Deepening Peace: "Such A Time As This"
Mark 9:38-50; Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9: 20-22
October 1, 2006

Jesus came for a time such as this….He comes for times such as these….he comes to places in your life and in our world where fear and dread have overwhelmed you, made it difficult for you to see how things could ever be different…to the point that you sometimes have not only given up….but give over your accountability….your personal power…and unconsciously, yet sometimes consciously, you then place stumbling blocks in the ways of little ones….by what you do and what you don’t do.

And as we succumb to the seductive, destructive, defensive ways of the world; giving up on ourselves and the world, we let "the way things seem" become to us the way things really are. But rarely are things the way they seem!

In times such as these, we often give in to the malaise of life and give over our power to be "on the way" to wholeness…not looking to see the every day choices we make have the power to make a difference in our lives and in God’s world. And Jesus says….then beware….better you were thrown into the sea than live your life like this. If you choose to live your life as if your choices don’t have impact, that attitude will kill you off for sure…kill your life essence in even more devastating ways than death can ever do. Worse than death are living without integrity, living in fear and dread, living in abusive relationships, sabotaging others, turning a blind eye, throwing your hands up in disgust, looking the other way, getting even, over spending and under spending, living in anger and projecting that onto everyone around you without an inward look, worse than death…living without grace…without peace…of mind and nation.

Better to live maimed….poorer than you might be able to live in order to do the things with your money that have integrity and meaning. Better to live divorced than in abusive relationships or in relationships which smother your wholeness, better to say no to the promotion than take a job that takes you away from your family and yourself, better. Better to vote than not, stir up debate than sit quiet. Better to risk what comes next than to sit sure and secure in what is a self-centered, self-absorbed or whoa is me, destructive situation. Not sure how you are living…then look at how your choices affect the little ones in your life….

This is so important…and so true…that Jesus uses very dramatic, intense images to make his point. These words in Matthew do not sound like the Jesus who healed so many blind eyes and crippled limbs! But Jesus is not talking about destroying ourselves, rather he is talking about releasing ourselves from anybody or anything…any mind set…that has addictive dominion over us. No pity parties needed or excuses accepted. Nothing can separate you from the love of God…the life you long for…except you!

And he goes on to cheerlead saying we have the salt within us to do what it is we need to do…..our faith….our relationship with God…..God within….it is all we ever really have and it is everything and no one can take that from us. And if your salt, your faith, your resolve loses its saltiness, energy, confidence, salt yourselves…each other. Maintain peacefully, your own distinct character and service within the company of other salty folks. It takes a community to fill a salt shaker….to raise an adult!

It’s not a safe world out there. It is risky to do these things…but not as risky as not doing them.

Pray. Stay close to God and work with each other’s support to find your integrity each day. Take the risk.

Read Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9: 20-22

Esther takes a huge risk in testing her influence with the king against the overt power of the second most powerful man in the kindom. There is no safety net for Esther. She has to choose between her own safety and her own integrity. It is still true…so often to be faithful, we have to choose between our own integrity and our own safety.

Esther had a place of privilege from which she was courageous. So do you. If you have a roof over your head, food to eat…a car to drive…bus fare….a friend to call….if you can read…you have privilege by worldly standards….even as you have needs of your own. You too can be courageous.

From position of privilege, how might you be able to act powerfully within your own life as well as on behalf of these little ones…those at risk, whose power is weakened, and voice silenced? What do you notice about your boldness to act when you weave an awareness of God’s presence into the fabric of your days and nights…in to your choices?

What are the stories of risk happening today? Who is taking a risk on behalf of others? To what places of injustice is God calling you, like Esther….is it your family, your neighborhood, city wide and national issues where you are called? What individuals and communities wait on your actions and courage? How will you gather the courage to go where you are called and do what you are called to do?

Both Esther and Jesus speak of ways in which life is preserved in community. Together we have so much more courage and power. How is it we here, your Tippe community, can support you? We offer you prayer yes…and remember: faith is made for times such as these….and together we can do so much more than anyone of us could do alone.

It’s World Communion Sunday….our community in reality is much larger than we often imagine. It is Peace Making Sunday. The peace you know within, the peace you long for within, calls to you: be a peacemaker in this world….your choices matter!

Peace. Deepening Peace.