First Lutheran Church

July 24, 2022 – Pentecost 7C

Luke 11:1-4[Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

Sermon

“Teach Us To Pray”

Rev. Greg Ronning

In today’s appointed Gospel, Jesus has just finished praying.  Luke, more than any other of the gospel writers, emphasizes the importance and centrality of Jesus’ prayer life.  Time and time again the disciples have seen Jesus pray. It was part of his daily spiritual practice, it was part of his worship life in the synagogue, it was always a very present practice in important moments, and there were times when he would simply excuse himself, step away into a time of solitude, a time of contemplative prayer for preparation and renewal.  The disciples have witnessed the importance of prayer, the power of prayer, the results of prayer, and so it is on this occasion they ask Jesus, “Lord teach us to pray.”  Jesus responds with what has become known as, “The Lord’s Prayer.” As you may have noticed, in the Gospel of Luke, we get an abbreviated version of this prayer.  The more familiar version, the one we all know so well, the version we use in our worship, is found in the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus begins, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name.”  God is not an old man, looking down on us from the heavens.  God is not a person, not a man, not a woman; God is God, something totally “other.”  Perhaps the apostle John says it best, God is love.”  Yet Jesus encourages us to pray to God as Father, “Our Father,” as a parent who knows us and loves us.  In doing so we are reminded that faith is lived out in relationship.  God is not a strange other, but something very near to us. “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” (1 John 4:16b). Father is not a word that defines God, but rather a word that describes God and our relationship with God.

The father – child relationship can be complicated.  It is true now, and it was true back then.  Luke’s gospel was written for a primarily Greco-Roman audience, one that experienced their fathers very differently than those with a Jewish background.  Fathers in the Greco-Roman culture had complete control over their children and grandchildren until the day they died, imposing their will in all matters of life, - even on occasion, life and death itself.  In today’s text Luke introduces us to a different kind of father; a generous, loving, and attentive father figure. When we pray, we are reminded that our relationship with God is not based on fear but centered in love.  Whatever our experience, whatever our relationship with our father was like, in God we have a loving parent. Ultimately “God is love.”

While Luke begins simply with “Father,” it is worth mentioning that when we pray “The Lord’s Prayer,” we begin, as the prayer in the Gospel of Matthew begins, with “Our Father.”  It’s important to note that “The Lord’s Prayer” begins by placing us in community.  It is not “My Father,” but “Our Father. It is not a prayer written for the individual, but a prayer written for the faith community.  When you pray, it’s comforting to remember that you are not alone, that you belong to a family. In Christ, in with and through baptism, because “God so loved the world,” -we are all the beloved children of God.  Context is everything, when you pray, place yourself in the right context, the place where you belong – the family of God.

Jesus’ teaching on prayer continues, “hallowed be your name. ”In this petition we approach God with a joyful reverence much like Mary does in the Magnificat, “My soul proclaims your greatness O Lord, and my spirit rejoices in Thee.” In doing so, we don’t make the name of God holy, as Martin Luther points out in the catechism, it is already holy.  But in acknowledging God’s holy name we are also committing ourselves to a life that is holy.  Again, we echo the words of Mary, “And Mary said, I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

Which leads us into the next teaching, the next petition, “Your kingdom come. ”This is the really big one, the radical one; we are reminded that prayer is not ultimately about our wants and needs, but about the coming of the kingdom of God.  Don’t get me wrong, God wants and desires to hear our all our needs.  But ultimately our shopping lists of concerns needs to be placed within the context of the kingdom. Seek ye first, the kingdom of God, and its righteousness.  And all these things shall be added unto you, allelu, alleluia.” 

When we pray, we are called to mindful of the kingdom.  In Luke Jesus describes the life and nature of the Kingdom in his first public words, in his sermon in Nazareth, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Prayer involves both speaking and listening, our petitions and the call of the kingdom.  I often discover the answer to my prayers when I am reminded of the values and the vision of God’s kingdom.  I speak and I listen. I listen to the scriptures and that still small voice.  “Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  It has a way putting things into perspective, it helps me make decisions, it calls my life forward with meaning and purpose.  I’m reminded that it’s not all about me, it’s all about the Kingdom of God.

Jesus continues teaching us how to pray, “Give us each day our daily bread.”  I must confess this is usually not my prayer.  My prayer is more like, “Dear Lord, give me all the resources that I might need for the rest of my life.” I hope and pray that I might win the lottery!  Because that would solve all my daily bread issues!  In this petition Jesus is inviting us to step away from fear and scarcity and into the realm of love and abundance.  We are invited to trust God in all things, “like the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.”  We are invited to turn away from a life of worry, and trust in the tender mercies of God.  Theologian Meda Stamper writes, “The prayer recognizes that we do need the essentials, but only enough of them, not dangerous excess. Inherent in the petition, beyond the hope that we will neither worry nor hoard, is a desire to be so fully awake to the day-to-day things of life that we will not miss Jesus’ presence with us by the power of the Spirit, even in the breaking of our bread. ”Praying for “daily bread,” wonderfully and gracefully makes us truly alive in the present moment.

The teaching on prayer continues with another challenging petition, “And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.”  We all know that it is easier to ask God for forgiveness than it is to practice forgiveness with those who have wronged us.  What we often don’t realize, or remember, is that the act of forgiveness is not just a gift we give to others, but perhaps even more significantly, it is a gift of God that we give to ourselves.  When we are able to forgive others, we are able to let go of all the anger, resentment, bitterness, and pain that we hold.  Grasping tightly to these negative emotions and feelings is never a good thing, while letting go of these things can bring about healing and peace .So it is forgiving is a gift to us. 

In addition to that, practicing forgiveness is a powerful way to witness to our faith, proclaim the Gospel, and help usher in the kingdom of God.  It just might be, that in your act of forgiving another, in the act of modeling God’s love and mercy to someone else, others might experience the grace of God in a way that might transform their life.  Forgiveness is a gift, even a gift that God gives to others through us.  Practicing forgiveness is certainly not easy, but it is truly life giving.  In Christ we are forgiven, may we forgive ourselves, may we forgive others; and in doing so, may the grace of God be revealed into the world around us.

Jesus concludes his teaching, “And do not bring us to the time of trial.”  Life is not easy; it is filled with trials and temptations.  In the Gospel of Luke Jesus’s glorious baptism is followed by forty days in the wilderness where he was tested by the devil.  How does Jesus withstand the devil? 

Jesus prays to the “Father. ”He remembers his baptism, that he is beloved, that God is like a generous, gracious, ever present, parent.

Jesus prays, “hallowed be your name.”  With reverence and joy he gives thanks that in the holiness of God he has been made holy, and that into that holiness he too has been called.

Jesus prays, “Your kingdom come.”  He stays focused on the Kingdom, he holds the scriptures that reveal the values and mission of the kingdom in his mind and his heart.  His prayers align him with the kingdom of God.

Jesus prays for “daily bread.”  He is not tempted by scarcity but leans into the abundance of God, he is not tempted to make bread by magic, he is not tempted to hoard, but instead trusts in the one who provides.

Jesus prays to be “forgiven” and seeks to forgive others.  He resists the temptation to be empowered by revenge, the carnal power of this world. He is content with grace and mercy, kindness and humility, the practice of “forgiveness.” 

For Jesus, “The time of trial” is met in the act of prayer, embracing and engaging, “The Lord’s Prayer.” May it be the same for each of us.

In the early church, the followers of Jesus were instructed by the Apostles to pray “The Lord’s Prayer” - three times a day.  That’s probably still a good idea.  May this powerful way of praying, remind us that we are … the Beloved Children of God, … Siblings in Christ, … Made Holy for Holy Work, … Align us with the Coming of the Kingdom and all Righteousness,… Forgiven and Empowered to Forgive Others, … and in all these things, Bold and Faithful - amid all that life has in store for us.  “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

Sermon on Luke 10:38-42

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

Where do you see yourself in this story?

Do you see yourself in Martha?

1.    Tired

2.    Stressed out

3.    Frustrated that no one’s helping her—not even her own sister who “should” be helping her

Do you see yourself in Mary?

1.    Passionate

2.    Fascinated by someone or something when she really “should” be doing something else

Do you see yourself in Jesus?

1.    Stuck in the middle of two other people’s disagreement

2.    Asked to pick a side in a “no-win” situation

Perhaps you’ve been like all three characters at different points.

I love how messy and human this story is. Sometimes people use this story to draw conclusions about learning and contemplating being more important than service. Sometimes people even pit Mary and Martha against each other, villainizing the actions of one or the other.

But all I see are three people acting in very human ways.

·       Martha, stressed out and testy,

·       Mary, focused and oblivious at the same time,

·       Jesus, caught in the middle of an argument he had nothing to do with.

Martha’s doing what’s expected of her. She’s showing hospitality to her guests. She’s doing what she’s supposed to do.

And the expectations of that are becoming too much. She’s stressed out, overworked, and overwhelmed.

So, she does something that I’m sure none of us have ever done when we’re stressed out, overworked, and overwhelmed: she lashes out.

Martha could have calmly pulled her sister aside and asked for her help (which is reasonable to expect—Mary would be expected to help in making the guests feel at home).

But, Martha’s frustration gets the better of her, and she goes to Jesus, instead of Mary, with her complaints.

I wonder if Mary felt embarrassed, being called out like that. After all, it’s true that she “should” have been helping Martha. Hospitality is important, and she was neglecting her guests. I wonder if she was angry at Martha for literally and metaphorically “telling the teacher” on her.

And Jesus is caught in the middle of this understandable dispute. Should one do what one “should” or learn when the opportunity arises?

Jesus invites Martha to join in the learning.

Jesus isn’t saying that hospitality is bad or that Martha is doing the wrong thing.

But he invites her into something better.

He invites her to step away from her distractions, worries, and society’s expectations and become a disciple.

Sometimes even good things get in the way.

Martha’s efforts were good—she was doing what she “should” and being responsible and caring. But it kept her from entering into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

So, Jesus allows her to set down her “shoulds” and spend some time with him.

How often do we let our “shoulds” get in the way of relationships?

The first time I hosted a meeting for my women’s group from church, my “shoulds” took over.

I was in my early twenties and determined to prove myself.

I was going to throw the best wine and cheese party they had ever seen.

I found an article about how to throw a wine and cheese party, and I followed everything to the letter. I bought an embarrassingly large amount of food. There was enough food to feed a high school football team. I bought cheese knives I didn’t need and spent way too long making little name cards for all the cheeses. I spent a ridiculous amount of time obsessing over every detail. I threw my budget out the window and exhausted myself in my efforts to create perfection. And when the meeting actually happened, I didn’t even have that good of a time.

I was doing all of this out of insecurity, not hospitality. I wanted to impress people, get validation, and be the perfect host to hide my vulnerabilities, not so that my guests would feel at home and loved. I was making it about me instead of about them. I was letting the “shoulds” in my head overwhelm the intentions of my heart to give a gift to my guests.

What would it have looked like if I had set down my “shoulds” and been myself?

1.    There might have been moments of connection that I wouldn’t have missed out on because I was so worried about how I was perceived.

2.    My guests might have felt more at home with honest conversation.

3.    We would have had a chance to take our armor off and be real with each other.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with offering hospitality to guests—it’s an important value throughout the Bible, especially when the guests are people marginalized by society.

We read a beautiful story from Genesis today about hospitality. Three divine guests visit Abraham and Sarah, who rush around (not unlike Martha) getting a meal together. Then, the guests announce that Sarah will have a child—a longed-for and unlikelypromise. This story is held up as an exemplar of biblical hospitality, and Martha is often regarded with a sadly shaking head. It’s not hospitality that’s the problem.

Instead of offering hospitality like Abraham and Sarah did, I, and perhaps Martha, was putting my expectations and society’s expectations over the actual needs and desires of my guests. We both missed out on connecting with our guests in a genuine way, because we were bustling about trying to get through all our “shoulds.”

What if we allow ourselves to be messy and human? What blessing might we get in return?

What would it look like for each of us to give up just one “should” today for the chance to deepen our relationships with God and one another?

It might raise some eyebrows.

There is resistance when people go against society’s expectations.

But on the other hand, at what cost are we armoring up, keeping ourselves busy with “good” things we “should” be doing, and refusing to be vulnerable and authentic with the people around us?

Be brave.

Set down just one “should” today. See what happens.

Let yourself learn from those around you and let them see the real you.

That gift won’t be taken away from you.

First Lutheran Church

July 10, 2022

Luke 10:25-37 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Sermon

“Which One Are You”

Rev. Greg Ronning

Back in the day when I had the opportunity to teach or preach on “The Good Samaritan” I would always begin by singing “Which One Are You?” by Paul Clark. It goes something like this …

A certain man from Jerusalem went down to Jericho.
And he fell upon some thieves who beat him and stripped him of his clothes.
They left him lying there half dead on one side of the road.
And he probably was crying out for help; maybe someone was close.

The priest passed by and saw him and walked way on the other side.
Likewise, the Levite did the same, as the man cried.
A Samaritan on his journey came along and found him there.
And he bound his wounds with oil and wine and took him to the inn for care.
The next day, before he departed, he took out two denarii

and gave them to the inn keeper and asked him to take care of him.
Whatever more you spend, when I come back, I'll repay thee.
So I ask you now, my friend, which was the best man of these three?
The reason I sing this song is to make the point on which I stand.
If you say that you're a Christian, would you've stop and help that man?
You see there's a lot of religious talk and theory that you can do.
But just look inside and ask yourself, which of these three are you?

You see there's a lot of religious talk and theory that you can do.
But just look inside and ask yourself, which of these three … are you?

So, which one are you?  That’s the traditional question that we ask when we come upon this text.  Are you the Priest or the Levite?  Or are you the Good Samaritan?  Traditionally we have relegated this parable to a moral story, a story that teaches us how to behave in the world.  The moral of the story is supposed to teach you how to be a better person.  In this case, from this perspective, Jesus is teaching us what it means to be a good neighbor, how to love our neighbor, how to be a good person, how to practice our faith.

And there’s nothing wrong with this approach, however I believe there’s more to the story, I believe that it’s more than just a moral story, more than just a “go and do likewise” story; I believe it just might be a story that has the power to radically transform us!

So how do we get there, how do get past “the moral of the story,” how do enter the story more deeply?  We do so by going back to the traditional question, “Which of these three are you? ”Perhaps you’ve already noticed the flaw in that question, the thing that limits the potential of the parable, the thing that keeps the story from being transformational.  What’s wrong with that question?  (pause) There’s more than three characters in the story, there’s more than three people with which to identify, there’s more than three ways to enter into the story!  There’s a Priest, a Levite, a Samaritan, an Inn Keeper, and the man who “fell into the hands of robbers.”

This morning we will take a closer look at all “five” of the characters found in “The Parable of the Good Samaritan,” seeking to better understand what it means to love our neighbor, and also looking for that thing that might grab hold of us, and if we dare engage and embrace it, transform us. Remember that the parables of Jesus are more than just moral stories, they’re stories that are intended to turn our world upside down for the sake of the kingdom.

Let’s begin with the Priest and the Levite.  We’re pretty familiar with these characters.  They are the religious leaders of the day.  They are on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho most likely on religious business, heading to or from The Temple.  And while their behavior, “passing by on the other side,” is unacceptable, they do have an excuse.  These two are simply observing the Jewish Law, if they were to encounter a dead person, an unclean person, they would be unable to perform their duties as a faith leader.  People waiting for them at the temple or back home at the synagogue were counting on them to be present to perform sacred duties.  They could not risk the possibility of becoming “unclean,” ending up in quarantine, if they stopped and helped the man lying alongside the road.

And we’ve been there, too busy to stop and help someone in need.  We have lots of excuses, some of them are better than others, but we have reasons for “passing by on the other side of the road. ”We can’t just skip over these characters; these characters invite us into the life-giving act confession and repentance.  They expose us to our guilt, and sometimes our guilt goads us into being better people, but guilt does not transform us into a people empowered by faith.

And then there’s the Samaritan.  He’s the surprise hero in the story.  He goes out of his way to help the man lying half dead on the side of the road.  He’s a surprise because he’s a Samaritan.  The Jews of Jesus’ time considered the Samaritans to be their mortal enemies.  We are reminded that they had been enemies for generations.  The people who first heard Jesus’ parable must have been shocked.  This is the first hint that this story has some real power in it, the notion that the one in the story who truly loves his neighbor might be one of those Samaritans.

And so, we try to be a “Good Samaritan.”  For the most part, the cultural identity and original context of the story, is not really that important to us.   What strikes us as important is his actions.  We are attracted to the Good Samaritan because he’s a good person, a good neighbor.  And we like to be recognized for being a good person, we like to be justified by our actions, we want to be a part of “The Good Sam Club.” And all that’s not so bad, but it’s not really transformational.  It’s the same old story, pride and sin, deep down we’d rather “be saved” by our own good works, than rely on grace.

Probably the most overlooked character in the story is the Innkeeper.  But he’s actually pretty important, after all he is the one who spends the most time caring for the man who was beaten.  He is getting paid to do it, but he is willing to do it.

In some ways, for us, the Innkeeper might be the most familiar person in the story.  It reminds me of our Caring Hands ministry.  People donate food, resources, and money to us; and we care for our neighbors in need.  And for those of us on staff here at First Lutheran we are reminded that we get paid to be “Professional Christians.”  It’s our job to lead you, to serve you, to serve with you, to serve our neighbors.  As you probably know, it’s also more than a job for us, it is our passion, but in some ways we are a lot like the “Innkeeper” in today’s parable.

And that leaves us with the last character in the story; the man who is robbed, beaten, and left dying alongside the road.  And as you may have guessed, the person who makes the story transformational.  At first glance it’s kind of hard to enter into the story through this character, thankfully most of us have never been in his dire situation.  By the way, those who have, already know the incredible power of this story.

However, the more I think about this parable I am convinced that this is the person Jesus is inviting us “to be” in the story.  The original audience that heard Jesus tell this story were most likely the average Jewish people of the time.  When Jesus talked about a Priest and a Levite, they knew who those people were, and they knew they were not those people.  And they certainly did not identify with their hated enemies, the Samaritans.  And while there may have been an Innkeeper in the crowd, they were certainly not a whole crowd of Innkeepers.  If you think about it, all the characters in the story are pretty well developed, and “beyond” the listeners.  The only character left for them to identify with - is the man. Someone only described as a man, someone they all could be, thus the someone by which they might enter into the story.  And in this man, rescued by one of those “awful Samaritans,” there is “only” radical transformation.

Imagine what it would be like to be “saved” by your mortal enemy.  Imagine how that might challenge your assumptions and your values.  Imagine how that might drastically challenge and change your world view.  I imagine that it would be like a great earthquake, shaking the very ground upon which you stand. When love comes to us from such an unexpected place, when God comes to us in such a scandalous way, when the kingdom of God is revealed on the other side of our expectations; we can’t help but be transformed.  Suddenly we are challenged to see in the eyes of the other, the stranger, and even the enemy;- the eyes of Christ.  And that changes everything, in every way possible.

So, what might that look like today? Debie Thomas writes, “Think about it this way: Who is the last person on earth you'd ever want to deem "the good guy?"  The last person you'd ever want to ask for a favor — much less owe your life?  Whom do you secretly hope to convert, fix, impress, control, or save — but never, ever need?”

A Ukrainian is robbed, and a Russian saves his life.  A White Supremist is robbed, and an African American saves her life.  A Ram’s fan is robbed, and a 49er fan saves their life. A Democrat is robbed, and a Republican saves his life.  A Republican is robbed, and a Democrat saves her life.

In today’s parable, in the story of “The Good Samaritan” Jesus is inviting us to move beyond our divisions, beyond our history, beyond our prejudices, beyond our political, racial, cultural and economic identities; beyond tribalism - and into a different kind of reality, into the Kingdom of God!  Jesus challenges us to find the divine in the different and totally unexpected places, in places that will lead to transformation, places where all things are being made new.

Today’s parable is more than a moral story, it is a call to be transformed by Christ - in, with and through - the love of neighbor.  It is also a powerful story of grace, a story that opens us up to the presence of God’s grace in places where we would never presume to find it, and perhaps in the very place where we desperately need to experience it. In our troubled world; in a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead; in the places where our life and his life intersect, in the places where our life and his life might intersect in the future; somewhere down the long and difficult road that we all must travel; - we all need as much love and grace as we can get.

Here the good and unforeseen news!  The grace of God, the love of Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit are all around us.  The Kingdom of God is near. May we find ourselves in the vulnerable and difficult parts of the story; may we be humbled and inspired, empowered and strengthened, and set free from all that keeps us estranged and afar; in order that we might experience the transformational power of God’s grace and love and be such grace and love for others.  Amen.