Who Loves You?, October 7, 2012

THANKSGIVING SUNDAY,OCTOBER 7,2012

"WHO LOVES YOU ?"

Genesis 3:1-13; psalm 139; Matthew 6:25-33

Minister Emeritus, The Rev. Tom Miles

A couple with a teen-age daughter pleaded with her to come to church.
"Dear,it's Thanksgiving.please come", they asked. 
"NO', she replied. And plaintively,they asked
"But why?" 
"Because the minister's a dork and his sermons give me a migraine."
We all have our faults and the world holds several of our critics. 'Creation' was September's theme and Kathryn has provided thoughtful and moving sermons. I'm going to extend that theme a further week. I'd like to explore the final act of creation just before God pronounced "All was Good".
That final act in Genesis was the creation of human beings. "God created human beings, in his image, in the image of God he created them, male and female. And God blessed them." The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden has come to us from thousands of years ago. Long remembered and told and re-told through generations.
Some take the Bible as the living word of God, not to be questioned. They accept it as written.

Others have wondered - was this to be taken as actual fact - or is the story a brilliant, profound parable about human beings, and a very personal story of life's journey for each of us? We know good and bad.We encounter temptation and challenge. We know about goodness and achievement and we know about failure and the sense of shame and guilt. As scientific thought spread in the 17th century, there were debates that emerged about creation. Did it all happen in 6 days? How was that possible? And how long ago did it happen? Some Christians took this as an attack on the faith and the Bible.
So, in the 17th century, a very respected Bishop in the church of England set out to find the date of creation. Studying history, the Bible, astrology and methods of dating, he announced creation occurred on: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 4004 BC.
Day after tomorrow, Tues. ,Oct.8, then will be, when you add 2012 AD to 4004 BC, the 6016th Birthday of Bishop Ussher's creation date, adopted in 1703 by the Church of England.
175 years after Bishop Ussher's death, a 22-year-old Englishman named Charles Darwin signed on to a scientific expedition. It was a 5-year contract to study in the remote, isolated Galapagos Islands.

There were 13 islands located 500 miles off the coast of Equador and 1000 miles from Panama. The islands were known for their huge tortoises ('tortoise' in Spanish is 'Galapagos').
Darwin studied the vegetation and creatures on these islands. Birds, particularly of the Finch family, varied between the different islands. Although of the same family,their size, the shape of their beaks,differed somewhat from island to island. Twenty years later, Darwin produced 'The origin of the species'(1856).
He came to believe that Nature provides a way for living beings to adapt to their environment.
To some christians, this again attacked the Bible, God's Holy word, which plainly stated everything was created and completed. It created heated public debates and angry dispute among christians.
The differences continue today between 'Creationists' and 'Evolutionists'. Some believe scientific Atheists are attacking the faith of True Believers accompanied by cartoons of scientists evolving from apes. No one has asked the apes if they feel insulted.

Let pause from history for a minute.
The Garden of Eden is a story about two human beings who made a big mistake. They did what they had been asked not to do. It got them in trouble - with God and with each other. There is no one here who hasn't disobeyed someone important to them. when caught,the first reaction is to hide and to see how to lessen the blame. What's the best way to prove "IT'S NOT MY FAULT?" Blame someone else.
That may be your older brother or sister, but a friend will do. Psychologists tell us our character is formed by
our morals, ethics and beliefs. We need to be free to make our choices in order to develop into maturity.
Without that freedom, we would be persons without choice. We would be like robots whom others may control by their presence, or by their authority or by our shrinking from decisions and asking them to tell us what to do. 
Is God free to act, choose, change? 
Of course. 
Are we also free to act,choose and change too?

If so, we're beyond blaming Adam and Eve for all the sins of the world. we're responsible for who we are.
We're responsible for our good decisions and our bad decisions.
Our choices are not the fault of parents or partners or children. This is not to suggest we're not influenced by others. But it is to say you may become the kind of person God invites you to be. The poorest person may be kind and the richest person may be compassionate. Until we accept that truth, we'll be stuck where we are forever.
There is one other challenge freedom brings which Adam and Eve show us. 
Martin Luther wrote: 
"YOU can no more control the thoughts of your mind than you can control the birds that fly over your head. But you can prevent the birds from building nests in your hair."

There is a Greek Orthodox Monastery on Greece's Mount Athos. Female persons are banned from its lands and buildings. In the 14th century, a local ruler begged that his wife be allowed to stay there
to save her from a plague that was sweeping through the villages. Reluctantly, permission was given but with conditions: she was to remain indoors confined to a room designated, and if she needed fresh air, she could be taken on the grounds in a covered basket, hidden from sight, on a carriage - but her feet were never to touch the sacred grounds of the monastery. Nevertheless, the knowledge of the lady's presence was said to have disrupted the spiritual lives of the monks.
Eve has left her sisters with one heavy burden to bear. As a source of temptation, Adam is lured into her wicked and disobedient ways and he accuses God of being responsible.
"The woman whom you gave me, she gave me the fruit of the tree." 'Not my fault !'
And Eve said: 
"The serpent tricked me." Not my fault! 

Imagine if Adam was the one was the one who had taken the apple. How would that have changed how
we understood the story? Would we brush it off or would we send him to Guantanamo Bay for re-education while we said "oh,poor Eve.I knew he wasn't be right for her."

The point is both disobeyed, both tried to hide from God because of their fear and guilt; Adam blamed Eve and God for his disobedience while Eve blamed the serpent for enticing her by saying the apple would make her as wise as God.

Women have not had a role in public leadership in the church until the past century. At present, over half the ministers in the over 150 pastoral charges in BC conference are women. 
In Kathryn and Jennifer, you have 2 of the best to join Gary, one of the best male ministers. There are also a host of  committed, capable volunteer women whose gifts inspire and guide every congregation. 

There is one group, however, which does not celebrate this gift. I thought it would be men but apart from the odd fellow, I haven't found it so.
What surprised me was that there is a smallish minority of women who prefer ministers who are male. Flattering as that may seem, it's distressing, because I've worked with women, here and elsewhere,
who have shared an insight, understanding and spiritual depth that I envied and from which I learned.
Adam and Eve, for me, is a parable with amazing insights. But I suspect it was told by a man. Otherwise Adam would have had that first bite and be blamed for humanity's hardships and had congregations shun him for his bad behaviour.

To conclude : We have freedom to choose how we may live. Whatever your history or your circumstances.
You are the final arbitrator of who you are. How can Jesus say:"Don't worry so much" ?
God has known you since before you were born. God has followed your life through the years, seen
the good decisions, seen the ones that turned out badly.
God knows the temptations that are part of you, and the frustrations that make you angry or bitter
or drive you to tears. God knows the heartaches and the sorrows as well as the hopes and the dreams you
carry.
How can Jesus say: "Don't worry so much ?" God cares about you and your life. If you will ask God's guidance and help, you will be helped find a life that has meaning and purpose. You will find you don't need to hide and the things you now worry about are not nearly as important as you believe.

Find the life God meant for you to live. Choose to act consciously once each day as Jesus asks - in kindness, generousity, helpfulness to someone. 
It can be as simple as calling someone - but done out of faith. 
You don't need to talk about it. 
Just do it.
Let faith grow inside. 

"Examine me,O God,and know my mind;

Test me, and discover my thoughts.

Help me with the needs I dare not share.

show me how to trust in your love. Guide

me in your pathway to a real and

fulfilling life beginning now.