February 5, 2017

Isaiah 58:1-12
Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.

“Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

Matthew 5:13-20
[Jesus said:] “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Who remembers when it was customary to repair things when they broke?

What would you do if you got a hole in your sock?
Mom or Grandma would darn it with a needle, thread and a darning egg.
Anyone still darn socks?

If your radio or TV was not working— what did you do? Take it to the repairman. And today?

Got a hole in the sole of your shoe? Take it to the shoemaker.
Does anyone know if there is a shoemaker in town?

Our passages today ask us to help fix things..
our texts address the urgent need for people of faith to be people who will repair the breach.
Christians are to be healers.
We’re experts at repairing broken hearts, broken lives and broken dreams.
We know what justice looks like and we are to be a righteous people.

Both our passages remind us that sometimes we forget what we’re supposed to be all about.

Our passage from the prophet Isaiah is consistent with the concern for social justice that characterizes all the prophetic writings.
The author warns the religiously observant in Israel— or should we say those who think they are religiously observant…
it warns them not to fall into the trap of having the form of religion substitute for the substance of it.
in other words… we can’t let our worship end here as we share singing and praying… it can’t end here with tasting the bread and drinking from the cup…this must propel us to act righteously and take care of the hungry and naked… to help fix the world around us
The specific abuse the prophet targets in today’s passage is profaning fast days by ignoring the greater concerns that obliged them to fast in the first place —
social concerns, like poverty, neglect, abuse and the unequal-distribution of resources.
The words are directed specifically at those who fast and humble themselves (v. 3).
They are directed at those who make it to worship… at me and you, if you can hear me.

The prophet’s words aren’t addressed to the unreligious or what we refer to as the Nones today.
NONES Those who select No Religion… when asked their religious preference…. and they are the fastest growing group in USA

The prophet is attempting to say to religious people— to you and me— that there is a way of being religious or practicing your faith that makes a mockery of that very faith.
And the prophet is making a case for their concern for the oppressed, the hungry, the homeless poor and the naked (vv. 6-7),

these writings also reflect the Deu-teron-omistic theology that permeates the OT— based on the covenant between the Israelites and Adonai, who has chosen or (“elected”) the Israelites as God’s people, and requires Israel to live according to God’s law:
This theology suggests that If the people will observe God’s law faithfully by addressing their social ills, they will experience God’s abundant blessings (vv. 8, 9, etc.).
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
But also that If they don’t, God will ignore them to the degree that they ignore those in need.

So, is it just me, or has anyone noticed that the scriptures are not letting up … not letting us off the hook for a moment since the beginning of the year?
Again there is talk of doing justice and acting righteously.
I feel there is no getting around it… God expects us to focus on and bring about justice.. to act justly… and to be righteous.

So what do righteous people look like?

They look like salt. Jesus says that they are “the salt of the earth” (v. 13).
In the ancient world, salt was a valuable commodity used for sacrifice, purification, seasoning and preservation.
Followers of Jesus are to play all of these roles in the world, and are to remain salty by staying true to their mission and avoiding contamination.

“If salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?” asks Jesus.
It cannot, of course. Contaminated salt “is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot” (v. 13).

Note that Jesus doesn’t say, “Try to be the salt of the earth.”

He doesn’t say, “It might be good for you to catch some classes at Salt and Light University to learn how to be salt.”

He doesn’t say, “Go to the rabbi and elders and have them lay hands on you to beseech God to grant you saltiness.”

He doesn’t say, “Take 30 minutes each morning to meditate and try to be in touch with, your inner saltiness.”

His comment is to the point.
“You are the salt of the earth. This is what and who you are. Don’t forget it.” This is not a command but a description.

There are times, we’re afraid that we’re just not “salty” enough.
this is not about us, it is about Jesus.
Whatever Jesus actually had in mind when he said, “You are the salt of the earth,” we know that salt as an element has no value to itself.
It’s not about making salt better salt. Salt is salt.
The value of salt is in its application to other things.

No wonder Jesus calls us “salt.” We exist for others. to do justice… to make the world a better place for others.

What do righteous people look like?

They look like light —
lamps, lighthouses, spotlights, flashlights, candles in the darkness.
Jesus says, “You are the light of the world” (v. 14).
Just like saltiness, being light does not involve learning how to be light by reading literature on the subject or meditating about it.
Jesus’ statement is a description, not a command.
We do not come to worship to practice How to be light and salt… we are Light and salt… if anything we come to be reminded we are light and salt!!

And, like salt, light does not exist for its own benefit, but for the benefit of everything it illuminates.
Light provides warmth and energy to the world around it, and encourages life and growth.
We do the same thing when we act as light in the world, and when we reflect the light of Christ to others.

And the prophet tells us If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.

Church—When we advocate for justice, when we right a wrong instead of pointing at someone else telling them to do it
When we speak kind and lovingly, when we bring canned goods or money for the hungry—
when we support those struggling with addiction or trying to make it on minimum wages by advocating for a living wage.
When we advocate for those living in terror from an abuser or living in wait in refugee camps … then we shine like a lighthouse on a dark stormy night.

Jesus reminds us…”No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house” (v. 15).
Our righteousness as Christians depends on doing whatever we can to be lights to each other and to the world around us.
We are —
+ to bring attention…shine light… dare I say protest…when we see injustice— I see the 1st line of the passage of Isaiah as a call to protest—Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. —-And I hear it as a call to shout if necessary to get us all to pay attention…
+ to address the needs we see that we can… like cooking a meal for those who are hungry or lonely or supporting local recent immigrants
+ to do what we can for those struggling in life…with addiction or past heartbreaks or mistakes…
+ to use our gifts to help others through the church and beyond
+ to be open and honest instead of hiding in the dark,
+ to advocate that workers are paid a living wage and have a safe environment
+ to offer other people warmth and encouragement
+ to be an energy source for others, so that together we can advance the love of God in the world.

“Let your light shine before others,” says Jesus, “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (v. 16).
Our challenge is to shine as a Christian community so that others will see what a life of love and faithfulness looks like.
In a world of self-righteousness, we can be an example of Christ-righteousness — of what it is to be in right relationship with God and our neighbor— near and far.

There is so much darkness all around us, so much injustice, suffering, loneliness and isolation.
Righteous Christians can truly be a light to the world — beacons of justice, peace and reconciliation in a world that is so often full of conflict.
If we perform such good works, people will see them, says Jesus.
Then they will “give glory to your Father in heaven” (v. 16).

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

As light, we can bring warmth and energy to the world around us.
If we do this… if we live out our saltiness, our shining light, of justice and righteousness— we will be a part of healing the world…. of repairing the breach
As the prophet promises
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. Amen

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