Ramblings

The House – 2/24/2013

Sermon for Sunday based on Luke 13: 31-35. Recently, there have been news reports on the problems with smog in Beijing, China. On the internet it is even being called: "airpocalypse!" Of course the problem of smog is not new. For example, I remember flying into Beijing with my family in 2008. As we approached Beijing Capital International Airport, we flew into this dome of light brown that sat like a translucent lid over the buildings, muddying much and discoloring everything. But, once we had landed, and once we had traveled into the city, the dome of smog became largely invisible, but I still could remember what it looked like and smelled like.

Smog is not limited to China. I have travelled to many large cities including in this nation and it wouldn't be long before summer hits and we will have our own ozone warnings. So, I am conscious of the muck we are breathing.

Yet, to be honest after I have been a community for a while, I tend not to notice; I have even been known to fill my tank on ozone warning days here in San Antonio. Over time I tend to forget unless it gets really bad. For example, we were there in Beijing for several days, and by the time we left, I'd forgotten all about the smog … until I see the papers.

In our gospel today, we have several interesting images. Not only do we have Pharisees warning Jesus, which kind of blows our stereotype of Pharisees being supposedly all "bad." We also have Jesus using a female image as a mother hen which explains part of the words of our benediction we have been using the last couple of weeks: …. "Christ our Mother shelter you and carry you."

Yet, we also have another image. It is a small one but an important one and is a biblical metaphor that translates easily to our culture today. Jesus laments over Jerusalem and says, "See, your house is left to you." In both New Testament Greek and modern English, the word "house" can stand not only for a building but also for a family and community.

But let us not get ahead of ourselves. Let's go back; let's start from the beginning of our lesson. The lesson begins as I said, with some Pharisees passing along a threat from King Herod, whom Jesus would refer to as a fox. If you remember the house of Herod was tangled. The family line did not resemble so much a tree as a tangled ball of yarn. This Herod, to whom Jesus refers, is named Antipas and had other relatives called Herod as well, and their marriages, divorces and remarriages were not only often ill-considered, but were sometimes incestuous.

Although the House of Herod was more like a soap opera, and they were very much disliked in their own land, the family of Herod was by and large actually greatly admired in the larger Roman Empire. For example, an earlier Herod --- Herod the Great --- for instance, had saved the Olympics around the year 12 B.C. by providing for their funding. Herod the Great had left behind many great architectural works, including substantial improvements to the Temple in Jerusalem --- so impressive that it caused one of Jesus' disciples to marvel: "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!"

Jesus, however, knew about the coming desolation and replied, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down." Jesus was right, of course, and eventually, that desolation would become all too concrete. In A.D. 66, about thirty or so years after the death of Jesus, the Jewish population rebelled against Rome. The empire could not allow that revolt to succeed, and so in A.D. 70, Roman legions under the future emperor Titus retook the city and destroyed much of it, including the temple, which has not been rebuilt to this day. But that is all in the future.

Return to today's words and you will notice that Jesus does not limit his words to the house of Herod, for Jesus likely was thinking about the brokenness in the whole city of Jerusalem and actually the country; the failure by many to love God with their whole hearts and love their neighbors as themselves.

What does this all mean for us? It is not much of a stretch to apply "the house left to us" to our lives. Our unattended lives --- one littered with missed opportunities, broken relationships, repeated procrastinations, and a lack of empathy, un-kept promises, false starts, yielded-to temptations, selfish priorities and the like -- can quickly become a forsaken "house."

And it is pretty easy to find desolate-house-type lives in the news. For example, a song by Roger Miller called Husbands and Wives, high on both the country and pop charts several years ago, told of a partnership breaking down, and began, "Two broken hearts -- lonely, looking' like houses where nobody lives." And think of any one of the celebrities or politicians or yes, even big-name religious figures that destroyed their families, lost their positions, ruined their reputations and betrayed those who trusted them because of some act of infidelity or gross selfishness. For example, in the last 30 years in the evangelical Christian circles we have the rise and fall of the House of Armstrong, the House of Swaggart and House of Haggard.

So where does that leave us? Jesus words "See, your house is left to you" is not only a reminder that improper or deferred maintenance is always bad for relationships, and that includes our spiritual ones as well. But also a reminder that in this season of Lent, an unattended spiritual house can yield a life where God is supposedly welcome, but where God refuses to abide because the place is a spiritual dump where God is ignored by the occupant -- so ignored, that the occupants do not even notice when the Lord is no longer there.

Now there are those like an atheist for example, who might hear Jesus's words and say, "So be it. I'm on my own in this world and that's just fine." In fact, there are others who may say it is not one of unhappiness but of contentment.

That being said, I believe that most people do not want to be left on their own in this life, and if they were, they'd recognize that condition as one of desolation at times.

So when Jesus said to Jerusalem, "Look, your house is left to you ...." What might it mean for our lives? We could go around and blame the world as many do. But, I think we need to remember that we keep our spiritual houses from becoming desolate by tending our relationship with the Lord. We can't keep telling the Lord "later" or "someday" and expect that to keep the relationship strong. Instead, these words of Jesus are to me the words of one who loves the children living in this bucket of smog; a Jesus who pauses at a sufficient distance from my city to see the filth before plunging in himself.

For I hear the love in Jesus' voice as his plane descends into the brown air, his eyes watering not from smog, but from sadness. We are the people of Jerusalem. Jesus cries for us. The good news is this: Jesus sees the poison of our world, and he enters anyhow. "See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'" Are we ready to say "Blessed…?" Amen.

Just another App – 2/17/2013

Sermon based on Luke 4: 1-12. While walking into the post office this week, I was almost run over. Not by a car in the parking lot but by …a man on his cell phone. Thankfully, I was paying attention and quickly got out of his way. What so engrossed him? As he passed by, I noticed that he was playing a game.

Want to edit your digital photographs? Watch the news? Play the game Trainyard Express? Diagnose an illness? Pretend to drink a beer? All you need is an app. An application, that is: a specialized program that you download to your smartphone or other mobile device. Apps run the gamut from games to business programs, allowing you to play Angry Birds or keep your appointments. In fact there are more than a million apps for Apple, Android or Windows phones.

Such variety explains why so many people are staring at their phones these days. According to The Atlantic magazine (June 2012), apps are now available to help us transform into "thinner, richer, all-around-better versions of ourselves." For example, do you want to lose weight and break a bad habit? There's an app for that --- and that! All this is not new; it is simply another addition to behavior modification supported by smartphone technology. For example, what if you want to watch television less or say "thank you" more? An app called "Habit Maker, Habit Breaker" lets you choose the behavior you would like to target, whether it's controlling your time in front of the TV or expressing your appreciation. The slogan of this app: "Change your habits, change your life."

Jesus certainly understood the connection between personal behaviors and quality of life, which is why he watched his conduct closely during his 40 days in the wilderness. He made a set of choices that can become habits for us and change our lives for the positive. Although Jesus did not write a program for our smartphones, Jesus did give guidelines and social support for resisting temptation.

There are at least three applications. The first app is Trust God, not Self. Luke tells us that Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days, and during that period Jesus ate nothing. When those days were over, "he was" understandably "famished."

We can just imagine the temptation for Jesus when we hear evil asking the question we ourselves may have asked, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." Notice that evil is making a reasonable request and acknowledging in fact, that Jesus is the Son of God. And Jesus certainly has the power to turn stones into bread. Eating is part of being human. In addition, the idea of bread in the wilderness has a nice ring to it, since that is what God provided to the people of Israel through the gift of manna.

But Jesus says no, because Jesus is in the habit of trusting God. Also, if he performs this miracle, Jesus will be serving his own needs instead of allowing God to provide for him. So Jesus responds to the temptation by quoting a line from the book of Deuteronomy, the same verse that reminds the Israelites that God provided them with bread in the wilderness: "One does not live by bread alone." Instead, we are to live by trusting what God says and does.

Do you remember last August when the Internet was full of chatter about Olympic athletes' praising God for their gold medals? One person that did not receive much attention was Runner Lolo Jones who spent years training for the 100-meter hurdles. But even though she ran an outstanding race, she came in fourth and failed to medal. Jones was devastated yet, she says she has never "prayed to win a gold medal at [the] Olympics and never will." She says that the Lord is her shepherd, and she "shall not want."

When we trust God instead of ourselves, we're thankful in times whether negative or positive. Whether we win medals or not, we can be grateful for God's gifts of life, breath, talent, strength and the love and support of family members and friends.

The second app I could imagine would be Serve Only God. In the second temptation, evil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. The tempter says, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." Again, this is a reasonable offer, because think of all the good Jesus could do if he had authority over all governments. With a single command, Jesus could eliminate poverty, disease, hunger, injustice, violence and abuse.

But there is a catch: Jesus must compromise with the power that gave him authority… in this case evil. For Jesus, such a price is too high, even if great good can be accomplished in the world. In response, Jesus to support his No, he quotes the book of Deuteronomy once again, saying, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him."

This app is a tough one for us, because we are asked to make compromises every day. For example, do we work overtime to make money for our family, or go home at a normal hour to spend time with our loved ones? Do we save money by buying products manufactured in countries where workers are exploited, or do we pay a little more for American-made goods? Do we push for better environmental standards, even when protecting the environment will hinder certain industries? Do we allow what is commonly known as "fracking" on our properties knowing that the process uses secret chemicals and enormous amount of water for a momentary financial windfall?

These are tough choices, and none of them breaks down into good versus evil, God versus the devil. But what Jesus is asking us to do is ponder and serve God ahead of ourselves, putting God's interests instead of our own possible positive outcomes. Jesus could have had great earthly success if he had worshiped evil, but instead Jesus chose to focus solely on serving God.

We can do the same, by turning to God when we are confronted by a choice between overtime and family time. We can commit ourselves to loving our neighbors as ourselves before we purchase a particular item. We can take seriously our role as stewards of God's creation when we take stands on the economy, fracking and the environment, knowing that God wants us both to use and to preserve the resources of the earth. We can stand with those who are persecuted for being of a certain color hue or sexuality or income level, knowing that God has taught us to stand for inclusion rather than exclusion. If we apply ourselves to serving only God, we are promised a faithful path through these valleys.

Finally in this life event of Jesus we see the Do Not Put God to the Test app. In his final temptation during these forty days, evil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem and invites him to throw himself down, trusting the promise of the Book of Psalms, "His angels ... will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone." After hearing Jesus use Scripture in his previous responses, evil is clever enough to use God's word as part of his own temptation.

But once again Jesus resists, going back to Deuteronomy to find the words, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." Jesus trusts the power of God, but Jesus is not going to tell God when and how to do it.

If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we all put God to the test particularly in our timeline. Charles Rush, a pastor in New Jersey, says it starts in the third grade, when we get a pop quiz on the multiplication tables. We say, "God, if Marcy's paper can come into view during this test, I promise I will not curse for a whole week." From there, it just escalates, "Dear God, if I can just get Robin alone at this party, I will be nice to everybody for a whole week." "O God let those guys emerge from behind the conference room doors with a job offer. I'll go to church for a month straight."

In all of these cases, we are bargaining with God, making promises in exchange for particular types of help. This is a form of testing God, which Jesus refuses to do. Looking at the entire temptation story, we see that all of Jesus' choices enable Jesus to remain close to God and the divine agenda.

Trusting God, serving God and not putting God to the test. These are the apps that Jesus uses in his own time of trial. They are habits that we can learn from.

Certainly we are not Jesus and the common thread in these three temptations is an alternative to the mission and destiny of the cross. Nevertheless, as Christians we are called to continue the Spirit-led announcement of Christ and to live out God's kingdom, so of course we would be also tempted to abandon the task God has given us for ways of self-fulfillment, power, and spectacle. These temptations are also ones we experience, so learning from Jesus can assist us.

Unlike Jesus, we will fail at times; nevertheless Lent is the time for confessing our failures and redirecting our steps to the way of Jesus trusting in God's forgiveness, having faith in God's grace. Let us take a moment and lift our eyes from our applications on our phones and follow the application modeled in Christ. Amen.

Piety – Ash Wednesday 2/13/2013

"Piety" for many people is an old-fashioned word that invokes an image like the one portrayed in a famous American picture from 1918 later made into prints. It is an image of an old bearded, grey haired man, sitting at a rough table, with hands folded and eyes closed, thanking God for the abundance of one small loaf of bread, a bowl with oatmeal and a large Bible on his table. Piety in that popular image is for some an expression of deep and simple reverence.

"Piety" however is more than a prayer at a table it can be lived out in many ways. Spiritual devotion --- simply put --- refers to the way we express and live out our faith --- it can include the way we worship and the way we normally respond to God in our daily life. And there is no one way of piety, just like there is no one way of living out the Christian faith. Spiritual devotion is not something that is enforced from the outside --- a set of rules or practices we do because we are told we must. Nor is it something we do for the sake of others --- whether as a good example for them, or because others expect it of us.

That is the theme that Jesus focuses on in this portion of our gospel --- by pointing to those who make a grand show of their devotion.  It is not that the impressive show of piety is necessarily bad or good; rather spiritual devotion is nothing more than the response of the open heart to God. The core of this passage is the last verse, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Piety or where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, is a good introduction into our theme during this Lenten season. Over the course of the next six weeks we will be focusing on Martin Luther's Small Catechism, both in our liturgies and in our study. Martin Luther, the 16^th century Roman Catholic priest and later Protestant reformer considered that devotion in the Christian faith to have six basic key components that he considered that instructive. He produced the document to assist individuals and families in their spiritual devotion, their piety… so that individuals and families would understand the "treasure" and grow in their faith.

But before we get too deeply into Luther's words and the six basic components, we need to remember that in the 16^th century Martin Luther was coming from a perspective or bias he had regarding the very heart of Christian faith --- the Word of God. Now it may not seem like an appropriate predisposition for some of us because it is already the main viewing glass by which we may approach the Word of God today. Nevertheless it is important to acknowledge: this bias in how Luther approached the Word of God. Luther approached as Law and Gospel.

Luther partially understood the Bible from his study of the Hebrew language. In it he noted that the Hebrew word for "word" is dabar. Dabar means in Hebrew both "word" and "act." So the Word of God is more than just words it is God acting. This bias means that God's word is never just a pile of facts or dogma, inerrant and strict words to be simply followed. It is a distortion for people of faith to approach the Bible merely as a body of knowledge according to Luther. And this may come at first as a shock --- the Word of God is not to enforce on people a specific set of rules of behavior.

Luther noted that God has behavioral goals for his people, but Luther did not confuse moralism with the gospel. Aesop's fables can have morals --- and sometimes even better than Bible stories. Is the story of Samson an argument to wear your hair long? Is the lesson of the story of Joseph in Egypt that if we don't fool around with the boss's wife, someday we too can be vice president?

Instead of the Word of God being just facts or morals, Luther for example in his sermon the Magnificat of 1521, says that the function of sharing our faith is to take the ashes of the past and present them in such a way that the Spirit can make God's mighty acts, culminating in Jesus Christ, glow like a live coal. If that doesn't happen, says Luther, the Word of God is all "empty words and idle fables."

Instead Luther understood that the Word of God does two things: the "law" part of the Word of God accuses humanity for messing everything up. Not only do we see that in the Bible, but all around us. We encounter law in the unrest of our times; in the news and communications media; in our contaminated environment; in other people; in problems of home and family; in our own sense of guilt; and in our anxiety when we encounter seemingly absurd and meaningless and tragic situations. Our whole existence proclaims broken relationships --- with humans, but ultimately with God. No matter what Laws God gives us to help us, the law alone is never the cure.

The Word of God also is gospel. Luther see gospel as what frees us in that it is good news for bad situations, that God is truly our forgiver and friend in, with and through Jesus Christ, in spite of all evidence to the contrary. In other words the Word of God not only encourages us in the face of bad situations but also helps us celebrate the good news and to be the good news. For example, the Gospel challenges us to wonder how can we receive mercy, but not give it in return? How can we accept forgiveness, but not forgive? How can we be loved, but not love? How can we be reconciled, but not reconcile? How can we be accepted, but not accept?

This bias, seeing the Word of God as Law and Gospel, brings us back to the beginning of my message, the heart of Christian spirituality. If our piety is done for the sake of others, to fulfill the Law of the Word of God, it will be just show and meaningless.

Piety on the other hand, in response to the Gospel in the Word of God is a very personal thing. One person may pray out loud. Another may pray in their closet. One may eat to the glory of God; another may fast to his glory. One may dress up to come to church, to make it special. Another may wear blue jeans, out of a heart that is comfortable with God, and also regards that as special.

There are no hard-and-fast rules to piety - no "should" or "should not's;" those who read that into this passage are missing the point. Jesus is just saying, pray out of a heart that is centered in the good news of the Gospel in the Word of God. "Do not fast so that others will see you and say, 'Oh, what a great Christian!' Let it be between you and God, flowing out of your relationship with God." "Do not store up things, so that you can make a big show, and everyone will think, 'Oh, how successful, or talented, or smart, or blessed she is!' Let your riches be in the depth of your relationship with God. Then you will be truly rich!"

These next forty days afford us an opportunity to experiment with a deeper spiritual life using as a basis the Small Catechism through the prism of Law and Gospel understood by Martin Luther. At the end of this 40 day exercise, in response to the Law --- Good Friday, Jesus death on the Cross --- and the Gospel --- Easter and the Resurrection --- the goal is to have strengthened a piety that is our own, to bring our hearts closer to the heart of the God who loves us. Like any good relationship, it takes time and care to mature our relationship with God, a little humor and creativity, and a lot of love to keep it going strong. That is why Jesus says, at the end of this passage, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Amen.

Divine Conspiracy – 2/10/2013

Sermon for Transfiguration Sunday. Why do Americans love conspiracy theories? The most recent example is the shooting at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. There are at least two conspiracy theories going around that either the shooting did not happen and what we have seen are government actors or it did happen but was the work of government agents behind the young shooter. Both conspiracy theories suggest that it was for the same reason … the government wants our guns!

No manner of facts will spoil the conspiracy mills. Just take President Obama's birth certificate, or the reams of information on the assassination of President Kennedy, or the studies of fluoride in our drinking water, the list of conspiracies grows larger and larger.

In response, in partial defense of my people, I have pointed out that it is not just Americans. For example there is a conspiracy theory among some in the Middle East that our government was in cahoots with a secretive Jewish group and we staged 9/11. What I also point out is that people throughout history have loved imaginary stories that revolve around the belief that powerful people or organizations are secretly manipulating historical events for their own purposes.

Yet, we have to wonder why are we drawn to conspiracy? Is there something within us that tries to make sense of tragic or shocking events by placing blame on a mysterious group of people conspiring to do us harm?

I bring this up because it is one thing to see a hidden hand in the theory that we never landed on the moon. It is another thing to see a hidden hand in the story of the transfiguration. In today's portion from Luke, we catch sight of something really strange happening, a paranormal something that is way off the charts. It is a divine conspiracy, you could say.

Our story begins with Jesus taking a few disciples in this case: Peter, James and John up a mountain to pray. Suddenly, God changes the appearance of Jesus' face, and makes his clothes dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear in glory, and they speak of Jesus' departure --- which he is about to accomplish in Jerusalem. Then a cloud comes and overshadows them all, and the disciples are not only stunned but terrified. From the cloud, the voice of God thunders, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" And as quickly as the stunning spectacle starts, it ends. Jesus is found alone, and the disciples remain stuck in bewildered silence.

Contrary to calling President Obama a radical Muslim, we can call this a true conspiracy because it involves a powerful force no less than the Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. God intervenes in human affairs and manipulates a historical event, turning a mountaintop prayer retreat into an awe-inspiring announcement that Jesus is God's Chosen One, his Messiah, and his Beloved Son. Look at the story, and you can see that the hidden hand of God is everywhere.

But you may also realize already there is a problem. The word "conspiracy" is a difficult word to us to use because of the connotations nevertheless we need to remember that the word "conspire" literally means "breathing together." When people are together, they are "breathing together." In the same way, when God works with us to advance God's will, we "breathe together" with God. God's ruah --- the Hebrew word meaning breath, spirit or wind --- fills us with life, inspiration and power, and it gives us the ability to push God's plan into the world. Because let me let you in on a divine secret: … God does not do God's work alone.

Thus, we are invited into the Lord's divine conspiracy, and challenged to be part of a network of cells operating all over the world. Within these cells, we breathe with one another, but more importantly we breathe with God. We allow God's breath --- God's ruah --- to fill us with life, to inspire us, and to give us the power to push God's divine agenda.

So how does God's plan unfold? Well look at the meeting on the mountaintop.

First, at the beginning, Jesus is praying. There is no better way to conspire than the process of breathing with God; to follow Jesus in this practice. Prayer settles us down and opens us up --- it allows us to shed our ambitions and to immerse ourselves in the desires of the Lord. Prayer doesn't so much change God's mind as it changes our hearts --- it makes us much more likely to be co-conspirators with the Lord. Prayer is not about asking for things and then getting what we want --- instead, it is about asking for God's presence and then getting what we need. Even if God does not bring us the answer we want, writes Frederick Buechner, God "will bring you himself. And maybe at the secret heart of all our prayers that is what we are really praying for."

Second, besides prayer on the mountaintop we have appearance … Christ's appearance changes. His face is transformed, and his clothes become dazzling white. As a sign of his intimacy with God, the face of Jesus becomes radiant --- in Matthew version it says that the face of Jesus "shone like the sun." Jesus shines like Moses coming down off Mount Sinai, with a face so bright that the people are afraid to come near him.

In other words, once we start breathing with God, our appearance is going to change. This was true for Moses. It was true for Jesus. And it's true for us. When we are in a divine conspiracy, we look, sound, and act like different people. We offer our enemies a smile. We speak the truth. We live in love, as Christ loved us. We act in ways that are kind and tenderhearted, forgiving others as Christ has forgiven us. The list goes on. In other words, we begin to live a transfigured life, a life that is transformed by intimacy with God.

The third aspect of the divine conspiracy seen on the moutaintop is placing our interests below that of God. Moses and Elijah appear, and talk about God's plan for Jesus --- in particular, they speak of Christ's departure, "which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem." This is a difficult topic, since it involves Jesus' suffering and death, but it is an essential one, since it contains the most important events in God's divine conspiracy. Because Jesus brings us forgiveness of our human predicament of messing everything up, and through his resurrection on Easter morning gives us the gift of new life.

However, Peter has a different agenda. Peter wants to build three dwellings to capture the glory of the moment, Jesus on the other hands knows that the divine conspiracy cannot be arrested on the mountaintop. It has to move relentlessly toward the cross. Jesus also made the point that if we're going to follow him, to "breathe" with him as it were; it is going to mean the death of selfish desire and the birth of godly desire.

That leads to our final aspect of the divine conspiracy, we are to make a decision to be on board. If we are witness to what Peter and the others were witnesses to, we cannot be the same. The disciples pledge to Jesus not to talk about this event. However, after the resurrection the divine conspiracy is in open overdrive. Once we have seen this side of Jesus, we got to pick up our cross and follow, or get out of the way because God is on a mission with, in and through Jesus.

The season of Lent will begin on Wednesday with the kickoff event, Ash Wednesday. From there we will once again journey through the significance of Jesus' suffering and death. It is a season where we review the basics of this divine conspiracy. It begins with prayer and moves through our lives, what people see in us, placing our interests below God's and ending with the challenge of the cross, and the question of whether we are on board or not. So, join with me and take a deep breath now, not to catch the latest conspiracy theory on the Internet rather let us conspire with God this Lent; for only one question remains for us to answer: "Are we breathing with God?" For God's divine conspiracy has begun. Amen.

Exceptions to the Rule – 2/3/2013

Sermon based on 1 Corinthians 13. "I before e except after c." For generations, it has been one of the commonly used memory aids to help children learn how to spell certain words in the English language. It works to help us spell ie words such as friend, thief and yield and ei words such as ceiling, receive and deceit.

However, you may also remember that you soon had to learn many exceptions to that rule for example: weird, height, leisure, ancient, efficient, protein and species. There are so many exceptions to the rules that if you eventually became a good speller of ie and ei words, and it was not because of the computer spell check, it was probably because you ignored the rule and just learned to spell the specific words.

Nonetheless, we have to sympathize with teachers; how do you teach spelling when English has so many exceptions to the rules? In 2010, the British government issued a guide for their elementary schools titled Support for Spelling. It contained 124 pages of ideas for teachers on how to make spelling lessons interesting and engaging. One piece of advice was to stop teaching the "i before e except after c" because there are so many exceptions that it is not really a "rule." As you can imagine not everyone agreed with the advice for some teachers pointed out that the "rule" does work as a building block for future spelling success.

The reason I bring this up is that thinking about that spelling rule is a useful way to approach today's second lesson from 1 Corinthians 13. In fact, I Corinthians 13 can be thought of as the answer to the question "How do you spell love?" The apostle Paul gives several rules for spelling it: Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way. Love is not irritable or resentful. Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Furthermore, the teacher in Paul is putting forth a basic rule. What is that rule for spelling love? When you love the rule is: U always comes before I. U comes before I.

Simple isn't it? Yet as we well know saying "U comes before I" and living that way are often two different things that is why Paul is writing to this fighting congregation in Corinth because putting U before I does not come naturally.

Several years ago, the Nova PBS TV series advertised that it was going to air an intimate portrait of two groups whose members labor exclusively for the good of the community. In other words, no individual in either group put himself or herself first. And who were these remarkable groups marked by such unselfishness? Some previously undiscovered tribe in the African jungle? Some isolated clan living in the Amazon region of South America? Some extended family living on Goliad Road in San Antonio. No. It was ants and cockroaches. To find a species where individuals are by nature selfless, Nova had to look outside humanity.

Let's be honest. If U comes before I came naturally buying Valentines gifts would be easier. That is why there is a running joke about some people being unable to be romantic with their gifts for Valentine's Day gifts; "What do you mean a new vacuum cleaner is not romantic?" Of course, these sorts of gifts do not suggest that the individuals do not love their partners or that they are necessarily selfish. It is just that self-interest, to some degree, is a naturally occurring phenomenon in every human being. In fact, all of us have to struggle against self-interest.

Nevertheless, we see "U comes before I" as a Christian value that is why this lesson is often chosen for countless wedding ceremonies. Indeed, it is central to our Christian faith that we love our neighbor as ourselves, but most of us find that that does not come easily; we have to work at it. And we have to work at it not just until we finally get it right but over and over again, for the tendency to put I before U or try to find exceptions to the rule is deeply ingrained in us and does not go away just because we want it to --- or even because we start following Jesus.

So what are we to do? What can help us? Over the many years, students of Paul's words notice that the Greek word Paul used for love in this passage is agape, which was not the common Greek word for love. In fact, the English King James Version translators of 1611 rendered agape as "charity," which, in that day, had a somewhat different meaning than it does today.

Still the reason for noting that Paul used agape instead of a more common Greek word for love is to point out that agape refers more to an act of the will than a feeling of the heart. In other words, it may not be possible to put U before I in the deepest places in our hearts or to feel lovingly in our emotions, it is possible to behave so that in practice we put U before I. That means that even if our inward response is "What's in it for me?" our outward response needs to be "What's best for you?" And we can ask that question and act on its answer regardless of what our self-interest is saying to us.

Can we really learn to behave differently, in a way that goes against our nature? The example of many Christians tells us that we can. And so, perhaps, does a recent experiment. Richard Davidson, neuroscience professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, has been wiring up Buddhist monks to a brain scanner (EEG). He selected the monks because they routinely practice meditation. In one experiment, he asked them to meditate on "unconditional loving kindness and compassion." When they did, Davidson's machine immediately registered powerful gamma activity, which is evidence of intensely focused thought. It was 30 times stronger than the gamma waves from a control group of students. Plus, brain wave oscillations from various parts of the cortex were synchronized, something normally seen only when patients are under anesthesia.

While this experiment proves nothing, Professor Davidson speculates that the monks had attained a focused state of mind. If that was the case, then maybe compassion is something like a muscle, something that could be bulked up by exercising it.

Perhaps. Paul's rules for spelling love tell us that love is not spelled primarily through meditation; it is spelled through actions and attitudes.

For example, take Paul's rule that love is not irritable or resentful. Irritation and resentment may spring up on their own, but when we notice those feelings, we can make a conscious effort not to display them and not to let them drive our behavior. And as we do, we are exercising compassion, beefing up our compassion muscle.

Paul's counsel on love does not stop here. Paul also placed a warning label on the U before I rule of love. Paul points out that as great as love is, we are still missing something. Paul warns us that we only "see dimly" and "know in part." Why include that? Well perhaps it could be because even if we follow the rule of U before I, that does not mean that that the person or persons with whom we shared compassion will respond in kind. Knowing that, the temptation then is to suggest that the rule has exceptions… that the person will not respond well so that means I do not have to love. The Apostle Paul disagrees and says that even if the other person does not respond, there is always more going on in any given situation than we can see for we "see dimly."

Episcopalian priest, John Claypool, tells a story from ancient China that illustrates this point. There was a farmer who owned only one horse. He depended on the horse for everything; to pull the plow, to draw the wagon. One day a bee stung the horse, and in fright the horse ran away into the mountains. The farmer searched for him but couldn't find him. His neighbors said, "We are really sorry about your bad luck." But the old farmer shrugged and said, "Bad luck, good luck --- which is to say?"

A week later his horse came back, accompanied by twelve wild horses, which he had obviously encountered, and the old farmer was able to corral all these fine animals. News spread throughout the village, and his neighbors came and said, "Congratulations on your good luck." To which the old man once again shrugged and said, "Good luck, bad luck -- which is to say?"

The only son of the farmer decided to make the most of this good fortune, so he started to break the wild horses so they could be sold and put to work in the fields. But as he attempted to do this, he got thrown from one of the horses, and his leg was broken in three places. When word of this accident spread through the village, again the neighbors said, "We are sorry about the bad luck." The old man shrugged and said, "Bad luck, good luck --- which is to say?"

Two weeks later a war broke out among the provinces in China. The army came through drafting every able-bodied male under fifty. Because the son was injured, he did not have to go, and it turned out to save his life, for everyone in the village who was drafted was killed in the battle. "Bad luck, good luck --- which is to say."

Yes we see dimly. Yes, love is one of action and attitude. Yes, it is a muscle that needs work. Yes U before I is difficult to follow, and we look for exceptions but there is always more going on in any situation than we can see.

Let us pray:

Wedding Feast – 1/27/2013

    Sermon for January 27, 2013 based on John 2: 1-11.

Have you noticed all these wedding movies? We have had The Hangover, the original and version 2. We have had Bridesmaids. And of course, Wedding Crashers, The Wedding Planner and My Big Fat Greek Wedding- the list goes on.

    Although there seems to be an excess of movies about weddings, if you look at the history of Hollywood it has always had a thing for weddings --- making movies about them, that is. Apparently there is something about the drama of walking down the aisle, the commitment of saying, "I do," the reception, the joining of diverse families and the possible wildness of a party before the nuptials.

    If we have not had enough already, later this year the third installment of The Hangover will hit theaters. For whatever reason a movie centered on three groomsmen who lose track of their about-to-be-married buddy during a drunken bachelor party may be interesting to some, but from my point of view, when it comes to wedding-day antics nobody beats Jesus.

    According to John's gospel Jesus we could say "hijacked" a wedding. By miraculously providing wine for the wedding at Cana, Jesus kicked off a celebration so awesome that it changed the world we live in and is, in fact, still going strong to this day.

    To help us understand what John's gospel means we need to understand that back in the first century, at the time of Jesus, a wedding celebration could be large. Sure, getting married today can cost a small fortune. In fact, according to the folks at EasyFinance.com, the entire cost for a 2012 wedding -- from the engagement ring right on through to the honeymoon suite -- came in on average at just less than $27,000.

    Compare that to Jesus' day when it was possible for a wedding to last an entire week! Certainly not all couples and families went that route; nevertheless a general Jewish custom was a seven day celebration. That's seven days of feasting, drinking, abstaining from work, and enjoying the company of loved ones, all as a way of celebrating and sharing in the couple's joy and family festivity. One has to imagine that it couldn't have come cheap.

    Knowing all this makes what John's gospel tells us about the problem at the wedding in Cana seem all the more pressing. "On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'they have no wine.'"

    Not only do we need to understand the dynamics of a wedding in time of Jesus, wine itself held deep practical and spiritual significance for Jewish party goers. Practically, of course, wine did what wine does for us today. It filled the stomach, gladdened the heart and helped the mind drift from matters that might hinder one's effort at a weeklong celebration.

    And spiritually, according to scripture passages like Psalm 104:15 and Proverbs 3:10, wine served as a sign and symbol of the joy and blessing that flow from God's hand into the hearts and lives of God's chosen family. Without wine --- which was the centerpiece of the feast --- the celebration would no doubt come to a grinding halt --- its absence would leave a bitter taste in the mouths of the guests and shame in the heart of the host.

    So at the knowledge, Jesus makes sure the celebration does not cease. Filling six large, stone water jars, Jesus performs his very first miracle, transforming some 150 gallons of water or so into an overflow of top-shelf, aged-to-perfection party wine, according to the unsuspecting father of the bride, "the good stuff." Crisis averted.

    End of story … but have you ever wondered why? Why would Jesus provide wine for this party? Was it simply because of Mary's comment or for some other family reason hidden to us? Actually there are at least four reasons.

    First, this was, as the servants and disciples who witnessed the miracle firsthand no doubt began to surmise, the beginning, the start, the inauguration of a whole new celebration. For the gospel of John, this was the Savior of the world pressing play on a new era in the kingdom of God and sending a message, namely, that all which the wine and wedding signified spiritually and culturally for the Jewish people was now available to be tangibly and fully enjoyed through Jesus, the Christ.

    Today, as in the first century, good wine at a great wedding leads to an undeniable sense of joy. We uncork the chardonnay, hear the music in the background, glance at our partners all dressed up and before you know it, the edge is off, the tie is loose and something in us is saying, "Life isn't that bad." Not long after that you are dancing the "The chicken dance."

    The same is true in our life with Christ … it leads to joy. At least it can. Knowing that through the work of the cross --- the God who confounds us --- who convicts us --- a mystery to us is revealed as one who forgives and is in love with us should take the edge off all of us. Because of Christ, the only thing that really matters -- being right with God -- has been reconciled.

    Second, a good wine and a great wedding induce optimism about the future. It does not matter if we are in day three of a Galilean wedding celebration or in the third hour of our nephew's reception and listening to "A Moment like This" by Kelly Clarkson while the happy couple enjoys their first dance. Something about having a drink in our hands, good food in our stomachs and love before our eyes makes the average person think positive -- at least for a moment -- about the road ahead.

    In God's word, wine and wedding imagery were tied to the hope of eternity. In Isaiah we hear the promise that one day, "...the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear" (Isaiah 25:6). In other words, eternity can be described as a wedding feast to beat all wedding feasts, where God's forgiven people will celebrate their eternal, resurrected life with God -- their love -- in a brand new home. That means we can live hopeful --- through every storm and fight --- through every up and down, knowing that Jesus Christ has fought, won and guaranteed a glorious, feast-filled future for us. In Christ there is every reason to be optimistic about the road ahead.

    Third, good wine and a great wedding have long been triggers to recognizing and relishing in the fact that we are abundantly blessed. Sure we may have bills to worry about and weddings can bring family conflicts to a head, nevertheless weddings stir up a sense that a new couple and all those who celebrate with them are praise filled. When the wine and food flow, when everyone is looking their best and all you see are family and friends who know you and love you, one can't help but feel blessed.

    The fourth lesson is based on the fact that the gospel of John purposely tells us that Jesus filled six stone jars, typically used for the Jewish rites of purification. This is no insignificant detail. These jars would normally be used for the washing of hands and utensils, meeting the need for constant cleanliness as the religious law required. So, by transforming the water of these jars into wine for the party, Jesus is sending a message that the blessings he brings in the most common would meet the deepest of needs. Jesus was sending a message that at his party the wine of his truth from a surprising source would do more than gladden the heart and redden the cheeks, it would do and give the things of an abundant God. It would bring purity, providence and so much more. Those who drink from God would not simply feel joy for a week but would be whole in the things of God for eternity!

    So where does that leave us? Great wine at a good wedding is supposed to have an effect on us; if enjoyed it can leave us feeling joyful, hopeful and abundantly blessed. Yet, if all of this is true, that Jesus has initiated a perpetual wedding party, then why are not more of us walking around with a smile on our faces, our ties loosened up or our high-heels off and in our hands? You know, laid-back and enjoying the party?

    Later in John's gospel, Jesus would make this beautiful statement regarding the reason for his arrival and the purpose of his ministry. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Jesus came and crashed the party so that all might live richly, joyfully, hopefully and abundantly. In Christ no one is denied a wedding feast. In response how have we been doing that lately? Have we been walking around as if we are headed to a funeral?

    This week let us all try something different. Let us imagine that we are sitting at a wedding. In fact, imagine that a cherished love one got married --- to an incredible mate. Imagine that the party is paid for in cash, you don't have to do anything except show up and that you are surrounded by those whom you love. Imagine that since it is a Saturday night, there is no worry about the work of tomorrow --- all the more reason to raise your glass and toast the fact that all is right in the world today. It is ours in Jesus Christ.

    May the hangover from the wedding feast initiated at the arrival of Jesus linger over us forever, filling us with more joy, more hope and more abundant blessing than any movie ever could. Amen