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Sermon - Poking holes in the Darkness – 2-5-17
Grace and Peace – We pause and reflect this morning on the God who calls us each day to be Light and Salt – contemplating what this means for daily living and spiritual connection…Amen.
Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, had a difficult childhood, due to ill health. One night his nurse found him out of bed, his nose pressed against the window. “Come here, child,” she said to him. “You’ll catch your death of cold.” But he wouldn’t budge. As a boy, Robert was intrigued by the work of the old lamplighters who went about with a ladder and a torch, setting the street lights ablaze for the night. So, he was just, mesmerized, watching a lamplighter slowly working his way through the black night, lighting each street light along his route. Pointing to one man, Robert said, “Look at that man! He’s poking holes in the darkness!
On this Fifth Sunday after Epiphany we hear about Light and Salt – in fact Jesus says: “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” Both of these metaphors are powerful images to consider. Light scatters darkness, enlightens individuals with new ideas, light alleviates fear – light brings a New Day - light does so many things. Then there is Salt, which is most often considered for seasoning – the Reader’s digest gives 60 helpful uses of salt beyond seasoning; some include: A pre-shampoo dandruff treatment, a way to eradicate weeds in the cracks of your sidewalks, a way to Clean flowerpots without water, Remove perspiration stains from clothing, Remove lipstick marks from glassware, Revive wrinkled apples, Remove wine from carpet – and even more! ( I never knew Salt was so amazing!
When I was young,” Most of the timeat my uncle’s farm was a mysterious for me, with contraptions and odd looking equipment all around. The unusual became ordinary because of the familiarity of the item, one of those items was at “salt lick” for his cows to use. I never really understood their purpose, nor thought enough about them to question their existence at the time. These big “sugar cube” looking things were scattered throughout the cattle yard on my uncle’s farm and I remember watching the cows go up to lick them, yet not knowing why or what their purpose was beyond some sort of “treat” for the cows. I have since discovered that cows need salt, which is made up of sodium and chloride, and aides in the digestion of their food and prevents dehydration. The “salt licks” also are have a variety of essential trace minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium which are important for lactating cows. Salt and minerals are important for the life and well-being of cows and other animals.
This isn’t a lesson on horticulture, but a reference to our Gospel Reading where Jesus is saying: “You are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world…” (Matthew 5:13a-14a) Both very powerful, especially given the events in this Great Nation in the last two weeks. Heads are spinning, with a sense bewilderment and anxiety about what is happening or why everything is it happening so fast, and with a such fervor and haphazardly, it seems. I want to scream out for everyone tojust pause and take a deep breath, release and relax and contemplate what the purpose and mission is all about – both our new administration and those who are seeking to understand what is happening. Pausing and reflecting can give clarity.
This “cloud of confusion” is hanging out there, looming over the horizon and overshadowing the activities of daily living. For many Hope is harder to see –Hope currently seems to be about survival and faith that somehow things will be ok. The church of Christ – the body of Christ – You and me represent that Hope in this confusing world. We share Light because we are called light and salt – it is our identity and job to poke Holes in those dark places. That is the difference between the Church and our government or any government in the world – Our hope is not dependent on anything or anyone being made “Great” - because God is Great and God is Good – God pokes holes in our dark places giving us flavor to carry on – even when we feel like we have lost all of our seasoning - but you know what? Salt never really loses its saltiness, but it may need another pinch or two for some zest!
I also consideredportions of our Psalm this morning : Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, (remember:fear is translated from the Hebrew verb yare meaning “to fear, to respect, to give reverence” and the Hebrew noun yirah “usually is viewed as a positive quality) who greatly delight in his commandments. 4 They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. 6 For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. 7 They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. 8 Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
One commentator shared this insight: “The psalm makes it clear that we are given material possessions - descendants, wealth, riches, triumph so we can give back to others. God’s gifts are never for us, they’re through us for everybody else. The Lord’s commands are not made for drudgery. They’re how to be happy.” God cannot help but be faithful to us blessings each day and for that we are happy.
Walter Bruggemann, a Biblical life scholar offers “An Alternative Narrative: Practices of Hope.” He identifies three tasks the Western Christian Culture and Church can work at to detach from it's current relationship with the dominate script of white Western exceptionalism - and be transformed into the alternative narrative the Gospel invites us to live into...God they are: hospitality, generosity, and forgiveness. This is the video link of a very relevant presentation by Bruggemann discussing our current day situation, yet connecting it to our history and the history of the world.
He talks about the ways in which our current understandings get caught in “Anxiety of Fear” and that one way of addressing this sort of cultural phenomena in the Church is by “taking a Sabbath” regularly, which I would translate into increased awareness and mindfulness. He suggested a Sabbath experience as something that helps people to pause and reflect regularly without distraction which allows light to punch holes in the darkness of our experience of our own world. The “Anxiety and Fear” seemed to be the major contributors to humanities inability to effectively be the Church. The fear is paralyzing and inhibits the ability of each of us to open up to the light poking through the darkness.
RogerWalsh, in his book; Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind writes: “When you breathe slowly and consciously, the body and then the mind tend to relax, and as they do the fear begins to diminish. You have uncovered an important healing principle discovered centuries ago by meditators and recently by psychologists: you can’t be relaxed and fearful at the same time.” He continues: “Simply bringing conscious awareness to dark states of mind tends to heal them. The conscious mind is a self-healing mind.” Walsh, Roger. Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind (p. 86). Turner Publishing Company. Kindle Edition.
Today we again here what it means to be Disciples – We are to be lamplighters of God, poking holes in the grey and dark spaces of each other’s lives. The Lord has a mysterious way of using our light -- our songs, our words, our joy, our message of salvation -- to penetrate the dark corners of other people's worlds, to bring a message of peace, the good news of salvation. Poke enough holes, and the wall of darkness will come tumbling down and you will hear a choir of angels singing.
Our calling is to be lamplighters, Disciples - bringing to a dark and confusing world the message of light which is found only in Jesus Christ. There is a reason we have candles in our worship setting – to remind us of the light of Christ that comes and goes with us each day. The flame represents the source of our creation, our inner light. Our calling as Christians is to be Lamplighters, poking holes in the darkness and not hiding our light there. By opening up to others, and being light and salt you’ll prompt others to open up with God, the source of Life! Amen