Buckling Up for a Bumpy Ride

 

³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you: Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.  Matthew 5:33-37

 

So, this is the point we when ask ourselves, “How much longer is this sermon?!”  Or, “Why are we doing this again?  Because I am sure there are a thousand videos on YouTube just waiting for you to click and watch an adorable dog do something that warms the cockles of your heart.  And yet, Jesus is asking us to dive deep into what we are saying, “Yes” to right now?  Or what are we saying, “No” to right now?  Or where is our silence or grudging, grumbling participation a quieter agreement with the status quo?  We make countless choices each day.  We give our life to work, volunteering, conversations, showing up places, moments of relaxation and countless clicks on the internet that is designed to keep you clicking and your eyeballs glued to the screen.  We give our lives to what we pray will make a difference but wonder if we are even moving the needle on the moral arc of the universe.  We all make oaths, which is to say promises, to ourselves, others and God.

 

Wait, pause with me on this point.

 

What is a promise you made to yourself?  Maybe in the form of a New Years Resolution.  Or maybe when you woke up hung over from too much wine the night before.  Or maybe when you got that credit card statement.  Or if you are like me, when you said “Yes” to a meeting before thinking about your calendar, even while your soul was crying out, “NOOOOO!” quietly inside.  What promises did you make to a friend about getting together for lunch or to your spouse on your wedding day or to your children at their baptism?  What promises do we make to our church, fellow featherless bipeds who sing with us every Sunday (this can be financial or to participate in a group or to show up someone or to volunteer for a team)?  What promises do we make to our city, community, and our country?

 

Time, attention, and allegiance are a powerful currency in our culture.  Where are you placing and pouring and storing yours?

 

What does an oath to God feel like, sound like?  Deep in my heart, I trust in a God of liberation, but too often my oaths enslave me to people pleasing and over-functioning.  Deep in my heart, I trust in a God who rests, but too often my calendar is too crowded for God and me to lounge together.  Deep in my heart, I trust in a God of grace given unconditionally, but too often I get caught in trying to measure my life by bottom lines of budgets and attendance on Sunday.  Where and when are you saying, “Yes” and “No” or “I don’t know, I’ll just go with the flow.”  Hold all this today as you are held by God’s love that will never let you go. Amen.