Rev. Dr. Bary R. Fleet - Pastor
February 11, 2007 - 6th Sunday after the Epiphany
Jeremiah 17:5-10
1st Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 6:17-26

You’re Kidding! Right?

There are actually two sermons for today -- both with this title. The first has nothing to do with the lectionary, but with an event that I suspect very few of you know about called The Clergy Project. It is an attempt by a number of clergy across the nation to address the divide between science and religion.

My involvement (limited to being willing to sign a petition and commit to addressing the issue from the pulpit) was heightened by my awareness that the National Park Rangers are not allowed to talk about the geologic age of the Grand Canyon for fear of offending “Creationists”, those members of the Christian community (and Jewish as well, perhaps) who believe in the literal interpretation of Genesis.

My response in learning this was: “You’re kidding! Right?” But I did some research, and -- sure enough -- it is true. Political correctness run amok -- sacrificing truth for political gain.

I’ll be happy to have a discussion with any of you about this, but in the meantime, I’ll refer you to Francis Collins book, The Language of God. Collins was the head of the Human Genome Project, and claims that, rather than discouraging his belief in God, his work unraveling the human genome was a sacred call, in that it allows us to learn more of God’s language of creation.

It is my strong belief - and I am not at all alone here -- that the Bible was never intended to be a science book. It was from the beginning a book about faith ... a book about the nature of God and, among other things, God is creator! Exactly how God creates continues to be a matter of scientific enquiry. There needs not be ANY conflict between science and religion -- but there may be disagreement about the nature of the scripture ... but that truly is another matter.

I’m not kidding!

The second sermon for today -- again, entitled “You’re Kidding! Right?”, has to do with the Gospel lesson: what has become known as the Sermon on the Plain -- very similar to The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew’s Gospel.

If we take the message seriously, it sounds almost Un-American. We are a people who worship comfort. We aren’t satisfied with having our needs met -- we want our desires to be met as well. We want to be rich, well-fed, happy and physically attractive to others.

But what our culture blesses, Jesus considers ugly!

The other side of this is found when we look at what Jesus blesses: the poor, the hungry, those who weep. We don’t want to be in any of those categories! I don’t think there are any of us who, in making our New Year’s Resolutions said that in the coming year we want to be poor, hungry and sad!

“Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on my account.” (Vs. 22). Who wants to be seen as a “Jesus Freak”?

What the culture considers ugly, Jesus blesses!

What Christ knows is that the very things that most of us desire are precisely the things that get in the way of our being aware of what we truly need.

The Super Bowl is over for this year, and many players have played the last game of their careers. A couple of years ago there was an article in the Houston Chronicle that explored some frightening statistics regarding the transition the professional football players experience when they retire from the game.

65% of NFL players leave the game with permanent injuries...

One in four players reports financial difficulties in the first year after retirement.

Of the NFL marriages that fail, 50% fail in the first year after retirement.

The suicide rate for active and retired NFL players is 6 times the national average.

And -- listen to this - 78% of NFL players are unemployed, bankrupt or divorced within two years of their last -game. (“Life after Football: Hello real world,” January 31, 2005, 1B)

Jesus wants us to know that life really isn’t about money or fame or popularity ... it is about being connected to our Creator, about being connected to Love!

I’m not kidding!

NOTE: Much of the above sermon is credited to www.Homileticsonline.com.