Creation Care Sermon

Nathan Goldbloom

Seattle Pacific University

November, 11^th 2011

THEO 6030

Theology and Environmental Ethics Sermon

Readings during the service: Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 72; Colossians 1:15-23

I’ll tell you of a place long, long ago. A place we all dream of and know. Back when the grass was still green, the pond was still wet and the clouds were still clean. The beautiful Truffula tree stretched as far as the eye could see. Playful Barbaloots roam the forest in their Barbaloot suits and ate truffala fruits. The Swomee Swans sang as the humming fish hum rang. Yes, this place is a place of beauty and life. That is until once-ler came with his knife. He sawed and cut until he brought down an elegant Truffula tree. This act would change the course of history. You see the Once-ler used the beautiful tree to make a Thneed. He claimed it was a fine something that all people need. (Seuss)

When we imagine the Garden of Eden all in tune from the sandy sun capped dune to the harvest moon. It is all created to be good and a beautiful place. The space is not what draws us in though, but the unlimited grace. The presence of God, walking along side, no need to hide. And like in the world of Dr. Seuss, everything has a reason. That is until the Once-ler comes and commits his treason. His treason affects everything from now on. Just like the sin of Adam and Eve would impact all humanity and beyond.

The Once-ler actions parallel our own care for God’s creation. As we sit here today the earth is groaning around us in agitation. Our population of seven billion has caused mass devastation. 850 million of those people are facing starvation. Each year, tropical forests the size of Indiana meet eradication. Fifty percent of the people in the world do not have an adequate hydration. 2.6 billion people lacked water for proper sanitation. Our 251 million tons of municipal solid waste each year creates further contamination. Our rampant energy consumption has led to the degradation of air quality and caused harmful things like acid precipitation. This is just a sample of the ecological situation. I tell you this all not to bring guilt, but for us to begin an examination of our participation. We must now look at a better interpretation of what it means to be commanded to have domination. (Boulma 23-55)

Genesis 1 gives us a perspective on what our created purpose is. We are created in the image of God and given dominion over all the earth. What does it mean though to be created in the image of God? Theologian Dietrich Bonheoffer addresses this question in his book “Creation and Fall”. We must start with what we know about God. God is love, and source of life. God has true freedom. Then to create in God’s image the creation must also be free. Only such a creation, in freedom, would fully praise God and proclaim God’s glory. Bonheoffer explains that freedom is not a possession, object, or form. “Being free means ‘being free for the other, because I am bound to the other. Only by being in relation with the other am I free” (Bonhoeffer 63). Our freedom is not unlimited choices, but binding ourselves God. No one can rule without binding themselves to those that they care for and look after. “There is no ‘being free from’ without a ‘being free for’. There is no dominion without serving God” (Bonhoeffer 67). We become slaves to ourselves, desires, and to the world. There is no freedom “from” as we live in bondage. Instead, we must first be free for, free for God. We become free to rule as we are bound to brothers, sisters, and all creation.

We must not forget though that we are still creatures, lest we continue to make the same mistake that Adam and Eve feature. The fall described in the Bible comes from our desire to be like God, or Sicut Deus (Bonhoeffer 113). In this image we find true life from God which is pure and not reduced. We are for God and neighbor in our limited creaturliness. We live in obedience and faithfulness. When we act like God, Sicut Deus, we act as though we have no limit, individualized. Being “like God” binds us to our own selves, separates us from God and perverts justice to the marginalized (Bonhoeffer 113). The theme is present throughout scripture in the acts of humanity. Adam and Eve try to clothe themselves in Genesis three. In Luke 12, the rich man foolishly tries to store of grain. The Pharisees constantly used piteous living for personal gain.

How does this change our opinion what it means to have dominion? Psalm 72 read this morning gives us insight into what dominion stands for. We expect to hear a prayer for the king to include wisdom, here though the focus is for oppressed, persecuted, and poor. This is consistent with scripture as God is constantly seeking justice, liberation, and salvation for the marginalized. To oppress the voiceless is chastised and despised. Dominion of creation then becomes our representation, to every nation, of the divine revelation and salvation given in the incarnation.

Our passage from Colossians comes into play at this point. What the apostle Paul is articulating here we can see present in simply the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus, fully human, born at a point and place in time must be understood through history. To fully understand who he is we must have the context of Israel and the Old Testament. It is through the Old Testament that we understand the role of Christ. In this role he serves as “the prophetic, High Priest, and kingly servant of God” (Barth 74). “It has proclaimed His word; that is its prophetic mission. By its existence it has to be a witness that God not only speaks, but pledges himself in person and surrenders himself even until death; that is its priestly mission. And, finally in its political helplessness, it has as witness among the other nations to indicate the lordship of God over men; that is its kingly mission” (Barth 77). We have been separated from God through our sin and desire to be “like God”. Christ then comes to us to reconcile, to bring us back to life through the new covenant. “For by covenant we mean Jesus Christ” (Barth 63). Both Jesus Christ’s full humanity and full divinity are needed to bring reconciliation to all of creation (Davis 129). See Christ is not simply building a bridge between creation and God, but that which binds us together (Dearborn). Jesus is the fulfillment of this mission and covenant that God has given. It is then through the unity with God in the person of Jesus Christ that we are able to once again bear the image of God and serve God obediently.

These three passages have given us a great foundation. Steven Bouma-Prediger takes us now to the many reasons we must care for God’s creation. Without nature and the earth we will not be alive. We do not want to deprive our future generations from the chance to survive. We are all connected and dependent on each other. Prediger points out that we when we do not live simply we end up smothered. There are many reasons that creation care is essential. Two of these arguments seem preferential. First, God has commanded us to do it. Genesis 2:15 and Leviticus 25 we cannot omit. As so we must submit to God’s command and care for the land. (Boulma 169-170). The second argument is that God’s concerns are also ours. This means caring for creation from the flowers to the stars. Being image-bearers leads us to show the care and love that God displays (Boulma 170). Let me rephrase ;“Human uniqueness is not a license for exploitation but a call to service” and reconciliation (Boulma 171). We have been given an amazing place. Care for all creation and its inhabitants is the only fitting response to God’s bountiful grace. (Boulma 172). While we understand these points of view, we must look at what we can do.

There is two pieces of homework for you today. First we must confess. When it comes to the world, we in America are the 1%. We are using up the resources hand of fist and causing major harm. After acknowledging that you too are a part of this planet and the issues that have arisen, I want you to take a look at your language. My wife and I love watching House Hunters on HGTV. We began to pick up on language of consumption. Those on the show talked about what they “need.” They “needed” a 6,000 square foot home for two people. They “needed” granite counter tops, backyard pools, movie theater rooms, and high end finishes. Their language though is a lie. They did not need it. They wanted it. Kessia and I have tried to make this change and I still catch myself. When I own up to it as a want, it is much easier to think about what the consequences are, the waste, the health risks, the damage to creation. What is it that you have bought into “needing” when it really is a want? You don’t need a new phone, cars, video games, ipads, fashionable clothes, best sports equipment, makeup, cologne, candy, expensive vacations, husky tickets, movies, or your morning coffee. Our needs are simple. We need basic shelter, simple clothes, healthy food, clean water and air. We need each other. Everything else is a want. Name it as such.

The once-ler had convinced everyone that they need this thing called a Thneed. He cut down more and more trees. Though the Lorax spoke up the Once-ler did whatever he pleased. They cut down more trees leaving nothing to spare. The animals were disappearing but the Once-ler didn’t care. He was as blind by greed to the devastation he caused. The Lorax kept pleading, but he would not pause. Then with a loud crack the last tree fell. With that the Lorax left as well. The Once-ler had got what he had wanted, but the Lorax’s last word kept him haunted. “Unless” was the word that was left behind. He left on a stone for all to find in hopes that it would remind. Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, nothing will get better. It will not. Remember the Lorax’s last proclamation was to care for all of God’s creation. (Seuss)

Works Cited

Barth, Karl. “Dogmatics in Outline.” New York: Harper and Row, 1959.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. “Creation and Fall.” Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1959.

Boulma-Prediger, Steven. “For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care.” Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010.

Davis, Ellen. “In Him all Things Hold Together.” Earth and Word. David Rhoads. New York: Continuum, 1997.

Dearborn, Kerry. “Redeemer God.” Seattle Pacific University. Nov. 10, 2011.

Dr. Seuss. “The Lorax.” New York: Random House, 1971.

Truth and the wealthy

A year ago I lead a retreat to a little place called Children's Country Home, which supports medically fragile kids and their families. The group was of all 6-8th grade students. We set discussed service, loving others, and also being afraid. This was to prep them to see kids there age who needed machines to breathe and live. We spent the day with the medically fragile children working on the yard, painting, and playing with them. At the end of the day we sat down and discussed the experience.

I asked all the students a classic youth ministry question, what was your high moment of the day and "Ah ha!" moment of the day (vague so they do not have to have a "low" but could also be something that God taught them). The students all were obviously touched with what had happened, and came away with some great thoughts. Many let us know how blessed they realize now they are and how they appreciate the things they have much more now after being with the medically fragile students. While nice on the surface it made me cringe a little inside after every student who said it.

The experience sat with me for a long time after and continued to churn my soul like an unsettled stomach. What was missing is their sense of blessing. The students associated blessing with material items, or physical ability. They had yet to see the real blessing that the medically fragile students had that they could not fathom. The simplest and most amazing blessings, joy and love.

Their life experiences of living in a wealthy area had given many of them a sense of entitlement and scued version of value. I saw this recently as I was asked by a student about my phone. They wanted to see how "cool" the stuff was that I have. When finally showed them (I resisted for a while but when they start reaching for your pockets it is better to just get it out) they commented on how simple and boring it was. My heart was broken. Not because I care how cool my phone is, but that a young child already places so much worth on material goods.

Mother Teresa weighed in when she said "It is among the wealthy that we can find the most terrible poverty of all - loneliness." It is through this loneliness that we try and find a home. We try and find an identity. A reason. This has lead to seeing value in material items beacuse they will help us fit in or achieve our identity. This is why people want to create an identity using the internet or have a million friends on facebook. We no longer understand what is really vaulable. We no longer remember our community and what it truly means to love others as we love our selves. I am not sure I ever learned how to do this as it took me decades just to learn how to love myself.

We live in the richest country in the world. Even when we say we don't have much it is a lie and deep down we know it. We are among the top 2% of entire planets population. I may not have as much as those living next to me, but I know I make more than 1 dollar a day like most in third world countries. We are called to more. More than simply pray for those whom we like. More than tithe when it is convenient. It might be hard to hear, but we know it is the truth.

"You may recall the old comic in which two pastors are talking, and one of them asks the other, "How's your church?" The other pastor boasts, "Quite well, I should say. When I got there, we had only thirty members and I have only been there a year. Now we are seeing over four hundred people on Sunday morning. And how's your church?" The first pastor says, "Well, I don't know. When I got there we were seeing about a hundred. I've been preaching the gospel, and I've preached that ole church down to ten." (Irresistible Revolution pg 317)

The truth is hard for us to hear. I have seen huge congregations that were there because it was easy. I have knew many people in college who did not like to hear the challenging messages during chapel. They want it to be simple. In the end "Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, and then love more."

The beautiful thing about loving is that it cures the poverty that afflicts the wealthy, since we can not love without community.

Identity

Who are you? How many of us think we know the answer to that. We may answer with our name. Many times we want to answer with more because we feel that our name does not necessarily describe us so we resort to a title. 

We define ourselves so often by this title. I'm a youth worker. I'm a doctor. I'm a mom. I'm an African American. I'm a teen. These titles in and of themselves help describe who we are, but what happens when one title takes over?

Kessia and I talked about this tonight. We examined at how people defined themselves. There are so many we have come across that allow one aspect of their life dominate and take over. It becomes their name. Their identity. 

Sadly, many people want this because they want to be defined. They want to be in a group. The let the group, the title take over their identity. They lose them self in being a certain profession, sexual orientation, household role, race, or political view. They forget that there is an identity more important than all of these things, God's Child. 

This is the title that should define us. After this there are many titles that make us up, but none should ever come close to our role as God's Child. It is in this title that we find all the things that the other titles can not give us. We find value, grace, community, power, hope, faith, truth and most importantly love. 

If I do not know myself as God's Child then how am I to know true love with my wife? How am I to understand grace and forgiveness in the community? How am I to understand value in others? How am I to see truth in difficult situations? 

We all want to know who we are. We search this out constantly in our lives. The answer has always been there whispering in the Good News that we are loved. We are God's Children.