Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58
Message:
There is a lot happening in our world. The news reports can weigh heavy on our hearts. What are some of the things that are heavy on your hearts: the jobless rate? Foreclosures, neighborhoods, increase domestic violence, increased hunger, increased military demands in Afghanistan, increased violence in Congo, What is it that is heave on your hearts? It could make you dizzy.
Four weeks ago, our lectionary readings caused us to consider what it means to be part of God’s abundant presence. You may remember we had the story of the little child who shared his lunch and when that little bit was in the hands of Jesus, it was enough for all.
The next week we read the passage from the Gospel of John where Jesus teaches that it is his way of living that is the real bread of life.
Following this Jesus is to follow a way filled with the love of God that brings us life. Last Sunday our theme was shaping community, holding closely to the reading from the letter to the Ephesians as it called believers to have a form of speech different than that of the world. Believers are to speak the truth with a purpose to build up the community. This is not just to speak the truth in a sweet voice but to speak the truth with genuine love and compassion for the others in this life with us. Speaking the truth in love can indeed shape a different community. And with the current town hall events, speaking the truth to build up the community and not speaking fear are certainly needed.
This week the we are invited to make a “Wisdom quest.” I wonder if those who design our bulletins and chose that theme knew that they were choosing the title of a holistic healing program that relies heavenly on prayer and meditation. I could not find any notes about this on our UCC website. So, I will have to be in awe of our Holy Spirit moving among us as it is that we are continuing to build up our prayer and meditation practices as individuals and as a church.
The reading from the Gospel is uncomfortable for many of us to hear. It was a very difficult passage for some cultures to hear when Christianity came into their midst. Eating flesh and drinking blood really is not what the Christian faith is about.
Solidarity with Jesus is what we are about. This way is the way of wisdom: That is the way the reveals more intimately the abundant, life giving love of God. This is wisdom.
The writer of Ephesians cautions: Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise.
That is, live as if there is a God who loves you, loves this creation, loves even your enemy. Live with this wisdom because it matters how you live. Right where your feet are. Right where you are every day, it matters The writer has two “do nots” and two “buts” in this passage
1. “So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is”.
To be foolish in Bible language is to act as if there is no God or more, to act as if you are God or even worse still to act as if you have God figured out and know God better than God. This is foolish.
Instead live where our feet are a life that seeks to fulfill the will of God. That we speak the truth in love in order to build up the community and we use the gifts, however small they may appear, that we use our gifts to bring about the realm of God where there is healing, compassion, respect, justice, and peace.
2. “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit.” In the culture of the writer of the Letter to the Ephesians wine was more plentiful that clean water. It was part of life to have wine and it was seen as a disgrace to get drunk on the wine.
If you are drinking to ease your pain, if you are drinking to hide your fears, give it up. Instead of filling yourself with whatever it is , over working, over eating, under eating, whatever the excessive behavior, give it up. Instead, let yourself get filled by the Spirit. The alcohol, the eating the excessive behavior will not fill that God space. The only way to truly find your peace is to let the Spirit fill you even to the point that you, well, get happy. Could you do that? Would it be too polly anna? Could we let God’s Spirit be so welcomed into our lives that, well, the glass is no longer 1/2 full or 1/2 empty. It’s a glass now what shall we do with what is there to bring to fulfillment God’s vision for our little place on the earth.
Last week I gave you the Spirals as your prayer tool. This week I ask you to know where your feet are.
I ask you through the week and several times in each day to simply consider where your feet are. Today, they are here upon this sacred ground. And I promise you everywhere you go this week, it too is sacred ground the moment you welcome that Spirit to fill you in your time and place.
So, Let’s start now. Feet flat on the floor. Head up. eyes closed or half closed. breathing in breathing out. letting God be God and welcoming that Spirit fully into our beings to fill us up on our quest for the wisdom that comes from letting God be God.
