The Rev. Richard Lampert
Pent. 18 Deut. 30.11-14; 15-20
“I have set before you this day Life and Death, Good and Evil…Choose Life”
“For this commandment which I command you this day is not too hard
neither is it too far off… The Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and
in your heart, so that you can do it vss. 11-14….. See, I have set before you
this day life and death, good and evil, therefore choose life, that you and
your descendants may live.” vss. 15-20
The preacher’s message is clear. Remembering the destruction of Israel in 587 B.C., then 38 years wandering in the wilderness and their disobedience, Israel must now forever abandon God and His covenant or they return again in sincerity and in truth to God, keep The Covenant, emerge out of exile and begin to rebuild! This is a time-less message for all Israelites, their descendants, and for all of us too. It is not simply some religious appeal to generate support for the institutional church. This is a cry to rediscover the very depths of our humanity, to reconnect with all the strength and love of God and with the support of those around us. This is a Godly appeal, even amidst the worst of times, to jump anew into the fullness of life and once again into our divine and human interconnectedness.
Thus, God is calling you and me this day. He sets before us this morning life and death, good and evil. He exhorts us to choose life! God says, it’s not too hard, nor too far away; never easy, neither totally impossible. It is very near us- in our hearts and in our mouth. In our days now: our economy, our country, in our families and in our relationships, all over the world, in our life and in our church, like the Israelites before us, there are many who are lost and wandering in foreign lands. Resources and rela-tionships are strained, cracked, sometimes broken. Many people (we know them) are exiled into deep wildernesses of economic and emotional hurt and pain. As we look now into our lives, and the lives of so many others, we ask how in the world can this Godly plea possibly mean anything at all? If so, what? As we reflect, let us remember Onesimus and Philemon in today’s Epistle: all life changing decisions always demand repentance, forgiveness, then new hope. Listen to the Gospel today when Jesus calls us to commitment, endurance and with no easy guarantee. So, we ask again, how shall we respond? What can we do? How shall we live?
The historical Episcopal/Anglican response to God’s call “Choose life!” and our answer the question “How shall we live?” has always been the same. It is bound up in our faith, our traditions and our hopes. Throughout its long history, Christianity has always appealed to the three fundamental resources of Scripture, Reason and Tradition( faithfulness, Creeds and experiences.) These three resources (often popu-larly referred to as “The Anglican three-legged stool”) have stood the test of time! All three have always been practiced as incarnate (God’s living power and meaning in our lives); corporate (always together) and sacramental (outward and visible signs of God’s inward and spiritual grace).
I want to also boast this day that Redeemer also has its own strong three-legged stool! The three legs are: Liturgy, Music, Teaching/Preaching. (1) The Liturgy (Fr. Fred) here is the best in the diocese. (2) The music (Ann Moe) is admired and known throughout S.W. Fla. and beyond. The preaching (the clergy) has always been excellent, now perhaps getting even better. (3) The Christian Education/Formation for children and youth( Jacki Boedecker, Fr. Rick, Chris Wood and the mob of sunday school teachers)) has always been incredible. The Men’s Ministry (Jay Crouse) programs are unique in the diocese and the country. And now the Adult Education programs (as shown in our new brochure) for 2010-2011 are approaching new heights. On this first new day of Sunday School, we can shout with all our hearts and minds that “yes” the Christian fundamentals of Scripture, Reason and Tradition are solidly in place at The Church of The Redeemer and “yes” our own three-legged stool of liturgy, music and teaching/preaching is strong and it will not crack! But, we can crack if we’re not careful so we have to take care of the legs of the stool and take care of ourselves.
So, how do we choose life? As people of faith, we pray and read and study our bibles. We use our hearts and our minds. We draw upon the timeless experiences and teachings of the Church. How shall we live? We sit upon the sturdy and unbreakable Redeemer three-legged stool and and we dip our toes and then our feet and very souls into the liturgy and music and teaching (preaching) of this place and we grow in our faith and hearts and inter-communion with God and one another. Thanks be to God!