In recent times it has become all too common, it seems, for people who have recently arrived in Canada as immigrants or as refugees -- especially from certain parts of this world -- to be targeted with behaviour that is less than welcoming and loving.
At St Andrew's we wanted to do something to counteract this disturbing trend. We read this passage of scripture on Sunday:
When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:33,34)
This passage reminds us that God cares how we treat people who are outsiders or marginalized for any reason. When we go through a time when there is a large number of immigrants or refugees, it will inevitably create some stresses and strains but that should never make us forget the need to treat our neighbours with love and respect, no matter where they come from.
To affirm this important and Biblical truth, the Session of St. Andrews decided to erect a sign that proclaims it in three languages: French, English and Arabic. The third language is Arabic because speakers of that language make up a group that is often targeted in subtle and not-so-subtle ways these days. Before we put up the sign we took a picture to demonstrate our solidarity with our neighbours.
And here is the sign later this morning installed in front of the church building:
If you would like to find out more about these signs and their history in nearby communities, follow this link:
ear: there is not a single person here who has not felt it, struggled with it and conquered it in some area of your life. Fear is a part of life. As a matter of fact, it is often a very helpful and even a necessary part of life. If it is fear of what might happen that keeps you from jumping into the tiger cage at the zoo or running out into traffic, then it is probably a good thing and even a kind of wisdom. But that is not the whole story that we need to tell about fear.
I would like to suggest to you today that fear can be a major sinful influence in a person’s life. I am not talking here about the normal everyday fear that we all experience and that is often useful and can make us wise. I am talking about what happens when fear becomes a central, destructive and driving force in somebody’s life. I’m talking about a fear that lies deep down at the root of a person’s life and manages to infect just about everything about how they see and interact with the world. When people are driven by fear, you have a problem and it is a sin problem.
The church has traditionally recognized seven root sins that can infect a person’s life. The seven deadly sins are anger, pride envy, gluttony, greed, lust and sloth. I don’t know if you have realized this but over the past few weeks we have been working our way through that list trying to give a new perspective on an old concept. But I have added two more to that classical list of sins. A few weeks ago we added deceit to that list and today I want to add fear.
I do not believe that this is true for everyone, but there are people for whom fear is a powerful and distorting energy in their life. They are so governed by fear that they will tend to act in certain unhealthy ways. They crave safety and security so strongly that they will cling to just about anything that will offer it to them.
These people, for example, are great supporters of authorities and institutions. They look to authorities – government, civic, church or otherwise – to offer them safety. They have much the same attitude towards laws, rules and regulations. They are great supporters, in fact, of anything that maintains order because that makes them feel safer. And this, in itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. Security is a good goal, but it is not the only one.
One problem that occurs particularly when large parts of a society become driven by fear is that people will just latch onto the most powerful authority figure that they can find hoping that it can save them. That is how tyrants gain power. It was the kind of thing that happened in Germany and Italy in the 1930’s as marginal people (like, for example, the Jews) were portrayed as people to be afraid of and the society’s response was to give unchecked power to people like Hitler and Mussolini. As you may have heard, it did not end well.
So this powerful motivating fear can have devastating effects on a society but it can also be pretty devastating on a personal level as well. People who are controlled by fear in this way often see the power of fear disrupting their course through life. They set out on a course of studies or a career path, but at some point they panic and are afraid that they won’t be successful and they drop out. Many will do this several times and continually regret what they see as their failures.
Their fear also often makes them look on others with suspicion. They hesitate to trust them and often talk themselves into believing that others are thinking and saying all kinds of bad things about them even when it is not true. This, as you can imagine, can cause many problems in their relationships.
You shouldn’t necessarily see these people as always completely paralyzed by their fears. That can happen, of course, but you can also see people who go to almost the opposite extreme. They become daredevils. They reject that deep internal fear by intentionally putting themselves in situations where they are in danger. This can become compulsive and, in the worst cases, extremely dangerous, though it can certainly feel pretty exciting until the paralyzing fear returns with a vengeance and at which point they will shut down. So the issue with these people is not that they are stopped by fear so much as they are controlled by fear.
You probably know people like this – people whose lives are controlled by their fears. They are actually a fairly common type in our society. And I don’t want you to think that I am here to badmouth such people. They are, in fact, wonderful people in so many ways. You know how I know? Because Jesus chose one of them for a key leadership role in the church.
Look at the trials and the ups and down of a disciple named Simon whom Jesus called Peter. He demonstrates all of characteristics of the kind of person I have been talking about. For example, think of the time when Jesus was asking his disciples what people were saying about him. The disciples, I think, were just joking around. “I heard someone say you were a prophet,” one of them said. “I heard you were Elijah” said another and then someone else said, “Get this: I heard someone say that you were John the Baptist come back to life.” I think that they all thought it was kind of hilarious.
But then, all of a sudden, Simon speaks up and he doesn’t think that it is a joke. He is all serious and he says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Now wait a minute, Simon, what are you all uptight about? Well, I’ll tell you what. This was serious for Simon because he was someone who was motivated by fear and the need for security. This was serious because he needed Jesus to be the ultimate authority figure and he couldn’t think of a more authoritative title than messiah.
Now Simon was right, of course; Jesus was indeed God’s anointed one. Jesus praised Simon for knowing it and having the courage to say it. But just because Simon was right about who Jesus was doesn’t mean that he was approaching the question as he should. Clearly Simon was clinging to that title of messiah because it represented, for him, a figure of great power and authority.
But when Jesus went on from there to explain that, from his point of view, being messiah wasn’t really about having lots of power and authority but rather about being rejected and suffering and dying, Simon got really mad because, as far as he was concerned, what was the point of having a messiah if he wasn’t going to take over and get everything under control. This is a typical reaction of someone who craves security and is motivated by fear, they will latch onto any potential authority figure as long as they project strength and power but are the first to rebel when they show any weakness.
Simon Peter’s response to the fear that he feels inside is not usually to run and hide however. He is of the type that fights against the fear by living on the edge and becoming a bit of a daredevil. For example, when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane and the authorities came to arrest him, all of the disciples, I am sure, were terrified, but only Simon Peter (according to the Gospel of John) was motivated by his fear to do a very foolish thing by grabbing a sword and cutting someone’s ear off. He was also the only one who put himself in the very dangerous position of following Jesus and staying close by while he was on trial at the High Priest’s palace.
These are the kinds of overreactions to their fearfulness that people like Peter will often make. And it will often get them into trouble, as it did for Peter, as people began to ask him uncomfortable questions about who he was and why he was there until, in this mounting fear (and to his everlasting sorrow), he ended up denying Christ three times.
But perhaps the clearest example of his fear at work is in the account of Simon Peter and Jesus out on the Sea of Galilee. It is another situation where everyone is terrified. “When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea,”it says, “they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear.” They are all afraid but Peter is the one who has an over-the-top reaction to his fear. Peter says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Peter may be attempting to defy his own fears but he soon finds that they are overwhelming. “When he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and [began] to sink.” No matter what he does, Peter cannot escape the power that controls him. He defiantly tries to master it by the sheer force of his will, but in the end it is about to undo him. This the pattern that people controlled by their fear go through again and again on their way through life.
So we have, in Simon Peter, a perfect example of a person for whom fear is a powerful root sin – something that infects his life with a controlling and deforming power. I have known a number of people who share that with Peter – a deep hunger for security and a controlling fear. They are people who often struggle because of their makeup, but I think that is wonderful how Jesus, throughout the gospel story, deals with Peter and helps him become the man that went on to do such great things in Jesus’ name. It is the work, I believe, that Jesus wants to do in the life of all people like Peter.
First of all, I would note that Jesus absolutely values Simon Peter for the man that he is. When Peter spoke up in front of the others and declared that Jesus was the messiah, I am sure that Jesus understood that he was speaking out of his insecurity and was looking for an authority figure of the type that Jesus was not interested in being. Nevertheless, Jesus does not only celebrate Simon’s correct answer, he also celebrates the man who gave the answer. “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!” he says. “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”
By giving Simon the nickname Peter (which means rock) Jesus is doing more than honouring Simon’s insightful answer. He is recognizing that the man will make an excellent leader – the kind of solid foundation that you can build a church on – because of who he is. In particular, Peter’s life has given him a deep respect for authorities and power structures that operate in the interest of the people. His own fear has given him this character trait but Jesus is announcing that God can use it to accomplish much good in the world.
So that is one way in which Jesus helps Peter. The second way is particularly on view in the story set during the crossing of the lake. When we last left Peter there, he was defying his own fear to step out of the fishing boat in order to pretend he wasn’t afraid to. Once he left that boat however, his fear began to overrule his recklessness and he panicked at the sight of the wind and the waves.
But Jesus responded to who Peter was in that moment by reaching out in care and compassion.Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” This is Jesus teaching Peter in that moment what he needed most of all, for Jesus knew that victory over the power of fear can only come through faith – by placing your trust wisely.
Jesus taught Peter well. He never forgot the fear that he felt inside, but he went on to live a life of extraordinary courage and faith. In the end, it is said, when a persecution broke out in Rome where he was staying, Peter could have run away but he didn’t, he turned back and chose to be crucified like his master (though, according to the legend that grew up, he chose to be crucified upside down in his own personal tribute to Christ.
Peter found his courage because people like him – people who mature in faith and understand their fears – have that ability. Their courage, when summoned, can be extraordinary – more than the rest of us can often muster. This is one of their gifts. So never underestimate what a person ruled by fear can become under the teaching of Christ.
God does wonderful things in the lives of those who will trust him. He did it for Peter, he can do it for anyone who struggles under the control of their fear. Thanks be to God for such transforming love!
#140CharacterSermon Simon Peter was largely motivated by fear and insecurity. Jesus helped him reach his potential by teaching him faith.
On the second Sunday of Lent (March 12), we will be celebrating the presence of our God together at St. Andrew's Hespeler. Join us and you will be part of some things that matter:
A few weeks ago, we did a bit of an excercise on selecting worship music according to a blended worship approach. As a result of this, one congregational member "won" the opportunity to choose a hymn to sing at a future service. We will sing that hymn this week and you have to come if you want to find out what it is.
It is a blessing to have Heather Robertson share her musical gifts with us this week. She will sing "Wade in the Water" and also help us to learn our "Hymn of the Month." Here is an online version of "Wade in the Water" to give you an idea of what to look forward to.
We will be doing something together to stand in solidarity with our neighbours who have come from other nations and places. Won't give you any more details right now, but you are going to want to be part of it!
Rev. Scott McAndless continues to teach us about the sins we struggle with and the victory Christ offers. This week: Fear.
Session has formally approved the Clerk of Session Mr. Bill Pettit.
Thank you to everyone (especially Bill) on the confirmation of the new Clerk of Session for St. Andrews Hespeler. I have enjoyed being your Clerk and know that Bill is a terrific choice. Once again, thank you for your support and patience with me as COS.
sorry about the resolution of the photo above - but I think the blurry haze makes both of us seem younger and smooths out the wrinkles.....
acchaeus was entirely comfortable in that tree. That is one thing that we fail to understand about Zacchaeus in his story in the Gospel of Luke. It says in the gospel that he climbed the tree because he wanted to see Jesus and he was very short – was a wee little man – and was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to see Jesus among the crowds that had gathered in Jericho to see him. And, sure, that was true enough as far as it went, but it fails to take into account the fact that, as far as Zacchaeus was concerned, from the branches of a tree was the perfect vantage point for the kind of encounter with Jesus that he wanted.
Zacchaeus was, you see, a certain type of a person. He was what you might call an observer of life. He had an insatiable desire to perceive and study and understand whatever he could to the best of his ability. As such he had a very long attention span – could sit and observe the world for hours and never waver in his attentiveness. And so, when he heard that someone as unique and interesting as Jesus of Nazareth was passing through Jericho, of course he was going to arrange to observe him.
And the tree was perfect for him because it allowed him to see everything. The fact that he had to run ahead and wait for Jesus to pass that way was no problem for him as he never lost patience waiting to observe something interesting. But there was another reason why the tree was so ideal. Zacchaeus was an observer but he was a detached observer. He didn’t want to be down there interacting with what was happening. As a matter of fact, he never really felt comfortable in a crowd situation like that where people might touch him or invade his personal space. No, it was just better to observe from a neutral vantage point. The tree was ideal.
And there are people like that, like Zacchaeus, aren’t there? I’ll bet you have known some. They are the great observers of life but they often take a lot of persuasion to go beyond watching and thinking about what they see and actually engage with the world. They are often brilliant, often the very first to come up with new ways of seeing things. But it is often easier for them to observe and think and collect experiences than it is for them to do something with what they learn.
There are also some other traits that are found in such people. Often they are people who are looking for some security in their lives more than anything. This is often because, at some point in their early development, they have gone through a time when they strongly feared that their basic needs were in danger of not being met. They weren’t assured that the food, shelter, clothing, affection or belonging would be there for them. This means that they do not feel entirely safe in this world and so they tend to withdraw from close contact, they hesitate to trust too much and are strongly protective of their personal spaces. They become content to merely observe the world and store up whatever knowledge of the world they discover.
This same sense of insecurity also compels them to store up possessions as a kind of insurance against whatever may happen or go wrong in life. They keep everything and hesitate to throw anything out because it all means something to them and, as they always say, “You never know when you might need it.”
If this particular kind of person has one big problem, therefore, it is avarice. Their root sin is greed. I am not necessarily talking about that in terms of them being stingy with money, though that can be part of it. They are stingy with many things: their knowledge and understanding, their space, their emotions and thoughts. They share none of it easily. And sometimes that can certainly also mean that they are greedy with money.
I would suggest to you that Zacchaeus in this story in Luke’s Gospel is a perfect example of the kind of person that I am talking about here. Not only is he someone who clearly prefers to take an objective vantage point in order to observe and find out things and someone who would rather not mingle with the crowd, he is also described as being very rich and having many possessions, some of which he obtained by defrauding people. I don’t think that it is a big stretch to say that Zacchaeus likely had some issues with greed as well.
So Zacchaeus is a good example of this sort of person, but chances are that you have known such a person yourself. They are wonderful people who have been able to bring much good into this world through their ability to observe and understand. But they, like all people have certain things that they struggle with. In this case, those things seem to be intimacy and greed. The question is what can be done to help such people?
The traditional Christian answer to that question, by the way, has been to blame and to shame. We just tell people that they are wrong to be greedy and to store up possessions. We tell people that they should share with others more freely even if that is hard for them. This has been the traditional moralistic approach of the church to effecting ethical change in people’s lives in general. But I am not sure how successful that strategy has been in really helping people to change. We need a new strategy.
So I would like us to climb up in our own sycamore tree and objectively observe what Jesus does for Zacchaeus in this story. It is quite clear that, when Zacchaeus meets Jesus, it does make a difference. He is a man transformed by the time Jesus leaves town. So what is Jesus’ secret and is it possible that Jesus’ approach may be just the kind of thing that people like Zacchaeus need to reach the fullness of who they were always meant to be?
It is interesting to note that Jesus’ approach is not to attack Zacchaeus over his greed or tendency to store up personal possessions. Jesus does target something else – he targets Zacchaeus’ tendency to isolate himself in order to observe. Jesus comes to the place where Zacchaeus has set himself up in his nice safe tree and looks right up at what he thought was his perfect hiding place and says, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”
Do you realize what that feels like for someone like Zacchaeus? Jesus has just invited himself into Zacchaeus’ personal space, his sanctum and the place where he keeps all of the possessions that make him feel safe. Jesus just barges in, and invites himself into all of this. It must have made Zacchaeus feel very vulnerable and off his guard. But Jesus also knew that there was no way that Zacchaeus could refuse and that the discomfort was necessary. Zacchaeus would always opt for protection and safety unless the issue was forced. Jesus needed to get in.
But once Jesus had broken through Zacchaeus’ layers of protection, something amazing happened. Something almost unprecedented in all the ministry of Jesus. We are not told the whole story and we kind of have to fill in the details. It says that Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus, which likely means that he brought him into his private space, fed him and put him up for the night or even for a few nights. Luke sort of jumps over that part of the story and only reports on the reaction that the time Jesus spent with him provoked in the town: “All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’” All of that part of the story gets skipped, nevertheless, it seems clear that Jesus must have spent at least some time when he had Zacchaeus’ undivided attention.
And what did Jesus do with that time? Well, that’s obvious. He did what he always did – he talked to him about the kingdom of God. He probably told him stories and parables to explain what the kingdom was like and, when Zacchaeus asked him what someone had to do in order to be part of that kingdom, Jesus probably said something like what he said to other people in similar circumstances: “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)
And Jesus, generally speaking, didn’t have a lot of success in asking that kind of level of response to the kingdom of God from people. When he said it to a rich, young ruler, for example, the young man just turned and walked away in shock, unable to even grasp what Jesus was saying.
But here is where we see what is special and unique about Zacchaeus. Remember that Zacchaeus was an observer – someone who had incredible focus and was always ready to learn from whatever he observed. He was someone who was always ready to absorb new knowledge like a sponge. He now applied those talents to observing this Jesus who stood before him. And the result was that Zacchaeus was able to absorb what Jesus was really trying to say probably better than any other individual in the gospel story.
In other words, Zacchaeus got the message of Jesus better than anybody else I can think of in the entire gospel story. He indicates that by saying to Jesus, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Those are the words of someone who has understood what the kingdom of God is actually about better than all the priests, all the disciples and all the scribes you can find in the entire Bible. Zacchaeus got the message that they all missed.
And so the wonderful gift of these extraordinary people who are like Zacchaeus is this: they can observe and absorb truth from what they observe to a degree that eludes most of us. Once you break through to them and get past the protections that they have ringed themselves with, you find a person who is able to listen, pay heed and absorb like few others can. We live in an age when the art of listening often seems all but forgotten. What a marvel a person like Zacchaeus is in such a world.
We live in a world filled with greed, driven by greed and often destroyed by greed. Of course, our God doesn’t love greed and what it can do to people. But God is compassionate and willing to understand us. He doesn’t just condemn the sin, he seeks to heal the underlying problem. That is why, in the Letter to the Hebrews, the message of God is not merely, “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.”God is always willing to speak to our heart and remind us why we don’t have to seek security by storing up an abundance of things. And so the writer of the Hebrews goes on: “for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’”
God comes to you as you are, understands what drives you and is committed enough to break through your defences and speak to your heart. We see Jesus doing that very thing for Zacchaeus; he will do it for all of us. If only we could all be as ready as Zacchaeus was to really attend to what God has to say to us.
#140CharacterSermon Zacchaeus: detached observer who stored possessions to protect himself. Amazing to watch Jesus break through all that.
This Sunday, the congregation of St. Andrew's Hespeler Presbyterian will come together to celebrate communion, our most important sacrament and a sign of the living presence of the risen Christ among us and within us. Join us for this and for other special parts of our community life:
Rev. Scott McAndless will continue his series of sermons by focusing on the story of Zacchaeus and what it teaches us about the lure of greed and the work of transformation that Jesus would seek to perform in us.
David, Randy and Corey will be celebrating the grace of God as they sing "All Because of God’s Amazing Grace" by Stephen R. Adams
Our adult choir will sing "Prayer of St. Francis" by Peter A. Togni
Please help us give a warm welcome Paul Tavares. Paul is in the middle of his “90 Nights in the Cold” campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness to and eliminate homelessness. Paul has generously donated some of the items donated to him to our site of the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank and Hope Clothing. Paul will be available to talk with at coffee. This is a great time to offer him encouragement and find out how you can help out, too!
The "Holy Sherlocks" will share with us the results of their fund raising and bake sale for mission
This is also the first Sunday in Lent, the season when we begin our thoughtful and reflective journey towards the cross and all that it represents. The Sunday School will begin their special Lenten focus on the gardens of the Bible and will share some of what they are doing with us.
The Session would like to announce that Rob Hodgson (the cheerful looking person on the right) will be stepping down as Clerk of Session following this month’s meeting. Rob has served as our Clerk of Session for over seven years. We especially appreciate how he has carried out his duties with an enormous amount of grace, kindness and love. He has always been responsive, respectful and eager to understand people’s concerns. We are very thankful for all he has done to lift us all up as a session and as a congregation.
Rob will continue to serve as an elder on the session and has not ruled out returning to the position again in the future!
Bill Pettit (the equally cheerful gentleman on the left) will step into the role of Clerk and we certainly thank him for sharing his wisdom in this way and for his willingness to serve.
In 2009 Rev. Jeff Veenstra inquired if I would replace the retiring Clerk of Session. I can't remember why I did not attend Session the next time after that, but he informed me that it was unanimous and I was the new Clerk. That's when I realized I had no idea what that really meant. Time passes and I realize I have no idea what I will do without being Clerk of Session. I am confident that if God can lead me to something he will also lead me through it. So I say so long, definitely not goodbye and expectantly await what my next adventure in life will be. Its been great being your Clerk!
I'd like to announce that Bill Pettit will be the next Clerk of Session and I know you will treat him well like you always have for me. You are in good hands.
p.s. Meat pie sales will be renewed in April - talk to you soon!
