Lenten Lesson 6 -- Those society silences

Friday, March 26, 2010
The Rev. Steve Bales, pastor at First Congregational Church, serves as worship leader Friday afternoon during the Community Lenten service at Memorial United Methodist Church. (Dawn Cribbs/McCook Daily Gazette)

Those society has silenced -- the blind, the lame, the poor -- have the ear of God according to the Scriptures, said the Rev. Lance Clay at the annual Community Lenten service Friday at Memorial United Methodist Church.

Clay, pastor at MUMC, read the account of "Blind Bar-timaeus" from the Gospel of Luke 18:35-43, giving strong voice to the blind man the people tried to silence on the trade route to Jerusalem on the outskirts of Jericho some 2,000 ago.

Clay reminded the community congregation of 127 of what had transpired immediately before the encounter on the road to Jerusalem.

Members of Memorial United Methodist Church's Bell Choir, under the direction of Evie Caldwell, prepare to perform "In the Garden" Friday afternoon at the Community Lenten service at MUMC. (Dawn Cribbs/McCook Daily Gazette)

"In the verses preceding this account, Jesus had foretold for his disciples what was soon to come pass in Jerusalem," Clay said. "Jesus knew full well what he faced when he reached Jerusalem, the scourging, the mocking, the death sentence he was soon to receive."

Jesus and those who traveled with him, approached Jericho and a blind man, situated off to the side, out of the way, could hear the sounds the multitude.

"This is where you'll find those silenced by society," Clay advised. "Reduced to begging, shoved off to the side, out of the way, utterly dependent on the generosity of those that pass by."

The Rev. Lance Clay, pastor at Memorial United Methodist Church gives voice to the "Silenced of Society" Friday afternoon at the Community Lenten service at MUMC. (Dawn Cribbs/McCook Daily Gazette)

Such was Bar-timaeus. Blind, he was beggared.

"From the account shared in John 9," Clay explained, "where the disciples ask Jesus about another blind man and who had sinned so that he was born blind, the culture believed that people deserved their lot in life." If that meant being reduced to begging along the busy trade route to Jerusalem, then that was their lot.

We have those silenced by society today, Clay stated, recalling the busloads of homeless that were collected off of the streets of Atlanta, Ga., in preparation for that city hosting the Olympic games in 1996.

"Oh, we try to do better these days," he said, by establishing schools for the deaf, school for the blind. But what about those who slip through the cracks?

"Let's face it," he said, citing the need to ticket people for illegally parking in a handicap space, "some people just don't care."

Returning to Bar-timaeus, Clay set the scene.

"Blind, he had no idea who was causing all of the commotion," Clay said. It could have been Roman soldiers, a large merchant caravan, but the noise and confusion prompted him to call out to his unseen companions, to ask what was happening.

When he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth passing by, he called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Luke says that those who led the way rebuked the man, and told him to be quiet.

"Society sought to silence this man," Clay said. "We don't know how he knew about Jesus, that he would call him a Son of David, but plainly, he wasn't going to allow society to silence him now that Jesus was passing by.

"...but he shouted all the more 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'"

His cry for mercy caught the ears of Jesus, said Clay, and Jesus stopped right there on the road and commanded that Bar-timaeus be brought to him. As soon as the man drew near, Jesus asked him, "'What do you want me to do for you?'"

This is where faith saves, said Clay. Do we believe God is present? Do we believe God is able? Or do we dwell in a silence imposed by society -- is our world darkened to the point of blindness by illness, by disease, by poverty?

Bar-timaeus dared to call out to the Lord. And when he answered Jesus' question on that road to Jericho, "Lord, I want to see," he heard Jesus' answer, "Receive your sight, your faith has healed you," and immediately he received his sight.

Jesus still calls us to himself, Clay said. God still hears. Ignore those who would tell you that God doesn't work that way anymore, that God is busy. God hears, Clay emphasized, "God hears whomever, wherever, whatever our need.

"Yell, 'God have mercy on me!'"

"There is no sincere heart that God will not hear, he listens to those who refuse to be silenced," Clay stated, "He is rich in mercy, he is present, he responds to his people in love.

"Even when facing the cross, he heard Bar-timaeus, he hears you, too."

The Scripture passage closes with Bar-timaeus following Jesus, praising God and "When all the people saw it, they also praised God."

This is what crying out to Jesus gives us, said Clay, a reason to praise, a reason to follow. We need to get ourselves to that place where where all that matters is Jesus.

Clay closed out the annual Community Lenten service sponsored by the Red Willow County Ministerial Association with prayer. The community is encouraged to close out the 2010 Community Lenten season at the cross walk Friday, departing from St. Alban's Episcopal Church at 11:30 a.m., arriving at Memorial United Methodist Church at noon, in time for the annual "Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ" Good Friday presentation. There is no luncheon served on Good Friday.

The Memorial United Methodist Church Bell Choir, under the direction of Evie Caldwell, performed "In the Garden." Caldwell also served as the organist. The Rev. Steve Bales, pastor at First Congregational Church was the worship leader. The MUMC congregation provided a quiche luncheon complete with side salads, muffins and a generous selection of desserts.

The annual Community Lenten services are sponsored by the Red Willow County Ministerial Association. A free will offering in support of the work of the ministerial association is accepted at the entrance to the sanctuary. A second free will offering is accepted in the Fellowship Hall to help defray the cost of the meal provided by the preaching minister's congregation.

For more information on the Red Willow Ministerial Association and to listen to an audio recording of each service, go online to: www.mccookchurches.org

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