"Sin"

Text: Genesis 4:1-16
Sunday/Event:  Wednesday Lenten Worship

Eve: Adam, Adam don't tell God but I just ate of the fruit of the tree that is forbidden.  Here have some.  Just promise you won't tell God okay?  

Adam: Eve, I don't know.  Won't God find out?  

Eve: Don't worry about it.  I'll just tell God that it was the serpent's fault.  That it tricked us, uh... me.  It's not our fault.  

Adam:  Well, if your sure about this.  What's the big deal about this forbidden fruit anyway?  I mean, it's not like we don't have anything else to eat.

Eve:  You know we have everything we need.  But don't you want to see things the way God sees things?  He sees everything.  Good and evil. Life and death.

Adam: But God said if we eat of the fruit of that tree, we die.  Why would I want to see death?

Eve: You won't die.  

Adam: How do you know?

Eve: Oh, I just know.  It's a secret.

Adam: Why shouldn't I trust you?  Okay.  Munch, munch. (pause)

Eve, what did you do?  

Eve: What do you mean, "What did I do?"  What are you blaming me for?  I didn't see you eagerly refusing.  

Adam: Eve, get some clothes on for God's sake.  Have you no shame?

Eve: Look's who's calling the kettle black?  Here sew these leaves together so at least you look decent.  For someone who just ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you sure are stupid.

Adam: Me, stupid!  At least I don't go around talking to snakes!

Eve: (more reflectively) Adam, what's happened?  We never talked this way before.  Oh no, we're in big trouble.  Is this what the knowledge of good and evil is?  

Adam: Don't tell God.  He must never know.  It's going to have to be our secret.  We must never let him hear us talk this way.  

Eve: Wait a second. What's that?  

Adam: Oh no! It's God.  Quick hide.  Now don't tell him what happened.  It would hurt him so.  He must never know.

God: Adam, Eve where are you?  How strange.  They've always been here.  Always eager to visit and to rejoice in the wonders of creation.  I wonder what new things they've discovered today.  It's always such a divine joy to hear about the new things they find out about.  Adam, where are you?

Adam: Uh, over here God.  I heard you coming and I was afraid because I was naked.

Eve:  Oh good job, Adam.  You think you're telling God something he doesn't already know.  Who do you think created us?  Just like a man to not keep his big mouth shut.

God: Who told you were naked?  Did you eat of the tree that I told you not to eat? 

Adam:  Eve, I think we can still get out of this.  Just follow my lead.

Eve: What?

Adam: Uh, God.  It's all the woman's fault.  She gave me the fruit and I ate.

Eve: Adam, I don't think God is buying it.  Besides, what do you mean it's all my fault?  Men!

God: Eve!  What have you done!  

Eve:  It's all the snake's fault!  It tricked me and I ate.  

Adam: Good going Eve.  I think we're off the hook.  I would hate to be that snake right now.   Oh man, a whole existence of crawling on your belly.  Yuck!  Oh, well, better that snake than us.

Eve:  I hate snakes, slimy little devils.  Oh, oh, God's coming toward us.   Maybe he's going to tell us it's okay and things can go back to normal.

Adam: I don't think so.  So much for our secret.  It's not keeping us together its driving us a part.  It's not making things better, it's making them worse.  Here comes God and he's not looking much too pleased.

God: Eve, in bearing children your great joy, you will experience great pain.  And the relationship I gave to you and Adam will forever be unbalanced.  It will never be the same.  Adam, because you did not listen to me, the ground from which all good things come will be cursed.  Your work shall be your greatest desire and your greatest pain.  And to the ground you shall return.  Now here put these on and leave me alone for a while.

Eve: (disgustingly) Great!  Adam this is sin.  We sinned and we tried to keep it a secret.  Oh Adam, we were so good together and now I don't know.  Adam, do you still love me?  That seems like a strange question.  Is this never knowing where one stands, is this sin?

Adam:  I guess now we do know.  Wherever there is a secret, sin is never far behind.  Life was beautiful but now it's beautiful and difficult.  It's confusing.  Where will it all end?

Eve: Adam, should we tell our children?  Otherwise, won't sin eat up their lives as well?  Is there anyway we can save them?  Can we ever protect them or will they be like us, knowing good and evil?

Adam: I don't know.  But holding out on God didn't work.  Look what it did.  It messed up life entirely.  The anxiety and the anger between us was more than I could bear.  Is this going to be our legacy to our offspring?

Eve:  Well, we did tell God.  Considering we sinned and messed up creation for all time, I think God took it pretty well.

Adam:  Now that you mention it, we are still here and breathing. Maybe God isn't going to give up on us.  He still provides for us, like these clothes he made for us.  How do I look in chinchilla anyway?

Eve: Adam, get serious. It's not the same.  Before God provided for us and he provides for us now, but I never felt the fear or uncertainty before.  Our relationship with God has changed.  It's ambiguous, I mean, I'm not always sure about it.  Is this sin?

Adam: Look at us.  It's the same way.  I fear for us.  Can we make it?  What has sin done to us?  Maybe we should talk to God.  At least it will make us feel better.  At least it's rebuilding our relationship with him.  Then maybe the rest will fall into place.

Eve: I hope so.  God is still God.  We need him now more than ever.  We need not keep secrets from him.  For our sake and our children's.  Wherever there are secrets, sin is not far behind.

Adam:  Eve, what's for supper?

Eve: Get it yourself.

Adam: Things have changed.

"Forgiveness"
Text: Genesis 37-50
Sunday/Event: Midweek Lenten Service

I remember what I thought to my self as they came, tired dusty, afraid and hungry.  I thought, "Here they come.  My how they've aged.  They're coming for food.  I wonder how father is doing?"  I remember it so well, almost like it was yesterday.  They were a hard bunch, my other 11 brothers, living off the land shepherding their flocks.  They were also a jealous bunch.  I remember how they threw me into that desert well so long ago.  There was blood in their eye and murder in their voices.  I thought for sure they were going to kill me.

But Reuben, dear oldest brother, talked them out of that and rather they sold me to Ishmealite traders bound for Egypt.  And so my adventures began.  I am Joseph, Jacob is my father, Isaac is my grandfather and Abraham my great grandfather.  I am among the younger of Jacob's children and the first son of Jacob's first and most favorite wife, Rachel, who also bore my brother Benjamin.  My other brothers were born by my father Jacob's other wives, they were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Beriah, then myself, Benjamin and Dan.  Big families and many wives were common because that's just the way things were done as away to insure one had descendants.

At age 17 I was sold as a slave to Potiphar an official in Pharaoh's court.  I soon rose through the ranks and became the head of all Potiphar's business dealings.  The God of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was with me. All that I did prospered.  I was also popular among the women folk.  Sometimes that was not such a good thing.  Like when Potiphar's wife started making eyes at me and beckoning me with her finger when Potiphar's back was turned.  Potiphar was a very powerful man, and any thoughts I would have about his wife would surely mean I would loose my head.

Everyday she would be after me until one day I got too close and when no one was looking she grabbed my shirt, and when I pulled away it ripped and she was left holding part of my shirt.  Then because I wouldn't give in to her she accused me of trying to take advantage of her.  Of course old Potiphar would never take my word over his wife's and had me quickly throne in prison.

But it seemed wherever I went the Lord was with me.  Soon, even though I was prisoner, I was responsible for the rest of the prisoners.  It seemed that whatever I did would work because the LORD, the God of my fathers was with me.  Even so deep within me I had this empty spot, where I missed my family.  It was and empty spot filled with anger, loneliness, and fear.

I wondered how they were.  How old Jacob and his flocks were doing.  I suspect my brothers reported that I had been killed.  It must of broken my father Jacob's heart.  You see, I was my father's favorite.  He even gave me a special coat with long sleeves and my brother's were jealous.  They didn't think it was fair.  

They were also jealous because I had these dreams that would foretell the future.  I dreamed how I was this stack of wheat and how the rest of the stacks would bow down to me.  This really made them jealous, because no way were they going to bow down to me.  They told me to shut up about my dreams.

In prison one night a couple of pharaoh's servants had displeased Pharaoh and now were in prison with me.  They had some strange dreams.  I interpreted those dreams and they came true for pharaoh's servants.  Not all dreams are good dreams.  For one servant was set free, and the other was hanged, just as I had said.

One night Pharaoh had a dream and no one in Egypt could interpret his dream.  Finally that one servant remembered me.  I came and interpreted Pharaoh's dream that there were going to 7 good years and 7 years of famine.  This was a dream to prepare Egypt for the lean years to come.

Because the Lord was with me and all that I did prospered, Pharaoh set me in charge of all in his kingdom.  After a few creative business deals and bumper harvests Egypt was set for any famine that could come our way.

Then one day during the famine it happened.  In walk my long lost brothers who wanted me killed and sold me as a slave to Egypt. They were looking to buy food.  They no longer recognized me.  It has been over 15 years since they disposed of me.  I think they even began to believe their lies that I was dead as they had told my father Jacob.  I was overcome with emotion.  I didn't know what to do, and my brother Benjamin was not with them.  So I had them treated harshly accused them of being spies and threw them in prison.  

Then I told them they could prove they were not spies if they could return with my brother Benjamin.  Then I over heard them confessing that all this trouble was pay back for what they had done to me.  They didn't realize I could understand their language.  So off they went with the grain they came to get and returned sometime later with Benjamin.  When I saw Benjamin I was so overjoyed that I had to leave so I could weep without being seen.

But I wasn't done with them yet.  I had my cup put in Benjamin's sack without their knowing about it.  Then I sent my guard after them, and accused them of stealing.  Then I said the one who had the cup will be my slave, which of course was Benjamin.  They knew there was no way old Jacob would ever handle losing both of his dear Rebecca's children.  Then old Judah the ring leader, who engineered my disappearance, bows down before me and begs to be my slave in place of Benjamin.  Yes, dreams do come true.

So here they come, hardened men, burdened by years of guilt and my heart broke.  I was so moved by them I couldn't stand it any longer and I told them I was their brother Joseph, and all their evil God meant for good as now the lives of my family would be spared. Then we all had a good cry. and they went back to bring Jacob to live in Egypt until the famine past.  And so my father Jacob, my brothers and their families and their herds all came to dwell in Egypt.

After all those years, the memory and the emotions were still brand new.  The relationship with my family never ceased to be.  It was fractured, damaged, but still so very much alive.  The years and distance could not stop it from being present in my life.  Yet I forgave them.  It was not as if I just let everything go.  It didn't let them off the hook.  Likewise, as tempting as it was I didn't force them to bow down to me and beg my forgiveness.  I didn't let things continue with emotional distance between us.  And I didn't finally give them their due.

Strange this power of forgiveness.  But there was more going on here than just a major league family spat.  God was with us all.  It took me my time alone in Egypt to realize this.  But God had far more in mind.  He took our problems and used it for good.  When I was able to step back, I realized this.  There was a sense of peace I never realized before.  Then the love I had for my brothers came to the surface.  It was always there.  It had just gotten buried under all the accusations, lies and guilt.  

Our greatest pain became our greatest opportunity to grow, to love, and to put our faith in God to the test.  Yes God is with me.  God is always on the side of love, faith and forgiveness.  With God the future is always his gift, and frees me to handle all those tough life situations..  Who would of thought those tired dusty, dirty, treacherous brothers of mine would show me the power of faith in God and the power of forgiveness.  I guess all I can say is "Amen".

"Discipleship"

Text:  Matthew 20:17-28
Sunday/Event: Lenten Mid-week Service

James: John, dear brother and fellow son of Zebedee.

John: Yes, James, brother son of Zebedee, O thunderous one.

James:  Hey, this discipleship stuff is pretty cool.  Sure beats hauling in those smelly fish every night.  Jesus is doing pretty good.  He keeps talking about all this kingdom business.  Hey if we play our cards right we can be on easy street when Jesus comes into his kingdom.

John: I hope so.  But don't you wonder sometimes.  I mean, do you  think Jesus is really going to be king?  Shouldn't he be campaigning a little harder, a few more "Jesus for king" rallies and so on.  These teachings and healings and other miracles are pretty fantastic, but I don't think Jesus has the ear of the political leadership yet.

James:  Did you hear Jesus the other day?  That was pretty bizarre.  We're headed for Jerusalem, right?  Isn't that where he said he was going to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, not cool, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, -bummer, -  and crucified and on the third day he will be raised.  Do you know what he was talking about? 

John: Not really.  Sometimes he scares me.  Does he really know what he's doing?  Oh, oh, here comes mom.

Mom: John and James, you boys come here!  You know your father never has time for anything since you boys left to follow Jesus.  Let me tell you, if you follow Jesus you'll never amount to anything.  Your father and I are all set to give you the fishing business when we get too old. But no... you have to go off following a guy who claims to be the Messiah.

James: But mom, Jesus is now heading for Jerusalem, the city of David to claim his throne and bring in the kingdom of God.

Mom: You don't say?  Where is he?  Let me talk to him.  This might be an opportunity too good to pass up.  

John: Mom, Mom... wait a second.

James: I don't think she heard you.

John: I'm going to be so embarrassed

James: Look it.  She's talking to Jesus.  Oh no, she's asking if we can sit on his right and left hands when he comes into his kingdom.  Didn't she hear him talking about all that betrayal stuff a few minutes ago.

John: What will the other disciples think?  If we're going to be top dogs in Jesus' kingdom, what are the others going to be thinking?

James:  Well, no one said this was going to be easy.  Besides if they don't like it, that's too bad.  

John: Here comes Jesus. I think he wants to have a word with us.  Whatever Mom said must have got his attention.  

James:  Jesus is asking us if we are able to drink from the cup that he is about to drink.  Hey Jesus I'm with you all the way!

John:  James, dear brother, don't you think you should find out what that means first.  What kind of cup is he talking about?  

James: Hey brother, if you're going to the top sometimes you have to take a risk.  Just think of the power and respect that we will have if we occupy those places of honor at Jesus' side.

John: You know, there's something that's just too easy about all this.  Jesus isn't like anyone I've ever known.  He never gets bothered by those who try to trick him.  He always stays so calm.  He seems so certain.  It's like he can always see beyond what people are saying.  

James:  Did you hear what Jesus just said?  The right hand and left hand positions are out of the question.  He says that's purely God's business.  I wonder how Mom's going to respond to that one.  She doesn't take rejection very well.  Think she'll ask for a second opinion?

John:  Look at the other disciples.  Boy, are they mad.  They don't seem to be taking mom's request with very much humor.  They look pretty serious.  

James:  Maybe we should just forget it.  Give them a few days and they'll forget about it.  

John:  Yeah, we better not push the issue.  Better let sleeping dogs lie, so they say.

James:  I don't think Jesus is going to do that.  Oh no, this is going to be so embarrassing.  How does mom always get us into these messes anyway?

John: Maybe because we let her?  Shhh.... Jesus is saying something.

James:  It's something about rulers and tyrants lording it over others and having power and prestige.  

John:  He's coming down on all of us.  He's making it very clear how it's going to be in his kingdom.  Look it - he even has ol' mom thinking.

James: Your're right.  Jesus is saying, "it shall not be so among you;"  I think Jesus has something else in mind.

John: You know, that power and prestige stuff isn't what it's all cracked up to be.  Very few are able to handle it.  Rumors, gossip, secret alliances, seem to do most of the powerful in.  It seems if you sit at the right or the left hand it seems the criticizers, attackers, privilege seekers and power brokers seem to swarm and thwart anything new.

James: I don't think that's the direction Jesus is going.  He keeps talking about discipleship.  What does he mean when he says the greatest among you must be your servant?  

John:  You know that slaves have no worth outside of what they do for their masters.  Jesus is saying his worth comes from God and God alone.  Likewise the worth of a disciple is not found in  positions of power, but what we do for Jesus.  It come from what we believe.

James: Listen to Jesus.  He says he has come to give his life as ransom for many.  Jesus is going to bring his kingdom in a new way.  I think that means being a disciple to be like Jesus.  Is that what means by "drinking the cup that he is to drink"?

John:  I tell you, when Jesus speaks his vision of the kingdom is so clear.  You know what they say, "Clarity is next to godliness."  

James:  Do you think Jesus will succeed?  Look at the forces against him.  People get scared.  They look for quick solutions.  They look for scapegoats.  Everything becomes organized around fear and those who rock the boat, who try lead people through commitment to beliefs and courage, get ignored or worse.  Everyone complains but no one ever talks about what they believe.

John:  You know you're right Jesus never leads by giving solutions or easy answers.  He challenges but he never complains.  Every time he says something you have to think about it.  And when you think about it you begin to understand a little better about what you believe and what you stand for.  

James: Is that what being a disciple is?  Is it being willing to act on what you believe?   Is it to respond to fear and not be conquered by it?

John: I think the answer is, "yes".  Jesus never caves in.  He always responds.  He makes people think.  He is never intimidated.  He is a servant who knows clearly whom he serves.  He trust and identifies with God that gives him real power that earthly rulers just don't get.

James: And I think that being a disciple means the same thing.  We must know the Lord whom we serve.  Everything must flow from that.  Power is not found in reaching the top, but serving on the bottom.  It's so backwards it just might work.

John:  So James, brother dear, how far are you going follow Jesus.  What if this prediction of Jesus being betrayed and dying is true?

James:  I don't know brother dear.  He said we would drink the cup that he drinks.  He knows more than he lets on.  He said, "On the third day he will rise."  Won't that blow a hole in the world power theory based on the fear of death.

John: Come on.  Let's follow him.  All this kingdom talk just might work.  

James: Let's see. Amen.

"The Church"
Text: John 17:20-26
Sunday/Event: Lenten Midweek, March 26, 1996.

I would like to introduce you tonight to two amoebas, whose names are Heacliff and George.  They were just two independent cells peacefully living out their meaningless existence.  Each was independent of the other.  Occasionally they would split into a carbon copy of themselves, but that's all they could do.

Then one day, God said, "George and Heacliff, come here!  Today I give to you your destiny.  You shall be one body.  You are to grow and become.  The only condition I put upon you is that you shall live in relationship with me.  Your destiny is then to love one another as I love you.

So from that moment on George and Heacliff became a body.  Of course when you are a body with only two cells there's not much you can do.  But true to their destiny, they loved each other and they began to grow.  Together rather than separate, they discovered they had amazing powers.  As they grew all their new cells became interrelated.  They found out they needed each other.  Love bound them together is a kind of peaceful harmony. Every thing was hunky dory.

Then one day, the body of George and Heacliff had a totally new idea.  George said to Heacliff, "Let's move".  Heacliff responded, "Let's what?"  George sensing destiny was calling him into the future, kept pressing the point, "You know, let's move. Let's go from here to there."  George didn't know it but what he was doing was exercising leadership.

Heacliff retorted, "How are we going to that?"  It's never been done that way before.  What's wrong with staying here?"  Why do you have to be so different?  Why can't you just be nice?  

George was always a little different as cells go.  George really wasn't a mutant.  But he had this incredible ability to grow and adapt.  On the other hand, Heacliff seemed to always stay with the status quo.  It caused a little tension in their relationship.  It soon erupted into a debate that would mark life for all time.  It became a kind of universal truth.  The debate would go like so:

Heacliff would say, "George, you know that God wants us to be one.  Be a nice cell and go along.  We have a happy existence here floating aimlessly in this ocean of life, this definitionless primordial soup.  Why do you want to rock the boat?"

"My dear Heacliff", George responded, "I beg to differ".  Heacliff gasps with disbelief. He had never heard of such a thing as "differing". "You see", George continued, "I don't think oneness means sameness.  Oneness means to live in relationship with God and each other.  And to live in relationship means in order to fulfill one's destiny, you have to do things differently once in a while.  It's to live for the glory of God."

And so the debate would rage on.  Soon they were stuck together.  They couldn't make a decision.  They weren't one, they were the same.  They became afraid.  Every time one had a new idea, that is when destiny called, they would end up arguing bitterly.  They would try to separate by being silent, but the silence was worse than the fighting and would only make them more stuck together.  They tried to control one another and sought to make the other just like them.  They tried to make each other the same. It didn't work.

Then one day, their fighting took on the form of a virus.  They became sick.  They couldn't grow.  The virus could grow of course.  It was the master at duplicating itself, but that's all it did. It made a lot of noise and created a lot of symptoms, but no healing and no growth.  Pretty soon the virus was running everything.  But it was sad.  There was no hope, no oneness, no sense of destiny, just an uncontrolled frenzy of sameness.

Then one day God came and spoke to George and Heacliff and said, "It is my will that you be one and live in relationship with me and one another. Love one another as I have loved you."  Then God said, forgive one another right now."  George said, "What do you mean forgive one another?  

God said, "I did not create you to be the same.  I created you to be one.  To be one is to live in relationship with one another.  It does not mean you are the same.  It means you are different, but you are one.  And when you are one, then you are able to turn to meet your destiny.  Remember, I am your destiny.  I am calling you to live in love.  And wherever my love is present, that is my glory.

George and Heacliff then forgave each other. They could clearly see they were different.  They were no longer stuck together. They discovered they didn't have to be the same.  What really mattered was God's destiny.  That became their common goal.  It was a vision of life that united them.  Occasionally viruses would attack.  But when they kept united in the purpose of bringing God's glory to the world, the virus would just lose interest and go away.  Viruses need sameness to thrive.  Oneness in God's anti-virus.

In their newly forgiven state George and Heacliff, once again began to grow.  Seeing each other as different, George and Heacliff noticed some of their cell offspring began to specialize.  Little flipper things started sprouting out of some of the cells.  In a wild uncoordinated frenzy they would thrash at the sea around them.

George and Heacliff watched in stunned amazement.  Then like a bolt of lightening the idea struck George.  George spoke first, "Heacliff you be left, and I'll be right.  Heacliff responded, "No, you be left and I'll be right.  Ah, George, what's left and right anyway?"  (Well, nobody said this was going to be easy.)

George took control. He began to lead sensing destiny was near.  "Just do it and you'll see."  And so with the little flipper things working in coordinated fashion, George and Heacliff began to move.  They learned to live in relationship with one another.  They pursued their destiny.  They loved each other and the glory of God shone around them.

This is a parable about the church.  It can also be adapted to any human group from marriages, to families, to organization, to businesses, to nations, to the whole human race created by God.

In our lesson Jesus calls his disciples to be one. That is their destiny.  That is the content of Jesus prayer for his followers.  Over the years the church, has had a tendency to fritter away its destiny, which is love God and one another as God has loved it.  On its bad days God's people give up on love and settled for sameness.  Pastors and parishioners complain about the state of things, but that seems like a virus that doesn't do anything except replicate itself.  Nothing really changes.

Because the church often settles for a cozy sameness, it doesn't know clearly who it is or what it stands for.  Because it has turned from its God given destiny, many from the outside cannot tell what it is that is different from all the other non-profit organizations in the world.  How often do congregations opt for sameness, which takes shape in safety, that is don't risk?  How often do congregations opt for quick solutions which keep things the same but do not promote growth, and how often do we opt for survival at the cost of what we believe?  Is the church in danger of becoming a shapeless mass floating in the ocean of life with no direction?

Accordingly, the church needs to repent, that is turn towards its destiny.  It's destiny is to live in relationship with God and each other. Oneness doesn't mean sameness.  Each part of the body of Christ in order to be one, needs to define what it means for each one to be a part of that body.  That definition needs to start to happen on an individual level.  Enough of the parts need to start acting in ways that define who they are as part of the body of Christ.  

Enough need to start defining their Christianity through prayer, reading and study of scripture and time spent in worship.  As that happens there will be direction and leadership.  And the body of Christ, the church will begin to move towards its destiny. 
It is a destiny proclaimed by Jesus himself in the prayer as he is about to be betrayed and crucified. "The glory that you have given me, I have given them, so they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."  Amen.