Pastor's Message

August 2006

Whenever the Christian community is fractured over a disagreement or difference of opinion, we are thrust into the ageless question of sin, evil and the Christian faith. How is it that good people can be driven by laudable motives to argue and disagree intensely with each other. Where does the emotion of an issue overcome the willingness to discuss and consider the other’s viewpoint? I would like to share some reflections of William H. Willimon in his book – Sighing for Eden, Abington Press, pages 120-122. He has these words to say in a chapter on Cain and Able:

“Cain is humanity under a curse, those against whom the whole creation has a grudge. Even in nature, we are homeless and at war. Cain is sent into exile for the murder of his brother, Abel, condemned to wander east of Eden in the lonely, shadowy “land of Nod” (which means wandering). The “fall” in Eden has continuing social consequences; it is not restricted to some private and personal offense against God but rather leads to offense against the whole human race and results in a long tragedy which is human history…

Well might the story end. And we would judge it to be at least an accurate story, though not a particularly pretty one. It is a story of our ancient resentment, hate, violence, death, fear, and alienation. We have heard it all before and, alas, we shall surely hear it again.

The curse is therefore quite believable, understandable. We get our just deserts in the land of Nod. But, when the judge speaks, the word, surprisingly is a word of mercy which contradicts Cain’s fear. The Lord will work vengeance on anyone who touches Cain. The Lord still has plans, even for the murderer Cain. The Lord puts his mark on Cain, a mark not of punishment but – surprise – a mark of blessing…

The same God who loved little brother Abel, wonder of wonders, finds a place in his great heart even for big brother Cain. This God shall preserve Cain, make something out of him, a Chosen People. The one who deserves death is given a sentence of life. In spite of the blood on his hands, Cain finds that he does not have to be a good little boy with clean hands to be chosen by God.

And so Saint Paul could say to that dirty-handed crowd at First Church Rome:
“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is not distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are all justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (Romans 3:21-25)

The Bible is not a story of saints and their great commitment and courage to serve God. The Bible is mostly a story about God’s great commitment and courage to serve sinners like us. No evil that we or our great-great-grandparents commit is beyond God’s power to redeem. Time and again when he has come to love us, we have hung his beloved ones on some cross, only to have him turn that cross into a sign of blessing.

Time and again in our story, even out here in the land of Nod where we wander, out here east of Eden, with the blood of little brothers and sisters still sticky on our hands and the whole creation set against us, the One has come to bless us, to mark us, to choose us so that his grace might make something out of us, even us, in spite of us.”

The best of intentions can and often do go wrong. And when they do our civility and patience often flee from us quickly. We are all human and all heirs of brother Cain. By God’s continuing blessing may we receive the power to turn from our anger and disagreement to kneel together in awe and wonder at his redeeming grace in our lives.

Pastor Cluley