July 10, 2023 — Psalm 79

“O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire? Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes. Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power preserve those doomed to die. Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord! Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.” Psalm 79

This Psalm asks us some very challenging questions that can very easily unsettle you and me: “…O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire…?” These are difficult questions — for the individual believer and for the church. There are many who believed that the Covid-19 virus was sent upon our world as a punishment from G-d – G-d was expressing anger toward the world. Perhaps you have thought that from time to time. Our individual and collective responses during times like these will determine where we are in our faith journey — and will determine whether we abandon our faith or double-down on it. Let me ask you a question: When did you last hand your troubles over to G-d?

In times of trouble the Devil entices us to question G-d’s sovereignty — or tries to convince us that G-d just does not care enough. It is too easy to think G-d is either too busy to care, or just does not care. In all things, we must learn to live into trusting the Lord and believing that, whether times are good, or bad, G-d continues to be good, all the time. Here is a final question to consider: are you willing to give your problems and fears to the Lord and trust that the Lord can handle our life’s messes? We have a lot of time to think about questions such as these — and to immerse ourselves in G-d’s words of grace.

Prayers

Gracious God, in times of sorrow and depression, when hope itself seems lost, help us to remember the transforming power of your steadfast love and to give thanks for that new life we cannot now imagine; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

July 9, 2023 – Pentecost +6A —  Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

[Jesus spoke to the crowd saying:] “To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Our Gospel lesson comes from the Gospel of Matthew, and it is a continuation of what we have heard over the last few weeks. Here Jesus is speaking to the crowds who have gathered. And Jesus says to those gathered, “To what will I compare this generation?” We are guilty of defining our generations, aren’t we? We have those who lived during the roaring twenties, and then the depression of the thirties. My grandparents were people who were products of the depression era. Maybe you know someone who is from that generation.  They used everything, saved everything, didn’t throw anything away unless it really had no more use – and of course everything might be used again someday. When my grandmother passed away, and we were going through her possessions, it was obvious that she was greatly impacted by those years, because she never threw anything away. We found purse after purse after purse in her closet – gloves in her dresser drawers that she had not worn for years (they actually were so out of fashion), yet there they were, wrapped in plastic, waiting for the next fancy occasion that was never to come. Then there was the baby boomer generation – those people born after the end of World War II. This group of people also brought us the   children of the sixties – so defined by their music like the “Beatle’s”, the invention of the birth control pill, advances in medical care and the many earth shattering events – the death of two Kennedy’s, Martin Luther King Jr., and landing on the moon just to name a few.  I was a product of the 70’s generation – the very tail end of the baby boomers – so I have to admit that I belong to the next generation which only brought us disco (I actually liked the song ‘Disco Duck’) and bad fashion styles.  Somewhere in the 80’s or 90’s we had the generation X’ers and following that we had the generation “Nexters” – those who have grown up with cell phones, personal computers and the internet. 

So how will we define the next generation?  Many might define them as the “leave me alone I will do as I please because no one will hold me responsible for my behavior” generation – or maybe they will be called the “green” generation, since going green is now the big fad. No matter what we call them, Jesus was trying to define his generation – and he didn’t like what he saw around him. He said in essence that they were like children playing in the market – unable to agree on how to play or unwilling to join with them. They appeared to be neither hot nor cold – unwilling to share in the joy of those around them, unwilling to mourn with them either. Jesus continued to say they were neither able to accept the teaching of Jesus defined by love, nor able to accept the stern admonition of John the Baptist to repentance. Instead, they were wearied and burdened by a religion that enforced so many rules and regulations – Jesus said they were like sheep without a shepherd – people lost without any direction.

We know that life can leave us feeling lost and alone – so alone in fact that when we are carrying burdens or are weary from life, we shut down, and don’t allow others in to give us some aide – to ease our burdens. I don’t know what burden you might be facing at the moment; what worry might be on your mind, what trouble is nagging at you as you. Whatever it might be, be open to giving it to Jesus, and be open to accepting G-d’s presence in those who come to share your burden. In doing so you bless others as they seek to do G-d’s will as messengers, or in ant terms, as “patrolling ants” seeking opportunities to bear the Good News of G-d’s love, mercy and grace found in Jesus Christ.

Pastor Dave