"It's not Easy!"
Sermon Presented August 29, 2004
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
I chose the text for this morning before I knew we would be considering the sponsorship of a refugee family. You can imagine my delight when I saw that our text targets this issue. These words to the Hebrews remind me that the Bible is the living word of God - a word that is applicable to 21st century Milwaukeeans as well as to the Hebrew readers or listeners almost 2000 years ago.
As you may remember, the author of Hebrews is unknown. Because the book takes the shape of a sermon rather than a letter, the thought went through my mind that I should just read the text and let it speak for itself. However, like most preachers, I can't resist putting in my two cents worth, so you will get both the text and a sermon! Preachers don't change any easier than parishioners!
The author of Hebrews recognizes the difficulty people have living together in community and doesn't naively assume Christians will automatically love one another once they agree to follow Jesus. Christians need guidelines to understand how acceptable worship and acceptable living are tied together. That kind of living isn't easy! The text is from the conclusion of the sermon.
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 (read text)
The admonitions addressed in this text fall under the umbrella of how to continue mutual love. Let me make clear that when the word "love" is used, the reference is to doing acts of love not having warm feelings of affection. The preacher says, "Let mutual love continue," and then he spells out what he means by that statement. He tells how to do mutual love! This morning I invite you to consider acts of love you might need to do, as well as to put yourself in the place of those who need to receive love.
During the news broadcast on Friday evening, the newscaster highlighted the life of the male American Olympic marathon runner. (I'm sorry I didn't get his name, as I had no idea at the time that I would use this item in the sermon!) He came to the United States as a 10-year-old refugee from Africa and his family settled in San Diego. He spoke of the cruelty of other children toward him as this strange African child tried to adjust to an entirely new way of life.
However, when he reached high school, the track coach realized he could run. He could really run! After breaking high school records he went on to UCLA where he set national collegiate records. He is now in the Olympics - having run only 4 previous marathons. This young man isn't just a fast runner, he was an outstanding student. Three of his siblings have postgraduates degrees. His family was given a new lease on life and now they are contributors within their new country. They were blessed and so is the nation and the people who nourished them. The strangers were welcomed and the prisoners were set free.
How does a Christian community - or an individual - allow mutual love to blossom? How do we know what we need to do? I believe that God places needs before us and it's up to us to recognize the need and pray about our response to it. As the community prays together, it can come to a consensus. When we have an understanding of what we should do, we need to act on it.
When it comes to accepting strangers, people are more likely to reach out to those with intellectual, athletic, musical or artistic talents than they are to the ones who are uneducated, handicapped or physically unattractive. (Last week at my apartment complex picnic, I sat at the table with a man who 23 years ago adopted a special needs teenager. He continues to be this man's advocate, support and friend. He recognized a need and acted in love.)
Who is "your" stranger? Who is "our" stranger? How do we interact with our neighbors, people at the grocery store, those in the mall, or drivers on the interstate? Would it hurt to slow down so we are ready to offer a kindness to a stranger or to receive kindness from a stranger?
Please understand that I'm not reducing discipleship to civility or simply being nice. It's easy to let strangers remain strangers and thus avoid any claim they might have on us. But this isn't the way for those who follow Jesus. The strangers we encounter have a claim on our concern. The text says that these strangers may be angels or friends we have yet to meet.
The large numbers of refugees pouring into Wisconsin are strangers to us and we are strangers to them. The shy child in your geometry class, the elderly person sitting in the halls of the nursing home, and the prisoner at the county jail are also strangers. The battered mother at the women's shelter, the child who is different than his classmates, the person who has been betrayed by a spouse, the poor and the lonely are often strangers. Extending love in community - letting mutual love continue - means sharing Christ's love with those who seem to be outside the reach of love.
The author of Hebrews goes from preaching to meddling when he brings up the topics of sex and money. We don't want to hear these admonitions from the pulpit. However, the Christian community can be destroyed by love as much as by hate - loving the wrong person (erotic love) and loving the wrong things (money and possessions.) Adultery isn't just an attack on marriage and morality; it affects negatively both the one who sins and the one who is sinned against. The love of money isn't always a product of greed; it is sometimes generated by a fear of not having enough resources to meet our own needs.
Some of you may have helped with the Vietnamese or Hmong refugees in the past and this gives you an idea of both the joy and time commitment in helping refugees. Now we are seeing a new influx of Hmong and Somali Bantu families and we have been asked to sponsor a Bantu family. The Bantu refugees have been in refugee camps for about 10 years. This is like a prison as large families are crowded into one room with only the bare necessities. Children in the camps are often beaten if they give the wrong answers in the makeshift schools. Fear is rampant.
When Debby Hughes from Kingo Lutheran spoke to us, she mentioned how brave she believes these refugees are. They must have a great deal of trust that things will be better for them when they get out of the camps and to a free country or they couldn't make that move. God may be calling us to give mutual love to a refugee family. God may ask us to move from small gestures of love to major sacrifice - from charity to empathetic involvement. How do we know what to do?
Maybe we need to extend the same kind of trust that the Bantus are exhibiting. Maybe we need to rely on God for the energy and the finances to make the commitment. Maybe we need to worry less about the unforeseeable future and trust God more. The writer of Hebrews says: "Because God is my helper, I don't need to be afraid."
However, that's easier said than done, isn't it? We learn trust in small increments. Because trust is difficult and fear is prevalent, we find it difficult to extend ourselves emotionally, physically, and financially because we don't really trust God to meet our needs. This may be the time to seek a great infusion of faith in God - from God.
I recently read an old Nigerian proverb. It goes like this. "The hand of a child cannot reach the ledge; the hand of the elder cannot enter the gourd: both the young and the old have what each can do for the other." We gain something from one another - especially from the stranger, the prisoner, or the abused.
This past week I have felt really tired - emotionally drained. How will I get everything done that needs to be done? Many of you feel the same way as we contemplate sponsoring a refugee family and still doing all of the other things needed to keep things running smoothly. We need to hear again Jesus' words: "I will not leave you or forsake you!" We need to have these words imprinted on our hearts. Christian faith reaches fruition when the hearts of believers are opened generously to the needs of others and we can trust Jesus to accompany us as we let mutual love continue. We need prayers of praise and acts of mercy! It's not easy, but it brings joy!
BENEDICTION: May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in God's sight.
Amen
