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Bible Text: Matthew 25:31-46 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

If you have ever visited Victoria you have likely driven through, stopped at or seen Beacon Hill Park. It is a large 200 acre park between the downtown core and the ocean. Perhaps you’ve walked among the various duck ponds or fed the peacocks. One of its greatest features is the petting zoo. Families are invited to come and pet donkeys, sheep and cows, but the highlight is the goat enclosure where miniature goats will jump up, on or around you, and you are invited to brush and cuddle said goats. Admittedly Mike and I were often the only adults in the goat enclosure not accompanied by children. However, the best time to visit the petting zoo is just before 5pm when the zoo is preparing to close, when they must get the small herd of goats from the enclosure to their barn. Any member of the public still in the zoo is invited to line the walkway between the two locations and then they are instructed to clap. As soon as the gate to the enclosure is opened the herd stampedes and our cheers keep them on the right track. No matter your age seeing a stampede of miniature goats is hilarious. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lt1jhG1mcU). To be perfectly honest, if our strata allowed it we would have a few goats to keep us company. There is just something joyful about them. Which is one of the abundant of reasons why I am challenged by the passage in Matthew 25, to say nothing of the fact that it reminds me that I have ignored those in need on numerous occasions. It was important for me to dig deeper and find out why Jesus separates the sheep and the goats. Placing the sheep on his right and upholding them for their behaviour and placing the goats on his left and protesting their ignorance. What does Jesus have against cute little goats?

Well, in North America sheep and goats are easy to differentiate, both are cute and cuddly but sheep are woolly and goats are not. However, in the ancient Middle East, and still in parts of Africa today, sheep and goats were almost identical. In fact, most average people can’t differentiate between the two and sheep and goats often mingle together in the same herd. In Jesus’ day mixed flocks were not unique, therefore this passage would speak to the experiences and knowledge of the original audience. Shepherds needed to separate them at night because sheep were more valuable, and they preferred to be out in the open at night but goats needed to be brought in and kept warm since their wool was a lighter texture. But outward appearances aside, that is where similar traits seems to end. While it is clear from the parable that sheep and goats are not the main theme, it does remind us that this parable is teaching us about conformity. Being part of the herd isn’t the only thing that is required of us. Author Heather Disher points out, “There is something that only our Shepherd can see in us, and that unseen thing tells God whether we are sheep or goats. It determines whether God sorts us to the left or the right.”

We all know that sheep have a reputation of being less than bright; perhaps you have heard the term dumb as sheep. But you might recall a sermon some months ago in which I described some of the more clever attributes of a sheep. They aren’t all that dumb but they are helpless. You may not know this but there is a flock of big feral sheep on Lasqueti Island. It can be quite startling when you are walking along one of the quiet roads and all of a sudden these large, matted, sheep come strolling out of the woods. But these aren’t your average sheep. They are not helpless because there are no predators on Lasqueti; in the real world there are all kinds of beasts, difficulties and compromising situations that a sheep can get into. Sheep need a shepherd for survival. Goats, however, while also being portrayed as rather stupid, have a reputation of being independent and curious, even dangerous and destructive. Most goats would rebel against being led. Even the Ministry of Defence knows that if you want to rid an area of weeds it’s best to get a herd of goats because within days nothing will be left. Again Heather Disher says it best, “Shepherds protect sheep from their environment, whereas goatherds protect the environment from their goats.” Now perhaps you are thinking I’ve taken this theme a little far, by getting stuck on this discrimination against goats I have lost the point of the parable. This is Reign of Christ Sunday after all!

Hopefully, here’s where you can see the link. The Gospel passage has echoes of Old Testament passages in which God is the judge of the nations. However, the key change is that in Matthew the authority and kingship now belongs to Jesus, the servant or shepherd king. In my ordination vows, and the vows that all the elders take it states, “All ministries of the Church proceed from and are sustained by the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Prophet, Priest and King… The Presbyterian Church in Canada is bound only to Jesus Christ, the Church’s King and Head” Before any other loyalty, before our commitments to country and Queen, Christ is above it all and what a blessing it is because this is no ordinary king. Jesus’ reign and judgment is compared to a shepherd separating sheep and goats. Then, just as it is today, Christ’s assertion that he is a shepherd king, would have seen ridiculous. No king, ruler or judge would ever stoop so low as to get themselves dirty in a pen. But then when Christ points out that he is present in the needy stranger it takes everyone by surprise. Both the sheep or righteous and the goats or unrighteous are caught off guard. Neither group expected that Jesus was among the hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, prisoner. The sheep weren’t serving those in need because they were serving Christ but because they were serving. They sought to help because they saw a need for it.  We don’t serve others because we might be serving Christ but because Christ served us. But this parable also points out that the reign of Christ takes people, all people, by surprise.

Have you ever noticed that in images or movies about shepherds or goatherds that sheep are always led by the shepherd whereas goats are always followed by the goatherd? Like sheep, we must rely on our shepherd, we must place our dependence on him. We all want to be independent- go our own way- lead our own flock of one- it is likely why I like goats so much. But sheep follow the voice of their shepherd and trust said shepherd to provide for their needs. Are we being led, allowing God’s Spirit to pull us in the right direction, or are we so headstrong that we are going  our own way? This is a question for our personal lives as much as our church. Do we act as though we are bound only to Jesus Christ? Or are we easily distracted by other loyalties?

Are there needs within the community that we are too disobedient to see? How do we put Christ’s words into action?

The celebration of Christ the king is not an old tradition. It was in fact authorized by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as a reaction to the rise of authoritarian regimes in Europe. “The aim was to celebrate the all-embracing authority of Christ which leads people to seek the peace of Christ.” Goats are adorable but too many of us, too many world leaders, too many corporations are goats- only pursuing what we want. On this reign of Christ Sunday see how we can be more like sheep, vulnerable, serving when we have the resources to serve and being served when we are in need, relying on one another and most importantly dependent on Christ our king. Amen

Bible Text: Matthew 25: 14-30 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

I have not lived in my childhood home for 17 years. My parents, however, still live there and every once in a while a letter or publication will be sent to their home addressed to me. Most of the time those items go right into the recycling bin as they are no longer relevant to me. In the summer a letter came addressed to me and began “dear customer” and the letter went directly into the trash. When the second letter arrived this fall my Mother decided to open it and it began, “Dear Bond Owner, our records indicate that in Sept. 2017 you owned a Canada Savings Bond that will be maturing Nov. 1St, 2017.” The letter goes on to say that the bond was purchased in 1995 and I need the certificate to redeem it. Here’s the thing: no one seems to have any recollection of purchasing a CSB for me nor do we have any idea where the certificate may be. So I phoned the help line and discovered I have five bonds that will be maturing over the next year and have set in motion the forms required to receive the certificates. Have you ever had that dream of receiving a letter from a long lost relative that states you have just inherited millions? Well, the CSBs are not worth millions but it’s kind of like that. Funds I had no idea I was accumulating are almost at my fingertips. What a blessing. My mother’s response was, “It’s nice to know the government is so honest or else we would not have known about this at all.” Probably one of the only times my mother has called any government honest. Here’s the other thing: I don’t really understand what a Canada Savings Bond is but I do know the program has been discontinued, and I am incredibly grateful for this anonymous legacy, and in an effort to pay it forward I plan on not only investing some of these funds but donating them as well.

Like most parables the one we hear this morning is meant to convey or illuminate a truth that is often not immediately understood by the audience or the reader. At first read, one might think this parable is about growing your money, and indeed, it is sometimes used at stewardship seminars to encourage accumulation of wealth. Sometimes people don’t think this is about money at all, and focus on the message that people should use their God-given talents, skills and abilities. It is both and neither of these themes.

The Greek word for talent is talanton.  It was worth about 3000 silver coins and weighed approximately 95 pounds and a single talent would be equal to 15 years of earnings for a labourer.  According to the PCC’s legacy page the servant who received five talents received today’s equivalent of $3.75 million dollars. This parable is not just talking about money, it is talking about the kind of money that most people would never earn in their lifetime. The third servant buried his money and the master was furious. He called him lazy and shunned him for keeping his money safe. I don’t know about you, but in today’s market the servant who received one talent would be equal to $750,000 and I would have been cautious too if I were asked to look after that amount of money for someone else.

There is another detail in this story that gives us an important clue about its meaning. We learn is that the third servant sees the master as a harsh man. The key here is that the third servant only saw bad things about the master and he was fearful. He didn’t see the master’s abundance or generosity, only judgement and wrath, and so he didn’t recognize the generosity of the master nor the opportunity to share in his joy. This story is about how we use or don’t use the resources we have been given to advance God’s work in the world. The money in the context of this story symbolizes both a huge amount of potential and God’s generosity. Will we be faithful stewards and put the resources God has given us to work? Or will we allow our fear of scarcity, our need for false financial security, our inability to see abundance, to overtake us- to the point that we deny that God has given us anything?

In our consumer society with messages like, “Freedom 55” and “because you’re worth it”; we are repeatedly told that we deserve to accumulate wealth; that the accumulation of possessions makes us feel safe and secure, and may even provide meaning to our lives. The truth is, buying more stuff for the sake of it- even if it was earned by our own labour- is as good as burying our talents.

This parable is about creating a different world. It’s about realizing the extravagant generosity and graciousness of God. Remember, like the servants, we are stewards, caretakers of what we’ve been given. As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to live out the gospel, not to idly bury our treasures in the ground. We can use our resources to show people what God is all about, so that they will know God’s love. In the end, if we haven’t shared our resources and blessings, what good are they?

The servants in the parable who grew their talents were not growing them for their own sake. They put their gifts to work and returned to the master more than they’d been given. God provided unimaginable abundance and the first two servants responded in turn by creatively generating more abundance and returning it to the source. They were given more and were invited to enter “the joy of their master”. The third servant was scared. He didn’t see the master as abundant and giving, but as ruthless and taking. He didn’t see that the resources were given to him as an opportunity to do that master’s work.

We recognize that God has given us may gifts: time, talent and money; and also opportunities to do creative things with all we’ve earned or achieved, according to the values Jesus taught: loving our neighbour, caring for the marginalized, the vulnerable, the outcasts in our midst with our skills, talents and our money. The parable challenges us to grow our wealth and accumulate possessions for the right reasons. Part of doing God’s work and stewarding generosity is being responsible to the people in our lives.

The legacy of being a faithful servant is also about how we’ll be remembered; whether we have lived an abundant and generous life, or one of scarcity and fear. When our lives are finished, each of us must decide what will happen to our possessions. It’s our final chance to act in this life and it gives us a blessed opportunity. If we don’t make decisions about how our estate will be used, the government will make them for us, and while sometimes the government is honest, most of the time we’d be better off making those decisions for ourselves. It is one of the many opportunities we have to look after our families and leave a legacy that puts God’s resources to work.

Every gift given, be it funds or talents or time or creativity, no matter how big or how small, has the ability to impact more lives and carry out more of God’s mission and ministry in our church and the world than we could ever imagine on our own. We need to use all of our resources prayerfully and wisely which is one reason why I implore you to prayerfully read over the budget. You have a vote and a say in all of this. Think seriously of what is being asked of you. Think about how we can pay it forward.   When we put our resources to good use in God’s world and don’t bury them needlessly, we will surely hear these words from the master, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Amen

Bible Text: James 3:13-4:3 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

When Jesus died on the cross he died and rose again for people whom he did not know. He performed a sacrifice that would benefit many, MANY, generations to come. I know that there are few people in this world who would risk their lives for complete strangers. But this morning we recognize some of those people. I am very lucky that my life has been relatively peaceful. There are many places in this world where war is very much a reality. However, through the sacrifice of the generations before me I have never known anything but peace in my country. As a result, how could I have any authority on the atrocities of war, the sacrifices of men and women, soldiers and civilians. I do know that it is important that we do not forget, because forgotten history is history doomed to repeat itself. Admittedly I struggle to find a place for this kind of remembering in our services of worship to God. But I want to share with you a story by Robert F. Prette who was 9 years old at the time of the invasion and liberation of Holland. It comes from the veterans Affairs Canada website. This story is particularly close to my heart because the liberation of Holland is a part of my family’s history. Grandpa rarely talked about the moment he walked into his first Dutch concentration camp.  I imagine that it took decades for him to try and reconcile those images. However, from such atrocities came a friendship- a friendship with a Dutch family with whom we have remained in contact for over 70 years. It has been amazing to grow up knowing that I have a Dutch family who always sends letters and Christmas cards, and whenever they visit Canada they know they have multiple places to stay and we had the great privilege to spend time with them this summer while we were in Europe. Third generation friends gathered around a table joyfully enjoying each other’s company but also acknowledging that it was a time of war that bound us together.

Here is Robert Prette’s story:

“We were in a whirl of excitement, it was all so overwhelming – especially for a boy of 9 – it was all so different from before. “They’re here!” you could hear repeatedly over and over again, as if to say – we knew they would eventually come and now that moment had arrived. And so it happened, at least for me, that April 2 1945 turned into a very important day.

In Lochem there was definitely “something in the air” in the weeks leading up to that memorable second day of April – people were uneasy, the German soldiers were tense and aggressive, the enemy was coming. But for us the enemy was our friend. Allied planes started to get busy in the air and citizens began to stock up on supplies and making their cellars habitable.

As a precaution my parents decided, together with a neighbouring family, that we should all go and hide in the cellar under our house – there were nine of us altogether. The cellar had actually been made quite comfortable with layers of thick straw for sleeping on. It even had its own exit to the outside which could be useful, because the house could take a hit and collapse.

That Saturday evening, suddenly the first sounds of whistling grenades – the Allied artillery had started firing from Barchem on the Germans north of the Twente Canal. We were almost starting to get used to the sound as we waited in the spooky light of the small kerosene lamp in our cellar. Around four, that Monday morning the firing stopped and a sinister silence descended upon us. After about half an hour we suddenly heard footsteps – the footsteps of just one person.  No one moved a muscle. We remained huddled together anxiously hardly daring to breathe, when the sound of footsteps stopped right in front of our cellar door.

Then, after some seconds that seemed to us more like hours, we heard those words of freedom which I will never forget as long as I live: “Hello, are you alright?” In tears my mother, with me following hot on her heels, rushed up the steps. And there stood a Canadian soldier, his face partly blackened, eyeing us up anxiously. He stammered something like “Are there any soldiers around?” but my mother threw herself into his arms while his gun clattered to the ground. We were free, we were really liberated!  Shortly after, we could hear the sound of caterpillar tracks on the road in front of our house. It came from a couple of low, light armoured reconnaissance vehicles that were open at the top. My father lifted me up and as I looked down into its dark interior I could see the small dashboard lights gleaming. Full of excitement I yelled out the one and only English sentence I knew and had been taught by my father some months earlier: “Do you have any chocolate for me?” Out of the dark emerged a hand holding a bar of chocolate, an unknown treat for so many years; now I could even taste the liberation.”

Robert Prette’s stories remind us that war is not something we should aspire to. The passage from James’ letter does the same. James, letter is similar to the wisdom literature found in the Old Testament which often focuses on the question, “How can I live a good life?” But often in the Hebrew Scriptures this question is answered with insights on how to avoid living a bad life.  For example of the Book of Proverbs always talks about wisdom by identifying foolishness.  What makes this New Testament letter unique is that James declares that wisdom cannot be found unless it is pursued in a spirit of meekness. When we really think about this concept we realize it is counterintuitive. One would think that it takes confidence and a feeling of importance that leads to wisdom. James reminds us that yes, this could be called wisdom but it is not the kind of wisdom that comes from above.  Wisdom is an ingredient to Christian living that is given by God through faith.

How might this relate to Remembrance Sunday? It relates because true remembering requires humility. We remember the victories but we also remember the losses and we declare loudly that by remembering we see that peace is what should ultimately be pursued. By remembering with humility we acknowledge our mistakes while also giving gratitude for sacrifices made. True wisdom follows the path of peace that comes from above. James reminds us that peace encompasses those who practice it.

I have another resource that I would like to share. It is part of a poem written by a grade 7 student entitled, “I don’t remember ”. In many ways this poem expresses how my generation and younger feel about Remembrance Day. It also demonstrates the humble gratitude that is expressed by those of us who have not served in ways to protect the lives of innocent people, people whom we have never met, but for whom great sacrifices were made.

I don’t remember the sound of guns ringing in my ears.

I don’t remember soldiers, buried in the mud.

Or not knowing if my husband or children are gone forever.

I don’t remember a time without freedom, peace, or loved ones nearby.

I remember peace and freedom.

I remember the warm feeling of having friends and family greet me, when I come home from a hard day.

I remember the joyful laughter of friends and family.

As long as I live, I will never forget the people who gave me this freedom,

To all that helped me get this freedom and peace, whether they lay in the fields of poppies, or they live today, thank you.

Thank you for the love, peace, and freedom that you risked life and limb to give me.

Amen

Bible Text: Exodus 33:12-23, Matthew 22:15-22 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

In 1508 Michelangelo was invited by Pope Julius II to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling has various paintings and depict all kinds of stories from Scripture; from the Last Judgement to the story of Noah. Central to all of the works are nine scenes from Genesis the most famous of which is The Creation of Adam. You likely know what image I am talking about but here is a refresher (show slide of the Creation of Adam). In this painting, as you can see God is depicted as an elderly white-bearded man with a swirling cloak while Adam is depicted as a white young naked man. What is important is that while their hands are reaching out they are not touching- this reminds us that humanity and the divine are not on the same level but rather that the divine is the giver of human life. The image of the two fingers nearly touching is the second most reproduced piece of religious art, second only to Leonard Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. There is no doubt that Michelangelo and the other artists whose work can be found on the ceiling used artistic license while painting this masterpiece. Because if we are honest with each other God is not likely an old bearded white guy. More modern interpretations of God have included Morgan Freeman as in the movie Bruce Almighty and even the Muppets had Whoopi Goldberg playing God in a recent Christmas special. But again, God is not likely like any of those people- or perhaps God is all of those people. Humanity since the beginning has tried to pigeon hole what God looks like. Perhaps some of that stems from the early passages in Genesis in which it states that humanity was created in God’s likeness but a reminder that in Hebrew the word translates better as essence rather than a literal visual word like image. I think it would be a great activity for us to “Draw a picture of what God looks like to you” But since this is a Presbyterian congregation I’ll just preach about it instead.
Knowing what God looks like or craving to see God’s face is something that even some of God’s closest leaders, prophets, judges, kings and followers have desired throughout history and we find that Moses was no different. At the time that the story of Exodus was written the people of Israel were struggling to define who they were and who God was. This is another story that reveals much about that relationship and helps to define God. In fact, the book of Exodus, while it tells the story of the Israelites in the desert, it is also a book that is a series of new revelations on God’s identity and name. It begins with Moses asking God, and who shall I say sent me, and God responds with “I AM”. Then God’s name is expanded at the ten commandments in which God is, “The LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Prior to our reading we have the story of the golden calf in which the people turn against God in their worship and it is Moses who appeals to God reminding God that the Israelites are “YOUR people”. Which brings us to the strange request which Moses now makes.
Earlier in Chapter 33 the covenant relationship was broken by the Israelites’ behaviour in worshipping the golden cow. Moses is now trying to rebuild the trust between both parties. Moses says, “If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans.” If Moses knows God’s plans than there can be no doubt about his leadership. But God replies, “My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.” In the past this obscure answer would have been enough but things have become tense. Moses is really beginning to doubt whether he is prepared to see this through to the end and so Moses wants more. Eugene Petersen’s The Message helps us to understand this dialogue a little better. He paraphrases the conversation and writes, “Moses said, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you are with me in this, with me and your people?” Moses then appeals asking to see God’s glory. I think many of us can understand Moses’ desires. Like Moses we desire to have some visual evidence of God’s being. We want “hard evidence” that God is present with us. We want to sense God through sight, touch, sound maybe even smell or taste but instead faith is something more than our five senses.
Moses’ request does get a bit of an answer. It seems as if God compromises with Moses in stating that while Moses cannot see God face to face Moses can see God’s backside pass. God’s name and identity is expanded once again as God says, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” Essentially God chooses grace and mercy before anything else. Old Testament scholar Dennis Olson points out, “This is an amazing and unprecedented encounter between a human and God. But a part of God’s ways, glory, goodness, and face will remain unknown, unseen. Dimensions of God’s ways in the world will remain mysterious, elusive, and incomprehensible. What we do know of God’s supreme love and mercy, however, is sufficient for the journey to continue.” Our world tells us that we must see something to believe it but God is telling us that faith comes from belief in something much more profound than merely human senses.
Perhaps Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders helps us to understand this a little better. When he is asked whether it is “lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not” the religious leaders think they are about trap Jesus. This is in part because it was a difficult balance between the civil responsibilities of paying taxes and the spiritual responsibility of paying tithes. It is a balance I am sure many of us have encountered in our life. There are certain things that our world and society expects of us and these expectations are not necessarily what our spiritual life expects of us. Martin Luther even wrote in one commentary that there were two kinds of righteousness, “civil righteousness” which managed how we acted in society and “alien righteousness” which is more commonly referred to now as “spiritual righteousness” which is determined not by our actions but by God’s act of love in Christ. Jesus is highlighting that there are differences between being citizens of the state and citizens of heaven. Much like how our world says we need proof from our senses that God exists Jesus is saying there are things that belong in this world and things that belong beyond it.
Moses was an exceptional leader for the Israelite people and had a very special and intimate relationship with God that comes as close as it can to the relationship that Adam and Eve had with God in the Garden of Eden but even Moses was not privy to see God face to face. But what God assures Moses ,and therefore us, is that the presence of God is not just a face to be seen but is in everything. While each one of us would have a different picture of who God is or what God looks like to us, we must remember that God is a God of the people and chooses grace and mercy first because God loves us and we all know how hard it is to describe love in one simple word or feeling or picture. It is not something that one of our five senses can explain rather it is something that is experienced. Amen

Bible Text: Exodus 16:2-15 and Matthew 20: 1-16 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

On February 24th, 1965 the Supremes were on tour with the Temptations in Britain. The Supremes had just released their sixth album, the single from which would go on to be number one on the Billboard charts in March of that year and it would be named as one of the 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The song of course was, “Stop! In the Name of Love”. However, while the Supremes had been a well-known group for a while they had not mastered television performances nor had they any dance moves. They were often criticized for being rather boring to watch.  The Temptations, however, were well known for their charismatic television performances. So, just before the two groups were to appear on a Motown television special in London, Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin of the Temptations taught the girls a routine backstage to accompany their new single. Those moves would become staples for The Supremes and would be forever linked to that song, “Stop! In the name of love. Before you break my heart. Think it ooover.”  Pretty simple moves that became rather iconic and created a charismatic identity for The Supremes. All it required them to do was stop and think it over much like the words to their song.

We often need to stop and think things over but rarely do we have the time. In a world where to do lists grow longer, expectations become greater, and responsibilities demand time, it is nearly impossible to stop. Sometimes we are so busy that the only thing we have time for is complaining and regardless of our busy schedules we can spend hours complaining.

Some of you may have heard the story from Exodus 16 before or at the very least it is a story that has some repeated themes. Grumbling to God is not a new experience for the Israelites. They, understandably, did it when they were slaves in Egypt. But God heard them and sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam. They did it when they were faced with the Red sea and the pursuing Egyptian army, but God heard them and parted the red sea. They did it three days after that event when they were thirsty and God heard them and provided fresh water. You would think by now that they would realize that God was providing for them and would stop grumbling, but instead a month later, they are back at it. They grumbled and said, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Wait a minute. Are they really saying that things were better when they were slaves? Wasn’t that the first thing they asked God to deal with? If they just stopped for a moment wouldn’t they see that God really was caring for them? Wouldn’t they realize the amazing blessings and miracles they have witnessed? Yes, they are hungry, maybe even hangry, and sure some food would be nice but they have just experienced redemption of epic proportions and still they grumble and complain.

They complement their complaints with “If onlys.” If only we had died in Egypt, if only we were back in Egypt, if only we hadn’t decided to walk into the wilderness with Moses. If I take an honest look at myself I probably have a few if onlys too. If only I had million dollars than I could have a house in Comox and another in Cumberland, oh and knock off our church’s deficit. If only I knew how to companion plant then I would have better vegetables in my garden this year. If only there was a miracle drug that made you lose weight. If only, if only, if only. If only the Israelites would quit their complaining they would see how lucky they really were.

If only God would do something about this hunger. Which, God does. God speaks to Moses and says, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you,” There is a lesson in this story that clearly God does provide and we need to trust in those provisions but there is something also very important about this story that is often overlooked.

Unlike all the previous moments when God responded to their grumbling, this one comes with a condition. God says, “I’m going to rain bead down from the skies. The people will go out and gather each day’s ration… For six days the people are to gather bread during the day and each night, new bread will be provided, except on the sixth night double the portion of bread will be delivered and they are to collect enough for two days as no bread is to be gathered on the seventh day.” Many of us would read this and say, well, of course, just as with the creation story God is ordaining a day of rest. But the story in Exodus, not the creation story in Genesis, is the first time when God instructs the people to take a Sabbath day. The Hebrew understanding of Sabbath comes from this story in Exodus not the story in Genesis. But why would God do this, why would God force them to take a day of rest?

In Hebrew the word Sabbath means “to stop” more than it does “to rest”. God is commanding the Israelites to stop for a day and marvel at God’s provision. Nancy deClaisse-Walford says, “In the wilderness, God forged a relationship with the people that called them to trust God to provide for their every need, not just for today, but for tomorrow as well….Stopping has to do with cessation, with taking time to contemplate our place within the created world. Stopping has to do with reflecting on the good provisions of God in our lives.” Stop! And think it over. All of us have complaints, all of us have if onlys, all of us grumble that God is not being fair. In our prayers of intercession we often ask God for help- so sometimes those complaints are worth expressing. But not all the time. We too need to take Sabbath. Need to stop and think about the blessings that surround us. Need to see God’s creative and redemptive power which we have both witnessed and experienced.

Within our Gospel lesson I imagine that if only the first workers had known that they would make the same amount of money as the workers who started at the end of the day then they would have chosen the second option. However, the point of the story is not that the landowner tricked the labourers- he did no such thing- the point is that God gives blessings to all not for equal work but for equal opportunity.

Stop and think it over. Ask, what is it that I can be truly thankful for? Take the time to realize God in our midst in a variety of ways. Often our Sunday services are designed to be that moment of gratitude and reflection but I know all too well that a lot of us have other things on our mind.  Perhaps you’re  busy planning an upcoming event, perhaps your helping in the kitchen, perhaps your looking after our Sunday School, perhaps you are thinking about something that was said or something that you need to ask of someone else.  I know that while this service is to be a moment when we can stop and think about God that sometimes there are way too many things going on. So, I would suggest we stop not just for an hour on Sunday morning, because that was not the purpose of Sunday services but rather take time during your week to stop. Breathe deep the blessings and give thanks. There is lots of time to complain about this and that or to say, “if only” but make sure to carve out time to also say, “Thank you and Amen.”

Bible Text: Exodus 12:1-14 and Matthew 18:15-20 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

At first glance our Old and New Testament passages don’t have much in common. One is about the very first Passover and the other is about the importance of resolving a conflict. I suppose one could say that if you’re upset about a conflict among believers just be glad you weren’t Egyptian at the time of the conflict of the Passover. However as I began to study them together I realized there is a common thread, that of rules. Both passages lay out detailed instructions about what to do and when. Of all the passages in the Bible it would appear that these two passages were written by people who would have become Presbyterian, because the Presbyterian Church loves it’s polity and rules. Each year the church produces a booklet called The Book of Forms. In it there are over 500 rules and 10 appendices pertaining to the running and function of a congregation, presbytery and synod. Sometimes these rules are clear and concise like…..well, to be honest I spent an afternoon reading over the most recent Book of Forms and could not find a perfect example of a clear and concise rule. However, I did come across point 325, “Before bringing a complaint to the session it is the duty of the complainant to meet with the alleged offender to seek resolution of the issue” then it quotes directly from our Matthew passage. It is good to know that some aspects of our Book of Forms are scripturally based. The most frequent problem with rules and regulations is that they don’t always take into account all aspects of an experience. Rules tend to be black and white but we know that most of us function within a grey area. And I’m not just saying that because that is the predominant hair colour of our congregation. Not all rules can be so easily applied to every situation but sometimes understanding the reason for or the history behind a rule helps us to understand its uses.

The details pertaining to the very first Passover as found in Exodus 12 can seem rather over the top to us, even us Presbyterians. Emily Post herself would have found such attention to detail a little much. And yet the symbols behind each order are very meaningful.  There are clear instructions regarding the lamb and its blood. These detailed rules are meant to emphasize the equal distribution among the community. Not one person should be deprived of the opportunity to participate in this meal. If a whole lamb is too much for one household than it shall join together with another and share in this meal. When the lamb is ready then it is divided in the same amount of pieces as people. But why a lamb? And why keep it for four days before preparing it? A rabbi professor in my undergraduate program once explained it to me. The ancient Egyptians worshipped lambs; the ram, a male sheep, was venerated most of all animals and there were many temples dedicated to various gods who had ram heads. So, taking a male lamb and placing it in their home and living with it for four days and then subsequently slaughtering and eating said lamb was an absolute affront to the Egyptians. The Israelites were sending a clear message to Pharaoh that their God was stronger and to be obeyed.  It could have put the Israelites in physical danger. As a result it is a demonstration of the strength, courage, dedication and faith in God in the face of adversity.

Finally, there is the bizarre statement that this is not a meal to be savoured and enjoyed but to be eaten hurriedly with loins girded, sandals on your feel and your staff in hand. Personally that seems like the most awkward way to eat any kind of meal, especially one with so many rules, but there are reasons for these words also. There is an urgency to this meal and it symbolizes that everyone must be ready for the journey ahead. While this meal is meant to be consumed quickly it is also a sacred meal and therefore nothing should remain. Maybe some rules are meant to be broken but by following all these instructions the Israelites were demonstrating who they were and who God is. The Israelites had faith and confidence in God’s leading and purpose, even when it meant defying their oppressor, even insulting their oppressor by consuming a sacred animal. God also had a purpose to this meal that demonstrated the creation of something new. Out of the chaos of slavery God would redeem God’s people. The Israelites were ready for something new- from slavery to freedom. It is about starting over and starting fresh.

Matthew’s passage is also about starting over. Have you ever gotten off on the wrong foot when first meeting someone and you say, “Let’s try this again. Let’s start over.”  Jesus’ instructions and rules in Matthew help us to tackle just that kind of situation. But they not only pertain to individuals but to maintaining the integrity of the whole community. This is a communal approach to dissent in which an individual has three opportunities: to rethink, re-evaluate and reconcile. This passage also has deep roots within the Hebrew tradition. Here Matthew quotes both Leviticus (19) and Deuteronomy (19) and then expands on those rules about conflict. We are already aware that Jesus’ words often caused dissent within the community. He was a controversial figure with some controversial words. On top of that at the time that Matthew’s Gospel was actually written Christianity was likely already a fledgling community, and as one can imagine such clear instructions about a conflict were necessary. This is a small group of people  whose faith is against the cultural grain. They have a lot against them in that the average person not only doesn’t believe but doesn’t care.  We are a church that is facing divisions. Many congregations have threatened to leave depending on a decision regarding inclusion of same sex couples while others are frustrated that the Presbyterian Church has not been clear on its inclusive stance. We are also facing a world in which decline in church attendance throughout the Western Hemisphere is visible. Our faith is against the cultural grain and most people not only don’t believe but could care less if the church existed or not.  Despite being around for some 2000 years, we are a fledgling community in which division can be disastrous. Therefore Jesus’ words and instructions seem all the more important.

Then Jesus reminds us that it is not about how many gather in community, but rather how genuine the gathering is. Jesus’ closing remarks remind me of a quote, something like, “a couple that prays together, stays together” but I would argue a church that prays together stays together, and I don’t mean you sit and listen to me read off a prayer I wrote during the week, rather I mean genuinely praying with one another. We are a very unique congregation and part of that has to do with our Prayer Group. Rightly or wrongly I have never previously been in a Presbyterian congregation that had a Prayer Group like ours. To be perfectly honest, when I was first invited to the Prayer Group I said I would love to go but deep down inside I was terrified. I thought, what is this about? Am I going to some revival meeting? What kind of church has a prayer group? But instead I met a group of dedicated and devoted people who pray for each one of you. The prayers are simple, and each one has an opportunity to pray out loud if they wish but it is not required. What a gift! But you don’t have to be a part of the prayer group to pray for one another. We also have our new Prayer Partner ministry that will encourage partners to pray periodically throughout the year for each other. And I know many of you have prayer lists. The reality is, if we pray for and with one another, truly pray, then those things that divide us, opinions, personalities, behaviours and even beliefs will not conquer us.

I know that all of the regulations in the Book of Forms have a purpose and are necessary in helping us to follow procedures.  Like the instructions for the first Passover meal some of those rules are symbolic and have meaning to their methods. But really there are only a few rules that are of the utmost importance. Let’s start with: Pray, simply pray for one another, and because we care for one another, having prayed for each other, all the other rules will come easy. Amen

Bible Text: Exodus 1:8-2:10 and Matthew 16: 13-20 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Do you want to know a secret? Such a question can be a dangerous one-especially if it is said to you in church. The word secret comes from the Latin word, secretus which means separate or set apart. Of course a secret is something that is to be kept or meant to be kept unknown or private, set apart from regular conversation. However, the danger with most secrets is that they get out. The subject matter is hard to keep inside. I also think there is some strange sense of inclusion when it comes to a secret. We want to be the only ones in the know about it, or we want to be the first to tell someone about it. Keeping a secret from a loved one can break trust just as much as sharing a secret about someone can break trust. But then, sometimes secrets are necessary and sometimes secrets get out without us saying a word.  Do you want to know a secret? Secrets are the theme for today’s scripture passages. For the midwives of Egypt, their secret saved lives. For the disciples who knew of Jesus’ true identity, that secret wasn’t worth hiding.

What we hear in Exodus is that some years have passed since Joseph encouraged and helped set up his family in Egypt. Clearly the brothers and their descendants have been prolific because they are beginning to outnumber the Egyptians. It should be noted that slaves in Egypt were not rare. In fact, even Egyptians were slaves. Thanks to Joseph’s interpretations and instructions it says in Genesis that Egyptians sold their land to Pharaoh and he made slaves of them.  However, it seems that this new Pharaoh wants to oppress the Israelites even further. They are enslaved specifically to make bricks in the service of a vast building project that supports numerous cities. Do you want to know a secret? I have a minor in Near Eastern Archaeology and one course I had to take was called, “The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt.”  I don’t recall much but I do remember that the early dynastic period, which would have been around the time that the Israelites may have been slaves in Egypt, was also the period in which most typical Egyptian art and architecture began. It is when the hieroglyphics were developed, and the early form of pyramids were built. As often happens when a culture is trying to seek an identity, they become insular and afraid of the other. I suspect that is what is happening to the Israelites. The Pharaoh wants to have a clear identity for the Egyptians and cannot risk being influenced by the Israelites. So, he believes the best way to rid oneself of another culture is to oppress and destroy them.

It is entirely thanks to the intervention of the midwives- thanks to their big secret- that the Israelite people survive.  We know that the midwives are central to this story for one particular reason, they are named. Most of the time in a patriarchal society, the names of women are omitted, especially if they are simply midwives.  It seems to appear as an afterthought, but the text says that one of the midwives was named Shiph’rah and the other Pu’ah. And within that verse there is power. These are important women.  The root of the name Shiph’rah means to be pleasing to the eye and the root of the name Pu’ah means to shine or be beautiful. These women have beauty written right into their names. They save an entire generation through a secret.

What is also intriguing is that the verses would imply that these two women are not Israelites. They are not Hebrew midwives but rather midwives to the Hebrews. Still the text says that they feared God. This is one of many stories within the Old Testament in which Gentiles play a major role in saving God’s people. It is also one of the many stories in which Gentile women play a major role in saving God’s people. Throughout the Hebrew Bible the universality of God is not kept secret. Or at least that is what one is led to believe throughout Scripture, and yet Jesus seems adamant that his identity be kept a secret.

When Jesus affirms Peter and tells the disciples that upon this rock he will build his assembly, he follows that up by ordering his disciples not to tell anyone. It is difficult to understand why; after all, we teach and preach that the beauty of Jesus’ name should be spread throughout the land. What’s not to share?! But then, critical dialogue is in fact part of this whole discussion. When Jesus asks the disciples, “who do people say that I am?” The disciples repeat what they have heard, bizarre statements like Jesus is John the Baptist, despite that they have been seen together or that Jesus is one of the great prophets come back to life. The point of these comments is to demonstrate that people don’t agree about who Jesus is. Then Jesus asks, “and who do you think I am?” Peter responds with the resounding words, “You are the Messiah! Son of the living God.” While most of us celebrate that Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one, I also really like the idea that Jesus is the Son of the LIVING God. Meaning God is dynamic and active always.

The dialogue continues as Jesus declares that Peter did not come to this conclusion on his own but through revelation. Then Jesus says, “I say to you Peter, upon this rock I will build my church.” Do you want to know a secret? While many have interpreted it that it is upon Peter that the church will be formed, there is some key information that only the Greek can give us. First, Jesus says, “on this rock or petra, I shall build my assembly or ekklesia.” Petra is the feminine noun for Peter’s name, Petros, as is the word ekklesia. It is not upon Peter that the church is to be built but literally upon a firm foundation, which involves both men and women in leadership.

The dialogue continues further and then Jesus closes by stating that the disciples shall tell no one that he is the Messiah. Well, again, that seems absurd. How on earth is his assembly to be built if no one talks about it. Like the actions of the midwives, it is a secret that eventually is found out not through words but through the evidence of goodly living. The disciples’ actions as followers of Christ will speak louder than words. As Dr. Mitzi Smith puts it, “The answer is by the life they live, a life of love for God, a life that loves the other as much as one loves his or herself, and a life in pursuit of justice and peace. On this rock [this foundation] we will build a church that demonstrates belief in a living, speaking, [engaging and active] God.” It is no secret but it has become private. How will they know we are Christians in an increasingly multi-cultural and secular society? By how we act in love, kindness and mercy. We do not need to fear political correctness that asks us to push our words about redemption to the side, because even Jesus told the disciples not to talk about his salvation and yet the church still grew. It’s a secret that cannot be contained, but not because we are knocking on doors or preaching from the street corners; rather because we are helping our neighbours and active in our community as a church. Amen