Isaiah 43:1; John 7:38
As Jordan mentioned before reading the New Testament passage, it is a bit of a repeat. That’s because “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water” is the theme for Camp Agape this summer, and I want to share a bit of it with you. For those who do not know, I’ll be leaving after worship next Sunday to go lead worship throughout the week at camp. As the Spiritual Director, I choose the scriptures, set the theme, write the Bible studies for 6-12th graders, and lead morning and evening worship services. It’s a lot to do, but I love it! I love it because I get to be a part of the spiritual growth of children and youth from across our Presbytery, and I get to work with some of the most creative and passionate volunteers and staff that I’ve ever known! Sometimes I’m not sure who grows in faith more from it, them or me!
Usually, I wait until I get back to share themes from camp with you, but this year I thought it might be good to work some of these ideas out with you before I go. I actually started this whole process with you last week, but there was just too much going on to talk about it.
You may recall that it was Trinity Sunday, and we focused on the providence of God and how that leads to a response that starts a cycle of reflection and action that just keeps ongoing. In regard to the scriptures, we talked about the way that reflecting on God’s presence and God’s providence plants us like trees near a stream (Psalm 1); and that having been grounded in our faith we receive the indwelling of God’s Spirit (John 7:39); and because we believe we become vessels of life-giving waters (John 7:38) for others!
Today we’re going to connect the idea of being named and claimed by God (Isahai 43:1) with the promise that “life-giving waters” flow out of the believer’s heart.
Let’s start with names. Names matter. They carry a legacy with them, and when they are changed it communicates a change in the very nature of the person, place, or thing that has been renamed. Istanbul became Constantinople to reflect the Roman Empire’s embrace of Christianity. It used to be standard practice that a woman would take her husband’s name, and many still do, but those who have earned degrees often do not.
In fact, people change their names often enough that there are legal provisions for it. This being Pride month, it’s important to acknowledge that when a transgender person changes their name it is in order to claim the recognition of self that others deny them. I say that’s important to recognize because there is a basic design principle behind the names that we choose for ourselves and for others and that is the idea that form follows function.
When I say a word like “chair” you might think of any number of chairs that you have sat on in the past, but if I say “recliner” then you are probably going to have a different image. The name tells us what it does, and then you can imagine the rest.
That’s why the Prophet Isaiah in 43:1a said, “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel…” Most scholars believe that this was written around the time of the return of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity. Jacob was the name of their ancestor before God changed his name to Israel, but God was not speaking to their ancestor. God was telling them, “Not only am I the one who thought you up out of nothing, but I’m the one who brought you together and formed you as a people.”
The memory of their forming confirmed their purpose – to be God’s people; to be the ones through whom God demonstrates love and mercy and the power to save them, even from themselves. “You,” he says, “the ones that I just called by name. Do not be afraid. I’ve already redeemed you.”
Do not be afraid. The Bible says that a lot, you know. In fact, there are around 365 passages telling us not to fear, yet that seems to be something we like to do. We’re afraid of the unknown. We’re afraid of the possible, and when it seems hurtful we like to flip that over to “probable.” Sometimes we are right to do that. Sometimes we are not.
Either way, the Biblical witness tells us to put our trust in the name of the Lord. Not only that, we should put our trust in the fact that we have been named and claimed as God’s people, together. So often we think of life and faith as a solo sport, but it’s not. It’s a team sport. For one, we are never apart from the presence of God, even in our suffering and longing – God is just as present there as God is in our joy and celebration.
Do you believe that – because belief is the key to unlocking the space within us that allows life-giving waters to flow. Those waters are going to flow without us, but if we believe that God is going to work in and through us as God’s people, it won’t be just a little trickle. It won’t be a little creek that dries up or goes underground. It will be like the prophet Amos said in 5:24. Justice will roll down like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream!
If you don’t believe me, just look and see how it’s happened in the past. Once upon a time, there was no sanctuary for this congregation, so members grew roses and sold them to raise money for it. Once upon a time, there was no such thing as kindergarten in the public school system, so members of this congregation built one. Once upon a time, there was a need for non-profit agencies that benefited the poor, the elderly, and those in crisis to have operational space, and we welcomed them into our building.
Once upon a time, there was a village in Cuba where they had never had clean, filtered water, and we partnered with them and many others to find a way for clean water to flow. To this day we are their partner, just as we partner with others to provide meals for the elderly, housing for families experiencing homelessness, and a place of acceptance and spiritual nurture for college students.
All of that is possible because people have believed, and still do, that the name Christian and the community formed around the table of Christ that is called First Presbyterian Church offer them hope and a reason not to be afraid.
Today, around this table, let us claim the victory Jesus won over sin and death and all that seeks to divide and conquer us – even when we ourselves are sources of division. Today, let us hear the prophet speak to us and call us by name. Today, let us remember that the one who called out on the great day of the Festival of Booths – the day of remembrance of Moses striking the rock in the wilderness to provide water for God’s people – was calling out to you and to me in hopes that we might believe in what God is doing in us and through us together!
That’s not to say that God is not calling out to us as individuals, for as the scripture says, “The believer’s heart” is the place these living waters will flow from. I just can’t fathom God’s grace being dependant on any one of us alone. At the same time, I can’t imagine God’s desire to be any less than an “all y’all” kind of desire – even though we all have times when our hearts have been too dry to well up anything but what we need to stay alive.
I’m reminded here of a story that The Rev. Johan Daza told a few years ago at Presbyterian Youth Triennium. He told the story of his 12-year-old nephew, Matteo, who had a congenital heart defect. Without a heart transplant, he would surely die. The boy was old enough to understand what was going on, and he heard the Dr’s say that not only did he need a heart that was currently beating in someone else’s chest, but it had to be a perfect match. In order for him to live, a boy just like him was going to die. His life was dependent on some terrible accident, somewhere. How do you even pray for that?
Thankfully, and tragically, Matteo did receive his heart, but he also received something more. He received an understanding of the sacrifice of Christ that was so much deeper than he could have imagined. Rev. Daza assured us all, in that moment, that even though we all have doubts, there is a perfect match in Christ for the hearts that we offer to God.
The good news is that it is here, around this table, formed as God’s people, that our hearts are made new, again and again, and again. Therefore, do not fear. God has called you by name. God has claimed you. God has redeemed you, and there is a place for you here.
Let all God’s children say, “Amen!”
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