Faith in the Face of Defeat

Genesis 32: 22-31

Jacob Wrestles with the Angel, Gustave Doré c.1866 Public Domain

 Our first lesson for today focuses on Jacob.

Jacob; by far the less than ideal hero of the Hebrew Scriptures, perhaps even one of the most deceitful in all of Genesis. 

It is one of the reasons I truly enjoy studying, preaching, and teaching on our Old Testament stories. 

The characters we encounter are less than perfect. 

There are no white hats, no black hats, just real flesh and blood grey. 

To be honest, I’m not even quite certain how grey Jacob is up to this point. 

Jacob is a sniveling cheat!

He has abandoned his father, mother, and brother, after cheating his brother, Esau out of his birthright. 

He has stolen everything that Esau was entitled to through deceit and lies. 

Then, he proves himself as not only a cheat, but a coward abandoning his family out of fear of his brother’s wrath, which is a consequence of his own actions. 

Rather than facing the music he flees only to prove himself an even greater cheat and coward by resorting to the same tactics again, cheating his father-in-law, Laban, out of his property and fleeing HIS wrath as well, then lying about it all in the end. 

Jacob is deceitful, selfish, and manipulative. 

Sounds more like a candidate for election than some ideal biblical figure. 

So after leaving his father-in-law’s lands with the majority of his father-in-law’s property, he returns to his own family's lands to bribe his brother, Esau, out of wreaking vengeance upon him. 

Certainly, Jacob must be living in fear of his brother’s wrath. 

Esau is described as stronger, perhaps even brutish compared to Jacob. 

And so, Jacob sends gifts, probably gifts he had gained through his own deceit and cunning. 

He sends them ahead of his caravan, in hopes to butter up Esau and discourage any aspirations of revenge. 

Sound like a model of faith to you?

The most ironic aspect of this story we have read today, is that Jacob, while deceitful, dishonest, selfish, and a bit cowardly, proves himself to be a crafty and cunning character right up until this point. 

Esau verkauft Jacob das Erstgeburtsrecht oder Das Linsengericht, Matthias Stomer 17th Century Public Domain

Regardless of how slimy he may seem, you’ve got to give it to Jacob; he is a slick operator.

Yet, here in this story he commits a complete tactical blunder. 

In unfamiliar lands, nearing his possibly hostile brother’s territory, he separates himself from his family, his property, and all resources he has to defend himself using a body of water to clearly isolate himself, the Yabboq river. 

Yacov crosses the Yabboq river where he engages in a Yaveq match. 

This Hebrew term “to Struggle” in this story is directly tied to the name of the river where this fight occurs, the action that Jacob engages in, and even his very name. 

To sum it up, Jacob crosses the “Jacob river”, where Jacob “jacob’s" with an unknown adversary. 

It would appear that in this story, the very character who has done everything he can to get out of struggling falls headfirst into an unavoidable struggle, perhaps a struggle that he was always destined to engage in,  a struggle tied to the very nature of his name that he has avoided his entire life.

~

During the eighties, I was enamored by the world of professional wrestling. 

I’m still baffled by what drew so many including myself to this genre of entertainment. 

There was something that drew the attention of my younger self to the likes of Jake the Snake Roberts, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, and Macho Man Randy Savage. 

“Oh yeah!”

Perhaps it was the pageantry that surrounded their combative engagements like the massive flames that shot from the four corners of the ring, or the huge boa constrictor that slithered across a vanquished foe who had just been pinned to the mat following a finishing move where the hero flew threw the air like a bird. 

Maybe it was the incredibly eloquent storylines, as if Shakespeare himself had been resurrected for one final act. 

Maybe it was the betrayal and heartbreak that led our most beloved protagonists to their unlikely victories over the far stronger and intimidating antagonists like Andre the Giant!

I will tell you one thing for certain, though. 

When I found myself gasping to maneuver out from under a state champion wrestler one fall afternoon at a wrestling meet in Grove City, Pennsylvania, embarrassed and desperate, I certainly longed for a grab bag of tricks like the flying elbow drop, the power bomb, or the figure four leg lock. 

Heck, I woulda settled for a folding chair. 

Because the world of professional wrestling only depicted the illusion of a combative struggle. 

Professional wrestling was and is today nothing more than a soap opera with underwear and motorcycle boots. 

But true scholastic and collegiate wrestling is no illusion. 

It is a personal, physically combative athletic endeavor in which two opponents attempt to physically subdue and control one another in an intimately close encounter. 

It is anything but fake, and it is certainly about as intimate and close as two opponents can be. 

~

When Jacob crosses the Jacob and then Jacob’s with his opponent, 

He isn’t engaged in some casual recreational sport or some form of fake athletic entertainment show. 

This is an intimate, personal, and very violent fight. 

The most revealing part of the fight is in the outcome. 

Jacob refuses to submit to his opponent. 

Had Jacob known his opponent was divine, perhaps he would have just thrown in the towel long before his opponent's finishing move; "the hip socket disrupter". 

But even in his defeat he refuses to let go. 

Jacob the coward.

Jacob the cheat.

Jacob the liar.

He can’t cheat, run, or lie his way out of this one; 

At least not this time. 

~

Now the last sermon I preached, I mentioned the importance of facing a challenge. 

But facing challenge is not the same as struggling. 

Some seek a good challenge but struggling implies that one is on the brink of defeat.

In fact, when Jacob’s hip is struck out of the joint, he is defeated because he cannot and he will not win. 

He is helpless, defeated, yet he refuses to let his opponent go. 

I would like to believe that Jacob sought out this adversary, but that is not only unclear, I think it is unlikely and illogical that he did so of his own free will. 

No one in their right mind would do such a thing, especially with a divine opponent. 

But Jacob’s struggle found him, regardless of how hard he tried to avoid it. 

~

We live in a world and a society that resents defeat. 

Today it seems we don’t even know how to prepare for defeat, because we only consider one option; victory. 

We pride ourselves on winning and when winning appears unlikely we retreat to a more certain position. 

But the story we gather together to hear is not a story of certain victory. 

It is a story of perseverance in the midst of defeat. 

And this is a community here at St. Michael, that gathers together in the midst of not only joy but defeat, whether those are struggles we share or struggles that defeat a select few. 

Perhaps even struggles that only impact a select individual. 

In our struggles and our defeats, we find ourselves at our most vulnerable and lonely points. 

But here in this place is where we prepare for those struggles and defeats, seeking out the hope that drives us to hold tightly, refusing to submit fully, refusing to be pinned to the mat. 

One of the best Rocky quotes came from what I thought was one of the worst Rocky movies made, but it is appropriate for this lesson today, none-the-less. 

In the film Rocky Balboa, Rocky responds to his son’s request that he resign himself to defeat, arguing that submitting to obvious defeat is a better prospect than perseverance in the face of the impending struggle. 

Rocky advises his son in reply,

"The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how  hard you get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. "

~

We do not subscribe to a Gospel that promises sunshine and rainbows. 

It is a gospel that is written in and to a mean and nasty place. 

And we may find ourselves a bit wounded after flailing helplessly beneath our struggles. 

We are not called to avoid them though. 

Because it is easy to find God in the sunshine and rainbows. 

It is easy to see God in the midst of our victories and joys. 

But that is not the world in which we live, and it is not the model we are given in Christ. 

And a faith that is untested by struggle will be far more vulnerable when we ourselves are trapped under certain defeat.

But the greatest victory the world has ever known, was born first in the bloodiest of all defeats +.

Today we have the chance to witness a father who has questioned and struggled, refusing the easy answers and never backing away from the hard questions where most would only find defeat. 

_______, you’ve been offered the easy answers time and again but you refused to let go and submit. 

You knew there were easy explanations for God and the world around you, but you refused to just take the easy way. 

You’ve accepted the fact that you seek out an understanding of faith that will not let go in the face of struggle. 

Because faith that just resigns in the face of defeat is untested, and faith can only be truly tested in struggle. 

And while you will come to this font and receive a blessing, not unlike Jacob’s, 

You will also remain flawed and imperfect, just as Jacob was. 

You will be changed though, you will be given a new name, much like Jacob.

You will be renamed a child of God. 

And as you come forward to receive this blessing in a few moments, proudly bear your limp from your struggles. 

And never discourage your daughter, soon to be your sister in Christ, from knowing where you got that limp. 

Because she will look to you and _________ as she grows in faith, hopefully building on the foundation of faith she will receive with you this day in these waters, hopefully being prepared for whatever struggles she may come to face herself. 

We pray that your faith and hers will persevere in the face of any defeat, because of your struggles. 

And if you need a model to follow, look to His +.

Amen

Christ on the Cross, Carl Bloch c. 1870 Public Domain

Sources

Stallone, Sylvester. Rocky Balboa. Directed by Sylvester Stallone. USA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, 2006.

The Tool For Any Challenge

Luke 17:1-6

The Sower, Vincent Van Gogh c. 1888 (Public Domain)

“Now why would you go and do a thing like that?!”

I heard that one a number of times growing up. 

To be honest, many days, I wasn’t really sure just how to answer. 

When I asked my parents to give me a few examples of events that caused them to ask this question for today’s sermon,  they said they couldn’t narrow it down. There were just too many examples to mention. 

As I got older, I found my answer  to this question became a bit more consistent, and the activities which I engaged in became a bit less juvenile, yet no less foolish in the eyes of others, to include my parents. 

I started rock climbing in high school and college, because I was afraid of heights. 

I joined the Marine Corps, because I had heard how terrifying the experience of boot camp was. 

I resigned from an eight year career to attend seminary, because I wanted to explore the greatest challenge one can face…seeking a deeper understanding of my own faith, which had been challenged by so many experiences. 

And many would ask, family, friends, co-workers, you name it; 

“Why would you EVER, do a thing like that!?”

My answer has remained the same for most of my adult life, 

It’s the same reason many climbers give for attempting peaks like Everest

“Because it’s there!”

The pronoun “it” in that response doesn’t refer to a mountain, a degree, or a title. 

The pronoun in that response refers to the challenge. 

That challenge is not always found in some adventure or mischievous endeavor.

Sometimes that challenge is nothing more than simply living. 

Because we are called into this life to take chances, just by the mere fact that we are born into this broken and challenging world with nothing to protect us but a simple covering of the fragile mortal flesh that we are given. 

Life itself can be a stand alone challenge, so why seek out new ones?!

It is a natural response to avoid challenges, let alone seek out our own. 

Yet, there are unique people who seek out a good challenge. 

And while these people may seem brave, I must say that I for one am not, because I am selective about the challenges I will face. 

And when it comes to Jesus’ challenge of discipleship, I fail to live up to that challenge daily. 

And that’s not brave, it is selective cowardice.

~

Today’s Gospel is a bit comical. 

Jesus’ conversation is with the apostles, a group of men, who probably are used to seeking out life’s challenges. 

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, Raphael c. 1515 (Public Domain)

Why else would a group of men leave their families and livelihoods to follow this prophetic itinerant preacher? 

They must have had an idealistic perspective on what this challenge of following Jesus would entail?

And most of them lived out lives that were fairly challenging, if not adventurous in the first place. 

I would at least assume that life for those who had been fishermen was a fairly adventurous and challenging experience, even before meeting Jesus. 

Yet, Jesus’ assurance that life will be full of snares, traps, temptations, and stumbling blocks isn’t what scares them.

It is the warning not to be the cause of another’s stumbling through life. 

And most of all, the call to forgive anyone who should sin against them, if that person merely claims to be repentant,  that is the challenge that Jesus poses, and it seems to be the deal breaker. 

So, on that note, they decide they don’t really have everything they need to face the challenge at hand. 

And apparently, discipleship in Jesus’ day had a fairly short supply list because the one thing they claim to be lacking in order to perform this task… is faith?

It would seem their request falls pretty flat in Jesus’ response which isn’t meant to deny their lack of faith but to affirm that they have already received the faith that is needed to do ANYTHING. 

Matthew’s account of this conversation claims that faith the size of a mustard seed could move a mountain. 

Luke just claims that a mulberry tree could uproot and take on a life of its own, like that old Disney Halloween cartoon I grew up with, based on this tiny speck of faith that they have. 

Jesus’ claim seems a bit outlandish, because a Mulberry fig tree, which is probably the type of tree Jesus is referencing, given the region, may be just as much of a feat as the mountain that Matthew claims can be moved. 

Mulberry trees were massive and the root systems were as massive if not larger than what could be seen above the soil. 

Even today, one must be cautious where they plant these trees because they can easily destroy property with their roots and they are very drought resistant.

These trees are nearly impossible to uproot. 

It would be pretty safe to assume that Jesus is using a metaphor or an allegory to describe the power of faith. 

This is certainly a safer view to take.

It will keep us from  becoming too disappointed after spending countless afternoons attempting to move those pesky neighborhood trees with our Jedi faith skills. 

And this will only make this gospel that much more frustrating. 

So, we could always do the next best thing. 

Avoid the text all together!

We can use this lesson in children’s sermons and for motivational speeches, but don’t reference this one in any real challenges you may face in life. 

~

You will have to forgive my pessimism, but I became a bit disheartened this week as I prepared for this Sunday. 

I love the topic of faith, and I believe that our understanding of faith is truly what sets us apart as Lutherans. 

Yet, as I read the commentary of many scholars on this topic, I found many merely avoided discussing faith at all. 

More and more I have found that the f-word has become something we have a tendency to avoid. 

As a Lutheran I used to think we were alone in our fear of this word, or should I say THIS WORK?

Martin Luther once said,  “Faith is a divine work which God demands of us; but at the same time He Himself must implant it in us, for we cannot believe by ourselves.”

He claimed that faith was the finest work we could do. 

But our Lutheran bumper stickers prohibit such rhetoric!

It has an air of "works righteousness," and even if we really don’t fully understand what all that means, it sounds BAD, right?!

This is why so many Protestants struggle with the topic of faith,  because if it is a "work" that we do, our condemnation and redemption lay completely within our own control 

And time and again, we know how that one turns out. 

The true seed of faith that Jesus speaks of is the faith we receive from a source beyond ourselves. 

It is quite simple.

It is the way we worship each Sunday when we meet, which is simply a play where we all take part, living out the story we have heard. 

That’s right!

We are all on stage right now!

It’s the Meal that we share that allows us to sit at the same table in that story we hear. 

It is the water that is poured onto the head of ______ as we witness the birth of our sister in Christ, into God’s Church through this community here at St Michael!

And through it all, it points to one common thing, the story we receive that assures us of God’s love through the life of Jesus Christ. 

~

Sisters and brothers, God’s grace is the gift that is assured because it depends upon no work, no merit, no worthiness of our own

And thank God for this, because we are ALL so unworthy. 

It is the gift of God’s unrestrained and unlimited love for us, which is described in such glory that we cannot even imagine it. 

Like a treasure on the other side of an ocean. 

But if God’s grace is a treasure waiting just beyond the stormy seas of life, 

Rainbow, Ivan Aivazovsky c.1873 (Public Domain)

The faith we receive in Christ is the vessel that will take us there. 

It is our call to not only enter into that boat, trusting in it to see us safely to the prize. 

But as disciples, we are commanded to call others to face the challenges of these waters with us, assuring them that the reward is not only the treasure, but the challenge of the journey itself. 

~

Much like the apostles in our Gospel today, the mission we are called to doesn’t always sound like the best use of a Sunday morning much less our entire life. 

But we bring ______ to the waters of her Baptism this day with the intent and hope that she will hold to the faith that clings to the waters of her baptism. 

And we face the challenges of this life holding to the promise of the water that was washed over us. 

And THAT is the faith that will drive us up the mountains and through the Mulberry trees that stand in our own paths. 

~

Years ago, there was a pastor working in a small rural congregation in North Carolina. 

One night, an anxious parishioner came knocking on his door. 

When the pastor answered the only words he heard were, “C’mon, c’mon, he’s gonna kill him, he’s gonna kill him!”

The pastor came to discover that after a family dispute, one of his congregants had decided his only recourse was to shoot his brother dead. 

Foolishly, the pastor knocked on the door rather than calling the police. 

When the brother came to the door with a pistol in his hand and advised the pastor he planned on killing his brother, regardless of what was said.

All the pastor’s theology and counseling classes fell away as he stared blankly into the face of the murderous brother. 

And in the midst of the silence that pastor slowly opened his mouth until the words, “You can’t,” simply fell from his lips. 

“Why NOT?!” questioned the brother, a bit shocked.

Confused as much at his own words as he was at the situation, the pastor simply replied,

“Because you have to remember your baptism.”

~

Sisters and brothers, baptism does not serve as our salvation insurance, it is the offering of God’s grace and that grace is the soil by which our faith grows. 

Our faith is the anchor we cling to when the waves are too high, 

And ______'s parents and sponsors, I want you to know those waves will certainly swell over little _____  as she grows and the years pass by. 

She will be challenged, and many of those challenges will be beyond daunting. 

But in a few moments you will be committing to giving her the anchor of faith to cling to.

And this congregation, you likewise, will be making a commitment to support her and this family in the midst of whatever stormy seas may arise. 

Because that is the call of Jesus in our gospel for today,

Not to seek excuses or avoid the challenges that arise, 

But to face those challenges holding firm to that anchor of our faith+ 

Amen

The Crucifixion, Lucas Cranach the Elder c. 1532 (Public Domain)

Sources

Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works Volume 23 Sermons On The Gospel Of St. John Chapters 6-8. Edited by Jaroslav Pelikan. St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 1959.

Tillich, Paul and Mary Ann Stenger. The New Being. Philadelphia, PA, United States: University of Nebraska press, 2005.