From the Pastor

Have fear and suspicion ever caused you to mistreat someone? In our Gospel Reading, fear and suspicion cause the religious leaders and even the disciple
to mistreat a blind man. They wondered what sins he or his parents had committed to bring about his blindness. When he is healed and receives sight, the religious leaders were highly suspicious and fearful. Jesus refused to act out of fear and suspicion (John 9:1-41). Jesus saw his blindness as an opportunity to do good: Heal the blind man!

May we not mistreat anyone because of our fear and suspicion. God’s love and compassion revealed to us Jesus Christ has been brought to us through the Holy Spirit. May we treat others as if they are created in the image of God! May we treat others as Christ did. In this time of Covid-19 watch your fear and suspicion. Be wise but not mean and ugly, and as verse 3 of John 9 remind us, consider it an opportunity to do good and bring about healing. Pray for all the medical professionals from doctors to nurses to janitors on the front line of bringing about healing. Look for opportunities to do good as much as you are able, even if it means staying at home for most of us.

Fear and Suspicion / Misjudging others / John 9:1-41

If you have seen a Frankenstein movie you know that being sewn together from the body parts of dead people makes a grotesque appearance. If you have not seen a Frankenstein movie maybe you have watched jolly Herman Muster. He has a grotesque appearance, but he has a great personality and comedic. Nevertheless, in the Frankenstein movies, his grotesque appearance causes fear and suspicion among the villagers. Their fear and suspicion lead them to mistreat Frankenstein. They chase and taunt him with what he fears most: Flaming torches.

Frankenstein flees the village and stumbles upon the house of a blind man who does not see grotesque appearance of Frankenstein. The blind man treats Frankenstein with dignity and respect – as if he was created in the image of God. Frankenstein reflects this kindness and respect by behaving well, learning to read, and improves in social grace and maturity, but the villagers find him. He must flee again.

Have fear and suspicion ever caused you to mistreat someone? In our Gospel Reading, fear and suspicion cause the religious leaders and even the disciple to mistreat a blind man. They wondered what sins he or his parents had committed to bring about his blindness. When he is healed and receives sight, the religious leaders were highly suspicious and fearful. Jesus refused to act out of fear and suspicion (John 9:1-41). Jesus saw it as an opportunity to do good: Heal the blind man!

This text could produce many sermons, but I want to focus upon fear and suspicion which have the potential to lead us to be blind to our own faults and failures. Fear and suspicion lead us to highlight and exploit the faults and failures of others, even if there is neither fault nor failure. Fear and suspicion lead to the mistreatment of illegal immigrants. Fear and suspicion lead us to mistreat our enemies in the name of national security. Fear and suspicion have led to the mistreatment of Muslims and Jews. Fear and suspicion have led to the mistreatment of the neighbor we do not particularly understand or care to understand. Fear and suspicion have led to the mistreatment of homosexuals. Fear and suspicion have led to the mistreatment of the mentally ill.

May we not mistreat anyone because of our fear and suspicion. God’s love and compassion revealed to us Jesus Christ has been brought to us through the Holy Spirit. May we treat others like the blind man treated Frankenstein – as if they are created in the image of God! May we treat others as Christ did

In this time of Covid-19 watch your fear and suspicion. Be wise but not mean and ugly, and as verse 4 of John 9 remind us, consider it an opportunity to do good and bring about healing. Pray for all the medical professionals from doctors to nurses to janitors on the front line of bringing about healing. Look for opportunities to do good as much as you are able, even if it means staying home for most of us.

In a spirited debate with a Samaritan woman, Jesus tells us that the place to worship is not as important as worshipping in “spirit and truth” (John 4:3-30; 39-42). We can worship God anywhere, even on White Top Mountain sitting high above the valley below looking into North Carolina, and as you may guess I have been there more than once. Yet, we usually learn about the truth of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ in church buildings throughout the world. No single church or denomination is more privileged than another.

In the spirit of Christ, may we live lives of truth that refuse to allow the prejudices and hatreds of our culture, families, community, and nation determine how we see others. Like Jesus and the Samaritan woman, may we find common ground “in spirit and truth.”

To be “born from above” emphasizes a spiritual renewal beyond ourselves from God through the Holy Spirit, and when we are born from above it is may be experienced as being born anew or again (John 3:1-8). We are constantly born anew from above. Do not limit it to a one-time experience.

When we are “born from above” we see the world anew with compassion. The Holy Spirit prompts us to compassionate acts done with sincerity and purity of heart. If you lack compassion: Ask yourself why, and ask God to fill you with divine compassion. May we always be “born from above.”