Trinity Metropolitan Community Church of Gainesville (Trinity MCC)

“Everything As It Should Be”

Rev. Jim Merritt

Trinity MCC/OdysseyChuch

November 15, 2009

Introduction:

            Today’s lectionary readings have us back in the Gospel of Mark, this time in Chapter 13. This chapter has another name. You will remember that many times the New Testament book of Revelation is referred to as “The Great Apocalypse.” Well, the 13^th Chapter of Mark is also known as “The Little Apocalypse.” Professor Daniel Harrington says that “Apocalypse means “revelation” and that it focuses on matters of the future. It infers that situations will be different at some point in the future. And Apocalyptic literature is sometimes referred to as “literature of the dispossessed.” It appeals to people who are oppressed, people who have little power and little chance at gaining power either through politics, military means or even economic means, and people who appear to have little chance at fighting back against the structures of society. We understand this idea well knowing that people who feel powerless can become very hopeful for a time that will be different, even if the process scares them to death.

            To add a bit of historical context; at the time this chapter was written it seems that people were focused on eschatology, or on the end times. So many people believed that the end of the world as they knew it was immanent, that it was going to occur at any moment. If we study what was happening in the region at the time, we could easily come to the conclusion that some were actively trying to bring about the end of the world. Do you remember the song from several years ago with the lyrics, “It’s the end of the world as we know it…?” Well that could have been their theme song or their anthem. There were wars and rumors of wars, and strange things happening with the weather, and famine and all kinds of horrible events.” And I want to point out that this is one of those moments where we have a “Both/And.” Jesus, in verses 7 and 8 is addressing the current situation in which he and the disciples lived AND he is addressing a situation that will occur at a time or many times out in the future.” Jesus is both addressing the reality of his current situation and trying to get everybody to take a deep breath, to breathe, to relax a little bit, and to let tomorrow take care of itself. He says, these are the beginnings of the birth pangs. These are the beginnings, not the endings, beginnings of the birth pangs, not the actual birth itself, beginnings, not endings. Everything is as it should be.

Application

            This phrase, “Everything as it should be,” seems outrageous to many of us. Even as I considered it when I began to develop this sermon I experienced some internal conflict. How can we say that “everything is as it should be,” in the face of so much suffering, in the face of so many who are jobless, homeless, foodless, shelter-less, loveless? How can we embrace the fact that “everything is as it should be when so many even in our own community are grieving the loss of loved ones, sisters, brothers, parents, children, pets, and friends? How can we embrace this idea that “everything is as it should be” when there are wars and rumors of wars, and nations, including our own, are rising against nations and we have these strange occurrences in the weather like very late hurricanes and floods and earthquakes and tsunamis and droughts? How can those be examples of situations in which “everything is as it should be?” And how can we embrace that “everything is as it should be when it feels like our lives are falling apart, that our families are scattering like the wind, that our bank accounts just won’t cover the bills that are coming in and Christmas is coming and there’s just no way we can buy all those gifts again this year and how did it get to be the middle of November ALREADY? And we come to church on Sunday and hear a preacher say, “everything is as it should be,” and we think, “Is he out of his mind? On what cloud is he living?”

            Yes, my sisters and brothers, sometimes it feels like every stone of our own personal temples is being turned upside down. Sometimes it feels like we are in wars of our own and that everybody else’s world has ganged up on our world. I know what that feels like and I know you have been there, too. And the blessing that we share this morning is that we know a God who overcomes all. We know from Psalm 19, a God whose story fills the sky. We know a God about whose genius the sky cries out. We know a God whose good news is carried by day and by night. We know a God whose tent is pitched right beside ours, a God who will never leave of forsake us. We know a God who can take night and turn it into day. We know a God who can take defeat and turn it into victory. We know a God who can take the worst of our circumstances and use them for our own good, for the good of our community, for the good of our world and can truly illustrate for us that even in the times when we struggle, everything is as it should be.

            So, how do we get there? I want to suggest a few ways for you from an interview with Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen. Dr. Remen says we should practice being present in every moment, because when we are truly present we;

1.      are able to hear what is really being said rather than filtering it through our own past experiences or desired outcomes. Many times what we think we hear is far worse than what we actually hear.

2.      we are able to speak from the wellspring of our experience and from the wisdom of our hearts,

3.      we enjoy our optimum capacity for service because when we are present the full experience of who we are is available. This allows our capacity for harmony, peace and compassion to flow in both directions,

4.      we are more open to our own intuition, undistracted by appearances, better able to discern the truth in every situation,

5.      We are more aware of our own real surroundings, more conscious and more conscientious, less vulnerable to accidents or misperceptions and,

6.      we become more relaxed, more compassionate, more generous with (love and) energy (for ourselves and others.)[1]

And I would add one more to Dr. Remen’s list. We become more open to the blessing that a God who is always on our side has in store for us. We learn to relish in the idea that when life’s situations seem too much for us, this God, our God actually carries us through.

            Beware of false teachings and false teachers and those who would lead you astray down the easier softer way. Struggles are times of growth. Times of struggle are times for us to experience how amazingly good God is. These are the beginnings and not the ends, birth pangs only. Even when it seems that every stone of our lives is turned and shuffled, everything is as it should be as we learn all over again to trust God with every fiber of our being. Our God causes us to sing, “I shall not be, I shall not be moved. Anchored in Jehovah, I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that’s planted by the water, I shall not be moved!” God IS in control and God can be trusted. Everything as it should be.    God bless you. AMEN.



Psalm 16

¹Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. ²I say to Yahweh, “You are my Sovereign; I have no good apart from you.” ³As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight. ⁴Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips. ⁵Yahweh is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. ⁶The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage. ⁷I bless Yahweh who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. ⁸I keep Yahweh always before me; because God is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. ⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. ¹⁰For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit. ¹¹You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Mark 13:1-8

13As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” ²Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

³When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” ⁵Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. ⁶Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. ⁸For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.

[1] Michael Stillwater and Gary Malkin, Grace in Practice: Clinical Applications for Graceful Passages. Companion Arts Foundation, 2002.

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