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Sermon, May 15, 2022  

Every human who has ever lived has the same exact story as the rest of us.  There are only 5 chapters in everyone’s story.  Here they are:  Before Birth, Birth, Experiences, Death, and Beyond.  Assuredly, for most people, the middle chapter is the most extensive because it is our experiences that make us particularly human, both similar to and different from others.  Of course, our genetic makeup gives us our basic tool box, but what we experience either moves us forward or backward.   I don’t think life is neutral.  I think it matters perhaps in way we can not explain. 

It’s like the gulf.  We get in the gulf and we either sink or swim according to our skills and experiences or lack thereof.  But in truth I think the gulf wants us to swim because it has just enough salt in it to help us be buoyant until help comes.  And some entity made the gulf salty.   

I believe there is reason in our story of life...a reason that may be difficult to see or touch with our physical senses.  It has something to do with Spirit, the unforeseen but certainly experienced energy we all have.   

Nearly every story that has ever been told or written, including and maybe especially stories in the bible, are all about us as certainly as they are about any person.  We all do suffer or have suffered  a bit of the seven deadly sins which are gluttony, greed, lust, envy, pride, sloth, and wrath.  They are considered deadly because they interfere with the more pleasing elements of life which are often called the 7 or 8 virtues.  They are kindness, love, honesty, contentment, humility, diligence, and patience.  These list of sins and virtues are found in almost all religions around the world in some form...the reason being is that both the sins and virtues are the aspects of every human as he or she grows toward moral maturity.  And nearly every story you read that has a human or two in the story  you will find both sin and virtue...they are universal. 

In today’s reading about Stephen we see the sins committed by the accusers and the virtue exemplified in Stephen’s response.  The first 7 verses tell a story about a man full of grace and power.  He did great things for people, and he was wise.  In the story there were also many people from different groups who told lies about Stephen.  They accused him of speaking ill of Moses and the things Orthodox Jewish people held sacred.  These first 7 verses end when the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these things so? 

In the next 60 verses Stephen tells the history of Jewish people beginning with Abraham, Joseph, the Jewish tribes being held as slaves in Egypt, then Moses, Joshua, and king David.  When Stephen finishes his story, the authorities are furious because Stephen says to them that the followers of Jesus are the good guys and those of you  who claim authority are evil and hurtful and it is you who rebel against God.  In their fury they kill Stephen.  He became the first martyr of the followers of Jesus. 

If we read the full story ourselves  we might see the unjustness of it, the absolute unwillingness to recognize our own part in a hurtful history as these people in authority refused to do.  We see a life of wisdom and grace of one man erased because those he was talking to refused to see the truth, the reality, the historical correctness of what Stephen told them. That is part of our age old stories...good guys get killed, evil guys stay in power.    

When in our own world history has that fact ever permanently changed?  My questions to us today, as each one of us moves toward our own moral maturity, what do we as Christians do to stop seeing people who are different from us as less than us?  When will the church universal say to all people come here and be loved;  you don’t have to do anything to be included.  When will any large group of sane people in our own country have the courage to demand laws must be followed for all of us to be safe?  Who will stand up and require reasonable consequences as necessary?  Who among us has the courage to contact those in government to reiterate that giving money away without accompanying work or follow up is a sin?  What time and courage are need to ensure parents are to be an integral part of a child’s public schooling? When will churches tell the truth about the love Jesus has for all, all, all people and not just those we love?  What is our part in this current life story we are participating in?  Do we tell the truth about Jesus’ love by our actions in our own community?  Ask yourself these questions:  When was the last time I gave time and attention to a homeless person on our streets?  When was the last time I personally asked a single mother if I could help with her children?  When was the last time I willingly gave up something utterly important to me to someone who needed it more?  Or put another way, do you perhaps have or own too much? 

These are the questions our spiritual and historical pass have demanded we ask and answer, for together they indicate at what level of God’s goodness we have attained through love, forgiveness, and compassion?  Which acts that you do on a daily basis do you feel Jesus is walking step by step with you?   

What part of yourself you do you hide? 

Tough questions.  But as Socrates said thousands of years ago, “an un-examined life is not worth living.” 

In Jesus’ way of teaching he too asked hard questions.  These are  the questions Jesus asked:  Who do you say that I am?  Do you believe?  Do you want to get well?  Why are you so afraid?  Why did you doubt?   Do you still not see or understand?   Are you also going to leave?  What does scripture say?  Who touched me?  Do you love me? 

Today’s world including our own beloved nation is in spiritual trouble.  There is condemnation, but not much obvious love.  That statement is part of the story we are in and sharing together.  What is our role in bringing peace?  What are ways in which we can enhance our national morality?  How can we provide compassion in truly unselfish ways?  We are characters in this national story...so which character are you? 

Amen