Because we can be different things. I want to start with something different. A transcendental thought.
"But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time." RW Emerson
Now what is a transcendental thought? Transcendentalism is a 19th-century school of American theological and philosophical thought that combined respect for nature and self-sufficiency with elements of Unitarianism and German Romanticism.
I consider myself a Transcendentalist among other things, Walt Whitman one of my favorites.
What can be answer'd he answers, and what cannot be answer'd
he shows how it cannot be answer'd.
...The words of the true poems give you more than poems,
They give you to form for yourself poems, religions, politics, war,
peace, behavior, histories, essays, daily life, and every thing
else,
They balance ranks, colors, races, creeds, and the sexes,..."
A second idea I want to talk about an informal survey I did this last week among people I came across. I asked a number of people if they knew what the big Muslim holiday was last week. I wonder some of you may know. When I was younger I would assume if I knew something everyone knew that something. It took me a long while to learn that not everyone had the interest I had.
Complete disclosure I only know because I served in a Muslim country for the global board of ministries for several years. Also it is funny to me that we know so little of other people's holidays. In Islam there are really two big holidays. The first comes at the end of Ramadan which is the month of fasting. Makes complete sense to have a holiday after a month of sacrifice.
Interesting at this holiday they give to the poor. As a young man far from home and family working in the war in Bosnia I was seen as poor so my student's parents would always send me baklava. Funny how people in the midst of war but in their family can see you the UNPROFORac who came to keep their peace as poor. I was happy to receive their blessing in any case.
Later in Cleveland when I worked with Muslim refugees it was this holiday that helped them through the year. Established families in Cleveland would come to the refugee enclave and just give. Pay rent you name it - was a celebration of sacrifice and joint struggle as I saw it.
But it was the second big holiday that occurred last week. I think we should know each others holidays. What they celebrated was something we celebrate. Abraham willing to sacrifice his son to God. In a real sense it is what brings us here today.
Pastor Roland Moore, the last elder to serve Nottingham in an official capacity preached last night about a personal relationship with God. Well it was Abraham's personal relationship with God that brings us here and what they celebrated last week.
Eid al-Adha
This important Muslim festival lasts four days and marks the moment when Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice Ismael, his son, for Allah. Today, most Saudi families celebrate Eid al-Adha by dressing up in their finest clothing, saying special prayers, and slaughtering lambs to share their meat with everyone.
In my time in Bosnia I would see lambs on balconies in the city in preparation for the holiday. This holiday had a different feel. My friends couldn't really explain their religion too well. Many had just recently turned to religion. Believe me war will make you do that.
I didn't have much better luck. They asked me what happens if you do something wrong. I thought about it and said, "well they have to forgive you." We went in circles like that.
Overall, there are about 2.3 billion Christians in the world and 1.8 billion Muslims. World Jewish population approaching 15 million including my two nephews. We are the people of Abraham. It is strange that we know so little of each other.
One thing I have always believed is the relevance here of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Amplified Bible
9 Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor; 10 for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? 12 And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
I believe God has plans on plans. I have this idea that if God wants to speak to people in different ways then that is how it will be. There are things we will never know in this life, but patterns are key I think. The pattern here is we don't know much about the other. I guess it isn't surprising. With these two lenses we will look at our scripture today.
John 6:1-21 Amplified Bible
6 After this, Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 2 A large crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (attesting miracles) which He continually performed on those who were sick. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching. 5 Jesus looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming toward Him, and He said to Philip, “Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 But He said this to test Philip, because He knew what He was about to do. 7 Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii (200 days’ wages) worth of bread is not enough for each one to receive even a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down [to eat].” Now [the ground] there was [covered with] an abundance of grass, so the men sat down, about 5,000 in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they had eaten enough, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and they filled twelve large baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign (attesting miracle) that He had done, they began saying, “This is without a doubt the promised Prophet who is to come into the world!”
15 Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.
16 When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and they got into a boat and started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had still not come [back] to them. 18 The sea was getting rough and rising high because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed three or four miles [and were near the center of the sea], they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat; and they were [terribly] frightened. 20 But Jesus said to them, “It is I (I Am); do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take Him on board the boat, and immediately the boat reached the [shore of the] land to which they were going.
A couple of points. The total number of people may have exceeded 10,000. The disciples did not have enough money to buy so much food, and the small villages in the area would not have had a sufficient quantity of bread to sell to them. Kind of reminds you of impossible problems we face today.
There was once a German and Bosnian talking about their lives. The German said I make about one thousand marks and my expenses about nine hundred marks and I manage to put away 0ne hundred marks. The Bosnian replied I make one hundred marks and my expenses are nine hundred and I don't know how I get through the month. Jesus never stopped feeding the multitudes.
Many times we have the how. The woman who grabbed Jesus' robe was healed because power came out. The little girl got up because Jesus told her, that was the how. Here in John we are told what happened but we don't know how.
Was Jesus bringing bread from nowhere which I am confident he could. Was he just seeing what was there that everyone else missed. I guess my question is was this a hard or easy miracle. I don't think it was the hardest, but the impact was certainly the greatest.
This here was revolution and everyone there knew it. "But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time." Everybody there was there and everything everyone had was on offer.
Jesus knew John tells us. Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself. This is the heart of the story. This Jesus walking on water was because Jesus saw a better revolution possible that included us. These people would have easily thrown off Roman rule. Well that is what I believe is the reason Jesus left. He had other fish to fry.
Why was this revolution. Well in our celebration of our two hundred anniversary as a congregation we have talked often about the first class at Nottingham. Now I want to talk more about schools. I mentioned earlier that I like to consider myself in the tradition of the transcendentalists. The root is to transcend. I have also mentioned casually that I consider myself a communist. I know that is trigger word for many people. People who understand very little.
When I studied international relations we did not call ourselves communists anymore. We are historical structuralists that is we believe there is a structure to history. We started in small bands in caves and such places. We built towns. Then cities. We were feudal for a long time. Then came the capitalists which it is true set us free from Kings. God told Israel long time ago don't bet on kings. Few listen.
A communist is a academic who believes that there is something that comes after capitalism. This in contrast to theories supported in the 1990s in New York specifically about the end of history. Pre 9/11 America was so quaint. Again we call ourselves historical structuralist because we think there is a structure to history. Jesus tells us there is one. In this scripture imagine Jesus had to beat it so the first revolution would not go.
Again what was so revolutionary. Everyone had. No one lacked. Sure people who call themselves communists have lacked. Lenin was a Bolshevik, he didn't trust the people. Bolshevik means majority and they ruled as authoritarians. They wanted to skip history. Lenin thought he could speed up history. He might have been able to. People don't know the last few years of his life he had a bullet in his neck. He told everybody don't let Stalin rule. I'm not sure what else he could have done.
His brother was a revolutionary who was killed. Lenin went to work every day. The world is complex. God has plans on Plans.
Our world today is losing its way in so many ways. In Haiti gun men came into the presidents house and killed the president. Michel-Rolph Trouillot, a Haitian anthropologist who died in 2012, wrote: “History is the fruit of power, but power itself is never so transparent that its analysis becomes superfluous. The ultimate mark of power may be its invisibility; the ultimate challenge, the exposition of its roots.”
What I personally find distressing is their in no speculation really about motives. In 1994 when we sent troops to help we signed contracts. Big contracts for such a small place. There are ripples from 1994 I am sure and there is exploitation by elites. Someone was trying to reform.
Matthew 5:11 Amplified Bible
11 “Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me.
This is not a political message. I don't want you to be a communist, but I do want to understand the schools of thought that believe history and History with a big H have a structure. Mostly because one of those that shows us is Jesus. Why was it so revolutionary. Now [the ground] there was [covered with] an abundance of grass, so the men sat down, about 5,000 in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted.
We don't have any how here, but what do we know? Everyone there present, above time . Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.
We marvel at the how and it tells us Jesus is Lord, but we don't have a how here. Did Jesus find more in us or just give us. Well yes: We know where John started.
John 1:1 Amplified Bible
1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.
It is interesting to wonder when these people realized that their king had left. I guess it is also a question of how many of them kept Jesus as their king in the second revolution of Jesus: the new covenant. Many I imagine, but they would tell people they knew Jesus when. They were ready to take over the world before anyone else.
I don't mean to dismiss the end of the scripture but I almost feel like walking on water gets too much hype as it were. If there was a preview of a movie of Jesus' life you could do worse then him walking on water. You wouldn't show him sneaking away from the first revolution. I think Jesus saw exactly where they would take him, but Jesus was thinking about you and me and the other.
I think it is very cool that Jesus pulls the plug on the first revolution. I am a man but I have been something else is how I described it to my son. It isn't so hard to be a man cause I have been something else. I have been a boy. It is hard to be a boy because you have never been something else. We love to talk about how God knows the number of hairs on our head, but seldom remember the same is true for our worst enemy. It is a simple faith. It is a complex world.
We read something else today in Ephesians 3:14-21 from the Amplified Bible again. And I will try to tie these schools and classes and children of Abraham together.
14 For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father]. 16 May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].
20 Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen
This is not a political message.
"But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time." RW Emerson
They were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king. Well I will say this we didn't all reject him thank God. We may not be the most intelligent creature on the planet in the end, but everybody there knew. And really everybody who hears the story can imagine. There is no how.
We look for patterns and seeing here and eating here. There is more to this story. There is 10,000 people left behind. The disciples were frightened we hear. What were all these people. I imagine they had much to talk about. I imagine they never forgot that day. I imagine they saw more in their community then they did before. Did God give it or make it or did they find it, well yes. It is a complex world, but it is a simple faith.
Let Us Pray
Eternal God, Creator of the universe, there is no God but You. Great and wonderful are Your works, wondrous are your ways. Thank You for the many splendored-variety of Your creation. Thank You for the many ways we affirm Your presence and purpose, and the freedom to do so. Forgive our violation of Your creation. Forgive our violence toward each other. We stand in awe and gratitude for Your persistent love for each and all of Your children: Christian, Jew, Muslim, as well as those with other faiths. Grant to all and our leaders attributes of the strong; mutual respect in words and deed, restraint in the exercise of power, and the will for peace with justice, for all. Eternal God, Creator of the universe, there is no God but You. Amen.
Reprinted from the World Council of Churches
Benediction
Help us to remember it is the hairs on all the heads that are counted.
It is the hungry. It is the poor. It is the outcast. It is the politician.
It is the other. It is the thief. It is the judge.
Help us to be focused on your will and do our part.
As we pray for all
In the name of Jesus our Lord, Amen
Nottingham UMC 7-25-2021