Over these past few months, it’s amazing to me how many people I know, who for various reasons need to live in two different communities. Mostly it’s because of a temporary job relocation where they need to live out of state while their families remain here in Athens. I would think it would be like living in two different worlds.
I was thinking about this in planning for this Sunday because our scripture readings offer two very different worlds in which we are called to live everyday. On one hand, there’s the beautiful world described so poetically by the prophet Isaiah in which there is nothing but gladness, rejoicing, hope, and new life.
And on the other hand, there’s the broken and hurting world as described so forcefully by Jesus in our Gospel reading where there is the reality of violence, war, natural calamities, and persecution.
If I asked you which world sounds more appealing, I would guess that you would be like me and choose the world described by Isaiah, the world that is completely filled with joy and gladness. But the reality is we live in both. We only need to hear the latest breaking news to be reminded that Jesus’ description of the world is all too true, sadly.
This dichotomy of two worlds is also evident for those who like to travel. Tourist and vacation spots are often located in the wealthier areas of a community, but just across the bridge or across the tracks from where you’re staying, we would find unbelievable poverty and hopelessness.
In one of the churches I served, we would send a mission team to serve in the Bahamas each year. What can I say, except that we felt “called” to serve in a place which just so happens to have the most beautiful beaches in the world.
But all joking aside, Eleuthera Island where we sent our team each year not only has beautiful beaches but also very severe and unbelievable poverty. It’s an island that contains two very different worlds where the rich and famous live and where the poor and forgotten live side by side.
Whenever people from our missions team would return from one of our trips, they didn’t focus on how blue the ocean was or how the Caribbean Sea was a welcome relief from the our cold and gray Ohio winters back home. Instead, they shared about the beautiful people they met in some of the most impoverished villages they had ever visited in their lifetimes.
During one of our mission trips to the island, our guide took us to the Glass Window Bridge which is known as the most narrow land mass in the world. Only one hundred feet separate the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean on one side with the calmer waves of the Caribbean Sea on the other.
Tim, who was one of the people who went on these mission trips to the Bahamas said to me as we were walking across that bridge, "Robert, I see a future sermon illustration with this bridge. Sometimes our faith and life can feel turbulent like this Atlantic side and other times it can feel peaceful like the Caribbean side."
Tim’s insightful observation was a wonderful metaphor in describing the worlds we were experiencing during that mission trip on Eleuthera Island. We saw beauty and desperation side by side.
But we don’t need to go to Eleuthera Island to live in two worlds. We live in two worlds right here where we live. In fact, there is probably no other place in Ohio that is more of a contrast than living in the city of Athens while also living in a county which is one of the poorest in the state, not to mention the entire nation. Friends, we live in two worlds all the time right here in southeast, Ohio.
It’s not easy to live in two worlds simultaneously. And I think this is why we have these two very contrasting scripture images of the world next to each other in our scripture readings this morning. On one hand, we have Isaiah who paints this beautiful picture of how the world is meant to be where there is joy, and rejoicing, and abundance for all. That’s the calm and tranquil Caribbean side to borrow Tim’s metaphor.
And on the other hand, we have Jesus’ passage from Luke’s Gospel where there is destruction, brokenness, violence, and pain which is the turbulent and wave crashing Atlantic side to complete his metaphor. The truth is that we live to varying degrees in both worlds all of the time.
From beginning to end, the Bible is constantly reminding us of these two worlds. The beauty that is all around us coupled with the hope and promise that one day God will make all things new runs alongside of the painful reality that this world often times feels like it’s going to hell in a hand basket. And depending on which side of the bed you wake up in the morning, you’ll end up seeing one more than the other.
And so what do we do with this dilemma of having to live in two very different worlds? How do you NOT become extremely negative and cynical in this world but at the same time, not become naïve and reality denying.
The scriptures are really, really awesome at keeping us grounded in both worlds.
And so, if you are one who tends to only see the world in rose colored glasses where we ignore the cries of the hungry, and the tears of the oppressed, and those who are marginalized, and those who are excluded in subtle and not so subtle ways based on age, race, gender, or sexual orientation, maybe Jesus’ words from our Gospel lesson are what we need to hear the most this morning.
Jesus is reminding us that working for peace and justice is unbelievably hard and excruciatingly painful. It’s not easy taking on the shape of someone else’s pain.
But take heart, because Jesus says that if we take seriously the pain and brokenness of our world, God will be by our side as we suffer on behalf of others. Jesus is saying that even though there will be those who will not support you in making this world a better place for all and not just for a privileged majority, that not even a hair of your head will perish. Please don’t take that literally because just look at my hairline.
Or, conversely if you are one who tends to see the world only through doom and gloom lenses where there is no beauty anywhere to be seen, then maybe Isaiah’s words from our Old Testament reading need to take more prominence. Look for the beauty. Open your eyes to the possibilities. See God’s presence at work in the world. It’s there. You just have to be alert to see it. Be joyful, be glad! And without a doubt, in these days leading up to Thanksgiving, be thankful. Be grateful. Be aware of the blessings that are all around us.
Don’t miss the rainbow after the storm. Listen to that song that makes you cry tears of joy every single time you hear it. Don’t miss God’s presence in the everyday moments of your life. Seek to bless others knowing that you are an important part of the building of God’s kingdom here on earth.
This is where our II Thessalonians scripture reading says to us, “Don’t forget about me, because I have something to add to what the preacher is saying this morning. And it’s short and sweet. ‘Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.’”
II Thessalonians is saying, that as we live in these two worlds every single day, don’t grow weary. See the good. See what needs to be changed and contribute to that change to help make this world a better place.
Great words for us as we live between these contrasting worlds described by Isaiah and Jesus. “Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.”
God knows it’s not easy to live in two these two overlapping worlds; the calm Caribbean side of tranquility, peace, justice, equality, and harmony, contrasted by the Atlantic side of chaos, violence, destruction, oppression and death. We live in both. That’s just the way it is. It’s not easy, but God promises to be with us as we live in both these worlds.
Perhaps one of our own members, Cathy Lee said it best in a Facebook post just before school began this past August when she offered these words, and I share these words with her permission. She writes…
“I enjoyed my last weekday run this morning before my school year begins this Wednesday. As I was running, I thought about "place" and how we each are called to or at least find ourselves living in a particular place on this big Earth. I thought of the people in the village of La Boca in Honduras, where my church mission team visited this summer and last summer. These lovely people love their families, raise their children, keep their modest homes as nice as possible, give thanks to their God and others, show hospitality to visitors, and work toward a bettering their village and their school for the present and the next generation. Each of them probably (although I didn't see it) also bickers with others at times, and has their share of dark moments...hopefully followed by new beginnings. They enjoy the beauty of the sunrise and sunset from their slice of the Earth. I don't know that there's any better way to live, no matter our financial status, job status, level of education, or geographical location.”
Cathy’s insightful words remind us that it is possible to live in these two worlds at the same time as difficult as it may seem. And what gives me hope in this crazy, hurting, confused and often violent world, comes from the very first verse that was read to us this morning from Isaiah, one that is meant to sustain us every single morning when we wake up to begin a new day.
He offers us this word of hope. Memorize it. Meditate on it. Hold on to these words for dear life, friends. And here it is.
When you feel that all hope is lost, more than anything, remember this…
God is creating new heavens and a new earth.
Living in Two Worlds
Sermon Discussion Questions
Isaiah 65:17-25; II Thessalonians 3:6-13; & Luke 21:5-19
November 17, 2019
Our Isaiah and Gospel readings offer two contrasting views of the world. In Isaiah, we are given a picture of God’s preferred future for the world which includes gladness, rejoicing, hope, and new life. In Luke Gospel, there is the reminder that are world is filled with violence, war, natural calamities, and persecution.
Where do you see the world as described by Jesus today?
Where do you see the world as described by Isaiah today?
Pastor Robert shared an illustration of how we as people of faith live in both of these worlds at the same time. The world’s most narrow land mass is what is known as the Glass Window Bridge located on Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. On one side, you can look down and see the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side, you can see the calm and peaceful Caribbean Sea.
What helps you to not be overly naive and ignore the pain and suffering in our world?
What helps you to not be overly negative and pessimistic and ignore the beauty and goodness in the world?
Our 3rd scripture reading from II Thessalonians helps us to live in both worlds by offering us these words, “Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.”
What are some specific ways that we can do what is right in our community and world?
Since we are approaching Thanksgiving, spend some time in prayer thanking God for Isaiah’s picture of the world. Remember these words of hope from our Isaiah scripture reading: “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth.”
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