Exodus 3:7-10, Galatians 5:1, 13-14  "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" —  Micah 6:8b    "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." — Galatians 5:1 In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul proclaims the gift of freedom that comes through Jesus Christ—a freedom hard won and not to be taken lightly. And throughout history, freedom has been a powerful force. Two hundred and fifty years ago, it became a defining idea that shaped our nation and continues to shape us today. Throughout the season of Lent, we explored how the concept of freedom took shape in the colonies 250 years ago. But freedom is not just an American concern—it is a human longing, a central hope across every time and place. This morning, I’d like to explore how that longing for freedom took shape in the Latin American context in the late 20th century, especially in Brazil. By understanding how freedom takes shape in different contexts, we gain a fuller vision of what God intends for all of humanity. As some of you may know, I was born in Brazil, where my parents were serving as missionaries. So, this story is not just history to me—it is personal. And perhaps one of the clearest cultural expressions of freedom in Brazil takes place each year during Carnaval. It is, in many ways, the equivalent of our Mardi Gras. But with its month-long, nationwide celebration, it makes Mardi Gras look more like afternoon tea than a raucous festival. The freedom of Carnaval is expressed in the beautiful, elaborate costumes—bright colors, intricate designs, and boundless creativity. It drew my father back to Brazil again and again. After he retired, each year he would go to Brazil for this month-long party, and he would always return filled with vitality and joy. If you’ve never seen it, I encourage you to look it up and witness the life and joy that pour out of it. At its heart is dance—a free expression of the human soul reveling in the joy of life. There is a deep and resilient joy in Brazilian culture—a love for celebrating life. But that is not the whole story. Beneath that joy, there are deep struggles—especially the suffocating effects of poverty. It was in response to this reality that a movement began to emerge in the 1950s and 60s, led by Catholic priests and theologians who saw the suffering of their people and asked what the Gospel demanded in the face of such injustice. This movement came to be known as Liberation Theology. And it resonated with Jesus’ own mission—to proclaim good news to the poor and freedom for the oppressed. It drew deeply from God’s paradigmatic act of freedom in the Old Testament: the Exodus. God looked upon the oppression of the Israelites and promised not only freedom from slavery, but a life of abundance—a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of promise. God acted powerfully in history, as Exodus tells us, with a  “mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” These theologians believed that to be faithful to the Word of God, the Church must not ignore the suffering of the poor. They challenged a Church they believed had become too focused on spiritual freedom while overlooking the realities of poverty and oppression. I began to hear this critique at a very young age. My parents shared with me stories of poverty, hunger, and injustice in Brazil. And my father fed me, in small but steady doses, not only the work of the Swiss theologian Karl Barth, but also the voices of liberation theologians such as José Miranda, Leonardo Boff, and Paulo Freire. José Miranda argued that God’s choice of Abraham and Sarah was not an isolated act, but the beginning of a larger purpose—one that would culminate in the liberation of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt. But something surprising happened. A powerful photograph taken at the airport in Managua captures the moment. Father Ernesto Cardenal knelt before Pope John Paul II to kiss the papal ring. But instead of a blessing, the Pope wagged his finger and said, “ You must regularize your situation.” Later that year, Cardenal was suspended from the priesthood. Here we see two different understandings of freedom. The Pope, along with many theologians around the world, believed that liberation theology risked reducing the Gospel to an earthly vision of freedom alone. But Paul, when he tells us not to be burdened again by a yoke of slavery, points us to something deeper—not just external chains, but the internal bondage of sin. The Gospel’s power is at work no matter our circumstances. No earthly chains can bind a spirit rooted in the love of God in Jesus Christ. Paul demonstrated this in prison. Though confined behind iron bars, his spirit remained free. His hymns echoed through the prison, and even a guard, hearing them, experienced a kind of liberation of his own and in turn helped bring an earthly liberation for Paul. And even liberation theologians came to recognize that while poverty can oppress, it does not define the human person. One recalled a woman in deep poverty who, when told,  “It must be so hard to be so poor,”  replied, “ I am not poor, for I have hope.” Jesus died and was raised by the power of God’s mercy, forgiveness, and love. In that salvific act, we are set free—from every bondage and every fear. It is a freedom that transcends time and space, culture and language, race and ethnicity. One need only look at the global Church—its growth in Africa and Asia—to see that freedom alive and at work. So where does this leave us between earthly and spiritual liberation? My parents showed me the way. They served as missionaries in Chapecó, a town deep in the jungles of Brazil. When they arrived it was like the Wild West, complete with gun fights on the town square. As a man you couldn’t wear a hat because that meant you were looking for a fight. The main thrust of their ministry was to build a church, and what made this church unique in its setting was putting the Bible in the hands of the people so that they could see for themselves the free grace that God offers us in Jesus Christ. There is no need for any earthly mediator; you can go directly to God to find salvation. But at the same time they learned from the people the power of generosity. "Faça a conta que a casa é sua,"  a saying the people taught my parents. As my mother told me,  "’Make believe that the house is yours’" is often said when a visitor comes to stay overnight or longer at your home. It captures the essence of what it means to be a Brazilian. This meant in Chapecó, when the life expectancy was 50 years of age in the 1960s, and the poorest were eating out of garbage cans. No matter how humble the house, if there was one bed for 6 people, when you came to visit, the bed was yours. There was always a cafezinho offered, and even if you knew the water was full of parasites, you drank it anyway. As a result they generously shared what they had. In fact, for the rest of their lives they devoted themselves to giving others in deepest need a hand up. The people of Chapecó treated them with love and welcome—but not everyone. When the third child, the first daughter, Rachel, was born she was in immediate distress and she needed an incubator. The other local church had the only one and they said no—eventually a friend helped them procure it, but by then it was too late. So alas, being the fifth-born, I have never met my sister. It is not anything either of them have said about that instance that has shaped my life but rather what they haven’t said. I never heard my mother or my father voice a single moment of bitterness toward that church. I know that I would not have been so forgiving. In fact, I have only heard them speak about these brothers and sisters with affection, love, and respect, and I have learned that same appreciation for their spiritual strength. The effusion of earthly and spiritual liberation is most powerfully articulated by Paul in Galatians. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”  And at the end, he tells us how that freedom is to be lived:  “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” The Pope was right. There is more to freedom in Christ than earthly liberation. But so, too, were the liberation theologians. They remind us that God’s heart is with the poor, and that faith must be lived with courage. Some lost their positions. Some even lost their lives. Yet they stood firm for those dearest to the heart of Jesus. So let us stand firm in the freedom Christ has given us and embrace the joy, make it to Carnaval and dance, dance, dance with the power of hope and the power of love. Amen.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your Holy light in our hearts so we may share it with others. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen. From the Book of Proverbs 12:18 "Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” In this world of divisive rhetoric and fake news, and in the competition for our attention on social media, where lies seem to attract more attention than truth, how do we navigate the swirl of words around us, and how do we use our own words? If, as people of faith, we are to honor and glorify God with all that we say and do, what does that look like? We are going to explore how we use our words and see that honoring God with our words is more than being polite and honest, and not letting our “personal wisdom” fly anytime we feel like it. When the Bible talks about speech, it is often paired with teachings about wisdom, the Holy Spirit, or the fruit of the Spirit. From the Book of James Chapter 3:13-18 Two Kinds of Wisdom 13  Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.  14  But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth.  15  This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.  16  For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.  17  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.  18  And the fruit of righteousness [ a ]  is sown in peace by those who make peace. James does not write about how to become a Christian, but rather how to act like one. There are two types of wisdom described in the Bible—earthly and heavenly. So, what is the connection between wisdom and speech? One is the source, and the other is the product. James is saying that our words are the indicator of what kind of wisdom is inside of us. Speech that dishonors God follows the pattern of earthly wisdom, and wise speech that honors God follows the pattern of heavenly wisdom. When James speaks of earthly, unspiritual, devilish wisdom, what is he referring to? He is saying that envy, boasting, and selfish ambition do not come from God; they come from the brokenness of our human nature or from spiritual forces opposed to God. Earthly wisdom tells us that we should act and speak in a way that feels best in the moment, that we need to fight for what we think we are due, and that we are justified in lashing out at those who get in our way or wrong us. These are the attitudes that tempt us to give in to our innate desire to be right, to be better than someone else, and to have the last word in an argument. We have all experienced moments like these, when we have lost control of ourselves and said horrible things to someone. And worse, this is what our culture tells us right now is the right way to behave when people disagree with us or hurt us. Social media and current events unfolding in this world before us are fueling these attitudes, and so we find ourselves in this age of outrage. In this passage, James is describing wise speech that honors God and His purposes. I don’t think it takes much self-reflection or headline scanning to realize that these characteristics are not very popular, or at least not universally practiced today. They don’t make us feel powerful and important; rather, they may make us feel vulnerable and insecure, as if other people could take advantage of us if we lived this way. Wise speech is not necessarily speech that makes us feel good, but rather speech that does us good, whether it is easy to swallow or not. Sometimes hard things need to be said—with mercy and consideration and integrity and love.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your holy light in our hearts so we may share it with others.In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. From the Book of Acts Chapter 3:1-10 Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar 3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,[ a ] stand up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and astonishment at what had happened to him. In the early years of the church, after Jesus had ascended into heaven and the Holy Spirit had come at Pentecost, temple worship and Jewish customs remained key parts of early Christian life. Followers of Christ continued to live as faithful Jews and met daily in the temple courtyards to hear the apostles preach about Christ. This is what is happening on this afternoon, when Peter encounters the crippled man. The daily time of prayer for the evening sacrifice was approaching, and the temple area was thronged with believers. Poor people gathered there, hoping for handouts as worshipers came in. Here we see the supernatural power and authority demonstrated by the apostles in the early church through the miracle that Peter performs for the crippled man. What does Peter tell the man? “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,[a] stand up and walk.” What happens next? Peter reaches out his hand to help the man up. Does this healing miracle sound familiar? How many healings had Jesus done while he was on this earth? How does the healed man react? What a beautiful picture of someone overjoyed to be mobile for the first time in his life. Peter was acting not in his own authority, but through God’s power granted by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Could this be the same disciple that Jesus called so long ago? The same person who spoke sometimes without thinking, but who deep down loved Jesus with all of his heart? It was indeed. And we have the example of Peter’s discipleship to guide us through our spiritual journeys as well, because we have the same gift Peter had—the indwelling Holy Spirit, a gift from God by His grace to all of us. That is what transformed him into the person he became, furthering God’s work of spreading the church.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your holy light in our hearts so we may share it with others.In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. From the Gospel of Matthew 16:13–23 Peter’s Declaration about Jesus 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[a] the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter,[b] and on this rock[c] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was[d] the Messiah.[e] Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection 21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance[f] to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” In this passage, Peter experiences a life-shaking defeat on the heels of one of the greatest statements of faith in history. One minute Peter was being warmly affirmed by Jesus; the next, he was rebuked by Jesus. This is Peter at his impulsive best, and it once again serves as a reminder to keep our eyes on our Lord and Savior, no matter what is going on around us. Jesus asks his disciples who people were saying he was—there was a lot of buzz about this healing, miracle-producing, itinerant teacher, and the crowds had some ideas of their own, which revealed they did not fully grasp who Jesus was. Jesus emphatically asks the disciples his question—he wants their thoughts. And Peter’s confession is a complete and perfect answer: Jesus is the Messiah (Redeemer/Savior) and Son of the Living God. Peter did not come to this conclusion by weighing an abundance of evidence—God had called Peter’s heart and revealed this truth to him. This was a remarkable moment for Peter—an uneducated fisherman had just uttered the greatest theological statement in history. But then we see a disappointing failure of Peter as Jesus next unfolds the eternal plan of God the Father—Peter was just not ready for that. Jesus tells his disciples he must suffer, die, and be raised on the third day—it was imperative that all this happen to fulfill God’s plan of redemption for the world. Peter was not able to hear this; he responded just as mistakenly to Jesus’s pronouncement of what must happen to him as Peter had correctly responded to Jesus’s first question about who Jesus was. Peter took his eyes off of the Messiah—maybe he wanted to protect Jesus; he didn’t want him to suffer, but those were his presumptive thoughts and self-interest speaking. What can we learn from Peter’s behavior in this Gospel passage when confronted with challenging situations in our lives, or doubt or lack of faith? Am I submitting to the will of God in this moment? Am I committed to following the leading of the Holy Spirit? What will motivate and compel my life—my interests or God’s? Despite Peter’s blunder in this passage, the humbling and shattering corrective from Jesus was taken in the proper spirit. Peter got the message. As they all moved closer to the cross with Jesus, Peter’s commitment to remain true to Christ at all costs only intensified.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your holy light in our hearts so we may share it with others. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. From the Gospel of Matthew 14:22–33 Jesus Walks on the Water Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning Jesus came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Only by undistracted focus can we achieve anything in life that we value; to be excellent at something requires laser focus. We will see in our encounter with Peter in this passage that, as he slowly learned to follow Jesus, he would discover what it meant to be shaken by distraction . Jesus and the disciples had just finished a long day of ministry; Jesus withdrew by himself for some alone time with God and sent his disciples off across the water to the other side in their boat. The disciples boarded the boat expecting Jesus would rejoin them. He would indeed come back to them, but not before giving them another opportunity to trust Him more. Meanwhile, the disciples are battling a sudden storm that arose on the water; their boat was being battered by the waves far from land. What the disciples saw was terrifying. They knew water, having spent their entire adult lives making a living from it, and it is not only improbable that someone could walk on water, but impossible. So what happens in the disciples’ terror? Jesus calls out to them, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid!” Again, those words we hear so often in the Bible—do not be afraid. Jesus is in control of the situation; God is sovereign over all creation. Here Peter’s boldness is on full display. What is his response to Jesus’s reassurance? Peter steps out in audacious faith, abandoning himself to walk out and meet Jesus on the water. We know how this “walk” of Peter’s will end, but we cannot forget that Peter actually did walk on water. This is Peter at his best—totally trusting in Jesus and then acting on that trust. As a seasoned fisherman, Peter would never have attempted to step out of his boat to walk on water, but for those few moments, he did it as he kept his eyes on Christ. There are other stories in the Bible of water miracles—Moses going through the Red Sea with the Israelites to escape Pharaoh and leave Egypt, Joshua moving through the Jordan River to cross over into the promised land—but those are through water, not on water. Only Jesus—and Peter for a short time—walked on water. Peter was suddenly shaken by the realization that he was walking on the water in a storm. He became distracted and stopped looking at Jesus. There are so many distractions in the world that entice us to take our eyes off of Christ: Fear— the feeling we have when we perceive that life is suddenly out of control instead of trusting that our lives are in God’s control. Despair— the internal sense of loss that causes us to lose heart and hope because circumstances cloud our view of God’s purposes. Disappointment— the hurt that results from placing our trust in people who fail us. Stress— the pressure that comes into our lives when we try to take on life in our own strength. Peter was a failure at walking on water, but the bigger failure was the other eleven disciples who did not even get out of the boat. We are people of purpose, encouraged to look beyond the distractions that surround us, so we can run the race powered by the Holy Spirit.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your holy light in our hearts so we may share it with others.In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. From the Gospel of Luke 5:1–11 Jesus Calls the First Disciples 5 Once while Jesus[a] was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. You can’t miss Peter in the Gospels—every list of disciples in the Gospels names him first. He was brash and aggressive, the type who pushes to get to the head of the line. Although likable enough, with a big heart and unlimited enthusiasm, Peter, or Simon as he was originally named, had rough edges. He was impulsive and could be argumentative, even with Jesus. He could be bold and courageous in one moment, yet cowardly when it really counted. Sound familiar? Peter eventually earned the nickname “Rock” that Jesus gave him, as we see Peter make a remarkable transformation from the time he became one of Jesus’ disciples to the time after Jesus’s ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Peter’s life demonstrates that God does not give up on us. God sees the gifts He can use to further His work, even if we don’t see them. Let’s explore how Peter is shaken by the power of Christ in this passage. Jesus makes an unusual request of Peter, more of a command than a suggestion. The fishermen had been working all through the night at their trade; Peter was tired and frustrated, and their work had not been productive at all. However, Peter obeys Jesus, even though he initially questions what Jesus tells him to do. The results of complying with Jesus’s command? A bounty beyond comprehension. Jesus’s authority is not bound by our abilities. Peter responds in obedience and leaves his former life behind. Jesus invites Peter on an adventure of faith that would radically transform his life, giving him: A new attitude – “Do not be afraid”— how many times have we heard this in the Bible? A new day – “from now on”— a break with the past that changes everything. A new purpose – “from now on you will catch people”— an invitation to Peter to follow Jesus. A new life – “They left everything and followed him”— this is radical commitment. Peter’s journey was just beginning; his transformation into the Rock would be slow and gradual. Being in the presence of the One who has the power to call us, change us, and use us for His glory and honor—what greater calling is there?

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word.  We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day.  Shine your Holy light in our hearts so we may share it with others. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. There are many, many stories in the Gospels that feature Jesus at the table with others. I personally love this because it shows us that Jesus was a human being just like us, and he needed to eat, but it also shows how he gathered in community in one way or another—and you can bet that no one was unchanged after Jesus attended one of their meals. Jesus dined at tables with friends, enemies, the curious, the critical, and the devoted. In Jesus’s own words from the Gospel of John 6:35: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” This is the ultimate banquet or dinner party of life. Feasting in different cultures looks different, but because food is essential for life, Jesus’s words here are significant for all people. From the gospel of Matthew 9:9-13 The Call of Matthew 9  As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10  And as Jesus sat at dinner [ a ]  in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting [ b ]  with Jesus and his disciples.  11  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  12  But when Jesus heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  13  Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.” This passage is, first of all, a retelling of the call story of Matthew as one of Jesus’s disciples, plus the story of a dinner party hosted by Matthew that Jesus attends with other “undesirable” guests. Of all the criticisms of Jesus that are recorded in the Gospels, “he eats with tax collectors and sinners” and “healing on the Sabbath” were the two most prominent. Here are three things that I want to call out: First, this passage is a story of calling —specifically, Matthew’s call. Matthew is the only other call story recorded in the Gospels besides Peter, Andrew, James, and John’s. And what is Matthew’s response? Matthew got up and followed Jesus without hesitation. Matthew went on later to meticulously record Jesus’s life and work in his Gospel so that future generations would have that record. Matthew’s Gospel was also written with the most Old Testament references so that the people of that time would understand that Jesus is who he said he was—God’s Messiah. Second, this is a story of healing and invitation —a story about a sinful, exploitative tax collector named Matthew who turns away from his old life to be called into Jesus’s inner circle. It is a story of healing and transformation, juxtaposed among the many healings that Matthew’s Gospel records. Third, this is a story about mercy and inclusion. Jesus calls us to give up the illusion of superficiality—appearances, rituals, and reputations. He calls us instead to sincerity, mercy, healing, and love, which, as we know, are the values so prominent in Jesus’s ministry because they are who Jesus is. So, who belongs and who doesn’t? Who is welcomed, and who is held at arm’s length? How wide are the boundaries of our communities, our churches, our nation? These are old questions that humanity has struggled with over the centuries. But we know, looking back at what Jesus accomplished for us in his life, death, and resurrection, that welcome wins. That is the brilliant good news of the Gospel—that inclusion wins, and God’s mercy is so wide that it is extended to everyone, not just certain people. It is even extended to those on the margins of our society. Sharing a meal with others impacts those at the table. Hospitality can be transformative on a very basic level, and remembering that Jesus is always present with us at our tables may help us to think about our gatherings in a new and different way.

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John 15:9-11, Matthew 28:1-8 "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" - Micah 6:8b    “ So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat, drink, and be glad. ” - Ecclesiastes 8:15 Despite dealing with a tremendous number of weighty topics—such as sin, war, greed, and more—the Bible surprisingly has a great deal to say about a life of happiness. There are stories of grand feasts in heaven, and the table will be overflowing with incredible foods. But even more, the beauty of creation, the thrill of physical attraction, even the labor of our hands—all are gifts God gave for our joy. It is the life we were meant for. Perhaps my favorite single notion in all of literature outside of the Bible comes from the Westminster Catechism, and it’s the very first question: “ What is the chief end of humankind? ” And the answer: “ To glorify God and enjoy God forever! ” Even the simple pleasures, as Ecclesiastes points out—eating and drinking—are highly commended by God and lived out by Jesus Himself! Jesus’ reputation for being overly serious is not well founded. We only have accounts of the last few years of his life. Due to the profoundly important and compacted mission he had, naturally a great deal of it was very difficult. And yet, the Bible uses precious ink to tell us something important about Him. Unlike John the Baptist, who deprived himself of earthly pleasures, Jesus is accused of being a drunkard and a glutton! Clearly, He enjoyed eating and drinking with strangers and friends alike. So first, we can see that God wants us to be happy. God wants us to enjoy the physical world we have been placed in. And for this, we can be truly thankful. But of course, things are not quite so simple. It was not an infrequent occurrence that on Saturday nights in high school, when my mom made me be in by 9:00 p.m. while all my friends were out having a night on the town, my brother Matthew and I would have great fun eating—between the two of us—a one-pound bag of Doritos, a pound of Reese’s Cups, a 12-pack of Coca-Cola, and half a dozen donuts, all while watching  Fantasy Island  and  The Love Boat. As you can tell, we were the cool people. Inevitably, after such a Saturday night, my mom would wake us up at something like 6:30 a.m. on Sunday to get us ready for church, and we were moaning and groaning—sick as dogs. I guess it’s true; you can’t have too much of a good thing! This is the pitfall of the prodigal son that Jesus talked about. He took his father’s inheritance and squandered it in endless pleasure. For him, it was the goal of life… but then he found himself so destitute that he was hungry enough to eat the food given to pigs. In some ways, perhaps our society has gotten lost like the prodigal son, but we’re not only chasing physical pleasure—we’re chasing everything in a desperate attempt to fill an emptiness. And because of this, we are missing the purpose of this life. We are distracted by social media, beset by the news, brought low by cynicism, and so we have become willing to settle. We try to eke out moments of happiness here and happiness there, but have lost the grander view. We are meant for something more than fleeting moments of pleasure. For the past several weeks, we have been looking at the founding values of our country. Two weeks ago, we looked at the God-given rights of life and liberty. And so this week, we are going to dive deeper into our country’s founding value, the pursuit of happiness—and we shall quickly see it was never about chasing pleasure. Thomas Jefferson wrote these words, borrowing much from the philosopher John Locke. Locke spoke about life, liberty, and property. But Jefferson replaced property with the pursuit of happiness—immediately recognizing that life has a grander purpose than the accumulation of things. What Jefferson meant by happiness is grounded in Enlightenment philosophy. Rather than mere pleasure, Jeffrey Rosen, author of  The Pursuit of Happiness , wrote, “ The Founders understood happiness not as pleasure, but as virtue, ” and “ happiness meant being good, not feeling good .” Furthermore, because we could easily be swayed by momentary passions, self-control was essential to happiness. Here the founders relied on ancient Greek philosophers such as Epictetus, who wrote, “ No one is free who is not master of himself .” This is where Christianity diverges from the founders. As Martin Luther so powerfully wrote in that thunderingly good hymn,  A Mighty Fortress Is Our God :  “For still our ancient foe does seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.” In other words, the Enlightenment notion of self-mastery is a myth. Our own strength is not enough. Furthermore, happiness through political freedom only gets us so far when we are still left with the weakness of the human condition—as Jesus’ followers discovered. They were understandably looking for earthly happiness—through political freedom, physical healing, and an abundance of food. Who isn’t? But these are fleeting and temporal. They are subject to famine, to the next illness, and to the next totalitarian regime. Most of history’s acts of political freedom quickly turned around and became their own acts of terror. So we cannot rely on society to bring us happiness, nor can we rely on ourselves. But there is good news. Again, from Martin Luther: “ Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.”  There is another source of strength! Scottish common-sense philosopher Francis Hutcheson, who heavily influenced not only the founders of Presbyterianism in this country but our Founding Fathers, wrote:“ …there can be no other stable foundation of tranquility and joy than a constant trust in the goodness, wisdom, and power of God. ” Listen to what trust in God offers us: The angels tell us:  “I bring you good news of a great joy… for all people.”  (Luke 2:10) Paul reveals:  “The fruit of the Spirit is (among other things) … joy!” And two from Jesus himself:  “I have said these things… so your joy may be complete.” and  “I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly.”  (John 10:10) Jesus offers something much grander than the pursuit of happiness could ever give us: abundant life! On that Resurrection morning, when the women came to the empty tomb and encountered the risen Christ, they suddenly knew everything that Jesus said was true. True life was here. And “abundant” did not mean a little bit extra, something a little bit better; the word that Jesus used meant overflowing, excessive, extreme. An incredible, unbelievable destiny is what is meant for us. The women at that empty tomb realized that he was giving them more than they could even conceive of hoping for—a life, a joy, that cannot be erased by politics; a happiness that cannot be dimmed by hunger; and a peace that not even death can destroy. And so they ran. I imagine they ran as fast as they could. The Bible tells us: “They left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples.” I imagine they ran with the giddiness of children. When was the last time you ran with great joy? It is the thrill of knowing the deepest truth that Archbishop Desmond Tutu told us so well: “ Goodness is stronger than evil, and victory is ours through him who loved us!!!!!” Speaking of victory, I want to share with you a story that tells us how to run with great joy—so that the truth that the world is a beautiful place, that people are really loving on the inside, and that sometimes we run to win and other times we run for something much deeper. In 1976 at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out—not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All that is except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. They all turned and went back. Every one of them. One girl with down’s syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, ‘This will make it better.’ All nine linked arms and walked across the finish line- together. Everyone in the stadium stood and the cheering went on for several minutes. The pursuit of happiness is a great gift we have in this land. But even it cannot compare to the abundant life that Jesus intends for us all. Amen.

Exodus 6:5-7, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6:8b   ​ “There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending… we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us! Gentlemen may cry, ‘Peace! Peace!’ but there is no peace! The war is actually begun! Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” —Patrick Henry, Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775. Powerful. No one more than Patrick Henry has so persuasively articulated our need for freedom. This came in the midst of an age in which, throughout Europe and in the colonies, debates raged over the role of the church and the state. Subjects in certain kingdoms had to swear a loyalty for life and limb to their king, relinquishing their freedom. One such common English formula was: “ I become your man, and I will bear you faith for life and limb. ” The coercion of both the state and the church in Europe led particularly Presbyterians to be extremely wary of an established religion more than Anglicans or even Congregationalists. We were among the strongest defenders of disestablishment, for example supporting abolishing mandatory religious taxes in Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and New Jersey. We believed in the separation of church and state—but not in a secular society. The church has spiritual authority; the state has civil authority. They should not dominate or interfere with one another, but both are under God. Thus, the freedom to worship as one sees fit became foundational to this country. In fact, in 1790 George Washington, in a letter to a Hebrew congregation in Newport, promised that America would give bigotry no sanction and to persecution no assistance. Again, as in weeks past, we read of lofty aspirations which we could not quibble with today, but also the sad inability to live into it. For our country, at one time or another, has persecuted dozens of religions, races, and ethnic groups. There is, of course, a biblical foundation to freedom. It was bestowed by God at the dawn of creation: “ You may freely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die ” (Genesis 2:16b–17). Uniquely, amidst all the rest of creation, God gave us freedom. God believed this gift was so profoundly important that we even had the power to defy God and sever the harmony of creation. We know the terrible things that we have all done with it: war, treachery, greed. And yet, and yet, God gives it to us anyway. And Patrick Henry and others throughout history were willing to give up the gift of life for the gift of freedom. Can we conceive of anything more valuable, knowing what God put at risk?Knowing that eventually, on this very week, it would lead to the crucifixion of the Son?! We are the Jerusalem crowd; we use our freedom to welcome Jesus with lofty praise and then condemn Him with shouts of “crucify Him.” We have a very hard time with this freedom. Nowhere is this more acutely seen than in the tragic truth revealed so recently about Cesar Chavez. He did so much for day laborers in California—the farm workers movement; his image is enshrined all over California for the great work, but they are busily scrubbing his visage and name all across the state because now it appears there was an evil that festered inside of him as well. But even so, God believed freedom was essential, and as many cases of evil as there are, I believe there are a hundredfold more examples of beauty. … Maxwell’s equations that harmonized electricity and magnetism, … Shakespeare’s eighteenth sonnet, “ Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day, ” … Mozart’s Requiem, and its heartbreaking  Lacrimosa , … the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, The Hand of God at Creation, … Harper Lee’s  To Kill a Mockingbird ; Atticus Finch! These works show what true freedom can create. Yet, as lofty as these accomplishments are, the greater creative power of the human spirit is found when freedom is threatened: … the courage of Harriet Tubman, … the grit of Rigoberta Menchú, … the soul of Mahatma Gandhi, … the brazen tenacity of Moses, … the spirit of Anne Frank, … and the nameless people throughout history who harbored the Jews during World War II, who protected people in the killing fields of Cambodia, and the dissidents who spoke against totalitarian Russia. Freedom is the greatest gift God has granted; for it is only through being truly free that we can truly love. Otherwise, obedience is compulsion and devotion is fear. So when people are robbed of this freedom, they are robbed of their dignity, and the beauty of the human spirit becomes clouded and opaque, even to the individuals themselves. And so we are challenged as a society to protect the freedom and dignity of all individuals, no matter who they are, no matter what they have done or failed to do. Last week we spoke of the dignity that is owed to every human creature by virtue of their created nature—created by God. And this week we see that each person is given the gift of freedom so that they may realize the fullness of their lofty nature. What, then, are the implications for a society that believes in freedom as a God-given right?There is one way to measure it—to see the extent to which a society truly values dignity and freedom. Fyodor Dostoevsky has a theory:  “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.”  —Fyodor Dostoevsky,  The House of the Dead There are times when people need to be incarcerated for the protection of society and themselves. But once they are there, the manner in which we treat them discloses the extent to which we actually believe in these foundational God-given rights. And sadly, all too often throughout the history of the world, societies with high-minded values have abandoned them once people have broken the law. The early 20th-century French philosopher, mystic, and activist Simone Weil has a compelling, confusing, and penetrating analysis. As a mystic she drew from several religious traditions, but at that one moment she felt like she was taken over by the presence of Jesus and fell on her knees and describes it as a fusion of love and suffering. She had a deep understanding of the power of the human spirit to find its true center through contemplation, humility, and openness. Her soul was acutely aware of the nature of human degradation. “ There is one thing and only one thing in modern society more hideous than crime,” she writes, “namely repressive justice. ” She was not categorically against punishment nor imprisonment, but rather its implementation—not because of who they are or what they have done, for better or for worse, but because of the God who created them. The entire Bible might be summed up thusly: God’s plan to restore humanity to its intended glory. Furthermore, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus died for every single person; God does not give up. And this means that when freedom is curtailed through punishment, it must always have a restorative intent, to match God’s intent. It is like that cloisonné lamp I spoke of last week that my mother painstakingly restored. I failed to mention that it was infested with insects and had been painted over many times. It was hard work that took years for her to restore that lamp—and now it is a thing of beauty. Can we, in any good conscience, say that a human life is worth less effort? Clearly, Jesus did not think so. At the beginning of His ministry, He unfurls the scroll of Isaiah: “ I have come to release prisoners. ” But His intention was not to open the doors of jails but the prison of our minds and souls. There is a prison in South Korea—Somang Prison—founded by MyungsungPresbyterian Church, the only private and Christian-run penitentiary in Asia, that takes command from Jesus, “ to visit those in prison, ” with utmost seriousness and miraculous results. Christianity Today  tells the story of a prototypical inmate, Somang Cho. Cho saw how God’s grace had sustained him even when he wasn’t seeking God. “I came to prison as a wounded avenger, full of rage and bitterness, ” Cho said.  “God’s grace is transforming me into a wounded healer—someone whose scars can bring hope to others.” Somang seeks the restoration of its inmates based on the belief that Jesus can bring real change, according to warden Kim Young-sik. The prison encourages reconciliation first with God, then with their families, and finally with the wider community. “Punishment may restrain behavior temporarily, but restoration asks something much harder—whether a person is willing to take responsibility, confront the harm they’ve caused, and begin repairing broken relationships.” Prison guards call prisoners by their names—or “brother”—rather than by their identification numbers. Kim, the warden, said the practice reflects a Christian understanding of human dignity. Calling inmates by name affirms that they are people before they are offenders. He often returns to Psalm 22:22—“ I will declare Your name to My brethren ” (NKJV)—as a reminder of how he understands his role: serving men who temporarily wear prison uniforms but whom he regards as brothers in Christ. The recidivism rate is around 6%, compared to 21% for the rest of the prisons in South Korea. So even though the inmates’ bodies are not free, this prison strives to ensure that their minds and souls are. This prison reminds me of Jesus’ words on liberty:  “When the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.” Thanks be to God for the freedom that he gave me, for the freedom that he gave you. May each of us devote ourselves, in our homes and in our lives, to bringing God’s freedom to the hearts of all.

Genesis 2:4b-9; Psalm 139:13-18 What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6:8b Almost 4000 years ago, an ancient creation myth known as the  Epic of Enuma Elish  from ancient Babylon tells us the story of a cosmic battle between Marduk, Tiamat,and Kingu. Marduk is the victor, and out of Tiamat’s carcass he fashions the heavens and the Earth, and from Kingu’s blood humans spring forth to serve as slaves of the gods. To speak against the culture of the times, the sons and daughters of Sarah and Abraham told a different story:  in the image of God he created them . In Babylon, humans were meant to be slaves to the gods; practically, this meant being tied in life and in death to the King. And sadly, despite the great truth that Genesis declared, for generations upon generations, supposed Christian kings exercised their authority more in the manner of the ancient Babylonian kings rather than the truth as told in scripture. This carried forward for over 1000 years. “ The royal throne is not the throne of a man, but the throne of God himself. Royal authority is sacred. To attack the person of the king is sacrilege. ”— Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, French bishop and court theologian to Louis XIV “ Kings are justly called gods, for that they exercise a manner or resemblance of divine power on earth; and the state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth. Kings are the authors and makers of the laws, and not the laws of the kings… for kings are not only God’s lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God’s throne, but even by God himself they are called gods. ”— James I of England before Parliament, 1610 In the medieval world, peoples’ life belonged not to themselves but to the king or queen. Into this maelstrom, what has been called the greatest sentence in the English language, written by Jefferson, taking notes from John Locke, we read:  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men (people) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Even as I read this quote, I get chills from the depths of hope and promise that are contained in it. It is a message for all times and all places. Yet even as I read it, I also know that there are similar sentences that have been written throughout history, across time and place and people and continents. And yet humankind has always struggled against it. And just as this is (arguably) the greatest sentence in the history of the English language, it also contains the greatest tragic irony. Jefferson had hundreds of slaves that he never set free. John Calvin was right—there is no part of the human creature that is not tainted by sin, even the best part of ourselves, as Jefferson disclosed. Thus, two hundred years later, Dr. King thundered forth regarding this grand sentence written by Jefferson: “It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds”. But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.” In the midst of this illustrious speech, Dr. King showed that he believed in the American dream and America’s power to live into it. For the next three weeks, we shall be exploring these three divine rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We will examine them from a biblical perspective to clearly see what they mean within our Christian context. And we begin today with the right to life. A country of knowledge tells us that her life belongs to us, not to the state and not to the church. From a faith perspective, we would use different language than right to life; it is more properly understood as the gift of life, which belongs not to us but to God. And indeed, it is a marvelous gift. Unlike other creatures, we learn in the second chapter of Genesis that when God forms the human out of clay, God gives life by breathing into this creature. In Hebrew, the word for breath and the word for spirit—ruach—are the same. And so among all the living creatures of the earth, God uniquely breathes into us the divine spirit. Next, the Bible teaches us that there is something awesome and wonderful about the way in which God creates us. Psalm 139 describes us thusly:  “For you formed my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Marvelous are your works, and I know this very well.” The psalmist recognizes that he is wonderful. God’s works are marvelous, and he is one of those works. And this means our gift of life should be met with a profound sense of self-worth. I am something amazing and unique and wonderful. You are something amazing, unique, and wonderful. We should be able to accept this about ourselves. It is not a source of pride in ourselves. It is a source of pride in the God who made us. And as with any gift — it calls for a response. Some strains within Christianity insist that that requirement is faith, and that if you do not have it, God is going to discard you into hell. Another strain tells us that we have to earn this honor of eternal life from God through doing good deeds, being morally upright, and giving to the church. And if we accumulate enough of these good points, then God will accept us, for we will be deemed worthy. This is all too often the subconscious approach that hard-driven people—like many of us—tell ourselves. We must earn our way; we must prove our worth. But the Presbyterian tradition teaches that our response neither adds nor subtracts to our worth. And therefore, all that is left is thanksgiving — a life filled with gratitude. We seek to be obedient not so that God will like us more, but because we want to please this God whose love is so generous. Our purpose given by God is as lofty as our creation. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” We are blessed to live in a country that recognizes our life is our own, because this gives us a chance to freely offer it—not out of compulsion to the state, not out of compulsion to the church. We are free to devote our life to God in Jesus Christ for good works. And I believe that in our times, those good works now have a special dimension. In an age of brutality from the harsh conditions of life and the harsh rule of the church and the king, Dante Alighieri wrote in  The Divine Comedy :  “Consider your origin. You are not made to live as brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.” These words remind us that we are not mere animals driven by instinct and the need for food and satisfying personal pleasures. God has endowed us with a higher plane of knowledge, and we should strive to rise above the baser instincts, not to be pulled down into the muck. It is incumbent upon people of faith to elevate the discourse in our society—to show them a different way of treating others;To use knowledge not as a hammer that destroys but as a tool that builds. To recognize not only does every person have the right to life in this country, but from the faith perspective they have a right to something more because of the God who created them. Dignity. Dignity is owed to every human being always, no exceptions, for when we fail to treat others with dignity, we degrade all humanity; we demean the God who created them, and we become the evil we seek to overcome. The best teacher is Jesus Himself. There are people in this world who do despicable things. People who commit crimes and find themselves in prison. There are vexatious people who drive you mad. None of these people can change their created nature, and none of them can erase the dignity they are owed as children of God. Paul does a most excellent job of explaining Jesus’ call in his letter to the Romans: “ Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. The right to life a radical change from ancient times and medieval times. But you and I know something deeper, each person is a dignity not because of their actions but because of the God who made them. Amen.

Genesis 1:26-28, Romans 8:18-21 What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6:8b We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.  (Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776) It was about a year ago that I set out the list of founding principles upon which to preach during the 250th anniversary of our country. At the time, these topics seemed rather straightforward and simple to preach, and I typed up some notes. Late Monday, I pulled them out and realized that today’s topic far outstrips what I could possibly address in a single sermon. In fact, I think it contains something of the glory of humankind and the tragic narrative that carries through all of history. The foundation of our equality is given to us from the account of creation in Genesis. We are God’s creation. Because we are made by a holy and perfect God, we are endowed with worth. In fact, all of God’s creation has intrinsic value since God declares all of it “very good.” But on its own this fact does not necessarily make all of God’s creation equal. It is also in Genesis that we learn something unique about humans; we were created in the image of God. Humans not only have the divine imprint as does all creation, but we have the divine within us, a holy spark, a spirit. This realization was a great leap forward for humankind. Up to this point it was simply assumed that God liked some people more than others; that there were superior and inferior people. Listen to a few of these quotes: “From the hour of their birth, some are marked out for subjection, others for rule.”  Aristotle —  Politics , Book I “The drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to be. ” —  What Social Classes Owe to Each Other  (1883) William Sumner “If they are not sufficiently complete to live, they die, and it is best they should die.”  Herbert Spencer—  Social Statics  (1851) But Genesis tells us that every single human being to ever have lived has that holy spark. Furthermore, God has made each person not as from an assembly line. In Psalm 139 we hear, “ you formed my inward parts… I am fearfully and wonderfully made. ” This suggests that God crafts human beings with tender care. And the apostle Paul tells us each one of us is given a gift of the Spirit for the common good. We all have something important to contribute that is uniquely our own, and we all share a holy nature, and finally and most importantly, God thought each and every one of us was of sufficient worth to die for. “ For God so loved the world! ” John 3:16, and in Romans Paul declares, “ one act of righteousness leads to justification for all. ” Indeed, all of us are created equal, but then the world works hard to change that. Even people of profound insight have failed to live into these truths. Jefferson himself called slavery a hideous blot and moral depravity but failed to free those 600 men and women he enslaved. This is the internal struggle that we all have to a greater or lesser degree. As the Apostle Paul lamented: “ For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ” (Romans 7:18-19) “All are created equal.” While Jefferson claimed that this truth is self-evident, and I believe it is, what we mean by equal is much more complicated. Certainly, we are not all equal in ability, because if we were, I would be playing for the New York Knicks as their starting point guard or acting in the latest  Mission: Impossible  movie. We are not all equal in intellect, nor are we all equal in the station of life into which we enter. The concept of equality is not simple or self-evident from the world in any empirical sense. In fact, it is the nebulous nature of it that enables the rational human mind to be taken over by its animal and sinful nature. And so we see, all throughout history, societies claiming their God-given rights in heroic determination. But all too often they become corrupted by power and consumed by revenge. The French Revolution became the Reign of Terror. The Russian worker emancipation became Stalinist totalitarianism. The Khmer Rouge of Cambodia sought agrarian equality and turned it into mass genocide. What is needed, then, is a system of thought and a foundational undergirding that completely eliminates any patriarchal notion that people are better off being controlled by somebody else. And this not only applies to the heinous sin of slavery, but to virtually every interaction that we have on a daily basis with people. The challenge is to take this notion of equality and embed practicality into our system of government. This was the intention of pastors like John Witherspoon in teaching James Madison moral and political philosophy. It was the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, contemporary with the American Revolution, who I believe gives the strongest argument. It is founded upon our uniqueness as a species. Animals can only act according to instinct and are governed by their natural impulses. But humans are endowed with reason; we can act contrary to our inclinations. Kant argues that our rational capacity gives us inherent dignity and intrinsic worth. And because of this (and this is the critical point), we can never have any moral justification for treating another person as a means to an end. People are ends in and of themselves. This means not even lying to somebody, even if we think we’re trying to manipulate them into doing something that’s good for themselves, because it is robbing them of their own autonomy and stripping them of their dignity. Since all are endowed with this unique capacity of rationality, we must have complete and utter freedom to exercise it. This is the most powerful and dangerous gift God has given the human species: free will. With that free will we can do great evil. But without free will we cannot do good; we would only be animals acting on instinct. But free will gives us the chance to trust and to love. This freedom is embedded in our constitution as Presbyterians: “ God alone is Lord of the conscience and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men .” Each person must be free to choose faith or not. This freedom and equality of persons has been embedded in our country through the First Amendment. Since God has given us free will and rational capacity, we must have the right to exercise that through freedom to choose our religion, through freedom to vote, and through freedom to speak what is on our mind. These are the foundational laws in our land that recognize the equality of persons. Thus, when we denied the vote to women, to the enslaved, and those without property,we failed to fully recognize their humanity and therefore their equality. These freedoms respect each person’s sacred spark and offer dignity through self-determination. We know that God created all people equally and granted them the right to life,liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As we look back on the history, we see that virtually every people that knew this not only moved us forward as a species but also held us back. And it makes me wonder about our time. For surely, we’re not wiser than Thomas Jefferson, we don’t have keener insight than the apostle Paul, and most of us will never know the faithfulness of Abraham and Sarah. We conclude this week the same place as last week. In light of the inherent worth of every single person, God calls us to action, and so we look to Jesus. We look at His example that shows us how to treat others with dignity and respect. You remember that tax collector, Zacchaeus; nobody liked tax collectors in those days. But Jesus gave him dignity by sitting at a table with him while acknowledging him as a fellow son of Abraham. You remember that woman that the crowd wanted to stone for breaking the law; Jesus stepped in the middle, risking His own life to preserve hers. You remember the Syrophoenician woman, a foreigner; she needed help for her daughter, and Jesus gave it. All are created equal, all are cherished by God, and God gave each person freedom so that they would be free to love. Jesus showed us how to make these concepts reality. With God’s help, may we go out and do the same. Amen.