Together

Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 65:17-25

 

        “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified for these things must happen first. Nation will rise against nation; there will be earthquakes, famines, plagues, and great signs from heaven.”

While these are not exactly comforting words from our Lord and Savior,    I will be honest with you. As I pulled myself away from the election results early Wednesday morning I pretty much convinced myself the words of Jesus were about to come true in our life time. This shows both my naivety and political bias. Of course sharing my disappointment with Tuesday’s results surprises none of you.  I ranted and raved until about 8:00 a.m. when I knew I could either hide or take my punishment by going to wood ministry.  On arrival it did not surprise me that some of my fellow workers took particular delight in my despair. Like it or not, that is what guys do. Deciding this was no day for a puny gas driven wood splitter, I picked up my sledge hammer and decided to take out my frustration on some very large pieces of oak. With Paul Bunyan-like blows, and the help of an equally frustrated Democrat, Leslie and I made short work of our helpless foes for the better part of the morning. OK, maybe it was closer to 45 minutes, but for every one of those minutes our weapons of mass destruction rang true to their mark as our adversaries quietly observed the tenacity of our rage. And then it was over. Exhausted I sat down and noticed how much work still needed to be accomplished…………… together.

        I am not sure how exactly the folks who created the lectionary came to decide which text would be linked to one another. I am certain the last thing they had in mind was that these texts from Luke and Isaiah would appear the Sunday after a national election. But here they are. The gospel text reads like the manuscript from a Zombie Apocalypse movie. The Isaiah text sounds, well it sounds like Isaiah, a pie in the sky, rose colored version of what the earth ought to be like. Neither seems very realistic yet both might be the perfect texts for this morning.

        Before 9-11, how many of us really believed something like the destruction of the World Trade Center could happen? I remember visiting the twin towers in the late 1990’s. Their prominence on the skyline of New York averted ones eye from the previously iconic Empire State Building. And yet in a matter of hours they were gone.  When Jesus spoke of the destruction of the Temple few folks took him seriously. This was the Temple. It was the center piece of the great city. It had stood for 500 years, surviving both Greek and Roman invasions. Yet by the time the book of Luke was written, the Temple gone, little more than a memory in the minds of the people reading this gospel. This text shone like a beacon to Luke’s readers warning that unimaginable tragedies would shake the very core of their existence. But then it offered this word of hope, “By your endurance, you will gain your soul.”

        For some of you, endurance came in surviving the last eight years. For others endurance will come as we wonder what the future will bring. The folks receiving Luke’s gospel were not much different than us. To some the destruction of the Temple was devastating. Others did not even realize there had been a temple in Jerusalem. What they did know was in the days to come, it was not their faith in a political system that would sustain them but their faith in a God who continually encourages God’s people to strive for a new heaven and a new earth……………. together.

        If anything this election has proven that we are a divided nation. That does not mean that we need to become a divided community. The strength of this congregation has always been its diversity. While the sign outside declares us to be Presbyterians, it is not the theology of Calvin or Knox or Wesley or Luther or Augustine or even Billy Graham that brings us to this place. It is the love of God and the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

We come, male and female, Republican and Democrat, gay and straight, old and older to this sacred place where holy expectations are placed on each of us.

We come, with varied opinions, varied strengths, varied talents and varied attitudes to this engaging place where the needs of a few have always been as important as the wellbeing of the many.

We come, not just because we like each other, but because we are committed to the welfare of each other. Then together we feed the hungry, care for the young, nurture the old, embrace the forgotten and love the unloved.

Isaiah 65 is of my favorite chapters in the entire Bible. The people of Israel have returned from Babylon after generations of captivity. They come to Jerusalem, a city dismantled and sitting in ruins. To recapture its former glory seems impossible because the captives themselves are disheartened and confused. How do you build without a vision? How do you endure without a dream?

The poet speaks, “God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth. The former shall not be remembered. Be glad in what God is about to do.” We have endured two years of folks from both parties promising what they are going to do. Excuse me if I am a little skeptical but I am old enough to remember a lot of elections, and a lot of promises, and a lot of promises forgotten once the election was over. So what does God promise in the 65^th chapter of Isaiah?

One – Children will be cared for.

Two – The elderly will be celebrated.

Three – People will have houses to live in.

Four – People will pick fruit from their own garden.

By golly, that just begins to describe what we do. Every week we gather food to insure children will not go hungry over the weekend. Every week we visit the elderly and care for those suffering from dementia. Every week we heat homes so home owners can afford other necessary commodities. Every week we plan new ways to assist folks who want to grow their own fruits and celebrate their own lives. Every week we concentrate, not on yesterday, not on tomorrow but on today. One day at a time, one person at a time, one step at a time we are bring about God’s vision………..together.

Legend has it when Martin Luther was asked what he would do if he knew the world was coming to an end. He responded, “If tomorrow is the Day of Judgment than today I want to plant an apple tree.”

Might I suggest, whether you believe the Apocalypse is upon us, or the veil of darkness has finally been lifted, we go out and plant an apple tree…………………together.

To God be the glory.       Amen.