Sermons from Mission Hills UCC San Diego, California Rev. Dr. David Bahr [email protected] February 19, 2023 “Delight in God’s Ways” Isaiah 58: 1-9a – The Message Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives, face my family Jacob with their sins! They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people-- law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ and love having me on their side. But they also complain, ‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’ 3-5 “Well, here’s why: “The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit. You drive your employees much too hard. You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist. The kind of fasting you do won’t get your prayers off the ground. Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, God, would like? 6-9 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’ The people are complaining that God should be more appreciative of their sacrifices and acts of piety and devotion. They want a pat on the back, a gold star, and a cheer – well done! Isaiah declares, God doesn’t want your busy worship and scripture study and fasting from food for the sake of being pure and holy. No sackcloth and ashes, just lives lived for the needs of others. As Micah said so eloquently: What does God require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God? And Amos: God desires justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream This is the kind of fast day I want, says God: to break the chains of injustice, to rid exploitation from the workplace, to free the oppressed, cancel debts, share your food with the hungry, invite the poor into your homes, put clothes on the naked, and not to turn away from your families. That’s the fast that is pleasing to God. As Christians of the social gospel tradition, this is the message we seek to instill in our children and youth. That’s why two weeks ago, 25 people from Mission Hills UCC were on a roof in Tijuana instead of here in the pews. Today we’re going to hear their experiences of turning the words of prophets like Isaiah, Micah, and Amos into action. And then I’ll have a few more things to say about how we can sustain our dedication to such compassion and justice for a lifetime. Trip participants share their experiences – Watch our service on YouTube to hear https://www.youtube.com/@missionhillsucc8846 See a trip video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I67eDy7y3Qs&t=21s So, back to Isaiah: God’s impatience was with rituals only for the purpose of fulfilling rituals; performances for the sake of performing; acts without meaningful action. Many of us grew up in a time that many people went to church because it was the socially expected thing to do. Perhaps a place to make business contacts or to be seen. If you didn’t belong to a church someone might wonder what’s wrong with you. Now, people are just as likely to think there’s something strange about you going to church. What’s wrong with you!? There was a time when people went to church out of habit. Now, social habits are more likely to revolve around brunch. During the pandemic many of us got into such habits as folding laundry during worship and out of the habit of going at all. Although, to be clear, American church attendance has declined every year since 1963. It’s not a recent phenomenon, but it has certainly accelerated. And yet, this is not all bad because today, instead of habit or social expectation, people are motivated to attend worship – or not – by some positive value they attach to it. I asked our Lunch and Lectionary group why they go to church. Listen and think about what you would say. For one person, she explained, it’s grounding. I’m grounded in community and in 2,000 years of history. Grounded in community, by the way, as a congregant who lives 500 miles away. Another person said, we need a place for perspective – to see and understand the bigger picture and be reminded of our calling. Another comment: I can’t be my best self or live my values without being held accountable, and when I hear about the love and forgiveness of Christ, these stories call me to reflect on my highest values and how I live my life. Worship is the nourishment I need for the work of repairing the world. One said, the weekly rhythm of Sundays allows us to step in and step out of the ordinary in order to think about the deeper meaning of life in a way that often doesn’t happen anywhere else. Another person said that worship nourishes her soul and is a place where she finds support and acceptance unlike any other. For another, it’s the beauty. The beauty of music and architecture and words and liturgy. Community was a big reason people gave about why they come to church – but not necessarily for friends. In something as simple as the communal act of listening together, breathing together, singing together, we are filled by transcendence and leave with wisdom to share. In a lonely world, we are not alone. Many other examples were offered. What would you add? Why are you here today? What do you expect? What do you offer? Worship sustains a lifetime dedicated to God’s love and justice and compassion in the world. This is how we delight in God’s ways. Justice work, let alone life, is exhausting and not easy without pauses to remember why we are on this earth and what we are doing. The prophets have been calling us back to this for thousands of years. And when you put it that way, there’s no better way to put a hard week into perspective! Thank you again to all who went on the trip and represented the Body of Christ in the world. As Jesus calls to his followers, you relieved suffering and offered hope and joy.
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