Question of the week: From who or what have you declared your independence?

Transcription

1 SERMON Such a Time as This Question of the week: From who or what have you declared your independence? When we say Superhero each of us probably conjures up our own image in our own minds, and they might look quite different. Comic book and movie superheroes were what Pastor Joe and I were thinking of when we planned this summer series, but even those images vary depending upon our age. Before comic books came on the scene, there were superheroes in literature; people who seemed to be driven by some supernatural force to do things above and beyond the average, everyday things. Some purely fictional, others based on historical figures. Robin Hood comes to mind. Davy Crockett is another. We ve made Abraham Lincoln and George Washington into Superheroes, haven t we? Joan of Arc and Florence Nightingale are two others. Biblical superheroes, too, like Daniel, like David. In the twentieth century, Superheroes became a fixture in our society first through comic books, then through television and the movies, and they continue to flourish in the 21 st century in a wide variety of media. Superheroes can be women or men, boys or girls, of any age or ethnicity. And especially on this weekend when we celebrate our country's independence from British rule, it seems appropriate to focus on freedom. The theme of freedom is woven throughout scripture, but the words of Isaiah we heard this morning are perhaps the most powerful. These words are the ones chosen by Jesus as he began his ministry. No one could doubt that Jesus meant business when he stood before the congregation and declared that today those words were fulfilled. As it says in Luke 4 14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. 16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE 1

2 BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." Jesus didn t just read what the local rabbi asked him to read, as we do on a Sunday morning. Jesus CHOSE this particular passage, as his testimony, as his pronouncement that things were about to change. This passage continues to be a powerful driving force for so many people today as it has been throughout history. TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED! Personal freedom is important, of course, but when you step out in faith and declare freedom for an entire population of people, that s when you become a SUPERHERO in my mind. That s when the Holy Spirit is moving you to be Christ-like in the world. As I received my inspiration for this week's message, I thought of two Female Superheroes, one from the Bible and one from the 21 st century, who provide examples for how any one of us can become an everyday superhero. The superheroes I m going to talk about today probably never thought of themselves as something special, but when the time was right, they acted. And each of us may one day be presented with Such a time as this to take action and make a difference for someone else. The Superhero from the Bible is a young Jewish woman, named Hadassah. You probably know her better as Esther. Esther has been a voice of freedom from oppression for the Hebrew people since the book was written around 470 BC. She is celebrated still today in the festival of Purim. I've already shared a summary of Esther's story during our Children's time. It s an exciting story, one that is a favorite of children, women s bible studies and Hollywood, because of all the excitement, and the twists and turns written into it, confirming that with God all things are possible. When Esther becomes aware of a plot to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom, Esther s uncle reminds her If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father s house will perish. Who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? (4:14). 2

3 Esther could have chosen to remain silent. She could have saved her own life by not saying a word to the King. But instead, she put her life on the line, demonstrating her faith and courage, and saving her people. Jews commemorate her act of independence and freedom with their annual Purim festival. Purim is celebrated with costumes and masks, as a reminder that Esther had to hide her true identity from the King of Persia. Queen Esther, with a crown, a cape, and a mask, stands as a superhero for her actions against the oppressive, anti-semitic actions Jewish people have faced throughout history. How many times have Jewish people had to hide their true identities, to blend into a culture in order to avoid persecution? Her story reminds us that, while we may need to hide our true self sometimes in order to make a living or in order to save our very life, God is always with us. And eventually, in God s time, we can remove our mask and show the world who we really are. Perhaps the reason the book of Esther made its way into our Bible is because her story is UNIVERSAL. Every person of a minority race, culture, sexual identity, or physical uniqueness has experienced oppression or persecution by those who are the powerful majority. Let's not forget, as we celebrate FREEDOM this weekend in the United States, oppression continues even here. The question remains: When will the sacred worth of a person not be influenced by physical, economic, psychological or theological differences? The voice of God cries out through the prophet Isaiah, through the voice of Jesus, Proclaim release to the captives and set free those who are oppressed. Like Jesus, Esther had to Spirit of the Lord upon her, to set her people free. Fast forward to the 21 st century. Malala Yousafzai is a young Pakastani superhero, who was co-recipient of the Nobel Peace prize last year. Because Malala has been in the news in recent years, many of us are much more familiar with her story than that of Esther. Time will tell how she is celebrated and remembered by history, but for now she definitely qualifies as a superhero for thousands, if not millions, of people. Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Pakistan. 3

4 After the Taliban began attacking girls' schools in her local area, Malala gave a speech in the major city of Peshawar, Pakistan, in September The title of her talk was, "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?" She was only eleven years old! Malaya continued to speak out for education using a fake name and social media, but in 2012, at the age of 14 she was shot in the head by the Taliban. She received miraculous medical care in England and, despite the Taliban's continued threats, remains a staunch advocate for the importance of education. In 2014, she was nominated a second time for the Nobel Peace Prize and won, becoming the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has described her as "a brave and gentle advocate of peace who through the simple act of going to school became a global teacher. A SIMPLE ACT? We might think going to school as a simple act, but how many teenagers do any of us know who would not only continue to go to school when threatened with death, but continue to speak out against the oppressive powers that were trying to stop her from doing so? An amazing young woman. Definitely a SUPERHERO. Ok, so those stories of Superheroes are great, inspirational, powerful, but what do they have to do with you or me? I could be wrong, but I don t think any of us face oppression like Esther or Malala. What do their stories have to do with us? Scripture is meant to inspire us into action, not simply to warm the cockles of our hearts. God nudges us, and inspires us, and gives us courage. Malala isn t speaking to hear herself talk; she s speaking out to make change happen, big changes, in every corner of the world. And I have no doubt she will keep working at it as long as she has breath to speak. 4

5 Freedom may mean different things to different people, but ultimately, freedom is defined as: a: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. b : liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : independence. If we live with our eyes and ears open to reality, we are aware of the oppressive systems that continue to be present for many people in the world, not just in other countries but here in the United States. Millions of people continue to be oppressed because of their race, religion, sexual orientation and level of income. Systems are hard to change, but we never stop hoping and praying and speaking out. Even here in Burlington County there are voiceless victims of injustice living in our neighborhoods and nearby in the cities as well as the suburbs. People are living on the edge, a paycheck away from homelessness, and most of us have no idea. And that's if they are lucky enough to HAVE a paycheck. People are living on the edge, unable to receive the health care services they need, in spite of having insurance. People are living on the edge, without jobs, without insurance, without homes. People are living on the edge, trying to understand, trying to make sense of the bureaucracy, working through the maze of forms, inconsistencies and red tape that surrounds the search for answers. There are far too many people falling through the cracks, facing eviction, destitution, or life in unsafe conditions, because they don t fit the neat descriptions devised by law makers and insurance providers. 5

6 I ve been in ministry for thirty years, and I am as frustrated today as I was when I began to see that little has changed. I don t give up hope, but I can get pretty angry. I am heartened by the guardian angels who walk this earth, helping others to not just survive, but to find a way to thrive. I celebrate the passionate people who take on seemingly insurmountable challenges and dedicate themselves to raising awareness and working to change oppressive systems. The story of Esther reminds us that even one person can make a difference in the lives of a whole population. The life of Malala reminds us that people of any age, any gender, any ethnicity can be a Superhero for freedom. We should never give up the freedom and the responsibility that comes with knowing that we, too, may have been born for such a time as this. 6