The Holy Grail

A sermon delivered February 20th, First Church, Ipswich

LAST SUNDAY, WE HAD A VERY HARD BIBLE PASSAGE WHERE WE  WERE DEALING WITH. MURDER, DIVORCE, ADULTERY, CONFLICT. WE FOCUSED ON THE IDEA OF INTERFERENCE, THE WAY THAT ANGER AT YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER COULD INTERFERE WITH YOUR COMMUNICATION WITH GOD. THIS WEEK WE FACE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE, FORGIVENESS AND EVEN LOVE OF OUR ENEMIES. IS IT ANY WONDER REBECCA TOOK THESE TWO WEEKS OFF?

                                             

I HAVE MANY ODD HOBBIES AND INTERESTS, BUT ONE I WANT TO TOUCH ON TODAY IS  THAT I LOVE TO READ AND STUDY LORE ABOUT THE HOLY GRAIL. STORIES ABOUT THE GRAIL ABOUND AND WE SEE BOTH CLASSICAL AND MODERN EXAMPLES OF THOSE STORIES. FIRST, THE GRAIL IS GENERALLY BELIEVED TO BE THE CUP THAT JESUS USED DURING THE LAST SUPPER AS HE TOLD HIS FOLLOWERS TO DRINK, FOR THIS IS MY BLOOD. SOME SOURCES OF THE STORY ADD THAT THE SAME CUP WAS USED TO CATCH THE SACRED BLOOD OF CHRIST WHEN A ROMAN SPEAR PIERCED HIS SIDE WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS. JOSEPH OF ARIMETHEA, A FRIEND OF JESUS, IS SAID TO HAVE GATHERED HIS BLOOD IN THE CUP. THE ACTUAL NAME IN LEGENDS OF THE HOLY GRAIL IS SANGREAL, SACRED BLOOD, SO THAT LINKS CHRISTS BLOOD ONCE AGAIN TO THIS CUP.

JOSEPH OF ARIMETHEA TAKES OR SENDS THE GRAIL TO ENGLAND IN MANY STORIES, AND IT APPEARS IN THE LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR, AS THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE SET OUT ON GREAT PERSONAL QUESTS TO FIND THE GRAIL. MANY OF THE KNIGHTS MEET WITH TRAGEDY, AND ONLY ONE, GALAHAD  EVER ACTUALLY OBTAINS THE GRAIL. WHEN HE OBTAINS IT BY THE WAY, HE IS LIFTED INTO HEAVEN. DURING THE CRUSADES, GRAIL LORE AND LEGEND WAS RAMPANT, WITH PEOPLE QUESTING AFTER THIS CUP OF CHRIST, WHICH WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE GREAT POWERS. IT IS OFTEN LINKED TO THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, WHO PROTECTED TRAVELERS IN JERUSALEM, AND HAD TREMENDOUS RICHES, SUPPOSEDLY DUE TO THE GRAIL. THEY WERE EVENTUALLY VANQUISHED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND THE GRAIL WAS NOT FOUND IN THEIR POSSESSION. VARIOUS PEOPLE RECOUNT THE JOURNEYS OF THE GRAIL TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. PEOPLE SEARCHED FOR IT IN JERUSALEM, IN FRANCE, IN ENGLAND. THERE ARE EVEN SOME TALES OF IT COMING TO THE AMERICAS. BUT ALL SEARCHES HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS.

WE KNOW THAT ADOLPH HITLER TRIED TO FIND THE GRAIL TO USE ITS POWER. AND MORE RECENTLY, WE HAVE BEEN ENTERTAINED BY INDIANA JONES AND HIS CRUSADE FOR THE GRAIL,A NEW TRILOGY BY BERNARD CORNWELL THAT TAKES PLACE AROUND THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT,AND DAN BROWNS VERY POPULAR BOOK THE DAVINCI CODE, WHICH TELLS US THE GRAIL WAS ACTUALLY MARY MAGDALENE HERSELF CONTINUING THE BLOODLINE OF THE CHRIST. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T REMIND ALL OF YOU WHO ARE MONTY PYTHON FANS THAT THE GRAIL IS HELD BY THE FRENCH, BUT IF YOU TRY AND GET IT THEY WILL INSULT YOU FROM THE RAMPARTS OF THEIR CASTLE.

SO THERE IS A STRONG HISTORY OF PEOPLE QUESTING AFTER THIS RELIGIOUS SYMBOL, YET IN MOST OF THE LEGENDS AND LORE THE PURSUERS OF THIS OBJECT FAIL THE KNIGHTS OF ARTHUR, TEMPLARS, EXPLORERS THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE ALL SOUGHT THE GRAIL WITH NO LUCK.BUT THE ENDLESS FASCINATION WITH IT, HAS CAUSED THE WORDS, HOLY GRAIL, TO LEAK INTO OUR COMMON CULTURE. WE NOW USE IT TO TO MEAN THE BEST, THE MOST PERFECT OF A THING. THE MEATLOAF AT CHRISTOPHERS TABLE IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF MEATLOAF. ZUMIS TUXEDO MOCHA IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF DRINKS. ME FINDING THE PARKING SPOT IN FRONT OF MY STUDIO ON MARKET STREET FREE IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF PARKING SPACES. THE EXEMPLAR, THE BEST THERE IS.

OK SO WHY AM I BABBLING ON ABOUT THE HOLY GRAIL WHEN YOU ARE HEAR TO LISTEN TO A SERMON ABOUT FORGIVING YOUR ENEMIES? WELL STAY WITH ME, I WILL TIE IT ALL UP, I PROMISE.

THIS PASSAGE IS WHAT MAKES US CHRISTIANS. ALMOST EVERY NATION IN THE WORLD HAS THE FIRST SECTION, THE OLD TESTAMENT SECTION, AN EYE FOR AN EYE A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH. OUR OWN LEGAL SYSTEM IS FOUNDED ON THIS PRINCIPLE, THAT IF I AM IN SOME WAY INJURED, I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE MADE WHOLE TO SEE JUSTICE DONE. WE INTRINSICALLY GET THIS IDEA, YOU PUSH ME, I GET TO PUSH YOU BACK. THAT IS THE EASY PART. JESUS HIMSELF TELLS US " If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?" Do not even pagans do that?  JESUS, THAT RADICAL, CRAZY NEW AGE TEACHER,  SAYS DON'T GET PAYBACK, DON'T GET EVEN. ON THE CONTRARY, WE NEED TO FORGIVE, AND LOVE THOSE WHO WRONG US, OUR ENEMIES. IF SOMEONE WANTS US TO GO ONE MILE, GO TWO. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES EVEN WHEN THEY INJURE YOU, SO YOU MAY BE CHILDREN OF GOD. AND THAT IS THE STICKING POINT ISN'T IT?

YOU SEE, I FAIL AT THIS. I CONSIDER MYSELF A FOLLOWER OF THE CHRIST, AND TRY TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE, AND I TELL YOU HERE EYEBALL TO EYEBALL, I FAIL, FAIL, FAIL AT THIS TEST. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES US A CHRISTIAN, TO FORGIVE THOSE THAT WRONG US. AND I DO TRY, STRUGGLE, SUCCEED A BIT AND FAIL AGAIN. OF ALL THE CHALLENGES THE CHRIST GIVES US, OF ALL THE THINGS HE SETS AS A GOAL AND GUIDELINE, THIS IS THE HARDEST FOR ME. AND IF I LOOK BACK OVER MY LIFE, WHILE MY FRIENDS CERTAINLY OUTNUMBER MY ENEMIES, WHILE I HAVE FORGIVEN AND LET ANGER GO, I STILL OFTEN FAIL AT THIS TEST. SO IF I FAIL TIME AND AGAIN, WHY DO I BOTHER TRYING? AND NOW MY FRIENDS, I REVEAL TO YOU THE SECRET OF THE GRAIL

YOU SEE FOR THE MILLIONS THAT HAVE PURSUED THE GRAIL, IT IS NOT ABOUT FINDING AND POSSESSING IT. IT IS ABOUT THE QUEST. THE HARD THANKLESS JOURNEY TO SEARCH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL. THAT QUEST IS WHAT BUILDS UP CHARACTER AND POWER, INNER POWER, IN THOSE ON THE QUEST. AND THAT IS PARALLEL TO WHAT WE ARE FACED WITH WHEN WE FORGIVE OUR ENEMIES. NO ONE, NOT ONE OF US IS PERFECT AT IT, NOT AS THE CHRIST IS PERFECT. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE GIVE UP. WE TRY. BECAUSE TRYING BUILDS CHARACTER, AND MAKES US STRONGER AND STRONGER EACH TIME WE TRY. HEY NOW, NO FAIR THINKING 'I WILL TRY NEXT TIME" OR CHRIST DIDN'T MEAN THIS ENEMY OR THIS SITUATION" TRUST ME HE DID. HE WANTS YOU TO TRY TO QUEST TO STRIVE TO BE LIKE HE WAS TO TRY AND BE PERFECT IN THIS GOAL.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS IS THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM, FROM MAN OF LAMANCHA. NO, I WILL NOT SING IT, REBECCA BROWN SINGS IN HER SERMONS BETTER THAN I EVER COULD. BUT I REMIND YOU OF SOME OF THE GREAT LYRICS. IT BEGINS WITH, " TO DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM, TO FIGHT THE UNBEATABLE FOE". AND NEAR THE END OF THE SONG, "THE WORLD WILL BE BETTER FOR THIS, THAT ONE MAN, SCORNED AND COVERED WITH SCARS STILL STROVE WITH HIS LAST OUNCE OF COURAGE, TO REACH THE UNREACHABLE STAR". EACH OF US KNOWS A MAN SCORNED AND COVERED WITH SCARS WHO SACRIFICED EVERYTHING HE HAD TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. PERHAPS IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM, YET IT IS ONE THAT WE MUST NOT GIVE UP ON.OH AND I SHOULD MENTION THAT THOUGH WE ALL CALL THAT SONG THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM, IT'S ACTUAL TITLE IS, THE QUEST.

IN THE MOVIE INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, THERE IS A QUOTE. "THE SEARCH FOR THE GRAIL IS THE SEARCH FOR THE DIVINE IN ALL OF US".ISN'T THAT WHAT WE ALL SEEK? THE PERFECTION OF CHRIST, THE ABANDONMENT OF BEING HUMAN, AND THE DESIRE TO BE DIVINE. I HAVE FAILED, YOU HAVE FAILED. BUT THE QUEST IS STILL THERE, FRESH AND NEW EACH AND EVERY MOMENT. AS CRUSADERS OF OLD THAT YEARN FOR THE HOLY GRAIL, THE SANGREAL, THE SACRED BLOOD, DON'T WE ALSO TRY TO GRASP THAT THING THAT IS ALWAYS JUST BEYOND OUR REACH?

NONE OF US WILL BECOME THE CHRIST. BUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US CAN WORK TO GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THAT EXAMPLE. AND A KEY WAY OF ADVANCING AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IS TO FOLLOW THIS EDICT. TO LOVE, OUR ENEMY'S. NOT TOLERATE, LOVE. AND IN THAT PURSUIT, COULD WE FIND THE DIVINE BLOOD, THE SACRED VESSEL, IN EACH OF US?

Interference

 A SERMON FROM FIRST CHURCH IPSWICH, MA, DEALING WITH MATTHEW 5: 21-37.

WOW TODAY'S PASSAGE WAS A LONG AND ARDUOUS ONE. SPECIAL KUDOS TO DONNA MARIE FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB OF IT.

WHAT A DEEP BIBLE PASSAGE WE HAVE TO CONSIDER TODAY. DEEP AND TOUGH COVERING

 TOPICS FROM OATHS AND MURDER TO DIVORCE AND ADULTERY. NOT AN EASY PASSAGE TO CONSIDER, ONE THEOLOGIAN HAS STATED THAT THERE IS MATERIAL IN THIS PASSAGE FOR 4 THREE HOURS LONG SERMONS. I HOPE YOUR COMFORTABLE AND BROUGHT A SNACK.

AS AN ACTOR I AM OFTEN FACED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF MEMORIZING A LOT OF MATERIAL. IN A PLAY I HAVE ABOUT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE CALLED SHAKESPEARE'S GHOST I DELIVER 18 DIFFERENT SHAKESPEARE SPEECHES FROM MEMORY. PEOPLE OFTEN WONDER HOW IT’S POSSIBLE TO TUCK SO MUCH INFORMATION INTO AN AGING BRAIN LIKE MINE. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THE ADAGE I USE TO DO MEMORY WORK. HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT? ONE BITE AT A TIME. SO HOW SHALL YOU AND I ATTACK THIS MASSIVE PASSAGE? ONE SMALL THOUGHT AT A TIME.

WITH THAT IN MIND I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU TODAY ONE THEME WE HEAR IN THIS VERSE. AND THAT THEME IS INTERFERENCE. HAVING JUST HAD A SUPERBOWL THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE SPORTS MINDED KNOW THAT INTERFERENCE IS WHEN A PLAYER INTERFERES WITH THE PROCESS OF THE GAME IN A WAY THAT THE RULES DON’T ALLOW. SO YOU CAN KNOCK A BALL OUT OF THE AIR BEFORE A RECEIVER CATCHES IT, BUT YOU CAN’T PULL DOWN HIS PANTS TO TRIP HIM.

AND IF YOU ARE OF MY VINTAGE YOU MAY RECALL MAKING A CRYSTAL RADIO AS A KID.  A CRYSTAL RADIO IS CALLED A PASSIVE RADIO, IT HAS NO BATTERY TO RUN IT, YOU JUST WRAP WIRE AND THE WIRE PICKS UP RADIO SIGNALS THAT ARE PASSING BY.IF YOU RECALL, YOU HAD TO HAVE AN EARPHONE TO LISTEN TO A CRYSTAL RADIO, BECAUSE THE UNITS WERE PRETTY WEAK.AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WAS FINDING A STRONG ENOUGH RADIO STATION TO LISTEN TO. YOU WOULD OFTEN GET STATIC, AND THAT STATIC WAS OFTEN ONE STATION COMING IN AND INTERFERING WITH THE SIGNAL OF ANOTHER STATION. THIS BY THE WAY IS CALLED THE PROBLEM OF SELECTIVITY, BECAUSE IT IS HARD  WHEN USING A CRYSTAL RADIO TO TUNE IT TO ONE PARTICULAR STATION, YOU OFTEN ARE LISTENING TO MANY STATIONS AT ONCE. AGAIN INTERFERENCE.

AND NOW I SUGGEST THERE IS ANOTHER SORT OF INTERFERENCE, ONE THAT JESUS HIMSELF WARNS US AGAINST IN THIS BIBLE PASSAGE. JESUS REMINDS US OF AN ANCIENT SIMPLE LAW, THOU SHALL NOT MURDER. BUT THEN HE EXPANDS IT, AND SAYS THAT WHEN YOU HOLD ANGER OR CONFLICT IN YOUR HEART AGAINST A BROTHER OR A SISTER, YOU MUST MEND IT RIGHT AWAY. IN FACT HE STATES THAT IF YOU ARE MAKING AN OFFERING TO GOD BUT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH SOMEONE, THAT YOU SHOULD GO FIX THAT ISSUE FIRST BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR GIFT TO GOD. AND IN SAYING THAT JESUS IS HELPING US LEARN ABOUT INTERFERENCE. HE IS TELLING US, YET AGAIN, A GREAT TRUTH TO HELP US. HE IS LETTING US KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE ANGER OR CONFLICT IN OUR HEART AGAINST SOMEONE, THAT INTERFERES WITH THE ACT OF COMMUNICATING WITH GOD. AND THAT IF WE COULD RELEASE OR SOLVE THAT PROBLEM, OUR PRAYER, OUR COMMUNICATION WITH GOD, WOULD VASTLY IMPROVE.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK. WE ALL CARRY SOME GRUDGES SOME ANGER, SOME SELF RIGHTEOUS FEELING THAT SOMEONE HAS DONE US WRONG. AND THE CURE OR RELEASE OF THAT IS A GIANT TASK. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FEEL WE ARE A VICTIM OF SOMEONE ELSE’S ACTION. BUT HERE WE HAVE THE CHRIST CLEARLY TELLING US THAT THOSE FEELINGS STAND BETWEEN US AND GOD.SO WE ARE CALLED TO BE VIGILANT, AND TRY TO KEEP PEACE IN OUR SOUL TO KEEP OUR PATH OF COMMUNICATION FREE.

THERE IS ONE PARTICULAR TYPE OF INTERFERENCE I WANT TO MENTION TODAY. IT IS ONE THAT I HAVE BEEN AN EXPERT IN, AND STILL STRUGGLE WITH. IT IS A SNEAKY KIND OF SIN, ONE THAT IS OFTEN OFF OUR PERSONAL RADAR AS WE CONSIDER SIN. WE GENERALLY THINK OF CONFLICT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, FIGHTS, HARSH WORDS, SOMEONE TREATING US BADLY, OR US TREATING SOMEONE ELSE BADLY. WHILE THAT’S CERTAINLY A PART OF THE INTERFERENCE JESUS IS REFERRING TO, THERE IS ANOTHER KIND.

YOU SEE, I AM GREAT AT CONFESSION. REALLY, I HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN AN EXPERT. NOW DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME, CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR YOU. YOU COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD, CONFESS YOUR SINS, AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. THAT’S AWESOME, BUT NOT WHAT I AM AN EXPERT IN, SADLY. NO I AM AN EXPERT IN CONFESSING NOT MY OWN SINS, BUT OTHER PEOPLES SINS.OH YES, I AM VERY GOOD AT THIS, AND PERHAPS A FEW OF YOU ARE TOO. CONFESSING IN OUR MINDS WHEN WE SEE EVIL AROUND US. JUDGING A PERSONS CLOTHING, TASTE, STYLE, SEEING ALL THE WRONGDOINGS OF OTHERS AND BEING ABLE TO SMUGLY KNOW JUST HOW WRONG WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS.CLEARLY MANY OF US HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY GOD TO LOOK UPON OTHERS AND FIND EACH AND EVERY FAULT THAT THEY HAVE.

BUT THIS EXPERTISE, OF CONFESSING THE SINS OF OTHERS, IS IN ITSELF JUST AS BAD AS ANY OF THE SINS WE SIT IN JUDGEMENT OF. AS WE CONSIDER THE IDEA OF INTERFERENCE, THAT WHICH IS BETWEEN US AND GOD, SURELY SOME OF THE HEAVIEST INTERFERENCE COMES TO US FROM NOT OUR OWN CLEAR FRICTION WITH OTHERS, BUT OUR SUBTLE JUDGEMENT OF THOSE AROUND US.

ALL THESE YEARS LATER, AS I FIND MYSELF STRUGGLING WITH  NOT BEING AS JUDGEMENTAL AS I HAVE BEEN, I RECALL THOSE WORDS OF MY DAD.THEY HELP REMIND ME THAT I AM WRONG IN JUDGING OTHERS, AND SURELY HELP ME TONE DOWN THE INTERFERENCE.

SO WHAT PRACTICAL LESSON CAN WE TAKE FROM TODAY'S PASSAGE AND THIS IDEA THE CHRIST SHARES WITH US OF INTERFERENCE? SIMPLY, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER ADDING A SMALL IDEA TO YOUR PRAYER TIME. NOW I AM ASSUMING YOU PRAY, AND I HOPE YOU DO, OR ELSE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN LISTENING TO OUR SERMONS VERY MUCH. BUT AS A NEW PART OF YOUR PRAYER, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT, AS YOU ENTER THE PRESENCE OF GOD, AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IS IN YOUR HEART. IS THERE ANY ANGER, ANIMOSITY, CONFLICT, OR CONFESSIONS OF OTHER SINS? THEN TRY TO LET THOSE FEELING GO, OR LET THEM BECOME THE FOCUS OF YOUR PRAY, ASK THAT THESE THINGS BE REMOVED FROM YOU, PRAY FOR A WAY TO RESOLVE THIS STATIC THAT IS IN YOUR HEART.

BUT REMEMBER THE CRYSTAL RADIO? HOW I SAID THE BIGGEST ISSUE WAS SELECTIVITY? THAT IT WAS HARD TO LISTEN TO A CRYSTAL RADIO BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE BOMBARDED WITH SO MANY STATIONS AT ONCE? WELL THAT IS OUR CHALLENGE AS WELL, TO TUNE OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO THE RIGHT MESSAGE. AND WE HELP OURSELVES IF WE TAKE THE TIME TO REMOVE THE INTERFERENCE, AND TUNE OURSELVES TO THE MESSAGE WE REALLY WANT TO HEAR.

JESUS TELLS US TO NOT GIVE OUR GIFTS TO GOD UNTIL THAT INTERFERENCE IS GONE. HE TELLS US THIS NOT FOR GODS SAKE BUT RATHER FOR OUR OWN. IT IS NOT BY ACCIDENT THAT JESUS REMINDS US OF THE EDICT AGAINST MURDER AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PASSAGE.  PERHAPS THE CONNECTION IS THAT WE ARE COMMITTING SPIRITUAL MURDER, MURDER OF OUR OWN SOUL WHEN WE FOSTER HATE AND ANGER IN OUR HEART. THINK OF THE RELIEF AND PEACE YOU MIGHT OBTAIN BY TURNING DOWN THE STATIC THAT GETS IN YOUR WAY OF CONVERSING WITH GOD. WHAT AMAZING CONVERSATIONS WILL YOU HAVE?