It was good to hear Helen Yoder’s voice. I clearly recognize her distinct voice from my high school days at IMS. Hers has always been a voice of clear, calm challenge for me.
Helen challenges us to live “down” in humility and to understand, as much as we are able, God’s call to place our prayerful trust in Jesus rather than to put our trust in our own abilities. Yes, I agree; living with honest humility is difficult. Everything about our world says that we need to do more, have a higher income, earn the next degree and win the championship in order to BE someone. The pressures are huge and the temptation is to believe that if we DO more, we will earn God’s favor. I listen to my friends talking about the newest, the best, the ultimate, the maximum “whatever” that I get scared that I will never live up to the world’s standards for being good. In fact, I become afraid that my little contributions to our school will not longer be enough and I’ll need to work harder and longer hours to “earn” good graces. But who am I’m comparing myself to? To whom do I answer? These are only the ever nagging worldly voices of those that consider fame and fortune over grace and mercy. I, too, need to slow down and rest, to slow down and think clearly, and to slow down and listen to Jesus rather than the world’s voices. If I put my trust in my own abilities I will always fall short. If I judge others by the products that they produce, the papers that they write and the number of social engagements that they have, they, too, will fall short of perfection. We are all so broken, so needy, and so hurt that we look to anything to pacify our strivings. I often seek gratification from others. I want others to see what I’m doing and to comment, “Nicely done; well said; excellent work.” But as much as I hope for these comments from my peers, the rewards never last more than a second. Seeking personal affirmation is a dead end street.
Simply trusting in Jesus is enough. Simply trusting, as the blind man did, that Jesus is our ultimate healer, is enough. Dwight Bender was a wonderful man and I’m sure that his family misses him very much. I was not surprised when Helen told us that he was well loved by the nurses; it’s easy for me to remember him as a kind and gentle man with a gleam in his eye. If only I could have that simple focus of making people smile, I would understand that to be sighted and insightful, I need to rest in the humility of Jesus. Am I’m blinded by the perceptions of the world around me? Can I shut off the desires to achieve more and more and listen for the more divine calling? Can I be completely humble and ready to accept God’s gentle love? Can I though off my cloak of striving and rely on Jesus for all I need?
Son of David, Son of David, have mercy on me.
Sermon Response by Robin Gingerich
Mission Impossible October 19, 2009
I love this story of the young man coming to Jesus with his fervent devotion and begging Jesus to just tell him the one answer, the simple way, the final answer that would ensure his salvation. But the story leaves him, the disciples, and I would guess, us uncomfortably squirming in our chairs. Sell and give? What sort of a business plan is that? Sell my possessions? Ok, I’m Ok with downsizing but giving my stuff to the poor? This is not the answer that we want. Then I hear the song in my head, “Tis the gift to be simple, tis the gift to be free . . “
As I understood it, Karla was identifying two possible messages that Jesus may have for us from this passage in Mark. First, Jesus was alluding to the “seductive power of wealth” and secondly Jesus was redefining the upside down kingdom where disciples are called to yield to God’s power.
As I listened to Karla’s sermon, I thought about how I would address this topic to my students. For the sake of this argument, I put students into two basic categories. Some students are middle class or wealthy. They drive decent cars; they have the latest technological gadgets; they wear designer clothes. They are cashing in on the recent economic prosperity that some Lithuanians have benefited from since Lithuania gained its independence in 1991. They have opportunities to travel and opportunities to buy goods far beyond what their parents, living under Soviet communism, had. Over the past 16 years, their parents worked hard, took advantage of new entrepreneurial opportunities and are enjoying a significantly higher quality of life than they did 20-50 years ago. Never in the history of Lithuania has life been so good for these families. And you’re going to tell them to give it up? If I would have to speak about this passage to these students I would emphasize the extremely positive life change it would be to following Jesus commandments to yield everything to Him while at the same time questioning the power of wealth. I would emphasize that capitalism, with all of its advantages, does not promise happiness, long life or personal peace. They would need many examples of people who actually live lives focused on helping others rather than stockpiling stuff for themselves. I can see that our students are much more easily attracted to a “health and wealth” gospel. Life looks so good for them right now (and so much better than their parents) that Jesus words actually would sound like bricks; as Karla said, Jesus words would sound harsh - “thud, clunk, slam, zing, and crash.”
The other group of students is relatively poor. Their parents are factory workers with low incomes or they are unemployed. Many students would not be on our campus if it weren’t for substantial scholarships. They cook cheap pasta with ketchup or dine on plain oatmeal nearly every meal. They ask me for bus tickets. I would assume that they would be just as confused as the disciples. Sell our possessions? But we have so little? Or perhaps they would identify more with the second half of Karla’s sermon. Karla noted that perhaps Jesus’ point is not only that possessions exclusively keep us from God, but his point also is that we try so hard within our own power to “achieve” goodness while all the time, God is asking us to yield- to give up. Perhaps these students would hear the other side of the message. Karla points out that Jesus is asking us to give up all that we strive for, to give up trying save ourselves, to give up our wrangling for achievement, and yield to God’s power. What would this message sound like to the poor among us? Would they, perhaps, heard Jesus call to yield? Do they have the ears to hear this message? How would the poor hear this message?
I certainly don’t have the answers. But Karla’s sermon gave me much food for thought. The two messages from Jesus are similar and yet unique, important and yet different.
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Growing Down
Sermon Response by Robin Gingerich
Received October 4, 2009
In response to Mag’s sermon and Lance’s sharing on Mark 10, I would like to tell you about several of the children that I know here in Lithuania.
Sonshyne (yes, pronounced “sunshine”) is 4 years old and, as many girls, likes to dress in pink. Her parents are missionaries at our school and do all of their shopping at used clothing stores where dresses and blouses for little girls are cheap. One day she appeared at my office door in a torn white undershirt, grey slippers and a puffy pink ballerina skirt that was three sizes too big for her skinny legs. Her eyes begged me to be exclaim how beautiful she looked and how pretty her skirt was; I tuned from my computer and doted over each piece of her lovely outfit and told her that she was likely ready for the stage! She was not shy about this but rather proud to be dressed so “nicely”. On other days, Sonshyne wanders from her daddy’s office next door to stand shyly beside the left side of my desk because she knows that the second drawer is my “snack” drawer. She will stay there for a full minute sighing and trying to look lonely and when she can manage it no longer she says, “oh, I’m so hungry” and puts on a very sad face. I can hardly keep from laughing inside as I ask, “Hum, what shall we do?” This is her cue to smile up and me, open the drawer and grab a cookie or a cracker or a pretzel. And we both share a little snack together. This is one of the most delightful breaks in my day.
Elze just turned 7 years old. She is tall and thin for her age, and has silky blonde hair and blue eyes. She lives just outside of Klaipeda with her parents and two younger brothers. When we hosted English classes for children last year, Elze was the first little girl to sign up. She was a quick learner and a good listener, but shy to speak much English. At times, she tries to act all grown up and bossy with the other children and this was trying at times during the lessons. During the first semester, she was the only girl; she had no problems playing rough with the boys. However, in January she brought another little girl to class with her. Elze was very helpful and included her new friend into our already formed group. Last week, I went to my first line dancing lesson at a local secondary school and guess who was there with her mother? Elze! Now we were both students in the same glass and therefore pals. Elze remains shy towards me. She doesn’t speak English to me yet, although I know that she can. She refers to talk to me through her mother. But when my feet are twisted and I’m stumbling through the steps, I only have to watch Elze and see her confidence and light steps and I’m encouraged. If she can learn to dance, so can I. At the end of the lesson she waves a little goodbye and I know that even though we don’t talk much, we are friends.
Isak was just born in July 2009. After two miscarriages, Kim and Andrew were both excited and relieved that all went will with the pregnancy and the birth. Isak is very tiny and at times he wrinkles his forehead and looks as if he is thinking hard about quantum physics. This expression of wonder and seriousness make us adults laugh. Kim’s parents are from Michigan and they visited the new family. As Steve, our pastor, was holding up Isak for us all to see, Isak put on that little serious face as if to be saying, “My grandparents are traveling back to the states soon and so you, your little congregation, are responsible for loving me, for holding me, for playing with me and for supporting my parents. This is going to be an important job. You are my church.” Ok, perhaps Isak wasn’t thinking exactly those thoughts but when a missionary family has no relatives around, friends, church members, and colleagues fill in as ex-officio aunts and uncles. And we take that role very seriously and with much joy.
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Where else could we go?
Jesse Smith
August 23, 2009
First Mennonite Church of Iowa City
Sermon Response by Robin Gingerich
Jesus’ teaching in the gospel of John is hard. It was hard in first century Palestine and it is hard in this century. Choosing whom to follow, which groups to participate in and with who to associate with is tough. We live in a world of choices. And we live a world where the pressure to make the right choice can keep us awake at night.
Jesus says that we can only come to the Father through Him. There is no way on earth by our own might and muscle to come to the Father. Rather, we are told that we need to lay down our list of goals, our high ideals and simply come to the Father through the grace of the Holy Spirit. This saying is hard for a person who would rather like to think that she can earn her way to heaven.
This saying is hard, but so are other teachings of Jesus. Trust and obey. Be merciful. Forgive your brother. Pray in secret. Don’t hold grudges. Give away your money. Turn the other cheek.
I’ve been living in Lithuania and serving at LCC International University for 11 years. I’ve seen many changes and I’ve been a part of a growing school that continues to struggle financially and is always short of teachers. We will never reach our goals. Our school will never be able to meet the needs around us. Questions creep into my head. Why does this school exist? Why am I still here? Will we ever get it right? This work is too hard.
I’ve been worshiping with a small group of expatriates most of whom also work at the school. For me, worship services have meant work; prior to the worship, the tasks are planning worship, calling musicians, setting up chairs. After the worship, the tasks are sweeping the floor, washing coffee cups, turning off the lights and locking the doors at the end of the service. The service is in English rather than the local language, Lithuanian, in order to serve the needs of the expatriates who are here for a short term. The questions there also loom big. What are we doing here? Why should we continue to meet together? Some Sundays it is a struggle to know if I should take the 45 minute walk to church or enjoy a quiet evening at home. This too is hard.
Jesse’ focus on the disciples’ question hit home to me. Where else could we go? The disciples had committed themselves to following Jesus. In the same way that the disciples committed themselves to a path, a journey and a life with Jesus, we also commit ourselves to walking the Jesus way. Yes, someone, sometime, somewhere along my journey opened up the windows of God’s grace and His power of possibility and welcomed me into this life of loving, learning and living my life in the very palm of His hand. So I committed myself to this journey. I’m too far to turn back. And yet I can’t see the end. I’m too far along to even begin to comprehend life outside of the Christian way. And yet, the messages for followers are difficult. Continue. Press on. Keep on loving your neighbor without reward. Don’t worry.
Jesse reminded us that the disciples didn’t fully understand what it meant to follow Jesus, to eat of His flesh, but “further along they will understand why.” My steps this fall seem especially slow and small. My walk seems like more of a limp this semester. I don’t understand where this commitment is taking me. I don’t understand where this job is leading me. I’m tired and confused. I admit my doubts. But I took a jump years ago, in faith, to follow Jesus’ call. My faith has landed me here with Jesus. Turning back, turning away from Jesus is not an option. Jesse’s sermon reminded me that I need to renew my commitment to Him. Perhaps someday God will ask me to jump into something else. But for this year, I will only try to keep on and to lean on the everlasting arms. For where else could I go?
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Sermon Response
Written Sept 12, 2009 in response to Mag’s sermon given on August 16, 2009
Robin Gingerich
Today, I finished reading through the entire book of Psalms. I started reading the Psalms at the beginning of the summer. Mag’s sermon on Psalms 104 was a wonderful way to pull together the ideas of worship and creation. While Mag and Bob are enjoying the Iowa countryside after living in Chicago for 16 years, I miss the Iowa countryside from my home in Klaipeda. I have to remember that even in the city I can see God’s creation.
Some days I only see the cement sidewalks littered with cigarette butts. Some days I work hard to find a spot in the sun, away from the shadows of the tall apartment buildings. The noise of cars and busses cloud my head with the sounds of motors, the smell of diesel fuel, and the annoying beeping of car alarms.
I’m lucky. I live in a quiet neighborhood and almost every house is surrounded by a garden. I secretly watch my neighbor from my window as she weeds, plants and trims her bushes. In the yard where I live, there are apple trees, cherry trees and several flower beds. Our landlord is in Vilnius for cancer treatments and so the yard has grown up in weeds and the apples are falling neglected on the sidewalk.
Yesterday I came home to find the owner’s son pulling the weeds at the edge of the driveway; this was long over due task. I went up to my flat, but then turned around and offered to help. We tugged at dandelion weeds, pulled up grass, and swept the driveway. We worked together silently; we are both shy about using each other’s languages. At times, we have simple conversations in Lithuanian. I cannot tell you how good it felt to be able to get my hands dirty and to help in our yard.
I love sitting at my west window and look out over the trees near to our house. I miss the Iowa countryside, the smell of hay, the tall oak trees and the songs of the robins and finches. Mag reminds us that we are “sitting in the box seats” of God’s creation each day. Noticing the small flowers, the circling hawks, and the fallen apples we are reminded that God’s elaborate creation is magical each day. God’s creation evident even in our city calls me, too, to look for miracles and gifts each day that point to God’s amazing world.
Just as for many of you in the congregation, I also began a new school year in August. This year may hold some new things for me but many times it feels like I’m living in the same movie frames as the previous years. May I be willing and able to see God’s creation as a constant reminded of His steadfast love.
