Anthony de Mello in The Song of the Bird tells of a bishop whose ship
anchored at a remote island. Since he only had one day there, the bishop
was determined to use the time profitably.
He strolled along the seashore and
came across three fishermen, mending their nets. In broken English, they
explained to him that missionaries converted their village to Christianity. “We Christians!” they proudly
proclaimed. The bishop was impressed. In talking some more, he discovered
that they had never heard of the Lord’s Prayer. The bishop was shocked. “What, then, do you SAY when you pray?”
“We lift eyes to heaven and say, ‘We are three, you
are three, have mercy on us.’”
The bishop was appalled. This
would never do. In fact, it sounded almost heretical. So, the bishop
spent the whole day teaching them the Lord’s Prayer. Even though the
fishermen were slow learners, they were finally able to struggle through it
before the bishop sailed away the next day.
Months later, the bishop’s ship
happened to pass by that same island. The bishop paced the deck, recalling
with pleasure the three men who were now able to pray, thanks to his patient
efforts. While he was lost in his thoughts, he happened to look up, and notice
a spot of light to the east. The light kept approaching the ship and, as the
bishop gazed in wonder, he saw three figures walking on the water. The
captain, too, was amazed and he stopped the boat so everyone could
see. When they got within speaking distance, the bishop recognized the three
fishermen.
They exclaimed, “Bishop! We see your boat go by the island, so we come to see
you.” Awestruck, the bishop asked, “What do you want?” “Bishop, we
are very sorry. We forget lovely prayer. We say, ‘Our Father, in
heaven, holy be your name….’ Then we forget. Please tell us prayer
again.”
With a quiet voice, the bishop
answered, “Go back to your homes, my
friends. And each time you pray, say, ‘We are three, you are three, have mercy on us.”
Trinity
Sunday – most preachers like to skip today because people expect them to
explain the Trinity in layman’s terms. So, in addition to the story of our three
amigos, let me outline it for you in three P’s. From John, Persons; from Acts,
Pentecost; and from Proverbs, proverbs.
First,
from John. We often use symbols to explain the Trinity – from Patrick’s clover
to geometric designs. We find symbols of the Trinity in our churches –
equilateral triangles and overlapping circles. Mathematicians and engineers may
prefer triangles and circles, but they are static. If you want to understand
the dynamics of the Trinity, you really have to observe and live the family
experience.
Families
are dynamic. Think of any family – the First Family or the Royal Family, your
in-laws or your neighbors. Based on your observations of the outer dynamics of
any family, you determine the breadwinner and the spender, the problem solver
and the troublemaker. You surmise their mission in life and predict where the
children will be in 20 years. You rely on them for assistance or aggravation. We
base our assumptions solely on what we know as outsiders.
Hollywood
tries to give us an experience of the inner dynamics of family life – be it the
Robertson Family, aka, Duck Dynasty
or Dog the Bounty Hunter. Nevertheless, reality TV cannot provide the experience
of living in that family. The only way you experience a family’s inner dynamics
is by living in it.
So
it is for Jesus – as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He knows the
Father. The Father knows him. Together, they dwell with the Spirit. John tells
us that Jesus revealed himself to believers. Over the past few weeks, we heard
Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit. In today’s passage, he disputes
unbelievers who claim him a Samaritan or possessed, and states, “Before Abraham was born, I Am.”[1]
Jesus claims that the Father reveals Himself through the Son, but even an
infusion from the Holy Spirit could not have enlightened these unbelievers.
As
believers, we accept the truth from Scripture that there are three Persons of
the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit. We observe their outer dynamics –
creation, redemption and sanctification – all performed with loving-kindness.
We surmise that the inner dynamics of the three Divine Persons is stronger than
any F-5 tornado – strong enough to overcome Satan, sin and death. Moreover, we
can rely on their love.
From
Persons to Pentecost, my 2nd point. Today’s passage picks up where
we left last week – Peter’s Pentecost sermon. Pentecost was an agricultural
feast where Jews celebrated not only the harvest but also the giving of the
Torah. It was known as the Shav – u’ – oth or the Feast of Weeks. This
festival, celebrated 7 weeks or 50 days after Passover, brought farmers from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Asia, Egypt,
Libya and Rome to Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot. They came to thank God
for the harvest and for the Law. To them Peter makes a fundamental presentation
of the Gospel. … CFW Walther would have been proud of how Peter incorporated
both Law and Gospel into his sermon. … And while Jesus could not convince his
hearers, by preaching Christ crucified Peter stirred the hearts of some 3,000
that day. Scripture tells us that he converted and baptized 3,000 people. Through
baptism, Peter brought them into the inner family. They observed the community
of believers from the outside, and then experienced it from the inside. People
who hear the Gospel are baptized as members of the Church, a dynamic, believing
community of people who reflect the loving relationships of the Trinity in
their inner and outer activities.
Believers
are members of a believing community, a Pentecost community. … Are we members
of a Pentecost community? Are we a Pentecost people? … We are. … Turn to Roman
numeral x in your Lutheran Service Book and read the lower right hand corner: “The
Time of the Church – The Season of Pentecost.” From now until Advent, our
corporate worship reminds us that the Holy Spirit is active in our lives.
Hence, we celebrate the Sundays of Pentecost.
Like
the first converts, we too were baptized in the Name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit. We received forgiveness of our sins and the gift of
the Holy Spirit. Because we are attuned to the Holy Spirit active in our lives
as a faith community and individual believers, we are a Pentecost people.
Are
we a Trinitarian community? Well, if you turn to Roman numeral xxi, you will
find that these Sundays are also Trinity Sundays. They remind us to focus on
the dynamic power of all three Divine Persons of the Trinity active in our
lives. Therefore, according to our worship, we are members of a Pentecostal and
Trinitarian community.
However,
there is another way to know if we reflect the loving relationships of the Holy
Trinity in our inner and outer activities – by asking outsiders what they observe.
This week, ask some outsiders how they see us. Do they see us as Spirit-filled
people? Do they see us as a dynamic community? Would they say that we reflect
the loving relationships of the Persons of the Holy Trinity? Does our living
proclamation of the Gospel stir their hearts to the degree that they are
kicking in the doors to get in? I want you to think about that this week, and
really ask someone. Ask anyone. If we are a Pentecost people, a Trinitarian
community, it should be easily observable.
That
brings me to my third point – Proverbs. The Book of Proverbs is a collection of
sayings and instructions composed between the 11th and 6th
centuries. Its primary purpose was to teach wisdom not only to young men, but also
to the advanced. (I consider myself advanced.) Wisdom in the ancient Near East
was not theoretical knowledge but practical expertise. Jewelers who cut
precious stones were wise; kings who made their dominion peaceful and
prosperous were wise. One could be wise in daily life by knowing how to live
successfully (having a prosperous household and living a long and healthy life)
and without trouble in God’s universe. Ultimately wisdom or “sound guidance”
forms character.
Proverbs
helped form our New Testament. … The New Testament saw Jesus as wisdom personified
(today’s reading from chapter 8). The Letter of James is an instruction that resembles
Proverbs. It also influenced the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which derive
their father-son language from the parental language of the book. The Gospel of
John regards Jesus as incarnate wisdom descended from on high to offer human
beings life and truth and make disciples of them.
Wise
people follow God’s commands revealed through God’s Word. Allow me to complete
the verses of chapter 8.
Now,
children, listen to me; happy are they who keep my ways. Listen to instruction
and grow wise, do not reject it! Happy the one who listens to me, attending
daily at my gates, keeping watch at my doorposts; For whoever finds me finds
life, and wins favor from the LORD; But those who pass me by do violence to
themselves; all who hate me love death.[2]
Wise
people follow God’s commands revealed through God’s Word. That is basic
Lutheranism. “Since the Holy Spirit speaks only through the Scripture, the
intent of the Holy Spirit is not to be separated from the words of Scripture.”[3]
Wise
people who follow God’s commands revealed through God’s Word do not hesitate
when tragedy strikes. When I lived in Oklahoma, people across the nation
responded generously with donations for Moore after a tornado destroyed blocks
of the city. People are generous when tragedy strikes friends, neighbors and
even strangers. Believers and unbelievers alike respond to tragedies.
When
one’s cry for help is as loud as the winds of an F-5 tornado, our human nature
reacts. In one of his Daily Devotions,
Pastor Ken Klaus addressed the response of Charles Ramsey, the Cleveland man
who heard the shouts of Amanda Berry, broke down the door and allowed her to
call 911. Pastor Klaus says, “I’d like to
think you and I would have done the same thing. I’d like to think that, but I’m
not sure. You see it’s not always easy to do the right thing. It’s much more
comfortable to come up with excuses on how it’s not my business and how
somebody else ought to get involved, even in those situations when there is
little or no danger. You doubt me? Then let me ask: What is the percentage of
eligible voters who attend annual or quarterly congregational meetings? How
many times do you read about your church’s need for officers or VBS teachers?
How many really good voices come forward to sing in the choir?”
We
react when the cry is deafening, but are we attuned to every cry? Imagine how
difficult it must have been for Ramsey to free those women from bondage,
especially when he knew and picnicked with their captor, Ariel Castro.
If
we want to claim our congregation, district or synod reflects the dynamic
loving relationships of the Trinity, should we make it our business to get
involved and make some feel uncomfortable, or should we settle for the status quo? We should respond not only
to the loud cries for help following a tornado, but also the whimpers of unborn
children.
Mollie
Ziegler Hemingway, an LCMS member and media critic, spotlighted mainstream
reporters’ lack of coverage of the murder trial of Philadelphia abortion doctor
Kermit Gosnell.[4] Because
her Lutheran awareness of vocation helps her understand her role in the world
as a media critic, she was able to bring this trial to light in spite the
pushback she experienced from the mainstream media. Quote: “Through my various vocations, I aim to serve God by serving my
neighbor. When I’m writing a news story, I don’t think my job is to convert
anyone but, rather, to just share the basic information that helps the reader.
When I’m doing media criticism, I push journalists not to share my political or
religious beliefs but, rather, to just practice their journalism fairly. When
I’m writing opinion pieces, then I get to argue for a given cause.”[5]
Hemingway
is a courageous, thoughtful, spiritual, wise woman who heeds and practices
God’s revealed teaching, and she provides an example for all of us. Whether we
practice medicine or law, manage a restaurant or a sales force, crunch numbers
or raise children, Mollie Hemingway gives us an example of how a baptized
believer understands her vocation and serves God by serving her neighbors,
whether they are victims of a deadly tornado or a cruel abortionist. … Like
Charles Ramsey and Mollie Hemingway, we too must attune our ears and respond to
not only the loud cries for help, but also the cries and whimpers of little
ones.
To
do so means we set aside social media and the remote and practice the art of
listening to God’s Word and His loving creatures. When we listen and respond
lovingly we are on our way to loving like the Trinity loves. To be a dynamic
community like the Trinity, we will love as the Trinity loves. And for those times,
we do not, may we pray: We are three, you are three. Have mercy on us. And may
the peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus. Amen.
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