Sermon for April 12

Just over a week ago, the “voice of God” died…I’m not in any way referring to our God, the God who we worship, instead, I’m referring to the Hollywood “voice of God” Charleton Hesston. Hesston, who was 84 was known for many Hollywood features over the years and played the greatest roles of the 20th century, or any century: Buffalo Bill, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Michelangelo, John the Baptist, Marc Antony. Heston even played God. It was while shooting The Ten Commandments on location at Mount Sinai that Heston, already cast in the starring role of Moses, talked himself into the biggest part of all. He and legendary director Cecil B. DeMille were having dinner with the abbot of St. Catherine's monastery at the base of the mountain. "Heston said, 'You know, Mr. DeMille, it seems to me that if you hear the voice of God, you hear it inside yourself. I'd like very much to do the voice of God in the burning bush,'" Heston later recalled. "DeMille said, 'Well, Chuck, you've got a pretty good part as it is.' But the abbot, fortunately, was intrigued by that. He said, 'I think that's an interesting idea.' So Mr. DeMille said, 'Well, we'll see about that.'" So it is that in the 1956 classic, when Moses hears the Almighty, he hears his own voice -- disguised by audio effects and speaking the "thy-thou-thine" language of the King James Bible, but still unmistakably Heston (parts taken from http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=13011).
I don’t know about you, but “The Ten Commandments” has been a very influential film when it comes to my understanding of the voices of God, the look of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. Yes, I’ve never actually sat through all 5 hours at one time, but I remember watching the program when I was a kid at my grandparents house—for some reason, it always seemed to be on around EasterJ I heard the voice of Moses saying “let my people go” and the voice of God from the burning bush. Those voices, of Moses and God, permeated my mind, and are the first voices I hear when I think of “the voice of God.” Maybe like me, you just know that voice.
But knowing the voice of God doesn’t keep you from experiencing the good, the bad and the ugly of life. Knowing the voice of God doesn’t keep you from making decisions you’d rather not make. Knowing the voice of God doesn’t always keep families united, children fed or communities intact. We only have to look back at John 9 to recognize this. Remember a few weeks ago when we heard about the blind man who had his sight restored by Jesus? Well, in John 9, the blind man was thrown out of the temple for knowing the voice of God—knowing Christ. Jesus, who is speaking to the Pharisees at the end of chapter 9 begins chapter 10 by talking about being a gate keeper. The only legitimate ways for the sheep to access the pen is through the gate—just as the only legitimate way to access the Word of God is through the gatekeeper—Jesus. Christ is the legitimate voice of God, welcoming in the outcast blind man, the man who was just kicked out of his community. Jesus doesn’t simply interact with those already on the “inside” the educated Pharisees who think the voice of God is reserved for a select few. No, instead, Jesus stands at the gate, allowing the supposed outsider access to the inside. Jesus stands on the edge of two seemingly contrasting places—those supposedly on the outside, and the promise of God for the insiders. Instead of closing the gate and keeping the outcast away, He welcomes them in, bringing together all peoples. Jesus didn’t say “I AM THE WALL.” He says “I AM THE GATE.” Through Jesus, the voice of God is able to permeate outside places and welcomes all.
In Mike Yankoski’s book “Under the Overpass” Mike details his 6 month journey of being an outsider by choice. As part of his spiritual journey, Mike decides to live as a homeless person in cities throughout the US and truly experience the pain of being an outsider. He sleeps in shelters, outside under bridges and earns money playing guitar for handouts. Along the way, Mike and his friend Sam attend local churches. In part, their decision is to see how the insiders react to outsiders like them. But the duo are also longing for community. Mike says they spent every Sunday morning at a church somewhere during their travels, but even so the lack of community was taking a toll. Even at church, they felt isolated because of how they looked, how they smelled and who people perceived them to be. They walked into a church, hoping to find genuine fellowship only to be met by condescension or suspicion (from “Under the Overpass”).
We don’t go to church, we are the church, challenged to be the living expression of Christ’s presence to the world. Once the gatekeeper has guided us in through the legitimate doorway, we aren’t supposed to stay inside, comfortable with other sheep like ourselves. Instead, we are challenged to go back out that gate! To not only be AMONG the “outsiders” but to BE “outsiders” ourselves for the sake of sharing the gospel with others. Through us, others are to hear the voice of God, to allow it to permeate in them, to be welcomed to the gate and to join our community. The community of outsiders. The community of sinners. The community of blind men who were thrown out of the temple. The community of blind men who now see, thanks to the gate keeper who welcomes us all in.
But, fellow disciples, you don’t have to be afraid of being an outsider. For you are known, you have been given a name, an identity. You are Anne, a mother, wife and teacher. You are Karen, our organist. You are Jill, a new HTLC attendee. But, friends, more than that, more than any title you wear at work, or any self given description, YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. The voice of God proclaims “I have called your name, and you are mine.” The voice of God permeates as He reveals Himself as the shepherd, who leads his sheep to still waters and restores their souls. In baptism, we are named as members of God’s family. Hannah, who is sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. We will not follow the voice of a stranger, but will follow the voice of our good shepherd as He guides us, joins us in community and sends us out to share to voice of God with the outsiders, with the insiders, with each other.