Sermon Texts

Almost every day, there appears a new story about AI – artificial intelligence. Have you been keeping up? It can seem a bit overwhelming!

            One of my favorite NYTimes writers, Thomas Friedman, wrote a piece this week saying AI is “going to change everything about how we do everything.” He calls this “our Promethean moment” – and what’s that? One of those moments in history when certain new tools, ways of thinking, or energy sources are introduced, and it changes everything – “how you create, how you compete, how you collaborate, how you work, how you learn, how you govern, and yes, how you cheat, commit crimes and fight wars.” Friedman said that when he realized this about AI, he couldn’t even sleep. He compared it to Dorothy, waking up in the Land of Oz: a whole new world is emerging right now – our Promethean moment. (“Our Promethean Moment,” NYTimes, 3/21/23)

            So here is what I did – I logged into CHATGPT – that is a new AI tool - and asked this question – “was Lazarus really raised from the dead?” 

This is what the artificial intelligence said:

“According to the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ. The story is told in the Gospel of John, where it is recounted that Lazarus had died and had been in the tomb for four days when Jesus arrived. Jesus asked for the stone to be rolled away from the tomb's entrance, and then he called out to Lazarus to come out of the tomb.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no concrete evidence to support the claim that Lazarus was actually raised from the dead. It is important to remember that the story of Lazarus is a religious narrative, and interpretations of religious texts can vary widely among different communities and scholars. Some people may view the story of Lazarus as a literal historical event, while others may view it as a symbolic or allegorical story meant to convey a deeper spiritual message.

            That answer came within 10 seconds . . . . and was written by a robot.

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            Once upon a time there was a woman who lived with her husband, two small children, and her elderly parents in a tiny house near a village. She tried to be patient and gracious, but the noise and crowded conditions wore her down so much. In desperation, she consulted the village wise man. The wise man asked, “do you have a rooster?”

            “Yes,” the woman replied.

            “Well, keep the rooster inside with your family and come and see me next week.”

            The next week, the woman came to see the wise man again and told him that living conditions were worse. The rooster was crowing and making a mess.

            “Do you have a goats?” asked the wise man. The woman nodded, but with hesitation. “Take the goats into the house with you as well, and come see me next week.”

            Over the next few weeks, on the advice of the wise man, the woman made room in the small house for two dogs, a guinea pig, and her brother’s children. Finally, she could take it no more, and in a fit of anger kicked out all the animals and guests, leaving only her husband, two children, and her parents. The home suddenly became so spacious and quiet; and everyone lived happily ever after.

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Today, as you know, marks the first Sunday of Lent. When I was growing up – the son of a Presbyterian minister, with formative years at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church – I heard about Lent, not from my church, but from the few Catholic friends in the neighborhood. It was only in the recent decades, since I have been a pastor, that Presbyterian have been giving attention to this liturgical season – Lent – a time of renewal, reflection, and re-commitment.

            The word – Lent - comes from an Old English word for “lengthen,” and refers to the gradually lengthening days of late winter and early spring. All of us have learned that the Lenten season can be a very helpful time – 40 days - of preparing not only for Holy Week but also for faithful life as disciples.

            In the ancient scriptural imagination, “40” was a shorthand way of saying, “for a long time.” Those who are familiar with the Bible know the many references to this number - the flood in Genesis 7 brought 40 days of rain for Noah and his family in the ark. Moses fasted 40 days without food on Mount Sinai. Elijah went 40 days without food as he journeyed to Mount Horeb. You probably know about Israel’s 40 years of wilderness wandering. We also have the story of Jesus’ 40 days of wilderness temptation, our second lesson today. Lots of stories related to the number 40.

            The underlying idea here is that God, like a master choreographer, or composer, works through signature forms in time and space — and in the Season of Lent, we’re invited to step into our own 40-day pilgrimage of refreshment.

            What might happen in this 40-day season? How might we be different, more faithful?

            We have two passages today that seem to be about temptation. But I think the message in both passages is really something more and different and important. I think the message of these two passages is a very important question: “Can we trust God?”

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We are so delighted that we have a great and permanent organist – Kathy Toole. I hope that many of you are getting to know her.

My father died 14 years ago but I can still hear his voice – and remember his laugh – especially telling this story about an organist.

            On a certain Sunday, the regular organist was out and a substitute organist came to fill in. Just prior to worship, the substitute organist asked the preacher if there was anything unusual happening in the worship service. The preacher said that the service would flow just as the bulletin indicated. But, . . . there would be a point in the service when the preacher needed to ask the congregation for some additional money. The roof was leaking, and the building needed attention, so the preacher was going to ask folk in the church family to step up their giving to meet these needs. The preacher told the substitute organist to “try to play a little something when we get to that part of the worship service.”

            So sure enough, the service unfolded according to the bulletin and the substitute organist was doing just fine. Then, at a certain point, the preacher began to speak about the building needs. He said it was going to be expensive. He said all the money was in the room – but it was in the wallets and bank accounts of the people – not the church. So, he asked the church family, to make an extra gift. And he said, if they were willing to support the building needs, would they please stand up to indicate their commitment. By standing up, the church would learn who would be supportive and whether they could pay for the upgrades.

            With that, the substitute organist launched into a rousing rendition of the national anthem - “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Everyone stood up!

            And that is how the substitute organist became the permanent organist.

            Sometimes things happen that make us see totally differently.

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Many of you who know me well know that I have long been a big fan of Bono, and his world famous, rock band, U2. In these recent days, Bono, a few years younger than I am, released an autobiography that I have very much enjoyed, entitled Surrender. The book offers deep insight into his very big life.

            Here are facts about Bono, whose real name is Paul Hewson. He grew up in Dublin, Ireland with his fellow band-mates. These four guys got together to play music in their late teens, in the late 1970’s, and they have been together ever since. Bono, and two others in the band, have always been deeply devoted to Christian faith, to following Jesus. Bono’s Christian faith shapes so much about him and the music he has made. He has been married to his wife Allie for 40 years, who was part of his early church group. Bono, and U2, have been, across these decades, among the most famous, most successful musical groups in history. And it is not just musical success and fame; Bono keeps saying, over and over, that his calling in life, deeply tied to his Christian faith, is to use any fame he has gained to make the world a better place, especially aiding the most needy.

So, Bono and his bandmates have been involved in addressing the AIDS crisis, feeding the world during famines in Africa, raising the issue of the climate,   urging the world powers to forgive the debts of the poorest countries, helping orphans in Ukraine, and much more. He recently played a concert in the subway in Kyiv, to draw attention to the atrocities there.

And it is Bono’s commitment to peace, justice, and a better world, that has generated his personal ties to so many of the world’s leaders. He has been many times to the White House and . . . he hosted Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev at his house in Dublin. He has visited the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, in support of the church’s justice work, and knows the Pope, for whom he wrote some special songs.

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You can see that the title of this sermon brings us to an interesting subject – “the great and terrible day of the Lord.”

While some Christians like to talk about this subject, Presbyterians tend not to dwell or give too much emphasis to “the great and terrible day” – that moment when the present world ends and we transition fully into God’s new heaven and new earth. In all my years of preaching, even with that line in the Apostles’ Creed – “he will come to judge the quick and the dead” – I have only preached on this topic a few times. And, I never said anything like “turn or burn,” or “get right or get left.” That kind of understanding about the “great and terrible day of the Lord” is, in my judgment, not helpful or appropriate. Presbyterians have been more inclined to focus on God’s grace and then our calling to work for God’s justice, God’s coming reign, without dire threats of turning or burning. Presbyterians are also rightfully cautious of the certitude that often comes with assuming who is “left behind.”

But, . . . “the great and terrible day of the Lord” is a subject of the Scriptures. It is mentioned by many prophets in the Old Testament. Jesus has some clear, even harsh and frightening words on this topic, and God’s final judgment. So, it is important to give this some attention – especially when it comes as the lectionary text today.

I want to begin today with some simple reminders to help us. You know the first book of the Bible, right? Genesis. Genesis reminds us about the beginning of the world. GOD CREATES.

Genesis, wants us to know that in the beginning “the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep.” Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God speaks and creation emerges from nothing.

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There is a powerful quote that I have shared before. This quote comes from 19th century German professor, philosopher, and social critic, Friedrich Nietzsche, and it goes like this:

“Show me that you are redeemed, and I will believe in your Redeemer.”

If you look up Nietzsche quotes, he has lots of good ones:

“Become who you are.”

“Without music, life would be a mistake.”

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

“Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”

And then this one too: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

But that first statement – “show me that you are redeemed, and I will believe in your Redeemer.” That Nietzsche quote has long haunted me.

Do our lives reflect that we are redeemed?

Do others notice the why for which we live?

As Christians, one of the regular practices of our faith and life includes CONFESSION. We strive, within weekly worship, with daily life, to be honest with who we are, and sincere about our shortcomings and failings. We do this not to berate or beat up ourselves, not to dwell on our sins, but to have fuller and richer and more wholesome life with and for God.

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One morning in the fall of 1936, 10-year-old Frederick Buechner and his younger brother were playing in their room. Their father opened the door, checked on them, and then went down into the family garage, turned on the engine of the car and waited for the exhaust to kill him.

Buechner and his brother heard a commotion, looked out the window and saw their father on his back in the driveway. Their mother and grandmother, in their nightgowns, had dragged him out of the garage and were pumping his legs up and down in a doomed attempt to revive him.

There would be no funeral, or discussion of what happened. Their mother just moved the boys to Bermuda to escape. The rules in that family were, “Don’t talk, don’t trust, don’t feel.” They became masters at covering themselves over. (David Brooks, NY Times, August 18, 2022)

Many decades later, despite this horrific and formative incident, and the rules of his family to not talk, not trust, not feel, Frederick Buechner emerged as one of the most significant writers, preachers, and theologians of his time. He somehow discovered that you cannot steel yourself against the pain, just shut down the feelings. When you do that, you simultaneously close yourself off from being transformed by the power and beauty and grace of life itself.

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In the last few weeks, like some of you, I have had some doctor visits and some medical tests. Do not worry. I am doing fine, and everything checked out well. But one of these tests for me recently was a MRI – which stands for “magnetic resonance imaging.” MRI’s happen in a tomb-like tube – and it is very loud, with the machine bouncing magnetic and radio waves to create images of the body. I know some of you are very familiar with MRI testing.

Prior to having a MRI – which means lying in this tightly enclosed space – the question is asked in various ways: “are you claustrophobic?” “Do you panic inside tight spaces?” “Have you ever had a problem with a test like this?”

Claustrophobia is a real thing: an abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces – which is exactly what a MRI machine is.

I spent the long 45 minutes of the test, closed in that tight space, with my eyes closed, singing hymns, reciting favorite passages of Scripture, practicing mindfulness, and striving for calm. I also laid there thinking that that space is very spiritual, because I am sure many prayers and hymns have been recited inside that machine.

Lying in that MRI machine, it is easy to understand why claustrophobia might be a problem for many people. Tight spaces can indeed be dreadful.

Then, I started realizing how claustrophobia – dread of tight spaces - might be a helpful term for life, especially in these days. We might not be lying in a tomb-like machine, but we can feel life squeezing us, closing in on us, making us fearful and full of dread.

If you are dealing with lingering aches in your heart, maybe deep worries about children, or sincere concerns about a parent, . . . or heavy grief – life can feel very closed in and dreadful.

If you are facing a big transition, and you have too much to do, and endless worries that keep you unsettled – life can feel pretty oppressive – not unlike a MRI machine.

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