Year C Proper 15 2019 The Eyes of Faith

Year C Proper 15, 18 August 2019
St. James the Less Episcopal, Ashland, VA
“The Eyes of Faith”

Collect: Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Hebrews 11:29-12:2
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Luke 12:49-56
Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:
     father against son
          and son against father,
     mother against daughter
          and daughter against mother,
     mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
          and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"

“It is always darkest before the dawn.” Or so it is said. THEY say it, whoever THEY are. And I have spent enough nights in the woods to know it to be the truth. I know when the darkness is at its peak that a warm glow is about to break the horizon. I know it so well that I do not have to question it. Experience has taught me. Reason has taught me. It is simple and easy for me to have Faith in the dawn. I know it in my bones.

Jesus so wanted the Kingdom to Come. He desperately desired it. He says as much: “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!” But no one can teach someone to see what they cannot imagine. A story is told of the inhabitants on San Salvador island when Columbus landed. The Spiritual Leader for the tribe saw the ships coming in, and he pointed and shouted, but none of the people could see the ships because they had never seen a ship. They had never seen anything come in from across the water, especially out of the East. What was right in front of them was impossible for them to see. Jesus says the same of those who cannot see that the Kingdom of God is at hand, right before their eyes. Let those who have eyes, let them see!

He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”

We must look with the eyes of faith to see. It is like the Emperor’s New Clothes to those that do not understand, some mass delusion. What one can see is impossible for others. They do not have the eyes of faith to see what is so plain for those that do.

Therein lies the division. I would argue that much of the division in our lives right now comes from this, seeing from such vastly different perspectives that we cannot shift and view from our opponents’ vantage points. That is why Jesus promised:

Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:
      father against son
          and son against father,
     mother against daughter
          and daughter against mother,
     mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
          and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

For those who have received the Gift of Faith, we cannot “un-see.” Like some of those eye-trick games, once you see it, you have trained your brain to go there. Once seen, it is nigh impossible to shift back and look from the vantage point of ignorance.

(This is Jesus, if you can see it. Read between the lines.)

The Gospel is divisive. It argues that God loves us, and does not want us squished like bugs. The Gospel is divisive. The Gospel argues that there is a God of Grace at the center of things who is working out our salvation since before we were even born. The Gospel is divisive. The Gospel argues that God is a God of Abundance and has all that is needed, all that ever could be needed for today, for tomorrow, for always. The Gospel is divisive. For many these promises are poppycock, drivel, or lies. And that is where Faith comes in.

As Hebrews shares, apart from today’s reading: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (11:1) And there is the rub. The Conviction. Those who can see with the eyes of faith are convicted that the things unseen are real and true. Those who do not, cannot see the things not there.

When Jesus healed the man lowered through the roof while he was teaching, we often just remember the healing of him so that he could “take up his mat and walk.” But so easily we forget how the story starts. Jesus first forgives the man of his sins. Those religious leaders who are standing there whisper amongst themselves, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus fires back, “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven?’ or ‘Take up your mat and walk?’ So that you will know that I have the authority to forgive sins, I say to the man ‘Take up your mat and walk!’” (Luke 5:17-25) But I love that next verse that comes: “Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’”

And that is where faith comes from, seeing the strange and making the leap. It is not much for me to take the leap when I am waiting for the dawn and it comes. There is nothing strange about something that has happened every single day of my life.

But there is something strange to know DEEP DOWN that everything will be okay when all evidence points that it will not. That is the where the wonderful passage from Hebrews comes in. The person of faith who spoke or penned Hebrews recites a list of people who saw the strange, and made the leap of faith.

And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith...

Wow! Now some of these are biblical, and some of these have been lost to the centuries. Sometimes that leap of faith enabled them to do or receive miracles. Sometimes their faith came to naught FOR THEM. But their faith has not been lost! We are here because of them. Our faith, yours, mine, OURS is here because they could see the strange occurrences of their day, and believe in something that was not yet to be.

You see, we are in a lineage of faith, a line of belief that stretches back to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, and on and on and on, throughout the centuries, the upheavals, the tosses and turns that life takes.

Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.
You see, we are the dream they had of what faith could be. Do not let that word perfect throw you. We have spoke on it before. The word there is ‘to be done, to be complete, to have gone the distance.' Perfection is beyond most of our comprehensions. But almost all of us know the satisfaction of finishing a puzzle, getting a diploma, accomplishing a task and saying, “Ahh. It is finished.” We are the fulfillment of the hopes and dreams they may have had. And the generations to come will be the fulfillment and completion of the dreams we share with God of what this earth could be like as we get closer and closer to that Omega Point where the final fulfillment, the final completion, the final consummation is done. On earth as it is in heaven we continue to pray. And we continue to help realize in our lives and work.

So Hebrews continues:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses... let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith...

And that is what guides our steps. We put aside those things which take us off the path set out for us. The sin. The bickering. The distractions. We move forward in the knowledge that something greater is on the horizon. It is the wisdom of growing trees under which we will never sit, digging holes for pools in which we will never swim. We do it for the greater good, not for our pleasure or reward. We do it for the Kingdom of God.

I got a t-shirt at the beginning of the summer. I like it. It was on sale. But I have received compliments on it most every time I have worn it. Strangers, friends, even family members have all taken the time to stop and compliment my T-shirt. It has a circular design on the front and shows a storm-tossed ship surrounded by these words. “Life is not perfect. Life is not easy. Life is good.” And that is my touchstone these days, as I live this life, because I can see through the eyes of faith.
Life is not perfect. Life is not easy. Life is good.

With the eyes of faith I can see beyond the divisive and troubled days we find ourselves in. I can see the strangeness of “this present darkness,”(Ephesians 6:12) and know that this is not normal and that it is always darkest before the dawn. I know that there is a God of Abundance and Grace at the heart of all things and is drawing all things to God’s perfection. God’s wholeness. God’s Vision for each of us, the world, the Universe. I can say that because I can see it here [point to heart], whether I will be here to see it with my eyes or not.

The people who compliment me on my t-shirt, I believe deep down, they are seeing with faith the truth of something so simple. They are witnesses with me that though our boats be tossed today, there is a calm, there is a peace, there is a dawn. When the storm is raging, I can still see the calm come mornng.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Amen.