Sermons

First Christian Church

“Dependence Day”

2 Kings 5:1-14

At our age it's safe to assume that we all know what it's like to cross over from the land of good health to the land of serious illness or physical impairment. Our text is just such a story with the main character being Naaman (Nay-man) a general in the kingdom of Aram (A-rum). Naaman was a very successful general and you might say he had everything going for him until he contracts leprosy. In ancient times leprosy was a slowly debilitating and socially isolating disease. Even his wealth and connections were probably of no help as his venture into the land of serious illness begins.

The first indication of Naaman's sense of vulnerability comes as he seriously considers advice from his wife's Israelite maid. She would be the result of the spoils of war and in that respect of low status in society. The author doesn't even record her name. This is a powerful man looking to the powerless for help!

It is this young maidservant who identifies a prophet that can cure Naaman's disease. Naaman can't simply make an appointment to see the prophet. He's going to have to pack-up and make the journey into the kingdom of Israel which is an enemy of Aram.

Naaman tells the king of Aram about the prophet who can heal him, and the king not quite getting the part about the prophet sends a letter to the king of Israel instead. When the king of Israel receives the letter he's put-off by it incredulous about the notion he can heal leprosy. He thinks the king of Arum may be up to no good.

Elisha hears of the kings angry response and has the king send Naaman to him. Naaman agrees to go and arrives a Elisha's house in great style with entourage and all. Elisha adds insult to injury by not even greeting Naaman and sends out a servant in his place!

Naaman reaches his absolute limit in terms of humiliation and anger when the prophet tells him to ritually wash in the Jordan River. The text says Naaman believed the prophet would come out in person and heal him, but instead directs him to the river. Naaman feels the rivers back home could do a better job of cleansing him. Being treated as essentially a nobody finally sends him into a rage. But Naaman's servants, who seem to care deeply for him, convince him to follow the prophets' instructions and when he does, he is healed.

We can identify with Naaman by recalling when we've entered the land of serious illness or physical impairment. At such times can't we also feel as if we've become a number rather than a person and feel foolish and desperate at the same time? As we have negotiated various health challenges through faith and prayer haven't, we discovered one emerges from the experience being made anew in important ways.

At this point the title for the sermon being “Dependence Day” may be coming into focus. As we gradually lose the independence we enjoyed in our youth and increasingly turn to others for help like Naaman we may become angry. The ego prides itself in it's autonomy and as that slowly diminishes anger is not an uncommon response, but there's another option presented at such times.

It may be hard for us to see this diminishment as an opportunity yet the gospel reveals, time and again, what becomes possible when we've reached the end of our rope. Namely, healing and wholeness through the power of the Holy Spirit. All the “lost” parables including the lost sheep, coin, and son, as well as the Good Samaritan (that you'll hear about next Sunday) demonstrate how God cares for us when we're broken in some way.

In the following spiritual writer Ruth Haley Barton describes Moses' response to his own angry act when he sees the Hebrew slave being abused:

It appears that one of Moses' coping mechanisms was to repress his anger since he had nowhere to go with it....one day his anger – anger that had probably been building for some time – got the best of him and everything exploded....When he saw an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew, his anger overwhelmed him, and he killed the Egyptian. Then he tried to hide his sin by burying the body in the sand. (Exodus 2:11-12)

That one glimpse of the destructive power of his raw and unrefined leadership was so frightening to Moses that he fled into solitude....Yes, he ran because he was afraid of Pharaoh, but oftentimes it is the fear of being found out that alerts us to what lies beneath. It actually places us on the path of self-discovery and (hopefully) forces us to do whatever work we need to do to take more responsibility for the dark forces that have propelled our bad behavior....

There is some behavioral pattern, something unresolved, something out of control enough, that we say, “I must go into solitude with this.” We thought we had kept it fairly well hidden. We thought we could manage it or at least keep its destructive nature fairly private, but now here it is – out there for all to see – and it is wreaking havoc on our attempts to accomplish something good.

We must not ignore this moment when it comes....if such a moment comes early on as it did for Moses, thanks be to God....If it comes later on – as it does for most of us – then thanks be to God. It means that God is at work, leading us to greater freedom than we have yet known.

Moses' repressed anger results in a outward demonstration of violence revealing the deeply buried dark forces at work within him. The same sort of thing can happen with us when confronted by a serious threat to our health coupled with a loss of independence. We may respond outward in anger. The spiritually healthy response is to envision God leading us to greater freedom.

One biblical scene that effectively captures this notion of challenges leading to greater freedom is Jesus standing on the disturbed waters of the Sea of Galilee inviting Peter to come out to him. Listen to the parable:

At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their wits. “A ghost!” they said, crying out in terror. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid.” Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come ahead.” But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, Master, save me!” Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you.” (Matthew 14:26-31; The Message Bible)

What's most instructive about this parable isn't the situation itself, but rather it's Peter's ability to embrace the opportunity presented and make the attempt to walk out to Jesus. He doesn't let the opportunity pass-by, rather he asks for Jesus' permission to go to him. Asking permission is a way to bring Jesus on board helping Peter to accomplish the task.

Peter realizes he can't do it on his own. He needs to enlist Jesus' help and in doing so relinquishes his own independence to become dependent upon the Master. It's a perfect illustration of what people of faith must do to cope with the challenges that come to us. Whether those be health challenges or family difficulties or societal chaos. What form the challenge comes in isn't as important as the way we choose to respond to it. The humble response always entails a willingness to become dependent upon God's grace.

One illustration of that ever-present grace is when I walk Oreo on a windy summer's day past the high school. When walking Westward toward the ocean the wind can blow chilly, yet on the return trip headed Eastward the wind is at our backs where the summer sun now compensates for the chill.

The summer sun whether coming through the clouds or not can be quite warm. In this respect, it is like God's grace in that it was always present only I couldn't feel it when walking into the wind. And so it is with the challenges we face which can obscure the presence of grace. Grace is always there. We literally exist within an ocean of it, but the fear and anxiety that accompanies challenges often conceals it. It is prayer, more than anything else, and especially quiet prayer where the mind is silenced that opens us to this grace-filled presence.

On the day I wrote this sermon I dropped the fork I was using to eat my chicken alfredo. I picked it up and washed it in the sink and it occurred to me that the fork came from a drawer in the church kitchen. Though being an inanimate object, I saw it as an expression of God's grace since it contributes to the sustaining of my life.

It's the same kind of perception I can experience when Karen and I visit the grocery store on Monday afternoons. I can sense the presence of God's grace as we shop for food recognizing that the items neatly arrayed on the shelf's contribute to the sustaining of not only my life but that of my entire family. This is a way of looking at the world which results from a lifetime of prayer. You become sensitized to the surrounding, enveloping, nurturing nature of grace.

You can see how that's the polar opposite of the perception that comes from our narcissistic culture. The Fourth of July denotes our independence from the tyrannical rule of the British Empire. Replete with tyrannical rule is the notion that one is the master of one's own fate. Its all about power and control. Within such a mindset an awareness of God's nurturing grace is virtually impossible. It renders the parable of the Lilies of the Field where God cares for the flowers and birds and even far more for his children as a fanciful children's story – as opposed to a description of the world we live in.

A willingness to be dependent upon God's grace is what opens the door to everything in the world worth living and dying for.

Rev. Mitch Becker

July 6, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Beyond the Law”

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

It's easy to lose your way in the Letter to the Romans. In contrast, this portion of Galatians is more straightforward than many of the Apostle Paul's writings. This letter begins with instruction to not submit to the “yoke of slavery.” He means don't think that conforming to the law of Moses is going to earn your salvation. By the same token, he does feel the law serves the purpose of defining a path through what he calls the “present evil age.”

In a like manner the term “flesh” can be easily defined as “selfishness” which is a condition we're born into and to one extent or another wrestle with all our lives. Even enlightenment is no guarantee that the selfish desires of the ego will remain at bay. He includes an extensive list of vices that result from an adherence to the flesh which begins with fornication and ends with carousing (whatever that means). The list of vices isn't exhaustive but it is overwhelming.

In opposition to the flesh is a life in adherence to the realm of Spirit. The realm of Spirit or what the gospels refer to as the kingdom of God is God's way of breaking into the present evil age. Here another list is offered but this time it's a list of the fruit of the Spirit. This list begins with love and ends with self-control.

What some of the followers of Christ were looking for in the church at Galatia was some identifiable marker that clearly demonstrated their new existence in Christ. One of those markers they were entertaining was circumcision. Paul says forget circumcision because it will make no difference within the realm of Spirit.

He tells them that the measure they love one another is the primary indicator of their participation in God's new creation. It is a marker of transformation as they are being changed into the likeness of Christ. This transformation results in the listed fruit of the Spirit. The fruit is manifested in their participation and the law of Moses is fulfilled as they demonstrate love for one another.

We are in possession of our 42 foot Sandpiper trailer once again. On Wednesday I helped the driver back the trailer down our quarter mile of gravel driveway into the original trailer site. Karen made all the arrangements with the movers and met the driver at Rainbow's End trailer court. The transfer went well and though it's disappointing to be in possession again I feel good about the responsible and caring way we've handled it including the manner we've dealt with the delinquent renter.

The renter was not able to keep up making monthly payments and we did wonder if we'd need to employ the law to repossess the trailer. It turned out they were also delinquent in their monthly payments to the trailer court and the pressure to move out came primarily from them. Throughout this long and at times stressful experience Karen and I have exhibited the fruit of the Spirit specifically in terms of patience, kindness and self-control.

What we do and how we behave in being responsible with our material possessions is important but it's true significance comes from the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. Each situation we encounter in life provides an opportunity to further the breakthrough of the kingdom of God into the present evil age as Paul puts it. That's what Jesus means by, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) Cynthia Bourqeault (Bore-show) can tell us more:

The kingdom of Heaven is really a metaphor for a state of consciousness; it is not a place you go to, but a place you come from. It is a whole new way of looking at the world, a transformed awareness that literally turns this world into a different place...The hallmark of this awareness is that it sees no separation – not between God and humans, not between humans and other humans. And these are indeed Jesus' two core teachings, underlying everything he says and does....

When Jesus talks about Oneness....what he more has in mind is a complete, mutual indwelling; I am in God, God is in you, you are in God, we are in each other. His most beautiful symbol for this is in the teaching in John 15 where he says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Abide in me as I in you.” A few verses later he says, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love” (John 15:4-5)....There is no separation between humans and God because of this mutual inter-abiding which expresses the indivisible reality of divine love....

No separation between human and human is an equally powerful notion – and equally challenging. One of the most familiar of Jesus' teachings is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) ….as a continuation of your very own being. It's a complete seeing that your neighbor is you. There are not two individuals out there....there are simply two cells of the one great life.

Paul brings to bear the absolute necessity of employing this central teaching of Jesus which is to love your neighbor as yourself. Cynthia is taking the next step in providing an intellectual description of a spiritual reality. Within this description Karen and I, for example, are not two individual people. In reality we're two expressions of the same thing.

It's a bit like two molecules only become water molecules when they're bonded together, for example, in a lake. Separate from the lake a water molecule is just one hydrogen and two oxygen atoms floating about in the universe doing nothing. As they bond with other molecules of the same make-up they become something...namely water. In the same respect, separate from each other we're irrelevant and without purpose. When bonded with each other we become God.

It is evident that describing spiritual reality in words is sorely lacking. You can only begin to convey the actual truth of what Cynthia calls, “....the one great life.” What is possible, however, is to experience this reality of Oneness in the depth of quiet prayer, and the mind must be stilled for this to happen. The Oneness of divine reality exists within us and it cannot be grasped with the mind which actually keeps it hidden.

I have experienced the Oneness of divine reality many times and I recognize it because it frees my mind of all fear, or as it says in the Bible: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) The primary source of fear is in separation. If separation is eliminated the immediate result is an absence of fear.

What we see in the culture today is the unashamed propagation of division and fear, which is a direct product of people embracing the dualistic practice of the ego. For a combination of reasons many people see an advantage in pursuing division and fear. They feel its going to result in an increased ability to reach personal goals of wealth, power and individual accomplishment. In other words, the cultural bias toward achieving success is seen as greatly enhanced.

This fear eventually permeates the population driving it ever deeper into the creation of division. On the other hand, ironically, this negative activity does creates a community of like minded people who find support and encouragement in each other. But its not a community based on love....its foundation is fear.

Which means it suffers from inherent limitations. The negative activity will come to an end because division and fear is not compatible with the universe. Division and fear run counter to divine reality much like someone trying to swim against the current of a river. Eventually, the swimmer will get tired and if they don't remove themselves from the river they will drown.

Those participating in this community may not find law enforcement at their door, but division and fear will be visited perhaps on their family or between them and their friends. It will come because its origin is their own mind. They have sold out to the dualism of the ego because it looks attractive and productive. It is not.

It is a dead-end because sooner or later you experience the fruit of your own labors. The Buddhist term for it is karma, and Jesus simply says, “For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (Luke 6:38) This is ancient wisdom which appears to be exceeding difficult for people to grasp when they're immersed in spreading division and fear.

What I'm describing is the opposite of our text today and what it's attempting to promote which is the love of neighbor. The Apostle Paul is trying to build upon a church and is addressing questions posed by certain members in that church. Cynthia Bourqeault takes the next step to describe the divine reality Paul's words are based in and the reality we faithful followers must come to embrace ourselves.

We need to fully embrace it because though we can be patient, gentle, kind and loving people by choice God wants us to go beyond the exercise of will. God wants us to become as much like Christ as we can in this lifetime on earth. God ultimately doesn't want us to practice the fruit of the Spirit – God wants us to be the fruit of the Spirit in the same way that Christ was when he walked the earth.

People like Jesus and Paul and the Buddha and Lao Tzu and Saint Francis and many, many more whose names have never been recorded in the history books become so well acquainted with the Spirit that it simply flows through them. They don't chart their own course through life. Rather, they follow the lead of that Spirit and they learn to do that first in prayer and then in outward practice.

We're called to do the same. It's that simple and it's that hard. The best news of all is that the Spirit makes it possible.

Rev. Mitch Becker

June 29, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Sounds of Silence”

1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a

On Elijah's command the people have just massacred the Baal (Bale) prophets and in this way we see Elijah as a paradigm of strength and determination. Yet in our text we can hardly recognize him as he is hungry and exhausted to the point of being suicidal!

Because he's wiped out the Baal prophets Queen Jezebel is after his hide so he makes a run for it. His urgent flight is a difficult one as he's already exhausted and in constant fear of being overtaken by Jezebel's soldiers. He flees into the wilderness to get far outside of Jezebel's jurisdiction.

Finally, reaching a state of utter despair he says to God, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life.” In this state of helplessness God sends an angel and the angel stays and ministers to him. The angel provides for his basic needs in the form of food and water and he rests for the first time since taking flight.

He's now able to make a long journey of forty days and nights into the desert where introspection and prayer are possible. When he arrives at Mount Horeb (Or-reb) a magnificent religious experience occurs. First, a powerful wind shatters the mountain, followed immediately by an earthquake, then fire, and it all culminates in a “sound of sheer silence.” Whether Elijah objectively experiences these things isn't important. All that matters is what comes at the end which is a divine appearance otherwise known as a “theophany” (thee-off-fan-ee).

One way to interpret all this is though Elijah may seek the miracle of God's revelation in the wind, earthquake or fire it is in the quiet that God comes to him. Next is the repeated question, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah answers in the same way by telling God he's been zealous for the Lord and the Israelite's are trying to kill him. Though it's the same answer as given before it is given in a different way. Because now Elijah is no longer afraid since he's experienced the miraculous in the quiet of his soul.

This is a great bible story that deserves a quick review: Elijah is trying to escape Jezebel's wrath and runs to Beersheba in Judah which should be beyond the queens jurisdiction, and he doesn't stop there and continues into the desert. Finally he collapses just wanting to give up and die. This is when the angel appears and feeds him enabling him to walk all the way to a cave at Mount Horeb.

After he arrives at the mountain God rather humorously asks him what he's up to and Elijah tells him his faithfulness has resulted in the Israelite's wanting to kill him. God tells him to stand his ground and he'll walk past him. Then comes the wind, earthquake and fire all leading to the sound of sheer silence. God speaks out of the silence and tells him to return to the desert where Elijah is given yet another mission.

The two points where God directly interacts with Elijah come first in the midst of exhaustion accompanied by suicidal thoughts which all take place as a result of him fearing for his life. The second time comes after a long forty day journey through the wilderness where he arrives at the very mountain Moses received the Ten Commandments since the name Horeb and Sinai are used interchangeably in the Bible.

The combination of Elijah's ego boundaries being challenged along with the opportunity for quiet meditation proves to be his salvation. Salvation coming in the form of a personal appearance of God. After this Elijah no longer fears for his life since he assumes his next mission without hesitation.

It isn't necessary to be chased by the equivalent of Jezebel's soldiers to encounter God in quiet prayer. By the same token, sometimes that encounter is more profound due to external pressures. Whatever is causing undo stress or concern can make you desirous for an escape resulting in an involuntary dropping of ego boundaries.

A much easier way to experience a solid connection with God is by practicing quiet prayer when you first get up in the morning. At that time your mind is clear of ideas and accumulated stress from the days activity. You're more free of mental obstructions and present to the moment.

After waking up in the morning I often go to my recliner in the living room and engage in quiet centering prayer for twenty minutes. I do a little Tai Chi and stretching just to wake-up a bit and then sit down for prayer. I always follow Father Rohr's advice and allow the prayer to be whatever it is to be and not seek to direct or guide it in any way.

Sometimes the result is a mental clarity where an unquestionable clear connection is made with my soul. Sometimes I don't feel much of a connection at all and may even stop before twenty minutes have passed. One never knows what will happen in any given contemplative sit. The important thing is to make the effort.

In the following Colleen Thomas describes Centering Prayer and promotes the use of a mantra or what she refers to as a “sacred word” when praying:

The form of Christian meditation known as Centering Prayer invites practitioners to consent to the presence of God. Sitting in silence for at least twenty minutes, ideally twice a day, the prayer enlists the help of a “sacred word” to serve as a placeholder for the consenting intention. Eventually, the practice of consenting to the Divine presence becomes a way of embodying the Divine presence of love in oneself.

The co-architect of Centering Prayer and founder of Contemplative Outreach Thomas Keating wrote about “four consents,” the final of which is the “consent to be transformed” into our True selves. The True self might be described as our participation in the divine life manifesting in our uniqueness....

Even though we may practice Centering Prayer twice a day for twenty minutes it is still no guarantee that we won't face hardship and struggle. Elijah is on the run from people who are out to kill him and that would be a scary experience. Maybe we don't have to contend with people trying to kill us, but life has other ways to bring us to our knees. What's important is when we're brought to our knees that we do so in prayer. In that way God becomes our primary refugee and hope.

Like Elijah I once considered suicide not so much from exhaustion, but rather it came from an intense feeling of loneliness early on in my recovery from alcoholism. I had returned to my apartment after a full day of study at Linn Benton Community College. I sat down in my small living room and suddenly was overwhelmed with the fact that I was completely alone.

It was so upsetting that I began to look for some way to get beyond the desperate feeling. That's when it occurred to me that if I killed myself, I wouldn't have to endure the loneliness any longer. I only, seriously, considered suicide for a moment but it was long enough to frighten me even more than the initial feelings of loneliness. I went to the phone, which in those days hung on the wall, and called my then pastor Dick Busic. He told me to meet him at his office at the church.

I began walking to the church, which was a couple miles from my apartment, and when I arrived, he was waiting for me. This was more than forty years ago, and I don't recall much of what we talked about, but what I do remember is how it made me feel. It was hard for me to believe that someone as important as Pastor Busic would be willing to spend time with a lowlife like myself.

But the most powerful aspect of that meeting came as we were driving back to my apartment. I felt as if I was in a dream. There was a distinct unreality about it and I felt calmed and comforted as if I were being embraced by the love of God.

Dick recently responded to the Christmas card I sent him last year. He explained in his note that he was now struggling with dementia and that was the reason for the late response to my card.

In that desperate time of my life God didn't send me an angel to meet my basic needs. But he did make an angel available and after that experience I never again took any thought of suicide seriously. Dick helped me see that I was loved and perhaps just as important that I was open to being loved.

My practice of Centering Prayer, which at that time did involve using a mantra, did not keep me from briefly considering suicide. But what it did do was helped me to open up to being loved and cared for even in such a feeble and weakened state. It also took a lot of courage to call Dick because he might of said he was too busy or had some other reason to not be available.

I called Pastor Busic because he was a man of God and I was trusting God as much as I was him. Therefore, Centering Prayer not only helped me to open up to being loved and cared for, but it also helped me to trust that God would be there if I reached out to him. God showed up for me as an angel in the form of Pastor Dick Busic.

In our story today the angel that shows up for Elijah is a precursor to an even more spectacular appearance of God replete with a series of natural, violent events all culminating in a sheer silence. It is out of the silence that Elijah hears God's whisper. In a world that seems to be teetering on the brink of disaster we need more people to be listening to God.

In the midst of the chaos and suffering we need to hear what God has to say. The instruments of God's Salvation for humanity are those who are listening, and our hope remains in the Lord just as the psalms tell us:

Our soul waits for the Lord, he is our help and shield.

Yea, our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

Let thy steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in thee.

(Psalm 33:20-22)

Rev. Mitch Becker

June 22, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Wisdom Is a Lady”

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Our text is a very upbeat, positive selection from the lectionary this week showing Lady Wisdom enthusiastically praising God, creation, and humanity. Lady Wisdom is by no means a prophet who would condemn those that oppress and ignore the needy. Neither does she lament suffering, violence or apathy. She doesn't even complain at God's seeming disinterest in suppressing the forces of evil and chaos that threaten to vanquish the world. Instead, she delights in humanity, God, and the creation.

From here we might consider Hebrew wisdom understanding it as promoting the quest for knowledge and a deeper understanding of the world because it's permeated with God's wisdom. That process of uncovering God's embedded wisdom is what makes for a human life of quality and character. By looking deeply and thoughtfully at the way the world works one can more aptly discern the will of God.

And this is not a purely intellectual exercise because she lends herself to all in holistic and relational ways which is what's meant by: “Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling? Can you hear Madame insight raising her voice? She's taken her stand at First and Main, at the busiest intersection. Right in the city square where the traffic is thickest, she shouts, 'You – I'm talking to all of you, everyone out here on the streets!'” (Proverbs 8:1-4; The Message Bible)

In the second half of the text we see Lady Wisdom was with God at the beginning of creation, and she continues to be present with both God and humanity. Lady Wisdom demonstrates God's desire to delight and create at the same time and this is all done in relationship. By calling on humanity she offers us access to the living God.

This all brings us to one negative consequence we need to consider. That being, does putting the emphasis upon the goodness of creation lead us to the conclusion that God is permissive of evil? To answer this it's helpful to see that wisdom is depicted as a human woman who grows and changes and therefore cannot be pinned down or understood in absolute terms.

This requires a great deal of humility on the seekers part knowing that God's will is not always evident in the creation. The creation is always a work in progress and though evil persists God is opposed to it as verse 13 reveals: “fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.” In the following Amy Erickson summarizes the text:

“Through Woman Wisdom, God expresses the enthusiasm of a Powerball winner for humanity in inviting all humans to join her in her dance of delight. Wisdom invites humanity to engage in a joyful search for God's dynamic presence through and in the world. God willing, the process of seeking the divine in the world and in each other just might drive out some of the darkness.”

What has been revealed is that Lady Wisdom is hidden within the creation and it's there we can go to find her. With this in mind let's turn to one of the greatest literary works ever written about the creation and it's hidden gifts to humanity. I'm speaking of the book “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau where he writes:

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what is called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is the characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things. (p.7)

We live in such a time where the concealed desperation and despair Thoreau is referring to is coming to the surface. This is happening because people are being filled to the brim and its spilling over into the culture at large. Some people experience it as a depression and on the other end of the spectrum it may be expressed as violence. What we're looking for is a healthy, happy way to vent desperation and despair.

The good news is Christ gave us such a way centuries ago. The bad news is humanity as a whole isn't paying much attention though there have been times in history when Lady Wisdom has come forth unchecked and with great enthusiasm. Here's what wisdom sounds like when Jesus preaches:

You have heard that is was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles....”

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons (and daughters) of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:38-45)

Jesus closes that portion of the Sermon on the Mount with references to the creation specifically with the sun and the rain. He typically uses the creation to espouse wisdom which is even more poignant later on in the Sermon when he says:

“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil or spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is today alive and tomorrow thrown in the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men (and women) of little faith? (Matthew 6:25-30)

The instruction to not resist evil and to love your enemies can be describe as “nonviolent resistance” and though we find this instruction and the parable of the Lilies of the Field in separate chapters it was all one sermon when Jesus preached it. Therefore, these two portions of the sermon are intrinsically linked because you can't have one without the other.

The faithful are enabled to put into practice resisting evil and loving enemies precisely because of the ever-present care of the Father illustrated by the Lilies of the Field. In other words, its God's caring grace that makes nonviolent resistance possible.

The point of nonviolent resistance is to reach and affect the conscience of society including the violent perpetrators because there is something within sane people that can't tolerate acts of violence visited upon people who are trying to do the right thing. Of course, nonviolent resistance requires both time and sacrifice, sometimes great sacrifice, for people to be adequately affected to the point their convictions are questioned and behaviors altered.

And though it can come at a high cost for those practicing nonviolent resistance it does work as proven in movements led by Mahatma Gandhi in India, Martin Luther King in the United Sates, and Lech Walesa (Val-lay-suh) in Poland (of whom I actually met in a restaurant in Warsaw in 1989), and the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa led by Nelson Mandala and Bishop Desmond Tutu, and many other nonviolent movements too numerous to list.

This is what the world looks like as it spiritually wakes up one nonviolent movement at a time. And it all began with the wisdom of Jesus who understood the way God cares for us in the lilies of the field. It was creation that revealed the wisdom which continues to guide us as children of the Most High God.

Rev. Mitch Becker

July 15, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Unity in Diversity”

Genesis 11:1-9

God's people are on the move, and they arrive at a level place in the land of Shinar (She-naar) which today would be located in Iraq. It is here that they decide to build a great tower made of brick and mortar that reaches all the way to heaven and with the tower comes a city that they call “Babel.” The point of building the tower and city is to keep them unified as one people with one language which at the outset seems like a good thing.

But it turns out this isn't entirely God's purpose for humanity, and God confuses the language of the people so they can't understand each other. This is often interpreted as punishment, but on closer examination its really just God helping them to fulfill their holy purpose on earth. The confusion of language is what precedes the scattering of God's people over the face of the earth. Walter Brueggemann explains it in this way:

On the one hand, God wills a unity which permits and encourages scattering. The unity willed by God is that all of humankind shall be in covenant with him and with him only, responding to his purposes, relying on his life-giving power. The scattering God wills is that life should be peopled everywhere by his regents, who are attentive to all parts of creation, to bring “each in its kind” to full fruition and productivity. This unity-scattered dialectic does not presume that different families, tongues, lands, and nations are bad or disobedient. They are part of his will. And the reason God allows for that differential is that all parts of humanity look to and respond to God in unity.

In a movie Karen and I were watching the other night the principal actor in the film said that procreation and the raising of children was the sole reason for our existence. That statement illuminates a fundamental problem our culture suffers from, though important as children are Brueggemann cuts to the chase when he says: “The unity willed by God is that all of humankind shall be in covenant with him and with him only, responding to his purposes, relying on his life-giving power.”

That statement brings to light our true purpose here on earth and explains in large part why we find ourselves so utterly lost and in perpetual despair. Our text today gives us impetus to realign with God through intimate relationship. Our unity therefore emerges from the covenant we share with our Creator. Even as we are scattered about the earth, as God wills, we can remain in covenantal unity.

Pentecost Day is often interpreted as an answer to the diversity and scattering of God's people at Babel, but that creates problems on two levels. The first being that the people are able to understand the gospel on Pentecost Day because they hear it in their own language. Wherefore, their diversity remains, and because of the persecution that follows they scatter to all parts of the world.

Just to clarify what's going on here the purpose of the tower and the city is so the people can, and this is one key phrase in the text, “make a name for themselves.” The way the Message Bible defines that is so they can become “famous.” To be famous is to be known by many people. We can think of this as the people of Babel wanting to create their own identity, stay in the same place, and build a comfortable, secure life for themselves.

Don't we all sort of start in that place. We want to create a home and family where everyone is safe and secure and perhaps make a name for ourselves. Don't we all want to be known? That certainly is a central concern of the ego because it seeks constant validation due to the insecurity that results from an ever-persistent sense of falseness. The ego knows it's not real, so it seeks validation from the outside.

Most of the people in Babel are ego based as is most of the world's population, but the Lord has no interest in nurturing our ego pursuits. Quite to the contrary. Our story today perfectly illustrates God's true desires for humanity. God wants us to scatter and find unity not in a common language or a self-created identity. The Lord wants us to be unified in a covenant with him and him only.

A covenant is a two-way agreement in this case between God and his children. In the covenant God sets the boundaries, establishes conditions, and promises blessings all in return for obedience, worship and praise. Obedience, worship and praise are the last things in the world the ego is interested in. The ego makes following the covenant a very difficult thing to do, but the Spirit of God makes it possible. The Apostle Paul simply puts it: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Let me say something about the benefits of scattering. Scattering began in my life when I moved from Albany, Oregon to Berkeley, California to attend seminary. That amounted to truly leaving home and because of it I grew mentally, emotionally and spiritually. After ordination I started as an associate minister in Bakersfield. None of that would have happened if I'd remained comfortably at home.

The scattering continued to Red Bluff, California and then Tacoma, and after several years the biggest leap of all was to a little village in Ohio named Shadyside. I drove a 15-foot U-Haul towing my Tercel nearly 3000 miles over a six-day period. Many things happened on that trip one of which was stopping in Mitchell, South Dakota because I liked the name.

I remember walking into a little cafe that was located at the back of a grocery store similar to Safeway. The young, blond waitress was really friendly, and made an effort to make me feel welcome. This was in stark contrast to the cold stares I was receiving from the locals having breakfast. You might call them stares of suspicion.

I ate my breakfast and walked out without incident, and it is experiences of that nature that promote self-development along with a sense of security that goes beyond what the ego can do. God was with me in that little cafe and really for the entire trip. This is why the Lord wants us to scatter because the situations which we encounter make us rely upon him. We have to dig deep within ourselves to reach the grounding that faith offers.

About a year after my arrival in Shadyside I met a young woman at a singles dance in Pittsburgh. I was fifty years old and the longest intimate relationship I'd accomplished prior to this was just over two years. In those previous relationships I simply wasn't grown-up enough to sustain them. My scattering to Ohio was an important accomplishment that contributed to my eventual ability to ask Karen for her hand in marriage. In September we'll celebrate our 22^nd anniversary.

The benefits of scattering go beyond what I'm describing and the challenges in our lives are crucial to personal growth as Life Coach Ruthy Baker tells us:

When life feels heavy, it's tempting to wish for a magic wand to make it all go away. But think about this: what if the pain your experiencing is actually the path to your greatest transformation? Challenges crack us open, forcing us to confront the parts of ourselves we'd rather avoid. They teach us resilience, humility, and courage. They invite us to look within and ask the tough questions: “What am I meant to learn here?” “How can I grow from this?” Every storm you weather holds a lesson, and every challenge you face is a step on the path toward becoming the person you're meant to be.

The challenges force us to grow and it's the scattering that leads us into them, but that's not to say staying put and raising a family isn't challenging. Indeed, some of the greatest challenges in life come from raising children because there is so much at stake and on top of that it's a 24/7 job.

My task, however, is to interpret the scriptures and the scriptures speak of the need for scattering. The scattering assures that unity won't be attempted through sameness but is achieved in covenant with God. Outside of the covenant we can only wander through this existence with no real hope of self-actualization in being “born again” or “being changed into his likeness” as the Apostle says. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Right now, for the most part, humanity is wandering about outside of the covenant and there's no sense in placing blame on anyone. Our mission is to know the scriptures and live them out as best we can, and to seek with all our hearts to be changed into his likeness. Salvation for the faithful translates in time, and with God's grace, into Salvation for humanity.

Rev. Mitch Becker

June 8, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“It Takes a Village”

Acts 16:9-15

For some unexplained reason our text begins at verse nine rather than verse six which is unfortunate because an earlier beginning shows the difficulty Paul and his entourage are having finding what direction to go. Following are these missing verses:

They went to Phrygia, (Free-key-ah) and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia (Miss-see-ah) and tried to go north to Bithynia, (Bith-theen-ya) but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport of Troas (Trow-ahs).

These verses are important in that they show how the Spirit of God is in charge of their mission! Without God's guidance they're just bumbling around running into one roadblock after another. I expect we can all identify with their loss of direction wandering about desiring a clear indication of which way to go.

Finally, Paul gets a vision via a dream and now the way is made clear for them to leave Asia and cross the sea to Europe or more specifically Greece (Macedonia is northern Greece). When they cross over they go directly to Philippi which is a Roman colony. In the following Philippi (Phil-lip-pee) is described in a commentary written by Brain Peterson:

This is where the Empire was powerful and popular. This was the heart of the Empire's project in this corner of the world, a place that lived like an extended section of Rome itself, intended to be an example of what Rome offers the world.

Maybe Paul chooses to go directly to Phillipi because that's where the gospel is needed most which also creates a sense of purpose as opposed to the wandering they were doing at the start. The church at Phillipi becomes the source of one of the most favored letters in the New Testament, and it would have been a challenge to the imperial power that surrounded it. They offered a different way of life which is something the church of today is still called to do.

They made a beeline to Phillipi but as the text says, “We remained in this city for some days.” “Some days” is pretty vague but it suggests not much happened for a while. In the big picture the progression is that the vision suggests an urgency, and the response is without delay, but the results are slow in coming. Once again, this shows it is God that's in charge of the mission.

Though the vision is of a Macedonian man it is a woman who first welcomes them. Her name is Lydia and her faith is activated by the Holy Spirit and she opens her home to the Jesus followers. Our text ends on this note of hospitality.

Looking at the text as a whole one thing that it shows is the way ministry depends upon relationships. There is a tendency to focus upon Paul describing his achievements and theology but it takes a village to do ministry. Throughout the text there are references to “they” and “we” and I used the word “entourage” to describe the group Paul is traveling with. At the prayer place by the river they encounter women of whom one is Lydia. Lydia is baptized along with her entire household and in ancient times “household” meant all the residents including the slaves.

Ministry happens within the framework created by all of these relationships and so it is with ministry here at First Christian Church. The transformation of the outside of the church is happening within the framework created by each of us. Roger N. bought large planters for flowers and put wrought iron hanging planters under several windows.

David, Linda and her helper showed up one day to put flowers in the large planters, and Linda was here last week to fill the planters under the windows. Judy bought a new hose and manages the perennial flower bed. I water on occasion and I could go on, but the point is the transformation and subsequent management takes a village to accomplish. Because it all happens within the context of the church it all amounts to ministry.

I've named a few names but all of us in one way or another contribute to the overall ministry of our church. The Apostle Paul acknowledged this when he said:

God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6; The Message Bible)

Paul points out that though we're all contributing in one way or another God is behind it all and everyone benefits. I really can't express the importance of this holistic vision enough because it is a vision of love that makes us one body in Christ. We're not the Kiwanis Club nor the Shriners as important as those fraternal organizations are...we're the body of Christ and one in the Spirit.

We can understand what's happening in our church by drawing an analogy with what happens inside an atom bomb. The average person can understand through a brief survey on Google how an atom bomb works. On the surface an atomic explosion happens within an atom bomb by shooting a smaller piece of uranium into a larger piece. When the two collide at high speed an atomic explosion occurs.

But a physicist looks at what's happening from a sub-atomic perspective. What he or she sees are two uranium atoms colliding releasing neutrons that are absorbed by four other uranium atoms and those in turn release neutrons absorbed by sixteen other uranium atoms. This release and absorption continues until all the trillions and trillions of atoms have absorbed and subsequently released neutrons. The process is called nuclear fission and each time the neutrons are released so is energy which results in a very big bang!

In the same way, a church can be understood on the surface as people interacting with each other releasing energy to manifest goodness and grace. The blossoming occurring on the outside of our church can be understood as the interaction of church members in the beautification of the building. But the Apostle wants us to go a step beyond and look deeper like the physicist does to the presence of the Spirit which is why he says:... “but God himself is behind it all.”

When we're serious about our faith we define our church and the world in spiritual terms. That means to intentionally transcend the world and human relationships to see the Spirit of God behind it all. This type of vision comes after many years of prayer, study, worship and Christian fellowship. We're not born with spiritual vision. Such vision requires years of training.

If you don't undergo the training, then you easily fall prey to the culture's spiritual immaturity. Again, from the Apostle Paul:

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity. God brings out the best in you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:2; The Message Bible)

That change from the inside out happens gradually over many years, and once you understand how important it is to grow spiritually such a lifestyle is the only sane option available.

Our text began with a vision Paul receives giving them clarity as to what direction to take their ministry. The discernment of God's will is always of central concern to the spiritually minded person because we know from experience that following our own will is dead-end.

Coming to church the morning I wrote this sermon I witnessed a young man undergoing a sobriety test given by a state patrol officer. It was happening in front of Dupuis (Due-pree) restaurant and the young man was standing looking up to the sky while the officer was counting seconds on his wristwatch.

The vision stayed with me all day as it brought back memories of similar encounters I had as a young man. They have you stand looking up to the sky to see if you can maintain your balance, and if you're sufficiently intoxicated its nearly impossible to remain standing straight.

At the time I didn't think of it but later in the day I prayed for the young man. I asked God if his encounter with the state patrol might be a new beginning to his life. It was for me after the deputy sheriff took me to the county jail. The discernment of God's will often come to us in the midst of trying situations of varying types.

It can be a night in the county jail with other criminals or a serious surgical procedure or the loss of someone we love. It can be any of these things and more, but as Father Rohr recently reminded us what makes the spiritually mature person indestructible is you come to know what might destroy you transforms you. To know this deep in your heart is to make you a candidate for sainthood.

Whenever we decide to follow a path that results in goodness and grace we're following God's will for us. The proof is in the pudding. Since our church is blossoming we must be on the path God wills for us. The challenge is to stay on it and if we'll stay in prayer, study, worship and maintain the unity of fellowship we should be, God helping us, alright.

Rev. Mitch Becker

May 25, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Seeing is Believing”

Revelation 21:1-6

The book of Revelation is all about “seeing.” The Revelation is a vision seen by a prophet named John who has been exiled to the island of Patmos. He's writing to seven separate churches conveying what he has seen through symbols, analogies and metaphors because that's the only way there is to talk about the spiritual realm. Jesus does the same thing.

This is why it's important to not try to understand what is being conveyed in literal terms. What is required is extensive use of the imagination, and if you're not an imaginative person The Revelation isn't going to do much for you except possibly scare the daylights out of you. Remember, whenever you hear this book being taught or preached – God loves you!

Our text begins with a description of a utopic setting with typical apocalyptic elements including the first creation being destroyed and replaced by a new earth and heaven. Also, God's re-creative power is emphasized and mentioning the absence of the sea is important. In the ancient Hebrew world, the sea represented chaos that's actually in opposition to the Creator.

The seas absence indicates that Christ's followers have truly entered into a new reality that has been brought forth by God. The new reality cannot be comprehended on the surface but one must look beyond what meets the eye to grasp what God has done. The New Jerusalem is presented in the same manner and represents the early Christian church.

This is where it gets a bit complicated because we can't consider the New Jerusalem to be representative of the church as an institution. It is a symbol of the church restored and in it's ideal state. It is like a target that we can keep our eyes upon as we try to reach this redeemed state of being. Remember, the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven.

When we consider the present day world it soon becomes obvious that creation has not been fully redeemed, therefore God is asking of us to envision a restored world. To look beyond the obvious to what God can do and in so doing participate in the creation of a new heaven and earth. Christ will guide us in our endeavors and the Holy Spirit will empower us if we're willing to take part in this adventure. To the extend we take part is probably a measure of the faith we've received.

When Karen and I were in Ohio we used to vacation at a place called Old Man's Cave which is Southeast of Columbus. The main trail you hike follows a creek through sandstone gorges that have been carved out by water and ice. It's a unique environment populated with mostly deciduous trees like hemlock and maple and a few pine trees.

We walked this trail every visit we made, but one particular walk was very special. As we came near to the end of the mile and a half walk we suddenly heard the sound of frogs croaking. But it wasn't being made by 10 or 20 or 30 frogs it was the sound of hundreds of frogs. They seemed to be all croaking and moving about in the bog.

It created an other-worldly feeling like we'd entered into an alternative reality and this kind of thing happens on occasion when you venture out into the creation. The first look at the Grand Canyon produces the same effect or even taking in the night sky there with what seems like a million stars. Coming up over the rim of Crater Lake for the first time can transport you into a mystical experience.

When you listen to The Revelation being preached or taught what is of immense importance is you don't try to grasp it on a literal level. That's not what God is trying to accomplish with the new heaven and earth. If you try to bring The Revelation down-to-earth, so to speak, you end up in one of two ways. Either you get stuck unable to move forward or you just get really weird.

We've all seen the weirdness that comes out of religious cults like the Branch Davidians led by David Koresh. They were obsessed with The Revelation and what happens is you can obsess for awhile but eventually the distance between actual reality and what you're believing in becomes so great that you can no longer function effectively in this world.

For the Branch Davidians there obsession was especially detrimental because it not only led them to detach from the everyday world, but they also saw The Revelation as prophecy for the future that led to violent warfare. In the beginning such theology brings a sense of meaning and creates community, but that kind of obsessive negativity gradually erodes any sense of well-being.

People do not live by bread alone. We also need hope, and one definition of hope is when we look to the future and see positive outcomes. The Branch Davidians believed they would be taken to heaven in a final battle as described in The Revelation, and this would come about through martyrdom. They believed a possible violent death would accommodate their transport to heaven. Looking at the future in that manner does have an eventual positive outcome, but the route you take may cancel-out any hope-filled message about heaven.

A much better approach to The Revelation is to see it as God trying to create a world of faith, hope and love as opposed to the fear-based, hate mongering world we live in. That's a tall order, but how else can one explain the new heaven and earth God is describing in our text. If it's not a literal place than it must be a different way of seeing things. It must be an imaginative exercise in faith.

Jesus does the same thing with his central concept of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not a place one arrives at, rather it's a different way of looking at the world. It's all about seeing things from the perspective of the soul, as opposed to the typical way of seeing things through the perspective of the ego. Another way of saying it is when you see the kingdom of God, you're seeing what God sees.

Eugene Peterson gives us yet one more perspective in his interpretation of the sixth beatitude: “You're blessed when you get your inside world – your mind and heart – put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” (Matthew 5:7; The Message Bible)

It's all about seeing correctly and the bad news that accompanies the good news is that we arrive at this God perspective by passing through this fear-based, hate mongering world we exist in. The fear and hate challenges good people like you and me bringing out the best in us or the God-self within us. Fear and hatred play an important role in providing an impetus to move ahead into the kingdom of God, or in terms of our text today the new heaven and earth.

Richard Rohr is not the predominate theologian in the world today for nothing and in the following excerpt he shows us why:

The miracle of it all – if we are to speak of miracles – is that God has found the most ingenious way to transform the human soul. God uses the very thing that would normally destroy us – the tragic, the sorrowful, the painful, the unjust deaths that lead us all to the bottom of our lives – to transform us. There it is, in one sentence. Are we prepared to trust that?

Jesus' death and resurrection is a statement of how reality works all the time and everywhere. He teaches us that there's a different way to live with our pain, our sadness, and our suffering. We can say, “Woe is me,” and feel sorry for ourselves, or we can say, “God is even in this.”

None of us crosses over this gap from death to new life by our own effort, our own merit, our own purity, or our own perfection. Each of us – from pope to president, from princess to peasant – is carried across by unearned grace.

Worthiness is never the ticket, only deep desire. With that desire the tomb is always, finally empty, as Mary Magdalene discovered on Easter morning. Death cannot win. We're finally indestructible when we recognize that the thing which could destroy us is the very thing that could enlighten us.

I don't know exactly when in my life I began to realize that what Jesus is doing on the cross was modeling a way of life for me. When I first became a Christian after induction into a Pentecostal cult called Faith Chapel in Albany, Oregon it was clear that Jesus died for my sins. We kind of like the sound of that because it takes away the messiness of having to die ourselves.

At some point we have to learn how to die if any real spiritual growth is going to occur. That crucial piece of self-dying theology, that Father Rohr so aptly explained, is not communicated in a cult. I know because I've been there and my journey with the cult ended after an emotional melt down happened trying to believe things that made no sense.

Looking back in retrospect I can credit the cult with two important things: The first being they reached out to me in an evangelistic effort, and I responded to it. They also planted a seed of faith deep within me that later blossomed as a healthy spiritually. A cult can be a starting place for many, but you need to graduate at some point. By the grace of God that happened for me or as Father Rohr put it were, “...carried across by unearned grace.”

Rev. Mitch Becker

May 18, 2025

Port Angeles