THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS MY PASTOR IS AWESOME---This was the sermon at church today. Read it and you will understand why I like our church so much... Even if you arent religious, but still a Star Wars fan, you will love it. (He sent me this at my request...) THE SERMON: So today is a special day in the lives of science fiction geeks everywhere; today is Star Wars Day. May 4th, every year, is Star Wars Day for science fiction fans; and when I saw that this year May 4 was on a Sunday, I could not resist structuring a sermon around Star Wars. For those of you who watched “The Big Bang Theory” last week, Sheldon and his friends kind of stole my thunder this morning; but I assure you that I had “Star Wars Sunday” on my mind long before that episode aired last week! So why is today “Star Wars Day?” Today is May the fourth- as in, “May the Fourth be with you”. An obvious pun on the Star Wars wish, “May the Force be with you”; and a pun that science fiction geeks everywhere have embraced. Today is Star Wars Day! Now I realize that many folks out there are not Star Wars fans, and so I will try to make this a broad enough discussion for anyone, geek or not, to appreciate. And I have to day, that I am taking a few liberties here with the Star Wars franchise to relate it to faith exploration in the first place; but as it is Star Wars Sunday and I have always noticed a faith connection to the themes of the franchise, I could not resist taking a shot at it. So bear with me, as we journey to a time long ago in a galaxy far, far away… Star Wars was released in 1977, the first movie in a multi-faceted series; and it began with those words scrawling across the screen- “A Long Time Ago in a galaxy Far, Far away…” Of course, the very premise of journeying to a period displaced from our current existence is somewhat Biblical in itself. As we gather here each week and read our Bibles at home each day, we journey to a time and place far removed from the familiar; and as we hear the Biblical narratives, the stories of people living in a distant time, a distant place, we learn about how we can also live. It would not be too inappropriate to begin our biblical narratives each week with the words, “a long time ago, in a country far, far away…” One of the first scenes in Star Wars is of the planet Tatooine, a arid planet, with climate and topography similar to Israel in the time of Jesus. This planet has been invaded and overrun by the Galactic Empire, but most of the day-to-day governance is in the hands of a clan of gangsters and thugs- the Hutt Family, run by their patriarch, Jabba the Hutt. Similarly, Israel in Jesus’ day was invaded and overrun by the Roman Empire, but most of the day-to-day governance was in the hands of the Herodian Family, of which King Herod was the patriarch. In this setting on this desert planet, we meet Luke Skywalker, who by the end of the series becomes the savior for his people. Born into obscurity with questionable parentage, he grows into a young man anxious to sojourn out into the world. He goes through a time of education and temptation, and emerges as a teacher and leader for those who work for good in the world. He comes of age in this first movie, and then in the next two he teaches and leads and brings about a new era of hope. Ben Kenobi, whom some refer to as “Obi Wan” is a character that lives in the wilderness, eating locusts and wild honey. Or is that John the Baptizer? At any rate, much as John the Baptizer prepares Jesus for his ministry, old Ben prepares Luke to fulfill his calling. He guides and inspires Luke and after he does, just as John the Baptizer was beheaded by King Herod’s sword, Ben Kenobi is struck down by another agent of another Empire- Darth Vader. After the death of his teacher, Luke comes into his own mission with much more passion, just as Jesus does after the death of his own teacher, John, at the hands of Herod. Like Luke, Jesus also is found to be much more than his teacher was; his teacher, who just paved the way. There are many more similarities between the Star Wars movie and the faith that we proclaim; there are also places where this analogy falls apart. Certainly, there is no claim that Luke Skywalker was any sort of deity incarnate, as Jesus was; and if Luke Skywalker was able to work miracles as Jesus was, he would have certainly re-grown his own hand, which was severed by Darth Vader in the second movie. The comparison between our faith and the movie Star Wars falls apart when you get to a certain point; but it is fun to play with these connections a bit. Perhaps the most obvious similarity between the movie “Star Wars” and our faith, however, is the concept of “the Force”. In the movie, Ben Kenobi talks about “The Force” as something that “surrounds and penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.” Several times, the heroes of the movie say that their “strength flows from The Force”. In later theatrical releases, we hear the characters in these movies talk about midi-chlorians, which are elements of The Force that reside in all living beings. While the writers of the movie “Star Wars” never actually refer to “The Force” as God, the similarities to God’s Holy Spirit are obvious. The book of Acts (2:3) talks about the Holy Spirit “filling up” the disciples on the day of Pentecost, and as they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were able to do great things. The presence of God’s Holy Spirit energizes them and resides in them; and as a result, many more exciting adventures await the disciples throughout the next 28 chapters. In fact, if you read the book of Acts, you will find that it is as adventurous as one of these Star Wars movies, though the book of Acts does not have any robots or spaceships in it. However, the apostles are involved in many exploits, powered by God’s Holy Spirit within them. Truly, the Force is strong in these Apostles. And like the midi-chlorians explanation of The Force in the Star Wars franchise, God is present in each of us as well. God has created each one of us, filled us with differing abilities and potential, and set us forth on a journey of exploration and expectation. We are told to go into God’s world and love extravagantly, boldly, and wholeheartedly; and let God’s force grow in each one of us, fighting the evils of the world as Luke, as Jesus, as all who go before us. But like the dark side of the Force in the Star Wars movies, we can take all of this potential God has instilled in us and use it for evil as well. The Force is abused by Darth Vader and his ilk in Star Wars; and the gifts of God are abused by people in our world every day. Christians assault other Christians in the name of God; people exclude and intimidate others for not subscribing to a certain dogma; and most recently, in North Carolina, the state enacts oppressive measures to criminalize pastors who share God’s love impartially. As Christians, we often let the hungry go unfed, we often let the thirsty go unquenched, and we often turn a blind eye to those who are in need. We are often selfish, greedy, mean and hateful to others. We often hoard more and more, building bigger and bigger barns; and as we do, we are abusing the potential God has given us; we are embracing the dark side of the force. But there is a New Hope. God’s Holy Spirit, bursting forth, allowing us to reject the Dark Side of the force, and embrace the light. God fires us up, challenging us to go to Mexico and share God’s love with the people in Chiapas; to give our time and our energy to Church World Services, promoting the Blankets Plus program and sharing God’s love all around; to be extravagant in our love and draw circles that include and embrace, not exclude and hate. When we build up walls around ourselves, and point fingers at folks who are not like us, we are embracing the dark side; we are squandering God’s potential instilled within us. When we embrace the other, the one in need, the one who is different; then, we are embracing the light. Doing God’s work in this way shows that the Force is strong in each one of us. I often point out to people that Genesis, Chapter 1:26ff tells us that we are created in God’s image. “Then God said, let us make humankind in our image…so God created humankind in God’s image; male and female, God created them.” In God’s image; I think the wisdom here is deeper than just physicality. In God’s image… that tells us that as God is Creator, so are we; we are Creators as God is Creator; and we have a choice…we can create Heaven on Earth, or we can create Chaos and destruction. If our lives are filled with chaos and hurt feelings, what kind of creator are we? Which side of The Force are we embracing? We are created in God’s Image… Creators called to Create…let us create light where there is darkness; peace where there is conflict… hope where all appears to be hopeless. “May the Force be with You.” This is reminiscent to the customary Christian greeting, “May God be with You.” According to the definition of The Force in the Star Wars narrative, the force is always there; a true jedi just needs to acknowledge it, embrace it, feel it working in their body, in their life. When they do, they are able to change the world. God is always with you. Acknowlege God; Embrace God; Feel God working in your body, in your life; and be a Jedi- go change the world. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 04 May 2014 23:04:08 +0000
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