Preacher: Rev. Nathan Hosler

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:1-4 & 2:1-4, Luke 17:5-10

Habakkuk was a musician-prophet in Temple. The brief book and our passage start with a complaint. The prophet complains and laments the violence that surrounds him. This is violence from within and violence from others. 

The violence is direct—“from the Chaldeans”—and the systemic abuse by the proud, arrogant, and wealthy. It mirrors the much later book of James in the New Testament, where we read. “Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you….Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the Lord of hosts.” 

The musician-prophet directs his complaint at God, asserting that God is not listening and God is not acting on behalf of the oppressed. He questions, 

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
    and you will not listen?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
    and you will not save?

….
So the law becomes slack,
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous;
    therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

Cheryl Kirk-Duggan, in “The Africana Bible: Reading Israel’s Scriptures from Africa and the African Diaspora” notes, “Most scholars claim that Habakkuk, in traditional prophetic fervor, bemoans the in justice of an unjust world….Habakkuk speaks for the victim, accusing God of inattentiveness and being inactive, problematizing divine justice.” 

The second portion of the reading begins in chapter 2. Here we find the prophet committing to “stand at my watchpost” and stand on the city wall to wait for God’s answer. And indeed,

Then the Lord answered me 

Saying

Write the vision;
    make it plain on tablets,
    so that a runner may read it.

If you have been to a race you have seen such signs. They are like the fun version of protest signs. Written large, bright, visible to the tired runner bobbing or shuffling in a crowd. For small races or most trail races, seeing a runner or spectator is not that challenging. However, for the Chicago marathon with 50,000 racers and 1.7 million spectators, you need to not only have a bright sign and loud voice but also know where in the 26.2 miles to watch for your friends. 

“write the vision: make it plain…so that a runner may read it.” 

Wait for it. Wait for it. 

For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
    it speaks of the end and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
    it will surely come; it will not delay.

The prophet, from a place of despair watches and waits for the vision. It will be a vision of the current state being turned around. 

Look at the proud!
    Their spirit is not right in them,
    but the righteous live by their faithfulness.
Moreover, wealth is treacherous;
    the arrogant do not endure.

But the righteous will live by their faithfulness.

Though the powerful may feel that they are in control, that they are truly living, their seeming victory will come to an end. 

In 2 Timothy 6:18-19 we get a bit more on what truly living means. 

They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share,

thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

Also from last week, we heard the parable of the un-named rich man and Lazarus. These descriptions, prophecies, and parables challenge the oft-peddled narrative of “the good life.” 

On Thursday we concluded the art exhibition curated by the City Seminary of New York. The exhibition was titled, “Creative Community Care: Artists Respond to Pandemic Times.” The works came out of a year-long artist residency program that took place during COVID. For the closing reception I organized and informal panel discussion with some colleagues that are connect through common work. 

The first to speak was Natacia Knapper. Natacia is an organizer and co-founder of the Community Care Collective. On the topic of the ongoing and layered crises, they strongly stated that, “we all have something to give and we all need something.” The story and work of mutual aid is one of listening closely to people who are often excluded. These stories are not nice additions but essential for building a vibrant and joyful community. Natacia noted that mutual aid includes working to provide for the material needs of all but that it is much more than that. It includes rent-pools to help neighbors who are struggling but this also requires really knowing neighbors. 

The notion that life is more than consumption and accumulating stuff and prestige is core to Jesus’ model and teaching. We have sought live this through our community’s tagline, seeking justice, wholeness, and community through the Gospel of Jesus. 

Later on this morning we will mark World Communion Day by celebrating a Love Feast. 

In addition to the bread and cup, which is more common, we include a time of foot washing. This practice, which all are invited but no one is compelled to join, is modeled on the example of Jesus. Before the meal, which would be his last before his death, Jesus bends down and washes his disciples’ feet. In this action, Jesus reverses the roles. As a leader he takes the work of the one with lowest rank. His interpretation of the shocking act is that the disciples are called to serve all. 

Jesus reverses and confronts the assumptions of power and privilege. He models the life that really is life. Life marked by mutuality and common care. 

In Luke 17 there are several short teachings that get woven together. After instructing about repentance and forgiveness, it says “The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!””

⁶ The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

 The call to repeated forgiveness was and is a heavy lift. However, with even the smallest faith the impossible becomes possible.