Here is the text (so far) of my Isaiah sermon. I am going to be updating this post as the sermon progresses but I would love feedback and comments (please add your comments) as this is a tough scripture and topic to wrestle with. Thanks!
The judgment of God came down like thunder upon the people of Israel. You may be looking around this morning wondering what kind of oppressive decrees or systems Isaiah is talking about. You may even be wondering if you had anything to do with this at all. The 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew famously has people asking, “When Jesus, when did I see people in poverty? When did I create a system that oppressed? When did I make decrees?” You are probably thinking the very same thing.
Recently on NPR, I listened to the story of Lady Justice – often depicted in statues at courthouses around the world. The most interesting feature of Lady Justice – since the 15th Century – is that she is often portrayed as being blindfolded because we expect that justice should be fair and impartial. We expect justice to be blind to all factors except the facts when we go to court and so we depict justice as being blind hoping it is a true thing. The interesting thing about justice is that we are often blind when it comes to justice and injustice in our own communities around us. “When Jesus, when did I see people in poverty? When did I create a system that oppressed? When did I make decrees?”
Our eyes are often closed to the injustice, which is most obvious around us. Recent economic data from the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools indicates that 40% of the children living in the Antioch High School cluster – the cluster my neighborhood is zoned for – are considered economically disadvantaged. Our eyes are closed to the injustice around us because economically disadvantaged is a nice way of saying living in poverty. In considering this startling statistic, I realized that 4 out of 10 children standing at the bus stop in my neighborhood are economically disadvantaged. You know I am going to call it for what is – poverty. My eyes were blind to the poverty in my very neighborhood among children I see on a regular basis. “When Jesus, when did I see people in poverty? When did I create a system that oppressed? When did I make decrees?”
It is so easy to point fingers at others or blame the government or banks or credit card companies but it is harder to blame ourselves. You see, I think we all have a part in the creation of poverty in this country. The American Dream. The ideal has brought immigrants to the shores of this country for centuries. The hope of a better future. The dream of being wealthy and free. We have all bought into this dream in some form or another. We have all wanted a better life for ourselves and for our family. Many of us bought homes. Many of us buy new cars. We find ourselves drawn to the latest fashion or gizmo. Geraldine Ferraro once said, “”My name is Geraldine Ferraro. I stand before you to proclaim tonight: America is the land where dreams can come true for all of us.” Why? Because it is part of the American dream. We have to keep up with the latest and the best because we are Americans and we are living the dream. A dream that forces people to buy things so they can be like their neighbors. A dream that forces people to appear as if they are living the dream that everyone else lives. Keeping up with the Baranoski’s. “When Jesus, when did I see people in poverty? When did I create a system that oppressed? When did I make decrees?”
In the ninth chapter of Isaiah, we read of the coming of a child, a special child who will have the government on his shoulders; who will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. We have long read this passage to be a sign of the coming Messiah – Jesus. What if this passage really did announce the coming of Jesus? What would that mean for the world. During Jesus’ life, he spoke against the Roman dream – the idea that we had to accept the system as it was. The idea that we had to follow the rules of society that kept people oppressed and in poverty. Jesus reached out to those who were not living the Roman dream; those who were lost because society was blind to the injustice around them. Jesus showed that the kingdom of God could be here and now around us.
The Timothy Blog 
Not quite sure how to comment. I’m trying to think of ways we can actually DO something for those in poverty and those under the influence of oppressive systems. As to opressive systems, it’s hard sometimes to tell the good guys from the bad buys. I’m thinking of our two party system here. For my part I am not fully happy with either party and find much to find fault with both, but one will never find a PERFECT political party. So the only thing the citizen can really do in regard to oppressive systems in this country is to try to keep informed and vote their conscience. I get tired of people griping about politics who aren’t even registered to vote. When it comes to oppressive systems in the world at large, this gets more complicated. I find myself shopping at Wal-Mart because I have to economically. I’m on a fixed income, but I know they pay their employees diddly, my daughter worked for them and along with a lot of other companies are probably exploiting cheap foreign labor. This is tragic. Ok those are my thoughts on the concept of oppressive systems which I find very hard to grapple with although I try. Now on to more practical matters, you know the things we can really materially do for those in poverty. I make around $25,000 a year so I’m not far from the poverty level myself, but one thing I would suggest for all from the poor to the rich is downsize your life. Look at every way you can simplify. Look through all your closets and drawers. What are you not using? Then give it to the poor. If you really don’t need it, don’t hoard it. Then I also support the Bibilical injunction of the 10% tithe. I realized we aren’t under Jewish law any more, but this seems very fair to me. My tithe is split between church (which gets the most) and other charitable organizations that I have a heart for. Then being active through volunteering is a wonderful thing as well. Get out there, stop being afraid of the poor, look them in the eye and love them. Finally practice charity of mind toward every person, hold no grudges, pray for your enemies. I was reading a book by Fulton Sheen called Peace of Soul and he stated that the religious (monks & nuns) who undertake a life of prayer, chastity and abstinence are doing more for the country than all the politicians and world leaders. Funny thing that a monk or nun on their knees is tapping into the most powerful source in the universe, the Holy Spirit. There really is a lot we can do and it all starts with prayer. Prayer changes our focus from ourselves onto God and finally to our neighbor. From prayer will come thoughfulness and we can begin to be active in our neighborhoods and maybe even make a dent in those oppresive systems as well.
That is coming in the later parts of the sermon. I am just hashing out what I think keeps people in poverty in this country. Not an easy topic for a prophetic sermon but then if it was, why would I preach it.
I would like to hear more sermons on this kind of “stewardship.” I just listened to Nickle & Dimed: On Not Getting By in America while I drove to Memphis for a couple weeks. This novel gave me a great look into the working poor. Often, we look at the homeless as the poor, but there are people working two or more full time jobs a week doing the things that sustain our fast-paced lives who can barely survive. Hotel housekeeper, waitress, WalMart “associate,” maid, etc. These are some of the jobs the author held and ultimately failed to be able to support herself and find affordable housing. Any medical issues or surprise costs would have sent her over he edge budget-wise, and she would have been homeless if she hadn’t actually had a secret identity (and bank account) as a successful writer. If goods and services actually cost enough for the people who provide them to have a living wage, the general public would not pay for them. However, if they are not in demand, what will millions of people do for a living? Is there enough money to go around? How many people are making (very) decent salaries performing invisible jobs which are actually meaningless, affecting no one? If we simplify across the board, there will be a lot fewer jobs needed. We’re trained to think fewer jobs is bad. If it’s not, what does the alternative look like?