"KEEPING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE" A Sermon By. Rev. Philip A. C. Clarke

Transcription

1 "KEEPING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE" A Sermon By Rev. Philip A. C. Clarke Park Avenue United Methodist Church lo6 East 86th Street New York, New York January 20, 1985

2 "KEEPING OUR PERSPECTIVE" INTRODUCTION Dear Abby recently printed a letter in her column from a woman who was deeply embarrassed by the behavior of her husband over the Thanksgiving weekend. Her sister and her husband, she said, had driven 600 miles to spend that wonderful November weekend with them. Nrn~, her sister's husband does not like football, and her husband does. There must have been six or seven football games on TV that holiday weekend, and her husband watched every one of them. Her sister's husband had to wander around the house trying to find something else to do. She told of a friend's husband who was just as bad. On Thanksgiving Day they had two guests for the meal. Her husband kept the television set on during the meal and peered around the guests so as not to miss a s.ingle play. She asked Dear Abby, "What are we to do with husbands who put football above common courtesy and good manners?" She signed it, "Fed Up With Football". scm OTHER ADVICE Now Abby's advice really isn't that solid on this concern, so I want to pass on to you some other advice. This was given to me by a colleague early on in my ministry who faced similar situations vlsiting in homes. It's not uncommon as a minister to visit in a home and find that you're competing with the television for the attention of the individual you have come to call on. They talk to you while they're staring at the set, which means that there are long lapses in the conversation, after which they will look at you with a puzzled expression as if to say, "Who let you in?" Now in those situations my friend's advice is, "Move a chair directly in front of the television set and sit on it. That will get their attention. 11 And that's my advice to all wives and others who are fed up with football, and who don't value their lives. Move a chair right in front of the screen and sit there. That's what my wife will do. You'll be making a statement that says, "Look, I am more important than football. 11 That's putting things in perspect-ive and perspective is what I want to talk about here this morning. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT John HcKay recently retired as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ~, one time he was the coach of the USC Trojans. An outstanding coach, especially at the college level, he brought many exciting moments to football fans across the country. I liked McKay primarily because he had a very healthy perspective on football. He still calls football players "youngsters", and he often refused to see what they were doing as anything other than a game. Remember the year USC beat UCLA in the last game of the season, thus winning the National Championship as well. He was questioned by a reporter after the game as to the great significance of the event. McKay replied, "I doubt that the outcome of this game will affect the lives of a million Chinese. 11 I liked that. I think you could call that "perspective", and perspective is what we need today on this Super Bowl Sunday. That's a world perspective. Seeing what happens in our country, in our lives, in our Church from the point of view of the rest of the world - a world - a world that begins the moment you step out on to the sidewalk in front of our Church. And that's what the New Testament lesson does for us today. It gives us a perspective on the present, not a perspective from the point of view of geography, or another country, but the perspective of another time - and here it is the end of time.

3 - 2 - We know that time helps to put things in perspective. WP-'ve all experienced that. We know that something that appeared to us to be overwhelming, in time becomes manageable. Or something that meant the end, in time, turns out to be a new beginning time helps to give us a perspective. THE END TIME The end time puts things in an "ultimate" perspective. Now there's a special word for this, a technical word for seeing things from the perspective of the end time. I think it would be helpful for you to know what that 1vord is. One of the cardinal rules of good preaching is never to use big words you'll run the risk of not being understood, but I have borken most of the cardinal rules of preaching anyway, so one more time won't hurt. And you 1 re not an average congregation; you 1 re bright, intelligent and sophisticated and can handle the big words. The word is ESCHATOLOOY. It is from the Greek word, "eschaton" which means "the end" or "the final things". So eschatology is seeing things from the per spective of the end time. And the Bible is filled with eschatology. The most famous example would be the Book of Revelation. Its setting is in the end time and it says to us that in the end Jesus is going to win the big game and Rome and all the other tyrannies and enemies in this world are going down to defeat. Its message is not about what is going to happen in the end; that's a bit of a misreading of Revelation. Its message is about how you should live in the present and how you should play the present game. Don't give up. Hang in there. Keep on struggling. Keep on kicking. Keep on running. Keep the faith. Because though you cannot see now from the perspective of the end you can see that Jesus is going to win. So, keep the faith. That's the message of Revelation. PARABLE READ FOR OUR SCRIPTURE Now the Parable that was read for our New Testament lesson today is also eschatology. It's a story about the "end time", and its purpose is to allow us to put things in priority in the present time. Its called the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Sometimes it's called the Parables of Dives and Lazarus because "dives" is the Latin word for rich, and the first sentence of the Parable is, "There was a rich man ". He's unnamed in this parable, but for so many years the Bible was read in Latin that the Latin word dives became associated as the name of this unnamed man - this rich man. vje shall call him Dives. Now, as I see it, Dives was one of those guys who believed that we get what we deserve in this life. Therefore, he believed that his great wealth was God's reward to him for being such a wonderful person. And conversely, he believed that those who were poor, or hungry, or homeless, or sick were obviously also getting what they deserved in this life. In those days it was called, "paying for their sins 11 It 1 s a dangerous attitude common not only among the well to do in Biblical times, but also it's apt to be held by those who are comfortable in any time. It's very comforting, indeed, to believe that I have all these things - all of this wealth, because God ha.s blessed me. I don't have them because I'm selfish, or greedy, or materialistic, or whatever. I have these things because God has blessed me. Well, it's a matter of perspective, I suppose. Have you ever noticed that only the rich and well-to-do believe the rich are blessed by God. The ppor are apt to have a different perspective which reminds me of a story I may have used before. A man was walking through the woods when all of a sudden he was confronted by a big, giant, angry, hungry bear. So he fell on his knee : and prayed, "Lord, make this bear a Christian". And all of a sudden to his amazement, this

4 big bear fell on his knees and prayed, "Lord, I thank you for these blessings we are about to receive from Your bountiful hand." You see, sure that God differently. hopefully see it's a matter of perspective. Those who are warm and well fed are has blessed them. Those who are being eaten are apt to see it Jesus told this Parable so those of us who are comfortable would our lives from a bit different perspective. Dives is a rich man - clothed in purple and fine linen, dining sumptuously every day. And Lazarus - the poor man - is described as full of sores, lying at his gate, that is, the doorstep so that Dives has to step over Lazarus in order to enter his house. That's the present situation. Then Jesus puts it in an eschatological perspective. That is to say, He looks at that scene now from the "end time" where the circumstances are reversed. Dives, the rich man, is sweating out in Hades. And Lazarus, the poor man who is supposed to be payfor his sins, is resting comfortably in the bosom of Abraham, singing, "Oh, rock-a-my soul in the bosom of Abraham rock-a-my soul " Dives cries out to Abraham, "Brother Abraham, send Lazarus down here to ease my discomfort". And Abraham says to Dives~ "The tables are now turned. Those who paid no attention to the cold and the hungry and the sick and the poor in this life, in the next life will experience how it feels to be on the other end... to be forgotten and ignored." Dives says, "Then send somebody down to earth to warn my brothers so that they won't make the same mistake." And Abraham says, "They already have Moses and the Prophets". That is to say, they already have the Law, which says love God and love your neighbor as yourself." And they have the Prophets, such as Micah, whose great passage was read earlier. Hear his words again, "He has showed you, 0 man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." They already have that; they already have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. Well, that's the Parable and it's pure eschatology. Its purpose is to get a perspective on this time - this year, this day, this hour, by looking at it from another time. It's not a description of the next life; it's a prescription to cure the ills of this life. And it is trying to say to us that the problem of our world is simply a lack of compassion. We do not need more light, but rather we need more warmth. --- REFLECTIONS ON THE PARABLE THEN Now when I read and reflect upon this parable on a cold day such as this, quite frankly, I'm disturbed. I'm disturbed because the person in this Parable closest to my profile, the one that I have to identify with, is the one who is clothed in purple and fine linen, eating well every day. I wear fine linen and later on today I shall be sitting down in front of TV to watch the Dolphins beat the Forty-Niners and I 1 11 probably have some Super Bowl snacks near by. It will be warm and pleasant. And I think that's all right to do, if I have it in proper perspective. And oh - that can be a hard thing for us to do!

5 - 4 - It would be very easy to adopt the perspective of Dives and say that this comfortable life is given to me because God has blessed me, and He's blessed me because I deserve it. That's the perspective that makes you blind to Lazarus at your door. And it's always been around. It goes by different names. Today, "self... actualization" is the current euphemism for it. It comes from the distinguished psychologist, Abraham Maslow. It says I have a responsibility to become a "self-actualized" person. The highest obligation I have is to fulfill myself. And that's good advice; as a counsellor I find myself sometimes giving that insight to people. I give it to those who need, I feel, to hear it. And I'm sure that that's what Jesus would tell Lazarus to do. I think Our Lord would say to Lazarus, "Look, Laz your job, my friend, is to life yourself out of your misery. You should realize the potential that God has given you in the creation the gifts that are yours " But for Dives, or for me, and I suspect for some of you to follow that advice would be self-serving, self-congratulatory, self-righteous, selfish. To tell people who have it made in this life that they have a duty only to themselves is unchristian and immoral to me. That's the perspective Jesus is giving us in this parable. The problem with Lazarus may be that he doesn't think well enough of himself. The problem with Dives is that he can't think of anybody else but himself. FURTHER REFLECTION Walter Baren, President of the LA Chamber of Commeree and also an officer of Ernst and Whinney, said something in a speech not too long ago that was p~cked up and printed in the papers. Speaking about Los Angelese and its future, he had this word for the community and for the business interests: "Our compassion must become less institutional and more personal if we are to retain and foster the fabric necessary for a productive society, then we must, as Shelley said, 'Put ourselves in the place of another and of many others and make the pains fo all people, our pain". In so many words this modern day application of this old Parable is saying to those of us who are comfortable and well off, you will find your salvation not by con~ tinuing to think only of yourself, you will find it when you begin to think of others. CLOSING.kRABLE Now, to close with another Parable. This one is an American parable. It tells of a tribe of Indians long ago in the State of Mississippi. The tribe lived next to a swift river in which the current. was so strong and so deadly that if anybody ever stepped into it, it would sweep them away downstream and they would drown. The day came when this little Tribe of Indians was attacked by another hostile tribe and they were soon defending themselves with their backs against the River. They couldn't move anywhere except into that swift current. When they realized that their only hope for survival was to cross that River, they gathered the Tribe together and those who were strong put on their shoulders those who 1r1ere weak and they risked wading into the River. And to their amazement the weight of their fellows on their shoulders kept them from losing their footing, and they escaped to the other side.

6 - 5.. If you are strong, if you are comfortably, if you are well-fed, Jesus says you ought to reach out and help somebody else. And you know what? You will not only save their life, you will save your own. For He reminds us: "That He who would save his life will lose it, and he who would lose his life for My sake and for the Gospels will find it." PRAYER 0 Thou who long ago didst come among us to care for all sorts and conditions of people, help us to control our dislike of other people and nudge us further along the path of compassion. And take us in hand, Lord Jesus, we pray when we begin to grow callous and make us like Your blessed Son who didst reach out to all people with Your love in His heart. In His name we pray. Amen

7 "NeveJL JLe.&..i..gn youlu>el6 to.the.t>c.a.ndai o6 the d..i..v..i...6..i..on 0 6 c hjl..i..-6.t..i..a.n-6 " --The Rule o6 Ta..i..ze YORKVILLE 01URCHES CELEBRATE A WEEK OF PRAYER FOR ~RISTIAN UNilY Jcnuory During the week of January 18-25, congregations will once again come to gether to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Events for the week: Friday, January 18, 7:30p.m.: Service of evening prayer and pot-luck supper at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lexington Avenue and 88th Street; Please bring dessert, side dish, or salad. Meat and drink provided. Saturday, January 19, 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.: Quiet day of prayer for unity at House of the Redeemer, 7 East 95th Street. Tuesday, January 22, 7:30p.m.: "The Churches in Yorkville- Can We be United?" Discussion and simulation game at Brick Presbyterian Church, Park Avenue and 92nd Street. Wednesday, January 23~ 7:30p.m.: "The Pastoral Letter on the Economy from the American Catholic Bishops." Speaker: Patrick Jordan, editor of Commonweal magazine, at St. Ignatius Loyola Church, Park Avenue and 84th Street. Thursday, January 24~ 7:30p.m.: ~Discussion of problem of homeless families in Yorkville and ways we can respond~at Park Avenue Christian Church, Park Avenue and 85th Street. Friday, January 25, 8 p.m.: Ecumenical Service of Worship at St. Thomas More Church, 65 East 89th Street, clergy of Yorkville churches participating. Reception follows. We are on the road together... again! Please join with your fellow Christians in any or all of these events that we might give witness to our hope for Christian unity. For more information, please contact your church office or Deborah M. Jenks at Park Avenue Christian Church( ).

8 ANTHEM: "0 Saviour Sweet" TODAY AT 12:30 P. M. "O Saviour sweet, 0 Saviour kind, Thy Father's will has all Thy mind, from Heaven Thou hast vouchsafed to come, with men, as Man, to make Thy home, 0 Saviour sweet, 0 Saviour kind. 0 Saviour sweet, 0 Saviour kind, The way to please Thee we would find, what e'er we have, it comes of Thee, 0 let us ever near Thee be, 0 Saviour sweet, 0 Saviour kind. 0 Saviour sweet, 0 Saviour kind, Who came to earth the lost to find, Who died to save us on the tree, our hearts are filled with love to Thee, 0 Saviour sweet, 0 Saviour kind. Thee with tender care I'll cherish, live to Thee, die to Thee; Thus I shall not perish, but with Thee abide for ever, Joyfully, peacefully, where life endeth never." ANTHEM: "Laudate Dominum" "Praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him all ye people. For He has shown His loving kindness to us, and the truth of God lasts forever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning is now and forever more. Amen". ORGAN POSTLUDE The organ postlude - a final offering of our praise to God - is played after the Benediction. Time permitting, we invite ou to share in the beaut of it. The Outreach and Social Concerns Committee of our Church will hold an important meeting today in the Choir Room. Members are invited to come together around 12:30 pm. ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL TO MEET The Administrative Council will meet on Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm. "HOUNDS OF HEAVEN" The "Hounds of Heaven" study group meets Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the third floor Fellowship Hall. George Leopold is leader. Prayer is the present subject of discussion. New friends are always welcome. FOR THOSE WHO SING New members are always welcome to audition to sing in the Choir. Rehearsals are held Wednesdays at 6:15 pm in the downstairs Choir Room. TRUSTEES TO MEET Members of the Board of Trustees are reminded of the meeting scheduled for Thursday evening, January 24th, at 7 pm. PICK UP YOUR COPY Be sure to pick up your copy of the Januarv is of "A Wor I E w "

9 PLEDGE CARDS STILL BEING RECEIVED Pledge cards are still being received in the Church office. To date, 204 pledges totalling $86,040 have been gratefully received toward our goal of $96,000 and 250 pledges. It's never too late to make a pledge of financial support for the work of the Church. Perhaps you can help us meet our goal for the coming year. AVAILABLE The 1985 boxes of weekly offering envelopes are on a table in the rear of the Russell Room. Pick up the box that has your name on it and save the Church some postage expense. If you did not make a pledge for 1985 and wish to have a box of weekly envelopes for your gifts, mention this to Larry Morales. He'll be glad to assist you with the necessary arrangements for securing a box of weekly envelopes. A JANUARY RUMMAGE SALE A January Rummage Sale is planned for this coming Saturday, January 26th. Workers are needed this coming week as well as on Saturday, the day of the Sale. Contact Dianne Keller at (days) or (evenings) if you're free to lend a hand with the many preparations involved in a successful rummage sale. ADULT FELLOWSHIP WINTER WEEKEND Members of the Adult Fellowship will be sharing in a Winter Weekend Retreat at Camp Epworth the weekend of February 8th - loth. Check the January issue of the parish newssheet for additional details. Space is limited to the first 30 persons who sign up with Linda Burtch or Rick Kilbride and confirm their reservation with a small deposit. A few places are still available, but act fast if you wish to be included.

10 SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY January 20, 1985 ORDER OF WORSHIP ll A. M. ORGAN "Adagio" Mozart CALL TO WORSHIP HYMN NO. 293 "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken" PRAYER OF CONFESSION (seated) God of our life, we confess in company with one another and before Thee, that we are wayward and less than faithful servants. We have loved things and used people; remembered slights and forgotten kindnesses; called on Thee in trouble and ignored Thee at other times; praised Thee in word and failed Thee in deed; allowed the present age to mould us and left untapped the power of the age to come. Deal with us after Thy mercy for we are sorry for our sins and earnestly seek Thy pardon through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. SILENT MEDITATION - WORDS OF ASSURANCE - LORD'S PRAYER *** PSALTER "Behold, I Create" No. 643 GLORIA PATRI No. 792 AFFIRMATION OF FAITH No. 740 *** ANTHEM "0 Saviour Sweet" SCRIPTURE Micah 6: 6-8 Luke 16: PASTORAL PRAYER PARISH CONCERNS ANTHEM "Laudate Dominum" Bach Page 806 Page 910 Mozart PRESENTATION OF THE OFFERING WITH THE DOXOLOGY HYMN NO. 199 "0 Brother Han, Fold to Thy Heart" SERMON "Keeping Things In Perspect2.ve" Mr. Clarke HYMN NO. 305 "Onward, Christian Soldiers" BENEDICTION ORGAN "Toccata" Selby *** Interval for Ushering LAY READER We welcome Larry Glenn to the Lectern today. A native of Mobile, Alabama~ a graduate of The University of South Alabama, with a BA in Music and a BM in Voice, Larry currently is enrolled as a graduate student at the Julliard School of Music at Lincoln Center. A member of the ChJrch, he is tenor soloist of our Choir. ALTAR FLOWERS The flowers on the altar today are in honor of Paul R. Russell who celebrates a birthday on February lst. Our Community Room downstairs is named for him. USHERS The ushers today are James Padilla, Anthony Alvarez, Richmond Bates, Lucy Dinnes, Gary Kunishima, Ernest Nieratka and Yoshito Oda. AN INVITATION Coffee and tea will be served in the Russell Room following the service. Members and friends are invited to share in these moments of warm fellowship made possible for us today by Peggy Carey, Lynn Bruhn, Dorothy Davis, Jennifer Davis, Fran Ellison, Valdrena Fay, Josefina Garcia and Beryl Wilks. CHURCH SCHOOL AND NURSERY CARE Sessions of Church School for children are offered on Sunday mornings from eleven to twelve. Nursery care for infants and toddlers is also available. ADULT BIBLE CLASS Mr. Clarke will be leading the Adult Bible Class on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the Fellowship Hall. The Gospel of Matthew is the focus of study. All are welcome.

11 PARK AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 106 East 86th Street New York, N.Y AT CHURCH DIRECTORY Rev. Philip A. C. Clarke Minister Mr. Lyndon W.oodside Organist-Choir Director Mr. Jack Schmidt Business Manager M s. Diane Coloton Secretary Miss Anna-Liisa Rintala Secretary Mrs. Judith Keisman Day School Director Mr. Fernando Miranda Custodian GENERAL OFFICERS Lay Members, Annual Conference..... Mr. Edward J. Brown Mrs. Joyce Gartrell President, Board of Trustees Miss Lynn Bruhn Chairman, Administrative Council.... Mr. Leroy Coffman Chairman, Education Committee Mr. William Bell Chairman, Fellowship Committee Miss Helen Wilkinson Chairman, Finance Committee... Mr. Edward J. Brown Chairman, Church Property Committee.. Mr. Doug Heimbigner Co-Chairmen, Membership Committee..... Mr. Frank High Miss Pam Hubby Chairman, Outreach Committee... Miss Elizabeth Berg Chairman, W orship Committee... Miss Lynn Bruhn Co-Chairmen, D ay School Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hughes Chairman, U shers Mr. Larry Morales Superintendent, Sunday School Miss Anne Davenport PARK AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH