these are the ‘ten easy things to do.’ They are the Ten Best Ways to Live…They are hard, perhaps even impossible, but we are supposed to try.”  Then we wonder together: which one of these ways is your favorite; which one is the most important; which one is especially for you; are there any we could leave out and still have all we need? 

The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Pentateuch or Torah: the Jewish written law. Deuteronomy uses Moses’ voice to tell the story of Israel’s sojourn in the desert. The book centers around three speeches from Moses. These speeches tell the history of the people, present and explain The Law, and remind the people of their loyalty to YHWH.   The book ends with Moses’ death; he never enters The Promised Land. These speeches are his last chance to instill God’s covenant into the hearts of God’s people: love and serve God and God’s way will be a blessing to you.

Since then, people have studied and interpreted The Torah. It is a holy book that tells the story of God’s people. It has come to mean many things to many people. It is creation. It is a family story. It is The Covenant. It is The Law. 

And sometimes we overthink things; or, at least, I over think things. And I suppose I imagine that I’m not the only one. I imagine that anyone willing to devote themselves to study of The Law may, on occasion, find themselves “in the weeds.” In other words, they may wonder (as the kids and I sometimes do) what does “be serious when you say my name” really mean? Perhaps Moses knew people well enough to know we would over-think The Law, which is why, in Deuteronomy, he continually reminds the people the heart of the law: Love God; Love People; God Loves Us. For Moses, The Law is best way of life: follow God and you will have life in God. 

I wonder: what defines our way of life? What are our core values? What do we believe makes us the people of God? What do we believe are the ways that lead us to life?

I have a feeling that we might all agree “in theory” about what the best ways are. We might even all agree that The 10 Best Ways are the best ways. And, if we dig a little deeper, really commit to them, in real life, we might find places where we diverge. For example: none of us wants to serve two gods, and sometimes we find ourselves torn between God’s way and our own desires; none of us may want what our neighbors have, until all of a sudden they have something we want. 

There are times when we try to shape the ten best ways into practices that suit our purposes, our way of life. Yet, their intention is to shape us, who we are, and how we live.

The good news is that the choice Moses presents to Israel is not a one-time choice. The Israelites stray from the covenant many times. And they start over many times. They worship Baal, then return to YHWH. They turn from love of God and neighbor, then re-turn to love God and their neighbor. They turn their lives away from God, then they turn back. Again and again, God embraces them, renews the covenant, and starts over with the people. 

Over the last few months, I have watched and listened. I know that we do not all agree: about politics, about righteousness, about justice. I have listened to the scriptures: to Isaiah, Amos, the Apostle Paul, Matthew and John. I have wondered and prayed about what to say and what to do. I am on my own spiritual journey wrestling with the scriptures, in prayer, and working hard to practice my faith. I went to seminary to lead congregations on their journey of faith as they wrestle with the scriptures, pray together, and practice their faith. Sometimes the people I serve want to know what I think or how I feel. Most of the time, the people I serve want me to listen. I believe that all of the time the people I serve want to know who God is, where and how God acts in the world. If you are here on a Sunday morning, if you’ve made the effort, then I’m assuming you’ve come for more than the coffee. Over the last few months, I have watched and listened; and I believe you’ve come to hear the word of God, say your prayers, meet God at this table - and to do all of these things together, as a community.

What I have found to be true, for me, is that the scriptures are a solid ground where I can root myself. When I am searching for Jesus, I turn to the Gospels. When I am grieving or lost, I turn to the Psalms. When I am looking for a way through life, I can go to Job, or Ruth, or Romans, or Deuteronomy. There I find deep reminders about God. In these places, I find Jesus digging deep into the law and demanding I do hard things like forgiveness, faithfulness, and living a life of integrity.  I find Paul reminding us that we belong to God, our Creator, and no one else. I hear the words of Moses: choose life, choose God, choose the ways of God. These words give me hope: they remind me there is a way, a way better than any other way, the best way. If you are searching for a way, I commend to you the stories of our people, God’s people. They will help you find your way.

And the good news is that when we lose our way, we can start again. When idols have more power in our lives than God, we can turn back to God. When we turn from love of God and neighbor, we can re-turn to love God and our neighbor. When we begin to try and shape the practices to suit our needs, we can return to the originals and try again. Again and again, God will embrace us, welcome us home, and start over with us.

The worlds offers us so many different ways. We can be whoever we want, worship whoever we want, live however we want. 

God invites us to live a particular way in the world. It is the way that Loves God. It is the way that Loves People. It is the way of God’s love for us - all of us. It is the hard work of faithfulness (to God and one another). It is the hard work of honoring one another, living with integrity, and being pure of heart. It is the hard work of choosing life, for ourselves and our neighbor. These are God’s ways. They are the best ways. They are not easy ways. God’s way is hard, perhaps even impossible, and we are supposed to try. 

May God give us the courage and strength we need to try - for our sake and for the world.

We have a story to tell (Christmas 2016)

Every birth story begins before any one is actually born. Skipping all the gory details, we all begin before we begin - our parents have a story to tell, whether they want to or not. Jesus’ story begins with his mother - well actually Luke starts with his uncle, Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. Anyone listening to Luke’s Gospel has this story, and of Mary’s visit with Gabriel and later with Elizabeth, in the back of their minds. These stories set the stage for what is to come, for tonight, for the mystery of Christmas. Those stories tell us to be ready for this birth because it changes everything; indeed, it has already changed the lives of Mary, Elizabeth, and Zechariah.

Did you notice that Jesus’ birth, his actual coming into the world, is basic? I’m talking about those first seven verses, the ones the lectionary actually leaves us. Notice there’s no snow, no angels, no animals; there’s not even an innkeeper. (Of course, our imagination has already added them in to the scene.) If we were listening for the first time, we might notice that Joseph and Mary are not married yet; that the child is wrapped like every other newborn, in warm cloths to keep him warm; that he is laid in a manger because they are not sleeping in an inn. And, if we were listening for the first time, we might wonder what is so special about this story. It is a story of humble details, yes, and still it is the story of a child being born - happens every day.

Every time I hear this birth story I wonder about Mary. For obvious reasons, yes, and also because I remember Gabriel’s words to her: …you will bear a son, Gabriel says,…He will be great, son of the most high, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob…and of his kingdom there will be no end… (Luke 1: 28 - 38). Did she wonder, like I do, how can this be? How can this child, this story, tell the story of the son of the Most High, of God?

The writer of Luke tells us in small details and big ones. For example, it is no coincidence that Jesus is born in Bethlehem. The Emperor’s census may demand that Joseph make his way to Bethlehem. And God uses that for God’s purposes. The people of Israel know that their king will come from Bethlehem; the prophets have said this for generations. And it is no coincidence that Joseph descends from David. This ancestry links him (and the child) to the great king of Israel. Pay attention, Luke seems to say, these little details matter. They tell us something has happened in this time and place that fulfills God’s promises.

And then, there are the big details: messengers and a choir of angels. They have more to tell us. Emperors and governors expect amazing things to happen to them. Shepherds expect wolves. These messengers, though, do not go to Rome or fancy palaces. They show up in a field; they visit the shepherds. The Emperor and governor are left alone in their palaces. The announcement of God’s life on earth is given to the humble and lowly: The son of God, the Messiah, has come to you, the angels say, go and see what God is doing for the people. Pay attention, the angels say, God is with you, go and see.

Have you ever seen or held a newborn? I hope so. It’s an amazing thing. There are few words, if any, to describe the experience: tiny lips and small ears? There is a quiet peacefulness occasionally broken by the cry of hunger. It is vulnerable and miraculous: life born again and again in our midst. It is wonderful and astonishing.

I have often wondered about the shepherds. Every year I notice that they are not traveling for the census: they live in those fields. I wonder if they count: in the eyes of the governor, Emperor, or even for themselves. 

And yet, God chooses them. Whoever they are, they are the first to visit the child; the first members of a crowd that will follow Him. They do not see Jesus walk on water, heal the sick, or feed the hungry. They meet a child: tiny lips, small ears, peaceful sleeping broken by the cry of hunger. They are the first witnesses to the mystery of Christmas: the incarnation, the miracle of God in the flesh. 

These shepherds: they expect wolves. Instead, they get a messenger and a choir of angels. They expect to go unnoticed. Instead, God sends them on a journey of their own. They expect to care for their sheep. Instead, they receive Joseph, Mary, and a baby. Nothing is as they expected. Everything has changed. They are the first witnesses of God’s redemption of the world.

If I could have one moment, I would like to see the encounter between the shepherds and Mary: to see the wonder on the shepherds faces; to see Mary’s (or Joseph’s) face as the shepherds tell their story; to hear the shepherds as they head back into the fields. 

How did this change them, all of them? Did Mary and Joseph find comfort in the ways the shepherds affirm God’s promises? Do the shepherds comprehend, even for a moment, that God notices them, cares about them, loves them? How does anyone begin to understand what they have seen and heard?

And here’s the thing: they each only have their part of the story. The shepherds only know what they have seen and heard. Mary and Joseph only know what they have seen and heard. Even Elizabeth and Zechariah only know what they have seen. Perhaps Mary was able to gather this all together, to understand and interpret what God was doing. I’m sure these stories followed Jesus everywhere he went. I imagine his mother (like I do to my children) told him these stories on the anniversary of his birth. Eventually, the stories all come together for us. We, the hearers of Luke’s Gospel, get all the pieces in their places to tell the story of God’s work. We are witnesses to the whole story.

I wonder what it means for you? Is there a moment that is your favorite? Or perhaps a moment that we could leave out, as least far as you’re concerned? Is there something in this story that is just for you? 

The mystery of Christmas is vast and immense. It can be hard to enter. It is a revelation of God and of who we are. How do we begin to understand God’s self wrapped in the package of humanity? And we know this story does not end with a king, at least not a typical king. How do we comprehend God’s life as vulnerable and humble as a baby’s, or even a shepherd’s? Can we imagine that God notices us, cares about us, loves us? 

God’s birth gives life to our lives. God’s humanity gives meaning to our humanity. And our humanity, our lives, gives life to God. Now, God’s love resides and lives in us. Now, we are known to the divine and the divine is known to us. The mystery of the incarnation is God’s self given to us, all of us, through space and time, throughout history. God comes to us and embraces us as we are, God’s very own. It is an invitation to be fully and wholly who God intends us to be. This is the gift God’s life gives to us that we live no longer for our selves. Now, we live as the one God made us to be: lives full of God’s grace, mercy and love.

And now we, like the shepherds and Mary and Joseph and Elizabeth and Zechariah and all the generations that have come before and come after us, we have a story to tell. It is the story of God’s love made real in the flesh, the birth of a child. It is the story of a life lived not for its own sake, for the sake of all creation. It is the story of a son and a king, the Son of the Most High, the glory of God in heaven for all the world to see. It is a story treasure and ponder in our hearts, a story that changes everything.