LUKE 18:15-17 | BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN

“BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN”

LUKE 18:15-17

OCTOBER 23, 2016

LET ME SAY AT THE START, THAT I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE READ THE WORKS OF JAMES MICHENER.

I HOPE YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS GREAT AMERICAN AUTHOR’S WORKS, BUT IF YOU’RE NOT, THERE’S ONE WORD THAT CAN SUM THEM UP.

THEY ARE LLLLOOOONNNGGG!  HIS BOOKS ARE ABOUT YAY THICK – AND IT’S BECAUSE WHEN HE TELLS A STORY, HE BEGINS AT THE VERY BEGINNING, I MEAN WAAAAYYY BACK, AND BRINGS THEM INTO THE PRESENT.

HIS BOOKS OFTEN COVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY AND STORY.

I MUST CONFESS, THAT HIS BOOK, HAWAII, IS THE ONLY ONE I EVER GOT THROUGH.  MY BROTHER, ON THE OTHER HAND, AND PROBABLY SOME OF YOU, HAVE READ MANY, MANY OF MICHENER’S 40 BOOKS.

DID I MENTION THAT THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY LLLOOONNNGGG!!

IN HIS HISTORICAL NOVEL, THE SOURCE, ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE, MICHENER BEGINS WITH A STONE AGE FAMILY (SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT HIM GOING BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING?!).  HE CONTINUES BY TELLING THE STORY OF A CANAANITE VILLAGE IN PRE-BIBLICAL DAYS.

THE TIME WAS 2,200 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST, AND THE CANAANITES IN THAT VILLAGE WORSHIPPED NUMEROUS GODS OF THE EARTH.  IT WAS A FERTILITY RELIGION, AND AMONG THE MANY GODS WAS THE GODDESS ASTARTE.

IN EVERY HOME, THERE WERE VOLUPTUOUS CLAY FIGURINES OF ASTARTE AND HER MALE COMPANIONS.

THE PEOPLE, SAD TO SAY, PRACTICED HUMAN SACRIFICE TO THE GOD MALEK, IN BELIEF THAT IF THEY SACRIFICED THEIR FIRSTBORN SONS, THE GODS WOULD BE SO PLEASED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE THE PEOPLE MORE FERTILE.

TEMPLE PROSTITUTES WERE PROVIDED BY THE PRIESTS TO THE MEN OF THE VILLAGE AS PART OF THEIR FERTILITY RITES.

TIMNA, THE PROTAGONIST IN MICHENER’S STORY, COULD NOT ACCEPT THE SACRIFICE OF HER FIRSTBORN SON, NOR COULD SHE ACCEPT THE BEHAVIOR OF HER HUSBAND WITH THE TEMPLE PROSTITUTES.

MICHENER WRITES, “TIMNA, STILL GRIEVING FOR HER SON, WATCHED THE PERFORMANCE DISPASSIONATELY AND MUTTERED, ‘WHAT FOLLY!  THE FERTILITY IS IN THE SOIL.  IT IS IN ME.’

AND WHILE OTHERS CELEBRATED SHE WALKED SLOWLY HOMEWARD, SEEING LIFE IN NEW AND PAINFUL CLARITY;

WITH DIFFERENT GODS, HER HUSBAND URBAAL WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT MAN;

AND SHE WENT INTO HIS GOD ROOM, LOOKED WITH ABHORRENCE AT THE FOUR ASTARTES, AND METHODICALLY SMASHED THEM ALONG WITH THEIR COMPANIONS.”

WITH A DIFFERENT GOD, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT MAN.

HOW TRUE IS THAT STATEMENT?  THE CHARACTER OF OUR GOD, DEFINES OUR CHARACTER AS BELIEVERS.

THIS IS WHY JESUS’ WORDS AND ACTIONS IN OUR PASSAGE THIS MORNING ARE SO IMPORTANT TO US.

INSTEAD OF ALLOWING HIS DISCIPLES TO TURN AWAY THOSE WHO WERE BRINGING THEIR INFANTS AND CHILDREN TO BE BLESSED BY HIM, JESUS WELCOMES THEM WITH OPEN ARMS.

“LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME AND DO NOT STOP THEM; FOR IT IS TO SUCH AS THESE THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD BELONGS.”

AND JESUS TOOK UP THE CHILDREN IN HIS ARMS AND BLESSED THEM.

THEY SAY; EXPERTS SAY; PSYCHIATRISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIOLOGISTS SAY, THAT YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A PERSON BY HOW THEY TREAT CHILDREN; HOW THEY TREAT ANIMALS; HOW THEY TREAT OTHERS.

AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE AN ADVANCED DEGREE TO KNOW THIS IS TRUE.

HOW MANY CHILDHOOD BULLIES HAVE YOU KNOWN WHO BULLIED CHILDREN, PERHAPS ABUSED PETS OR OTHER ANIMALS, WHO WOUND UP LATER, DOING MORE OF THE SAME, AND WORSE, AND IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW?!

HOW MANY MOTHERS HAVE TOLD THEIR DAUGHTERS – LOOK AT HOW A MAN TREATS HIS MOTHER, HIS SISTERS, AND YOU’LL GET A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF HOW HE WILL TREAT YOU AS A WOMAN, AS A WIFE.

HOW MANY TIMES CAN PEOPLE, NEIGHBORS, THE AUTHORITIES, LOOK BACK AT THE TROUBLED HISTORY OF AN INDIVIDUAL, AND DRAW AN ALMOST DIRECT LINE FROM WHATEVER ATROCITY THE PERSON HAS COMMITTED, TO A HISTORY OF TROUBLES IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE;

AND SADLY, OFTEN, TO A HISTORY OF THE PERSON THEMSELVES HAVING BEEN ABUSED, ABANDONED, ASSAULTED, MISTREATED, NEGLECTED, OR HARMED.

THIS IS WHY JESUS’ WORDS AND ACTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO US HERE THIS MORNING.  BY BLESSING THE CHILDREN, JESUS DEMONSTRATES THE KIND OF GOD HE BELIEVES IN; THE KIND OF GOD HE IS.

AND BY BELIEVING IN SUCH A GOD OURSELVES – WE DEMONSTRATE THE KIND OF CHARACTER WE HAVE.

LAST SUNDAY, BEVERLY MORRIS, ONE OF OUR ELDERS, A FORMER TEACHER, AND AN ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN, GAVE AN IMPASSIONED MINUTE FOR MISSION – ONE – THANKING US FOR OUR SUPPORT AS A CHURCH NOT ONLY FOR THE CHILDREN OF OUR CHURCH;

BUT ALSO FOR THE CHILDREN OF OUR IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY, OUR SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS FOR CHILDREN IN HAITI, AND ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD.

IT WAS, SHE SAID, A CHANCE TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE WHAT OUR CHURCH, WHAT YOU, THROUGH YOUR GIVING, DO TO SUPPORT CHILDREN;

BUT IT WAS ALSO A PLEA TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE’RE DOING, AND MORE, IF POSSIBLE, TO BLESS THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.

AND THOUGH I HAD SELECTED THIS MORNING’S PASSAGE AND SERMON TOPIC MONTHS IN ADVANCE, IT WAS THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION TO GETTING US HERE THIS MORNING.

BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN – IS A SONG – BY KAREN AND RICHARD CARPENTER – ONE, SOME OF US WILL KNOW WELL; BUT LISTEN TO THE OPENING STANZA.

BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN,

FOR IN THIS WORLD THEY HAVE NO VOICE,

THEY HAVE NO CHOICE.

BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN,

FOR THE WORLD CAN NEVER BE,

THE WORLD THEY SEE.

“FOR IT IS TO SUCH AS THESE,” JESUS SAYS, “THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD BELONGS.”

AND IN PROVERBS 12:10 IT SAYS: “WHOEVER IS RIGHTEOUS HAS REGARD FOR THE LIFE OF HIS BEAST…”  BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN.

FREDERICK BUECHNER, IN ONE OF HIS BOOKS, SPEAKS IN STORYBOOK LANGUAGE WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT LIFE BEING:

ONCE UPON A TIME, ONCE BEFORE A TIME, AND ONCE BELOW A TIME.

ONCE UPON A TIME IS WHEN THINGS HAPPEN, PAST OR PRESENT.

ONCE BEFORE A TIME IS ALA JAMES MICHENER AND HIS BEGINNING AT THE WAY BACK, VERY BEGINNING, TO EVERY SUBJECT ABOUT WHICH HE WRITES;

AND TO WHAT WE WERE SAYING ABOUT HOW BULLIES, AND THOSE BULLIED, OFTEN WIND UP AS ABUSERS LATER IN LIFE; WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM, ONCE BEFORE A TIME, HAPPENING AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THEM AND WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.

AND ONCE BELOW A TIME, AMONG OTHER THINGS, REFERS TO HOW CHILDREN, AND ONE MIGHT EVEN SAY, THE BEASTS OF THE EARTH, SEE THE WORLD: FROM BELOW;

FROM BENEATH THE ADULT’S WAY OF SEEING THE WORLD.

PERHAPS THIS IS WHY JESUS SEEMED SO CONVINCED THAT IT WAS THE CHILDREN, AND THE CHILDLIKE ABILITY IN ADULTS, TO BE ABLE TO SEE, AND TO ENTER INTO, THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES HERE THIS MORNING, I’M MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE CHARACTER OF OUR GOD SAYS ABOUT OUR CHARACTER, AND VICE VERSA, HOW OUR CHARACTER REFLECTS THE CHARACTER OF THE GOD IN WHOM WE BELIEVE.

AND SPECIFICALLY, HOW OUR TREATMENT OF CHILDREN, AND THE BEASTS, REFLECTS UPON THE CHARACTER OF OUR GOD.

FOR JUST AS JESUS REBUKES HIS DISCIPLES FOR TRYING TO KEEP THE PEOPLE BRINGING THEIR INFANTS AND CHILDREN TO HIM, AND INSTEAD, WELCOMES THEM WITH OPEN ARMS;

SO TOO SHOULD OUR FAITH IN GOD, OUR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS, REFLECT CARE, AND CONCERN, AND COMPASSION FOR CHILDREN, AND BEASTS ALIKE.

AGAIN, FROM THE CARPENTERS’ SONG:

LIGHT THEIR WAY

WHEN DARKNESS SURROUNDS THEM;

GIVE THEM LOVE, LET IT SHINE ALL AROUND THEM.

BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN;

GIVE THEM SHELTER FROM A STORM;

KEEP THEM SAFE;

KEEP THEM WARM.

AGAIN, THANKFULLY, WE CAN POINT TO THE VARIOUS MISSIONS AND MINISTRIES OF THIS CHURCH, AND HOW YOU, THROUGH THE GIVING OF YOUR TIME, TALENTS, AND TREASURES, ARE DOING THESE VERY THINGS FOR CHILDREN.

MANY OF YOU DO SIMILAR SORTS OF THINGS “FOR THE BEASTS” THROUGH OUR LOCAL SPCA, THE WILDLIFE REFUGE PROJECT, AND VARIOUS MARINE PRESERVES DEDICATED TO PROTECTING OUR OCEANS AND CORAL REEFS.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THERE ARE COUNTLESS WAYS YOU ARE DOING THESE THINGS IN YOUR OWN FAMILIES, FOR THE FAMILIES OF OTHERS, AT SCHOOL, THROUGH OTHER CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, AND IN HOW YOU IMPACT PUBLIC POLICY THROUGH VOTING, ACTIVISM, AND INVOLVEMENT.

DID YOU SEE THE STORY THIS WEEK OF THE WOMAN WHOSE SON CAME HOME AND ASKED HER IF SHE COULD MAKE TWO SANDWICHES EACH DAY BECAUSE THERE WAS A BOY IN HIS CLASS WHO DIDN’T HAVE ANY LUNCH?

WITHOUT HESITATION, THE MOTHER STARTED MAKING TWO LUNCHES… AND FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS WAS FEEDING HER SON AND THIS OTHER BOY.

WHEN THE MOTHER OF THE CHILD FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, SHE WANTED TO REIMBURSE HER FOR SOME OF WHAT SHE HAD SPENT.  SHE REFUSED.  THEN THE SCHOOL’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM TOOK UP A COLLECTION FOR HER – BUT SHE REFUSED AGAIN – SO THEY TOOK THE MONEY THEY RAISED AND PAID OFF ALL THE LUNCH ACCOUNTS WHERE CHILDREN WERE BEHIND IN THEIR PAYMENTS.

BY THE WAY, THE MOTHER WHO WAS SENDING HER CHILD TO SCHOOL WITHOUT A LUNCH?  SHE HAD RECENTLY LOST HER JOB, AND WAS HOMELESS, BUT WAS STILL GETTING HER SON TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY.

AND THE MOTHER WHO HELPED?  HELPED BECAUSE IT WASN’T TOO LONG AGO THAT SHE AND HER SON HAD BEEN HOMELESS, LIVING IN THEIR CAR, BUT SHE HAD GOTTEN A JOB, AND A PLACE TO LIVE, AND WAS NOW PAYING IT FORWARD.

THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO BE DONE; MORE THAT WE CAN DO; WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP.

ROBERT MUSIL IS THE PROFESSOR OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY.

HE POINTS OUT THAT IF JESUS WAS SERIOUS WHEN HE SAID, “JUST AS YOU DID IT TO THE LEAST OF THESE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY, YOU DID IT TO ME” (MATTHEW 25:40);

THEN WE SHOULD TAKE SERIOUSLY THAT MORE THAN 5 MILLION POOR CHILDREN DIE EACH YEAR FROM DISEASES RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

LET THAT NUMBER SINK IN FOR A MOMENT – 5 MILLION CHILDREN DIE EACH YEAR FROM DISEASES RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

“ASTHMA, DYSENTERY, CHOLERA, AND MALARIA ARE EXACERBATED BY POLLUTION, POVERTY, WAR, AND THE DISRUPTION OF OUR GLOBAL CLIMATE.

IN MANY INSTANCES, RISING TEMPERATURES LEAD TO THE SPREAD OF DISEASE-CARRYING MOSQUITOES (WE ARE WITNESSING THIS IN OUR VERY OWN STATE!).

DRINKING WATER FOULED BY FLOODS OR HURRICANES CAN BEAR BACTERIA THAT IN THE BELLY OF A POOR, MALNOURISHED BABY MEANS NOT MERELY DIARRHEA, BUT DEATH (AS OUR NEIGHBORS IN HAITI ARE AGAIN FEARING IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE MATTHEW).”

MUSIL CONTINUES, “THE BIBLICAL TEXTS WE NEED FOR THIS JOURNEY ARE NOT ONLY THOSE ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF GOD’S CREATION, THE LILIES OF THE FIELD…, THE COMING OF RAIN IN THE DESERT…

THE ESSENTIAL TEXTS DESCRIBE JESUS’ MINISTRY, HIS CALL TO HEAL, TO BRING HOPE TO SUFFERING HUMANITY, TO DO JUSTICE, TO WELCOME CHILDREN, TO BRING PEACE TO THOSE – ESPECIALLY THE VULNERABLE – WHO ARE IN DANGER.” [END QUOTE]

MANY OF US, AS CHRISTIANS, ARE NOW BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT TO BE COMPASSIONATE AS GOD IS COMPASSIONATE IS TO BOTH REJOICE IN THE DELIGHT AND BEAUTY AND JOYS OF THE WORLD, OF CREATION, OF PEOPLE, BUT ALSO TO DEFEND THEM.

TO “BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN” MEANS TO STAND UP FOR THEM, TO FIGHT FOR THEM, TO SEEK JUSTICE FOR THEM, IN ANY AND EVERY WAY WE CAN.

YES, IT MEANS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, BUT IT ALSO MEANS TO FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICES, HARDSHIPS, AND SYSTEMS WHICH DEPRIVE CHILDREN, AND THE BEASTS OF THE EARTH, OF THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE WORLD;

TO FIGHT AND TO DEFEND THEM AGAINST THOSE THINGS WHICH CONTINUE TO LEAD TO THEIR ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND MISTREATMENT.

IT MEANS TO REBUKE THOSE WHO WOULD SEEK TO KEEP THEM AWAY, AND INSTEAD, LIKE JESUS HIMSELF, WELCOMING THEM, BLESSING THEM, AND RECOGNIZING THEM AS THOSE ESSENTIAL TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD ITSELF.

CHRISTIAN AUTHOR EMILIE TOWNES SAYS IT THIS WAY:

“AS PEOPLE OF FAITH WE MUST LIVE OUR LIVES NOT

ALWAYS COMFORTED BY THE HOLY BUT HAUNTED

BY GOD’S CALL TO LIVE A PROPHETIC LIFE.”

IN OTHER WORDS, TO DISPLAY, TO REFLECT, TO ENACT THE CHARACTER OF OUR GOD, WE MUST ACT AS GOD ACTS; AT TIMES WITH COMFORT, CARE, AND COMPASSION;

AND AT OTHER TIMES, PROPHETICALLY, CHALLENGING THE SYSTEMS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS, WHO ABUSE, BULLY, AND NEGLECT THE LEAST AMONG US, INCLUDING, AND MOST ESPECIALLY, THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN.

LIGHT THEIR WAY

WHEN DARKNESS SURROUNDS THEM;

GIVE THEM LOVE, LET IT SHINE ALL AROUND THEM.

BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN;

GIVE THEM SHELTER FROM A STORM;

KEEP THEM SAFE;

KEEP THEM WARM.