Luke 17:11-19
The fact that I am standing here today is an example of God’s faith in me, and some constant internal understanding that I continue to grow my faith in God. The road to standing here has been a long one. Trying to find my “purpose” if you will, through other professions and vocations I thought I was supposed to be doing. All the while, in the back of my mind and in the depths of my heart, God knew where I was supposed to be. I suppose on some level I knew that too, but it seemed like an impossible dream.
The lepers in our story for today had an impossible dream as well. In their culture, the Israelites didn’t operate on the germ theory of disease, but they understood something about infectious diseases, and those suspected of leprosy were kept isolated until their disease could be confirmed. They were outcast and labeled unclean. For a Jew to touch a leper, she or he was defiled as much as touching a dead person. In their world view, leprosy was a sign of God’s disfavor. To the rabbis, the cure of a leper was as difficult as raising a person from the dead. In all the history written in the Bible, only two people had been cured of leprosy—Miriam, who had leprosy for seven days as a punishment for speaking against Moses’ leadership (Num 12:9-15), and Naaman, a general of the army of Aram, a heathen from Damascus (2 Kings 5). When Naaman obeyed Elijah’s instruction to wash seven times in the Jordan River, he was healed. The important point about all this is that healing a leper had not been done in Israel for 700 years prior to this parable, and was supposed to indicate the beginning of the Messianic Age (Luke 7:22), that is, when the blind will see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor.
With that as our background, now begins our sermon…..
It was a lonely life living on the edge of the village, dependent upon others for food and clothing, and the colony was fortunate enough to have a barn as shelter from the sun and sand storms. It was even more hurtful being labeled unclean and untouchable when Avisha (Means a gift from God) had no idea why the leprosy had become a part of his being. Feeling pitiful and in need of healing both physically and spiritually, Avisha heard his peers begin to shout, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” And Avisha joined his lot and began shouting with them, “”Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” Asking for pity was a daily request; in reality, they were asking for compassion and mercy and anything Jesus could bestow upon them. [As our reading tells us, Jesus gives them more than they ask for.] I wonder when I hear this story, when asking for help, do you have to have even a little amount of faith that your request will be answered?
In response to their pleas, Jesus gives them a direction, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”
Avisha knew the priests according to Jewish law, could declare a person healed of leprosy and fit to re-enter society.
The lepers had gone before to see them and healing hadn’t happened. He didn’t understand why.
This time, however, responding to Jesus, whose fame preceded him, seemed different. There seemed to be a certainty and a power in his voice that was confident it would be a positive outcome.
Luke writes, “As they went, they were made clean.”
It was by doing as Jesus directed, the lepers were healed.
They hadn’t reached the priests yet, and they were healed!
The rabbis hadn’t placed their hands upon them yet, and they were healed!
As they followed directions from Jesus, they were healed!
If they had disbelieved Jesus and laughed at his leadership, they would not have been cured.
They had FAITH and received their healing as a result. Their faith was demonstrated by their actions.
Avisha can’t believe his eyes, his arms are beginning to become softer, his peers’ faces are losing their spots, and they all begin to realize they ARE HEALED! Jumping for joy and running toward the village and the priests, the former lepers keep running…except for Avisha. He falls to his knees and begins weeping.
He weeps because of the realization of a dream, actually the realization of many dreams…
1. that he is healed of his physical condition
2. that he is loved and accepted by Jesus just the way he is; even though he is an
outsider, a Samaritan
3. that his spirit is also healed by God
As he is able, Avisha stands and returns to Jesus. He bows at his feet
and praises God and thanks Jesus for the cure. While he can’t explain to Jesus why the other 9 have not returned to express gratitude, he does understand that his faith has also healed his soul, which is MUCH MUCH more than skin deep.
Troy Perry’s faith, prompted him to begin a new church. 42 years ago this week, yes, for most of us during our lifetimes, Troy Perry had a dream. He however, refused to believe it was impossible. His dream was for a church that would accept all people like him. He had a dream that gay and lesbians, and even gay penecostals , which he was, would be accepted into a worshiping place just as they are, even though others may see them as outsiders.
The first worship service of what would become MCC-Los Angeles, known as the mother church, was held in Troy’s living room and the congregation consisted of one person of color, one Jew and one heterosexual couple. Even on the day of its birth, MCC welcomed everyone! The church has grown so much in so little time. In the grand scheme of things, MCC is less than one tenth the age of the major denominations, and has churches all over the world. In 1996 Troy said what has been the foundation of our denomination and one of my favorite quotes, “Jesus died for our sins, not our sexuality.” That has been the basis for the inclusivity of MCC from the beginning; the integration of our spirituality and sexuality.
The lack of dogma, being told WHAT to believe, has been crucial to the success of MCC as well. It is a Christian church, however an individual’s belief in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, does not have to fit a prescribed teaching, all views are welcome. [Seems to me it would be arrogant to think we understand who God is, what God wants us to believe, and how to worship the creator of it all!] You don’t have to belong to the MCC church or any church to receive the gifts of the table that are ours in communion. Jesus welcomed all to the table and so do we.
What is important at MCC is that while we may have different beliefs, our values are congruent.
What is important at MCC is that our faith supports building up hope and tearing down walls.
What is important is that we tear down all walls of oppression and hate.
MCC was called the “Church with AIDS” in the 1980s. We lost many young men to the disease, many young clergy as well, and those clergy who were not affected or infected, were performing sometimes a dozen funerals in a week. ..Funerals of church members, funerals of friends, and funerals of family. During that time, MCC served as an example of inclusiveness, gentleness, love and holiness.
Now in 2010, MCC continues to be loving and holy. [That’s why we’re here, amen?] A fellow MCC clergy candidate tells the story of a young man with AIDS who died in his city. While this young man was raised in the Roman Catholic denomination, grew up in the church with his family; that church would not bury him.
His frantic parents came to MCC for the final blessing and memorial service for their son. They were not members, and MCC did not ask what they believed. MCC lived its faith of inclusiveness, love, and compassion, demonstrated and taught to us by Jesus Christ and provided what the family needed. MCC was building up hope for these parents, tearing down walls of injustice in the church.
This young man is essentially like the leper. Not welcomed in the city or the faith community; however, joyfully welcomed by Jesus, graciously welcomed by MCC.
MCC faithfully lives out the values of Jesus, recognizing that just as the leper did not choose his disease, we do not choose our race, gender or sexual preference.
MCC demonstrates its faith by loving those who are outcast from other denominations and believing communities; healing the souls damaged by those who say unless you believe or act this way, you cannot attend church here. OR you can come here, but you can’t be clergy, you can’t be married, you can’t hold your partner’s hand here.
MCC expresses its faith by accepting each of us, just the way we are whether we are rich or poor, male, female, transgendered, questioning, or allies, We are accepted whether we are whole or hurting.
I don’t know about you, but for years I faithfully asked God for a place to worship on Sunday morning…A place where I was accepted for who I was because I did not make the choice about the gender of the person I love. I asked for a place to lift me up as the child of God that I knew I was. I asked for a place where my soul could be still and my spirit could be healed by God. Faithfully God answered (though it took God a few decades)…MCC the social justice church…building up hope, tearing down walls, and restoring faith.
I pray the all those feeling deserted, depressed, and in despair, walk through our doors rather than committing suicide.
I pray we may be the example and disciples of Jesus’ love reaching out into a world to counter hate and discrimination of every kind.
I pray all of us are led to create a life that matters to at least one other on the margins.
Most of all, I pray that all those who feel like lepers will walk through our doors and be healed! May it be so.
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