20. May 2010 by Rose Southwell.

Preached in Theater in The Text: Exodus. ¹¹ The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? ¹² Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”  ¹³ But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”  ¹⁴ Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. ¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ¹⁶ He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. ¹⁷ But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it.”

The Story of the burning Bush is one of the most recognized in the bible.  The story of runaway Moses walking along minding his business and then being told by God out of an inflamed but not consumed bush to GO and Free the Hebrews from there enslavement in Egypt. Moses complains and worries and God sends Aaron and Moses to Pharaoh to do sighs, eventually bring Plagues and delivers the Hebrews from enslavement.   And our passage to day comes from Smack in the middle of all that, Moses’ fear and questions at the moments at the bush. Moses’ question of God about is Call Moses’ attempts to plead with God.  

Oh Moses, I do sympathies him. I think that his big scary calling at the bush is one that we might have thought about somewhere along out path. But Why…  Why is a calling so scary? Is calling scary because is it fear of the unknown? Post graduation, Summer internships, CPE?  Blind faith is a hard pill to swallow. Is it not feeling worthy? A “no man or words am  I” thing? Is it that other people might think you’re crazy? Did that guy really think that God talked to him out of a bush? Or is it the idea of failing,… what if I can’t get the people out? What if Pharaoh kills me? What if the people are so broken they can’t hear the words that God is trying to tell them? What if I am one of those ministers that drive people away from the church, What if I fail them… what if I fail God…and loses sight of what I’m doing?

 I think at some point we have all be able to relate to this burning bush moment with God and Moses. He’s terrified. And why wouldn’t he be? He is standing in a place that is holy ground being told to go and face the empire. The man who is thought to be a god here on earth? And say to that man, “Sorry dude, I know all of these people look up to you. But really my God is bigger, my God is badder, and my God is gona whoop up all over you, if you don’t let us go and worship our God.  And by the way, let me just stroll up into your house, and make a mockery of what you think is divine, with serpent and water turned to blood. And then demand that you let your economic foundation of people go with me. Would that be alright?” 

Maybe that’s not what our calling looks like, and maybe we have memorized the words of God the words of I will-be-there.. and who is it that puts a mouth in human beings? Is it not I the creator? … maybe we try and remember just to have faith and Know that God is with us. In a commentary I found the author harshly criticism Moses saying “Moses pitiful excuses disregards is own status as creature” he goes on to say that Moses is “not autonomous or abandoned in his difficult calling”  Although I agree that Moses is not Autonomous or abandoned, I do think pitiful is a little harsh.  

From day one this class has focused on two things, what is the way out? And these are the names? What are the names in this passage? … God, Moshe, and Aaron.  

 Have you ever noticed that Aaron gets kind of shafted in this exchange. The story dose not tell us that God appears to Aaron in a bush, that God Asks Aaron if he wouldn’t mind being a spokesmen, God doesn’t let Aaron wine and complain and ask for someone else to go. God just tells Aaron later in our story to go, meet his brother. Then Moses has the burden of dropping that bomb on him. BTW… I need you to run a few errands with me. Really? Not cool!

Maybe God was done listing to the complaining. But I think it’s interesting. What God says to Moses about Aaron, the timing of it all. Is there not Aaron your brother, the Levite. Is God making a point here? See Moses, I can make people who are good speakers, and example A: Aaron. OR Is God making a suggestion? Is there not your brother? I know can speak. Take him with you. I know a lot of translations make this statement a question or suggestion from God.

But Fox translates it as statement not a question. Dose that matter? What if Aaron was a part of the plan all along? Is that so hard to believe? I think that Aaron was part of the plan to begin with. I think that God Knew… God Knew that once out of Egypt, the people were going to need a priest, he was in the plan to be involved. The Levite, the Priest or the one who gives a word and makes sacrifices in the desert. God spoke to Aaron and told him to go meet Moses. Couldn’t that have been the plan all along; God obviously Knew that Aaron was going to come out to meet Moses. God says at the bush, “and here, he is even coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart.”

Why is it that we sometimes feel that Aaron was a second thought?   And doesn’t Aaron have a key role? Mouthpiece….I think that although at first Aaron is asked to be a mouthpiece, I don’t know that that’s all that Aaron is asked to do. But I truly feel that Aaron had another job, I think Aaron’s job was show Moses.

Show Moses how to speak. We are told that one of the best ways to become a better preacher is to watch other preachers. Could it be that Moses could be doing that as well? Watching Aaron, learning from Aaron. Maybe Moses just needs to see what public speaking looks like?

 And I bet it goes both ways, I bet Aaron need to learn from Moshe how to be a leader, how to perform the signs that God show Moses. SO that Aaron can later become the priest, the chef priest in the desert. Not but two chapters after this when our story is in Egypt; Moshe is speaking to the people and not doing signs, and Aaron is doing signs but not speaking to the people. ..Fascinating…Don’t get me wrong, It’s not they aren’t doing their assigned jobs. I think they each have specific roles in freeing the Hebrews I think they are called to teach each other, Much like how we have friends in the ministry that teach and who we teach. Moshe and Aaron are doing that as well but, still do what God has asked them to do.

Gods response to Moses demand “ God! Please send someone else” is “ is there not Aaron your brother” ……God doesn’t let Moses off the hook, and Aaron is not let off the hook either. But isn’t it interesting that God’s response to Please God send someone else. The response is I’m not sending you alone.  

Maybe that was the fear that drove all of Moses questions. God was speaking to the fear that was real and just under the surface. Don’t make me do this on my own. I can’t do this…I…don’t have the words… they won’t believe ME… singular language cloaks this passage… and God responds with NOT JUST YOU.

 A friend of mine told me once “the calling is Great… but the Great thing is that you’re not the only one called” I think that maybe that’s what we should do with this passage.       

Step out of out singular language; make it not about me and God. Or what God wants from me, instead what God wants for the people..Maybe it’s not about you… Maybe it’s not about Moses…God uses Moses to do great things, but Moses had to get out of his own head. He needed to see what someone else was doing this too. Moses is not the only one called in this story. God has his hands all over what’s happing.

The call is not about Moses, it’s not about whether he can speak, it’s not about performing signs, it’s not about WHO is being called. It’s about WHO needs to be saved. It’s NOT about who is safe and need to go back in, It is about who has not been safe all along.

SO God sends Aaron to Moses. So that Moses can learn to speak, to learn to lead, to learn to work together with someone to  Free the people from bondage…..

May you find someone to tech you, may you find someone along your path that is called to this work as well. May you find an Aaron, to speak for you when you are to afraid. May you be a blessing to them and show them something new about God. May they keep you from being blinded by your own fear, so that you can help others find the freedom that God desires for Gods people. Amen.

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6. May 2010 by Rose Southwell.

Luke 12” 32-40Fear not, little flock, for it is you Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourself with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for there master to come home from the wedding feast. So that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, if the master of the house had know at what hour the thief would come, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 

The word of the lord.

Holy God, we thank you for your word and we ask that you send your sprit to be with my mouth and the meditations of our hearts as you seek to lead us closer to your kingdom. Amen

Stay Awake, Keep your Lamps Burning, Love Gods Treasure

I’d like to take a  dyslexic digraphic,  Look at our passage today. I want to go backwards. Or upside down. Vv 39-40 But know this, if the master of the house had know at what hour the thief would come, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 

 Quick everyone look busy Jesus is coming! ….  why is it that we chuckle when people say this? Is it that we don’t really know, or think that Jesus will return? Is it that we think that “looking busy” is mentality of most people? …well is that our mentality? When I hear the words of our passage  they hit me hard, I wonder how often we think about Christ return. Do we believe that Christ will return? 

We are an apocalyptic people, an escetoligicoal people, people of the resurrection, as believers’ in the word and the word made flesh we hold on the understanding that there is something greater than us and something that we are anxiously are awaiting. The return of the kingdom the return of the Messiah. The time in which we will have an age of peace and a new heaven and new earth. But we don’t know. The Son of Man is coming at an hour we do not expect.

What an exciting challenge …

Do you think we are ready?*

Recently I heard a story of the Latino Pentecostals urgency and expectation of Christ return… the scenario in my class was set up like this. I call up my friend who is a Latino Pentecostal who we will call anna, and I say. “ hey why don’t you go to the braves game with me, I have an extra ticket and I haven’t see you lately” and Anna  pauses and says “ I need to pray and think about it, and I’ll call you back.” Then Anna would go an think to herself… “what if, Christ came back today? If I went to the braves game how am I bettering the kingdom? Do I want to be at the braves game, if Jesus returns today?” Then after praying Anna would most likely call me back and say “I am so grateful that you invited me but I think that I am going to go to the shelter and feed the poor today”

When this scenario was given the room erupted in questions. What about the people at the Braves game? What if they needed to hear the message of God? Could that not be an evangelism tool? I was right on board with this question? I like that kind of evangelism. I like to go to the games, or go to the bar, and wait for that inevitable question “ so what do you do?…” and sometimes I get blown off, but sometimes I have some really enriching conversations. What if the people at the Braves game need us? The question in response by the professor was “ok, but then who will feed the hungry? Espshally if we all go to the braves game?”…Anna’s thought process is an interesting one, and truly forgiven to some of us. And I think the important part, which ever you chose.. the hungry or braves Game…,that it is a prayerful choice.

If Jesus comes back today… what am I doing? What have I done today, to better the kingdom? Am I ready to stand before God?

 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  IS it today???? If he comes in the second watch or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!

Awake. You know, when I think about how many years removed, how many centuries removed we are from the resurrection, I can help but wonder if we are in the second watch, or the third. Is our church tired of waiting? When?!? –When is the bride going to see the bridegroom?? When is the master coming home from the wedding feast?!? Is our church tired? Have we gone to sleep? Are we.

Snoozing, catching some zzz’s, crashed, dormant, dozing, dreaming, flaked out, hibernating, in repose, inactive, inert, lifeless, napping, out of it, resting,  slumbering, snoozing, snoring, … stiff… unanimated… wasted….

Have we gone to sleep??? Even if it is the second or the third watch, can we keep ourselves awake? Can we be :

alive, attentive, aware cognizant, dynamic, excited, enliven, functioning. heedful, knowing, observant, stimulating, roused,revive, stir, vigilant… and watchful? —–

–be like men who are waiting for there master to come home from the wedding feast. So that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.

I think that we can keep awake. I know that we can. Its not easy to stay awake. but I know that this group of people, opens the door when the master knocks.  You’ve done it, you did it, you’re still doing it. When the Christ brings his bride home from their wedding feast. I know that we are a group of pastors, ministers, teachers, and friends that will welcome them home. To the house that God built, with the simple words of “let there be…”

Stay awake.

But our passage says Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,

…Dressed for action! Weather that is the armor of god in Ephesians or clothed in love in out of Colossians. Whatever you need to where for your ministry put it on! And keep your lamps burning, friends, I have never seen a group of people like this school has. It’s wonderful. I have never met a group of people who gave me hope for the church. Until I came here. We may not all get along; we may see some things in others that remind us, too much of who we really are. We may have spats, and theological differences.   But I have seen… I have seen the sprit inside every person; I have met on this campus. And I can name at least one moment where you all were lit. Lit with the sprit, lit with love, lit with passions, lit with laughter, lit with tears for the pains of this world. … Stay dressed, keep going, keep your lamps burning. because you have proven that you can do it. Because the sprit is moving us.

Stay awake, keep your lamps burning

Contueing upward in our passage. We find For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. Treasure is a funny thing, it looks different to each of us. I like jewelry, I like diamonds. What if we saw treasure the way God sees treasure. The way Christ sees treasure. What if our treasure, our gift entrusted to us is our brothers and sisters... That’s a big challenge…

 For you to see every person, in this room, in this building, in this city, every person in this state, every person in this country,  every person in the Americas, every person in this hemisphere, every person in this world…

…as a gem…

That is the treasure that God sees that is the treasure that God gave us. You could no longer ignore the diamond hiding in the rough, because just under that rough sooty little rock, is a diamond hiding in the center, inside that rock that got overlooked is the most precious gem of them all.

Then it will be easy to Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.  And replace it with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.Because you will have your treasureYou will have your teaser with you and then you can dispense out of the moneybags filled with the treasures of heaven, the gifs of grace, the clothing of love, the shoulder to cry on, and injustice to trample, the word of hope and the gift of relationship with a good God.

Love God’s treseure.

So Fear not, little flock, for it is you Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

And to share it…. There will be room at the table for you and treasure at the table, when the master returns.SO Please my friends, where ever this path leads you… to feed the hungry(William), to teach students(matt), to fight injustices(Arlo), to smile at the broken (Jason), to make the music(teK), to love deeply (Claudia), to listen closely (cj), lead strongly (Joshua) to write poetically (Kristen),  to speak pastsionaly (Sheldon), to drum fervently(trip), or preach fearfully. …even if that path change’s… know that the sprit is moving you.

SOOOO I challenge you my teasers

Stay awake, with your lamps burning and love Gods teaser

then fear not.  AMEN!

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