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Change
Mark 10:17-22
March 2, 2008

I read a quote recently by Franklin Roosevelt that applies well to us preacher types. . ."Be sincere. Be brief. Be seated." It also sounds rather Quaker-ly to me. As Friends, we value speaking authentically from our own experience of God, simply, and with as few words as possible. So this is my goal this morning, to be sincere, to be brief, and to then be seated so that we can all listen and reflect on what God is saying to us.

Frederick Buechner makes the observation that "all theology, like all fiction, is at its heart an autobiography, and that what a theologian is doing essentially is examining as honestly as he or she can the rough-and-tumble of his/her own experience with all its ups an downs, its mysteries and loose ends."

As your pastor, this is one of the reasons it was so important for me to step away for a season as I began to sort through the confusion and sadness of my divorce and to begin the journey of healing.

It is my conviction that we cannot to do the work of healing that is so desperately needed in our world if we are not cooperating with God in our own spiritual healing. We must be the change we want to see in the world, as Ghandi once said. Change must begin right here with me.

Friends, we all carry wounds. . .and some of them run very deep. But I would have to say that some of the most powerful healers I know are those who have been the most wounded, yet have chosen to surrender their pain to a God who heals and can dramatically transform a person from within.

While Lydia was home over Christmas break, we watched all three of Francis Ford Coppola's "Godfather" films. In the third saga, toward the end of the Godfather's life, he is having a conversation with the soon-to-be Pope in Rome. In this scene, this wise priest is speaking to the Godfather of the disconnection that often exists between faith and behavior among religious people.

As these two stand in a Vatican courtyard, the priest reaches into a nearby fountain, pulls out a stone and says, "This stone has been in the water for a long time." He then breaks it open and shows the Godfather that the stone is dry on the inside. The priest says, "People have been surrounded by Christianity for centuries, but Christ has not penetrated them, Christ does not lead within them."

Later in the conversation as the priest receives the Godfather's tearful confession he says to him at the close of this scene, "Your sins are terrible and it is just that you suffer. Your life could be redeemed but I know that you don't believe this. You will not change."

Sadly, in this story there is no changing of direction. The pattern of hatred and violence has long been established and the Godfather does not repent and change direction. The invitation to change is given to him, but he does not choose it.

It is my experience that the change Christ calls us to will be some of the most difficult change we will ever have to make. But it is the only way to freedom and it is the only way to deeper service in a broken world.

There is a story recorded for us in Mark's gospel that aptly describes this struggle to change course. It is a conversation Jesus had with a man who had amassed great wealth, which later became a barrier to giving himself completely to God. We are not privy to the end of this man's story but here is how their conversation goes:

Mark 10:17-22
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him.
"Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-except God alone.
You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal,
you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"
"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said.
"Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

We often use this passage to demonstrate how wealth can be an obstacle or distraction from kingdom work, but I think that there is another insight for us to consider here. I think that Jesus is asking this man to change direction, to examine his attachments, to let go of what he is clinging to most tightly. He is asking him to change in the most vulnerable area of his life. He is asking him to make the most difficult of all choices.

Karen Oberst and I were talking about this over lunch this past week. She said that Jesus usually asks us to change in the areas where we have the most fear or where we have the most security.

There are countless examples of those who have responded to Christ's challenge to change course and follow his way. These are folks who have been transformed by love and go on to be co-creators with God of radical change around them. They didn't go out trying to change anyone else but saw the restoration needed in their own hearts.

I have read many transformational stories from this wonderful book, Forgiveness-Breaking the Chain of Hate. These are stories of people who have been imprisoned, tortured, abused, neglected, had loved ones raped and murdered and who have chosen to change direction, turning their inward hatred into forgiveness.

A great example close to home was at Gary Keppen's memorial service just a week ago. As many of you know, Gary was hit and killed by by a young man who was driving his car while intoxicated. For me, the highlight of the service was when Gary's son stood up and asked for prayer for this young man and expressed the family's wishes that he not serve a lengthy prison sentence.

Revenge never restores what is lost. But forgiveness helps us let go of the power of the offense, not denying the pain that it has caused, but surrendering the pain to God.

I wonder if changing direction isn't one of the most challenging aspects of our humanness. From early on in life we begin to develop patterns and ways of being that become as ingrained in us as the glacial ruts of the winter streets this year. Some of the ruts we develop are quite harmless, but some of them are quite harmful to us, and others. Do we want to remain stuck in destructive thoughts and behaviors that hinder kingdom work? Or do we want to do the work of examining our lives, and with God's help change direction?

I happen to stand before you this morning deeply wounded. I am struggling with some major exterior life changes that also involve some deep internal change, as well. It is some of the hardest work I have ever done. I ask that you would pray for me and be patient with me as I move through these changes.

This is not work that I have been able to do entirely alone, though much of it has come in solitude as I spend time listening to God, meditating, journaling and reflecting. Some of this healing work and change is being done within the respectful listening of a care committee I have formed for myself whom I meet with monthly up in the Portland area. They are a group of three plainspoken Quaker pastors who have challenged me, loved me, and prayed for me. Change is hard work. Don't let anyone tell you differently. We need prayerful companions who will listen with us, and support us through changes we need to make so that we can better serve and follow Christ/God.

I appreciate the wisdom that comes from much of the AA recovery work literature. One phrase I especially like is, "God mostly doesn't change things. Mostly, he changes people so they will change things."

This morning I would like to play a song by Tracy Chapman in closing to lead us into a time of reflection and listening. Rather than think of all the people in your life that you wish would change, think about what needs to change in you.

I am not talking to the person sitting next to you. I am speaking to you this morning. I am speaking to me. You may have done the church thing your whole life, and know all the Bible stories, just like the rich man in our gospel story. But at this critical moment of decision in his life it didn't seem to make a bit of difference.

What do you need to let go of? Where do you need to cooperate with God and change direction? What are you hanging on to this morning? Do you need to forgive someone? Maybe you need to forgive yourself. Maybe it is time to finally give your pain to God and just let go of it. Maybe you are holding onto some pretty rigid judgments about people in your life, at home, at work, at school, within our faith community. Maybe you are struggling with an addiction that is harmful to you and others.

It may be the hardest thing God has ever asked of you. Will you say yes to God? Or will you walk away downcast like the rich man who couldn't let go of that one thing. Friends, Christ is extending an invitation to all of us this morning. He is looking at us with love. Will you change? Will I change? Are we willing to follow Christ/God wherever he leads us?

Change,
by Tracy Chapman
If you knew that you would die today
Saw the face of God and love
Would you change?
Would you change?
If you knew that love can break your heart
When you're down so low that you cannot fall
Would you change?
Would you change?
How bad, how good, does it need to get?
How many losses? How much regret?
What chain reaction would cause an effect?
Makes you turn around
Makes you try to explain
Makes you forgive and forget,
Makes you change
Makes you change
If you knew that you would be alone
Knowing right, being wrong,
Would you change?
Would you change?
If you knew that you would find a truth
That would bring a pain that can't be soothed
Would you change?
Would you change?
How bad, how good, does it need to get?
How many losses? How much regret?
What chain reaction would cause an effect?
Makes you turn around
Makes you try to explain
Makes you forgive and forget,
Makes you change
Makes you change
Are you so upright
You can't be bent
If it comes to blows
Are you so sure you won't be crawling
If not for the good why risk falling
Why risk falling?
If everything you think you know
Makes your life unbearable
Would you change?
Would you change?
If you'd broken every rule and vow
And hard times come to bring you down
Would you change?
Would you change?
If you knew that you would die today,
If you saw the face of God and loved
Would you change?
Would you change?
If you saw the face of God and loved
If you saw the face of God and loved
Would you change?
Would you change?