Three Wishes

First Lesson: Exodus 3: 1-15
Responsive Reading: Psalm 26: 1-8
Second Lesson: Romans 12: 9-21
​Gospel Lesson: Matthew 16: 21-28

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“I think it wiser, not to keep open the sores of war, but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife and to commit to oblivion the feelings it engendered[1].”- General Robert E. Lee
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Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Once upon a time, a hurting woman was walking along the beach when she saw a bottle hidden in the sand[2].  She picked the bottle up and pulled its cork.  Whoosh! A big puff of smoke appears and out of the bottle comes a genie.  The genie is grateful for her release from the bottle, and as a token of her appreciation she grants the woman “three wishes.”  There was one catch though for the “three wishes,” her spouse would receive double of whatever she requested.

“Why?” the woman wanted to know.  She then started giving the Genie a list of litanies about her husband: he was a cheater, a drinker, unkind, uncaring, and his behavior was unchristian in every way.
To which the Genie not intending to argue with the woman says “That’s just the way the wishes work.”

The woman says “Fine; I want a million dollars.”  The Genie snaps her fingers and a million dollars are lying at the woman’s feet.  Right at that moment, the husband with his new girlfriend had two million dollars placed at his feet.

The woman for a second wish asks for the world’s most expensive diamond necklace[3].  The genie snaps her fingers again and the woman is holding a beautiful treasure in her hand.  As for the cheating husband, he was now set for life with not only two Million dollars; he now possessed enough wealth in diamonds so he would never have to worry about money ever again.

The woman as she stares at her necklace and money just can’t shake her anger and her husband receiving double[4].  She asks once again “Genie, is it true that anything I wish for my husband gets double.”  To which the genie replies “yes.”  The woman has a light bulb go off in her head as she says “Genie for my final wish, I want you to scare me half to death.”

Now was this woman justified in anger towards her husband? “Absolutely.”  Did her anger blind her to the best way forward? “Absolutely.”

Robert E. Lee was a Confederate general during the Civil War.  Robert E.Lee’s historical legacy in many ways is quite complex[5].  Three Weeks ago, Robert E Lee’s memory brought about some of the worst we know in this country.  Robert E Lee’s statue was to be taken down from a park in Charlottesville, VA.  To protest the statute’s removal, White Supremacists and Neo-Nazi sympathizers from all over the country gathered.  The presence of these groups promoted backlash which eventually turned violent.  Sadly, one woman died in the ordeal. 

And in the response, people would try to outdo themselves in condemning the White Supremacists and Neo-Nazis. 

The events in Charlottesville raise a question for us as Christian people “How do we respond to the cheating spouse or the people with whose core convictions we disagree with in every fiber of our being.”
Today’s Lesson comes to us from Romans 12 (Part 2)[6].  In Today’s lesson, the Apostle Paul is writing to a Christian minority living in the presence of Jewish and Roman majorities.  Paul realized something about being in the minority.  You are at risk of being hurt through another’s careless words and actions.  The natural response to all this is to fight back with all the fury that we can muster.  When we’re kids and our siblings hit us, we hit back[7].  When we’re adults, we’re very creative at justified our reaction at the presence of injustices in our own lives.  (We wish to see our cheating spouse scared to death, or White Supremacists beaten with Baseball bats). 

Here’s the problem though, our sense of justice is often skewed.  We assume that our anger can make the world perfect.  The problem is like in Charlottesville; we only end up making the world broken.  It is only our Lord’s sense of justice that God make the world once again. 

What is the Apostle Paul’s advice for us Today as Christian people: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good[8].”

We will all have occasions where we are justified in wanting vengeance.  What we must remember is scores are not best settled by humans longing for revenge, scores will eventually be settled on the day that our Lord makes our creation right[9].  We are ultimately not righteous; we will not make the world righteous.

So then how should we respond to those who appear to be enemies of our truth?  Let me tell a story
The year was 1862[10].  A Union soldier named Lt. Charles Coley was killed during the Battle of Cedar Mountain.  Lt. Coley’s remains were supposed to be sent to his hometown of Gray, Maine.  When his family opened his casket, they received a surprise.  It was not Lt. Coley inside, but a Confederate soldier.  Lt. Coley’s family was at first stumped.  “What exactly do you do with this body?”  “They didn’t know his name, nor have any idea where to ship him.”  So they decided to bury him in Gray’s cemetery along the Union Soldiers of Gray who had been killed.  They figured the Confederate soldier's family would appreciate it.
The headstone reads “Stranger.  A soldier of the late war[11].”  For the first 90 years after his death, the grave was kept up no different than any other tomb within the cemetery.  In 1956, they decided to place a Confederate battle flag next to his tomb on Memorial Day.

Here’s what you should know about Gray, Maine.  Its population during the Civil War was around 1700[12].  Gray, Maine lost over 200 of its young man during the War.  They had legitimate grievances against the Confederacy.  The people of Gray could have very easily disposed of the body in an unidentified field, but instead, they decided to treat the Confederate stranger’s body as one of their own[13]. 

We live in a nation with nasty rhetoric from all sides on a daily basis.  We disown people who disagree with us.  I came across a news story in the aftermath of Charlottesville where a Fargo father publically disowned his son for participating in the rally[14]. The basis for a human relationship cannot be spiritual purity either for others or ourselves. Otherwise, the world will continually break piece by piece.  I hear stories like the response of the people of Gray, Maine and I wonder whether there is a better way for us as Christian people to respond to those who persecute us.

Moving forward as Christian people, we need more than mere outrage to reach those around us ultimately.  The Apostle Paul who wrote our passage spent much of his ministry being persecuted.  Sometimes we need to advocate restraint with our response even as we might want to raise our fists with every fiber of our beating. 

I wish to close this morning with one final story.  Which perhaps can serve as a wish as to how Christians respond in the face of supposed injustice.

Patrick Greene was suing Henderson County, Texas[15].  Greene was appalled that the local county Courthouse had a manger scene outside during the Holiday season.  Patrick Greene like the lady with three wishes had a litany of reasons as to why he had been wronged by Christians throughout his life.
Shortly after his court case was heard, Patrick Greene was diagnosed with a detached retina[16].  The surgery would cost $20,000 or else Greene would go blind.  Greene could barely afford groceries let alone pony up this type of money. 

One member of Sand Springs Baptist Church heard of Patrick Greene’s troubles, notified her Pastor, and the Pastor reached out to help[17].

Greene didn’t actually want money for the surgery; he had more immediate needs in his groceries[18].  He informed the Rev. Eric Graham of this.  Greene believed there was too great a chance the surgery wouldn’t work anyway.  What did the Christians of Henderson County, do they start raising money on Patrick Greene’s behalf.

Greene received a first check of $400 with more support coming in after this.  Like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life only George Bailey was being played by the Christians’ worst enemy[19].  

How does Patrick Greene respond to this generosity?  He decides to start writing a book called The Real Christians of Henderson County.  Greene’s book was about how he had an Atheist couldn’t believe the Christians he met when he was in need.  What happened to the manager scene?  Patrick Greene dropped his lawsuit and offered to buy a star to place on top of Henderson County’s manager[20]. 

The Apostle Paul who wrote our lesson, he knew persecution.  The Apostle Paul had previously like Patrick Greene been an enemy of the church, who was now one of its vocal supporters.  The cost of this was not cheap.  Paul had been slapped in the cheek and called every name in the book.  Paul’s wishes were not revenge for his enemies.  Paul’s wish was that as Christian people, that we “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality[21].”  Paul’s final wish that no matter how broken the world around him got, Christ Jesus would be continually proclaimed.  Amen
 
 


[1] Lowry, Rich. “Robert E. Lee would have wanted his statue moved.” New York Post. 14. Aug.2017. Web. Aug.15.2017. 
[2] Nedwek, Tom quoted by Alex Thein. “Revenge”.  Sermon Illustrations. Web. Aug.14.2017 taken from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on unverified date. 
[3] Nedwek, Tom quoted by Alex Thein. “Revenge”. 
[4] Nedwek, Tom quoted by Alex Thein. “Revenge”. 
[5] Lowry, Rich. “Robert E. Lee would have wanted his statue moved.”
[6] Romans 12:19-21. 
[7] Marty, Peter. “Trusting God to Settle Scores.” Day 1. 28. Aug.2011. Web. Aug.14.2017. 
[8] Romans 12:19-21. 
[9] Marty, Peter. “Trusting God to Settle Scores.”
[10] Rouselle, Christina. “What the Confederate Stranger and A Small Town in Maine Can Teach Us About Human Decency.” Townhall. 21.June.2016. Web. Aug.15.2017 taken from Pastor Leon Stier’s Email Mediations.
[11] Rouselle, Christina. “What the Confederate Stranger and A Small Town in Maine Can Teach Us About Human Decency.”
[12] “Gray, Maine.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation.15. Aug.2017. Web. Aug.15.2017. 
[13] Rouselle, Christina. “What the Confederate Stranger and A Small Town in Maine Can Teach Us About Human Decency.”
[14] Walsh, Paul. “Fargo father publicly disowns son for joining white nationalists in Charlottesville.” Minneapolis Star Tribune. 15.Aug.2017. Web. Aug.15.2017. 
[15] Flowers, Rich. “Atheist ‘Flabbergasted’ at Christian Assistance.” Athens Review. Athens, Texax. 20.Mar.2012. Web. Aug.14.2017.  Taken from Pastor Leon Stier’s Email Mediations.
[16] Flowers, Rich. “Atheist ‘Flabbergasted’ at Christian Assistance.”
[17] Flowers, Rich. “Atheist ‘Flabbergasted’ at Christian Assistance.”
[18] Flowers, Rich. “Atheist ‘Flabbergasted’ at Christian Assistance.”
[19] Flowers, Rich. “Atheist ‘Flabbergasted’ at Christian Assistance.”
[20] Flowers, Rich. “Atheist ‘Flabbergasted’ at Christian Assistance.”
[21] Romans 12:12-13