The Job Description has not changed. If anything, the work in front of us has become all the more clear. As people of faith, we want to be a positive force in the world. And we have opportunities all around us to be bold, welcoming and fearless in how we practice and live out our faith.
We have a lot to talk about this week, don’t we? This crazy year with so much unrest and anxiety – became that much more unpredictable this week. Who we are as a country, as a people is being reexamined and perhaps redefined.
It feels like a very fluid situation in many respects. And with that uncertainty comes fear – anxiety – pain resurfaces – accusations are made – civility is long gone – lines are drawn and we lose track of who we are and even whose we are.
In these last weeks we have been reflecting on “Fearless Generosity” as our stewardship theme. How fitting, in these days, to encourage one another to be fearless in our living, serving, investing, and giving. At the heart of our ability to be fearless in all of those things is trust. That is the one word that has come up over and over throughout – Trust.
Trust and faith go hand in hand – you truly can’t have one without the other. When we are fearless in our giving and in our generosity, we are making a strong statement about our trust and about our faith in God’s provision and presence.
In today’s scripture reading Jesus holds up for us the example of the poor widow who in her generosity – exhibits great trust and faith in God.
Those brief verses again:
Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)
This brief episode and teachable moment for Jesus’ disciples is as much about living as it is about giving. In the chapter prior to this one, Jesus expresses concern for all those so-called people of faith who make a great show of it, but when it comes down to it are all about themselves and not about joining God’s work in the world.
So, when Jesus and his disciples witness the generosity of the widow – her trust and commitment is inspiring – her fearlessness calls them and us forward in our own practice of faith.
In so much of Jesus’ teaching he cuts through all the stuff that can distract – cuts right to the core of how we are to live – and so important for us today — Jesus calls us back again to new ways of navigating life as people of faith.
We see this so succinctly in Jesus’ response to the lawyer who asked him:
“Which commandment is the most important of all?” (Mark 12:28)
Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
Jesus calls us back – Jesus reminds us of what is important – what our “job” is, if you will.
On Monday night, I shared the message at the Election Eve prayer service held at St. Giles. At the core of that message is this: For us as people of faith, as followers of Jesus, as sharers of grace and peace – our work did not change on Tuesday night as a result of the elections. Our work was the same last week, as it is this week, as it will be in the weeks to come. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves.
If anything this week, the depth of pain and anger and disillusionment on all sides and in so many places has brought clarity to the profound need that exists for us to renew our efforts and grow in our commitments to the work that God has given.
And so, we will keep feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, working for peace and justice in our homes, in our communities, in our world. We will visit the sick and the lonely and the incarcerated – we will pray for healing and wholeness. We will be agents of grace and mercy and compassion. We will speak for those who have no voice. We will encourage those that need support and a word of friendship.
This week through the Northbrook clergy association, we gathered people at the Islamic Cultural Center to offer signs of support for our Muslim neighbors as they came together for their Friday prayers.
It was a group of about 45 people from Gloria Dei and the Methodist and Episcopal Churches, as well as from Techny Towers, Temple Beth-El and the Baha’i Community.
It was pretty awesome. Awesome in the effect it had on the people we greeted as they came to the Mosque for prayers. Awesome in the effect it had on us to feel like we were actually doing something positive, to see what a difference a smile and a warm greeting can make. One young man even stopped and asked if he could video record the group to share with people overseas – to show his family and friends that there are non-Muslim-Americans who are welcoming and open.
As people of faith, we want to be a positive force in the world. And we have opportunities all around us to be bold, welcoming and fearless in how we practice and live out our faith.
This has not changed from last week, to this week, or to all the weeks to come.
As weary as we all may be of the rhetoric and the lack of civility that seemingly surrounds us, we are not without hope. And that hope comes from God – God who is looking for partners in caring for this world.
It is that same hope that we share each time we make a difference in the life of another. It is that same hope that we are reminded of each time we gather at the table to receive the Lord’s supper. It is that same hope that drives us to reach out and be fearless in sharing our gifts.
It is at this table that we are reminded of the real power in this world —the power to save, to transform, to change— all of it ultimately rests not in political parties or presidents or protests but in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
We’ll remember freedom — true freedom — is given by God and is indeed not free. It comes with a cost and it looks like a cross.
And so today, as we respond to God’s generosity with our gratitude – as we make our commitments to the ministry and the God-given work we share at Gloria Dei – we do so confidently and prayerfully.
We pray for our country, we pray for our elected leaders, we pray for our communities, we pray for people who feel left out – for those on the margins. And we pray for God to use us to impact the people around us in big ways and small ways too.
As we come forward to receive the gifts of God’s table, may we be renewed, refreshed and strengthened for the work that lies ahead.
As weary as we all may be, we are not without hope. Amen.
Pastor John Berg
