November 11, 2007 Sermon
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Proper 27 - C
Luke 20:
27-38 St. Thomas, San Angelo
November 11, 2001 Allan Conkling
Back in the 1970's and 80's there was a comedian by the name of Victor Borge. Borge was a classical pianist who poked fun at the pretension of classical music. By being absurd he helped us to see music in a new way. For example Borge would come on stage, bow and begin playing a piece which sounded terrible until he realized he was playing with the sheet music upside down. Or he would be playing a piece of music up the piano keys and then fall off the piano bench, at which time he would put on a seatbelt. One of his routines was to be seated with the bench too far from the piano. Borge would then get up and move the grand piano to the stool rather than the other way around.
We laugh, but isn’t it funny how many times do we do things like that in life? How many times do we make life more difficult than it is? Our readings for today are an example of how we need to be careful from becoming locked into narrow thinking, and always to be open to seeing the world from God's perspective. Jesus always challenged those around him to see life in a new way.
Almost immediately after arriving in Jerusalem Jesus was confronted by a group of opponents who wanted to discredit his ministry. They were unable to "think outside the box," they tried to catch him with a trick question:
"All right Teacher, answer us this one...Suppose, just
suppose there was a woman, married 7 times..."
I once worked as chaplain to an Episcopal day school, and I remember a discussion with a precocious group of 7th graders, who asked me,
"If a man loses his leg in an auto accident will he get it back in heaven?"
Another student asked, "My great-grandmother was really old when she died. When I get to heaven will she be young or old?"
These are good questions, but they show how limited is our thinking. For one thing, heaven will be different than anything we can conceive of in this life. And God is not petty or small. God is much more concerned with the "big picture".
The Sadducees of course were trying to trap him, but Jesus' response was right on the money: that only in God does life have its ultimate meaning and purpose. Faith and trust in the power of an ultimate, intimate Creator is what provides life with its grounding. And this God is far beyond our comprehension.
Someone once wrote,
"When we are alive we know what will happen next, because we can ask other people who have lived longer than us. But no matter how old we get we cannot ask anybody what happens after we die."
Somehow I don't believe that the "ultimate concerns" for us are as much a concern for God. We often make life more difficult than what it really is. "What is going to happen to me?" and "How are things going to work out?" are important questions, but they show the limits of our thinking. God's ways are not our ways. Looking to Christ can calm the Sadducee with in us.
In Job (OT reading), we read that wonderful statement of belief:
O how I wish that I could chisel it into a rock for all to see: "I know that my redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth, and after my body is destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God...,"
Christians believe that not all questions are answered in this life. Life is filled with obstacles and trials. Nonetheless it is also true that, when doubts and questions arise; when troubles threaten engulf us, safety is found is in the arms of God. Self-reliance and self-assurance are traits we all aspire to, but we must remember that the ultimate control lies beyond ourselves.
There is a corollary, as many here can attest: That once a person has experienced first hand the comfort and assurance of God's presence...then one's entire world view begins to change. You begin to see problems or illnesses or in a new perspective: as moments on our journey God ward. As Dr. Hershberger says whenever I visit him:
"I must always remind myself, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Victor Borge made a career out of poking fun at the classical music world. Through his humor he also made me see that sometimes I want to move the whole piano instead of the piano bench. True wisdom comes when we start seeing things the way God sees them, and trust God for direction in the future in our family, in our church, and in our lives.
Copyright © 2003 Emmanuel Episcopal Church. All rights reserved.
Revised: 11/12/07