Sermon: Too Small!

Isaiah 49:1-7

'It is too light a thing that you should by my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.'

Too small. If there’s anything that the people of Judah felt – the people of Judah from the Southern Kingdom of Israel – I’m sure it involved a day-to-day reality of feeling ‘too small. We’re distanced in time from the people who are addressed in this passage, distant in culture, distant in experience, so it’s hard to wrap our minds around the suffering these people were enduring. Too small: It would have been easy for the people of Judah to feel like the nobodies of their world.

And it’s all connected to 587 BC. To us, that’s just a number, but to the people of Judah, that year was the watershed moment. It wasn’t the beginning of their conflict with the Babylonians, but 587 was the year that solidified Judah’s defeat. The Kingdom of Babylon was a force to be reckoned with, not only in Judah but in the entire region of the near-east. With Babylon on the prowl as an ever-expanding empire, the other kingdoms of that region were terrified, fearing that their own destruction was imminent.

So that brings us to a quick history lesson: In 597, ten years before the final defeat of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar II, the King of Babylon, led an army to Jerusalem and put the city under siege, cutting the people off from food and safe access in and outside the city. The Babylonians weakened the city to the point that they eventually broke through the walls, and when they did, they wreaked havoc on Jerusalem. They plundered the city and the temple, the most sacred place of worship and self-identity for the people of Judah, and they deported the King of Judah along with 10,000 others, prominent leaders in the government and the religious establishment. The people of Judah were left with a sweeping void of leadership. And as difficult as that was, it was only a taste, only the beginning of the end concerning the life that the people knew in Judah.

And then ten years later, in 587 BC – the watershed moment – Babylon left nothing untouched. For two years – Two years! Can you imagine it?– the Babylonians put Jerusalem under another siege, cutting the people off from the outside world, and in 587, they broke through the walls, destroyed the city for a second round – homes, fields, lives - and made captives of nearly all the survivors. But before they moved the captives of Judah into the foreign land of Babylon, the Babylonians gave them a searing, final, ghastly image to take with them. The Babylonian army burned the temple to the ground – made dust of it, destroying the most sacred place of these people – destroying the house where they believed their God dwelt with them. Can you imagine the sorrow of that moment? Can you imagine the fear? The confusion?

And so the people of Judah were taken to live in a foreign land – a place they had never lived with foreign customs, a different language, a worldview not their own, and ways of worshipping gods that weren’t their own. They were a disenfranchised, defeated, second-class group of captive exiles. And they were put into theological confusion too: Where was their God? Had God abandoned them? Is it any wonder that the people of Judah believed they were too small in their world? They had lost almost everything. Too small. Too small for this world to care. And perhaps, they wondered, too small for their God to care.

But God had something to say about that. In the Book of Isaiah, a prophet arrives with a Word for the people, a Word of Hope from their God, a Word of Identity. In effect, these prophetic words are flying in the face of all the heartache that the Judeans are witnessing in their lives. The words seem to say, “Don’t you know Whose you are? And since you belong to a God who loves, a God who saves, and a God who claims, don’t you know who you are called to be? Don’t you know Whose you are?” The words from our passage today seem to rise up out of the ashes, creating an alternative vision for the future of Judah, for the future of the Jewish people, and the future of all those who put their faith, trust, and hope in God.

Too small for this world? Nope. Through the words of the prophet, God has something to say about that self-understanding. In these words, God turns that self-understanding on its head. “Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. . . And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’

Too small an identity? No! Here’s what’s too small: And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him. . . he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” It is too light a thing – too small a thing – for you Judah, people of Israel, to gather up your own tribes and restore your survivors. That’s huge, but it’s too small. You are a light to the nations, that salvation may reach everywhere! Do you know Whose you are?

What a message. The prophet’s message seems to rise out of the ashes. Babylonian dust will not be the last word. And it wasn’t. Without God’s pledge of love toward the people of Judah, we wouldn’t even have a Hebrew Bible to hear these words this morning – to know about the heartache of exile and the eventual return to the homeland. Nearly 70 years later, people or Judah did leave Babylon and return to their homeland, and our identity is connected to theirs. Our faith is sustained upon the convictions of faithful Jewish people. Apart from their testimony, we would not be who we are. A disenfranchised, defeated, second-class group of captive exiles articulated a faith that sustains people in every corner in our world. It was too small a thing to restore the tribes of Israel. Too light a thing. The people of Judah spoke salvation to the entire world.

Sometimes it takes going to a different place to see home with new eyes. Some of you know that two weeks ago Ian and I came home from ten-day trip to Germany. It was an incredible trip, filled with gorgeous views, and interesting history. And while we were on our journey, we took an impromptu day- trip to France. We crossed the border between Germany and France and stayed one night in Strasbourg. There were many points of interest in Strasbourg – including a church where John Calvin was pastor for three years, and we just unexpectedly stumbled upon it when we turned a corner on a Sunday morning. Wow. There was much to see, but without a doubt, the most awe-inspiring place we visited was the Strasbourg Cathedral. And I’m just curious: Have any of you ever been to that cathedral? Okay, a few of you know what I mean when I say awe-inspiring. It’s really an understatement. The Strasbourg Cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Construction for the building began in the 1100s. The 1100s! Now that’s old! And it was completed in the 1400s. For three hundred years, eight generations of people created a monument to God’s holiness which is more intricate than anything I’ve ever seen. Everywhere you look, there’s a carving here, a statue there, stained-glass windows towering everywhere. It’s as if everything has significance in this cathedral – all the details -- and as I stood in awe of it, all the intricate parts seemed to point in a unified direction toward what’s ultimate – toward God, who is holy beyond comprehension.

And I’m enough of a realist to know that when a city spends three hundred years building a cathedral, part of the reasoning behind it is to flex a muscle toward other cities. Yes, I’m a realist. But that being said, the vision for this cathedral seemed to be large, and I would even say cosmic. The structure is built in the shape of a huge cross, and signs in the cathedral said that it was created to represent a ship to bring all of humanity to God. All humanity. There’s nothing ‘too small’ about that.

But even if this cathedral was built in part to flex a very large muscle, I have to say that as I looked around, I found myself in complete awe, reflecting upon how much faith it must have taken to build this structure, this cathedral for all of humanity. After all, only a strong faith in God’s holiness would be worth this much time, and this much effort, and this much money. They must have believed God was infinitely worth this display of holiness. Perhaps the builders of the Strasbourg Cathedral felt connected to Whose they are.

And it must have taken so much faith in one another as well. It would have been difficult to put that much wealth, and time, and talent, and sweat into such an endeavor, only to know that you wouldn’t see it completed in your lifetime. That’s amazing. Eight generations of lives, of individuals and communities, created this beautiful church. I wonder, did the innumerable people who contributed to this work feel that their part – no matter how small – was infinitely larger than themselves? I wonder, were they in any way aware that they were not too small for this world, that they were part of something larger than they could imagine? Today that Cathedral speaks to innumerable tourists who visit the city of Strasbourg. Nine hundred years later, a structure which was begun in a very different time period, acts as a witness, pointing toward God’s holiness for the benefit of the entire world. Anything less would be too small.

And here we are together on an ordinary, run-of-the-mill Sunday morning, but if our vision for this moment is mundane, we’re playing our faith too small. Much too small. University Presbyterian Church hasn’t experienced a Babylonian exile – though I’m sure if we reflected deeply enough, we might all discover that we’ve felt exiled in one form or another throughout our lives. And though we’re grateful for this structure where we worship, University Presbyterian Church isn’t housed in a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. But we would be missing something on this ordinary Sunday morning if we forgot to remind ourselves in this moment Whose we are. And we would be missing something if we forgot who we are, who we are in light of the amazing pledge and claim of God in our lives.

And so I turn the question to this church today– this holy, beloved community of God. Do you know Whose you are? Do you know how you’ve been claimed? Do you know who you’re called to be? Do you know that it would be too small a thing if we viewed ourselves as simple pew dwellers this morning? No, it would be too small a thing for us to sit in a pew and miss the mystery of God’s Spirit in this place. You are surrounded by a holy community – brothers, sisters, neighbors, and friends. And they contain worlds – yes, actual worlds within themselves! Have you ever thought about how every person is a community of worlds – how they represent people, and places, and memories, and experiences? Do you know that you represent people, and places, and memories, and experiences? Because of Whose you are, bring all of that to this place. Bring all the worlds you carry within you – yes, to this moment!

And as we do it, we too are creating a monument pointing to God’s holiness. We bring our worlds – our people, and places, and memories, and experiences – and we share them with one another. It would be too small a thing for them to serve our own salvation and healing. Friends, let University Presbyterian Church be a place, a monument, and a holy community created for the salvation of all! May all our worlds serve this unified world of ours.

I have seen the world in this place. I moved to Austin, Texas five years ago this very day. And my world is infinitely larger and richer because of it. Today I depart in an official capacity, but we’re not going to be unconnected in the days ahead. Not at all. It would be too small a thing for me to leave the worlds I’ve gained behind here in Austin and too small a thing for them to serve me only. I take all of you – your people, your places, your memories, and your experiences – into new worlds. Even before I know so many of the details of what our experience will be like in Pasadena, I know that your world will enrich other worlds. I am sure of it! I am different as I leave this place. I know a deeper love, I know a deeper service, I know a deeper commission. That’s because of you. University Presbyterian Church is a place for the whole world! Thank you.

Nothing you do is insignificant because of Whose you are! Nothing is insignificant!

Belong.

Serve.

Envision.

Dream.

Be Whose you are.

Amen.

-Renée Roederer, Campus Minister, and the Community at University Presbyterian Church

Renee Says Thanks to UPC!

To the UPC Congregation,

As many of you know, Sunday, August 8^th will be my last day on staff at University Presbyterian Church, and Ian and I will be moving to Pasadena, California three days later. I am experiencing a whirlwind of emotions these days, as you might imagine. Ian and I have hope and excitement as we enter new realms of possibilities, and we have heavy hearts as we leave UPC and Austin. I want to thank you deeply for the love and community we have experienced here. You can be certain that those gifts of love and community are not ending; instead, they are nourishing us into new experiences. We cannot foresee all the gifts that California will bring, but you can be assured that the relationships we experience there will be deeply connected to who you are. We have been formed here, and our identities have been shaped by you. We will enter new relationships as the people we have been formed to be. Thank you.

Ian will soon begin a research position in astronomy at the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena. We are sure to experience a lot of laughter, knowledge, and friendship among the other astronomers there. I am seeking a call in the greater Los Angeles area, and I would appreciate your prayers in my search. I have been searching for seven months, and partly because of the current economic climate, there have not been many opportunities. I am very hopeful, however, and I plan to make myself of use in many different ways. I do expect to find joy, friendship, and meaningful opportunities for service.

In our time together, we have made many memories. I appreciate the ways you support our pastors and staff, and I am grateful for the love and availability you have shown our students. Thank you for giving them a space to be loved and providing a home away from home. Thank you for allowing our students to challenge the status quo. Thank you for imparting wisdom to them and showing them the beauty of tradition. You have been mentors, parents, and friends to them. Thank you.

As we leave here, I am grateful that Kaci Porter will be stepping into the role of Campus Minister for UPC. I am very thankful for her leadership, and I have confidence that this ministry is being left in wonderful hands. She is smart, thoughtful, funny, considerate, talented, and most of all, ready and gifted to make meaningful, loving relationships with you. You will receive much from her leadership. She will join us on August 1^st.

Again, thank you for you who are and who you are always becoming. You will certainly be in our thoughts and prayers in the upcoming months.

With much love,

Renee

Marco Shares About His Summer

Well I've been doing a lot of thinking about "how my summer was" :) It's been hard to describe in words, but here's my attempt.

I guess I should start as the Spring semester came to an end. I had some big decisions to make, but some even harder problems to solve. My first big decision was whether or not to even attempt to finish the semester. As most of you know I was injured and not being able to use my leg made finishing my classes very difficult. However, I decided to finish hoping and praying I would not do any more damage to my leg. I remember my friend Merrit telling me I need to stay off my leg and let it heal. Along with some of classmates who were also concerned I decided to finish the semester after all. It turned out to be the best decision I've made in a long time. Not only did I finish, but I actually won 3 first prizes for my work including "best of fashion photography", "best of portrait photography", and "best of restoration". To say the least I would have been happy if my photos even made it in, I've never won anything before! In addition I made a 4.0 this semester which made my jaw drop! I think that's only happened once before!

However the most memorable and certainly most humbling moment was about to happen. I've heard, like so many, about God's love and grace. However, I can't say I've ever really felt it. I've always felt like an outsider trying to fit in or find my place. In addition I was struggling financially because I do not have health insurance and I knew how important healing my leg would be for what I hope my career as a photographer will be. As I made plans and a lot of negotiating with my health care providers little did I know what my friends were planning. I finally figured out how to pay for my surgery, and although it would mean going deeper in debt, my family and I made it happen. About a week before surgery I spoke to Renee and she mentioned something that brought me my knees. Apparently, the group had raised money for me, to help with my expenses.

Never in my life have I ever been so blessed by so much kindness and love. I honestly believed that I didn't really matter to anyone other than my parents. I thought I was just another member at UPC. I honestly believed I had to do everything on my own. Thank you is does not even begin to describe how deeply and emotionally I had been touched. Doubt and anxiety was replaced by calmness and confidence. I don't know who exactly did this for me, but I am so very thankful. I had a glimpse into what God's love is truly is. I am very very grateful and I hope someday I may do the same for others.

After surgery I found myself at the mercy and aid of others. I could not walk, feed myself or even get out of bed. Growing up I did not have an opportunity to spend much time with my parents, so this was a time when that changed a lot. I was blessed to have my parents come and care for me. Some close friends came to visit and helped cure me of being immobile and feeling isolated. Others kindly wrote to me via facebook.

It's a summer that touched my heart. A summer that taught me so much about how important it is to part of a community. I know I can't say this enough but Thank You. This truly was the summer of Thanksgiving.

~Marco

Alyssa Sends Greetings!

Alyssa, what are you doing this summer?

This summer I've been taking summer school to finish my psychology degree since I can only student teach now during the year and working, both of which consumes my time. In addition to that, I've been having some fun on the weekends consisting of time on the lake, swimming, and just plain relaxing!

However, my new favorite thing I've picked up has been regularly practicing yoga. I'm trying to establish a regular habit of going and setting it before the school year, and it's paying off immensely. I've become more flexible, more relaxed, and a happier individual! Yay yoga!

-Alyssa Nipp, Senior

Continuing Our Summer Reading Series. . .

Tonight we are continuing our Tuesday study nights. From 6-8pm, we'll be watching episodes of Firefly, and we'll discuss them together.

And then at 8pm, we'll head over to the Spiderhouse to discuss what we're reading together. Last week, we finished The Shack, and this week, we'll begin Same Kind of Different As Me. This book is a true story told by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, two men who have lived very different lives, yet who share a common bond of friendship. Both men have deep wisdom to share, and they were brought together by Debbie Hall, Ron's wife. This story of friendship will touch you and perhaps call you to ask deeper questions about homelessness, poverty, spirituality, and relationships.

Looking forward to the discussions we'll have!

Celebrating Rebecca!

We celebrate Rebecca Chancellor!

Yesterday was Rebecca's last Sunday with us at University Presbyterian. She has served faithfully for six years as our Director of Youth and Children's Ministries, and now she is on her way to be Associate Pastor of a very lucky church in Portland, Oregon. Congratulations, Rebecca!

But yesterday was a special occasion beyond Morning Worship. In the afternoon, we held the Ordination Service for Rebecca. She is now a Minister of Word and Sacrament within the PC(USA), and we are thrilled for her.


Of course, our youth and children will miss her very much. But we will be thinking of you, Rebecca, and sending prayers! Peace to you as you enter this new adventure of ministry!

Praying For General Assembly

This week, the General Assembly of the PC(USA) will be meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Commissioners from various presbyteries will travel to Minneapolis to consider how the PC(USA) might be called to greater faithfulness in all areas of our ministry together.

Have you ever wondered what the General Assembly is, and have you ever been curious about what it does? I am linking a description that comes directly from the PC(USA) website. You can visit that description here.

Let's be praying for the commissioners this week, that they would make helpful decisions and be strengthened in their faith.