Monday Morning Preacher

Okay, so my sermon yesterday wasn't what I wrote down.  If you were to look on the Church's website for the text of what I wrote, you will find something that is only partly related to what I actually said.  Fortunately there is audio, well maybe fortunately, that depends on how you take it.  The sermon was called Plumb and it was a blending of both the Old Testament lectionary passage from Amos and the Good Samaritan Parable from Luke.  It was one of those weeks where the selection of the Revised Common Lectionary was particularly serendipitous and problematic at the same time, in other words it was prophetic.  A couple of years ago I purchased a plumb line to use as a children's sermon object lesson, yesterday I used it in a grown up sermon.  Here is a revised and written version of what I did, holding a plumb line in my hand:

God showed Amos a vision of a plumb line,

Not to tell him that things were crooked,

The Shepherd of Tekoa knew that already.

God showed him the vision to let him know that the Crooked was about to fall.

God didn't have to tell Amos what was wrong.

The plumb line did that.

Have you watched the news this week.

This is a plumb line.

Have you heard the names: Philando Castille, Alton Sterling?

This is a plumb line.

What about the Dallas Police officers?

This is a plumb line.

Do you think we're in a good place? A right place?

This is a plumb line.

Are you offended by the statement that Black Lives Matter?

This is a plumb line.

I met for prayer on Thursday afternoon with a young black pastor,

He said he was angry.

This is a plumb line.

He said he couldn't really tell whether he was supposed to be a Pastor,

Or a black man.

He wasn't sure he could be both at this particular moment.

This is a plumb line.

He said that his young wife and he were wondering if

They could in good conscience,

decide to bring a child into this mess.

This is a plumb line.

I was angry for him and along with him,

But I know that I can never feel what he feels.

This is a plumb line.

I know that my white privilege has come at his expense.

This is a plumb line.

Our name,

Good Samaritan Presbyterian Church,

comes from a parable that answers a question:

"Who is my neighbor?"

This is a plumb line.

Jesus uses a Samaritan, a person roundly despised and hated,

A victim of prejudice and derision,

To tell someone that they don't get to draw lines,

This is a plumb line.

Are you uncomfortable yet?

This is a plumb line.

As you probably know, I said more than just that: here is the audio.