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

July 7, 2023 — Psalm 77 

“I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old and remember the years of long ago I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” Psalm 77:1-10

These are days of trouble — we are all living in troubling times, both locally and globally. But it is in these kinds of challenges that we must be immersed in prayer and G-d’s word. We can be tricked into thinking that G-d does not always appear to be paying attention to our needs and concerns, but that does not mean that G-d has forsaken us. Instead, we need to redouble our efforts to seek G-d until we find him. In this Psalm, the writer has been experiencing his own trouble, but that did not mean he gave up on G-d or decided to seek someone else for consolation. Instead, he sought G-d, and G-d’s favor and grace.

The author of this Psalm pondered upon his trouble, and for a time it affected his faith. When he thought about G-d, all he could focus on was justice and wrath. So even when we are in troubling times, we cannot forget the good that is still all around us. The Devil will use these times to increase our doubts and fears — and if we wallow too much in fear, then we open ourselves up to the possibility that our faith may falter. Despondency and distrust, fear and sadness, loneliness and suffering, these are the things all believers will encounter at some point in our lives. When unbelief is working in us, we must pray for the strength to suppress these feelings and live into the goodness of G-d.

Prayer

God of the ages, by signs and wonders you established your ancient covenant, and through the sacrifice of your Son you confirmed the new covenant yet more wondrously. Guide your church to the land of promise, that there we may celebrate your name with lasting praise through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

July 8, 2023 — Psalm 78

“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell them to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.” Psalm 78:1-10

This psalm has two main purposes: to praise G-d and to instruct the believer. When we tell stories about our past, our love of G-d and the teachings that have informed our faith both live in all aspects of those stories. Psalm 78 is an example of how we share our faith within the experience and celebration of our past, present and future. In this Psalm, the writer talks about the good bits of G-d’s help to Israel during the Exodus. But what is missing? If you look back to the book of Exodus, you realize that all the complaining and ingratitude of the Israelites is missing. And what is the result of this selective recounting of the story from Exodus? Well, it’s a completely different story.

We can become forgetful when we reflect on our past. Sometimes we can live with revisionist history — but that can change how we encounter the present. In other words, even though the Israelites were acting like ungrateful children a lot of the journey in Exodus, without remembering their disobedience, we can forget how unconditionally gracious, loving and compassionate our G-d really is. Most importantly, we must remember how many second chances our G-d is willing to give G-d’s people — that is what Amazing Grace is all about. 

Prayer

Shepherd of your people, strengthen us on our journey, we pray. Forgive our frequent rebelling, guide us through the wilderness, and feed us with the bread of angels, that we may proclaim the mystery of faith, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.