My children’s message from the 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 28, 2025)
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So it’s my tradition after the prayer of the day to bring a message to all of God’s children. And I brought with me a book. As you might know, I’m a bit of a nerd. I like comic books, playing card games, reading fantasy and science fiction, and more. The stories I read about these far off and fantastical places have a way of inviting me to think deeper about the world we’re living in today. And so, a while ago, I got this book – Marvel’s Fantastic First – to read the very first appearances of superheroes such as Spider-man, Iron Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. These superheroes have been around for decades and we now have the opportunity to see them acted out in movies and tv shows. But before that, they were merely pictures and panels on a comic book page.
One of these superhero groups – the Fantastic Four – first came out in 1961. Some of your grandparents might have been able to go down to the local drug store and, for 10 cents, buy their own copy of the story. The Fantastic Four is a story about a family who, after flying into space, end up developing all kinds of strange powers. One ends up being able to turn their entire body into flame, flying through the air like a torch. Another gets incredible strength but their body is changed so that it looks like they’re made out of large orange rock. Another can stretch their body, arms, and legs. But the very first superhero we are introduced to is a woman named Susan Storm.
As you can see – she can make her body invisible. She leaves a room without anyone noticing and zooms down the street, pushing people out of the way, so they think they’re being harassed by a ghost. She even goes into a taxi cab that drives her around for a bit without the driver even realizing it. Imagine – for a moment – what it would like to be invisible. What if, suddenly, you could make it so no one could see you? What would you do right now? Where would you go? Accept answers.
It’s pretty wild to think about what we might do if no one could see us. We might imagine we could do all kinds of things that we usually can’t – like sneak into the kitchen and take extra candy from the cupboard even though our parents say no. And while we might think that’s the kind of stuff we – or those around us might do – I’m pretty sure if we could turn ourselves invisible, like really do it, we’d probably think long and hard about what we should do. Being able to go into spaces where no one can see us – and where we decide no one can see is – would be a powerful thing. But I also imagine we all know what it’s like to go into a place and feel as if we really are invisible. Maybe we’re playing kickball at school – and we get picked last or are not picked at all. Maybe we’re sitting at the lunch table and watch all our friends sit somewhere else. Maybe we’re raising our hands in class to answer a question – but the teacher calls the person sitting next to us. There are times when our parents and guardians are super busy and they act like they don’t see us or that we don’t matter. Everyone feels this way at some point or the other. And while it would be really powerful to make ourselves invisible when we want to – it’s so hard, sad, and scary when we feel invisible while standing in a room full of people.
Which is why the story Jesus tells today is, I think, important. He talks about a rich man who spent his entire life acting as if a man named Lazarus didn’t exist. The rich man was wealthy, could buy whatever he wanted, and had all the best stuff. Lazarus, though, didn’t – and instead of seeing, noticing, and helping the one who didn’t have enough – he acted as if Lazarus didn’t exist. In fact, he assumed Lazarus was supposed to pay attention to him, to honor him, to serve him since he acted as if those without money are supposed to always honor and serve the rich. Yet Jesus reminds us that we have a responsibility to make sure no one is invisible. We have to do the work of learning their stories, learning their names, and discovering what they think about themselves. We have to notice all the ways we act as if people are invisible and change what we do. We have to invite those on their own to sit with us at the lunch table, hang out at the buddy bench, and even pick the player who can’t play kickball to be part of our team. Jesus wants us to see those around us because Jesus – even now – sees you. He loves you. He is with you. He has, through baptism and faith, promised you will always belong. And so if Jesus doesn’t let us feel invisible, than we can respond by showing others how they’re not invisible too.
There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. 4 His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another’s houses in turn, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This is what Job always did.
6 One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and the accuser also came among them. 7 The Lord said to the accuser, “Where have you come from?” The accuser answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it.” 8 The Lord said to the accuser, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” 9 Then the accuser answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 The Lord said to the accuser, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!” So the accuser went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 One day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the eldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell on them and carried them off and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three columns, made a raid on the camels and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.
Job 1:1-22
My sermon from the 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 28, 2025) on Job 1.
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So this week was rather busy when it comes to the apocalypse. I’m not saying there was some kind of event signalling the start of the end of the world. Rather, all over social media were folks claiming the Rapture was going to happen last Tuesday. The Rapture is a belief that when the end of the world finally comes, the people Jesus loves best will be taken to heaven, leaving their families, jobs, and possibly even their clothes behind. The true believers will, according to this idea, avoid all the nasty stuff that’s about to come. If you take a second to look around, you’ll notice that we’re all still here. And when we hear the word apocalypse, our imaginations are heavily influenced by all the movies, comic books, tv shows, and youtube videos we’ve consumed. To us, the end of the world might resemble something like Mad Max where small groups of people dressed in leather fight over a few barrels of gasoline and water. Or maybe our apocalypses involve zombies, aliens, a pandemic, the complete collapse of the climate on our planet, and a war filled with armies led by those we think are evil. The end of the world is scary and different Christian traditions have invested a lot of time, energy, and effort figuring out how to avoid all the violence we assume is on its way. And that’s because if God is love, then those who God loves should – this thinking assumes – be filled with a life and afterlife grounded in peace, safety, and comfort. The whole idea of the Rapture is less than 200 years old and it comes from one verse in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians that was taken completely out of context. And while it’s very human to be worried about what tomorrow might be, ideas like the rapture actually increase our anxieties and fears. When we spend our time wondering if God loves us and wants the best for us, we end up missing out on the life Jesus calls us to live. And if God was willing to be born, to be cared for, to grow up, and to experience what we do when God’s love is made real, we should realize we get to do the same. What the Rapture and other thoughts about the end of the world actually shows is what the word “apocalypse” originally meant. “Apocalypse” isn’t a word pointing to some kind of calamity. It is, instead, a Greek work that means “revelation” or “unveiling.” The “apocalypse” is a vision, a story, and a parable, revealing who we and our God choose to be. So during this week when the apocalypse was all over our social media feeds, let’s let our first reading from the book of Job begin to reveal to us how God’s wisdom will always be bigger than our own.
Now the book of Job isn’t, I think, meant to be heard as an event that really happened. It is, instead, a long parable – resembling the kinds of stories Jesus shared. All of us have – or will – experience moments when the wisdom we were taught as kids completely breaks down. And it can be terrifying to realize we can make zero mistakes and still lose. I saw this paradox and mystery within the words you shared with me last week. All of us assume behaviors such as “treating others respectfully,” showing “kindness, generosity, helpfulness,” putting “people over ego,” and “caring for others, especially when it requires self-sacrifice” are ones that should be rewarded. The other kinds of behaviors such as “hurting others,” “spreading false rumors,” “disregarding the needs of others,” “being a bully and putting ‘me’ first” over everything else are ones that should be pushed aside and seen as wrong. Yet we all know what it’s like to see goodness ignored and those who peddle in violence and harm failing upwards into positions of power, authority, and wealth. The holy, biblical, and faithful invitations to “help others,” “be responsible,” show “compassion,” “speak up and stand up for those who need our help,” to be “forgiving and not judgemental” are things we can embrace. But we’re often encouraged by our sin and the sin within the various communities we call home to “disgread others, to belittle people,” to “ignore the needs of others,” and to take advantage of them because if we don’t get ours someone will take it from us instead. We’re perfectly fine with others being held accountable for what they’ve done or what we think they’ve done, but we prefer our actions to be given the kind of forgiveness, mercy, and grace we refuse to offer others. Not every situation we run into or decision we make will always have a simple answer. And there are moments when life happens to us regardless of what we say and do. A wisdom shaped only by Proverbs or motivational phrases can’t withstand all the personal apocalypses that come our way. What we need is a deeper kind of wisdom that can bring us into the future God is already bringing about.
And so that’s why I think we should view the book of Job as an apocalyptic story revealing the strengths and weaknesses of the wisdom we were given when suffering comes our way. The Book of Job does this by crafting a what-if story about a man named Job from the land of Uz who wasn’t an Israelite nor living in any place we can easily identify. We’re told Job embodied so much wholeness, integrity and righteousness that it wrapped up everyone who was a part of his household. He was blameless because he intentionally maintained his relationship with God and trusted God over everything else. Job was the kind of faithful person who lived and received the fullness of what we imagine a good life should be. But it’s at that moment when the accuser, a kind of divine prosecuting attorney, showed up and wondered how deep Job’s integrity truly was. At the start of this extended parable, the God who gave is the same God who took it away. And that’s when we begin our process of revealing and unveiling who we truly are.
So at this time, you’re invited to take out the pink sheets in your bulletin and answer these questions:
How do you respond when you encounter something new or different?
What does it feel like when things just aren’t working out?
Why are things sometimes unfair or unjust? And in those situations, who is to blame?
My children’s message from the 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 21, 2025)
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So it’s my tradition after the prayer of the day to bring a message to all of God’s children. And – as you can see – I brought a bunch of stuff from our playroom here at church. There’s a room, right through that hallway, that is full of toys, books, and games that have been donated over the years. If we need a little break from sitting still and listening to me – and we don’t want to keep running around the sanctuary even though I’m okay with that – then the room is available. I took the stuff out because I’d like to try something with you.
So let’s stand up. And come over here closer to the rail. I’d like you to take a step down. Great! That was pretty simple. Now come back up here. Hold out your arms and I’m going to start putting stuff onto it. I want you to hold as much as you can – and we’re going to keep piling and piling and piling until you can’t even see what’s in front of you. Here’s another stuff animal. And another. And another. And another! You’re doing a great job.
Now that your hands are full, I’m going to ask you a question. When you had nothing in your hands, was it difficult for you to step down? No. It might be difficult for some – and that’s okay. But, for you, you could do it. Great. But what if you wanted to take a step right now with your arms full? It’s way more scary. You’re holding a bunch of stuff. You can’t see where you’re going. And while you might feel confident you could take a step, it’s much harder than it was before. What do you think would make this easier? If there was someone to help. Maybe someone could guide you and hold your arm. Or maybe someone could take the step first and let you know what to expect. Maybe someone could take the stuff from you – sharing the load so it’s not so hard. We might feel like we should be able to do this on our own. We might feel like we have to take this step, assuming a person as smart, as old, as special, and as amazing as you can do this. We might not want to ask for help because we’ll feel ashamed or embarrassed or we know someone might make fun of us. But you want to know a little secret? Asking for help is a holy thing – and it’s something God wants us to do. Because when we ask for help, we’re able to do more, to experience more, to learn and grow and embrace the freedom God has given us. Asking for help – and offering helping – is a hard but very faithful thing to do.
So I want to invite you when you need help, to ask for help. And if someone asks for help, you help if you can. We don’t make fun. We don’t argue. We don’t joke. We help. And when we ask for help, know that there is no shame in it. You’re a person who deserves help and should receive help since the help we’re given actually helps us do more than we could before. Asking for help is very hard – probably the hardest word to utter in our English language. Yet when we ask – and when we give – we do more than just help those around us. We also make real the love God has for us everyday.
1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. 2 When a land rebels it has many rulers; but with an intelligent person, honesty endures. 3 A poor person who oppresses the poor is a beating rain that leaves no food. 4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law struggle against them. 5 The evil do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely. 6 Better to be poor and walk in integrity than to be crooked in one’s ways even though rich. 7 Those who keep the law are wise children, but companions of gluttons shame their parents. 8 One who augments wealth by exorbitant interest gathers it for another who is kind to the poor. 9 When one will not listen to the [torah], even one’s prayers are an abomination. 10 Those who mislead the upright into evil ways will fall into pits of their own making, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance. 11 The rich is wise in self-esteem, but an intelligent poor person sees through the pose. 12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory, but when the wicked prevail, people go into hiding.
Proverbs 28:1-12
My sermon from the 15th Sunday after Pentecost/Holy Cross Sunday (September 21, 2025) on Proverbs 28:1-12.
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So last week, I invited you to share your thoughts about success. And I’ll admit it was neat seeing how similar – and varied – your responses were. Success is, I think, very personal and what it looks like to you might not be success for the person sitting next to you. Our ideas about success have been shaped by the culture we grew up in and it often changes depending on the experiences we have. It would be too simple to merely treat success as the fulfillment of the various goals we’ve set for ourselves. And the words you shared with me show how success is more about the life we live rather than checking off accomplishments on some kind of cultural checklist. Success, you wrote, is “financial security, living comfortably, and building a life [we’re] proud of.” It’s a way of being in the world defined by “the freedom and creativity” allowing us to make a “positive [impact]” on everyone God sends our way. Success is enfleshed in the very personal, and sometimes difficult work, of crafting “a large friend group and a loving family” that we aren’t necessarily born into. It’s the kind of life that feels “happy” but is really grounded in a joy that carries us through all the grief and hardships that come our way. Success is never easy and requires the kind of sacrifices that transform who we are. And while we often imagine success as being something we do on our own, success is truly lived out within a community that always chooses to be for one another.
Now success, as an idea and way of being in the world, showed up in the book of Proverbs since its initial audience were the sons of wealthy families training to be the administrators, officers, and generals for the royal family. What they needed – and desired – was a kind of guide rooted in the God who had been with them from the Exodus, into the kingdom of David, through the Exile, and beyond. The law – which is really just another word for torah and the teachings, commandments, and stories of God that give us life – wasn’t meant to stay on the page or only in our mind. The steadfast love of God can also be lived out by those who don’t know what God is calling them to do. Today’s reading, which comes near the end of the book, poked and prodded at how our view of success doesn’t match God’s. And so we’re encouraged to lean towards God even when our sense of security, power, pride, and comfort comes undone. Honesty, integrity, and God’s vision of justice – rather than our own – is a gift that doesn’t merely benefit only ourselves. This wisdom, instead, builds everyone up so that our success can be defined by something other than the amount of money in our bank account. This way of living, though, doesn’t assume that our story and our experiences is the only way life is supposed to live. Instead, we’re invited to keep our soul open to the possibility that we’re not an expert on everything. We need correction; we need to listen; and we need to know it’s faithful and holy to ask each other and our God for help. And while this wisdom can feel like it’s hard to translate into the lives we actually live, God knows it’s through the little things we do that reveal the wisdom that is truly guiding our hearts.
So that’s why I asked you last week to think about the rules your parents, guardians, and loved ones gave you. “Being on time,” “doing your homework before you play,” and “be kind to your siblings” might feel a little arbitrary or one of those things “good kids are supposed to do.” But I wonder if we could recognize how “work[ing] hard in school, go[ing] to church, [knowing] dinner is at 6:00 sharp, and [how] Sundays will always include lunch with grandma” might have been all about the kind of future we can live. That does not mean every rule we were given was good or that what we were taught was always holy and true. But when God’s wisdom is passed through the ones who came before us, we get a glimpse of the One who was willing to be born, grow up, and face the Cross for us and for all. In the eyes of a God who chose to do the hard work of reconciling humanity to God, there is nothing we can do to be more successful at being loved by God. But we can cling to a wisdom that is all about how we live, give, and share. It’s the wisdom which knows life is hard and yet has the courage to say “I was wrong” when we fail to care for ourselves and those around us. It’s the wisdom willing to go with people in the lives they live rather than assume only one kind of life matters to God. And it’s the kind of wisdom that builds a future for all where love, grace, and mercy shines. So when we pass our wisdom down, inviting those who come after us to “show up,” “consider all others feelings,” “and ask for help if you’re in over your head,” we’re not merely trying to create a life that is easier for us. We’re taking our experiences with our God and showing them how tomorrow can be so much more. It’s a future that knows “money can make life easier, but [that it can’t buy the] happiness [and joy we long for in our soul.]” It’s a future where it’s “okay not to know” and trusts we can “make the best choices, [our most loving and reverent guess] with the information” we actually have. And while it would be awesome if we could live a life without regrets, what we have – right now – is a God who is with us and who promises to never let us go.
So I’d like us to take the next few moments to keep reflecting on the wisdom we’ve received and the wisdom we share. As you ponder the two paths Proverb’s describes, what behaviors should be rewarded and which ones should be punished? We carry with us, I imagine, a picture of what good or successful people do – as well as the bad – and so let’s sketch that out in words. And if we had the chance to give some wisdom to our past self based on the life we’ve really lived – what wisdom would we share? Please take a few minutes to write those down on the back of the bulletin or as comments on facebook and youtube.
[pause while people write down their answers.]
Last Sunday night, one of the surprise winners at the Emmy awards was Jeff Hiller who won “best supporting actor in a comedy series” for his work in “Somebody Somewhere.” Practically everyone assumed someone else would win. His surprise – and joy – was evident during his acceptance speech as well as his various interviews backstage. And one of the questions he was asked was “what he would share with his younger self.” He said he would tell them “ “you’re going to wait tables at the Olive Garden tonight. Grit and bear your teeth through it. Steal some breadsticks. And know that in the future you’ll get a nice piece of objet (ob-jay) that will make it all worth it.” Sometimes the best wisdom we can give ourselves is to simply endure and not let our own opinion of ourselves or the opinion of others limit who we can be. But there are times when the awards don’t come; when we’ve recognized all the ways we’ve failed; when we’ve done everything right and yet the world still feels incredibly bleak and gray. It’s at those moments when wisdom as described by the book of Proverbs isn’t enough. What we need is another word that will hold us through. And so next week, we’ll explore what that kind of wisdom looks like as we take our initial steps in the book of Job.
1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. 3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. 4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. 5 A fool despises a parent’s instruction, but the one who heeds admonition is prudent. 6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked. 7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the minds of fools. 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.
Proverbs 15:1-9
My sermon from the 14th Sunday after Pentecost/Holy Cross Sunday (September 14, 2025) on Proverbs 15:1-9.
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Earlier this week, a poll was published that asked 18-29 year olds their thoughts about success. Over 30,000 adults were invited to pick 3 out of thirteen phrases that defined what success looked like to them. These words ranged from “being financially independent,” to “having no debt,” and to “making your family or community proud.” Then, with all that information gathered, the pollsters shared which phrases mattered to people from a variety of backgrounds. Out of the thirteen options, the one at the bottom was a need to be influential and famous. The generation that grew up with social media has no real desire to be recognized while walking down the street. They also don’t imagine success having anything to do with retiring earlier since, I think, a lot of people assume that option will never exist for them. We might assume that most of us have a similar definition of what success is supposed to look like. But as we moved up the list for these 18-29 year olds, what success looked like changed depending on which sub-group they belonged to. For some men having children, achieving financial independence, and being married are a big part of what it means to be successful. Yet for women, having children and experiencing matrimony are way down on the list. There was, for some people, a deep desire to use their talents to help those around them. And for others, an expensive housing market makes owning a home less important than maintaining some emotional stability. How people ranked these different aspects of success could have laid out a roadmap of what a successful life would look like. Yet the old idea of starting a career, getting married, buying a home, and then having kids was – for most – completely out of order. The image of success other generations developed, embraced, and passed on wasn’t necessarily reflected in the definition these 18-29 year olds were actively living out. And that’s because what’s wise to us might not be wise to those who come after us. Realizing might be hard for some of us to accept. But rather than wondering what’s wrong with kids these days, we might want to ask deeper questions about how wisdom shapes the life God wants us to live.
Now we started our journey through this wisdom last week by opening up the book of Proverbs. This book is, to me, kind of like a soundtrack for our lives since these short phrases become the lyrics and music that guides the choices we make. The initial audience for Proverbs was originally sons from wealthy families who were about to enter some kind of government service. Yet the need to grow in wisdom is something all of us are called to do. Not everything we consider to be wisdom, though, comes from our Bible. And so I invited you last week to take a moment and write down what things others have passed down to you. A few of you did touch on faith – sharing that “mom always said ‘treat others as you would like to be treated’ and how “letting go – and letting God” is a helpful corrective whenever we try to micromanage our lives. “A winner never quits and a quitter never wins” is something I’m sure football coaches all over the country said this weekend. And learning how to “control what you can control” is something I continue to work on. Putting “one foot in front of the other,” “think before you act,” and “you make your bed, you sleep in it” remind us of the impact our words and actions always have. And I appreciate the one who wrote “check the door knob” since it’s so easy to assume the solution to every problem has to be hard. This wisdom was a gift from those we trusted – and those who we admired – serving as a guide to light our way through every joy and challenge that comes our way. And while wisdom should guide us into a more life-giving future, that isn’t the only path we can take. The book of Proverbs recognizes how our choices, actions, what we choose to pay attention to, and what we ignore often shapes what comes next. And when we put our trust in anything other than grace, mercy, and God – our fears will tear us down. Proverbs uses a lot of two line verses to invite us into a different kind of future that won’t necessarily be easy or full of peace and comfort. Yet this other future trusts that God’s way is the only Way that can carry us through. So throughout the book of Proverbs, this wisdom is fleshed out in words we’re invited to embrace. We’re asked to recognize how “a soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.” When we choose to let “a gentle tongue [be] a tree [for] life” rather than letting our words bite and harm, we allow God’s spirit rather than our own spirit shape every relationship we have. What we say, post, and share should be a kind of knowledge building others up rather than simply existing to tear them down. And that’s because God’s wisdom isn’t meant to only stay on the page. It is, rather, lived out through the interactions we have with everyone God brings our way. We often assume the good we share should feel spontaneous and be incredibly easy to do. But God’s way often requires us to make hard choices so that love, welcome, and inclusion are always at the heart of what we say and do. God’s way isn’t always the easiest way because we need to be held accountable for the various ways we put pride, wealth, comfort, and ideology before everything else. And while we often long for the kind of success that will give us peace for all of our days, the only thing that will – is a God who refuses to let the Crosses we build for ourselves and others be the end to the story.
Now I know not all of us are 18 to 29 years old but I wonder if we might take the next few moments and write down our own views about success. On the back of your bulletin are three questions and you can also write down your answers as comments on facebook and youtube. What does success look like to you? Is it having a fulfilling career, a large family, a life that impacts others, or a bank account full of all kinds of money? Our vision of success is often reflected in the rules we grew up with so did you have to do your homework right after school, read for 30 minutes every night, head to college, or clean your plate at every meal? And finally, what wisdom do you share with all the young people around you? What goals, practices, and ways of being in the world do you think will help them shape the future they want for themselves? We’re going to take the next three or four minutes to answer these questions and write those answers down before moving onto the song. And while the wisdom we were given might have brought us to where we are today, we can also trust that God’s wisdom will always do so much more.
8 Hear, my child, your father’s instruction, and do not reject your mother’s teaching, 9 for they are a fair garland for your head and pendants for your neck. 10 My child, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us wantonly ambush the innocent; 12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive and whole, like those who go down to the Pit. 13 We shall find all kinds of costly things; we shall fill our houses with spoil. 14 Throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— 15 my child, do not walk in their way; keep your foot from their paths, 16 for their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed blood. 17 For in vain is the net baited while the bird is looking on; 18 yet they lie in wait—to kill themselves! and set an ambush—for their own lives! 19 Such is the end of all who are greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.
Proverbs 1:8-19
My sermon from the 13th Sunday after Pentecost (September 7, 2025) on Proverbs 1:8-19.
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If there was a soundtrack for your life, what songs would be on it?
Now there was a time when music was a way bigger part of my life. I spent many nights standing in the poorly lit basement of a bakery while listening to bands I had never heard of before. Leaving that space with a handful of grainy photos on a dented digital camera while holding a physical CD was complete bliss. And that’s because music has a way of defining the different parts of our life. These songs can help us process, hold, and live through experiences filled with incredible joys and devastating heartbreak. And it’s also kind of neat that when we find ourselves living through a current moment that reminds us of our past, this soundtrack from our life can suddenly pop up and influence what we do next. Taking a moment to recognize how music shapes who we are by connecting us to our past, our present, and our future – gives us a taste of how the book of Proverbs – and all of the other Wisdom literature in our Bible – is meant to function in our lives. Faith is always more than something we have or believe. It is, instead, a kind of force, energy, a gift, and a way of being that impacts every moment of our lives. Our relationship with God speaks into the joys and challenges shaping who we get to be. And while trusting the Jesus who lived, died, and rose for you and the world really is the foundation of our Christian identity; we often also need ideas, stories, songs, and practical how-tos to help live that faith out loud. The books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes are one of the ways God provides that help for us. These books can never give us an exact response for every situation we end up living through. But they do act as a kind of soundtrack we lean into, giving us a sense of security during all the insecurity life brings.
Now the book of Proverbs is, primarily, a composite text – weaving together material developed in different times and different places. Some of these words were probably first uttered two hundred years before David became king around the year 1000 BCE. Yet others – and final editing done to this book – might not have occurred until around 175 BCE. Almost 1000 years of life show up within Proverbs’ pages. And this book chooses to take this life and turn it into a lot of two line poetic verses to help those listening make the right decisions for their lives. These two line verses are typically shared as a kind of parallelism with the second line restating the first line in a slightly different way. But there are also lots of times when the second line challenged what the first line said, inviting us to recognize what is good and what isn’t. This poetry, though, isn’t always straightforward, often putting words out of order, leaving out verbs, and inserting random adjectives as a way to encourage us to puzzle over its meanings. And that’s because proverbs, like music and songs, choose to speak into our lives that have their own histories, stories, and experiences. Proverbs recognizes itself as a guide providing tools we can apply to the various situations we face. But when it was first written, Proverbs imagined itself as primarily a book for the learned, the educated, the rich, and the powerful living in ancient Israel. It assumed those hearing these words were sons leaving their family to take up some kind of government job. But the book also knows that growing in wisdom is a journey meant for all and that this journey never ends. Our moral and ethical values are always lived out regardless of how “good” we claim to be. And real wisdom comes with the “[w]illingness to accept correction, regardless of age or status.” Proverbs, then, chose to introduce itself in our reading today as a kind of parent – or teacher – telling a child – or a student – what God’s wisdom looks like. What God offers is a way of being in the world that is less about what you have – such as your status, your money, your intelligence, and your opinion of yourself – and is more about who God knows you can be. When we lean into something other than our God, we will be consumed by something that can never give us life. We have a responsibility to turn away from greed and the hoarding of wealth, power, and love. Instead, the soundtrack God wants for our lives is a song that does not withhold any good from whoever God brings our way.
And so – as we begin this sermon series on God’s wisdom – I wonder if you might share a bit of wisdom someone gave you. What did a beloved parent, guardian, or parental figure give you that still lingers in your soul? When you face a particular challenge – what lyric buzzes through your mind which helps you breathe deep before you say something you regret? And when you’re faced with a choice that has only bad answers, what word points you towards hope and grace? Maybe it’s something as simple as “look both ways before you cross the street” which reminds you to not jump feet first before you examine all your options. Maybe you like to say “the Lord willing and the creek don’t rise” since we know how often our plans go awry. Phrases like “all hat and no cattle,” “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” are the songs that shape the choices we make. And this wisdom was given to us as a guide for a future that those who came before us wouldn’t get to see. It is through the grace of God we have the opportunity to create, share, and pass down all kinds of wisdom too. So on the back of your bulletin, I’d like you to take time during the rest of worship to write down the wisdom you carry with you and drop it in the basket in the narthex. For those at home, leave a comment on facebook or youtube about all the wisdom others gave you. This wisdom matters because it speaks into the life you’ve lived. Yet it also shows why God’s wisdom – which isn’t always our wisdom – has its own value too. And that’s because God not only chose to be with you, to teach you, and to guide your way. God also chose to live as you and show the fullness of what our lives get to be.