Isaiah 58: 1-14 (links validated on 1/31/24)
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The God Who Craves
In 1602 a Spanish ship was sailing along the coast of California when a terrible disease took hold of the crew. Their skin erupted with purple dots, their gums swelled, and teeth loosened, death came to many. After reaching port, a group of soldiers rowed out to a nearby island to dispose of the corpses that had piled up. When they came to shore, one soldier saw a fruit growing from a cactus. He picked one and ate it. It tasted good and he craved more. He began eating the fruit, wherever he could find it, and shared it with others on board. As they ate, they felt their gums tightening and energy returning to their bodies. They did not then know the mechanism, but we now understand that they were experiencing scurvy, a disease caused by fatal lack of vitamin C. Those little prickly pear fruits that the soldiers found so good to eat are chock full of it. Their bodies needed vitamin C and so they began to crave exactly the fruits that provided it. The human body, it turns out, is miraculous at craving what it needs...
Resources from 2022 and 2023
Sermon Starters (Epiphany 5A)(2023)
Some years ago many of us were troubled and saddened when a few more of the Nixon secret tape recordings were released. Because in this particular batch of tapes, one of the people heard on the recordings was the Rev. Billy Graham who was heard uttering some rather fiercely anti-Semitic remarks. Not only were Rev. Graham’s remarks at variance with his public approach to Jewish-Christian dialogue but they were, more significantly, so very, very un-Christian. To his credit, Rev. Graham apologized, and I at least have no doubt that the same divine grace he preached to millions over the years proved to be more than a match in forgiving also this sin. But I mention this not so much to think about what Rev. Graham once said but more because of the way some people reacted to this at the time...Setting the Table for God
I’m not sure exactly where newsman Dan Rather stands on that spectrum, but he has written about a time he stayed in a large Florida hotel prior to giving a speech before several thousand people. He had flown into Florida late the night before and was not at the top of his game because he had to be up early in morning. Perhaps that’s why he was in no mood to be the center of attention, but as he rode the elevator down from his room, he says, “I felt all eyes on me.” He thought to himself: “Didn’t any of these people’s mothers teach them that it’s rude to stare?” And he quietly stewed about the rough start his day was having. When the elevator reached the lobby and people exited, one woman lingered behind. She gently took hold of his sleeve and said quietly, “Mr. Rather, I don’t mean to intrude.” Then she paused to look around, making sure no one else was listening. “I don’t want this to be embarrassing. But your fly is unzipped and a piece of your shirt-tail is sticking out through it.” She then smiled and walked off the elevator leaving Rather to tidy up...
Resources from 2019
Like a Fountain
Małgorzata Chodakowska is a Polish artist who has lived in Germany since 1991. She is renowned for her “water sculptures,” (usually nude) figures carved in oak wood and then cast in bronze and designed for water. Chodakowska creates unique paths for the water, specific to each sculpture—it might fan out from the waist like a tutu, for example, expand from the back like angels’ wings, or shoot every which way around an orb, suggesting the movement of celestial bodies.
Resources from 2020 and 2021
Sermon Starters (Epiphany 5A)(2020)
Like all Americans I have been deeply moved by the tragedy of multiple mass shootings that have spattered blood all over the face of our country. I have prayed that God would stop this bloody epidemic of violence. I appreciated it when officials would say, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.” So, I was initially stunned by the bitter words of survivors and activists who said, “We don’t want your thoughts and your prayers.” Who wouldn’t want thoughts and prayers in such times? Well, maybe God. Those bitter folks always concluded their remarks by saying, “We don’t want your thoughts and prayers. We want action. We need someone to do something to stop this senseless slaughter.” Isn’t that what God is saying to Israel and to us in our text...The Yoke's On Us
I was reminded this week of a short story by science fiction writer Ursula LeGuin. The story is called “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” It’s the story of a city called Omelas. Imagine a place where everyone lives happy, peaceful, rich lives, a place filled with music and dancing and cultural expression, where everyone has what they need. Well, almost everyone. There is one exception. A small one. Very small, in fact. In a tiny, dark mop closet of a dank, unfinished basement in a single building within this vibrant and beautiful city lives a small child—emaciated, terrified, and alone. She has been in there for years, but you wouldn’t guess how old she is, because her development—physical, intellectual, and emotional—has been stunted by neglect and malnourishment. The only interruption to her unending empty terror comes when someone rattles the door open and slides in some meager food. At these times, she cries out, “Please help me! I promise I’ll be good! Just let me out. I’ll be so good! Just help me!” But every time, the door slams closed and she is left in the dark. Now, you might think, well, it must be that no one in Omelas knows about this child, but in fact, everyone knows. As young people come of age, they are told about her. And many of them come to see her or hear her cries for themselves. But they do not let her out...
Resources from 2017 and 2018
Epiphany 5A (2017)
Those who preach and teach on Isaiah 58 will want to look for examples of God’s people’s work of feeding the hungry through their own denomination or an organization with which they’re familiar. One example of such work is that being done by the Christian Reformed Church’s World Renew ministry in places like Mozambique. Mozambique’s population is growing at an annual rate of about 2.5%. That places a huge strain on the country’s resources that can’t meet that increase in demand. So World Renew is partnering with the Canadian government to share existing and appropriate agricultural technologies that increase food production. They’re also working to improve water use...God's Choice (Isaiah)
In the print here Helen Siegl illustrates Isaiah 58:7. She includes the text of the verse and a depiction of the living out of that text. It's a direct illustration of a direct instruction from God. Get rid of pointing fingers and gossiping and burdening others, start feeding the hungry and help those who are in need.
Resources from 2010 to 2014
Ordinary 5A (2011)
("About ten years ago many of us were troubled and saddened when a few more of the Nixon secret tape recordings were released. Because in this particular batch of tapes, one of the people heard on the recordings was Billy Graham who was heard uttering some rather fiercely anti-Semitic remarks....")Breaking the Yoke
("Mishi Dobos stopped by his family's summer cottage to see if there were any repairs that needed to be done. He happened to notice the garden well, a solid brick structure, four feet in diameter. He walked over to the well with a flashlight and peered into the abyss. He didn't notice the moss on the rim and unfortunately he plummeted feet first into the seventy-four-foot shaft...")
Resources from the Archives
Choose Fast
("Do you know the singer, Bono? Chances are, if you are my age or older, you probably donât. He is a popular singer and sometimes guitar player with the Irish rock band U2. He is a bit of a pop cultural icon, which makes his appearance to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast last Thursday unusual...")Hope from the Ashes
("Major Barbara Sherer, while serving in Kuwait, tells of a fire that raced through a complex of five large tents that served as the camp's central dining facility, and also the place where she and the other chaplains held religious services. Miraculously, the fire broke out at just the right time...")When All Else Fails, Follow the Directions
One time we purchased a new steam cleaner. It looked simple enough, so I started putting it together. I had to make several trips to the tool box because I didn't bother to see what tools were needed to assemble it. I finally got frustrated because I had some parts that didn't seem to go anywhere. At one point I had to disassemble the cleaner and start over. I finally decided to give in and read the directions. In a matter of minutes I was able to complete the task. Hmm. I am sure you have heard the phrase, "When all else fails, follow the directions." It seems we humans are a bit stubborn when it comes to asking for help. We tend to rely on our own resources. We are simply too proud to ask others for assistance. Yet we make mistakes and sometimes choose the wrong path because we fail to follow the directions...