"MAKING A PACT"
a message by Rev. Dr. Bruce Havens
Coral Isles Church, U.C.C.
January 19, 2025
Luke 4: 14-21 NRSV
14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? No? Yes? Cool! Either way, I have good news. The Friday before last was officially “quitting Friday.” That’s a real thing, evidently! The second Friday in January is the day most people admit to getting to before they give up on their resolutions. So you are off the hook either way! If you’ve already quit, you are in good company. If you haven’t, then bully for you, keep going, or don’t feel bad if you decide to quit because most everyone else didn’t last as long as you!
I like what we have on our sign outside: “Daily devotion is better than a yearly resolution.” To take that a step further the next two Sundays I want to suggest to you the idea of making a “Pact for the Future.” I want to talk about that in the context of this reading from the Gospel of Luke. Some have described this as Jesus’ mission statement for his ministry. The words that Jesus quotes from the prophet Isaiah are powerful and meaningful. On the Sunday before we mark the Rev. Martin Luther King, jr.’s birthday and the inauguration of a new President these words are especially meaningful. Rev. King was deeply inspired by these words in his work for justice. One hopes each new President will govern in a way that truly stands for “justice for all.”
Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah’s words: “good news for the poor, …letting the oppressed go free, and …declaring the year of the Lord’s favor.” Now to be honest I don’t hear too many of our nation’s leaders proclaiming this mission for our future as a nation, and I hear WAY too many so-called Christian leaders promoting a very different vision than this, even calling such a vision things like “woke,” or “dangerous.” Really, I’ve heard Christians call Jesus’ words “woke” and “dangerous” when quoted to them without first telling them it was Jesus’ own words!
In response, I would say, here’s the important points to remember: first, Isaiah did proclaim these words to be from God. Second, Jesus repeated them and added to their importance and their value today for us as people of faith. Third, I would suggest that if we value Rev. Martin Luther King, jr.’s memory and efforts, then we too ought to take these words seriously for our faith. Most of all I believe our faith ought to guide our daily lives and our actions way more than Project 2025 or whatever it’s called, or Moms for Liberty, or the so-called Christian Nationalists do their vision. So this morning, I would even suggest that we need to be serious enough about our life and our faith to make a “Pact for the Future” and to base it on these words, as Jesus based his on them.
I’ve taken the idea of a “Pact for the Future,” from a colleague’s blog [ Pilotingfaith.org, Jan 6, 2025 ]. Rev. Cameron Trimble is a pastor, consultant, and – I think- someone who speaks with great faith. Last week she wrote, and I am quoting her:
“In 2024, the United Nations introduced a Pact for the Future—a vision for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. It’s a reminder that what we do today shapes the lives of those who come after us.” She adds, “It reminds me of the words of Henry David Thoreau: ‘The future is not something to be predicted, but a canvas to be painted with the colors of our present actions.’ The UN declaration is encouraging,” but, she says, “it left me wondering what my own Pact for the Future would look like? And what about yours?”
She says, this isn’t just about “feeling good about the future. It’s about making intentional choices that shape the world we dream of—choices grounded in faith, love, and justice. Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr reminds us, ‘Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone. Therefore, we are saved by love.’ If we wish to be good ancestors,” she says, “we owe it to ourselves and future generations to act in loving ways towards one another and the planet.”
I would echo her words when she says, “This is the vision I want to carry forward—a vision not just of personal success but of collective thriving driven by love.” Here is her Pact and I have added a comment to each of her items based on my own and our congregational commitments:
1. I commit to protecting, preserving, and partnering with the planet. I hope to leave the earth more beautiful, diverse, and sustainable than it is today. This is consistent with our goal of being a Creation Justice congregation.
2. I commit to advocating for peace and equality, recognizing that all people are equally loved and valued children of God. Everyone belongs. This sounds pretty much like our mission to be an Open and Affirming congregation.
3. I commit to speaking up for democracy, justice, and the rule of law. Power must serve the whole of the people, not just a privileged few. As a Christian I believe the church is called to speak truth to power on behalf of the powerless. I don’t believe we are called to be a “Christian nation” as defined by Christian Nationalists, but I do believe God calls human governments to do justice for all no matter what party, politics, or platforms they may or may not be part of.
4. I commit to embracing and celebrating diversity. Wisdom, compassion, and kindness emerge when we honor the voices, needs and stories of all living beings on the earth. Again, this echoes our Open and Affirming faith, as well as our commitment to addressing issues of mental health and being a WISE congregation – welcoming, inclusive, supportive and engaged when it comes to mental health issues.
5. I commit to caring for the poor and excluded. I will use my resources and privilege to bring access, comfort and dignity to those who are left out and left behind. And this seems to me to be the most basic mission of the church, is it not?
Rev. Trimble adds, she hopes this list is an invitation to us. So let me ask you: What would your Pact for the Future say? What are the promises you are willing to make—not just for yourself, but for your grandchildren, your community, and those you may never meet?”
She issues the challenge in these words: “The world we long for won’t build itself. It begins with ordinary people, in ordinary moments, making extraordinary commitments to love, protect, and serve. It starts with courage—courage to believe that hope is more than a wish; it’s a practice. And it’s a practice that builds a more just and generous world for all.” She ends her devotional, each time, with this: “We are in this together.” And I would add, yes we are!
Here's why I chose to share this, if I haven’t made it plain already. Yes, this is a United Nations statement, but I think I’ve made clear that, to me at least, it is consistent with our Biblical and faith values. As we look back at the past and the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King, jr. and forward at the incoming Presidential administration we can see there are many different visions for our world. Everyone chooses, even if we say “we choose not to be involved or engaged at all.” I hope we will not do that.
For me I will not give up my children or grandchild’s future to values and visions I cannot believe in. I will find ways to work for the vision I believe God stands for, and Jesus Christ embodied. I hope you will too, because even if you don’t have children or grandchildren to fight for a better future personally, I also encourage you to see every child and every grandchild as yours. We are all in this together, even those who disagree with one another. I hope and pray we can all seek to make God’s vision for life and for the future our own. To me it is the only hope we have and the only option for people of faith. May God’s vision be now and in the future, our vision. AMEN.
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