Sermon - 9/14/25

Sermon 9-14-25, Ex 32:7-14, Lk 15: 1-10   The scripture for today really caused me to lean into my identity as a chaplain – and a word of warning – a chaplain will likely leave you with more questions than answers… The role of a chaplain is to ask questions that support others in remembering and reconnecting with their own coping strategies and belief systems One question that today's scripture brings up is What is the nature of God?   /        /        / This is a question that I often explore with patients I think of the 50-year-old woman with newly diagnosed triple-negative breast cancer – a very aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancer -- who finds the courage to ask "Is God punishing me for something?" as she comes to terms with how every aspect of her life is now upended and at risk /        /        / What is the nature of God?   This is an age-old question that humankind continues to wrestle with Not only among various religious traditions But also within Christianity Maybe especially within Christianity This disagreement is understandable – as we have two conflicting examples of God's nature in scripture today. In Exodus, the Lord says to Moses: "…Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them" (Ex. 32:10) /        /        / Then in Luke Jesus likens God to one who continues to seek, welcome and rejoice over humankind – especially those who have "been lost" Throughout scripture we can find examples of God's nature to justify whatever perspective we choose to hold As we can with most issues Is God slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love or punishing sinners in judgement? Perhaps the more challenging debate lies within the questions about ourselves What do we believe?    How do we live out those beliefs? How do we respond when we inevitably bump up against life circumstances and people who challenge those beliefs? /        /        /        / I utilize psychology and sociology often as a chaplain, and draw upon those studies as I reflect on theology – the study of God – today Anthropomorphism is placing human attributes on things or beings that are not human We do this with our pets all the time, imagining their mood or desires We do this with plants and trees, imagining the grass is crying out in despair after days without rain – or rejoicing after the rain finally comes It's easy with these examples to recognize how we're likely projecting ourselves onto our dog or cat or lawn But what about with God? Might we also project ourselves onto who we wish God to be? /        /        /        / So I read and reflect upon today's scripture with the awareness that anthropomorphism and projecting are real I also reflect on them from an Internal Family Systems perspective which acknowledges that we have different, and sometimes competing parts of ourselves that influence our thoughts and behavior This acknowledges how at times there is a part of myself that wants my enemy to suffer AND a part of myself that wants to extend compassion to my enemy /        /        /        / Going back to the reading from Exodus with this perspective I think about Moses Moses who at the beginning of his call story begged God to pick someone else – anyone else – to do this work Moses who realized the difficulty of his call and lamented the grumbling and complaining of the Israelites to God Moses who continually turned around and devoted himself to guiding and teaching these people who kept messing up and falling short of "the plan" Moses who today implored God to return to God's good nature – and changed God's mind /        /        /        / The Israelites built the golden calf and began worshipping it instead of God This is the famous example of idolatry that Abrahamic traditions reference But, it also demonstrates humankind's greed – And desire to possess and control God /        /        /        / If God seems to stretch us too far out of our comfort zone Let's project onto God traits that are more like us Let us make a god into one we can understand And abide And feel better about worshipping /        /        /        / So we hear this anger from God in the book of Exodus over the people worshipping the golden calf and breaking the covenant They break their promise to worship only God They cannot keep their end of the bargain And God is angry – so angry God plans to burn wrath hot against them and consume them! But I wonder Is this God's anger Or Moses'? Moses - After years of serving in this role that he didn't really want Teaching and guiding and nurturing these people Literally participating in saving their lives While being on the receiving end of their grumbling and disobedience I wonder if Moses is angry /        /        /        / Fast-forward about 1200 years and the religious leaders are grumbling The Pharisees are grumbling about Jesus who cannot be controlled Jesus the Christ cannot be predicted or contained Jesus' love is bigger than what the law holds as he welcomes those outsiders Jesus, one with God, is despised and rejected Jesus persists in showing compassion to sinners Those who aren't keeping the covenant promise with God /        /        /        / Jesus gives us yet another window through which to glimpse the nature of God Through his own actions And with two parables One about a shepherd and one about a woman These are two other groups in addition to the tax collectors that the Pharisees looked down upon And here Jesus likens God to both a shepherd and a woman       /        / Jesus draws us a picture with his story of God who rejoices over those who return to God – and calls a huge celebration! /        /        /        / What is the nature of God? Jesus is trying to show the Pharisees that their righteousness has become a barrier to their ability to experience God Perhaps the merit of following the law is not the most important thing Somehow keeping track of right and wrong is preventing them from sharing in God's love and celebration "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (Lk 15:7) The wild thing is that in these parables we know that neither sheep nor coins can repent There is no criticism of the sheep who wandered off, wondering what was it thinking and how long it wasn't paying attention to where it SHOULD have been going It's laughable to blame a coin for getting lost in the couch but I suppose we'd likely blame the caretaker of that coin for being so irresponsible God is rejoicing over what the Pharisees would have called worthless sheep and coins Who cannot even repent Which begs the question -- can we repent? /        /        /        / In spite of Moses' – or God's anger In spite of ignorance and sinning and irresponsibility God keeps the covenant God keeps God's promise God continues to show humankind mercy And Jesus is calling the Pharisees – and us - out God calls us out of the human nature of judgement and criticism And toward God's celebration /        /        /        / What is the nature of God? Maybe deciding we know the answer to that question is like building another golden calf Maybe focusing on God's nature is yet another way to avoid confronting our own nature What parts of ourself want to burn hot against someone What parts of ourself feel justified in the good works we do What parts of ourself continue to notice the short-comings of others What parts of ourself criticize our own mistakes or times when we chose poorly What parts of ourself limit our ability to celebrate and rejoice for keeping track of all our own faults and all that's wrong in this world /        /        /        / What is the nature of God? I do know that I want God to be slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love when I'm looking into this woman's tearful eyes listening to hear fears about not seeing her teenage daughter graduate from high school I also recognize the part of me that wants God to be a flaming hot wrath consuming the one whose actions and words seem so wrong And because of that I know that I have to let it go – and let God be God And refocus on my call and challenge as a Christian To continue to wrestle with the enormity of God's love To believe that God keeps God's promise even when I can't keep mine To give love to myself and to my neighbor in ridiculous and generous ways And in the midst of it all, celebrate and rejoice with God Amen.