|
|
Shepherd of the Hills |
 |
| Home | Site Directory | Calendar | Christian Ed | Youth | Announcements | Sermons |
|
|
What to Expect on Sunday |
This passage gets our attention doesn’t it? Or perhaps some of us simply dismiss it for being irrational. What could Jesus’ have meant when he said to love our enemies? Why would we love those who are out to harm us? Here, in the Sermon on the Mount, are found a series of Jesus’ sermons that Matthew grouped together. Many scholars think that this enemy passage is the most famous and central of all because it deals with the importance of human relationships. Love is a complicated word in the English language. We have but one word to describe all kinds of love that are quite different. There is the love for family. There is the passionate love, as with our spouse. There is the love we feel for friends. Finally, there is the love of goodwill. This is the kind of love that seeks the highest good for the other person, regardless of how the other treats us. The Greek has a number of words to describe love. The word used by Jesus in this passage to describe such selfless love, is agape. Jesus did not ask us to love our enemies as we would our family, spouse or friends; that would be impossible. Agape love is not that unpreventable feeling of the heart. It is instead, a decision of the mind to do what is best for the other person, even if we do not like them, or they do not like us. For Christians, this is not possible without the power of Christ within us that brings out the best in us. We know that when we are called through baptism, office, or vocation, we are equipped to follow. So it is with the good-will kind of love. Loving in this way does not mean we become a doormat to be tramped on or tossed aside. It doesn’t mean we allow our enemies to harm us. It doesn’t mean that punishment is not an appropriate response. But it does mean we check our revenge at the door. But the passage gets more difficult. Jesus goes on to say, "And by the way, I also want you to also pray for those who persecute you." It seems like he’s pushing the limit don’t you think? But you and I know that something miraculous happens when we pray. We are changed. We are no longer able to hate this person in the presence of God. To pray for our enemies dissolves our bitterness and protects us from hate. But is it easy? No. Is it natural? Certainly not! God sees all of us as equal. The sun rises on both the good and the evil. The rain falls on both the just and the unjust. God treats both the saint and the sinner equally and asks us to do the same. Hate is contagious but so too is the miracle of love. It is easy to love those who love us, but Jesus is asking us to care about our enemies. I think that when we practice this benevolent kind of love we are being transformed into something new. We become perfect in the New Testament meaning of the word. I don’t mean becoming perfect in never making a mistake, or always knowing what is best, but perfect in practicing that love that God extends to us. Today is Pentecost, the day we celebrate and remember God’s love showered upon the people then and still today. Pente means fifty. It was 50 days after Easter that Pentecost occurred. Pentecost commemorates the birth of the church. It is the day that the church was given to us that we might know God; to have a relationship with Jesus, and to hear the wind of the Spirit in our own lives. Today is also Central Asia Institute (CAI) Sunday; a day we celebrate hope in a foreign land. How are these connected you ask? Let me tell you. The story goes that on that first Pentecost there were some 120 believers including the disciples who were gathered for worship in an upper room. All of a sudden there was a violent, rushing wind that descended on them and was heard throughout Jerusalem. The crowd of Jews, non believers, and some new believers were amazed and many ran to the upper room to see what all the commotion was about. The uneducated fishermen were speaking languages they had never heard before, much less studied. They were speaking of the mighty works of God. Then all of a sudden, the then unpolished Peter, stood up, full of a new confidence and began to preach boldly to all who were gathered. He reminded them of who Jesus was; the miracles they saw, the wonders and signs and also his teachings and healings. Then Peter turned to them all and said, "But you pinned him to a cross and killed him. You stood with the crowd as he died, but Jesus broke through death and was raised up. We were all witnesses to that. Jesus told us that one day the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all of us, and today is that day!" The crowd was cut to the quick with Peter’s accusation and in anguish asked "What should we do?" And Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and believe." The wind blew through their gathering and flames rested on their heads yet did not burn them. That day around 3,000 were baptized and the church was born. We remember this day of Pentecost in the wearing of red that represents the flames of the Spirit. We remember those long ago baptisms; our own baptism, and those we baptize today. We too, speak a different language. Oh, I don’t mean Arabic or Greek, but you and I are equipped to speak a language of faith that is foreign to much of our world. It is the language of loving our enemies. It is the language of the heart. Such language is less about words and more about action. It is less about talking and more about listening. It is less about receiving and more about giving. It is a language of respect not condemnation for those different than we. It is one of risk instead of fear;. kindness instead of aggression. It is one of love rather than revenge. The Spirit blows where it wills, bringing new life where it chooses into hearts, into non believers, into you and me; and into places we would never think possible. I think it has blown into us as we hear the mission of The Central Asia Institute. Greg Mortenson, had a dramatic experience that gave birth to the CAI. He had joined a group hiking K2, 2nd only to Mt. Everest in height and danger in the world. Along the way, at high altitudes, he became disoriented, separated from the group, his life in danger. A villager, appeared out of nowhere, and led him back to his village. Here, along the Afghan/Pakistan border, in the small village of Korphe, they took this stranger in and nursed him back to health, saving his life. During his several months of recovery, unable to speak the language and separated from all that was familiar to him, he became acquainted with the village and discovered there were no schools. Greg was touched deeply by this selfless gift of love, a ‘love your enemies’ kind of love in reverse, from people who had very little to give. He vowed to return and build a school for girls. He came to understand that if you educate a boy you educate a person but if you educate a girl you can educate a village, for it is the mothers who teach their children, where there are no schools. Here in one of the most violent parts of the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan, a mission for peace was born. Its mission was not to convert anyone to Christianity or any other religion. Its goal was to bring help through respect for the people there. CAI believes that all people have a right to food and water and education. It is a mission that believes in equality and justice; not unlike the Christian values in which we believe. Here, in this fearful part of Taliban country, love is replacing fear. The book Three Cups of Tea, is the story of how Greg Mortenson never let go of his dream, how he wrote 500 letters on a typewriter asking for financial support with only $100 contributed. It is the story of how he slept in his car saving every cent he could gather. It is the story of how he finally received a grant from one who believed in him; enough to get supplies to build his school. It is the story of how he was kidnapped in this foreign land, struggled to buy materials, hauled them across dirt roads to the village where he was stopped by a raging river. He had to build a bridge in order to get the supplies across to build his school in Korphe, as he promised. It is a book of adventure, extreme danger, suffering and success. It has been a New York Times best seller for 120 weeks. It is required reading in 57 Universities and over 300 high schools, and now is required reading for Pentagon officers in counter-intelligence training. It is the riveting story of how one person can make a difference. This is a story of hope that has captured millions in the United States, from all kinds of religions. It is a story of loving our enemies. The Korphe School was finally completed and now today, just 12 years later, a total of 78 schools have been built in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the help of people like you and me. Greg Mortenson believes that education, not warfare, is the way to peace. That is his only agenda. He is not there to change the culture he has encountered; he is not there to win awards; but he has. In March of this year, he was awarded Pakistan’s highest civil award "The Star of Sacrifice" awarded for his service to humanity. Only three foreigners have ever received this award. He has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Here in the midst of enemy territory, love is being distributed in amazing ways. And we remember Jesus’ words, "You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." While the Taliban is teaching children as young as five how to hate the United States and even become a suicide bomber, Greg’s schools are teaching children how to read for themselves and better their lives. The Taliban is offering food and shelter to children whose parents cannot provide for them in exchange for warfare, while the CAI is offering peace and freedom through education. Theirs is a story to tell for love is contagious, so contagious that some Taliban fighters have even decided to leave violence to become teachers. The CAI has a website, www.ikat.org that I encourage you to visit. It tells the stories, the history and the success that everyone said was impossible. It is a story of hope for some of the world’s most destitute children. I share one story of Fatima Abdulfatah from this land. Last year Fatima’s father died of health causes. As the eldest child, her mother told Fatima she would have to work to keep her family alive. She is only13, but she knew she had to acquire some job skills to help her family, so she contacted CAI’s computer center for help. Here she is learning English and computer skills and has done so well that the director sees enough promise to hire her when she completes her training. These girls are playing on the first playground they have ever seen. Jafarabad School, in northern Pakistan is located in a valley so remote that there is no road. The building of a school is always a joint effort. Villagers must agree to give land and labor and organize the effort. Villagers are willing to haul heavy loads of building materials on their backs for miles, and do whatever it takes to get a school built, so hungry are they for education. This is a place where 1 in every 4 children die before their first birthday and only 4% of the people can read and write. Here in the northern areas where CAI has been at work for 15 years they are starting to see the first wave of literacy. Hundreds have become teachers, eight are in medical school and around 12 are in health care. Jahan Ali, a graduate of the first school in Korphe, has a degree in public health but now after working in Korphe for a year, is back in school working towards health care reform on a national level. However, such hope is surrounded by incredible misery. Lack of education promotes the growing of poppies for heroin production, in order to eat. The drug trade creates its own economy, corruption and addiction crisis. Suicide bombings and attacks are the highest since their start in 2001. The Taliban feeds on the poverty and lack of education that make the people vulnerable to affiliate with them. A mother would rather give up her child to the Taliban to eat, than have him die from starvation at home. Yet still poverty and safety keep children at home. Attacks on schools have increased, but so far not the schools built by CAI. Education is making a difference. Hope is soaring throughout the land. In the year 2000, 800,000 Afghan children were enrolled in school. In 2008 six million were enrolled. People like you and me are part of this story of hope. Love is the better way; the kind of love that helps all of us to stand. It is helping a child to read. It is teaching a skill to her mother. It is providing a job for a boy’s father. Love is bringing hope to the hopeless. Is it possible to love our enemies? Can we really pray for those who want to harm us? Will it make a difference? I don’t think Jesus would have said "Love your enemies" if this kind of love was impossible. Do you? Amen
Time of Reflection I invite you to take now a few moments to pray for the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan and if your dare…. I ask you also to pray for the Taliban that their hearts and ours might be changed. |
|
|
