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January 27, 2008 sermon

God’s Foolish Ones
(Micah 6: 1-8; I Corinthians 1:18-29, Matthew 5:1-12)

Reverend Minister Sally Harris

Some one once wrote: That one's basic contribution to social justice is worship. For here we imagine a world, as God would have it be.

Let us pray: Composer of life, awaken within us the desire to be your foolish ones. Touch the chords of our hearts so that Your love may be known in the world. Amen

The courtroom is hushed as the case is presented. The witnesses, the mountains and hills stand silently listening as the plaintiff, God, brings a lawsuit against the people of Israel. Oh my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! (Micah 6:3) Why is there unfaithfulness in the land? Why this lack of love? The case of the plaintiff continues (vs. 4): "For I brought you up from the land of Egypt; and redeemed you from the house of bondage,and I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam. Have I not loved you and shown this through my saving acts?

The indictment is heard: the people of Israel have forgotten what God has done for them. They have failed to respond to God's love - to God's faithfulness - to God's call. "Oh yes, we are guilty", the Hebrew people admit, but they plead: How can we repay such love? Even thousands of rams or rivers of oil, or even the sacrifice of one's oldest child could not repay you. O God!

The courtroom is hushed. The witnesses, the mountains and the hills stand silently listening to the profound words of the attorney, Micah: God has showed you, O people, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, and to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God? (6:8) Consider our call, my friends; to be God’s Foolish Ones God calls us beyond Christian externals to our deepest humanity. Do justice – become actively engaged in our social responsibility to those on the margins – correct the systemic inequalities Love honorably – this is about working together toward equitable relationships – where we reorder our very lives into a community of enduring and faithful and respectful relations. Walk humbly –this is about an interior spirituality that acknowledges all that we have; the very air we breathe, comes from the reality of God, a gift from the composer of all life. These three elements embody all we need to know in order to be faithful and to be human.

They are about covenant rather than commodity – promise rather than product. They are not three "virtues"; they are not three more "things to do". Rather they speak of three dimensions of a life of faithfulness, each depends on and is reinforced by the other two. These are the dimensions God values - above all else. For God's values and wisdom are not of this world. God chose the weak and the powerless; not the strong and the powerful Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (I Cor. 1:20)

We do not know God through signs and wisdom but through a death and resurrection experience. The Jews looked for signs of a powerful Messiah; one who would drive the Romans out of Palestine; not one so weak as to be killed by them. The Greeks were known for their love of philosophy and speculation about the nature of divinity. Their gods tended to be aloof, invulnerable, free of human frailties. So this human, crucified Jesus did not appeal to them. But God, says Paul, is on the side of the foolish, the weak and the lowly. God's way, as seen through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, turns things radically upside down. Who were the ones entrusted with the Good News? Were they not ordinary men, women and children? The doubters, the ones who could not see Jesus clearly, even those on the margins of society? Consider your call, my friends, consider our call, to be God’s foolish ones.

God is not looking for genius. God does not require great talents. God is not charmed by our panic-ridden activity. God cannot use us when we are self-sufficient; when we have no need of God. For it is in our humanity, in our vulnerability, in our openness, that God leads us into God's kind of power - a power made fully present in brokeness.

Consider your call, my friends, not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being may boast in the presence of God. (I Cor. 1:26ff)

It is not easy to worship such a God. It is not easy to answer such a call: To be the lowly ones, the broken ones, the foolish ones. When our society, when we value: sophistication, power and knowledge. But the blessings are rich beyond measure for those who do worship such a God; who answer such a call

REJOICE! You that are simple in spirit those uncomplicated by duplicity, those spiritually sensitive and thoroughly genuine For the blessing of God's rule is yours! (Mt. 5:3)

REJOICE! You that are humble in spirit those who believe and act in faith that all people, including ourselves, are of worth and greatly love by God For you shall be reinforced by God's presence! (Mt. 5:5)

REJOICE! You who crave God's way those committed to discovering and living by what God requires For God will give you zest and joy! (Mt. 5:6)

REJOICE! You who show compassion those who give up all desire to punish or get even; For God will show compassion towards you! (Mt. 5:7)

REJOICE! You with undivided loyalty those who are the same in private and in public those who live in integrity For you shall see God! (Mt. 5:8)

REJOICE! You that work for peace those who are barrier-breakers and bridge-builders For God will call you God's very own! (Mt. 5:9)

REJOICE! You that suffer from obeying God's will and following God's way those of courage who do what is required despite discouraging disapproval or mounting difficulties For God's community is yours! (Mt. 5:10)

These are the blessing Jesus proclaimed to those who dared to live out their walk with God in the world. Each short sentence challenges the value system by which human history functions. Each piercing statement haunts humanity in every society and in every age. Each one calls us to live out our lives by acting justly, loving tenderly, and walking humbly with our God. My friends, consider our call to be God’s foolish ones.

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