I Will Sing: on Singing Advent and Christmas Carols

I Will Sing
A Meditation on Resistance


Early in my ministry, when I was much smarter, I was fortunate to enter the lives of 4 year old Johnny and his parents, Cindy and Bill.  Johnny was diagnosed with a inoperable brain tumor.  For nearly a year I visited with Cindy and Bill and got to know them as parents, parishioners, and ultimately for me, teachers.  They taught me an important lesson about life and saying “no” to the powers of death. 

The call came in the evening.  Johnny died.  I went to the house and Johnny was lying lifeless on the sofa. The physician came to officially pronounce Johnny dead.  It was the same doctor who just a week earlier delivered my own child.  He gently took Johnny’s hand, and then entered a few words in a notebook.  He gave a hug to Cindy and Bill and then walked with me to the door.  “Brent, we have experienced the beginning and end.” 

The next day I went to see Cindy and Bill to plan the service for Johnny.  I had thought about this day for some time and had some ideas about the appropriate texts and how a service might proceed for a young life shortened by illness.  We discussed music for the service, and I, wishing to spare Cindy and Bill the difficulty of picking hymns and having the congregation stand quietly in grief, unable to sing, suggested a soloist.  It was at that moment that Cindy stopped me and said, “No.  We want to stand and sing.” 

I was inwardly shaken by those words.  They had experienced the death of their child.  To this day, I cannot imagine the pain they must have felt.  They wanted to sing.  They weren’t choir members, and I had no reason to believe they were a particularly musical family, but I believe that Cindy, in her wisdom, knew about the power of singing and wanted to claim that power in the moment of sorrow and pain. 

Standing and singing was an act of resistance.  It was saying “No” to the powers of death.  It was affirming the resurrection that the end is not death but life.  We sang. 
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth is ruling still—
His kingdom is forever! (1)

From that moment on, the act of singing forever changed in my life.  Singing was an act of resistance.  It was saying “No!” not only to the powers of death but to all the principalities and powers that hurt and destroy.  It was saying “No!” to the masters of war and their heated rhetoric of hate and division.  It was saying”No!” to illness, to pain, and to sorrow.  It was saying “No!” to injustice, to racism, and to idolatrous nationalism.  But more, it said “Yes!” to life itself, to goodness, to beauty, to the miracle of language, to the gift of hearing, to the ordering of tones and rhythms that echo and affirm the divine intention, to the divine order, the divine justice; indeed the love of God. 

During this Advent and Christmas season, I will sing.  I will sing as an act of resistance. 

In a world, indeed a nation, where we close our doors to refugees, aliens, and those who are different, I will sing.  I will sing the words “O come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel” (2) knowing that we are held captive to our own bigotry and hate. 

I will sing “Bid envy, strife, and discord cease; fill the whole world with heaven’s peace…” in a world where we worship discord and stir the pots of envy and strife; where grievance is transformed into hate.  

I will sing “He rules the world with truth and grace…” in a world where gas lighting from the highest echelons of political power has obscured and devalued truth.  I will sing about the grace of God, revealed to us in the child.  Grace that is the opposite of deals and transactions, no matter how artful; grace that affirms the love of God and the “glories of his righteousness.” 

I will sing the words of the prophet, “Comfort, comfort you my people, Tell of peace, thus says our God; Comfort those who sit in darkness, Bowed beneath oppression’s load.” (3) Those words of comfort are words of defiance to those who rob the comfort and dignity from women, children and men; those who see the wreckage of humanity in terms of collateral damage. 

I will sing the vision of the prophet, the vision of Shalom:
O day of peace that dimly shines
Through all our hopes and prayers and dreams,
Guide us to justice, truth and love,
Delivered from our selfish schemes.
May swords of hate fall from our hands,
Our hearts from envy find release,
Till by God’s grace our warring world
Shall see Christ’s promised reign of peace. (4)

The Advent and Christmas season are filled with music and song.  It seems like every musical artist has produced at least one Christmas album.  The stores, the airwaves, and our homes are filled with the music of this season.  But at the core of the nostalgic tunes is a radical message of defiance and resistance.  Singing, I believe is an act of resistance.  It is claiming that which makes us most human in the face of our inhumanity.  Singing is a bodily act, requiring us to breath, to speak, to intone, to echo the rhythms of God’s creation. 

There is a defiant longing in our Christmas carols.  Often our Christmas Eve services end with candlelight and singing “Silent Night”.  The song echoes the declaration of the psalmist, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (5)   It proclaims that message to politicians and preachers, to pundits and paupers, to all the Heroes and haters, to those who would sacrifice our children to their own fears.  “Be still!”  We might translate that to the vernacular of our day, “Shut up and allow yourself to experience a sense of awe!”  Sleep in heavenly peace.

This Advent and Christmas season, I will sing the songs of defiance and resistance that proclaim the rule and peace of God.  

A Post-Pandemic Postscript:
Two years after writing this, we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic that is spread via droplets from our breath.  Singing amplifies this phenomenon and in most situations it is prohibited.  I support this as a public health measure that will save lives.  I also stand behind what I wrote two years ago.  Though we may not be able to sing with the blended voices of others, we can still sing.  

The songs that emanate from the soul are prayers and Jesus encouraged us to pray in private.  I find myself singing alone in the quiet of my study.  I still sing and will continue to sing, believing that my lone voice is joined by a celestial choir of voices through the ages.  

I am weary of this plague and what it has visited upon us, but not too weary to silence my voice.  I will still sing.  

Notes
1- from A Mighty Fortress is our Lord:  Martin Luther
2- from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: 12th Century, translated by John Mason Neale
3-  from Comfort, Comfort You My People:  Johannes Olearius 
4- from O Day of Peace: Carl P. Daw, Jr. 
5- Psalm 46

Palm Sunday Sermon: Hickory Street Presbyterian Church, April 14, 2019

All the Deeds of Power

A Palm Sunday sermon by Brent J. Eelman

Luke 19:28-40

After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.  When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, "Why are you untying it?' just say this, "The Lord needs it.' "So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them.  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They said, "The Lord needs it." Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.  As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.  As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."    

Forbes Magazine annually prints its listing of the most powerful people alive today.  Ten years ago, it began the article by stating: “Power has been called many things. The ultimate aphrodisiac. An absolute corrupter. A mistress. A musical instrument. But its true nature remains elusive.”  It then went on to list four attributes of those individuals who wield power in our world.  1. They have influence over a large group of people.  2. They control large financial resources.  3. They are powerful in multiple spheres.  And 4.  They exercise the power that they have. 

Do those four categories reflect your understanding of power? 

Who would you put on your list? 

One of the primary themes of Palm Sunday is power.  When Jesus approached the gate of Jerusalem he was greeted by followers. Luke wrote: the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen. There are a number of references in the Gospels that associate Jesus with power, but Palm Sunday contrasts Christ’s power with all other power.  Today, on this Palm Sunday when we remember and celebrate Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem, we need to examine the concept of power.  First in the context of the original Palm Sunday.  Second, The gospel’s radical redefinition of power.  And Third, Power today, in our world and in our lives. 

I

Let’s consider the first Palm Sunday.  There was a great deal of power concentrated in the city of Jerusalem.  There was the power of the Roman occupation troops.  Rome had the most powerful army in the world.  They were fierce, brutal and efficient.  Their presence and the fear they engendered amongst the populace assured that order would be kept… If not, there would be deadly consequences.  What was the source of their power?  Was it not their ability to inflict harm and ultimately death?   What symbolized this power?  The sword and the spear. 

But the military was not the only power in the city.  Pontius Pilate was also present.  What was the source of his power?  First he had control over the army.  But his power went beyond the sword.  He had administrative power.  He was able to control the area he governed through administrative skills, Roman wealth, and of course his army.  He also had the ability to levy taxes and thus was able to insure that money and resources would be funneled to Rome.  What symbolized Pilate’s power?  The coin, the chariot, and the stallion.   All are symbols of conquering political power. 

Finally, there was the Sanhedrin, the Jewish governing council.  Rome, for all its brutality, was reasonably enlightened about local rule throughout its empire.  Rome was primarily interested in exploiting the resources of its colonies.  Consequently it allowed a measure of local rule, if the local rulers cooperated fully with Rome.  They permitted a king: Herod.  There was a court or assembly that directed the daily lives of the people, the Sanhedrin.  The group that controlled this assembly was the Sadducees.  The source of their power was their ability to cut deals and survive in an occupied country.  Their hold on power was tenuous and they knew it.  One wrong move and they would be gone.  Ironically for all their power, they were frightened people; constantly guarding their position and authority; undercutting any person or group who was a threat.  The symbol of their power was the Temple and the organized religion of the day. 

Jesus entered the city just prior to Passover, the big season with lots of tourists!  Jewish pilgrims were coming from all over the ancient world to offer sacrifices in the temple.  Tens of thousands of animals would be bought and slaughtered during this bloody ritual.  Money could be made selling the animals, but also exchanging foreign currency so that visitor could make purchases.  These money changers were set up in the Temple Court – all for the convenience of the Passover pilgrims… but all to benefit the power and authority of the Sanhedrin.

If Forbes Magazine had a “Jerusalem Issue” when Jesus entered the city, its list of the powerful would be headed by Pilate, the military, and the chief priests of the Sanhedrin.  Jesus was entering the center of power in the ancient Middle-East. 

II

How did Jesus redefine power?

We need to understand Jesus’ entry into the city as a satire on the power of the day.  It was political satire and theater at its best!   A number of contemporary comedians are using satire to make statements about our society and its politics.  Often satire is so sharp and pointed that people don’t realize that it is satire, and take it at face value. Likewise, many Christians fail to see the satire and the point that Jesus made with humor and drama. 

Jesus playfully poked at the pompous pageantry of power. Kings and conquerors would ride on Stallions and chariots.  They would parade in front of the throngs who cheered the conqueror, often motivated by fear.  They would be surrounded by armed soldiers in their best armor, shiny and lethal.  In direct contrast, Jesus entry into the city was on a colt… not even a full grown horse!  Another gospel has him riding a donkey… a silly looking, humble animal. 

His entrance was comparable to a dandelion float in the Tournement of Roses Parade!  He was exposing the conventions of power… and in his own way, speaking truth to that power!

Yet we have the statement about his followers praising God for all the acts of power that they had seen. 

·      What acts of power? 

·      What countries did Jesus conquer? 

·      Whom had he subdued?  

·      How much money and economic power did he have? 

Jesus’ triumphant entry was pure political theater and I am sure that it brought a smile and laugh to many who witnessed it. 

A penniless king, without an army, mounted on a donkey….

Was this a triumphal entry?  YES!

Jesus used satire to point out the absurdity of the conventional view of power. 

·      Power was not the ability to amass money and influence.  It was found in emptying oneself. 

·      Power was not found in pomp and circumstance, not in flags and armor. It was manifest in humility… the humility of a colt or donkey, a simple beast of burden.  

·      Power was not found in political processes and backroom deals. It was by its very nature sacred. 

·      Power was not manifest in the ability to inflict harm and death… NO, power was found in suffering and dying. 

This is the irony of that first Palm Sunday.  Jesus redefined power.

III

We need to talk about power, because it still enters our cities and our lives.  What is power and who are the powerful in our world?

A number of years ago, we were visiting our daughter, who worked in Washington, D.C. at the time.  While walking to her condo, the quiet of the evening was interrupted by sirens.  Suddenly there were police and lights, all around us.  The streets were literally blocked off by police cars and we were instructed not to cross into the street. 

“This can mean only one thing,” our daughter told us. 

Sure enough, the presidential motorcade drove by… There were three limo’s exactly the same, so that we would not know which one contained the president and his family.  There were a dozen other cars weaving back and forth with the limos, thus providing a difficult target for any would-be assailant.  We looked on as Forbes’ most powerful person in the world drove into our capitol city.  Power still enters our cities. 

A few weeks ago, many viewed the Academy Awards.  We saw the celebrities entering the theater in lavish dress as the red carpet was rolled out for them. Celebrity power is the ability to influence and change behavior by modifying culture.  Power still enters our cities and our living rooms. 

But in light of Palm Sunday, the pathos of the power of politics and the power of celebrity is revealed.

Jesus entry into Jerusalem exposed all power for what it is and for what it lacks.  Jesus invites us to participate in his power.   What is the power of Christ in our world?

1.     It is not the power to harm or hurt… it is the power to heal… to bind the wounds of humanity  rather than to inflict more. The deeds of power that the disciples witnessed were healings and miracles of hope.

In 1865, William Booth reflected on the great military power that England held in the world…. The sun never set on the British Empire, nor its army.  In the spirit of Christ, Booth created an army that would not subjugate, conquer and kill. This was an army that would heal, feed and give hope… a Salvation Army.  He understood the irony of Palm Sunday.

2.    Christ’s power is moral power.  This is not the power that comes from the blade of a sword or the barrel of a gun.. It comes from doing the right thing. 

3.    Christ’s power is the power of truth.  Pontius Pilate queried Jesus, “What is truth?”  The question was met with the stony silence of the Christ standing before him… the one who proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the light.”

4.    Christ’s power is not the ability to subjugate and exploit.  The power of Jesus is the power of service.  In Christ’s words: the one who wishes to be first of all, must be servant of all.  A service animal.. A donkey carried him… not a war-horse.

5.    Christ’s power does not grab more power and amass wealth.  It empties itself, giving and sacrificing for others.

6.    Christ’s power ultimately is the power of love. 

·      Love that heals and gives hope.

·      Love that binds the wounds of the world. 

·      Love that serves the world. 

·      Love that does not exploit or enslave but rather frees and supports.

·      Love that does the right thing, not because it is expedient, not because it is easy, not fearing the consequences, but because it is right and good.   

Christ’s power is the power of sacrifice. It is the power of the cross that he would face only five days later.

Power still enters our lives and is displayed before us.  We are confronted with the challenge of choice:

·      What kind of power will we employ? 

·      What type of power will we recognize as ultimate? 

·      What power do we worship?

  Palm Sunday exhibits the ultimate contrast between the way of Christ and the rest of the world. 

Which way will you travel? 

What power will we hallow in our lives, in our churches, in our cities, in our nation and in the world?   

·      The power of Pilate and Caesar? 

·      The power of Institutions, religious or otherwise? 

·      The power of armies and weapons? 

·      The power of wealth, celebrity and prestige?

Or the power of the Cross? 

The Preacher Goes Fishing - February 10, 2019

The Preacher Goes Fishing

A Sermon by Brent J. Eelman

preached at First Presbyterian Church, Clarks Summit

February 10, 2019

Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

There is a story about a congregation that called its first woman pastor.  She was the top graduate in her seminary class and had marvelous references, yet there was still some apprehension about having a woman as the pastor.  Nevertheless, she was an immediate hit with most of the congregation.  But there were a few older men in the Thursday Men’s Breakfast Bible Study that weren’t too sure.  One of them was a devoted fisherman who often took previous pastors fishing.  He decided to do the same and took the new pastor fishing.  They got in his boat and headed to the middle of the lake and there they sat, waiting for the fish to bite.  They waited, and waited, and waited… without much luck.  Finally, the pastor was tired of the wait, she excused herself, stood up, walked on the water back to her car and headed home. 

The next day, the Thursday Men’s Breakfast Bible Study met and they asked him what he thought of her.  His response:  “She’s ok, but she’s not much of a fisherman.”

I like to think of myself as a fisherman.  The words of Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It ring with authority and truth in my life: “In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.”  Casting the weightless fly and dealing with unbelievable tangles have reinforced my understanding of the nature of human sinfulness and total depravity.  Many have been the days that I have reeled in my line, placed my rod on my shoulder and headed home without the experience of catching a fish.  I like to think of myself as a fisherman.. and I know why they call it “fishing” instead of “catching”.  Fishing takes skill… but even the most skillful fisherman have experienced an empty creel: they are intimate with the discouragement of fishing all day and catching nothing.  The words of Peter have often been on our lips in in some way or another: “Lord, we have fished all night… and have caught nothing.”

Have you ever been discouraged? Have you ever felt like you are spinning your wheels? Have you ever wondered: "What do I have to show for my life?" Have you ever made an earnest effort, only to come up empty? If you can answer one of those questions in the affirmative, then this story of Peter’s call as a disciple could also be your story. There are three parts to both this story and also our story: first, the human situation of discouragement; second, the intervention of Grace; and third, our response. This morning I want to use this Bible story to understand our individual stories.

I

We hear the words of Peter in so many ways. "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing." Peter is talking about his job, his vocation. Every fisherman casts his net in hope. He has an expectation that the creel will be filled. But there are many days when it isn’t. "We have worked all night long but have caught nothing." We hear those words today in similar contexts. We throw our nets out with expectations and hope, only to find them empty.

"My job doesn’t give me satisfaction."

"I am not paid what I deserve."

"I work so hard and have so little to show for it."

We are not professional fishermen, but most of us have thrown our nets into the sea of the economy, hoping for a big catch, and often those nets are hauled in empty. We are not merely talking about money. One of the realities of life in our day is that we expect more from our work than an income. We want to feel that we are doing something important. We want to know that we are making a contribution. Often our nets are also empty of these vital things.

But there are other areas where we cast big nets and work hard, only to have nothing. In relationships we cast our nets of expectations only to discover those nets are empty. Relationships and friendships involve effort and commitment. We commit the effort necessary to sustain it because we have expectations of it. It is painful when the expectations are not met. It is painful to invest our time in a friendship, a relationship, or a marriage... and have the net come up empty.

Another area where our nets are cast is our spiritual life. We commit time and energy to religious practice and belief with certain hopes and expectations. When I listen to my prayers, they reflect hopes and expectations that I have of God. We pray for healing. We pray for peace. We pray for comfort. Those prayers are offered to God with genuine expectations. Often our spiritual nets come back empty and then we face the discouragement and reality of the spiritual desert.  The words of the hymn capture this reality:

Teach me to feel that you are always nigh;
teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
to check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;
teach me the patience of unceasing prayer.

How do we feel when we have worked hard at something; when we have committed time to something; when we have believed in something; and discover that our efforts have only produced empty nets?

We get cynical.  We protect ourselves from believing or trusting. "Once burned, twice a fool." The words of Peter are so real: "You have to be kidding. We fished all night and caught nothing."

The modern counterpart of that is: "We tried that and it doesn’t work." Those words are often said in desperation and pain and they have a way of protecting us.

They protect that which is most vulnerable: our hopes.

·      So the job becomes merely a paycheck.

·      The course at school is only a grade.

·      The friendship is only a convenience.

·      And faith???

We start using words like "Let’s be realistic." "We fished all night and our nets are empty.” 

Our churches say that too…. “We tried that and it didn’t work.”  Jesus commands us to cast our nets again. 

II

When the grace of God enters our lives, it is unexpected and surprising. God’s grace is unpredictable and not always welcome at first. C.S. Lewis entitled his autobiography, "Surprised by Joy". I can imagine the expression of joy that was on Peter’s face when he first tugged on those nets felt them to be full. James and John must have shared his excitement. After fishing all night and not catching a thing and suddenly the nets are full.... That is a surprise!

It also must have been a disconcerting surprise to see the nets breaking. It must have been frightening to experience the little boats sinking. This story tells us that there is nothing that can contain the grace of God!

Grace enters our lives in disconcerting and surprising ways. It often is present when our nets are empty... and it breaks those nets.  It shatters our expectations. There might be an ordinary quality to it, but it is a most extraordinary experience.

My third year in the ministry was my most difficult year. I really wondered if I was called by God to do this work. I felt like Peter. I had cast my net for three years, and had nothing to show. I wondered if I was going through the motions. I certainly did not feel as though I was doing anything important. I doubted my calling.  In the midst of that I received a letter. It was from a member of the church. I had recently resigned.  I was moving and was going to "give it one more shot." The letter recalled an evening when I first started at the church. Her mother died, and I went to the home.  The body was there in the living room. Her husband and son were there, and I didn’t have a clue as to what to do. It was my first situation like that. I didn’t know what to say, and so I said very little and just stayed there with them.  I remember when the funeral home came to pick up the body, I offered a mumbled prayer. The truth was that I had completely forgotten that evening, and recalling it brought back those feelings of inadequacy and emptiness.

An angel could have delivered that letter, because what which she wrote about and that which I believed I experienced were two different things. She wanted to tell me how important that visit was, and how it helped her get through a difficult time. That note was a gift of grace and to this day I see the hand of the Divine in it. It filled the nets of my life and broke them.

At the heart of the Christian experience is the grace of God. Often we experience it when our nets are empty and we are discouraged, downhearted and cynical. I am not convinced that the experience is always wonderful at first. It may, indeed, cause our boats to sink because our soul is unprepared for its abundance. But it fills our lives with hope, with purpose, and with good things.

Ironically, I took that letter and folded and placed it in a book.  A number of years later, at another trying time during my ministry, I consulted that book while working on a sermon.  The letter fell out.  I read it again… “cast your net again.”   There is an irresistible quality to the grace of God. 

III

Peter stood there in the boat as it was sinking. Bewildered and amazed he fell to his knees and said: "Go away from me for I am a sinful man." He felt that he did not deserve this, and more did not deserve to be in the presence of Jesus. The lesson that he and the others learned that day was the grace of God is neither earned nor deserved. It is given. It did not matter that Peter was perfect.... Grace was just given. And that is the nature of the love of God.

Peter, James and John responded by leaving their nets and following Jesus. Nothing would be the same in their lives again. The saying of Jesus was: "You will be fishers of men." It really is play on words. The fishing image was often used as an expression for bringing people in for judgment. The word "dragnet" is a police term for bringing in criminals to judgment. The "dragnet" was the net of the fishermen. The play on words is the reversal of judgment.

(Think about it…) Who judged Peter unworthy? It was Peter, not Jesus.  Those feelings of failure, worthlessness, and despair are often the product of our own self-judgment.

The judgment of Christ is a healing affirmation that dispels fear and only calls us to follow. A "fisher of men"... is one who follows Christ... bringing that same love to others be it at work, at play, in the neighborhood, at the church, or at school.

"Our nets are empty. We have worked long and have nothing to show." How often those words describe our lives. In the midst of our despair, we hear the words "Cast your nets again." And with Peter we are skeptical. "What’s the use."

But the grace of God literally bursts our nets, filling them with good things.... From that moment on, our lives are not the same, and if we follow this man Jesus; if we mirror his affirming, nonjudgmental love; the nets of others will be filled. This is the Good News. Amen.