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“What Is This Timeless Spirit?”
Sermon Written By Rev. Dick Stetler – May 17, 2020
On the occasion of church’s closure due to COVID-19 Virus
Centenary United Methodist Church
Acts 17:22-31; John 14:15-21 Our Gospel lesson this morning describes a
spiritual awareness that will always be applicable in every age and in
anyone who cultivates it in spite of their circumstances.
Try to imagine that each of us has the potential to develop a
spiritual pattern that does not require any laws, any institutional
structure, any sacred written material, or any stage to showcase what we
have found. Jesus taught that not everyone can display this
timeless spirit because they remain ignorant of its existence and
potential. Jesus went on to
teach: "But, you will come to understand that this spirit and its
presence will always be with you because it dwells in your minds and
will guide the path of your imaginations."
In essence, Jesus was telling his disciples that they will have
a built-in guidance system that will never wear out or fail them
by its lack of usefulness. (John14:17f) An interesting aspect of this one-size-fits-all
spiritual pattern is that it will not attempt to change the
world. This spirit provides
a beautiful custom that makes the one who wears it happy and
fulfilled everyday regardless of whether or not anyone notices. We
cannot give this spiritual awareness away; we can only display it. During a time when one of our children was visiting
Bermuda, we were walking around a beautiful garden in St. George that
was dedicated to George Somers.
All of us were struck by little details that spoke to us.
I became so inspired by what we were experiencing that I had to
find the one who was responsible for such magnificence.
There is a small shed on the premises where I found the gardener
eating his lunch. I surprised him by giving him my impressions of his
handiwork. After listening to my thoughts, he said: Sir, you have just made my day, my week, my month
and my year! Thank you for
noticing so many little details. The gardens that you see are my
children. This humble park is my world. It is off the beaten path of
other sensational parks on our island but this one is mine.
Whatever else may be happening in their world, I want visitors to
come here and find peace while walking around. THANK YOU for giving me
your impressions. This was no ordinary maintenance worker. We were
literally walking in this man’s inner world, a world where he
dances every day.
Listening to his spirit that was on display has allowed him to
make the world a more beautiful place even if no one else is taking
notice. Bermuda is filled with such people.
Patrick Pailey, is the superintendent at Fort St.
Catherine. While visiting,
I saw a white dove fly into an open door.
I peeked into the room to find out where the bird had landed and
discovered that this was Patrick's office. He became very engaging with
us after I greeted him. He
joined us and gave us a tour that featured little-known facts about the
Fort. I inquired about the
dove that had perched on a file cabinet.
He said: There are people on the island that insist on
releasing doves after the burial of a loved one.
Sometimes the doves are released far away from their local
environment. They become so disoriented that they can be found
frightened and starving all over St. Georges. This one showed up on my
doorstep and she adopted me.
We became fast friends when I showed up with food. She roosts in
my office at night and is no bother at all.
When her health is restored, she will fly away to find a
husband. Until then,
she's become a wonderful companion. We talk to each other every day. The maintenance of this Fort was his world that
made him happy, contented and fulfilled each day. He ended our time
together with a final story that continued to reveal what kind of spirit
was radiating from his personality. He said, One evening it was closing time when this older gentleman and his wife showed up. For some reason I did not say, 'We're closing and please come back during our normal business hours.' I took pity on this couple. This tall, lanky man appeared to have an injured eye and they were driving an old banged-up car that was too small for a man of his size. I gave them a tour.
When we went upstairs, the man was very knowledgeable about the
troops that were once stationed at the Fort. I found that very curious.
Some of the men listed on one of the plaques were his distant relatives.
He knew a lot about the Fort and even supplied some of his own stories.
When we reached this couple's parked car, the man
said: Patrick, thank you for the tour.
I see that we have stayed way beyond your closing time. You are
very kind to give two strangers your valuable time. This Fort has been a
favorite of mine for years. I have been fascinated by the fortifications
around Bermuda with all its cannons that were never used.
I did not introduce myself. My name is George
Fergusson and this is my wife, Margaret.
I am Bermuda's new Governor. We just landed this afternoon and I
wanted to visit this Fort before we explored our new home. Once we have developed an inner radar system
that detects such artists in our midst, we can learn to turn a deaf
ear to everything and anything that humanity is bathed with from the
news' outlets. The world
for thousands of years has always treated its inhabitants with daily
drama that remains a distraction and nothing more. Always there have been those among us that have
found serenity and peace while being surrounded by the noises made by
governments, diseases, and commerce. These people smile a lot and always
appear happy. Such spirits cannot give away any attitudes they have
developed. They can only display them.
That is the point Jesus was making in our Gospel lesson.
Christian pastors and evangelists have continued to
tell their listeners that our lives will be different when we take Jesus
into our hearts. For ages,
people have tried to do that without understanding that we have never
succeeded in doing so. Regardless of the articulated words of others,
we cannot take the treasure that Jesus found and make it our own.
Jesus was one-of-a-kind.
Every one of us is one-of-a-kind.
Every one of us needs to harness this timeless, loving spirit
which will express itself through doing what makes us happy,
e.g., gardening, painting, writing, quilting, or managing a company.
Our task is not to save the world, but to enjoy ourselves
while temporarily living in it.
God will take care of the details of creation from the wake
we leave behind us as we row, row, row our boats gently
down the stream. It is always inspirational when we find those
living among us who have found the secret of daily happiness. The spirit
they have created are the fruits Jesus said could be ours when we
display what we have found. Loving what we do does not depend on our
station in life, our popularity, our wealth, or our accomplishments. In
fact, people who are happy all the time are fed by mixing what they do
and say with this mysterious loving spiritual pattern.
They have become the leaven for the entire batch of dough
of their society. No matter how we spin the teachings of
Jesus so that they say what we want his words to say, Jesus was pointing
to what it looks like to live in the Kingdom of God while we are still
here on earth.
We cannot accurately define this timeless loving energy;
we can only display it. (Matthew 13:22) Jesus tried to define this process for Nicodemus
when he said: No one can live in the Kingdom of God without
making a radical shift in their orientation and understanding in
how they interpret their experiences. It is like being born
again with a different set of eyes.
Without making this shift within yourself, Nicodemus, you will be
like everyone else in your past. You are a great teacher in Israel and
you should know this. (John
3:3-10) Perhaps the greatest metaphors that Jesus ever used
of what it was like to live in the Kingdom of God were those that
described the process. His metaphors had nothing to do with taking his
unique spirit within ourselves.
Doing so is impossible. Rather, Jesus pointed to what happens to
people when they find a treasure buried in a field or find a near
perfect pearl. Perhaps the Church's message has been misguided.
Our task is not to develop into being like Jesus but to become
what we discover within ourselves and create from that vision. Jesus was not happy with a war-god like Yahweh or
having to be obedient to a vast number of Laws.
Jesus was not happy with animal sacrifices or what his religious
heritage had created when people dedicate their lives to pleasing God.
Jesus found the Pharisees faithful in externals and quite spiritually
empty because of what striving for perfection had made of them. Once Jesus had awakened at his baptism, he found
his people hopelessly wandering all over the landscape.
He found them waiting for God to intervene by sending a hero who
would restore Israel's power and glory that their country once
experienced under the rule of King David and King Solomon. Initially, Jesus danced when he was a
carpenter. After his
baptism, he became aware that what he had been doing with wood, he could
do with people. He knew that each person had an invisible spirit that
once developed would give them a similar power over themselves.
The comparatively few who have done so, have given
us majestic art, music, poetry, verbal guidance, great cities, and
marvelous communication devices which have brought people together. The
power generated from the visionary imaginations will go on creating.
Rather than looking to God to lead us, Jesus taught us to look
within ourselves where we would find everything that is capable of
healing, communicating, and stretching our curiosity to reach for the
stars. Today's creators are not worried about personal
salvation. They are not
even worried about recognition.
They are hungry to inspire others with what they have created.
Jesus was the inspiration of all creativity by pointing to its
origin. The source of
creativity in the physical world is where God installed it.
It awaits human discovery when people wake up and allow their
imaginations to live with what they find. Jesus did this and he said,
"Follow me to the stars and beyond."
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Loving God, we come
this morning hoping to discover creative ways of changing the way we
perceive. Guide us so we do
not forget our calling to be a guide for others.
Jesus patiently taught his listeners the art of letting go of
their judgments. We confess
that there are moments when we give greater care to our outer appearance
than we do to the quality of our inner thoughts.
Enable us to guide others by how they see us live. Lead us to the
awareness that greater stability would come to our world if people
assumed increased responsibility to build more wholesome and peaceful
attitudes. Amen. PASTORAL PRAYER We often leave here knowing who we want to become. Yet when we reenter the world, everything we left behind comes roaring back to take up the familiar places in our spirits and we feel hopeless in making the changes that would bring more value to our lives and experiences. When we experience the attitudes and insensitivity of other people, give us the insight to realize that this is a test and passing it is how we grow. Guide us to understand that we will never have the skills of a seasoned sea captain until we have been tested by every conceivable weather pattern. Help us, Lord, to learn that love is a contact sport, not just an attitude. When your light shines through us, darkness flees. When your mercy shines through us, we respond with the patience to allow other people to be who they are. When your compassion shines through us, it helps us to understand that not all people have the skills to live in community and remain at peace. Help us to live so that our lives become a signpost that points the way for others. We pray these thoughts through the loving spirit of Jesus, the Christ, who taught us to say when we pray . . . |