Matthew 10:32-33 (Christians in Mosul)

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS...

I have been preparing a sermon on Matthew 10:24-33 for this coming Sunday.  St. Luke JOY has been on a journey through the Gospel of Matthew since mid-December 2013.  At 10:32-33 Jesus says, "So everyone who acknowledges  me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."

It has deeply grieved me at the silence of the church, and my home country, regarding the plight of Christians living in and around Mosul, Iraq.  I was raised, catechized, and then ordained--first as a deacon and then as a minister--within the orthodox and evangelical family in the Presbyterian Church (USA).  For most of my adult life all I have heard from the liberal, and politically dominant, side of my denomination were cries for justice! Economic justice, land justice, workers justice, sexuality justice, male dominance justice, women's right to choose justice, etc...Everything that is important to the theological left is a justice issue, even if it is really a theological issue...

The last few weeks the PCUSA has been embroiled in a controversial decision regarding divesting from businesses that do business with the government and military of Israel.  Very strong rhetoric has been flowing from the divestment camp: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/6/20/slim-margin-assembly-approves-divestment-three-com/.  Perhaps you saw Reverend Heath Rada, Moderator of the General Assembly's, interview on CNN recently where he tried to defend the General Assembly's actions: http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/21/us/presbyterian-church-palestinians/.

The rhetoric gets deeper as Reverend Gradye Parsons, writing on July 16, 2014 denounced Israel's intrusion into Gaza with this one sided letter: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/7/16/stated-clerk-issues-statement-gaza-crisis/.  This was followed up by the Office of the General Assembly with this prayer: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/7/18/pcusa-leaders-offer-prayer-use-sunday/.

Remarkably, the Office of the General Assembly, that great bastion of justice seeking has remained quiet regarding the mass persecution of Christians living in Mosul Iraq.  Here is an article from Christianity Today online: http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/july/mosuls-last-christians-flee-former-christian-stronghold.html.

To be fair, after several days, and a lot of scrutiny, this letter was released: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/7/21/statement-issued-pcusa-denouncing-attacks-mosul/.

It is not only the PCUSA that has been remarkably quiet regarding the treatment of Christians in Iraq.  Most of the once powerful and significant mainline traditions have been quiet.  One wonders sometimes if this is a political move on their part to protect the president, who is actually responsible for these actions by removing US troops before a peace was firmly established.

Full disclosure: I left the PCUSA for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church this past winter.  My conscience simply could not go where the church of my youth was headed.  There is a severe reticence to name Jesus as THE Lord and Savior of the world.  There is also a real hesitance to speak of Scripture as the infallible Word of God; the way in which God reveals himself to us in Jesus the Christ.

I don't know exactly what to do regarding the persecution of our brothers and sisters in Iraq (and in other countries in the world), but there are two things that do come to mind.  First off, the leadership of the all of the Christian traditions in the world should be sending out a plea for prayer for Christians in Iraq, particularly in the Mosul area.  Second, the government of the United States MUST stand up to this type of aggression.  All I hear coming from the federal city is the deafening sound of silence.  We removed our soldiers that were protecting these people; we placed them in harms way; we encouraged them to stand up to militant Islamic rebels...and yet we left them to die and suffer in the wake of our actions.

Jesus says, "So everyone who acknowledges  me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."  The church is the bride of the Lord Jesus.  To stand up and defend Christians around the world is to stand and identify with Jesus.  To stand silent and make no pronouncement is to make one.  May God have mercy on our souls.

Reflections from Riding in the Hearse

An important part of my calling as a pastor is presiding over funerals for parishioners and sometimes their family members who do not have a church home.  The journey from the church or funeral home to the cemetery is oftentimes a difficult ride for the family of the deceased.  This is the last ride they will take with their loved one.  People are often anxious during this time as they struggle with feelings of sadness, grief, and sometimes despair.

I typically ride in the hearse (carriage) on the way to the cemetery.  I have noticed a distressing trend over the course of the past several years with the general population showing an appalling lack of respect for the deceased and their loved ones riding in the funeral caravan.  It used to be considered common courtesy for drivers to pull off to the side of the road to allow the funeral procession to pass.  Pedestrians on the sidewalks and in driveways would stop what they were doing and stand still as a sign of respect to the deceased and their family and gentlemen would tip their hats as a show of courtesy.

It is not uncommon today for drivers outside of the funeral procession to become very impatient at the slow speed of the caravan and wedge themselves into the entourage. I recently witnessed an angry driver pass the limousine that the family was riding in and fall in behind the hearse that I was in.  I was incensed.  The driver of the hearse told me that this has become commonplace over the past few years.

I began to wonder if we have become the kind of nation, the kind of people, who place our hurried lives and road rage over the care and respect for a grieving family.  Here is a link to an article from The Independent written a few years ago addressing this very issue:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-death-of-funeral-etiquette-2372040.html

Please everyone, if you encounter a funeral procession in the coming days while you are driving, take a deep breath and try not to get angry with the family that is traveling to the cemetery to say their final good by's to a loved one.  If you are walking down the sidewalk, working in your yard, or perhaps sitting on a chair in your driveway, take a moment to pause and show some respect and civility to the family that is grieving.  Gentlemen, if you are wearing a cap, take it off your head and tip it to the family.

This simple courtesy goes a long way in ministering to a family that is struggling with the loss of a loved one.

Grace and peace,
Mark