Exodus 23:9, Luke 10:33-34
I was watching the Colbert report, just marveling at the quick thinking of Stephen Colbert. Recently, he invited on the show James Howard Kunstler, a writer and thinker who is another quick thinker. Kunstler believes that the world is running out of oil. Its not just a belief, since the world produced the most oil in July 2006 and has been running less since then. Kunstler said on the Colbert report, “We’re not going to be able to run America’s favorite living arrangement, suburbia, on the energy diet of the future. “
It all sounds philosophical unless you tried to fill up your car recently. 70% of Americans believe that the nation is headed in the wrong direction. I hope that every person here is in that number. Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren points out that median family income since 2001 has dropped 1100 dollars and home expenses have increased 3000 dollars and 7000 for families with a child. That was before gas prices rose. As families struggle more, the path to economic liberation for children becomes harder. New York is not showing great success for Latino and African American families. The fragile increases will quickly turn down again if families cannot afford the help such as 82nd Street Academics provides.
We know that America is going in the wrong direction. The current president has gone to war without excuse, tortured without expressing remorse, and plans to solve your financial problems with a one time gift of $500 this month. He has chosen a path that leads to destruction. I do not know how the United Methodist Church has failed the man. Somehow we did not teach the abc’s of Christian faith.
In the elections ahead at every level, city, state, and federal, people have to decide what will pull our world through and get our nation and your own family through a difficult time. The Bible has always been a book to get people through hard times.
We are closing this series today on culture and the gospel with a road map of hope to live out in our community and to guide each of us. You will hear the Scriptures read this morning that will be a light unto your path.
The Scriptures this morning are mostly taken from a United Methodist document called, Immigrants and Refugees, to Love the Sojourner. They are a call to our nation and to all nations that there is only one rule by which we may find health, it is the rule of justice, drawn from the very heart and character of God.
God’s heart is with the poor and oppressed. Jesus was a refugee, fleeing to Egypt with his parents to escape Herod and working hard with his family to rebuild their economic loss later. I think the most tragic part of this whole misadventure in Iraq is the callous lack of concern for Iraqis. We never bothered to learn the cultures involved, we barely understand the language, and we fell for the foolish promises of expatriates who spoke English well. Not only have we failed a basic duty of the Scriptures, we have been chumps for fell for the promises of snake oil salesmen and lost billions of dollars in the process.
To admit the problems of America is not to condemn it, but there surely does have to be a return to the preamble. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. If we take this one statement from history, matched with God’s heart, we fall under the circle of God’s blessing.
Our nation has two choices, to fight each other for crumbs while rich people watch or to demand that every person have a right to life, whether a child in the xx% of African American kids in New York who are not getting education or a woman in Afghanistan without education or a refugee in the Sudan.
Friends there are 10,000 new refugees every day. When that fact breaks our heart as a nation, we shall be healed. Right now we don’t care.
Hosea speaks again of how deeply justice is part of God’s very character. I hope that is the passion of your heart. When you come to the communion table, you are making a public commitment to live with the Lord. You have all heard me quote Bishop Blackie. He was speaking at the University of Chicago and one student asked, Bishop Blackie, why do Christians eat their God? Blackie responded, the metaphor of communion is actually an intimate moment where Christians show how deeply they want the Lord by incorporating the body and blood of Christ in their body.
The Samaritan is a person of faith who gets the Lord’s heart. Much of preaching is aimed at the majority perspective, because the majority has the power to do good or evil. But even for the oppressed minority, the standard of justice is the same.
And lastly, we come to the text that I used in my first Sunday at Community Church, years ago. Jesus preaches his first public sermon. He offers the five reasons that he will preach, travel, suffer, and die. He will offer sight to the blind, good news to the poor, release of the prisoner, and declare to the downhearted of the Lord’s favor.
When that agenda is America’s agenda, we will get through energy shortage. When the tax code asks those with money for the most money that the poor may be spared, we will have national renewal. Jesus offers people the choice between life and death. Choose life.
I want you to hear this Scripture closely. I know that I am opening the Word of God far differently than many radio preachers and others. You have to judge who is speaking the truth and who is ignoring the Scripture. What I am trying to do is to show that the heart passion for justice is not an add on to faith, it is our faith. God intends Christians to live differently. God intends us to vote for and call for national leadership that is driven by justice. Our current lifestyle will lead to ruin.
I write to the President occasionally, as you might expect. If you voted for this President, then I believe it is your Christian duty to write to him, calling him to a path of justice. In many ways, his change of heart in the last days of public office would send more of a message to the world than another President coming into office and trying to reverse what George Bush has done.
I hope that you will use part of this tax loan from your grand children and give it to a justice related cause. This $500 is not regular money, it is part of public policy. I intend to give the full amount that I receive to support the election of leaders who have a heart for justice in the public square.
And let us recommit ourselves to our school, 82nd Street Academics, and to other ministries that support people as they struggle with income and needs. I want 20 of you to attend the small group leader training on June 8th. I pray that two people will attend who want to lead a support group for people who need jobs. Our church must live out the justice of God. My sermon last week had one of the best lines Ive ever used. I want our church to celebrate the diversity that other churches tolerate. We need to stick together.
