1 Sunday, August 19, 2013 13th Sunday after Pentecost Denver, Colorado Pastor Dena Williams Jeremiah 23:2329

Psalm 82 Hebrews 11:2912:2 Luke 12:4956 The Holy Gospel according to the Community of St. Luke in the 12th Chapter Glory to you, O Lord Jesus said: "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat'; and it happens.

2 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, O Christ Word of Fire, Fire of Love Hear the Prophet Jeremiah: Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? Hear the Prophet Jesus: Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. I came to bring fire to the earth. Fire . . . Hear again the Prophet Jeremiah: Is not my word like fire?, says the Lord. Is not my word like fire? A few years ago, I was invited to participate in a national church initiative called: Book of FaithHow Lutherans Read the Bible. I told my family about this invitation. Its called, I said, Book of FaithHow Lutherans Read the Bible. Son, Walkers response: They dont. I laughed at his response, not because it is a laughing matter, but because he is close to the truth. We do read Scripture, every Sunday morning, but our understanding of what we read is determined by our experience with the Bible. We may not know much about the prophet Jeremiah,

3 so how are we to interpret his prophecy read here today? We may not know much about the Gospel of Luke, so how are we to interpret the words of Lukes Jesus heard here today? In general, Lutherans have not done a particularly good job of teaching and studying the Bible over the last thirty years or so. While our fundamentalist brothers and sisters have diligently pursued Bible study, proclaimed the Bible to be infallible and inerrant and literally true, broadcast their narrow reading of the Bible as absolutely authoritative in all matters, Lutherans and other mainline Protestant traditions have been lazy. What a peculiar kind of neglect, particularly for Lutherans! Our heritage, dating from the 16th Century holds Scripture as central to our understanding of faith and life. Martin Luther wrote: The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid. When we neglect the cradle, the Bible, then, Martin might say, when we neglect the cradle, we neglect the Christ. Hear the prophet Jeremiah: Is not my word like fire? says the Lord. Hear the prophet Jesus: I come to bring fire to the earth. Teaching Bible classes is one of the greatest joys of parish ministry for me. I love opening the Word, sharing what I know and think, hearing what you know and think, as we help one another figure out what Scripture

4 might have to say to us in this time and place. Why were some books included and others left out? Is it all true or is it okay to value some parts of the Bible more than others? How do we decide between verses that seem to contradict one another? What do I say to my fundamentalist friends when they ask what I believe about the Bible? How will I grow in faith, grow into a more loving relationship with God, by knowing the Bible? Well, what about todays texts? Jeremiah saying that the word is like fire. Well, that sort of sounds like something one of those Old Testament prophets might say, they seem to be quite interested in fire and brimstone and such things. But what about Jesus? Lukes Jesus says that he came not to bring peace, but to bring fire and division to earth. That doesnt sound like Jesus, does it? Why would Jesus say something like that? One important way to consider those questions is to look at context: What is going on in Lukes story, before and after these verses? What was going on in Lukes world when these verses were written? These are the sorts of questions we learn to ask and consider when we study the Bible. These are the sorts of questions that help us uncover what the words of Scripture mean for us in our time and place. In Lukes story, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. In several verses before todays reading,

5 Jesus has said many things to encourage the people on their journey of faith. He has just said to the people: Fear not, little flock, for it is the Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Fear not, little flock. Fear not . . . Jesus, though, is on his way to Jerusalem. He knows the fate that awaits him there. He knows and so he not only comforts the people, but he speaks hard truths to them as well. He tells them that the journey of faith will cost them, that if they chose to follow him, the world will not approve, even in their own families there may well be those who question and criticize their faith. Jesus tells the people that bringing about the Kingdom of God will cause division, disturb the peace, that transformation brings joy, but also pain. This is an important lesson for those early followers who live under the rule of an oppressive Roman government, those who live in a time and place where following the prophet Jesus may well cost them not only family relationships, but may well cost them their lives. As he journeys to Jerusalem, Jesus warns his followers of the cost of discipleship. Jesus warns his followers in that time and place, he warns us as well. Fear not, little flock, he says in one breath, and then in the very next warns that our desire to bring about the Kingdom by reaching all with Gods love will cost us. Yes, he says, there will be great joy when the love of the God of the Kingdom is revealed in our relationships with others, but, he says, there will be pain as well.

6 There is no transformation without pain, there is no discipleship without cost. How then are we to find strength for our sometimes painful, journey of discipleship, Where will we find courage to bring forth the Kingdom of God in our world? Well, surprise, surprise, there it is, right there in Scripture, in our lesson for today from Hebrews: By faith the children of Israel, By faith Rahab the prostitute, By faith Gideon and Samson and David, all the prophets through the ages found strength and courage to bring forth the Kingdom of God . . . By faith . . . Can we tell those stories? Do we know the story of the children of Israel, the story of Rahab the prostitute, the stories of Gideon and Samson and David. Do our children know the stories? Can we tell them the stories? It is in the stories that we find the word that comes like fire, It is in the stories that we find the fire of love, the God of love who comes to us in Scripture, the Christ cradled in the Word. When we neglect the cradle, we neglect the Christ. When we tend the cradle, through the study of Holy Scripture, when we tend the cradle, we tend the Christ. Amen