Tag Archives: Truth

“Deceived by Our Own Eyes”

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Black and white image of the left hand open from the point of view of the onlooker. There is a single drop of a clear liquid splashing on the palm of the hand.

Presented to the First Congregational Church of Salem, NH on April 18,2021

It is said that today, in the twenty-first century, we are living in a “post-truth” era. An era “in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief” according to Oxford Languages. And although we can witness this reality in the world today in everything from the environment to the pandemic, it is not how we are called to live as disciples. It is not how we are called to live and engage the world for there is truth – The Truth of God – truth which relies on both fact and belief. However, when we choose to only follow our emotions or beliefs without witnessing objective facts, we are being deceived by our own eyes.

As we begin, would you pray with me

Blessed teacher, teach us the Way of Truth – guide us in discernment and reveal to us Your Way to be whole in Your Holy kin-dom. May the words from my lips and the meditations on all our hearts be pleasing to You God.

Now beloved, the issue is not necessarily the post-truth era of today – but really the problem of deception and manipulation. For, we have been deceived many times – in many ways. People manipulate our emotions to convince us to follow – support – or even believe in a perception which may or may not make sense according to our beliefs. We can see this reality in our biased opinion-based news sources – on social media – and in the discussions about many journeys of shadow. We see this reality in advocates for environmental justice, like Greta Thunberg, who openly shamed society by saying, “How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.” Although her message of environmental care may have been good, it was lost in the emotional plea and shame filled speech trying to manipulate people into action. 

This reality causes us to question everything. Even the statistical number of Covid-19 cases is in question – because we know there are false positive test cases – Yet we do not know how many? Were they removed from the overall statistical number? Are people even capable of tracking this information? These very real questions, which no one seems to answer, is leaving people doubting the statistical numbers, feeling deceived, and relying on fearful emotions or compassionate beliefs without any objective facts for there do not seem to be any objective facts left in the world today. This reality though is just another way to deceive ourselves. It is another way we will be deceived by our own eyes and fail to be Christ’s disciples discerning and revealing the Truth of God.

This same deception arose in our scripture reading today from the Gospel According to Luke when the disciples first saw Jesus after his execution. For in that moment, the disciples did not witness the Truth or even the objective fact that Jesus is standing amongst them again. Rather, our beloved disciples doubt – doubt what they see – doubt which caused them to rely on the emotion of fear. And this emotion of fear which filled their hearts would not allow our sisters and brothers to witness the Truth before their eyes. Not allow them to witness the objective fact that Jesus was not a ghost but is the resurrected Christ fulfilling scripture. In that moment, our brothers and sisters are deceived by their own eyes unable to witness the Truth before them.

Now imagine if Jesus had attempted to manipulate the disciples – to demand their acceptance of him through shame – or their compliance to his leadership through deception. What would have happened? Would our sisters and brothers ever be able to witness the Truth revealed – the Love of God revealed in that moment – and the fulfillment of the scripture revealed; or would they have simply felt deceived as the theologian Alan Culpepper suggests they felt when Jesus first appeared. Furthermore, if they continued to feel deceived, would the disciples have continued to follow Jesus or simply resisted the authority of Christ and the Truth revealed to them on this day? Thankfully, we will never know because that is not what Jesus did in this story. He knew the disciples needed to witness the objective facts – first – first to feel these facts through our beliefs which then became the revealed Truth. 

Jesus seemed to know this reality; for, he uncovers his hands and feet to show the disciples the flesh. Yet, doubt still clung to their hearts. To which, Jesus asks, “have you anything here to eat?” He then eats the “broiled fish” which changes the paradigm of the story, for this is a clear objective fact that Jesus is not a ghost. Now although variations of this story occur in all four Gospels and a similar sending of the disciples in the Book of Acts, Jesus eating the “broiled fish” is only present in today’s scripture from the Gospel according to Luke which confirms the objective fact that Jesus is not a ghost and proves the disciples are not being deceived. Beloved, in this very act Jesus helps the disciples let go of the fears and doubts which were deceiving their own eyes; so, they can witness the Good news being revealed. 

Good News which is emphasized more in this Gospel than by any other New Testament author according, again, to Culpepper. The Good News that Jesus and his resurrection is the fulfillment of scripture. Which sounds wonderful, but what does that mean? What does this theme throughout the Gospel of Luke mean for us today? Well, beloved, to understand the fullness of this Good News, we must understand that Jesus is speaking about the scripture we call the Old Testament – everything in these texts is fulfilled through Christ – Christ who is at-one with God. Add to this objective fact the part which comes next in the story:  Jesus commissions the disciples – all disciples – all of us with the gifts and Love of God. Commissions us to continue to fulfill the Mission here on Earth. 

The scripture from First John explains this best: “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.” Children of God – siblings of Jesus – disciples of Christ. Commissioned and called to fulfill the promises of scripture. To seek the Truth and to not be deceived. the author of First John presses this point and says, “let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” So, what does this Good News mean for us today? It means be like Jesus. If you are a child of God and a disciple of Christ, be like the one who sent us: do what is right and you will be righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. It means, do not be deceived by others or by your own eyes. Do not let others manipulate your emotions to convince you of anything – seek the objective facts and witness if those facts feel like our beliefs; for, here is God’s Truth.

Finally, it means eat the fish – reveal the objective facts – be an example of discipleship so others may witness the Good News – the Truth which still exists. For, we are not in a world that is post-truth, no matter who may argue this position. We are in a world of manipulation and deception and the only way to counter these atrocities is by revealing objective facts and then showing how our beliefs follow or counter these facts. It means we cannot use fear, guilt, shame, or any other emotion to force another into the way we believe. It means we cannot alter words or definitions to win an argument. It means we cannot deceive – be deceived – or deceive ourselves. But today’s Good News does mean we can celebrate every person’s faithful discernment as we discuss objective facts with our beliefs. For, Truth is only revealed through both like the loving example set forth by Christ who fulfills and continues to fulfill the scripture through all disciples. So, beloved, may we all embrace Truth once more this week and the celebration of facts and belief – together – to find God’s Truth revealed through Christ and all disciples – past – present – and future. Amen.

“The Stumbling Block of Justice”

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The black and white image of an open book with pages on either side turned into middle to reveal a heart shape. The words "Love above Knowledge - 1 Corinthians 8: 1-13" are written below the book.

Presented to the First Congregational Church of Salem January 31, 2021

All of us possess knowledge. We know things. We know the reasons behind the conflicts last year. We know the reasons for the issues from the capitol conflict to the racial justice protests. We know their truth that feeds the movements…but, what is the Truth?

What is the Truth of God? What is the Truth of God and are we living that Truth? This question is where we must begin as disciples of Christ: What is the Truth, are we living that Truth, or are we doing the opposite by eating an idol’s food? Thereby, creating stumbling blocks for others to find their way to the Truth? These questions filled my heart this week as I continued to pray for all people. 

Would you join me in this prayer:

Holy God of Healing make us whole once more with Your Holy Loving Truth for all people. Heal us with Your Love, God, for Your people are broken and we need Your Love to replace what we think we know with that which is Your Truth called Love. May the words from my lips and the meditations on all our hearts be pleasing to You.

Now in the UCC we do not usually speak about “the Truth” as we encourage each person to discern how they witness God in their lives. The problem with this practice is that we have, at times, been seen as wishy-washy, vacillating in our beliefs, not standing for anything. Many of us use phrases like my truth and your truth to demonstrate the variety of ways God is revealed through human beings. That said, there is the Truth – the Truth of God which was – is now – and will be forever – Love. God created all people as equals through this Love. That is the Truth – pure and simple. No one is greater or lesser than anyone else as we are all equally created in forgiveness, in brokenness, and in Love. 

This Truth, beloved, is why we, in this community, have sought out many ways to bring awareness to the issue of racial inequality over the month of January, why we are seeking awareness of this issue through studying a book on Anti Racism, why our confirmands are now seeking racial inequality awareness as part of their confirmation classes. We have witnessed this Truth of Love for all and are choosing to live that Truth as disciples who reveal God’s Love by loving one another. 

That said, there is a problem with the Truth that is revealed when humans get involved. When we think we know the Truth and we are really only speaking about our truth. We, as a community, have grown in awareness about racial inequality; but are we living in the Truth of Love for all people or are we simply shifting our Love to another group of people? Beloved, this question leads us to one of the great stumbling blocks in social justice. Basically, when we realize God’s Love is for everyone and we wish to stand up for that Love; we will come to the quandary of how do we Love all people even those who are the enemies of our truth – our idea of justice – our ideologies?

When we know their ideas are so hateful – how do we love them? When we know our truths are right – and their idea is wrong – how do we live in the Truth? When we know that the best way to move forward is by oppressing the other voice – how do we walk with God? This problem, beloved, is a stumbling block of social justice which happens whenever we forget to love God first – in all things.

We see this problem in the apostle’s First Letter to the Corinthians when Paul reminds the Church of Corinth about love. For you see, the Corinthians have a moral struggle happening within their community. A moral struggle as to what to do about those people – those people who do not believe as they do – those people who follow false idols. The other in this narrative are the pagan’s in the town of Corinth who have a set of sacrificial rites which directly oppose the early church’s belief of their truth according to the theologian Victor Furnish. Namely, the Corinthian truth is that with Christ we no longer need to sacrifice our livestock to God and are risking our immortal souls by engaging this practice with the pagan’s false idols. 

Now this may not seem to be on par with racial justice – economic justice – or any other justice in our world today; but that is because these justice issues are the ones affecting us today. In the time of Paul when the world was about to end and we had to be ready for the Parousia – the end times – the coming of Christ, this issue was just as important. This issue and the understanding of their truth was not only important, it was an existential crisis, a concern for their very existence. For, if the people of Corinth did not follow their truth – they believed they would be destroyed forever by God. Much like people today seem to believe that if their truth is not followed – the environment will be destroyed – democracy will be destroyed – all black people will be destroyed – free speech will be destroyed – their very ideology will be destroyed. 

To this idea Paul writes “Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.” To know – or rather think we know – Paul says is wrong, we do not yet have the knowledge. We do not really know the reasons for the issues from the capitol conflict to the racial justice protests. We do not know what truths people are feeding upon – we do not know what is within their hearts; but Paul says anyone who loves God is known by him. Known by her – known by God. This is not a simple phase. When we are known by God, we are called by him to be disciples following the way to the Truth – The Good News – The Love of God.

Paul even goes on to provide an example of how to reveal this Love when we are called – when we are called to engage with people who are our enemies – and who threaten our very existence; and this beloved is the Good News of our scripture this week. For, Paul says, “We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.” In other words, the truths of the pagan and the Corinthians are not the Truth – neither makes us better or worse. However, if we eat that food, that truth, the divisions which continue to “other” people as enemies, even if we do not believe they are our enemies – will make “a stumbling block to the weak.” We will be revealing not an example of the Truth of God’s Love for all people but our truth that our way is right, and their way is wrong. To this Paul stands for God and says, “Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.”

As you may have guessed, I am using this food today as a metaphor in Justice issues – the food that feeds the movements and divisions is not the Truth of God’s Love for all people but it is our truths – our many varied truths, perspectives, and opinions. The food is heaped out in our silos and feasted upon by the many. But, to eat of that food and recite those same mantras from our silos is causing people to fall – is causing division – is causing people to move away from the Truth that God Loves all people and we are all equal under the divine. To share what I mean in the realm of racial justice it was only a few months ago when a woman went into a Walmart to buy a cake for her father retiring from the police department. She asked for a Thin Blue line cake which honors the people who serve our communities; yet the bakers refused her request by saying that the Thin Blue Line symbol is racist. Beloved, I must ask: is that love? Or did these bakers hear only their truth and ate only of the food of the racial justice movement? How can dishonoring someone they never met further racial justice or be loving to anyone?

More than likely, the weak who heard their truth will either eat of the same food and divide themselves even further from the police or eat of the food that racial justice is hateful to officers and divide themselves further from the people seeking racial equality. So, how does eating of this food help us come to the Truth of God? Let me say, it does not. “Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.” I will not eat that food that all police are racist – or all African Americans are criminals – All republicans or all democrats are bad – I will not eat food that will divide but instead follow the Good news – the Truth – the Love that God created us all equally; for, love builds us all up and that Truth will guide us as we seek justice.

For, each way to reach justice by way of the Truth will be different. It may be simply scrolling past the comments on Facebook – it may be turning off the News when the rhetoric begins – it may be simply changing the subject of a conversation. It requires us to live into the Truth of God’s Love and be an example of the Truth for all to witness. This Good News, however, does not mean we sit idly by as black people are oppressed for their skin color; but it does mean we do not demonize all police officers as racists because of bad actors. It means whatever we do, we start with the Truth of God’s Love for all people. And witness the whole of the issue – good and bad by all actors honestly to find a way to the Truth of God’s Love for all.

This Way is not easy, though – for, humans are broken, easily drawn into the conflicts, and quick to share the knowledge that we Know – but instead of that path, let us follow the way we are called the way of discerning what we think we know and ask if that is the Truth – if our truth is also Loving to all people – even our enemies – If so then we are following in the Way of Christ. If not, we are probably hitting a stumbling block of Justice and may need to consider another way to find God’s Loving Truth while seeking Justice for all. May your days be full of the Good News – the Truth – the Love of God for all people in all ways. Amen.