Finding comfort, hope and healing

I know there are people sitting in the pews in many churches on Sunday mornings who prefer that their ministers not preach about current issues of the day. These people don’t want to hear about “politics” in the place where they have come to find comfort, hope, and healing.

Yet this morning we hear two biblical stories, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, that are centered in the political reality of their day. Both of these stories have political undertones.

You are probably quite familiar with one of these stories; the other one, not so much. These stories offer comfort, hope and healing for people who put their trust in the saving grace of the Word of God to order their lives.

Let’s be clear about this word “politics”. This word comes from the Greek word “polis” – city. Broadly speaking, politics describe  how people live together in community and how that community is governed. Politics has to do with how decisions are made; how we share resources; who has power and who does not.

Used in this sense, the word “politics” is neutral; it’s descriptive; there is no moral value to it. We could all agree that we need some structure – some politics – around which to organize our common life for the good of all people who share that life.

The politics of life – how we organize our lives together – gets a little more complicated when we add the word “partisan” to the discussion. By definition, partisan implies taking sides – it means having a strong preference for one point of view; one way of doing things; one particular cause or issue. Being partisan means to take sides.

Taking sides can be fun, as when people in the same family root for opposing teams to win the big game.

Taking sides can also be divisive. People who disagree about an issue – say, immigration or LGBTQ+ rights – sometimes get so entrenched in their own point of view that they refuse to listen to anyone who has a different way of looking at the issue. Then things can get loud and nasty.

Hear me when I say – taking sides is not the issue. In fact, it’s good when people who have different opinions can come together and talk openly and honestly about their points of view until they can reach consensus. This is the method the Transition Team used with the congregation during the Self-Study and Visioning process and it worked quite well.

Taking sides in politics – partisan politics – is most troubling when people in power refuse to see the humanity of each unique individual and so they use their power to deny basic human rights to people who are different from them.

God always takes the side of people who are poor; broken; vulnerable; wounded or in pain. God always takes the side of giving love and mercy to those in need. God always takes the side of offering comfort, hope and healing to those who trust in the saving grace of the Word of God.

We see God taking sides in unexpected ways in the stories of Naaman and the 10 people with skin disease.

First, the story of Naaman. Naaman is a great general in the Aramean army that had conquered the land and people of Israel (Aram is present day Syria). Naaman is an important person; strong, wealthy, powerful. He is a gentile, not a Jew yet we are told that by him the Lord has given victory to Aram (proving once again that God acts in mysterious ways).

Naaman suffers from an untreated skin disease. A young Jewish girl, taken captive by Naaman and now serving Naaman’s wife, has compassion for him and suggests that he go find the prophet, Elisha, who could cure him. Naaman listens to this servant girl (a sign that he is open to other points of view) and makes arrangements to find Elisha, the man of God. He takes his horses and chariots – all signs of his power – and sets out on the journey. First, he goes to the king of Israel, who has no power to cure him.

Then Elisha tells the king to send Naaman to his house. Naaman goes in obedience, expecting to see Elisha (after all, Naaman is a powerful person who deserves the respect of a face to face meeting with the prophet). Instead, Elisha sends out a messenger, who tells Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River seven times; that will heal his skin.

Naaman is outraged. He had expected more from Elisha. Given his status, he expected Elisha to come out and personally call upon the Lord to heal Naaman. He did not expect to have to take action himself. Once again, though, Naaman is willing to listen to his servants and he follows Elisha’s instructions to wash in the Jordan River seven times and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. He turns back to Elisha, giving thanks and praise for all that God has done for him.

In the gospel story, 10 men with skin disease call out to Jesus for mercy. When he speaks to them and offers them words of hope and tells them to Go and show yourselves to the priests, they listen to him and obey his word. On the way to the priest, they are made clean; they are cured. Notice though that only one of the people turns back to Jesus, to give thanks and praise for all that Jesus has done for him.

This is where it gets political. The one person who turns back to Jesus is a Samaritan, a foreigner, an outsider; someone who disagreed with Jesus on where and how to worship God. Yet, this foreigner is the one whom Jesus declares has been made well by his faith – his trust – in the power of God’s word.

This foreigner – this Samaritan – has not only been cured; he has been made well – he has been saved (the meaning of the Greek word for “well”) – restored – healed in body and in spirit – he has been made whole. He has received Shalom, the peace of God that passes all understanding.

No wonder he turns back to Jesus with thanks and praise.

In both of these stories, we see the power of God’s word at work in the world in the way God’s word of grace and mercy is shared and received  by people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

We see the power of God’s word to offer healing and restoration to anyone who is open to listening for God’s word and acting on what they hear.

We see the power of God’s word to cross borders and barriers that separate people so that people who are different from each other can share their full humanity with each other.

We see the power of God’s word to create a new reality of love and compassion and mercy; giving comfort, hope and healing to those in need.

Let’s face it – all of us are in need of receiving God’s powerful word of comfort, hope and healing, especially in these times of political unrest.

The good news for today is that God’s powerful Word comes to us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Word is fully present to us in the water of baptism and the bread and wine of communion.

Come and receive the saving grace that God so freely gives you.

Turn to Jesus and give thanks and praise for the new life he has given you.

Then get up and go on your way; you faith has made you well.

Postscript: A Letter from Bishops of the ELCA to the Church

I want to call your attention to a Letter from Synod Bishops of the ELCA that was released this week. This letter speaks to our Christian witness in this particular political moment in time. It was signed by 75% of all synod bishops, including our Bishop Nathan Pipho.

This letter is a strong call to insist on love in our shared life together. It speaks our clear opposition to Christian Nationalism as a distortion of the Christian faith. The bishops directly call on all members of the ELCA to join them in prayer, advocacy and action:

• Pray for those who are vulnerable and for all who work for justice.
• Advocate in your communities, legislatures, and Congress for laws that protect migrants, advance racial justice, and safeguard LGBTQIA+ people.
• Engage in the holy work of hospitality, creating spaces of safety, affirmation, and belonging for all God’s children.
• Model respectful dialogue in a polarized world, seeking understanding rooted in love.
• Hold fast to hope, trusting that the Spirit is still at work renewing creation and reconciling the world to God.

Bishop Pipho encourages everyone in the synod’s congregations to receive this letter (linked below). I have posted this letter on the bulletin board in the hallway leading down to fellowship hall.