Standing Up for Creation, For What is Right

Hear these words from I Peter 3:
13Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you;
16yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.

Having a clear conscience…

Don’t be intimidated….

If you suffer for doing what is right, you will be blessed…

These are all words to encouragement
Words of Hope…Words of Ispiration.

Like the Spike Lee movie…it could summed up by the phrase:

“Do the Right Thing!”

This has a justice consequence. A consequence of integrity, of purity.

It means standing up for the moral and ethical thing in all situations.

It reminds of great resistance movements in the past…

The Civil Rights Movement, The Anti-Aparthied Movement. The Anti-War movement.

And…all those efforts are still needed today.

Have we achieved equality, justice, peace? I think not.

And…I think this is also appropriate on the Earth Day Sunday.
As a Christian Community, it is up to us to stand up for Creation. To stand up to Environmental Degradation.

ON this issue…we too need a Clear Conscience, Do what is Right and Not be intimidated by Big Money & Power

I think it is time we at this church look at our “Carbon Footprint”.

And ask ourselves, how might we more fully care for the earth?

This past Winter, First UMC of Germantown decided to switch their worship service to their chapel to reduce their carbon footprint.

A leader in Environmental Justice, they stood up for Creation.

That is just one decision they made where “doing the right thing” meant making a tough decision…that they would have a Clear Conscience.

That is where Beth Stroud was pastor.
The Apostle Peter knew this was important to the early Christian community.

They had to be strong in the face of Empire, competing faith claims and an overall…secular culture.

It is not unlike Jesus who says in his Farewell Discourse… (this passage from today)…
15”If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.
18”I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.
This is the promise of Jesus…We are not alone. The Divine Presence…leads us into all truth, wisdom, love & grace
So, how & where is Jesus leading us?
What is our Carbon Footprint & Where might we do the right thing & stand up for Creation?
This week…I read something sort of funny…but true:

"The reason mountain climbers are tied together is to keep the sane ones from going home."

Whoever said that was playing with us a bit, for we know mountain climbers are tied together to keep from getting lost or going over a cliff.

But there's another piece of truth here.

When things get tough up on the mountain, when fear sets in, many a climber is tempted to say, "This is crazy! I'm going home."

The life of faith can be like that…..

----doubts set in, despair overwhelms us, and the whole notion of believing in God seems crazy.

We go quiet instead of standing up. We roll over instead of being prophetic. We get afraid of the reaction of others…instead of being light & justice & truth.

Jesus knew his disciples would have days like that. So he told them we're tied together in Spirit & Truth. We’re tied together in Love & Justice.

Or, as Martin Luther King Jr. said in his famous “I have a Dream” speech….referring to people of all colors & creeds & cultures living together…
We have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.

Like climbers tied to the rope – we are all tied together. Tied together in Creation, as brothers & sisters, as One humanity.

Indeed, the Spirit, keep us moving ahead on the journey of faith, encouraging us when believing seems absurd.

You will be given you another Advocate, to be with you forever, says Jesus. And when we have the Advocate/Counselor, we can stand up for the right in all things! Amen.